Stay Connected

Last week was Brain Awareness Week (BAW). It is a global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.  Although it has been observed since 1996, this was the first time I heard of this week and I guess that is why I missed it. When I heard of the week, I immediately thought of a presentation given by Dr. Daniel Amen.  I heard him speak about two years ago and I immediately bought his book, Memory Rescue. His belief is that we do not do enough to take care of the most important organ in our body which he believes is the brain. We have the potential to maintain good brain health.

He believes we need to take care of our brain and we do that by preventing or treating 11 risk factors. He has summarized the risk factors with the mnemonic BRIGHT MINDS.

B – Blood flow – Blood flow is important to all parts of our body especially our brain. Anything that reduces blood flow to our brain has the potential to cause injury to our brain. Tobacco use or uncontrolled blood pressure are examples of what can affect blood flow. Recommendations – have your blood pressure controlled (less than 130/80), quit smoking, exercise, drink water, and eat foods like beets, green leafy vegetables.

R – Retirement  – When you stop learning, your brain starts dying. Recommendations – Stay connected with people, volunteer, learn something new, and read.

I – Inflammation – We are learning that inflammation in the body is not good. Recommendations – maintain good dental health, avoid processed food. Increase foods that are anti-inflammatory like green leafy vegetables, fish, walnuts, avacodos.

G- Genetics – Although we cannot change our family, it is not our destiny. By improving on the other risks factors we can decrease the risks of having problems with our brain.

H- Head trauma – Try to minimize trauma to the brain as much as possible. We should think twice when having our young people engage in sports like football or soccer. Recommendations – manage concussions with the assistance of a health care provider. Wear helmets when you are supposed to.

T – Toxins – I know it may be hard to avoid all toxins, but when we can, we should. Tobacco, marijuana, cocaine are toxins and should be avoided.  Recommendations – wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to wash off the pesticides. Avoid microwaving in plastics even if it is BPA free. Check out the ingredients in your make up.

M – Mental Health– Chronic stress, emotional trauma, grief, depression, addictions are just a few stressful events that affect brain health. Recommendations– Learn how to pause, taking deep breaths and meditation are helpful. Exercising is also great for our mental health.

I – Immunity/Infections – If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you want to work with your health care provider. Certain foods are good at building your immunity, garlic, onions, and shiitake mushrooms. Limit your alcohol use, add Vitamin D and vitamin C to your diet.

N- Neurohormone Deficiency –Check your thyroid levels. Avoid what we call hormone disruptors – BPA (found in plastics), phthalates (found in some make ups), parabens (found in some lotions), and pesticides.

D – Diabesity – Diabetes and being obese can affect brain health. Get your diabetes under control. Exercise and modify your diet to maintain a healthy weight.

S – Sleep Issues – Sleep is important for overall good health. If someone has told you that you snore, you may want to get checked for sleep apnea especially if you are having trouble staying up during the day. Strategies to help you get a good night sleep – Have a regular sleep schedule even on the weekends, sleep in a cool, dark quiet room, avoid heavy evening meals, exercise however not close to bedtime, turn off the electronics.

The book is over 400 pages. I have tried to highlight a few items. As Dr. Amen says, “your brain’s history is not your destiny”. We can do a lot to maintain our brain health so that we can decrease our risk of such diseases as Alzheimer and dementia.