You are Afraid of Alzheimer’s ??

                                                   Oh my Brain !

How works the Brain?

First of all let’s understand how the brain works :

The brain is the most complex part of the human body. This organ is the set of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator of body movement, controller of behavior and the source of all the qualities that define our life.

All the parts of the brain work together, but each part has its own special properties.

The Brain is divided in 3 basis units:

• forebrain-—-is the largest and most highly developed part of the brain. It consists primarily of the cerebrum.
• Midbrain—–controls some reflex actions and is part of the circuit involved in the control of eye movements and other voluntary movements.
• hindbrain—–is the upper part of the spinal cord, the brain stem, and wrinkled ball of tissue called the cerebellum.

The cerebrum sits at the top most part of the brain, and is the source of intellectual activities. It holds your memories, allows you to plan, enables you to imagine and think, allows you to reconize friends, read books and play games. The cerebrum is split in 2 hemispheres and communicates with each other through a tract of nerve fibers. They are different : the right—-control many abstract reasoning skills, and the left—- the ability to form words.

The right hemisphere—–control the left side of the body

 The left hemisphere—–control the right side of the body  

        When one side of the brain is damaged, the opposite side is affected. For example , a Stroke in the right hemisphere of the brain can leave the left arm and leg paralysed.                                                                                                                       

Have you heard of  “Gray Matter” ?

The Cerebral Cortex —-is gray because nerves in this area lack the insulation that makes most other parts of the brain appear to be white. The folds in the brain add to its surface area and therefore increase the amount of gray matter and the quantity of information that can be processed.

The Hipothalamus—– directs important functions like: wake up in the morning, and gets the Adrenaline following a tense situation. The hypothalamus is a emotional center, which control the molecules that make you feel angry, happy or unhappy. Near the hypothalamus lies the Thalamus , a major clearinghouse going to and from the spinal cord and the cerebrum.                                                                                                                                                                  The Hippocampus—– acts as a memory indexer. That is to say, sending memories out to the appropriate part of the cerebral hemisphere for long-term storage, and retrieving them when necessary.

What is this ?

This is a Neuron. Neurons are the key players in the brain. They are information messengers and they use electrical impulses and chemical signals to transmit information between different areas of the brain, and between the brain and the rest of the nervous system. All we think and feel is tanks to work of neutrons, and their support cells, the glial cells, called astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Neurons communicate with each other by sending chemicals called neurotransmitters across a tiny space, called a synapse.

There are 3 classes of neurons:

• Sensory neurons—-carry information from the sense organs (such as the eyes and ears) to the brain.
• Motor neurons—-control voluntary muscle activity such as speaking and carry messages from nerve cells in the brain to the muscles.
• Interneurons—- are all the other neurons.

These 3 classes of neutrons are hundreds of different types, and each neuron with specific message-carring abilities. How these neurons communicate with each other by making connections is what makes each of us unique in how we think, feel and act !

Death—-neurons are the longest living cells in the body, but large numbers of  them die during migration and differentiation.      The lives of some neurons can take abnormal turns. Some diseases of the brain are the result of the unnatural deaths of neurons.

 Type of Dying Neuron :

Alzheimer’s disease—– unusual proteins build up in and around neurons in the neocortex and hippocampus, parts of the brain that control memory. When these neurons die, people lose their capacity to remember and their ability to do everyday tasks.

Stroke—–causes a nerve damage and kill neurons outright or slowly starve them of oxygen, and nutrients they need to survey.

Sckemic Stroke—-is the more common type of stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel that feeds the brain is blocked by a blood clot.

Embolic Stroke—- It is when a thrombus travel for elsewhere in the body to the brain via the blood stream.

Hemorragic Stroke—-Means with bleeding. That occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, often caused by uncontrolled hypertension. If too many brain cells die, after lack of oxygen, there is a permanent damage, because brain cells cannot be replaced.

TIA or Transient Isckemic Attack—-Is a mini Stroke, which disappear within 24 hours, and causes no permanent damage, but is a warming signal for a real stroke.

Parkinson’s Disease—- The neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine die off in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls body movements. This causes difficult to start movement.

About Sleep :                                                

Do You have a good night’s sleep?

The Hypothalamus is a region of the brain that oversees sleep, along with things like metabolism, hunger and thirst.

Without a good night’s sleep, you may feel groggy and less sharp, and continued lack of sleep may raise your risk of medical problems such as depression, high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease.

Take a look at your habits—–Caffeine and Alcohol intake, the use of electronics near bedtime may be causing insomnia. Most people have trouble sleeping because travel (jet lag), lifestyle or stressful situations or emotional and physical conditions.

“You can’t perform at your best unless you give your body time to rejuvenate during sleep”, says Rachel Salas,M.D. , an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Sleeping deprivation can:

• affect your immune system, which decrease the ability of your body fight infection.
• affect your mood and you become more irritable.
• alter appetite hormones.
• interfere with memory and productivity.
• increase the risk of diseases.

Diet modifications, and habits like reducing screen time before bed, caffeine and alcohol intake, can help you sleep better.

Exercise—-regular physical activity is good for your body and your brain says thanks!  

How much sleep do you need ?

Most healthy people should to sleep 7 to 9 hours every night. Mabe you think that 6 hours is good for you, but your sleep deficit will catch up with you eventually. Some extra sleep can help you recuperate after an sleepless night, but is not a good thing in the long term, because may lead to insomnia.

The Power of Diet to the Brain 

Know your fats….

• Cholesterol—- the highest concentration of cholesterol occurs in the brain, which it is important for memory formation. Also it play’s a role in regulating serotonin levels in the brain. Consequently low cholesterol levels are associated with depression. Old people with the highest cholesterol levels have the best memory function.
• Satured Fats—- the brain contains high levels of satured fats—- in cell membranes and in the mitochondria. Satured fats are stable and don’t create damage in the brain like poly-unsaturated fats do.
• Arachidonic Acid—- 11% of your brain is composed of arachidonic acid (AA), a type of omega-6 fatty acid found exclusively in animal fats like butter. AA is critical to neurological development in the infant.
• Vitamin A—-needs for vision and all sensory perception. Butter is a good source.
• Vitamin D—-essential to neurological function and protection against depression. Butter is a good source.
• Vitamin K—-supports neurological function and learning. Butter is a good source.
• DHA—-is an omega-3 fatty acids specially concentrated in the brain. Seafood and butter provides it.
• Choline—- is essential for the formation of glial cells. Also butter is an excellent source.

Grains:

Gluten—– is a name for the protein found in wheat, spelt, barley and rye. And it helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Gluten triggered inflammation in the gut, and instigate inflammation in the brain. This referrers to as neuroinflammation, that leads to brain disfunction, cognitive impairment, and an increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease.  Neuroinflammation has been associated with depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and more..A gluten free diet, was found to improve these symptoms.

A nutrient dense diet that contains plentiful vegetables, some fruit, high quality sources of animal protein, a healthy balance of fats, nuts and seeds, and some gluten-free grains , is a great option for a balanced gluten-free diet.

A Curious Story: 

Dr Mary Newport a neonatologist in Florida, described how her husband, Steve Newport was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.” Steve was only 51 years old, and it just continue to snowball. And we got to 2008, so seven years later, and he was really on a downward spiral and we were pretty desperate. There were very few clinical trials available and he wasn’t qualifying.

I learned all research about Alzheimer’s as a type of diabetes of the brain. This is a problem of insulin resistance into getting glucose into brain cells, and if you could provide ketones as an alternative fuel to the brain, that could potentially improve people with Alzheimer’s disease.  ( at that time was no mention of ketogenic diet)  I knew what MCT oil was, because I had used it in the newborn intensive care unit. And ketones help build the brain. Okay, well, this is something I could do for him. I learned that it was extracted from coconut oil.”

She starts using coconut oil, which is the richest source of medium chain triglycerides. Steve became more alert, more talkative, with more animation in his face. And then she eventually added MCT oil over the first year. He improved so much, that he was able to work as a volunteer in the hospital where she worked. Later they started a Mediterranean diet, because she realised how important is nutrition. She gave him a supplement of D-Ribose, which seemed to help. Steve did well for many years. Dr Mary continues her research on coconut oil after Steve passed away.

by Helena

Naturalize Yourself !

Ref:

Coconutketones.com

Westonaprice.org

Study.com

Helpguide.org

John Hopkins Medicine

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