Medicine for the Mind
How to beat the Blues, stay focused and keep your mind sharp at any age.
Does our
brain really shrink when we’re pregnant?
Is it an inevitable sign of aging that we get cloudy thinking and memory
loss? If your grandmother had
Alzheimer’s disease does that mean you’re most likely going to get it too? Is it normal to feel sad and anxious on a
fairly regular basis?
The good
news is that with proper nutrition and supplementation most, if not all of our
brains ‘hiccups’ can be corrected.
1.
Regulate Blood sugar Levels
Hypoglycemia can cause aggression, brain fog, lower intelligence and
decreased concentration. Worse of all,
almost everyone one of us, especially our children start the day in just this
state. Sugary cereals, toast and jam and
coffee, are all stimulants that give us an initial boost followed by a crash.
The Solution: Chose complex
carbohydrates and balance every meal with protein and fat.
Complex carbohydrate release glucose in a slower rate than processed
sugary carbs but even they turn into glucose fairly quickly in your blood
stream; so, add almond butter to your whole grain toast instead of jam, oatmeal
with nuts and seeds or eggs instead of are all great ways to start the
day. Skip store bought fruit juice as it’s
full of sugars, both natural and not, and consider juicing your own vegetables
and fruits. *
2.
Lubricate the gears
Low brain fat levels are associated with depression, dyslexia, distractibility,
ADD, fatigue, schizophrenia, memory problems and even emotional
instability. 60% of the dry weight of
the brain is fat, and in our fat phobic society, the chances that you’re
getting all you need without proper supplementation are slim to none. Fact is, your
brain really does shrink when you’re pregnant, at least, if you’re fat
deficient. The baby will take what it
needs from where ever it can get it, so shrinking your brain to get the fats it
needs to build its own neuronal connections.
The Solution: Eat nuts and seeds, supplement with
a good quality fish oil and stop being so afraid of fats. Unfortunately, due to our current state of
ocean affairs, you will be unable to obtain sufficient quantities of fish oil
from diet alone – there’s just too much contamination to make it safe. Phospholipids are our intelligence fats,
used for both structure and function and this is what’s most likely robbed from
moms’ minds by their babes. Ever notice that wild animals eat the brains and
organs of their pray? That’s the best
place to get these vital fats, but if organ eating turns your stomach, consider
adding lecithin granules to your diet, eggs, or a supplement with brain
friendly phospholipids such as phosphotidylchoine, serine and or DMAE.
3.
Protein is Brain Power
Lack of motivation, anxiety, depression, inability to relax, poor memory
and concentration are all associated with amino acid deficiency. Amino acids make up neurotransmitters, the
signals used to allow the brain to ‘talk’ to itself and the rest of the body.
Depression and anxiety are never caused by a Prozac deficiency, but they
may be due to a serotonin or GABA one. A
nick name for ADD is adrenaline deficiency disorder, as many kids with this
affliction have been shown to have low levels of adrenaline and / or dopamine
in the frontal cortex of the brain.
The Solutions: Eat a wide variety of proteins to
ensure you’re getting all the essential amino acids, and make sure you’re
getting enough. The average person needs
a minimum of 50g of protein a day, that equivalent to 5 eggs, or 9 cups of
brown rice at a minimum. A typical day
for a man might be 1 egg for breakfast (10g), a 200 g salmon steak for lunch
(40g) and a serving of beans with dinner (20g).
A vegetarian might have a small tub of yogurt and a heaping tablespoon
of seeds on an oat based cereal (20g), with 1 cup quinoa (20g) with vegetables
for lunch and beans and rice for dinner (20g).
4.
Minimize the Metals
Mercury exposure caused the mad hatter in Alice in wonderland to go
crazy. Even low levels of heavy metals
such as lead, mercury, cadmium, copper and aluminum can affect concentration,
IQ, mood, cause aggressive outbursts, fussiness about food, headaches, sinus
problems, confusion, anxiety, insomnia and other neurological problems.
The solution: Ensure adequate mineralization to
block the binding of metals and consider having a hair mineral analysis to see
your body’s mineral status and how good it is at detoxifying.
5.
Avoid Brain Pollutants –Alcohol, Oxidants
and Stress
Alcohol consumed at higher levels than your liver can
detoxify cause harm to your brain. It dissolves
those oh so pressure fats, specifically DHA and replaces it with a poor
substitute, DPA. Furthermore, it blocks
the conversion of fat to prostaglandins, hormone like substances that are
involved in numerous functions from regulating blood pressure to
neurotransmitter production. It also
causes leeching of many vitamins including your B’s, probably why you get that
hangover.
Oxidants are the equivalent to rust in your
system. They damage DNA, fats,
mitochondria, speed up the aging process and impair function overall. Fried foods, smoking and pollution are f 3 of
the body’s main oxidants.
Stress: Parts
of your brain cells actually shrivel up when exposed to high levels of stress
hormone leading to decreased memory and learning ability.
The Solution:
Once you notice your gait getting wobbly and speech slurring from
alcohol, back off, your liver has reached its capacity. Increase levels of antioxidants such as dark
berries and fruits and consider an antioxidant if you’re over the age of
40. Watch out for fried food and ensure
adequate nutrition to help the body detoxify and most importantly of all, find
ways to de-stress.
6.
Brain Nutrients
a. B Vitamins: help
turn glucose into fuel for the brain, improve memory, help you deal with stress,
regulate hormones, curb depression and are necessary in the methylation
process, which plays a vital role in genetic expression, neurotransmitter formation,
memory and detoxification.
b. Vitamin C:
Balances neurotransmitters, reduced depression and schizophrenia symptoms, aids
memory, supports the immune system and is a weak heavy metal chelator.
c. Maximize minerals: Calcium and Magnesium deficiency can lead to nervousness,
irritability, aggression, insomnia, addiction and depression. Zinc followed by magnesium are the
two most depleted nutrients in people today, due to increased need, low intake
and poor absorption. Zinc deficiency is
associated with depression, anxiety, anorexia, delinquency, hyperactivity and
autism. Poor mineralization decreases
the body’s ability to detoxify successfully increasing body burden of heavy
metals and neurotoxins. This combination
of low minerals and high toxins can cause havoc to numerous body function but
definitely compromising intellectual performance and emotional stability.
Listen to your body and trust in the
healing power within, when given the right tool your body will enable you to
live beyond what is ‘normal’ now.
By Dr. Debbie Smrz
As well as being clinic director and
Naturopathic doctor at NatLiving, Dr. Debbie teaching optimum nutrition for the
mind at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.
*We love
juicing so much we’ve started selling juicers right here. Call us to find out more.
It started
with bedtime, a goodnight snuggle and a scalding cup of
coffee. Next thing I know my daughter is
screeching out of her room, with her little brother hot on her tail – both hysterically
screaming, I actually thought there was a mouse in their room until I saw my
daughter’s leg. Five hours later we were
home from the hospital with another challenge on our hands; how to provide the
best care for our daughter who had 2nd degree burns down her leg and buttocks. 
