Pillars of Brain Health

Our daily habits have a profound impact on our brain health. We often hear about the importance of physical health in terms of wellbeing and longevity, but what about brain health?

Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States, with more than 50% of the population being diagnosed with a mental illness or mental health disorder during their lifetime (Kessler et al., 2007).

In 2011, almost 100 million Americans were affected by at least one neurological disorder (Gooch et al., 2017). According to the American Brain Foundation, brain disease affects 1 in 6 people (American Brain Foundation Brain Diseases, 2022). In 2017, the three most burdensome neurological disorders in the United States were stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and migraine (GBD 2017, US Neurological Disorders Collaborators et al., 2021).

These statistics are not something that we can ignore. In our country, we tend to think of mental illness and brain diseases as something that happens to us, and forget that there is so much more that happens prior to developing brain diseases and mental health symptoms.

We know that mental health issues are downstream issues or side effects of life circumstances, lifestyle choices, unresolved trauma, poor interpersonal relationships, poor gut health, significant levels of neuro-inflammation, stealth infections, and neuro-toxicities, all of which can contribute to poor brain health. So why don’t we talk about it as such? Additionally, why don’t we talk about the ways that have been shown over and over again to increase our brain health?

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month (ABAM), a time to learn about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, support those affected, and promote brain health. The Alzheimer's Association holds special events throughout the month, including education programs, brain-health toolkits for kids, and community toolkits for local libraries. Purple is the color associated with ABAM because it’s often the last color that Alzheimer’s patients forget. Wearing purple can help raise awareness and honor those facing Alzheimer's. This month serves as an opportunity to educate ourselves, support those affected by the disease, and take proactive steps to maintain optimal brain health. Some ways to lower your risk of cognitive decline and dementia include regular cardiovascular exercise, a healthy diet low in bad fats and processed foods, engaging in mental stimulation and socialization, getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, and preventing brain injuries.

We know that the human brain and nervous systems are interwoven and work together. We also know that when we have a brain that is not firing on all cylinders, our nervous system can also suffer and vice versa. Maintaining a healthy brain needs to be a top priority for anyone who wants to experience a life of optimal health and longevity.

By focusing on the six pillars of brain health we can reduce inflammation and reduce our risk for developing mental health issues, brain diseases, and chronic health conditions.

Food & Nutrition

Whole, unprocessed foods are designed to fuel our bodies and are vital if we want optimal physical health and brain health. Yes, the types of food we eat matters!

An analogy I like to use is this: If a car manufacturer recommends using premium fuel, most people are not putting regular fuel or diesel in their cars. If they did, the car might run for a bit, but then shut down or start to have issues. When you take the car to the mechanic, the mechanic will ask why you are not using premium fuel, as this particular car needs premium fuel. No one is shocked when the car stops working because it was not getting the proper fuel. The remedy is to clear out the gunk from the low-grade fuel and to start using premium fuel.

The human body isn’t much different. Yes, there is bio-individuality. However, all bodies need optimal fuel in order to have optimal brain health. When humans start to load up on toxic, processed foods that have very little nutritional value, they get sick or start to develop chronic health conditions and the toxic burden becomes too much for the body to handle so the immune system heads into overdrive and our brain health starts to decline.

In order for our mitochondria and brain to function properly, we must be consuming quality nutrition (Du et al., 2016; Taormina et al., 2019; Wesselink et al., 2019). Mitochondria play an essential role in neurotransmitter signaling by “providing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), mediating lipid and protein synthesis, buffering intracellular calcium, and regulating apoptotic and resilience pathways” (Du et al., 2016). In short, we must eat whole, unprocessed foods while focusing on high-quality nutrition in order to maintain optimal brain and physical health.

Why is the typical first line of defense to add pharmaceuticals to the body, instead of looking at the fuel that is being used to fuel the body?

I believe this is a topic for another day but in short, we are living in an era where people believe there is a pill for every ill and that healing should be quick and easy. Unfortunately, that is not how the human body works. It is important to remember that we typically don’t develop mental and physical health symptoms overnight. It takes time to heal.

Manage Stress Levels

Numerous studies have linked severe stress to the development of major depressive disorder (MDD), and suicidal behaviors (Du et al., 2016). Research shows that chronic stress, which leads to elevated cortisol levels, can lead to oxidative damage to mitochondrial function and membrane lipids in the brain (Du et al., 2016). In order to have a healthy brain, we must be able to manage stress levels in a healthy way.

Physical Exercise

We have all heard the saying, “sitting is the new smoking”. Well, it is true! Regular aerobic exercise like running, biking, and swimming have a neuro-protective effect and have been shown to provide unique benefits for the vascular and cellular systems that sustain a healthy brain (Vecchio et al., 2018).

In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry shows a link between long-term moderate physical activity and an increase in the volume of the hippocampus and spatial memory (Erickson et al., 2011). The hippocampus is the area of the brain that is responsible for the formation of long-term memories and is typically the first area of the brain to be damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Regular physical exercise is a great way to improve physical and mental health.

Quality Sleep

Getting restorative sleep is vital for overall health. It has been well established that even moderate sleep deprivation can lead to cognitive decline (Bubu et al., 2017; Wennberg et al., 2017).

In fact, studies have shown that being awake for 17 hours is similar to having a BAC of 0.05% (Kim et al., 2001). Quality sleep is vital if we want optimal physical and mental health.

Community and Connection

What happens if we don’t use a muscle for a while? It tends to deteriorate right? Same can be said for a brain that isn’t actively engaged. In fact, (Donovan et al., 2016) found that people who have the most social interaction generally experience the slowest rate of memory decline. We know that connection with a social network can reduce stress and enhance intellectual stimulation, which have also been shown to have significant protective effects against age-related cognitive impairment and mental health issues.

Support Brain Health with Neuro Needs Products

In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, consider supporting your brain health with Neuro Needs Products. These products, developed by a collaborative of healthcare professionals, are designed to address mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, neurotransmission, and inflammation through safe, natural, and effective nutritional supplements. Visit Dr. Elizabeth’s shop to explore these products and support your brain health journey.

In short, there are so many things we can do to improve our overall physical and mental health and prevent disease.

Thanks for being here!

Dr. E

References:

American Brain Foundation Brain Diseases. (2022). American Brain Foundation. https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/diseases/

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