Category Archives: brain health

MCT Fats Found In Coconut Oil Boost Brain Function In Only One Dose

  By ironman45 | April 10, 2013 - 3:24 pm | alzheimers, brain health
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MCT Fats Found In Coconut Oil Boost Brain Function In Only One Dose

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), the primary type of fat found within coconut oil, have been found to boost cognitive performance in older adults suffering from memory disorders as serious as Alzheimer’s — and not after months or even days of treatment, but after a single 40 ml dose!

A groundbreaking 2004 study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging found that the administration of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), the primary fat type found in coconut oil, almost immediately improved cognitive function in older adults with memory disorders.    (more…)

Vitamin B-3: Niacin and Its Amide

  By ironman45 | March 11, 2013 - 2:56 pm | alzheimers, arthritis, brain health, cancer, cholesterol
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The first water soluble vitamins were numbered in sequence according to priority of discovery. But after their chemical structure was determined they were given scientific names. The third one to be discovered was the anti-pellagra vitamin before it was shown to be niacin. But the use of the number B-3 did not stay in the literature very long. It was replaced by nicotinic acid and its amide (also known medically as niacin and its amide). The name was changed to remove the similarity to nicotine, a poison. 

The term vitamin B-3 was reintroduced by my friend Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill Wilson). We met in New York in 1960. Humphry Osmond and I introduced him to the concept of mega vitamin therapy. We described the results we had seen with our schizophrenic patients, some of whom were also alcoholic. We also told him about its many other properties. It was therapeutic for arthritis, for some cases of senility and it lowered cholesterol levels.  (more…)

Help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s with these five foods

  By ironman45 | March 8, 2013 - 5:05 pm | alzheimers, brain health
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According to the figures, some 20 million Americans either suffer themselves from Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia, or have a family member who does. And as the current generation of “baby boomers” ages into its senior years, this figure is only expected to increase dramatically. But there are a number of dietary interventions you can begin taking right now to help minimize your risk of developing this horrid condition. Here are five powerful foods to help optimize your brain health and stave off dementia:

1) Coconut oil. Arguably the most effective preventive food for avoiding Alzheimer’s, coconut oil has a near-miraculous ability to both repair and rejuvenate the brain. Scientists have learned that brains unable to properly metabolize glucose require a special compound known as ketones to effectively function — and coconut oil is the richest known source of a special type of fat that is converted directly into ketones upon consumption. Known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), these powerful substances help to eliminate the amyloid plaques in the brain that are linked to Alzheimer’s, as well as facilitate the restoration of a healthy brain. (more…)

Fish oil makes kids smarter

  By ironman45 | March 8, 2013 - 2:22 pm | brain health
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Fish is brain food, and that’s not just something moms say to get kids to eat up. It’s true — and new research shows how the omega-3 fatty acids in fish can actually make kids smarter.

Fish oil during pregnancy and early childhood can increase the IQ by an average nearly 4 points, according to the study conducted by researchers at NYU.

Want to know how big that is? That’s almost equivalent to the boost some kids get when they’re enrolled in an early education program.

Not bad for something that takes no time, requires no teachers, is inexpensive, widely available, perfectly safe, and comes with dozens of other benefits in kids and adults alike. (more…)

Beat the ‘blahs’ with this simple vitamin

  By ironman45 | March 8, 2013 - 1:59 pm | brain health, depression, stress
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Life has its ups and downs — but for an easy way to make sure you’ve got more ups than downs, take your vitamins.

Ordinary multivitamins can help protect your mood, slash your stress levels, and help keep you happy overall, according to new research — and that’s on top of giving you the essentials needed for overall good physical health.

The new study looked at data from eight “gold standard” double-blind trials in which multivitamins went head-to-head against placebos — and the multis came out on top by nearly every mental measure. (more…)

The True “Magic Bullet” for Optimum Health

  By ironman45 | March 7, 2013 - 4:56 pm | Anti aging, brain health, heart disease
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Body in Motion
It can ease constipation and heartburn. It can preserve your memory. It can even take on heart disease and high blood pressure.

But it’s not some breakthrough nutrient poised to take the health industry by storm.

It’s magnesium—plain old magnesium.

Yet, given its effectiveness in nearly every body system, statistics show you probably aren’t getting enough of it. Research suggests that as much as 57 percent of the population doesn’t meet the RDA of magnesium every day. And, to make matters worse, your body’s absorption of this crucial mineral decreases with age.1-2

That’s a dangerous trend—because magnesium might actually be the most critical supplement in your arsenal. (more…)

BPA is deadly to the developing brains of babies in utero, new study shows

  By ironman45 | March 4, 2013 - 11:26 pm | brain health, pregnancy/fertility
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Scientists from Duke University in North Carolina have identified yet another major threat to human health posed by the plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). According to new research, babies exposed to BPA in utero, or during their developmental stages in the womb, could experience inhibited central nervous system development, which in turn could set them up for future stricken with neurodevelopmental problems.

Because it mimics the actions of estrogen, BPA is already known to interfere with the body’s endocrine system, causing a host of potential problems ranging from behavioral and weight abnormalities to reproductive and immune disorders. And while awareness of BPA’s dangers is on the rise all across the globe, there is still a minimal understanding as to how BPA exerts these negative effects, including how the chemical interferes with proper nervous system development. (more…)

Nature’s Prozac: Nutrition for Mental Health

  By ironman45 | February 28, 2013 - 9:46 pm | Austism/ADD, brain health, depression, sleep
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In a pill-popping world, the idea of simply providing your brain and body with what it needs for mental health is nothing short of revolutionary.  1 in 5 Americans currently takes one or more psychiatric drugs on a daily basis.

“Psychiatric medications are among the most widely prescribed and biggest-selling class of drugs in the US. In 2010, Americans spent $16.1 billion on anti-psychotics to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, $11.6 billion on antidepressants and $7.2 billion on treatment for ADHD, according to IMS Health, which tracks prescription drug sales.”  (Source)

Psychiatric drugs can cause many horrible side effects, some of which are worse than the original condition they were intended to treat.  In fact, there is a very clear link between psychiatric medications and the violent actions of the “mass shooters” over the past few years. In many cases, these drugs are harmful and unnecessary. (more…)

7 Tips to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

  By ironman45 | February 24, 2013 - 11:48 pm | brain health, sleep
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How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

I remember stumbling into my godmother’s home one day with puffy eyes and a sigh on my lips. My newly born first child was asleep in my arms. “Does it ever change?,” I moaned. “Will I ever get a solid night’s sleep again?”

She gave me a sympathetic look and shook her head. “No. Your babies will grow up and sleep through the night, but by then you’ll be used to waking up. You’ll wake up because they made a noise in their dreams, because you have to pee, because the cat meows. It’ll never go back to what it was.”

My inner voice completely rejected her answer. I WOULD SLEEP AGAIN! I knew I would. Good thing I listened to that inner voice. (more…)

The Health Benefits of Walnuts – A True “Super Food”

  By ironman45 | February 21, 2013 - 4:32 pm | brain health, food
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The Greeks called the walnut “the nut of Jupiter,” fit for the gods. Native to Persia, walnuts now come from California, which has over 122,000 acres of walnut trees. The tree itself is very hardy and is 15 years old before reaching full production. The average tree produces for 45 years.

Walnuts are high in unsaturated, fatty acids, iron, and B vitamins. The oil in walnuts has a tendency to absorb strong odors, so they should be kept in cold storage. Manufacturers of syrup toppings, ice cream, candy, casseroles and baking products all rely on walnuts.

Although many nuts have proven to be really beneficial to your health, studies are showing that walnuts contain almost twice as many antioxidants as other nuts. And that’s not just an interesting statistic — all of those antioxidants really do your body a lot of good. Below, we’ll take a look at two big stand-out benefits of walnuts. (more…)