Tips for Healthy Aging,
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They discovered prunes create BY FAR the highest anti-oxidant activity, followed in order by raisins, blueberries, blackberries, kale, strawberries and spinach.
In one group, a 10 oz. serving of fresh, raw spinach scored better than a 1250 mg. dose of vitamin C.
An eight ounce serving of vegetables outperformed three glasses of red wine.
In related reports, cherry tomatoes were found to have TEN TIMES the anti-oxidant activity of regular tomatoes.
This even though the average tomato contains 10,000 phyto-chemicals.
For maximum anti-oxidant protection, eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A ''serving'' is 1 medium size apple, a half cup of fruit or cooked vegetables, a cup of salad vegetables, or 6 oz. of juice.
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Remember to eat a wide variety, eating all the colors regularly. Try to eat your fruits and vegetables raw when possible.
For those many of you who find this difficult, utilizing a super food "green" drink w/ a wide variety of the above foods in a "live" spray dried form is a highly recommended option to consider.(GREENS FIRST)
Then take an anti-oxidant rich multi-vitamin/mineral , usually iron free or low iron (less than 3 mg) several times a day with meals. (MultiWellness)
Anti-oxidant status is easily measured using an inexpensive home urine test kit. (Free Radical-Antioxidant Test Kit). Some people may need the additional anti-oxidant power of alpha lipoic acid (diabetics), Co Q-10 (heart disease, smokers, peridontal disease), glutathione from whey or NAC (n-acytl-cystiene) for the ill and elderly.
Otherwise a mixed super antioxidant formula (like Antioxidant Optimizer) may be need to bring free radicals under control.
VISION WELLNESS: How to SEE Your Way to 100!
by Dr J.H.Maher , ABAAHP
Osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and senile dementia are major well publicized chronic diseases that afflict us in our later years.
Less well publicized is age related visual impair-ment from the "big four", cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic neuropathy, which are the leading causes of impaired vision and blindness in the United States.
As we continually see an increase in life expectancy in each succeeding generation, we need added mphasis on early diagnosis methods and new treatments, as well as preventing and lowering the risk for these increasingly common age-related eye diseases.
Approximately 4,000,000 people have some degree of vision impairing cataract, and at least 40,000 people are blind in the US due to cataract.
Those of you who are between 52 and 64 have a 50% chance of having a cataract. But you probably won't see a change in your vision until you reach age 65!
Degeneration of the macula of the retina is the leading cause of severe visual loss in Europe and the US in patients 55 and older.
It used to be second to cataracts as the leading cause of blindness in those over 65, though the new surgical procedures have now returned sight to millions.
It is estimated that over 150,000 Americans are legally blind from age related macular degeneration with 20,000 thousand new case every year in the US alone.
Glaucoma is now the second-leading cause of blindness in America. Over 2,000,000 are affected. It has no early warning signs.
In fact, up to one half million Americans or more may currently have glaucoma and not even know it!
Glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness in African-Americans according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Chronic glaucoma, which accounts for most glaucoma cases, often goes undetected for years, resulting in significant and permanent damage to the eyes. Once you've lost your eyesight to glaucoma, it never comes back.
People with diabetes are highly susceptible to "diabetic retinopathy". The development of laser surgery has reduced this formerly leading cause of blindness.
Still those of you with diabetes are 25 times more likely to become blind than those without diabetes!
CATARACTS
Cataracts are the white, opaque blemishes on the otherwise normally transparent eye. The damage is much like that which occurs to the protein of an egg when you cook it.
Age-related cataracts are known as senile cataracts. Cataract surgery is the most common Medicare re-imbursed surgery, approaching a cost of $1,000,000,000 a year.
Though cataract are common past 60, anti-aging specialists do not consider them normal!
Though cataracts are detectable by exam many years before they cause obvious visual defects, they eventually cause "foggy" or "cloudy" vision.
Fortunately, now ultrasonic surgery can destroy most cataracts in minutes.
Cataracts form when the lens can no longer defend itself against the free radical attacks. A major cause of free radical formation in the lens is the slow oxidation (literally cooking) ionization radiation of ultra- violet and violet light.
Individuals with high levels of antioxidants have a much lower risk of developing cataracts.
Indeed, a study at Tufts University of patients age 50 to 70 who took plenty of Vitamin C had fewer cataracts.
Low serum beta carotene are indicators of high risk for cataracts.
According to a study at thew University of Sydney other nutrients that protect the lens include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin (Vitamins B1,B2,and B3), vitamin A, and amino acids. Melatonin and various flavonoid rich botanicals have also been found prophylactic.
Riboflavin, AKA Vit B-2, re-cycles "spent" glutathione. Glutathione is such a major antioxidant free radical quencher that levels are considered a bio-marker of biological age.
WARNING! Levels of 10 mg a day are photosensitizing and, like St. John's Wort, mega- dosing should be avoided by those with cataracts.
Sulfur containing amino acids, like methionine, cystiene and glutathione are important building blocks for antioxidant enzymes in the eye (Catalase, SOD and GSH).
Indeed cataracts are diagnostically characterized by low levels of glutathione.
Selenium, vitamin C and the amino acid methionine all enhance glutathione.
Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant shown in animal studies to inhibit cataracts.
Botanicals such the bilberry (an herb), grape seed and pine bark (sources of what is commonly called OPC's), blueberries (a fruit) and Curcumin (from the spice tumeric) are all sources of powerful antioxidants called the "biological flavonoids", which are particularly useful in ocular anti-aging.
Bilberry, also known as the European blueberry, are rich in anthocyanosides, as is the American blue berry. Bilberry is reported to be affective in a number of eye diseases including glaucoma (with Vitamin C), macular degeneration, night blindness, improved contrast in day vision and reducing hemorrhage in diabetic retinopathy.
Diets high in fat, especially rancid fried fats, and salt increase risk for cataracts. Smoking does as well, as it loads the body with the heavy metal cadmium which interferes with zinc metabolism.
GLAUCOMA
The vision loss from glaucoma results from the pressure of the built-up fluid within the eye. This appears to be due to a abnormality in the supportive (collagen) structures of the eye.
In chronic Glaucoma pressure can be twice the maximum of normal; in acute glaucoma it can be four times maximum normal.
This pressure can damage the optic nerve, which is the nerve that transmits vision. Glaucoma thus reduces your ability to see.
In chronic glaucoma, the peripheral vision is gradually lost. The process can be so gradual that it goes unnoticed by the person affected.
Central vision, the ability to see straight ahead, to recognize objects and to read, remains essentially normal until the last stages of the disease. This results in tunnel vision.
THEREFORE IT IS ESSENTIAL AS PART OF YOUR ANTI-AGING PROGRAM TO INCLUDE ANNUAL EYE EXAMS AFTER THE AGE OF 60.
Elevated intra-ocular pressure (IOP), peripheral vision check, and optic nerve tests are ALL important. African-Americans over 40, those of you severely nearsighted, diabetic, or taking certain blood pressure meds. or cortisone need to be checked starting after 39.
Acute glaucoma causes severe throbbing eye pain, unilaterally, with a fixed, dilated pupil and usually nausea and vomiting, IMMEDIATE medical attention is mandatory to prevent permanent blindness. There can be sudden tunnel vision!
Keeping the supportive structures of the eye healthy may reduce your risk of glaucoma. Vit. C, berries, especially blue berries, the herbs bilberry (a collagen stabilizer) and ginkgo biloba, citrus bio-flavonoids are even used therapeutically, so are indicated for prevention.
Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker, lowers elevated eye pressure much like it lowers blood pressure. Omega 3 fatty acids and cold water fish oils also can lower both blood and eye pressure.
Chromium is important for diabetics who are a much, much greater risk for glaucoma.
MACULAR DEGENERATION
The macula, Latin for "spot", is the area of the center retina in the back of your eye where images are focused for fine vision.
It is not only the number one cause of blindness in those over 65, affecting over 13,000,000 of us, but 25% of you over 65 all ready have some manifestation of macular degeneration, though many of you do not know that is what you have!
The major risk factors for macular degeneration are smoking, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and aging. Like cataracts, the damage seems to be caused by free radicals "burning" (oxidizing) the retina.
However, decreased blood and oxygen supply to the retina is the prelude and associated key factors leading to macular degeneration (MD).
The two types of MD are age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) are the uncommon "wet" (neovascular) form, and the usual "dry" (atrophic) form.
In dry ARMD, a waste product called "lipofuscin" engorges the retina, causing an extrusion of the deeper retinal tissues called "drusen".
These appear on eye exam as yellow spots on the retina. Though this dry form rarely causes total blindness, there is currently no standard medical treatment for ARMD.
Fortunately, the wet form can be treated with photo-coagulation laser therapy, IF it is treated in time.
In either form, one might experience blurred vision, straight objects might appear distorted or bent, a dark purple or gray spot may manifest in or by the center of the visual field. While reading, parts of words might appear to be missing.
There is difficulty going from bright to dark. Glare sensitivity increases. Though central vision is disturbed, peripheral vision remains intact, just the opposite of glaucoma.
Sometimes one eye is effected where the other is not, delaying symptomatic warnings, again underlying the importance of regular exams as we age.
The treatment for the dry form, and the prevention for both, is to reducing the risk factors from hardening of the arteries, and maximizing antioxidants with diet and supplements.
The Archives of Ophthalmology (117,1999;1384-1390) confirm that low levels of Vitamin E increase the risk for ARMD. Indeed those with the highest levels of Vitamin E were 82% less likely to suffer macular degeneration!
Yet the American Journal of Epidemiology (150,1999;290-300) reports that 27% of the US population has low levels of Vitamin E and 41% of African-Americans were low.
Various "non-essential" food components, such as the NON-Provitamin A carotenes leutien, zeaxanthin, and lycopene, along with flavonoids, are proving to be more significant than the more well known Vitamins C and E, and selenium.
Individuals with low levels of lycopenes have twice the risk of ARMD. The yellow carotenes lutein and zeaxanthin are the major antioxidants of the retina and help to filter light. This is especially important for light eyed individuals.
Pro-vitamin A supplements should not just be from beta-carotene. Look for a multi-vitamin with mixed carotinoids.
The above mentioned botanical flavonoids are important as well, especially bilberry and blue berries (anthocyanoside rich).
Once again, zinc, manganese, and copper as needed to maximize SOD, GSH, and catalase, the free radical destroying enzymes.
As hypoxia and restricted blood flow, usually secondary to atherosclerosis, bilberry ability to improve circulation to the eye makes it most indicated for retinal health.
Both gingko biloba and Vinpocetine (periwinkle) can not only deliver extra blood and oxygen to the brain, but to the retina as well. (The retina IS an extension of the brain!) They both enhance glucose utilization by the brain and retina.
Vinpocetine enhances energy production in the retina (via increased ATP production) and prevents vaso-constriction, thus facilitating optimal brain and retina nutrition. Of the two, Vinpocetine shows the greatest promise.
(Vinpocetine is also great for memory disorders, post stroke symptoms like loss of facial expression and co-ordination, dizziness/vertigo, tinnitus, depression. and even vasoconstricitve headache!)
The amino acid taurine has been shown to reduce oxidative damage caused by sunlight to the eyes, and stimulate the bodies ability to clean up the lipofuscin waste products that accumulate in the eye (drusen).
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DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
Diabetic Retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness here in the U.S. One in twenty Type I sufferers and one in fifteen Type II diabetics will develop retinopathy.
Again, laser therapy has reduced the prevalence of this once leading cause of blindness. However, laser therapy is NOT indicated in milder cases since occasional side effects outweigh the benefits.
As the basic pathology is the infiltration of advanced glycation end products (AGE's) in the retina, causing damage by cross-linking retinal proteins, the best preventative measures are those that enhance insulin sensitivity as such. (See Volume 2, lessons 1 and 2.)
THE OPTIGRAM VISION TEST
The Optigram is a visual aid to measure visual impairment and to measure the success of any therapeutic interventions. It is available on line at http://www.visualaid.com.
The test is done at arms length from a computer screen, with both eyes open. As this is NOT a test for near or far sightedness, but rather visual impairments, you may wear your habitual corrective glasses for computer work.
The number of correct letters on each line is recorded weekly as a measure of therapeutic success. (You may also call 1-800-473-3195. By the way, The product sold there, Pure Focus, is the same formula as LRI's Vision Wellness)
TEN STEPS TO VISUAL HYGIENE
Though many of us will suffer from one of the big four above, most of us over 40 already have experienced Presbyopia, or "old eyes".
As we age the lens of our eye loses flexibility, and by 50 most of us need glasses and are holding the "small print" further and further from our eyes.
The lens' ability to change shape to accommodate to objects brought close to the eye is called "accommodation".
Indeed the ability to accommodate is a basic "biological age" test bio-marker.
Modern living exacerbates this AGE -RELATED tendency to lose accommodation. The theory of evolution says that our eyes are designed for hunter-soldier vision based on a need to spot game and enemies at a distance.
Only recently have the majority of us been occupied in sustained daily near vision tasks for year after year from a young age.
So the following TEN STEPS TO VISUAL HYGIENE are recommended to reduce the heightened visual stress this admittedly mostly unavoidable modern near vision predominance produces.
Look up and away from near vision tasks often.
Lighting illumination should be three times brighter than the rest of the room.
DO NOT read under a single lamp. Eliminate all glare.
Sit straight and have your work at eye task level.
Best distance is 14 to 16 inches for adults.
Avoid reclining postures. Sit up right while reading or watching TV in bed.
Writing: Hold your pen at least one inch from the tip so you do not need to tilt your head to see your words as you write.
TV: View at a distance at least 7 times the width of the TV screen.
Participate in outdoor activities that require seeing at a distance.
Eat a diet high in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables all the colors. Supplement with anti-oxidants and botanicals known to promote eye health like lutein, zeaxanthin and bilberry.
Wear proper eye protection as follows:
Black-gray and green-gray because they allow the full spectrum of colors evenly without distortion.
Blue is bad for it scatters light. Pink and yellow allow more light and strain the eyes on bright days. Cataracts sufferers should use brown for its softer tones.
Polarized means a plastic film between the lenses that cuts off harmful glare and reflection.
Most prescriptive sun glasses today have built in UV protection for both UVA and UVB which are the next two wavelengths after ultra violet on the visible spectrum. Check for the word filtered on the tag.
Transitional lenses are clear indoor and dark outdoors, have a gray hue all the time, which is caused by UV from indoor fluorescent lighting.
Best to wear at the computer and for night driving to reduce the halo effect are lenses with anti-reflection coatings that let in more light.
For more information contact Dr Grossman at http://www.visionworksusa.com or call 1-800-735-8475.
THE SIGHT SAVING DIET
Certain nutrients have been shown to be vital in reducing the risk for such age-related visual impairments like macula degeneration and cataracts.
Researchers at the University of Sydney found that higher intakes of Vitamin A, riboflavin, thiamin, and protein
As is so often the case, Vitamin C and E are important antioxidants to help prevent cataracts. Vitamin A and zinc are essential for night vision. (Hypothyroidism interferes with the conversion of betacarotene to Vit A.)
Also important are the carotinoids, a family of nutrients not classified as vitamins, but similar to them. They are found in leafy greens, corn, kiwi and many other green, yellow and red fruits and vegetables. the queen of the carotinoid clan is beta carotene (found most plentifully in carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots and cantaloupe) but there are many others- including alpha carotene, the Lycopenes (tomatoes are rich in these), lutein and zeaxanthin.
All the carotinoids function as antioxidants and the last two are particularly rich in the tissues of the eye. It is no surprise therefore that those of you who eat the most of the above fruits and vegetables have the healthiest eyes.
Carotinoids also act as filters to the particular destructive violet blue bands of light.
As lutein and zeaxanthin have proven to be the most beneficial carotinoids the following list may prove helpful. In descending order:
HIGHEST IN LUTIEN: corn, kiwi, pumpkin, zucchini squash, spinach, yellow squash, red grapes, green peas, cucumber, butternut squash, green bell pepper, and celery.
HIGHEST IN ZEAXANTHIN: orange bell pepper, corn, orange juice, honey dew melon, mango and orange.
In one small preliminary study, (J Am Optom Assoc 1999 Jan; 70(1):24-36),participants who ate a half-cup of cooked spinach four to seven times a week for a year had an improvement in night vision, in contrast vision, and in their adjustment to bright lights.
Researchers speculate that spinach consumption may even be able to restore vision lost to ARMD.
Green Note: Collards, Swiss chard, beet greens, and other dark greens have not been studied bit are likely high in the above vision wellness supporting nutrients as well.
HIGHEST OF ALL; the food highest in lutein and zeaxanthin, though only slightly higher than corn) is egg yolk.
This is just another reason to consider including several eggs a week into your diet.
Some doctors even speculate that macular degeneration is the leading cause of cause of blindness in the elderly because they have avoided eggs!
Be reminded that eating eggs are a great source of choline for memory, a source of DHA fatty acids your brain needs, and raise GOOD cholesterol (HDL).
Even a Harvard study in the JAMA found no relationship between eating whole eggs and risk of heart disease or stroke in men or women.
Side Note: Lutein has also been reported to reduce colon cancer incidence by 17%
SUPPLEMENTING NUTRIENTS FOR THE EYE
While clearly the best route to eye health includes a diet rich in a wide variety of colored fruits and vegetables, supplementation has its place, especially if the diet is not optimal, which is the usual case, is it not?
A broad spectrum mega-multivitamin mineral phytonutrient supplement.
It should have at least 1000 mg of Vit C and 100 IU Vit E, 100 mg Bioflavonoids, 25 mg quercetin, , 15000 Vit A as mixed carotinoids (not just beta-carotene), 200 mg selenium, 15 mg of zinc and 1 mg of manganese, the minerals being amino acid chelates.
Some mcg leutien and zeaxanthin should be included. IT SHOULD HAVE NO IRON!
(Those who need iron should take it away from a true multi-mineral as it will interfere with the absorption of iron.)
IF you can not always get 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables into your diet, (and 9 of 10 Americans don't!) add a powdered fruit and vegetable concentrate to your supplementation program.
For those already suffering from or at high risk for visual impairment, or even those who want to just "see" there way to 100, supplementing bilberry and Vinpocetine, along with extra lutein and zeaxanthin, is the recommended program to consider.
Those at risk for diabetic retinopathy would do well to concentrate on those supplements that increase insulin sensitivity lower glucose and inhibit infiltration on AGE's into the retina. (For the latter, Vitamin C in particular.)
The elderly, who are often protein deficient, may consider amino acid rich whey supplementation.
THE RxforWellness VISION PROGRAM.
For most over 40, the following is a reasonable anti-aging program that is also very likely to help you "see" your way to 100!
Hgh Plus 24 drops a day. ( Growth hormone supports regeneration of most all tissues and Hgh Plus contains gingko biloba as part of its formula.) Multi-Wellness, six a day.
GREENS First, one scoop a day (Not needed if eating 3-5 servings of a variety of deep green and brightly colored fresh vegetables daily).
Vision Wellness, 3-5 sprays a day.
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Mood and Memory Wellness: How to be Spirited and Sharp for 100 Years!
Oliver Wendell Holmes, the American writer and physician, wrote to a colleague poet on her seventieth birthday:
"To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old."
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"Few people know how to be old", wrote La Rochefoucauld in his Maximes.
Successful aging becomes increasingly an important issue, as in our "grey world" the segment of the elderly population is on the rise.
In Germany, the number of centenarians was over 4000 in 1993 and is estimated to reach up to 23,000 this year (2000).
In the US, the over 85 group is the fastest growing segment of the population.
Mental activity is of paramount importance for maintaining the ability to cope adequately with stress, with health problems, limitations and handicaps, and particularly for the persisting capability to enjoy life.
It is becoming more and more clear that aging is not necessarily equivalent with decay and decrepitude. Factors such as diet, nutrition, physical and mental exercise have been underestimated or ignored as potential moderators of the aging process.
There are risk factors that are known to increase morbidity in the elderly and which can be prevented. They include cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and inadequate water, mineral and B vitamin intake.
There are studies indicating that much of the cognitive loss in late middle life that has been considered to be intrinsic to aging, is caused in part by extrinsic factors and may therefore be preventable or reversible.
Practical Hints to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Maintaining the health of your brain and body is not only important for you but also for your family and friends.
Although the brain ages in parallel with other organs of our body, an increasing number of productive and creative elderly persons bear testimony to the brain's remarkable capacity to function at an exceptional level even at an advanced age.
Are there ways to keep the brain functional? Absolutely!
First, be on guard. A significant change in your personality, mood, or behavior (sometimes noted by others) could be a sign for a disorder that should be treated. Consult your physician, especially if the simple recommendations herein do not improve your mood and memory.
1) Keep your brain busy. Engage in mental exercise such as reading, puzzle solving, playing an instrument, playing games, learning new skills (e.g. take a language course, enroll in courses offered by the university for senior citizens), taking part in discussion groups.
2) A healthy brain lives in a healthy body. Regularly perform physical exercise to maintain muscle strength, endurance, and mobility.
By exercising your body, you also exercise your brain because the control and coordination of your limbs is controlled by the brain.
Keep your body in good shape by an adequate diet. Stay well hydrated with plenty of water. Endeavor to get the deepest sleep you can, as deep sleep is the great rejuvenator.
3) Avoid risks to the health of your body. Do not smoke, do not consume excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine. Be careful and sensitive to the possible side effects of medications.
4) Prepare for the future. When you retire from your job, have an alternative social structure ready to keep you stimulated and challenged. Margaret Mead, the well-known anthropologist, said:
"If you associate enough with older people who do enjoy their lives, who are not stored away in any golden ghettos, you will gain a sense of continuity and of the possibility for a full life".
Avoid becoming isolated and lonely!
5) Feed your head. As we get older it becomes even more important that we endeavor to keep our antioxidants and the hormones of youth optimal, while keeping the hormones of age, insulin and cortisol, under control.
We also want to consider herbs, amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients that can help keep our mood and memory young.
==========================
Brain Power at an Advanced Age
There are undeniable effects of age on brain function. The vast majority of people become somewhat forgetful, particularly in forming memories of recent events and remembering everyday items such as names and phone numbers.
Yet, it is not unusual that persons of advanced age produce exceptional work in art and science. Claude Monet was eighty years old when he painted his famous series of water lilies, and Giuseppe Verdi was the same age when he composed the opera Falstaff.
Sigmund Freud made seminal contributions to psychoanalysis in his eighties. George Bernard Shaw was 91 when he wrote the play "Buoyant Billions".
He lamented, "... if only I could live longer to properly benefit from life's experience. Youth is wasted on the young!"
Mood Wellness and "Grumpy Old Men"
It is true that for many the aging brain does have a tendency to become less full of the "joy of life".
As the brain and body ages, less blood flow, less oxygen, less nutrients, less hormones and less neurotransmitters (brain messenger chemicals), or at least less sensitivity to the last two, all can be the basis for a physiological cause of moodiness, lack of joy and even depression. Yet the above examples show it is not necessarily so!
Nonetheless, depression can sneak up on us. If we wait too long to act, we can find ourselves stuck in the hopelessness of despair.
Therefore we recommend every one reading this lesson take the depression questionnaire in the RxLearning Channel.
If you find that you might be suffering from mild depression, we suggest you try following the advice provided herein. More severe cases need prescription medication, but there is no drug that can replace a healthy lifestyle!
Brain Nutrients: Food For Thought
Every body is unique, with unique nutrient demands.
But our organs all share a common need for specific nutrients. And we must not forget the brain is just another organ, even if it is a compact miracle of complexity beyond our comprehension!
Brain impulses and memory storage require calories, especially sugars in the form of complex carbohydrates.
Skipping meals and over-eating simple carbohydrates like sweets, sodas, pastries, desserts and candies, can cause low blood sugar, leading to confusion, tiredness, irritability and even depression.
Women especially are vulnerable to such during the pre-menstrual time.
Amino acids support metabolism in brain cells, and help rid the brain of waste products. Some, like phenylalanine and tyrosine, are the building blocks of the adrenergic neurotransmitters.
These are "brain messengers" that make us feel alert, energetic and alive! (Because these two amino acids also inhibit the appetite, they are included in ThermoLoss, our recommended fat-burning formula.
Try this with green tea instead of coffee for a month and you will see the difference in your energy and attitude! ) Others, like glutathione, can help the brain combat environmental chemical stress, while others such as taurine, help to stabilize cell membranes, which prevents mineral loss.
This is one reason why whey fortified w/ glutamine (Whey Pumped) and fish are good "brain foods". A good low fat, high protein breakfast is often a great way to "feed your head".
Besides amino acids, vitamins and minerals are critical for the smooth flow of nerve signals through the brain.
Antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E help to eliminate free radicals in the brain, and B vitamins help keep brain metabolism normal.
While we may have once been able to get all of our needed nutrients from food, chemical contamination and soil overuse have caused many crop foods to become nutritionally depleted.
Pollution exposure and pesticides may also decrease our body's levels of nutrients. And with age, our ability to digest and absorb nutrients declines.
In situations where the availability of nutrients is diminished, many doctors and health professionals recommend supplements.
MultiWellness is the Foundational Anti-Aging product we doctors at RxforWellness recommend. All our mood-elevating protocols have MultiWellness, three twice a day, as a base.
The brain is largely made of fat, and essential fatty acids are essential for brain function. However, these fatty acids cannot be made by the body, and must come from outside sources.
Omega 3 fatty acids from cold-water fish, ground walnuts, pumpkinseed and flaxseed, along with mono-unsaturates from olive, avocado and canola oils are particularly good sources.
Deep Sleep: The Great Rejuvenator
An article in the June 3 issue of New Scientist says if you ignore your body's natural clock by working and playing at any time of the day or night, you could set a time bomb for illness, injury and even death, according to sleep experts.
The price of ignoring your natural sleep patterns can range from aches and pains to heart disease to chronic fatigue syndrome.
A regular bedtime can be as important to your health as stopping smoking or cutting back on saturated fat.
Your biological clock, nestled in the hypothalamus region of your brain, controls what time you eat and rest, the rhythmic surge of hormones, changes in body temperature, immune system activity and a host of other body functions.
Different people have different sleep patterns. Some are morning people while others are nocturnal creatures. Problems arise when you ignore your natural body rhythms to meet the demands of work or family says the article.
People who restrict their sleep or are engaged in shift work where sleep becomes fragmented and disturbed are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
This has been shown in nurses who have been engaged in shift work over a long period of time. They show an increased risk for heart attacks.
Sleep debt can also contribute to depression, and lost sleep creates dangers at work and on the roads.
Sleep deprivation results in impairment in people's capabilities to operate in their usual, expected way, and they would not necessarily know that they are impaired.
Most people require roughly seven to eight hours of sleep a night to stay alert through the day. Some of the warning signs of sleep deprivation include fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, confusion and depression.
Even while getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, starting with middle age, and worsening from there on, sleep tends to become less and less deep.
Deep sleep, known as stage III and IV sleep, is where most of the healing, repair and regeneration takes place.
It is also when the body secretes the most growth hormone. Therefore promoting deep sleep is a key to feeling young in body, mind and spirit.
So remember, one of the secrets of staying young is to sleep like a baby! And by using the right combination of lifestyle and products below, you can come closer at least.
Recommended Lifestyle and Supplement Protocol for Mild Depression As always make sure you have the basics covered.
Good dietary habits, regular exercise, rejuvenating sleep, with alcohol, caffeine and tobacco avoided or in moderation at least.
Taking a very complete six-a-day multivitamin/mineral (MultiWellness) is essential.
Men over 40 should consider adding to the above Hgh Plus and MaleWellness, as these hormones tend to restore a more youthful, confident and an optimistic state of mind.
Women over 40 may want to enhance progesterone (Projuvine) especially if their symptoms are pre-menstrual.
Women at or past the "change of life" should consider Hgh Plus and either Projuvine or EstroPro.
The latter contains progesterone and three natural estrogens. Estrogen is thought to be very protective of the mind, so unless there is strong breast cancer concern or risk, or one is already on estrogens, EstroPro comes highly recommended.
Progesterone (Projuvine) is a natural antidepressant.
The other basic is deep sleep. Exercise, avoiding caffeine after noon, dark rooms, white noise, cool bedrooms and hot baths are all helpful.
Three different RxforWellness products promote sleep. PM Wellness is herbs and minerals for adults of any age.
It may take two weeks for the effects to be noticed by some. Melatonin is more indicated the more above 40 you are. Also, night workers, those travelling across time zones, and women with hot flashes often do well with melatonin (Sleep Wellness). 5-HTP is the other great natural sleep inducer.
It is also an antidepressant, anti-anxiolytic and tends to curb carbohydrate and chocolate craves. Therefore, if your depression is strongly related to poor and difficult sleep, 5-HTP is to be strongly considered. 5-HTP is presented more fully below.
Please keep in mind that many common prescription medications cause tiredness, loss of libido and flattening of emotions. So always consult your doctor.
Now if you have been following the above recommendations for several months and still feel in low spirits, then supplementation specific for mood elevation is likely indicated.
How To Start Your Mood Wellness Program
The following nutritional and herbal supplements have proved very useful for easing and preventing mild-to-moderate depression. Some of these supplements aid in the production of neurotransmitters (low levels of these chemicals in the brain have been linked to depression).
Other supplements have a soothing effect on nerves. Others protect the brain from the damage of stress.
Most people struggling with depression, even those on prescription antidepressants, can benefit from the nutrients listed here.
Such supplements as Gingko Biloba, St John's Wort and 5-HTP can be added to MultiWellness, but should not be used without your doctor's consent if you are presently taking an antidepressant medication.
Most important, never stop taking an antidepressant or any other prescription drug without first talking to your doctor.
First, take the Depression Questionnaire found in the RxLearning Channel.
If indicated, consider the following supplements to support your mood. However, severe depression, or moderate depression that is worsening rapidly, demands immediate professional attention.
Before starting, be aware that certain cautions are associated with taking individual supplements, especially if you have other medical conditions and/or you're taking medications. Please consult the RxShopping Channel for complete directions, ingredient listing and cautions. Always advise your health care provider about all your supplemental choices.
Finding exactly the right combination of supplements, one that works best for you, may take some time and a bit of trial and error. And your choices may well be determined by time and money. It will be worth the trouble, however, if you can avoid taking more potent prescription medications.
Over 50
If you're over age 50, starting with HGH Plus, MultiWellness and Gingko B may be best, as gingko biloba improves circulation to the aging brain, lifting mood and protecting the memory.
Ginkgo extract improves the brain's utilization of oxygen and enhances neurotransmitter activity, the chemicals that enable brain and nervous system functions. Ginkgo improves memory, enhances mental alertness, and also increases mental energy.
It is being recommended to treat tinnitis, dizziness, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic neuropathy, senility and Alzheimer's disease, as well as depression. Gingko is an antioxidant and a natural anti-stroke blood thinner containing PAF, platelet anti-aggregation factor.
Indeed it should not be taken with other blood thinners w/o your prescribing doctor's OK. Also, let your doctor and dentist know before any surgeries!
Gingko also increases circulation to the extremities. As such it is used for intermittent claudicating and Raynaud's disease. Ginkgo is a specific for erectile dysfunction if the cause is vascular, as it most commonly is.
Interestingly, Gingko appears to be even more sexually stimulating to women than men. Ginkgo extract has been found to be 84 percent effective in treating sexual dysfunction due to depression. Ginkgo also is effective in enhancing all four phases of sexual arousal.
Gingko should always be standardized, containing at least 24% glycosides and 6% terpenes. (Ginkgo B is the most superior product because it contains 28% glycosides and 11% Terpenes!)
Gingko Biloba is also found in Male Wellness and Hgh Plus. Gingko is usually taken at 60 mg twice a day, though more stubborn or advanced problems call for 120 mg twice a day. Generally, ginkgo is considered safe for long-term use in recommended dosages, but higher doses (above 240 mg a day) can lead to intoxication or disorientation.
In rare cases, ginkgo may cause headache, irritability, restlessness, diarrhea, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or vertigo. These effects are usually mild and transient.
After three to five weeks, re-assess your feelings, re-using the Depression Questionnaire from the RxLearning Channel. If you are doing well continue. If not, then try Mood Wellness and/or 5-HTP instead of Gingko B, as explained below. Serotonin Enhancers
Much depression is related to dysregulation of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. This major brain messenger provides feelings of competence, calmness, satiation and satisfaction. Many common anti-depressant drugs, such as MOA inhibitors and SSRI's, are designed to increase serotonin.
Mono-amine oxide inhibitors inhibit an enzyme that breaks down serotonin. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors prevent serotonin from being re-absorbed thus again increasing brain levels.
Eating carbohydrates can raise serotonin, which explains many a late night raid of the refrigerator and cookie jar!
St John's Wort and 5- HTP are two natural products that increase serotonin levels as well, and with much fewer side effects.
If Gingko B was not successful or you are under 50 a good place to start (and the most economical one as well) is by using MultiWellness and MoodWellness. (Men over 40 and women at or past the "change-of-life add Hgh Plus and sex hormones as explained above.)
Understand, however, that you have to be patient with Mood Wellness because it does take three to five weeks for the maximum effect of this herbal + vitamin formula to be felt.
Unlike other St John's Wort products, Mood Wellness is fortified with extra folic acid and B12, the precursors (building blocks) to SAMe(S-adenosylmethionine), a new but very expensive natural mood elevator from Europe.
Take one tablet, containing 450 mg of standardized St John's Wort plus B9 and B12, morning and night.
If you need something that takes effect more rapidly, and can handle the extra expense, you can choose 5-HTP. As noted above, 5-HTP is particularly indicated in those with low mood combined with poor quality sleep and carbohydrate and sweet cravings.
Start with 100 mg early AM and late PM. For some people, 5-HTP's mild tranquilizing effect is not desirable during the day. They take one Mood Wellness in the day and one 5-HTP 100 mg at night.
Some people may need 100 mg of 5 HTP three times a day to get the desired effect.
After three to five weeks, again re-assess your feelings, using the Depression Questionnaire from the RxLearning Channel.
If you are still not having success, or your depression is related to large amounts of anxiety causing stress, worry and tension, and especially if marked by failing memory, consider the combination of PS-100 (phosphatidylserine), DHEA Plus (DHEA w/Pregnenalone) and PM Wellness.
The first two products are "nootropics" (smart nutrients) which improve learning and memory, reduce fatty deposits in aging nerve cells (lipofuscin), and even support nerve and memory regeneration while relieving stress caused depression.
PM Wellness is an herbal/mineral formula to relieve anxiety and tension and promote restful sleep . Instructions on taking these products are found in the RxShopping Channel. (Readers are advised to study Vol. 1, lesson 5 of the RxforWellness FREE Home Study course to learn more about natural stress remedies and the Adrenal Stress Index (ASI).
The ASI is our mail order salivary hormone test that will pin point the supplementation protocol that is best for the stage of stress you are suffering.) If still not improving after trying the above for 4 weeks, consider at such a time talking to your physician or a mental-health counselor about using conventional antidepressants.
For more information on the Brain, see :
alt-health.com and www.healthandage.com
Next month we will send you "Mood and Memory Wellness: How to be Spirited and Sharp at 100, Part II", focusing on maintaining youthful cognition and memory. Till then, stay well, don't worry, be happy!
Short Term Memory Questionnaire:
We aging modern humans are facing a major quandary. It is true that we are enjoying living longer lives. Yet we are confronted with the unique and frightening possibility of physically outlasting our brains' capability to think and reason.
It is no secret that as we get older many of us will experience an appreciable decline in mental ability, such as recalling friends' names, maintaining concentration on the task at hand and even processing words.
Indeed, it has been estimated that at least 25 % of us are displaying clinical signs of dementia by the time we reach our mid-sixties!
And as one begins to lose these higher-level cognitive functions, self-esteem, productivity, well being and the whole family are adversely affected as well.
Ten percent of people over 50 have serious memory problems! Most of us will "only" experience an increasing amount of forgetfulness sometime after we enter and pass middle age.
Neurologists call this "age-related memory decline." This decline may range from a "benign forgetfulness" all the way to senile dementia!
The most effective way to counteract loss of cognitive function is to recognize the signs early and act on them quickly. We at LRI believe it is quite possible for persons to enjoy a vigorous mental life for 100 or more years.
Herein we will present some strategies for slowing or even reversing age-related memory loss.
One signal that memory loss is only "benign forgetfulness" is that the first person to notice is you! Curiously, people with serious memory problems typically do not notice or attribute them to other causes, known as denial.
So let's start by quizzing ourselves.
Short Term Memory Questionnaire:
1. Are other people telling you that you are more forgetful?
2. Are you experiencing increased difficulty at learning new tasks?
3. Do small problems seem to upset you more easily as you age?
4. Is concentration and focusing becoming more difficult?
5. Are you being told that you are repeating yourself?
6. Are you often forgetting names, where you have left things, appointments?
7. Do you frequently forget material you have just read?
8. Do you find that you lose your train of thought more frequently in conversation?
9. Do you feel you are not as sharp as you used to be?
10.Do simple every day tasks like playing cards and balancing the checkbook increasingly difficult?
11. Do you habitually consume more than three alcoholic drinks per day?
12. Are you taking any of the following kinds of drugs: insulin; tranquilizers or tri-cyclic antidepressants; H-2 blockers (heartburn drugs); pain, nausea, or high blood pressure medications?
13. Are you experiencing mood swings and/or extremes in behavior that prove upsetting to others?
The more yes answers to the above questions, the more likely you are experiencing or will experience "age related cognitive decline."
As always, call your doctor if your change in mental status is of recent onset and/or seems to be progressing quickly.
This is especially true if along with the above signs:
you are experiencing any unexplained physical symptoms such as weight loss, low-grade fever, or unusual fatigue;
you are taking prescription medications;
you know or have been told you have a drinking problem - even if you disagree!
THE RXFORWELLNESS "MAXIMUM BRAIN LONGEVITY PROGRAM"
Above precautions aside, conventional medicine has little to offer for help with mild memory loss.
However your short-term memory and your ability to concentrate (cognition) can be protected, and perhaps even improved, by adding the right "Brain Anti-Aging Supplements", called nootropics, to your overall Longevity Lifestyle and Anti-Aging program.
Such a "Maximum Brain Longevity" program includes:
1. healthy diet,
2. physical exercise,
3. stimulating mental and social activity and,
4. scientific hormone enhancement and supplementation.
===================
BRAIN FOODS: EATING SMART TO STAY SMART!
The nutritional strategy for "brain longevity" we suggest at RxforWellness is:
low glycemic, meaning avoiding those foods that over stimulate insulin release
moderate in good fats (omega 3 fatty acids, EPA/DHA, mono-unsaturates), yet low in hydrogenated, polyunsaturated and saturated fat and cholesterol,
high in fiber, phyto-nutrients and antioxidants (lots of fruits, vegetables, plus whole grains, beans and seeds).
very moderate in alcohol, and emphasizing red wine over all other alcohol.
We suggest you consider eating frequent, small meals rather than three large ones.
Eating every 3 or 4 hours helps to normalize blood sugar (glucose) peaks and dips.
Even when your brain is dozing, it uses 20% of the body's blood sugar!
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Paradoxically, low blood sugar is often caused by eating high sugar/ carbohydrate, low fiber meals, like coffee and a donut, or Cocoa Puffs and a fruit punch.
Yes, there is a rush of sugar and stimulants to the brain at first, but like a roller coaster, what goes up fast comes down even more quickly!
This "reactive" low blood sugar starves the brain. It can even cause temporary but marked short-term memory loss, cognitive difficulties and confusion in some people.
So be aware of the "empty" calories. High glycemic-high fat and therefore high calorie, low nutrient diets are a proven risk factor for cognitive decline.
And speaking of fats, a number of other studies have shown that a low-fat (15% to 20% of calories from fat), moderate-calorie (approximately 2,200 calories) diet can help prevent and even reverse memory loss.
Remember the brain is an organ comprised mostly of water and fat that feeds on glucose and oxygen! Emphasize monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil (extra virgin is best) for salads and vegetables. Avocados are great too.
You can also use olive oil and canola oil in cooking. (Some nutritionists and food scientists believe that canola oil is the least desirable of the above because of the way it is processed.)
Regularly use fresh ground walnuts, pumpkinseeds, and flaxseed. In contrast to the over-consumed polyunsaturated oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil, which contain mostly omega 6 fatty acids, these plant oils break down in the body into the more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which research has shown to be a vital brain food.
These are called essential fatty acids (EFA's) because they are indeed just that, essential!
Your body needs them to make other substances, including hormones and the outer membranes of all cells, including brain cells. But because your body is incapable of making EFA's on its own, you need a good diet provide them.
We also highly recommend you consider eating cold water fish three times a week. Cold water fish include trout, salmon, sardines, tuna, sea bass, halibut, flounder, cod, mackerel and caviar.
Yes, fish from cold waters, being rich in DHA and EPA fatty acids, IS a brain food just like mom said! You see cold-water fish are loaded with two especially important fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid ).
The latter especially is also found in abundance in your brain cells (neurons). Interestingly, DHA is also rich in breast milk!
Research has found a correlation between low levels of DHA and cognitive decline and memory loss in older people.
It is likely that DHA protects your mind because it helps to protect against the natural breakdown of cell membranes, a process that can compromise brain cell function.
Be sure to minimize saturated fats, using low and non-fat diary, and eggs in moderation. (All egg yolks are rich in choline, a vital brain nutrient. Use EPA/DHA enriched eggs if you can find them).
Avoid hydrogenated fats (stick margarine and Crisco, for example). They can contribute to plaque build-up in the arteries; this hardens and narrows your blood vessels, limiting the brain's vital oxygenated blood supply.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans are rich in all kinds of plant nutrients not found in any vitamin pill- though the better multivitamins, like MultiWellness, are adding a few of these phyto-nutrients as well.
These phyto-nutrients and the better known antioxidants, such as vitamins E, C, carotinoids and selenium, capture and cart away unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals, which bounce and ricochet around the body, especially the brain, destroying cell membranes.
Such "oxidative stress" caused by free radicals, which unfortunately increases with age, is a major factor in age-related memory decline. And because the brain (and eye) uses more oxygen than any other organ, it needs the most antioxidant protection.
It is no surprise therefore that research is finding people who consume foods and supplements high in antioxidants perform better on memory and cognition tests.
In contrast, researchers have found that the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show twice the free-radical activity as the brains of people without AD!
A little alcohol, especially red wine, which is rich in a special phyto-nutrient called polyphenols is probably good for you, heart researchers have found. A "little" means one drink a day for a woman or two drinks daily for a man.
Drinking in excess over the long run is likely to be toxic to your brain for the following reasons:
1. Alcohol constricts blood vessels in the brain, reducing the blood flow that delivers oxygen and glucose (blood sugar)-the brain's "must have" fuels.
2. Alcohol inhibits receptors in a small part of the brain (the hippocampus).
This is the site where your brain processes a great deal of learning and stores new information. Many studies clearly show that alcohol interferes with short-term memory. (As if we needed science to tell us that!)
3. Alcohol breaks down into chemicals that reduce calcium concentrations in the brain. Brain cells need calcium to communicate-too little will slow down your thinking.
STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
A classic study conducted at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salt Lake City found sharper brains in a group of older men, ages 50 to 62, who met to play racquetball or squash several times a week than in a sedentary group of younger men, ages 20 to 31!
Why does physical activity so enhance mental performance? Well, exercise increases blood flow to the brain. And blood carries oxygen and glucose.
And your two pound brain is such an oxygen and glucose "addict" that 25% of all the millions of gallons of blood your heart will pump in your lifetime goes straight to your head!
Exercise also stimulates the production of two brain- boosting substances: nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived growth factor (BDGF).
Both not only promote nerve growth but also strengthen the connection and communication between nerves and nerves cells. And there are many millions of them!
Moreover, the oxygen-rich blood supply that exercise fosters increases production of three "feel good and focused" brain messenger chemicals involved in memory and mood- the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
If all that wasn't enough, exercise also removes cellular debris, lowers brain-clogging LDL cholesterol, and decreases the destructive stress hormone, cortisol.
Stress hormones produced by your adrenal glands (corticosteroids) serve a vital function at abundant the right time.
But chronically high levels of cortisol not inhibits the birth of new nerve cells, it also shortens their survival time!
Indeed, according to an in-depth overview of the most relevant studies, age related memory loss occurs most often in older adults suffering anxiety, depression, worries and obsessions (Ciocon 1998, Barker 1995).
Stress management through meditation , relaxation techniques, yoga and tai chi have been demonstrated to produce profound relation, thus lowering stress hormones.
Studies show that moderate aerobic exercise, such as a brisk 30-minute walk at least three times a week, can improve your memory span, reaction time, verbal fluency, concentration, and abstract reasoning.
This is due in part at least to the cortisol lowering effect of exercise, as long as you don't way over do it!
In fact, experts are starting to believe that much of the cognitive decline seen in older people is actually due, not to age, but to a sedentary lifestyle!
So, given your doctor's OK, get out there and walk, dance, golf (no carts!) swim, jog, play tennis, lift weights, bicycle, or whatever. As Nike preaches: Just Do It!
STAY MENTALLY AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE
Just like physical exercise can help keep your heart, muscles and bones stay "younger" longer, exercising your brain to learn new things and re-hone old skills can help keep your mind "younger" longer.
And developing new relationships through the inevitable shifts and changes in ones life, especially as one advances in years, is simply spiritually essential.
Consider if you are more or less retired and your kids are all grown, some of the following:
Take new classes, attend a seminar, buy a tape series.
Take up the piano or other musical instrument (again!)
Join a band or the choir
Teach a class, volunteer your talents
Learn or re-learn a foreign language.
Take up a new hobby, avocation or sport.
Travel, studying the culture and the history of the places you visit.
Try balancing your checkbook by hand rather than use a calculator or the computer.
Keep a daily journal or write an "autobiography" even if no one ever reads it but your great-great grandchildren!
Write poetry, rhymes, riddles or short stories.
Do jigsaw puzzles and the like to preserve your spatial skills.
Do crossword puzzles or play Scrabble.
Play bridge.
Play chess, even if the computer always wins!
Plan, plant, harvest and enjoy consuming the "fruits" of a garden.
Emphasize game shows, history, science and discussion panels when watching TV.
Read mind-stimulating books. We all have a list of books that we have always wanted to read but just never got around to do it.
FEED YOUR HEAD: THE NOOTROPICS
Supplements and drugs that make or keep you smarter are called nootropics.
Built upon a foundation of healthy habits, nootropics can slow down the admittedly inevitable gradual structure/function changes in the brain that are associated with age-related memory loss. These changes include:
a decreased blood flow to the brain, with resultant decrease in brain oxygen and glucose, which are the very fuels upon which our brains run,
weakened brain cell membranes,
accumulation of waste products (lipofuscin) from oxidative stress from free radical damage,
and a decline in the production of important chemical brain messengers called "neurotransmitters".
The foundational supplement of any anti-aging program is always an iron free high-potency ,antioxidant loaded, mega-multivitamin/mineral like MultiWellness. (This does not mean Centrum or a one-a-day!)
Next, for those over 40, we suggest you strongly consider enhancing the hormones of youth (hgh, DHEA, pregnenolone, melatonin, thymosin, and the sex hormones) as again foundational to most any serious anti-aging program.
These hormones of youth help keep your brain young along with most every other organ and tissue in your body. (These are covered in detail in Vol.1, lessons 1-7, of the RxforWellness FREE Anti-Aging Home Study Course On-Line.)
When specifically trying to "feed your head" nootropics to maximize "brain longevity", the best herb for most folks over 40 is Gingko Biloba, especially if prevention is what is desired.
Gingko is well accepted as being able to increase blood flow, oxygen uptake and glucose utilization in the brain.
Gingko also thins the blood, inhibiting platelet aggregation ( very tiny blood clots) and thus slowing hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).
Gingko thereby not only protects mood and memory, but is often found effective in both tinnitus and vertigo. Gingko also increases blood flow to the extremities (including the sexual organs), and is a powerful antioxidant too boot!
Gingko is found in RxforWellness products Hgh Plus, Male Wellness, NeuroMax, and GingkoB
Vinpocetine is an extract from periwinkle (vinca major) which has just recently shown potential to be a powerful memory enhancer as well. It is very popular in Europe.
Vinpocetine has been shown to have positive effects in dementia and/or cognitive impairment and acts much more quickly than gingko, usually in just two to four weeks.
Much like Gingko, though not as well proven, Vinpocetine increases the brain's ability to function through a more efficient utilization of glucose, the main nutrient that supplies energy to the brain.
Vinpocetine also increases oxygenation levels in the cells of the brain, providing protection against lack of blood flow (ischemia) and reduced levels of oxygen(hypoxia), thereby reducing the chances of premature brain cell death.
Various published findings suggest that Vinpocetine may improve short and long term memory by 26% (Balestreri 1987), enhance alertness, increase cerebral blood flow and even limit the occurrence of epileptic seizures!
It has also been reported to decrease plaque build up in the arteries, improve vasodilation, increase red blood cell flexibility and scavenge toxic metals.
Vinpocetine has been used both as a preventative for stroke and a treatment for the after effects of stroke (aphasia, apraxia) and post traumatic brain injury.
As the retina of the eye is in actuality an extension of the brain, Vinpocetine is beginning to be found in eye health formulas as well.
Both Vision Wellness and NeuroMax contain Vinpocetine.
However, if you need to actually try to recapture some of your age-related decline in mental function, or you want to go for "peak mental performance longevity," then consider phosphatidyl serine (PS).
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a naturally occurring phospholipid in the brain that exerts a number of very desirable metabolic and pharmacological effects.
PS actually holds the other molecules of our brain cells walls membrane together. PS expedites nutrient transfer into, and waste excretion out of, our brain cells.
It is also protects the "seat of memory" (the hippocampus) from the destructive ravages of stress and cortisol. Most importantly, PS is the only nutrient shown to actually reverse memory loss!
Clinical research has shown PS supplementation to help:
improve brain glucose metabolism,
increase the number of brain messenger receiving stations ( neurotransmitter receptor sites),
restore the declining levels of brain messenger chemicals (neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) and
protect brain cells (dendrites) against functional and structural deterioration.
No wonder PS is reported too often demonstrate desirable changes in age-related depression, sleep disturbance, and behavioral disorders.
As a matter of fact, recent reports suggest that when elderly patients are supplemented with 300-mg daily of PS for 45 days, consistent improvements in behavior and mood are observed.
Indeed, a recent 6-month Israeli study in Alzheimer's patients showed that patients taking 300 mg of PS per day had some positive results in attention, concentration and memory!
PS is generally supplemented after age 50. However, PS tends to lower cortisol, the stress hormone. It also helps protect the brain (and muscles) from the damaging effects of excess physical and mental stress and the resultant rise in cortisol, the stress hormone.
Therefore, some heavily training athletes as well as those with high-powered stressful careers start PS supplementation as young as 30. (For more information on measuring your cortisol levels, see the Adrenal Stress Index in the RxShopping Channel.)
PS is found in PS-100 and NeuroMax.
CDP-choline (cytidine 5'-diphosphate choline), also called Citicholine, is a major precursor in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, another important phospholipid in brain cell membranes.
Decreased choline levels, as a consequence of aging, may lead decreases in the brain messenger chemical acetylcholine, thus negatively effecting memory and mental functions.
CDP-choline is said to enhance nerve immunity, blood supply and nerve growth (Alvarez, Experimental Clinical Pharmacology, April 1997).
It also has been demonstrated to increase the alertness brain messengers dopamine and noradrenaline. One study of patients with early onset "cognitive dysfunction" showed a significant increase in test scores after CDP-choline treatment.
CDP-choline has also been shown to decrease basal levels of Histamine A (HA), a "bad" brain messenger, which when present in excess is associated with decreased mental abilities.
CDP-choline is found in NeuroMax.
Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid, increase circulation (vasodilatation) and is essential for neurological function.
Indeed, the pneumonic we doctors learn for B-3 deficiency (pellagra) is the three "D's": diarrhea, dermatitis and dementia! Early symptoms are fatigue, depression and anxiety.
Niacin deficiency, along with the other B Vitamins, may be most responsible for the rapid development of senility in the geriatric population!
A special, though expensive, form of niacin, NADH, may rapidly reverse the above early deficiency signs. Niacin is found in MultiWellness, Hgh Plus and NeuroMax.
Two Indian herbs that have a long tradition as anti-aging "tonics" are Ashwaganda and Bacopa Monnierra. Therefore they too have been included in NeuroMax.
Ashwagandha, an ancient Ayurvedic tonic herb, is also known as "Indian Ginseng".
According to Indian researchers, this herbal adaptogen helps to maximize mental function and memory, improve overall physiological vitality and sex drive while relieving stress (lower cortisol) and promoting relaxation and deeper sleep. And it is an antioxidant as well!
Bacopa Monniera is commonly accepted as a nerve tonic (adaptogen) in Indian medicine.
It even is used to improve the performance of animals in various learning situations!
Many testimonials have reported that Bacopa Monniera is effective in reducing anxiety levels, improving memory and elevating mental performance.
Scientist and anti-aging specialists are extremely interested in the active ingredient in Bacopa, Bacopin, as pharmacological doses appear to initiate nerve regeneration, once thought impossible!
Bacosides are reported to improve long and short-term memory, cognition, learning capacity, nerve transmission, all this while reducing anxiety! (Nutritional Research, Vol. 19, No. 3, pages 381-399, 1999)
More Nootropics
Other nootropics that deserve mention are Acetyl-L-Carnitine, pregnenolone, DHEA, DMAE, HurpezineA, phosphatidylcholine, NADH (a metabolite of niacin), tyrosine, phenylalanine, arginine, PABA, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Co-enzyme Q10.
N-Acetyl-L-Carnitine (NALC)is a form of the amino acid L-Carnitine that is well absorbed across the barrier that helps protect our brains from harmful substances in the blood (the blood-brain barrier).
Found mostly in milk, it protects the energy producing sites inside our cells (mitochondria), especially those inside our brain cells and our heart muscle cells. NALC is especially important in turning fatty acids into energy.
It enhances acetylcholine uptake and inhibits age related nerve growth reduction. It has been used to treat depression and memory loss.
Of particular interest, daily dosages over a 12- month period have shown a marked reduction in mental deterioration in Alzheimer's patients(Clinical Pearls, 1992, pages 142-144).
N-Acetyl-L-Carnitine is especially recommended in heart disease, diabetes, or carbohydrate intolerance where low carbohydrate diets are indicated. It is still rather expensive.
Pregnenolone is the "grandmother" of all the sex and stress hormones (sterol hormones).
Studies show pregnenolone is most indicated in with mental impairments associated with stress fatigue, and related depression, concentration and long term memory loss. DHEA, progesterone and cortisol are all derived from pregnenolone. Pregnenolone is the "plus" in DHEA Plus Wellness.
DHEA helps protect the deep memory centers of our brains (the hippocampus) from the destructive effects of cortisol. Therefore when cortisol is high at night, when it should be low so you can sleep, extra DHEA is needed.
DMAE stands for dimethly amino ethanol. DMAE is structurally similar to choline, a nutrient needed to make acetylcholine.
By accelerating your brain's synthesis of acetylcholine, the brain messenger chemical that plays a key role in mental sharpness, DMAE is said to, elevate mood , increase intelligence and expand learning capacity. It is most commonly used in ADD and by students preparing for exams.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a phospholipid found abundantly in our brains. It is the main carrier of choline, from which the healthy brain makes acetyl-choline. Acetylcholine enhances both brain energy, function and memory.
PS is found in milk, soybeans and eggs, yet few Americans ingest enough choline on a daily basis to prevent brain aging, according to researchers at Harvard and other top flight Universities (Gelenberg 1982). Indeed one report says that choline deficiency is widespread in those of us over 40 (Zeisel 1990).
Not suprisingly, research from such places as the Institute for Central Nervous Disorders in Spain and the California Institute of Technology has demonstrated that supplemental choline improves mental function in "normal" age related cognitive decline, and even in people with severe memory loss.
Phosphatidylcholine is dependant on a dietary adequacy of choline. If sub optimal, the body will actually "steal" choline from its own nerve membranes to produce the vital brain chemical acetylcholine.
PC and its relative phospholipid PS (phosphatidylserine) are NOT found readily in common foods. They are found in small amounts in lecithin a component of egg yolks, wheat germ, soy and muscle meats.
For economy, safety and bio-availability, we suggest supplementing CDP-choline, the precursor to acetylcholine, as found in NeuroMax. Choline , and its relative inositol, are also supplemented in MultiWellness.
The best way to figure exactly what is the best program fore stress is to take a salivary hormone test known as an Adrenal Stress Index. (See the RxShopping Channel for more information.)
Huperzine A, (Hup A) made from Chinese Moss, inhibits the enzymatic breakdown ( acetyl-cholinesterase, a.k.a. ACHe)) and thereby lengthens the duration of the "stay" of the brain messenger chemical (neurotransmitter) acetyl-choline in our brains (Pharmacological Biochemistry and Behavior, 60, 1998: 377-386).
By thus restoring more youthful levels of acetylcholine memory is boosted and age -related cognitive decline is staved off. There is reason to hope Hup A will be useful in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
The protein building blocks (amino acids) tyrosine and phenylalanine are the precursors to the aforementioned "feel good" brain messengers, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine.
These are most indicated when mental fatigue and depression accompany cognitive decline. Since these two neurotransmitters also decrease appetite, they are found in ThermoLoss, our most popular weight loss product.
Arginine is an amino acid that in your brain acts as another brain messenger (neuromodulator). Recent studies argue that arginine supplementation increases blood flow, especially in those of us suffering from hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Indeed it appears to inhibit arterial thickening from plague formation. (Alternative Medicine Alert, Nov. '99, Vol. 23, No. 11, pp121-124).
Of course arginine is also a hgh secretagogue, and is found in Hgh Plus as such.
PABA, para amino benzoic acid, is a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier, especially in age related conditions. PABA also supports the adrenal and pituitary gland in making hormones. PABA is found in MultiWellness.
Alpha Lipoic Acid aids brain wellness because of its ability to neutralize toxins and oxidants. It is both a water and fat soluble antioxidant.
Lipoic acid actually re-cycles "spent " antioxidants like Vitamin e, C and increases glutathione levels! Glutathione levels are so important to anti-aging that they are considered a biomarker of biological age.
Alpha Lipoic Acid also increases the energy available to the brain to those with poor energy function (deficient mitochondrial activity). This is especially true for diabetics!
Though not yet demonstrated to restore memory to more youthful levels in humans, multiple animal studies by Stoll in 1995 show that older animals supplemented with Lipoic acid out performed their younger competitors!
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q 10) comprises 13.4 mcg of every gram of our brains! The National Academy of Sciences confirms that the double antioxidant CoQ10 is indeed "neuro-protective".
Co Q10 is particularly important for those with heart disease, those on stain drugs, and smokers.
More information on Co Q10 and Alpha Lipoic Acid is available at the RxShopping Channel.
THE RXFORWELLNESS BRAIN LONGEVITY ANTI-AGING KIT
Of course each person is different, so one kit will not be a perfect fit for everyone. Nonetheless, the most commonly suggested Brain Longevity supplementation program is as follows:
MultiWellness: Three, twice a day with meals Hgh Plus: 24 drops with 4-8 oz on an empty stomach, generally best at bedtime. NeuroMax: One tablet with meals morning and night.
If you simply can not get yourself to eat at least three servings of vegetables and two of fruit daily (you know who you are) add a scoop of GREENS FIRST to your regimen.
Males over 40 will do well to add Male Wellness, which raises testosterone. Testosterone protects the mind and attitude. And Male Wellness has gingko biloba in it as well.
Females in or past the "change of life" will often find naturally enhancing either progesterone (Projuvine) or both progesterone and estrogen (EstroPro) will clearly effect their mental well being and mental function.
Those not sleeping well may want to consider melatonin and 5 HTP (Sleep Wellness). The older you are, the truer this is!
Those under a great deal of stress, or trying to reverse already apparent mental decline, might want to try several months of 300mg a day of PS. (PS-100)
Those with heart disease, or smokers, should consider supplementing Co-Enzyme Q-10 (Co Q-10).
Those with diabetes should strongly consider adding Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Those who want to maximize their antioxidant protection should take a look at Antioxidant Optimizer. This is especially true if where you live or work is high in pollutants and chemical exposure.
SUMMING IT ALL UP
Remember, supplements are always just that; they supplement a healthy lifestyle! As in all of the anti-aging protocols at RxforWellness.com, to have the best shot at enjoying a 100 spirited and sharp years it is important to:
Get plenty of deep sleep, relaxation and fun recreation.
Exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week.
Limit your alcohol intake to one a day for females and two a day for males.
Eat a good diet, high in fiber, low in saturated and hydrogenated fats, full of lots of fruits and vegetables, cold water fish, and a touch of flaxseed, walnuts and pumpkinseeds. (Your brain needs lots of these antioxidants, minerals and good fats to stay "young").
Stay socially involved and mentally challenged!
Then from the info above create a supplement program that best fits your situation.
=================
Dr. John H. Maher, Editor, "Longevity News" Your FREE Anti-Aging Prescription On-line. http://RxforWellness.com
Try a local search of our site for your answers
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=============================================== SITE DISCLAIMER: The self help personal development resources on this site are not intended to be a substitute for therapy or professional advice. While all attempts have been made to verify self help information provided in this self help personal development publication, neither the self help author nor the self help publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the self help personal development subject matter herein. There is no guarantee of validity of accuracy of any self help content. Any perceived slight of specific people or organizations is unintentional. This self help personal development website and its creators are not responsible for the content of any sites linked to.
The self help contents are solely the opinion of the author and should not be considered as a form of therapy, advice, direction and/or diagnosis or treatment of any kind: medical, spiritual, mental or other. If expert advice or counseling is needed, services of a competent professional should be sought. The self help author and the Pself help ublisher assume no responsibility or liability and specifically disclaim any warranty, express or implied for any self help or otherwise products or self help or otherwise services mentioned, or any self help or otherwise techniques or practices described. The purchaser or reader of this self help personal development publication assumes responsibility for the use of these self help personal development materials and self help personal development articles and information. Neither the self help author nor the self help Publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any purchaser or reader of these self help personal development materials.
Self help happiness & self help personal development resources, self help free self help books and self help articles listed for your convenient self help happiness personal development search in the self help subjects of self image, self help relationships tips, self help resources for happiness, being happy self help emotion management, panic attack self help, self help for low self esteem, self help famous quotes, anxiety self help resources, stress management self help tips and depression self help articles and resources.
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