When you think about it, every thought and action we have is controlled by our brain. These include sleep, digestion, memories, movement and so on. In my book, Path to a Healthy Mind & Body, I have found preventable habits that can shrink brain size and solutions to this universal problem. According to Dr. Daniel Amen, “when we are obese, we can have a smaller brain”. When we are balanced and fit, we have a balanced brain. When we invite health into our gut, we do the same to the brain. If we have a sedentary lifestyle, our brain will suffer. But, that’s not all.
There are habits we do before age seventy that cause the brain to shrink! To make matters worse, these same poor habits and toxic exposures can trigger autoimmune disorders. “The brain directly communicates with the gastrointestinal system through the vagus nerve.”(1) This means what we ingest is either feeding or poisoning our brain.
In a Hurry to Lose Our Mind
*Americans eat approximately150 pounds of sugar a year, which can cause decline in brain function. Insulin resistance and obesity has increased in the last two decades not only in adults but in children, with high blood sugar levels decreasing our children’s brain size. Interestingly enough, insulin resistance is found to begin in the brain first.(2) Roundup Ready™glyphosate, along with a western diet has the ability to induce disorders such as obesity, Alzheimer’s and depression.(3) About 422 million people suffer from the depilation effects from diabetes. Diabetes is related to changes in cognitive function and smaller brain size. (4) Advanced Glycation End products result from a domino effect set in motion anytime blood glucose increases. Dr. Agnes Flöel said: “…even for people within the normal range of blood sugar, lowering their blood sugar levels could be a promising strategy for averting memory problems and cognitive decline as they age.”
*Trans-fats exert an inflammatory effect within the body that creates a stiffening of the arteries and constricted blood vessels. Trans-fats can pass the blood brain barrier and harm our brain. This can lead to less blood flow to the skin and much more serious side effects, leaving our brains smaller. Trans-fats can be found in pie crust, deep fried foods, margarine, canned frosting, non-dairy creamers, popcorn, and much more. The average human life span can be cut short with AGE’s in the diet from fried and processed foods. There is mounting evidence that Advanced Glycation End Products caused by processed foods may be implicated in the development of the chronic degenerative diseases associated with aging, such as Cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Diabetes.
*Alcohol is not a health food. According to Biological Psychiatry, “alcoholics tend to have smaller brains than nonalcoholics.”(5) A study shows that brain size in alcoholics is also affected by their parents’ drinking, even before the alcoholic’s dependence begins.(6)
*There are myths that disease is caused by a chemical imbalance. And, because of this we are given chemicals to ingest. According to Robert Whitaker, U S Science Journalist, from ‘Anatomy of an Epidemic’, “increasing use of drugs only keeps patients stuck in the SICK role.” Antipsychotic medications are documented as being linked to brain shrinkage as well as killing brain cells.(7)
*When suffering from depression, the brain does’t lack serotonin. Anti-depressants are big business and offer dangerous side effects that are harmful, including suicide. SSRI’s are associated with and causing brain atrophy.
*Our brain needs cholesterol to thrive. Depression, statin medications and a high-sugar diet causes inflammation and disrupts cholesterol balance, paving the way to a smaller brain size.
*With a diet full of stimulants we have about 1 in 3 people suffering from insomnia. Insomnia decreases brain size (8) and undermines adrenal gland function.
*According to Dr. Joseph McCaffrey, “elevated homocysteine levels directly attack the lining of blood vessels.” One drug of concern is aspirin, that can be hiding out in your medicine cabinet. Aspirin depletes folate acid levels and can interrupt homocysteine levels. An elevated plasma homocysteine level has been reported to be associated with various neuropsychiatric diseases(9) and a smaller brain size.(10)
7 Exposures that Kill Brain Cells
*Exposure to toxins can kill brain cells. Tobacco products, including cigarettes and chewing tobacco called NNK (pro-carcinogen), cause white blood cells in the body’s central nervous system to attack healthy brain cells. (11)
*Ketamine, an anesthetic, has been linked to the death of neurons and neuronal toxicity. And, believe it or not, Ketamine is currently being investigated as an alternative treatment for depression.(12)
*Taking steroids can lead to elevated levels of testosterone which in turn can kill brain cells. Steroids, an anti inflammatory drug, may be an ingredient in your asthma inhaler.
*Dr. Russell Blaylock, “excitotoxins can excite cells to death.” Aspartame can lead to neuronal destruction and damage by causing brain fluid to thicken.(13) Fluoride can induce DNA damage and cell death “cytotoxicity.”(14) Fluoride can also be linked to Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”(15)
*Oxidative stress is about free radicals that are highly reactive forms of oxygen have an ability to kill brain cells. Why? Because with oxidative stress the body has a hard time detoxifying. “With increased oxidative stress, dopamine dies.”(16) “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in charge of the brains’ reward and pleasure centers.”(17)
*Chronic Sleep deprivation can cause cell death.(18)
*A poor diet and toxic chemical exposures increases cancer risk. Statistics show 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer sometime in their life. (19) The drug of choice is Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills brain cells.(19a)
Consuming a daily dose of toxins, chemicals, genetically modified foods, refined sugar and poor choices of fats alters our energy and frequency at the cellular level and can lead to early signs of brain disorders and brain atrophy. The sad news is, research suggest, a sick-brain is now quite common in age groups from 15-44.
The good news is: we can change our brains function and structure throughout our entire life. The Magic of the Mind by Connie Rogers: http://www.lifecoachradionetworks.com/articles/2014/5/28/the?rq=we%20can%20change
Connie Rogers is a Certified Integrative Nutritional Health Coach and Author of Path to a Healthy Mind & Body
Websites: www.bitesizepieces.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bitesizepieces
footnotes:
1- http://neurosciencenews.com/lymphatic-system-brain-neurobiology-2080/
2- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006295212003504
3- http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
4- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22933440
5- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1940091/
6- http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/17306776
7- http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v32/n6/abs/1301233a.html
8- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978381/
9- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21709607
10- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18474741
11- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623090400.htm
12- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19580862
13- http://universitynaturalmedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/Aspartame-and-Neuordegenerative_Diseases.pdf
14- http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2012/403835/
15- Fluoride: The hidden poison in the national organic standards by Ellen & Paul Connett Ph.D
16- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16475001
17- https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/dopamine
18- http://www.thecrimson.com/flyby/article/2011/3/25/sleep-yoo-brain-study/
19- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288916.php
19a- http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=1312
Connie believes health and wellness are established with proper nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Connie takes a natural and holistic, common sense approach to rebuilding well-being from the ground up. As she works with each client, together they open a door that empowers them to rewrite their life, one bite size step at a time!
