As you know, mainstream medicine still has no idea what really causes Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia—much less how to treat it. But, thankfully, research continues to show various ways you can protect your brain—and your memory.
In fact, a new study confirmed you can do just that by increasing blood flow to your brain.
Your brain relies on a strong, steady stream of nutrients
Fifty years ago, researchers commonly observed that older people with age-related vascular disease, which causes reduced blood flow to the brain (and to other parts of the body), had a greater risk of developing what they called “vascular dementia.”
Additionally, they found that people could also develop dementia following a stroke…which suddenly cuts off blood flow to the brain. Or—because they suffered from any other number of conditions that impair blood vessels and circulation.
In other words, researchers understood that reduced blood flow to the brain deprives it of vital oxygen and nutrients required for healthy cognition—leading to dementia. Whereas a strong blood flow helps steadily deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain. And that certainly makes sense to me.
Of course, in my view, and according to many studies, allowing for slightly higher blood pressure (BP) as you get older also provides protection for the aging brain. Here’s why…
Slightly higher BP also protects the brain
Back when I was in medical school, we learned that a “normal,” adult, systolic BP (the top number) was 100 plus your age. So, at age 20, a systolic reading of 120 was perfectly normal. And by age 50, a reading of 150 would also be considered normal.
Today, of course, doctors want to keep your BP at (or below) 120/80 mmHg…no matter what your age.
But, as I’ve reported before, pushing BP too low, especially in older adults, can cause falls, organ failure, and even death. Plus, it can also lead to memory problems…
In fact, recent research shows a consistent link between moderately elevated BP readings (of 130 to 150 mmHg) and a reduced risk of developing dementia (and heart disease) among older people.
It appears that moderately higher BP as people grow older helps supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients to sensitive brain cells. Which is important.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the new study I mentioned earlier…
Poor blood flow to the brain tied to “AD biomarkers”
For this new study, researchers with the University of Southern California started out by conducting brain scans on a group of 68 men and women, ages 46 to 80 years. At the study’s outset, the participants ranged from being cognitively healthy to having mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
The scans showed that areas of the brain with more “AD biomarkers” also received less blood flow. These findings were particularly strong in a brain region called the “inferior gyrus” in the temporal lobe, which plays a role in controlling memory. It’s also one of the first regions of the brain to exhibit structural changes associated with AD, even before the obvious, outward signs of cognitive impairment begin to manifest themselves.
Next, the researchers analyzed brain scans from a second group of 138 men and women. This group had more advanced cognitive decline, which ranged from having MCI to full-scale AD.
Here again, the researchers noted that areas of the brain with more “AD biomarkers” received less blood flow. Plus, the association was stronger in those with more advanced dementia.
In the end, the study confirms what we’ve known for a long time…
Good circulation helps improve the flow of essential nutrients to the brain (and other parts of the body). And on the flip side, poor circulation can starve the brain of critical nourishment and lead to cognitive decline.
With that in mind, here are three simple steps you can take improve your circulation and blood flow to your brain—starting today…
Three tips for improving the delivery of nutrients to your brain
1.) Follow a Mediterranean-style diet filled with wholesome, satisfying foods like organic, grass-fed and -finished meats, wild-caught seafood, organic fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, eggs, and full-fat dairy (like milk, yogurt, and cheese). And make sure, especially, to enjoy blueberries several times a week. As I explained in the January 2020 issue of my Insiders’ Cures newsletter, blueberries actually increase blood flow to the brain (“Preventing and reversing dementia is possible”). So be sure to add them to your grocery list!
2.) Drink in moderation.Enjoying any type of alcohol in moderation thins the blood and increasesperipheral circulation. Plus, a major study found that moderate drinkers are much more likely to live to age 85 without dementia compared to teetotalers!
3.) Keep moving during the week.But don’t overdo it, as studies show that engaging in just 140 to 150 minutes of light-to-moderate exercise total per week is the optimal amount for improving your health and longevity. And exercises like walking, swimming, gardening, or housework all count toward your weekly total. Plus, you can even practice mind-body approaches, such as mindfulness mediation—which studies have shown can improve density in certain areas of the brain in just eight weeks!
In addition to these three, sensible steps, researchers with UCLA published groundbreaking clinical research showing that dementia could be reversed in nine out of 10 people who follow a dozen, simple, nutritional, lifestyle steps.
Unfortunately, even though this research began in earnest years ago, most primary care physicians (and apparently, even researchers, like these) still don’t know about it. So, I urge you to become your own advocate and check out my Complete Alzheimer’s Fighting Protocol—where I tell you all about those findings, firsthand.
Indeed, this innovative learning tool includes all of the natural steps and nutritional advice used to prevent and reverse AD, as outlined in the original UCLA protocol. Plus, it contains important, additional steps, which I added based on 40 years of my own, personal research. Including specific recommendations for supplementing with berberine, folic acid, grape extract, lutein, thiamine, turmeric, and vitamins B6 and B12. To learn more about this comprehensive protocol, or to enroll today, click here now.
Source:
“Associations between Vascular Function and Tau PET Are Associated with Global Cognition and Amyloid.” Journal of Neuroscience 28 October 2020; 40 (44): 8573-8586. doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1230-20.2020