Dr. Don Colbert has been practicing medicine for several decades. For the past 25 years, he has switched his focus from family medicine to anti-aging, age management and preventive medicine. The reason for the switch is because he became ill and as a result, learned to make food his medicine. The outcome was a reversal of psoriasis that covered his body.
He wrote “Healthy Brain Zone” to give insight about the science behind the brain-gut connection so folks can make wise and healthy diet choices.
Colbert says there is a connection between genetics and Alzheimer’s. Twenty-five percent of the population has the APOE gene that gives them a 30% chance of getting the disease. If you have the double gene, it rises to a 50% chance. Even if you don’t have the gene, you still have a 9% chance of coming down with the Alzheimer’s. When hormones and thyroid function decrease, the risk rises.
There are simple blood tests to determine your risk of coming down with Alzheimer’s: the APOE gene test, the homocysteine level test, the hs-C test, fasting insulin levels, and thyroid and hormone levels.
The good news is that even if you are susceptible to coming down with Alzheimer’s, you can manipulate that gene with key dietary, lifestyle, nutritional and hormonal factors.
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People with the Alzheimer’s gene usually have insulin resistance of the brain, even as early as their teen years. When your brain is insulin resistant, it can’t take in the sugar that the brain cells need to function. Another factor is people with the gene have a higher cholesterol level. If their doctor prescribes a statin drug, it can lower the cholesterol too much, and then the brain starves because it needs the right amount of cholesterol to think.
If you have an injury to your brain and get a concussion, it can double the risk of getting Alzheimer’s. But if you have an injury and the gene, your risk is multiplied by tenfold.
Alcohol is a major problem if you have the APOE gene. Drinking alcohol is like putting gasoline on a fire if you have the gene. It’s simple to manipulate the APOE gene. To do that you need to bring your homocysteine level down below seven, avoid alcohol, take D and B vitamins, DHA fish oil, other supplements and limit the amount of coffee you drink.
A good night’s sleep is important to brain health. Deep sleep, stage four especially, is critical for the brain because it activate the lymphatic system, which is the waste-disposal system of the brain. Also, the more you can sleep on your side, the better.
Dementogens are substances that invite dementia into the brain. One of the major ones is mercury found in fish. Mercury will go to the brain and create the same pathogenic features as Alzheimer’s. The safest fish to eat are the SMASH fish: sardines, mackerel, anchovies, wild salmon and herring. These fish are low-mercury, high-omega and are healthy for the brain.
Silver fillings are also bad for the brain. They contain 55% mercury. Every time you chew on a silver filling, you release about one microgram of mercury. If you have a lot of silver fillings, you’ll need to see a dentist that’s trained to remove them properly or it will make the situation worse.
Trans fats in foods like microwave popcorn and pizza, cookies, cakes, brownies and all the sweet stuff people love are also dementogens. Consumers have to be wise. In 2015, the FDA said if a serving size contains less than 500 mg. of trans fats, manufacturers can label the food as zero trans fats. All they manufacturers did was shrink the serving size of their foods. Eating those foods causes partial hydrogenation of your brain cells, which causes the brains to not take in the nutrients they need nor excrete the waste. Trans fats form a stiff membrane around the brain, which impairs your thinking. Studies from Japan showed that people who ate the most trans fats had a 50-70% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, are another dementogen. Aspartame converts to methanol and formaldehyde, which is toxic to the brain.
God’s plan is for you to be healed and whole, mind, body and soul, so take heart. You can make wise choices and follow natural protocols and treatments to prevent cognitive decline. The single most important thing to have a healthy brain is regular exercise, including walking 20-30 minutes a day, five days a week.
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Marilyn Hickey founded Marilyn Hickey Ministries more than 45 years ago with God’s vision to cover the earth with the Word. Marilyn co-hosts a daily television program, “Today with Marilyn & Sarah,” reaching a potential viewing audience of over 2 billion households worldwide. Marilyn communicates deep biblical truths in a way that is understandable and practical for everyday life.
Sarah Bowling is on a mission to connect everyone with the heart of God while loving those who are overlooked, excluded and ignored. Led by Holy Spirit and anchored in the Word, Sarah seeks to inspire all to know the unconditional and transformational love of God in our daily lives. A Bible teacher, author, international speaker and global humanitarian, Sarah also co-hosts a daily television program, “Today with Marilyn & Sarah.”
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