Currently, Alzheimer’s affects one person every 72 seconds. Cognitive decline in this country is as high as 50% at age 80. Brain decay often starts between the ages of 40 and 50. Yet University of Virginia research shows that the very initial stages can actually be detected as early as age 37.
People think that being “forgetful” is just a part of getting older, but it is a sign of brain decay. Look for these symptoms, but don’t wait to take action. Be proactive. It is critical to keep the mind sharp and memories intact as aging occurs when these symptoms are present:
Slow recall Withdrawal from activities
Fuzzy memory Difficulty completing tasks
Losing things Problems recalling words
Poor judgment Confusion with time or place
Low mental energy Changes in mood and personality
The brain is over 85% water. In Dr. Batmanghelidj’s The Body’s Many Cries for Water, he explains how dehydration plays a major role in cognitive function. Chronic dehydration is a condition in which there is not enough water on the inside of your body cells. It has its own symptoms, which are either ignored or covered up with either food or drugs. A few examples of dehydration signals and the wrong remedy are:
craving sweets → sugar
depression → antidepressant drugs
allergies → antihistamines
mental fog → caffeine or pop
Water must get inside the cells for the body to be hydrated. Less water in the cells of the body directly lowers energy, causing fatigue and brain fog. For every 1% decrease of water inside the cells, cellular energy production is reduced by 10%. The brain is shrunken and dehydrated in a person with dementia, as viewed on a CT scan. People without dementia have normal-appearing brains.
Drink at least half your body’s weight in ounces to keep the body hydrated. The body loses half its body weight in ounces daily through perspiration and elimination, which must be replaced. Live water has an abundance of anti-oxidants, and a greater hydration ability. Check out super-hydrating live water to make it easier to drink the right amount of water for improved brain function.
Diet is also important. Avoid aging foods like sugar and trans fats. There are also specific nutrients that play a key role in prevention according to The Stop Aging Now Institute, an authority on cognitive health. CoQ10, DHA, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Curcumin work together to provide maximum protection against brain decay.
A deficiency of CoQ10 can lead to sluggish thinking and memory decline. People with high levels of CoQ10 have better mental acuity, motor abilities and mental energy. Supplementation is vital, as the ability to produce CoQ10 naturally declines with aging, and when statin drugs are used.
DHA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid is critical to optimal brain function. Cells lose the ability to absorb DHA with aging, compromising brain function. Alpha Lipoic Acid is an extremely powerful antioxidant compound that offers protection from age-related memory decline and strokes. Supplementation of these is key to healthy brain function for all ages.
Curcumin has been shown to stop the build-up of brain plaque by up to 50%. Take supplemental curcumin, or learn to cook with tumeric. Berries have powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-clotting properties that help protect the brain from oxidative stress, and the effects of aging.
The brain should age well. It should be as sharp and smart as when it was young. I see many patients in their 70s, 80s, and 90s who are smart, vibrant, active, and productive people because they take the necessary steps to keep their brain thinking smart, and they follow their customized diet and lifestyle programs to stay young.
Dr. Carol Ann Fischer
