Studies in Finland and Sweden compared those with a ‘healthy’ versus ‘unhealthy’ diet in midlife for the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia 14 years later. Those who ate the healthiest diet had an 88 per cent decreased risk of developing dementia and a 92 per cent decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.109 Some of the benefit would have come from low-sugar diets high in omega-3 and B vitamins, and some from foods high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which we will focus on here.
Nature always provides a solution to help us with our evolution. It seems obvious to me we need 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… to combat excessive pollution. Vitamin C is a keystone nutrient as far as swinging the antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect cells within the body from damage caused by free radicals. They help to strengthen the body’s ability to fight infection… equation in your favour is concerned. It’s made in all living things, from animals to plants, from yeasts to fungi. It’s probably been the essential ‘exhaust recycler’ of all oxygen-based life-forms. Production is even activated when oxidants are sensed. Animals also make more when stressed or exposed to viruses. We, and all other primates, are one of very few species who can’t make it.
Your best bet is probably to both eat a diet with a broad spectrum of antioxidants and to supplement them. The older you are, the more you are likely to need.
Key antioxidants are:
- Vitamins A, C and E – associated with reducing Alzheimer’s risk
- Lipoic acid – protects the memory-friendly neurotransmitterA neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that carries signals between body cells. They are various types of neurotransmitters which play a major role in everyday… acetylcholine and dampens down brain oxidation and infl ammation
- Glutathione or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) – protects the brain and improves 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…, thus having potential in dementia prevention
- Co-enzyme Q10 – protects the mitochondria in the brain from oxidative stress
- Resveratrol – has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, and prevents hippocampal brain damage
It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to supplement one without the others. Individually, their impact on brain health may be less than when combined.
A study of 4,740 elderly residents of Cache County, Utah, found that those supplementing both vitamin EWhat it does: Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage, including against cancer. Helps body use oxygen, preventing blood clots, thrombosis, atherosclerosis. Improves wound… and C cut their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by two-thirds. Taking either cut risk by a quarter.
A recent meta-analysis of all studies on factors that could prevent Alzheimer’s by one of our Scientifi c Advisory Board members, Professor Jin Tai Yu of Fudan University in Shanghai, China, shows that ‘either a high vitamin E or C intake showed a trend of attenuating risk by about 26 per cent’, making these nutrients ‘grade 1’ top level prevention factors.
How to Use Antioxidants for the Brain
- Smoking and pollution, which increase oxidant exposure, also increase the risk of cognitive decline. Smokers need more vitamin C to counteract this – at least 1,000mg a day. The best thing is not to smoke.
- Vitamins A, C, E, lipoid acid, glutathione, co-enzyme Q10 and resveratrol protect the brain and are often combined in antioxidant supplements.
- The best foods and drinks for protective antioxidant and polyphenol power are: olives, blueberries, kale, blackcurrants, strawberries, broccoli, artichokes, cabbage (red), asparagus, onions (red), avocado, apples, beetroot, cherries, tea (green may be preferable), low-sugar dark chocolate or cacao (up to 10g a day, which is three pieces of dark, low-sugar chocolate), a small glass of red wine (125ml) (more increases the risk of cognitive decline quite considerably).
- You can test your glutathione index to find out whether you are optimizing your antioxidant potential
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 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… 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 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….
- Omega-3
- Homocysteine
- HbA1C
More info – Drift Test from Food for the Brain and Other Tests.
The 5-in-1 test which includes glutathione is due to be launched soon. You can pre-order now.
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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