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Alzheimer's has been called the defining disease of the boomer generation. Its victims are expected to triple by the year 2050.
In addition, it's estimated that 10,000,000 others suffer with severe dementia and Parkinson's disease.
But even if you escape these debilitating and life-threatening diseases, you may be among millions more who suffer from mild cognitive
impairment (MCI or what is frequently called "age-related cognitive dysfunction") and normal "age–associated memory impairment." These
conditions are what many of us have experienced as "senior moments." The symptoms include memory loss, as well as a decline in the ability
to think and reason.
Some of these problems are a result of the natural aging of our brains. But others arise from poor nutrition and exposure to environmental
toxins.
Drugs have shown little promise and serious side effects. But here are seven proven methods to keep your brain young and sharp.
Bacopa grows in the wet tropics and is also commonly known by its English name, water hyssop.
In a rigorous study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers found that Bacopa has positive effects on
In 2005 researchers put gingko biloba up against Pfizer's $4 billion a year prescription drug donepezil (/article/vitamin-e-acetyl-l-
carnitine-and-%CE%B1-lipoic-acid-are-superior-drug-donepezil-aricept) (trade name Aricept) in a 24-week randomized, double-blind
study. [viii] An extract of gingko biloba (160 mg per day) was found to be just as effective as the drug for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's
disease. The researchers concluded there were no relevant differences in the efficacy of gingko biloba and donepezil, and use of both
substances can be justified.
In a more recent double-blind trial gingko biloba was found to be significantly better than placebo in improving cognitive function and
behavioral symptoms in 400 patients with Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia.[ix]
Researchers examined the relation between 3 common foods that contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea) and cognitive performance.
They followed 2,031 participants aged 70 to 74 years from the Hordaland Health Study in Norway.[x]
People who consumed chocolate (/blog/amazing-40-health-benefits-chocolate-consumption), wine, or tea had significantly better
scores on cognitive tests and lower rates of poor cognitive performance.
Those who ate all three foods had the best test scores and the lowest risks for poor test performance.
The good results were dose dependent. The best performance maxed out at 10 grams per day of chocolate and 75-100 ml per day of wine.
The effect was most pronounced for wine and modestly weaker for chocolate.
In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry researchers showed that resveratrol selectively targets and neutralizes clumps of
peptides or proteins that are bad and have been linked to Alzheimer's, but leaves alone those that are benign.[xi]
Resveratrol (/substance/resveratrol) is a chemical compound in plants that acts as an antibiotic to fight off both bacteria and fungus.
Besides grapes and cacao, it is found in raspberries, mulberries, blueberries (/blog/do-blueberries-hold-key-preventing-cancers), and
cranberries. It's also in peanuts, pine trees and Japanese knotweed, the source of most resveratrol supplements.
Studies show supplementing with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants (e.g. blueberries, strawberries, walnuts, and Concord grape
juice) helps decrease the vulnerability to oxidative stress that occurs in aging. That can lead to improvements in behavior.
Fruits and vegetables can also enhance communication between neurons and decrease stress signals induced by oxidation and inflammation.
Other studies indicate that blueberry or Concord grape juice supplementation in humans with mild cognitive impairment increases verbal
memory performance.
Experimental models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and stroke show that dietary restriction (reduced calorie
intake) can beef up the resistance of neurons in the brain to dysfunction and death.
How? Dietary restriction stimulates the expression of 'stress proteins' and neurotrophic factors. Neurotrophic factors may protect neurons by
increasing production of proteins that suppress oxidation and free radicals.
In addition, dietary restriction increases the number of newly-generated neural cells in the adult brain. In other words, it may increase the
brain's capacity for plasticity and self-repair.
Researchers suggest
that limiting calories may reduce both the incidence and severity of neurodegenerative disorders in humans.[xiii]
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Intermittent fasting is not as difficult as it sounds. It doesn't involve just drinking water. Most intermittent fasting plans cut calories to 25% of
GreenMedInfo
normal amounts. That's about 600 calories for men and 500 calories for women on one or two days of the week.
Join Us!
7. Curcumin Clears Alzheimer's Plaques (/membership)
The incidence of Alzheimer's among adults in India is about 4.4 times less than that of Americans.[xvi]
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Researchers in Singapore suggest the reason might be curry and the spice turmeric. They looked at curry consumption and brain performance
in 1,010 Asians between 60 and 93 years of age. Those who ate curry occasionally (less than once a month) and often (more than once a
month) performed better than those who rarely or never ate curry.[xvii]
Over 30 studies in the GreenMedInfo data base deal with the promise of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, in the treatment and
prevention of Alzheimer's disease. According to one study, turmeric showed remarkable results in Alzheimer patients
(/blog/turmeric-produces-remarkable-recovery-alzheimers-patients) in just three months.
A 2006 UCLA study found curcumin may help clear the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's disease. One way it works is by boosting the work
of macrophages. These cells in the immune system help the body fight foreign proteins.
Researchers took macrophages from the blood of Alzheimer's patients and healthy controls. They treated some of the macrophages with
curcumin. The treated macrophages showed improved ingestion of the beta-amyloid proteins. The researchers concluded that curcumin may
support the immune system to clear amyloid plaques.[xviii]
And in animal studies low doses of curcumin led to 40% less beta-amyloid than in those not given the spice.[xix]
Studies indicate low doses of turmeric over a long period of time are most effective. That's a good reason to add turmeric to your daily diet.
It's great in curry sauces, scrambled eggs, deviled eggs, mustard sauces or salad dressings.
There are many other natural ways to keep your brain young (/blog/natural-approach-preventing-and-overcoming-dementia)
including coconut oil (/blog/research-foodsspices-slow-perhaps-reverse-alzheimers), ginger (/blog/ginger-shows-promise-anti-
alzheimers-agent), B-vitamins[xx], and saffron (/substance/saffron).
For much more information on healthy brain aging visit GreenMedInfo page on the aging brain (/disease/aging-brain).
References
[i] Alzheimer's Association. 2012 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
March 2012; 8:131–168
[ii] Carlo Calabrese et al, "Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial." J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jul;14(6):707-13. GreenMed Link (/article/bacopa-enhances-
cognitive-performance-aging)
[iii] Stough C. Lloyd J. Clarke J, et al. The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human
subjects. Psychopharmacology. 2001;156:481–484. [PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11498727)]
[iv] Rey A. The Clinical Examination in Psychology [in French] Paris: Presses Universitaires de France; 1964.
[v] Roodenrys S. Booth D. Bulzomi S, et al. "Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) on human memory." Neuropsychopharmacology.
2002;27:279–281. [PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12093601)]
[vi] Cieza A, Maier P, Poppel E. "Effects of Ginkgo biloba on mental functioning in healthy volunteers." Arch Med Res. 2003 Sep-Oct;34(5):373-
81. GreenMed Link (/article/bacopa-enhances-cognitive-performance-aging)
[vii] Clostre F. "Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761). State of knowledge in the dawn of the year 2000." Ann Pharm Fr. 1999 Jul;57 Suppl1 :lS8-
88.
[viii] Mazza, M., Capuano, A. Bria, P., Mazza, S., Eur J Neurol. 2006 Sep;13(9):981-5.
[ix] Oleksandr Napryeyenko, Irina Borzenko, "Ginkgo biloba special extract in dementia with neuropsychiatric features. A randomised, placebo-
controlled, double-blind clinical trial." Arzneimittelforschung. 2007;57(1):4-11. GreenMed Link (/article/ginkgo-biloba-improves-cognitive-
functioning-and-behavioral-symptoms-patients-age-associated)
[x] Eha Nurk et al, "Intake of flavonoid-rich wine, tea, and chocolate by elderly men and women is associated with better cognitive test
performance." J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):120-7. Epub 2008 Dec 3. GreenMed Link (/article/intake-flavonoid-rich-wine-tea-and-chocolate-
elderly-men-and-women-associated-better)
[xi] Ali Reza A. Ladiwala et al, "Resveratrol selectively remodels soluble oligomers and fibrils of amyloid aβ into off-pathway conformers." J.
Biol. Chem. jbc.M110.133108.
May 28, 2010, doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.133108
Did you
[xiii] M P Mattson, "Neuroprotective signaling know
and the that
agingGreenmedinfo.com
brain: take away my is 100%
foodmembership
and let me run." Brain Res. 2000 Dec 15;886(1-2):47-
supported? It is through memberships (/membership) and
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donations (/donation/donate-greenmedinfocom) that we are able
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[xiv] Theresa E. Gildner, Melissa A. Liebert, Paul500,000
Kowal, visitors
Somnatha month with free
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J. Josh to our carefully
Snodgrass. "Associations between Sleep Duration,
curated research.
Sleep Quality, and Cognitive Test Performance among Older Adults from Six Middle Income Countries: Results from the Study on
Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE)."In order Journal of Clinical
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[xv]Lulu Xie et al, "Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain." Science 18 October 2013: Vol. 342 no. 6156 pp. 373-377 DOI:
10.1126/science.1241224 (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6156/373) Donate!
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greenmedinfocom)
[xvi] Pandav R, Belle SH, DeKosky ST. "Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease: The Indo-US cross-national dementia study."
Arch Neurol. 2000;57:824–30. [PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10867779)]
[xvii] Ng TP, Chiam PC, Lee T, Chua HC, Lim L, Kua EH. "Curry consumption and cognitive function in the elderly." Am J Epidemiol.
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2006;164:898–906. [PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16870699)]
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[xviii] Zhang L, Fiala M, Cashman J, Sayre J, Espinosa A, Mahanian M, et al. "Curcuminoids enhance amyloid -beta uptake by macrophages of
Alzheimer's disease patients." J Alzheimer's Dis. 2006;10:1–7. [PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16988474)]
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/7-proven-ways-keep-your-brain-young?utm_source=Daily+Greenmedinfo.com+Email+List&utm_campaign=8… 4/12
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[xix] Yang F, Lim GP, Begum AN, Ubeda OJ, Simmons MR, Ambegaokar SS, et al. "Curcumin inhibits formation of amyloid beta oligomers and
fibrils, binds plaques, and reduces amyloid in vivo." J Biol Chem. 2005;280:5892–901. [PubMed
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15590663)]
[xx] De Jager CA et al, "Cognitive and clinical outcomes of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamin treatment in mild cognitive impairment: a
randomized controlled trial." Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Jun;27(6):592-600.
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