Unfortunately there are many things that can adversely affect our brain, mood and memory. These include food additives, sweeteners, poor circulation, head trauma, infections, air pollution, pesticides, etc. These can result in various diseases, and injuries to the central nervous system (CNS), i.e. brain and spinal cord. And what do these all have in common? For one thing they can all result in neurodegeneration. But recent studies are focusing on one other early event in neurodegeneration that we can all do something about – inflammation!
So you understand the process, here’s a quote from a recent study: “A common link between these diseases is chronic activation of innate immune responses including those mediated by microglia, the resident CNS macrophages.” (Macrophages you may recall from biology, gobble up viruses and debris.) Microglia also release excitotoxins like glutamate and aspartate, as well as chemicals called cytokines. This immune response results in what we commonly refer to as “inflammation.” This activation of microglia was found to occur before other pathology, in an area of the brain referred to as the “gateway” to the hippocampus where memories are accessed. Such activation and inflammation, the study notes, “can trigger neurotoxic pathways leading to progressive degeneration.” And one of those pathways appears to go right through the blood brain barrier.
For example, another review of this process that appeared just last month (Jan 2015) in the journal Neurodegeneration notes, “Although the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is able to protect the CNS from immune activation, it becomes more permeable during inflammation, which renders the brain vulnerable to infections.” Therefore, learning how to control these microglia and this chronic inflammatory response in the brain has become an important focus of research in recent years.
Our immune response involving microglia and inflammation, appears to operate like the stress response. We know that while some stress in essential to life and good health, too much for too long can cause cell damage. The same appears to be true for the microglia and inflammation.
If you are over the age of 45 or feel at times as though your brain is not working as well as it should, it may be that you have chronic inflammation in your brain. It could be from past head trauma (such can smolder in the brain causing damage for decades), periodontal disease, a urinary tract infection or one of the items or conditions noted above. Inflammation is a natural part of our immune response, but as with stress, if not kept under control it can cause serious damage, as we can see with autoimmune disorders like arthritis.
Controlling Inflammation
So how can we control or extinguish this flame in our brain? It’s not easy but here are 4 things that researchers have found may help.
First, eat your vegetables and fresh fruit. Eating a mixture of leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, parsley, celery, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, as well as asparagus, avocados, purple cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers, the orange meat of melons, squash, yams, oranges, and tangerines, provides folate which works in conjunction with B-12 in eggs, meat and dairy products to help control inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally these along with red, blue and purple berries including cocoa contain a variety of powerful antioxidants, like carotenoids, and flavonoids, that quench the sparks from inflamed tissues called free radicals. They also contain other vitamins and minerals like magnesium that can help to reduce the effects of inflammation and promote mental health.
This is one reason why a study in England found eating 7 or more servings of vegetables and fruit daily promoted a sense of well being better than money, employment, or even exercise. Although exercise is also very important.
Second, stay physically and mentally activity. We know physical activity can improve circulation and reduce inflammation. And just as physical activity reduces inflammation in joints, mental activities like reading, writing, teaching or sharing in conversations, doing cross word and other puzzles, searching the internet, etc. can all help to reduce inflammation in the brain. The brain was made for learning, and it does best when kept active.
Caution: Vigorous physical activity causes a natural increase in free radicals, so when you exercise it’s also wise to take antioxidant supplements. See below.
Third, add some spice to your life. Research at UCLA has shown one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory agents in nature is curcumin found in the spice Turmeric, used in curry and mustard. This is one reason why seniors in India have less than a quarter of the incidents of Alzheimer’s that we have in America. Another reason is they consume far less sugar that can also evoke inflammation. Other spices like rosemary, sage, cloves and frankincense have also been found to help reduce the flames within and promote good mental health and memory.
Finally, consider supplements that reduce inflammation or boost antioxidants in your body. The complex of B vitamins are basic. But perhaps the most helpful is an inexpensive protein called NAC f(N-acetyl-cysteine). This enables our body to produce it’s most powerful antioxidant – glutathione, which is more than a 1000x more powerful than vitamin C. In fact vitamin C’s most important role might be to help regenerate glutathione. Other helpful antioxidant supplements include curcumin, quercetin, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid, L-carnitine, selenium and CoQ10. All of the nutrients in the Perceptiv formulation (see last month) reduce inflammation as well as most of those in the MMF formulation, which is likely why they are so helpful in fighting age related cognitive decline and even AD.
Inflammation underlies most of our physical and mental ills associated with aging, but by following the suggestions noted above we can do much to quench these flames within, and promote greater physical and mental health
This article was written by David R. Larsen, MFHD. If you have questions you can email him at DavidRJL@aol.com
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