Strategies for Brain Health
This document includes information for nutritional and other approaches to support your optimal brain health.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
Here’s a good 9-part technical presentation by Steven Fowkes about the causes and reversal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Dr. Dean Silver has a number of recommendations summarized here, including Acetyl-Carnitine, Alpha-lipoic Acid, vitamins D3, B6, B12, coconut oil, etc..
Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that has been marveled as a wonder drug because of it’s wide applications in supporting health. A study concluded that the widespread use of the culinary spice in India accounts for the fact that dementia occurs there only one-fourth as often as in other regions.
http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/how-whole-turmeric-heals-the-damaged-brain
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-produces-remarkable-recovery-alzheimers-patients
http://blogs.naturalnews.com/new-study-turmeric-compound-activates-regeneration-brain-stem-cells
http://blogs.naturalnews.com/try-anti-inflammatory-turmeric-coconut-bedtime-drink-better-digestion
The curcumin component of turmeric is available in a potent supplement form called BCM-95, which remains in the bloodstream much longer and at higher levels than standard curcumin extract.
Silicon (Silica)
On a 40 minute segment of the June 23, 2011 episode of the Robert Scott Bell internet radio show, at the 1:18:40 minute mark, Christopher Barr states that supplementation with a whole food form of silicon is more important for bones and ligaments than calcium. Key points mentioned:
The product recommended on the show was Alta Health Silica, which provides the organic soluble/colloidal form of silica via a patented extraction process which separates it from the inorganic quartz form. Essentially, a vat of horsetail tea is steeped and dried to obtain the concentrated silica.
No RDA currently exists for silicon, but suggestions for daily requirements range from 5-50mg, though toxicity is not seen even over 500mg. Per the FDA, the average person gets 55% of their daily silicon intake from beverages such as beer, coffee, and water; grains provide 14%, and vegetables contribute 8%.
Other food sources of silicon include:
alfalfa, beets, brown rice and oats, bell peppers, soy beans, leafy green vegetables (particularly the stems), asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, parsley, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, raw cabbage, mustard greens, parsnips, radishes, pumpkin, carrots, eggplant, white onions, sunflower seeds and grain husks, such as from barley, oats, millet and wheat, corn, and ground flax seeds.
The foods that contain most silica include cereals, especially oats and rice (even when cooked), which is why Asians tend to have the healthiest and strongest hair. The three main fruits containing silicon are apples, oranges, and cherries, though raisins and grapes are also rich in silicon. Peanuts and almonds are two nuts with high silicon content.
On the 1-7-2018 RSB show, Chris Barr again mentioned the important role of silica, as well as other nutrients. He said the key to Alzheimer's Disease is a gross deficiency of the semiconductor mineral silicon. Secondly, selenium is needed to protect the fats of the brain, and GTF chromium is required for sugar utilization. CBD (code RSB15 saves 15%) is amazing to heal the nervous system, even better than Innate Response B Complex which is also very good. Here are some additional short interviews where Chris discussed the importance of silica, selenium, and GTF chromium. Dr. Schrauzer also lectured on the many health benefits attributed to selenium, including proper brain function.
Vitamin C
Dr. Bob Marshall’s VenaMend supports healthy veins (which can help avoid strokes); it's key ingredient is the citrus bioflavonoid component diosmin.
Maybe that's why Atom Bergstrom recommends eating boiled oranges for vein health.
In another blog article, Atom writes more about the importance of vitamin C.
Blood vessel congestion is the main underlying cause of many serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) leading to heart attacks and strokes, and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) leading to varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, leg ulcers potentially causing leg amputation in diabetes, and poor blood supply to the brain.
In 1991 and 1992 doctors Matthias Rath and Linus Pauling wrote important articles linking the development and cure of CVD and PVD to vitamin C deficiency (7, 8). They showed that it is actually a variant of LDL, namely lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a), and not LDL that is accumulating in the blood vessel wall causing atherosclerosis. Lp(a) is formed in increasing amounts in the liver in response to low ascorbate concentrations. Animals, except for primates and guinea pigs produce their own vitamin C at a comparable daily rate of several grams in humans. It therefore comes as no surprise that CVD is essentially unknown in animals, and Lp(a) is mainly found in species that have lost the ability to produce their own ascorbate.
Ascorbate deficiency results in degenerative changes of the blood vessel wall, potentially leading to life-threatening bleeding disorders. To avoid such unwanted consequences, low ascorbate levels at the same time increase the plasma concentration of factors that constrict blood vessels and increase blood clotting, including Lp(a) and fibrinogen. Accordingly, Lp(a) is deliberately accumulated in blood vessels damaged by vitamin C deficiency to strengthen the wall and prevent it from bleeding or bursting. An unwanted side effect of this defensive action is the clogging up of blood vessels like old water pipes, and the formation of blood clots, especially micro-clots blocking the blood flow in capillaries. With this vitamin C deficiency appears to be the main cause of acquired as well as inherited bleeding and blood clotting disorders.
Another side effect of vitamin C deficiency is high or low blood pressure. Hypertension is mainly associated with CVD and caused when the congestion of arteries and the blood vessel constricting effects dominate.
The authors and others have shown that prolonged high supplementation with ascorbate does not only protect against the development of CVD and PVD, but also gradually clears congested blood vessels and strengthens blood vessel walls.
The most effective way I know of to get high absorption of vitamin C is to make liposomal vitamin C, which can be about 6-8 times more potent than intravenous vitamin C! But even just consistently drinking pure water with fresh squeezed lemon juice every day will clear arteries and provide the benefits of bioflavonoids. Hydration is very important, and the Water Cures Protocol (dissolving a pinch of salt on your tongue before drinking water) is an excellent way to maintain proper hydration and salt intake. The Water Cures site also has the magnesium bicarbonate water recipe to improve your mental abilities.
Omega-3 oil
3 minutes into the 1-19-2014 episode of the Robert Scott Bell show, they covered a story of a dramatic brain trauma recovery. A teenager was injured in a hit-and-run car accident, and his injuries were so severe that the ER doctor told the parents to just let him go. They refused, so the doctors said just wait as nothing could be done. They refused, and gave him progesterone which helped. Then after consulting with Dr. Barry Sears they gave him high dose omega-3 oil. A year later he was fully recovered.
At 21:39 into the 1-21-2014 episode of the Robert Scott Bell show, Dr. Barry Sears explains how 15 grams of fish oil daily saved a man who was "one step away from brain dead" when pulled from a mining accident. After two months he came out of the deep coma, and after four months he had fully recovered. For convenience I’ve extracted that interview from Robert’s show here.
Dr. Sears went on to explain they've had similar results in seven more cases. This approach works because they addressed the inflammation. He also said that the EPA content of the oil reduces inflammation, and the DHA supports neurogenesis (brain repair). They used a ratio of 2-to-1 (EPA to DHA). They have also found 100% success rate in treating macular degeneration with high dose omega-3 oil.
Although mercury can be removed from fish oil, purity from PCBs is of great importance when used in high dosages. The recommended source is from http://www.zonediet.com; they test every batch for PCBs and post the results online.
I've found another source of omega-3 oil; it is called Pure One and is derived from algae grown in a closed environment so they say it has no risk of contamination from outside elements. While they don't post results for every batch, their annual data for PCBs is measured in parts per trillion, compared to parts per billion for the zonediet product, so it does seem extremely pure. A big difference is that they focus on DHA rather than EPA (about 99% DHA), but some of their blog articles state that the body converts between DHA and EPA as required. Perhaps when a traumatic injury occurs it might be best to start with the zonediet product to primarily address the inflammation, and then the Pure One product could be utilized afterwards to focus on brain repair.
Note: Some researchers contend that omega-3 oils are not essential, and in fact consumption leads to yellow fat disease. Omega-3 oils certainly seem therapeutic in severe brain trauma, but perhaps it is not beneficial as an everyday nutrient.
Coconut oil
The Medium-Chained-Triglycerides easily convert to ketones that fuel the brain. Coconut oil has a myriad of health benefits. Aim for two tablespoons daily mixed into foods and used for cooking.
PQQ
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) is a coenzyme found in food such as tofu, spinach, and some fermented foods. Once a proposed B vitamin, it not only repairs mitochondria, but also creates new ones! Mitochondria converts the nutrition you intake to ATP, the energy that runs the body (that includes your muscles and your brain). Here is a podcast about PQQ: http://www.healthquestpodcast.com/064-want-more-energy-try-pqq-my-interview-with-dr-parris-kidd/ and here is an article that says that PQQ provides anti-aging effects due to repair and creation of mitochondria, but when teamed up with CoQ10 and shilajit the benefits are multiplied: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/aug2013_Three-Step-Strategy-to-Reverse-Mitochondrial-Aging_02.htm
The ubiquinol form of CoQ10 is better, and maybe the LiCap gelcap technology which is supposed to avoid oxidation and is endorsed by Richard Pearl may be the best. You can listen to the January 16, 2016 episode of Richard’s radio show when he spoke with Dr. Michael Lelah, chief research scientist for Dr. Mercola, about their ubiquinol and krill oil products that use a li-cap to prevent degradation from air and moisture: http://tiny.cc/pearlsofhealth
Here are more PQQ articles:
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=16896
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-pqq-aging-support
https://selfhacked.com/2014/09/11/pqq-review
http://www.betterhealthinternational.com/productDetails.asp?prodID=QOL0313
Vitamin K2
Dietitian/Nutritional Scientist Christopher Speed recommends vitamin K2 to support arterial elasticity by directing calcium into the bones rather than soft tissue. Functional medicine practitioner Chris Kresser referenced studies that showed vitamin K2 benefits prostate and cardiovascular health. K2 (a.k.a. menaq7 or mk7) is sometimes included in calcium and vitamin D supplements, or you can get it alone.
Nootropics and more
This term nootropics describes drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve one or more aspects of mental function. Examples include phosphatidylserine, phenylpiracetam, and Alpha-GPC (a cholinergic compound used to promote cognition; 400 mg 3x daily is recommended to treat dementia).
Harvard and M.I.T. scientists say that a 500 mg daily dose of citicoline improves brain function, helping adults think as quickly as an average 5th grader.
You can find a variety of nootropic supplements, or buy in bulk powder form to create your own protocol “stacks”.
Dr. Jonathan Wright recommends turmeric, bio-identical testosterone (for men) (pine pollen, particularly in the tincture form rather than powder, is considered like the plant version of testosterone, so that may be beneficial as well), estrogen (for women), and niacinamide (you can detect your tolerance level when you get slight nausea; this reversed Alzheimer’s in animal studies). At about 70% of the way through this podcast he referenced studies that show 3 grams of niacinamide per day helps slow or maybe even reverse Alzheimer’s to some degree.
Matt Monarch says that triterpenes of Reishi mushroom spores are supposedly the most potent superfood in the world. The immune enhancing effect can potentially protect and repair the hippocampus from Alzheimer’s Disease (see study at 8:40).
Lion's Mane mushroom has also been studied for its neuroregenerative properties. It contains Nerve Growth Factors (NGFs) that stimulate nerve regeneration.
Here is how you can grow new brain cells regardless of age.
Brain function is often impaired by strokes. Here is a compilation of stroke related tips, including Dr. Jennifer Daniels’ statement that taking just under a teaspoon of rosemary per day will regenerate and repair brain tissue. Turmeric also has a similar effect.
http://tiny.cc/strokesolutions
Here is another reference that rosemary and spearmint improve brain function:
http://nutritionandhealing.com/2013/12/19/rosemary-and-spearmint
Persons with anxiety or ADD, or even someone who needs to perform in a calm focused manner in high-pressure environments (air traffic controllers, police officers, athletes, etc.) should benefit from herbal brain-calming products that don’t make you feel like a zombie. Richard Pearl interviewed NuAxon founder Jason Edwards to discuss two of their products: NuroFocus contains 5 brain support herbs, and NuMemory+ is also based on those 5 herbs plus two more. The turmerone component of turmeric stimulates brain stem cells. You can find the podcasts at http://tiny.cc/pearlsofhealth; look for the 10-31-2015 and the 11-07-2015 shows. Here is a short article about the company and their products.
This article covers nutrition and the mind:
http://www.healing-yourself.com/Diseases/Mental-Illness.html
Advanced Nutrient Therapies for Brain Disorders- William Walsh (Nov 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHT3iN_jJfc&feature=youtu.be
Also see
https://www.walshinstitute.org/clinical-resources.html
https://www.walshinstitute.org/videos.html
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22582868941 < Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry
Fisetin is a flavonol with antioxidant properties. It is primarily found in strawberries, and reduced cognitive deficits and inflammation associated with aging in mice.
This article lists 15 health benefits of fisetin.
You can find fisetin supplements at a reasonable cost:
https://www.amazon.com/s/field-keywords=fisetin
A brain-enhancement formula is described by master herbal formulator Jon Barron. His “Brain Tonic” is not currently commercially available, but he provides the ingredient list so you could search for a similar product or make your own. He does offer a related item, Warp Speed.
The 7 best brain boosting supplements according to science are DHA, B12, Phosphatidyl Serine, Curcumin, Bacopa, CoQ10, and Acetyl L-Carnitine.
From the 2018 Alzheimer’s Dementia Summit, Dr. Blaylock recommended these compounds for brain health:
baicalein - iron chelator
orgonen (spelling?) - iron chelator
gastrodin - increases BDNF to repair brain
bacopa - increases BDNF to repair brain
blueberries - reverses brain aging
blackberries, spinach - reduce brain aging
rutoylan, afagana (spelling?) - inhibit microglia activation and protects GI tract
astaxanthin - brain protectant
phosphatidyl serine, ginko biloba, R-Lipoic acid - also beneficial
Combine these with moderate exercise for best results.
The Brain From Top To Bottom - This site presents a well-organized multi-level collection of articles about the brain.
Homeopathic Anacardium orientale 200C improves memory and reduces forgetfullness.
Because brain function requires calcium transfer in and out of the cells thousands of time per second, Judy Hoy takes Calc. Pros. 30X homeopathic cell salt to combat against memory loss from chemicals like 2,4-D.
Much like Autism, dementia can be caused by excess mercury in the brain. Organic sulfur is the primary substance that helps to excrete mercury, and it also oxygenates the body.
Aluminum toxicity contributes to Alzheimer’s and Autism. Common sources include chemtrails, vaccines, deodorants, and cookware. This page says the most effective over the counter method to detox the aluminum is with malic acid and magnesium malate.
You can find malic acid in green apples, or get a high quality product that combines the two ingredients:
http://onlythebestherbs.com/index.php?sn=4061
https://www.sunshine4health.com/fibralgia-90-p-421.html
Also check out their info on detoxing other heavy metals.
Over the years, toxins accumulate in our fat tissues. This is done to prevent free circulation of the toxins where it would do more damage. An extremely powerful technique to detoxify these toxins is the niacin-sauna detox protocol. Dr. George Yu discussed it in an interview. Basically it involves consuming niacin (the flushing type), then exercising, and then using a far-infrared sauna. This is typically repeated daily for about 2-3 weeks. Some additional supplements and also oils are used to enhance the process as well as to replenish nutrients that are lost. Read the book Clear Body, Clear Mind by Ron Hubbard for details about the protocol; get the 1990 or 2002 edition because it has more info than the newer one. Also request to join the Smart Detox with Niacin and Sauna Protocol Facebook group for valuable resources, support, and updated information. This protocol has been used to detoxify military vets from chemical exposure, and persons who have had serious drug addictions. It is so powerful that on average people experience a 7 point increase in their IQ; some even got a 15+ point increase!
Toxicology expert Dr. Rashid Buttar explains that Alzheimer’s Disease is primarily caused by an accumulation of toxic heavy metals such as aluminum and mercury. He’s treated two patients for other conditions but who also had independent third-party diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. After 6-7 months of heavy metal removal via I.V. chelation, their Alzheimer’s symptoms were eliminated; they regained their power of attorney, driver’s license, and ability to maintain their personal financial accounts.
On the 10-23-2017 ORN show, Stephen Heuer mentioned the Clear Mind and Easy Energy products contain freeze dried water-extracted rhodiola; secret Russian research found this beneficial for supporting performance of athletes and cosmonauts. Lately a doctor featured on the Awakening from Alzheimers summit found this helps reverse Alzheimer’s.
From Sharry Edwards’ 6-12-2018 Direction 4 Truth show regarding Alzheimer’s, these nutrients were shown to help support the brain:
Acetyl L-Carnitine, Alpha-GPC, Bacopa, Luteolin, Phosphatidylserine, Vinpocetine, Blueberry, Gingko biloba
Author John Gray said that lithium stops repetitive looping thinking associated with anxiety. He recommended 4.5 - 25 mg of lithium orotate, along with orotate forms of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Unlike lithium carbonate prescribed by psychiatrists, lithium orotate does not cause side effects such as dulling you or reducing creativity and metabolism. Lithium orotate protects the brain from neuro-degeneration, and it promotes growing new brain cells. MSM supports detoxification. If you have limited resources, choose lithium orotate for the brain and MSM for the gut.
Dr. James Greenblatt was on the Sound Health Blog Talk Radio show on 10-28-2018. NAC was also brought up. I found a product that contains both.
PhD Tim Marshall talked about lithium on One Radio Network.
Functional Nutritionist Wendy Myers shared a slow gentle oral chelation technique to detox from heavy metals (audio clip at: http://tiny.cc/biosil):
Take 6-10 drops of BioSil per day; for maximal absorption add to orange juice, citrus juice, or pineapple juice.
Take 5-10 grams (1 or 2 teaspoons) of Pectasol-C or other modified citrus pectin (mix in coffee, tea, etc.) an hour away from other food, supplements, or medicines.
BioSil is choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid; it mobilizes the heavy metals, and the pectin binds them for removal. This simple detox takes about two years, and since BioSil is a form of silica it’s also great for hair, skin, nails, and bones.
Patrick Timpone relayed Dr. Robert Rowen’s inexpensive protocol for heavy metal detoxification at the 1:04:30 point in the second half of the Friday, June 20, 2014 show:
200 mcg selenium once per day
1 gram vitamin C 4x daily
300 mg alpha lipoic acid 2x daily
500 mg NAC 3x daily
15 tabs chlorella and/or spirulina
You could add sulfur and sweating for even better results. This is not anecdotal; Dr. Rowen has used this protocol on 3000 patients, and measured the results to prove effectiveness.
Note that selenium is very protective against toxins, including radiation. I've heard reference to a medical study where 19,000 people were monitored over a period of 17 years; the half given selenium had practically zero cancer, while the other half had a typical 30% or so cancer rate. Per nutritional historian Chris Barr on the Sunday, 11-17-2013 episode of the RSB show at 39:33 into the second hour he said that Dr. Joe Vincent researched all the forms of selenium on the market and found that the Innate Response Selenium is twice as bioavailable as the next best. It contains other whole food and botanical ingredients plus probiotics and enzymes for better absorption, and is 100-300 times more bioavailable than seleno-methionine.
Iron toxicity and copper deficiency is a big part of nutrient imbalances addressed by Morley Robbins’ Root Cause Protocol (RCP). Copper deficiency and other imbalances can lead to just about any disease condition, including dementia. In one amazing case an 85 year old grandfather who formerly had a very sharp mind quickly spiraled down in cognition and other impairments, but rapidly responded positively when he followed the RCP.
The RCP specifies beef liver as a source of copper, B vitamins, and other nutrients. Someone in the FaceBook group posted a link to an interesting blog article about beef liver. Many people find dealing with liver unpleasant, but grass-fed, pastured, undefatted, freeze-dried desiccated liver capsules are available that provide the nutrients of liver without the mess, odor, or taste. The article claims a study found that rats fed liver had extraordinary endurance compared to those just supplemented with B vitamins (about 2 hours vs. 13 minutes in a "cold water sink or swim" test). The recommended product looks great, but after researching I found several other brands that also offer a good value on clean high-quality products - Ancestral Supplements, Paleovalley, PerfectSupplements, and others.
Here is an archive of a very informative article from the Life Extension Foundation about various nutritional supplements, including a detailed protocol, to treat Alzheimer’s. An updated version is here.
Dr. Eric Zielinski writes how to treat Alzheimer’s naturally with essential oils.
THC from the cannabis plant has been shown to rejuvenate the aging brain and ward off dementia.
Grow your brain, recover from brain injury:
https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/can-regrow-brain
Transcranial Direct Current Brain Stimulation (tCDS) has been shown to enhance certain brain functions:
https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/tdcs-benefits
Meditation
Research shows that a 12 minute daily meditation exercise called Kirtan Kriya (KK) enhances brain blood flow and improves cognitive function, depression, anxiety, etc. This is due to the involvement of several simultaneous exercises (chanting, physical, and visualization). This page provides background info (just skim and read the yellow highlights to save time), and then page 10 describes the practice.
Reduce Toxic Burdens
Though we would rather ignore it, decades of research validates that electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) do adversely affect our health, and as toxic heavy metals accumulate in the brain, those effects could be increased. Cordless phones continuously flood your home with EMFs even when not on a call, so use a corded phone. Wi-Fi routers are convenient, but similarly cause unnecessary EMF exposure. You can log into your router via it’s IP address to access the settings and reduce the transmission power to the lowest setting (25 mW instead of 400 mW for example), or disable Wi-Fi and use an ethernet cable. At the least, turn off the router at night.
Statin drugs are notorious for causing dementia and muscle weakness. Even though the fallacy that cholesterol is dangerous and must be reduced persists, statins are still grossly prescribed because of the blockbuster profits. Fortunately, statins are a class of drugs that can be discontinued without needing to slowly taper off. Vaccines are another source of heavy metal toxicity, particularly aluminum which degrades mental function.
Refined sugars, processed foods, and GMOs cause inflammation and degradation of health, so obviously limit those. There is a relation between gut health and brain health; the silver-aloe protocol can help recover from leaky gut. But also be aware that regardless of the diet, full digestion is of paramount importance. Thus, digestive enzymes are highly recommended. I use the Enriching Gifts plant enzymes, which are the most potent I’ve found and include ionic minerals which are co-factors for enzyme activation. Referral code t00011 provides a 20% discount.
The overall approach to optimal health is to stop adding fuel to the fire, detox, and nourish. Some effective techniques that can be added to a daily regimen is to use a rebounder and portable far-infrared sauna as offered at http://www.oneradionetwork.com.
Brain Training
The old adage “use it or lose it” applies to the brain as well. Exercise your brain and develop rapid learning skills with guidance from brain and memory/learning expert Jim Kwik. He overcame challenges due to a serious head injury in his youth, and now teaches others how to maximize their brain performance. His site includes a lot of interesting podcasts and interviews.
Try some open-source software games to strengthen your memory and increase your IQ.