Your brain generates more energy, and consumes more fuel, from food than any other organ in the body. Every single thought and image you see sends messages whizzing through your neural network. After a day’s activity your brain literally has to repair and reload, which is what sleep is largely about.
While you don’t generally make more brain cells you do make, and lose, connections between them all the time. What you eat and how you live has a major impact on, not only how you think and remember, but also on how you feel.
Let’s take two examples. Depression and dementia. If you lack brain fats – either vitamin DWhat it does: Helps maintain strong and healthy bones by retaining calcium. Deficiency Signs: Joint pain or stiffness, backache, tooth decay, muscle cramps, hair loss…. or omega-3 fats found in seafood – you are going to become depressed. Both of these nutrients, as well as a lack of B vitamins, are also going to substantially increase your risk of losing your memory and, ultimately, developing Alzheimer’s. less than one in a hundred cases of Alzheimer’s are caused by genes.
Why? One reason is that the membrane of your brain cells, called neurons, are made of essential fats, primarily omega-3, which are only made functional by a process called methylationMethylation is what occurs when the body takes one substance and turns it into another, so that it can be detoxified and excreted from the… which is dependent on vitamins B6, folate, found in greens, and B12 which is only in animal foods. Low levels of these vitamins predict your future risk for dementia. How do you know if you are getting enough from your food? With a simple blood test called ‘homocysteine’ which determines if you’re doing methylation properly. If your homocysteineHomocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with narrowing and hardening of the arteries, an increased… is above 11mcmol/l, which can be tested with a home-test kit, your brain is shrinking at an accelated rate. Brain shrinakge is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s. Roughly half of those over 60 have a homocysteine level in the brain shrinking zone. Why? Because B12 becomes increasingly hard to absorb. These people need to take a high potency B vitamin supplement providing 500mcg of B12. You’ll be hard pushed to eat more than 5mcg. An egg, for example, gives you 1mcg.
So, already you’ve learnt two brain essentials: getting enough brain fats (omega-3 and vitamin D); getting enough B vitamins. These literally help build your brain.
But what does it run on? Your brain is hybrid – it can run on either glucose, made from carbohydrates or ketones, made from fatThere are many different types of fats; polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, hydrogenated, saturated and trans fat. The body requires good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) in order to…. If you stop eating your liver will turn body fat into ketones to fuel the brain. There’s also a type of oil, called C8 oil, you can buy in the health food store from which you’ll make ketones. You might think that if glucose powers your brain eating sugar will give you brain a boost. Well, it does in the short-term but eating too much sugar and carbs actually messes up glucose delivery to the brain so you actually become deficient. Teenagers with sugar problems already show similar memory problems and shrinakge in similar areas of the brain as those with Alzheimer’s. The youngest recorded diagnosis of non-genetic Alzheimer’s is age 19. Even having a slightly raised but ‘normal’ blood sugar level in mid-life bumps up dementia risk in later years by 15 per cent. Giving C8 oil (two tablespoons a day) to people with pre-dementia improves their memory and increases energy supply to the brain. A lack of energy means you can’t concentrate. So there’s two more upgrade your brain secrets – learning how to eat a lower carbohydrateCarbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body as they can be broken down into glucose (sugar) more readily than either protein or… diet, with very little sugar. This is called a low GL diet and is explained in my book. The second secret is how to bump up your ketone supply with C8 oil.
All this energy production, like an engine that has to work hard, makes exhaust fumes. These are called oxidants. That’s why both smoking and living in a polluted environment, increase dementia risk. It’s also why eating lots of vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices, which are high in antioxidants, reduces risk. So too does vitamin CWhat it does: Strengthens immune system – fights infections. Makes collagen, keeping bones, skin and joints firm and strong. Antioxidant, detoxifying pollutants and protecting against…. Those who supplement it have lower risk of memory decline. So that’s another brain upgrade secret. Eat lots of fresh, organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices.
Like a muscle, if you don’t use your brain you lose it. That’s why having an ‘active mind’ and ‘active body’ help keep your mind sharp. Exercise, especially anything that requires complex movement or balancing, such as dance, hill walking and sport, really engages your brain. These are two more brain upgrade secrets.
What does a dog do after a walk? Sleep. That’s why we literally have to sleep to recover and reload the brain. So getting enough sleep is a brain essential. Those who sleep 7 to 8 hours a night have much lower risk of dementia and depression than those who sleep too much or too little. Prolonged stress also interferes both with sleep but also with brain recovery. So learning how to build stress resilience and getting enough sleep, which my book explains, are tow more brain essentials.
8 Brain Upgrade Essentials
- Low Carb and GL – Eat a low Glycemic Load (GL) diet
- Brain Fats Up Brain fats – Omega-3, Phospholipids & vitamin D
- B vitamins – Keep Your Homocysteine Low with B vitamins
- Antioxidants – Eat and Drink Anti-Ageing Antioxidants & Polyphenols
- Active Body – Exercise and Keep Physically Active
- Active Mind – Keep Yourself Socially and Intellectually Active
- Sleep well – Get 7 to 8 hours sleep a night
- Stay Calm – Learn how to build stress resilience
8 Secrets to Upgrade Your Brain (expanded list)
- Shun sugar and eat less carbs – eat ‘wholefoods’ avoiding white bread, rice and pasta. Eat whole fruit, not fruit juice, and lots of vegetables
- Increase brain fats – seafood provides both brain-friendly omega-3 and vitamin D. Eggs provide brain essential phospholipids. Aim for three servings of fish and six eggs a week. Supplement vitamin D, especially in the winter months.
- Supplement B vitamins – your brain depends on B vitamins, especially vitamin B6, folate (found in greens) and B12. Vitamin B12, found only in animal foods, becomes harder to absorb when you age. Supplementing 500mcg has cut brain shrinakge in those at risk by half.
- Up antioxidants and polyphenols – These are found in higher amounts in organic, fresh vegetables, fruits, especially berries, herbs and spices – and also in dark chocolate. Have five to seven servings a day.
- Eat for a healthy gut – eating wholefoods, rich in fibreFibre is an important part of a balanced diet. There are two type of fibre; soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fibre helps your bowel to pass…, including whole oats, chia seeds, plus a wide variety of raw or steamed vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit keeps your gut healthy.
- Keep your body active – aim for half an hour activity every day. Stay toned – yoga, pilates and strength training maintain and build muscle mass which promotes brain mass too.
- Activate your mind – use it or lose it. Learn new things, engage with brain games, don’t veg out of too much mindless telly. Learning a language or a musical instrument or any new skill you’re not good it is great for your brain.
- Sleep well and stay calm – Get 7 to 8 hours sleep a night and learn how to control your stress level. Stay away from too much coffee (and sugar) after noon. Drink less.
What Next? Upgrade your Brain AND Become a Citizen Scientist
Thanks to already well over 400,000 ‘citizen scientists we have, with the sword of digital technology, opened the oyster to uncover the true causes – all under your control – that are driving this terrible and unnecessary brain shrinkage.
Those citizen scientists have taken the time, often initially for personal interest, to discover their actual cognitive function, and completed a comprehensive questionnaire.
We hope to reach a million people around the world within a year or so making this the biggest prevention-focussed study of its kind.
Change is not going to come from the Government or the NHS. It is going to have to come from us, the people.
We ask you to take control of upgrading your brain and in the process become Citizen Scientists for better brain health for future generations.
Follow these seven steps.
STEP 1: Take the Cognitive Function Test
What you’ll learn:
- Find out where you are on the cognitive function scale
- Learn the most important dietary and lifestyle actions you can take
- Take control of your mental wellbeing
- Contribute to the Food for the Brain research process
Take the Cognitive Function Test
STEP 2: Test for the Four Keystone Biochemical Processes
A consensus of world experts concluded that lowering homocysteine with B vitamins is the easiest and most cost effective prevention action, which Oxford University’s health economists estimate would save the UK £66 million per year.However, it’s vital to test both homocysteine and Omega-3 levels, as they are co-dependent. Homocysteine-lowering B vitamins only work in those with sufficient omega-3, and omega-3 only works if homocysteine is low.
So, get tested for the four keystone biochemical processes with the DRIfT Test.
It will calculate your Dementia Risk Index functional Test (DRIfT) score. Tracking this, along with your Cognitive Function (CFT) and Dementia Risk Index (DRI) is the most comprehensive way to protect your brain.
This 4-in-1 test measures:
- Vitamin D
- Omega-3
- Homocysteine
- HbA1C
More info – Drift Test from Food for the Brain and Other Tests.
STEP 3 – Get Educated
Read my book Upgrade Your Brain – Out Now!
More info & to order – Upgrade Your Brain Book
Join me for my webinar on 5 June Upgrade Your Brain.
Join me on my UK or Ireland Seminar Tour – May/June
I’m visiting 30 cities in the UK and Ireland in May/June to kick start a nationwide ‘Upgrade Your Brain’ campaign.
“We need to engage with millions of people, get nutrition education happening in schools, and most of all get heath authorities and governments around the world to take the mental health meltdown seriously and put brain health at the top of the health agenda.”
Professor Crawford says “Today’s diet bears no resemblance to the wild foods we ate during our species’ evolution to which our genome is adapted. If we don’t prioritise brain health and nutrition the continued escalation of mental ill health, starting in the 1950s, can only end in disaster.”
Dates/locations: More tour info & how to book
Sign up to my E-News
Go to the home page of this website and sign up to my E-News for more blogs/reports/videos and podcasts on brain health. Follow on Facebook (PatrickHolford) and Instagram. (PatrickHolford.UK)
STEP 4: Start a Brain Healthy Diet
The Upgrade Your Brain cooking app with brain-friendly recipes will be launching soon. It will help you make the right food choices for your brain.
STEP 5: Ensure You Get Enough of the Right Nutrients
There are three essentials for building brain cells (neurons) – omega-3 fats, B vitamins and Phospholipids. Omega-3 is bound to phospholipids by methylation which is a process that is dependent on B vitamins – B6, B12 and folate.
There are some key supplements that have been identified to support brain health. In the Holford range these are:
- Connect: B vitamins and zincWhat it does: Component of over 200 enzymes in the body, essential for growth, important for healing, controls hormones, aids ability to cope with stress… to support healthy methylation
- High PC Lecithin – A Rich source of 63% phospholipid
- Omega-3 Support – 550mg of DHADHA is short for Docosahexaenoic Acid. It is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring, and is often… and 750mg of EPAEPA is short for Eicosapentaenoic Acid. It is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring, and is often…
All these are found in the Brain Food Upgrade pack
STEP 6: Spread the Word & Promote Prevention
We urge everyone to share the ‘prevention’ message with others.
You can do this by sharing social media posts and blogs/reports.
“You are the architect of your own brain’s future health.” says neurologist Dr David Perlmutter.
Take the test for Alzheimer’s Prevention Day
Step 7: Support the ‘Prevention’ Work
‘Friends’ donate £50 a year and get so much in return. This is how we are funding our amazing research team (see foodforthebrain.org/researchteam/). We are a lean, keen, small but mighty team.
Every donation, big or small, goes right back into helping people prevent these preventable and terrible diseases such as dementia. Together, we can change the world. We need to, because time is running out. We will lose our humanity if we don’t stop this brain drain.”
All donations are put back into research, and the results of the research are shared back to people.
Give to Food for the Brain and support their work.
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