Healing the Aging Brain

Regardless of your age, your brain is aging. This suggests that neurons in your brain are becoming unhealthy and they are dying. Once a neuron dies, it is gone, and your brain cannot make more. Let me repeat this, once a neuron dies, it is gone for good. This is why it is so important to nourish your brain and to address the aging brain now, rather than waiting until brain degeneration is advanced.

When we think about the aging brain and brain degeneration, we often think about challenges such as Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s. These are obviously very late stages of brain degeneration. Do you really want to wait until this progression leads to severe life challenges or would you like to address this when symptoms are much less problematic?

Earliest signs of an aging brain are fatigue promoted by brain activity such as driving, reading or other brain tasks, depression and poor digestive function.

Moderate signs of an aging brain are an inability focus or concentrate, difficulty learning new tasks, chronic constipation, poor enzyme insufficiency, increased sympathetic dominance which often leads to increased blood pressure, increased resting heart rate, susceptibility to stress and poor blood flow.

Significant signs of an aging brain are the inability to work professionally, inability to appreciate life, inability to recognize neurological loss, tremors, and an inability to follow find directions.

Signs of a severely aging brain are neurodegenerative disease, uncontrolled bladder tone, bowel obstruction, inability to digest food, inability to taste, smell or develop social relationships and dependency on family and/or medical staff for daily function.

So really, look at yourself. Which of these areas do you feel that you fit into? Hopefully you are not in the significant or severe range so you can focus on healing the aging brain.

Obviously by my comments above, once the neurons are dead, they are gone for good. Let me explain this deeper and you will see how much you can really assist your aging brain.

Let’s say you have neuron number 1, number 2 and number 3. Number 1 sends a message to number 2, which then sends a message to neuron number 3. Well if neuron number 2 dies, how does number 3 get the message? Unfortunately, neuron number 3 will never get the message in an unhealthy brain. So who knows what the communication of neuron number 3 is to the rest of the brain and the body. What we do know though, is that this is not happening any more in the unhealthy brain.

Even though you cannot bring neuron number 2 back to life, the healthy brain can solve this problem with relative ease. You see, we have dendrites which are projections from the neurons that will have the ability to extend from neuron number 1 and neuron number 3 as mentioned above. This will enable the continued communication even though neuron number 2 is dead. Our brain is amazing, remember though, this happens in a healthy brain and not in a brain that is in continual degeneration.

The two first steps in moving toward a healthy brain is to increase blood flow to the brain and to nourish the brain. Not only do I recommend this for my clients but I also follow this protocol personally. I regularly take a liquid supplement that has a very powerful effect of creating an instant increase of blood flow to the brain. When I take this supplement, I actually feel like the whole world brightens up for me. This is due to the immediate increase of blood flow to the brain. Understand that by increasing blood flow you are increasing oxygen and nutrient uptake. I also take a capsule with each meal that continues to maintain a long term increase of blood flow to the brain. While this response is not as immediate as the liquid supplement, this is still very much needed.

The other supplement that is a basic need is DHA. DHA is one of the components of your omega 3 fatty acids. While the EPA is also important for the body, the brain is really looking for DHA. I take and recommend a supplement that has anywhere from a 14:1 or 24:1 ratio of DHA to EPA. This along with increased oxygen flow will nourish your brain and begin creating positive health within your brain.

Another key is physical activity. Moving your body is so important for your brain function. If your health is challenged and all you can handle right now is a short walk, do it. Any movement is better than no movement.

Interestingly, one of the buzz words used so often these days is anti-aging. When I hear the term anti-aging, I always think, BRAIN HEALTH! Studies have shown that the healthiest of elderly tend to find minimum cognitive decline even into their ninth decade. Yes, you read that correctly, a healthy functioning brain is firing almost as well at 90 years old as many decades earlier. So much for the thought of the natural aging process!

Remember; do not wait until it is too late. Waiting until severe dementia, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s is asking for a miracle. Catch this at an early stage and live well into your 90s and further will optimal cognitive function. It’s your life and you are worth it.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave a post below.