Brain health - Remember to treat your brain well and remember to remember!

Brain health is something you don't think about very often. It should be the most important health issue considering your brain's the computer that runs every function in the body.

What about your brain?

• It weighs about 3 pounds - 2% of body weight
• 70% water
• 50% of the dry weight is fat - 35% is made of omega-3 fatty acids
• It uses 25% of the body’s oxygen
• 20% of the blood’s sugar
• 98% of the billions of nerve cells in the body

The central nervous system is in the brain and the spinal cord. The autonomic nervous system is both sympathetic and parasympathetic.

Nutrition that is essential for brain health...

A healthy diet with good fats like the Omega-3 EFAs, adequate protein and B-Complex.

B-Complex is essential for normal brain function, mood, energy and to produce neurotransmitters. It also helps prevent depression and atherosclerosis.

For a healthy brain...

• Eating 5-9 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Taking antioxidant supplements daily for oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Some to choose from are Nature’s Sunshine Thai-Go, Super ORAC, Brain Protex, USANA Essentials
• Circulation to the brain by being physically active and taking supplements like Nature’s Sunshine Mega-Chel or Ginkgo/Gotu Kola
• Keeping blood sugar regulated by avoiding simple carbohydrates. Supplements to help are Nature’s Sunshine Sugar Reg or Target P-14
• Be aware and try to avoid environmental toxins when you can like heavy metals, chemical solvents, aluminum cookware.

• Cleanse your body. I had no idea how much your digestion and organs affect your brain until I started doing the herbal cleanses from Nature’s Sunshine. The liver is working hard to try to process all the toxins that enter our body. The short-temper, cranky, heavy feeling that I experience subsides when I cleanse and take nutritional supplements
• Stay mentally active, there is so much to learn and play. Our cells communicate by messenger chemicals, Endocrine, Autocrine and Paracrine hormones. Neurotransmitters are a form of the Paracrine hormone
• Choline (Acetylcholine) is vital for memory and the movement of muscles. There are 2 types of Cholinergic Receptors:

  Nicotinic – muscle tone, blood pressure, heart rate

  Muscarinic– learning, memory, posture, temperature regulation

Alzheimer’s Disease is caused by the degeneration of neurons that produce acetylcholine and by oxidative damage to the brain. High levels of aluminum have been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Alzheimer’s Disease is difficult to treat once it has started because a large part of brain health is already destroyed. We want to do what we can now for prevention.

Substances that affect Acetylcholine:

• Brain Protex from Nature’s Sunshine has:
  • Chinese club moss – It inhibits an enzyme (acetylcholine esterase) that breaks down acetylcholine, improves memory and binds to nicotinic receptors. Used for schizophrenia, mental confusion, and can be helpful for Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Ginkgo biloba – can improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, brain alpha-wave activity and enhance brain function like absent-mindedness, confusion, lack of concentration and memory loss. Stabilizes Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
  • Alpha-lipoic acid – antioxidants that protect brain cells, helps cellular uptake of glucose to balance blood sugar levels and the body to detoxify heavy metals and mercury.
  • Lecithin complex – is the component of CNS sheaths (myelin), protects the brain, nerve and muscle cells from oxidation. Contains choline (along with vitamin B5, pantothenic acid can form acetylcholine) that regulates nutrients entering or leaving through the cell membrane. May improve function, memory and overall brain health.
  • Rhododendron caucasicum – is high in polyphenolic antioxidants (40% polypheols) which protect fats from oxidation, improves circulation and protects the brain from chemical imbalance.
  • Ginkgo/Gotu Kola with Bacopa – is food for the brain, circulatory and nervous systems. It helps to ease stress, protect the brain against free radicals, improves capillary function, stimulates memory and counteracts aging.
  • Gotu Kola – is a memory and brain health tonic. It can help with longevity, enhance memory and learning abilities, intelligence and counteracts aging. Promotes healing of skin conditions and reduces fatigue and depression.




HSN-W, also from Nature's Sunshine, has rosemary. Rosemary is known as a comfort to the brain. It refreshes memory, lifts the spirit, alleviates depression, and aids in circulation. Adding sage as an antioxidant enhances acetylcholine which protects the brain and silica for brain function. There is also Dulse and Horsetail.



• Serotonin is created from the amino acid tryptophan which is converted to 5-HTP. It regulates sleep, arousal, pain, depression, mood and appetite. Tryptophan is a large amino acid that competes with 5 other aminos for absorption. High-carbohydrate meals tend to increase tryptophan absorption.
What enhances Serotonin for good brain health?

* St. John’s Wort
* Mood Elevator
* Ginkgo
* Sam-e
* Vitamin B6 and B12
* Probiotics


Nature’s Sunshine 5-HTP Power

5-HTP – hydroxytryptophan is converted into serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that can help with sleep, carbohydrate cravings and elevate mood.

Eleuthero root – first adaptagen discovered. It helps balance blood sugar and energy levels, reduces output of stress hormones. Blended with 3 adaptogenic herbs-Siberian ginseng, Suma and Ashwaganda.

Ashwaganda – the adaptagen decreases stress. It is a tonic for depleted, weak and underweight people. Increases mental activity, improves memory and enhances acetylcholine receptor activity. There is also Vitamin B6 and Zinc.



• Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) promotes concentration and prevents anxiety. GABA has a direct inhibitory effect on the brain and nerves which promotes sleep, aids in muscle relaxation and reduces seizure activity. Low levels are found in people with epilepsy, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and tics.

  Products that enhance GABA:
  

  Passion Flower, Kava Kava, Ashwaganda, Valerian, Lemon balm, Hops, GABA Plus.

  GABA Plus has GABA, glutamine, taurine, spirulina and passion flower. It calms the brain and may be helpful with hyperactivity, ADHD, poor concentration, seizures, tremors, epilepsy, anxiety, addictions, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. Epilepsy, some research suggests that epilepsy is caused by an abnormality in the biochemistry of GABA secreting neurons.

  Focus Attention for brain health has slippery elm, lemon balm, eleuthero root, ginkgo, grape seed extract, flax seed powder, lohan fruit, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, DMAE and Choline. It is designed to help with modulating brain activity, promote greater mental focus, enhance acetylcholine which calms neurotransmitters and overactive brain function. It is anti-epileptic and also helps clear cloudy thinking and mental confusion.

  Lemon Balm interferes with cholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine can slow down the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. It is a mild antidepressant and may reduce nervousness and excitability.

  DHA has the most abundant phosopholipid in the brain, the highest level of DHA is in the frontal cortex. It is critical for brain health and development in infants. Deficiency results in reduced learning with infants and adults. Low levels result in reduction of brain serotonin levels and has been associated with ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease and depression.

• Dopamine neurotransmitter is a tyrosine amino acid that is the precursor molecule. It is associated with muscle movement, sexual arousal, attention, learning and overall brain health. Plays a role in behavior, cognition, motivation, reward, sleep, mood, attention, sexuality and pleasure.

  Substances that affect Dopamine:

  Enhance:

  • Phenylalanine
  • Tyrosine
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin B6
  • Fava beans and Ox-eye beans
  • Iodine

Inhibit:

• Anti-schizophrenic drugs

Eating red meat helps stabilize dopamine in O blood types

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Exercise for the brain!

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Parkinson’s disease is caused by the degeneration of neurons that serve to connect the brain’s motor system. Stimulating the production of dopamine alleviates symptoms like tremors, rigidity of the limbs, poor balance and difficulty in initiating movements.

Schizophrenia involves hallucinations, delusions and the disruption of normal, logical thought processes. A possible cause is the over-activity of dopamine neurons. Drugs that block activity of dopamine-related neurons reduce symptoms.

Mania, you have the feeling that you are “super human” like you can do anything by the excessive production of dopamine.

I hear too many people talk about the symptoms on this page. I do not think this should be so common especially when it affects brain health. I have been around relatives in their 90’s that were as mentally sharp as ever. They kept physically active and did not have the junk food, medications and the overwhelming amount of toxins around them. Our bodies need the proper nourishment to function like it should.



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