Notes on Brain/Nerve Health and Regeneration

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Cat

By Cat, Oct 2019 moved from on Natural Health and Healing Topics: A-C

Notes on Brain & Nerve Health and Regeneration

Brain-Boosting Morning Routine

This info is from an “Science of Prevention” e-Book (scienceofprevention.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Brain-Boosting-Morning-Routine-Science-of-Prevention.pdf). (I’ve saved the e-Book at HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / eBOOKS / BRAIN > BrainBoost-AM-Routine-ScienceOfPrevention_071122.pdf. And here’s the list for the morning routine:

1. Sleep; 2. Reading; 3. Brain Healthy Breakfast (see my notes, below); 4. Meditation & Breathing; 5. Coffee & Tea; 6. Movement; 7. Sunlight Exposure; and 8. Supplements (see my notes, below).

Brain-Healthy Breakfast: “ ‘break fast’ on foods that are rich in protein, healthy fat, and pre and probiotics; … foods low in sugar, smoothies, berries with probiotic yogurt (from the milk of your choice), and sautéed green vegetables with avocado.

Supplements: “A variety of  supplements have been linked to improved brain function. Some of these include the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, Vitamin D [best as D3], curcumin, probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and a select few others. Note that a few of these supplements are fat soluble (for example vitamin D [D3 is best]), so consuming them with a breakfast rich in healthy fat may help with absorption.” [Cat’s note: curcumin is best if added to fatty foods like fatty meats, Organic avocados, or added to a smoothie that includes healthy fat such as real, raw cream, or coconut oil.]

Brain Regeneration How-to

From Green Med Info article by Sayer Ji: greenmedinfo.health/blog/brain-regeneration-why-its-real-how-do-it. He discusses the relatively new field of “cognitive neuroscience,” which has discovered in the last 40 years that brain cells/tissue can be regenerated, beginning with the research by Fernando Nottebohm at Rockefeller University.

Sayer Ji writes, “It is now accepted in the medical scientific community that the adult brain is capable of growing new neurons and glial cells, something previously disbelieved by the medical establishment. The brain is now considered to be resilient, pliable – plastic.” He then lists 5 important things we should do to “safeguard brain health, stimulate new brain cell growth, and even heal the brain.“

    1. Get lots of physical exercise, starting with 30 minutes of moderate cardio, which is enough to boost cognitive functioning in adult brains of all ages.
    2. Use stress reduction techniques. “The key to picking brain-healthy pastimes is to avoid passive activities like watching TV, and instead choose stimulating hobbies that engage the brain through patterns, puzzles, and problem-solving. … Both meditation and listening to music affect the secretion of key hormones which enhance brain plasticity, thus changing the very way we respond to stress.”
    3. Strategic foods/supplements:
      1. Turmeric, to “repair the protective sheath around the nerve bundle known as myelin, an area often damaged in autoimmune and vaccine-induced disorders.”
      2. Green tea includes “catechins [that] are not only antioxidant and neuroprotective, they actually stimulate the brain to produce more neurons.“
      3. Ginkgo Biloba “stimulate[s] levels of a critical brain protein called BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This protein affects healing in damaged regions of the brain and is essential in the regulation, growth and survival of brain cells, making it especially important for long-term memory.”
    4. Eat your veggies, especially those containing sulfurophane: “broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard leaves, radish, turnips, watercress, and bok choy. For therapeutic benefit, try to consume at least 3 cups per day, raw or cooked.” See next section on Broccoli and other Crucifers for more.
    5. Employ continuous learning – “never retire our critical thinking skills.” Challenge the brain to solve puzzles; learn something new

In a separate article, Ali Le Vere, B.S focuses on how music can help support brain regeneration and healing: greenmedinfo.health/blog/how-music-can-support-brain-regeneration-healing

Brain Regeneration & Healing: How Music Can Support

See article from Green Med Info by Ali LaVere, BS: greenmedinfo.health/blog/how-music-can-support-brain-regeneration-healing. “Music, which may be the most ancient human language, has the potential to improve neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders by creating new brain cells and neural connectivity. Not only that, but music restores hormonal and immunological balance in a way mirroring adaptogenic herbs.”

The article describes “practical applications of music for neurodegenerative disease [such as Alzheimer’s], immune dysfunction, and hormonal imbalance.”

Brain Regeneration: Broccoli and other Crucifers

See an article from Green Med Info, on sulfurophane‘s ability to stimulate brain regeneration: greenmedinfo.com/blog/broccoli-can-stimulate-brain-regeneration-new-research-suggests. Also, the myrosinase enzyme is essential to creating sulfurophane in these veggies. See my notes on Cancer Prevention: Broccoli and other Crucifers, in Notes on Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment article.

“7 Worst Foods for Brain Health” (eBook)

The following list is from an eBook of that name.

      1. Processed Foods, such as most breakfast cereals, commercial ice cream, chips, and fruit. I would add commercial cookies, etc.
      2. Foods with Added Sugar, such as candy, cakes, pies, and soda.
      3. Unhealthy Fats, such as trans-fats and oils from GMO grains (corn, soy and canola). And I would add that while many claim saturated fats are bad for you, most saturated fats are actually very healthful if found naturally in foods (such as butter).
      4. Alcohol (beer, wine and liquors). My take on alcohol is that it is the simplest of sugars.
      5. Refined carbs, such as white bread, white flour, pasta, pastries, pizza dough and white rice. However, I believe that whole grain sprouted flours are more healthful; just don’t overdo them.
      6. Sugar substitutes, such as aspartame, sucralose (popular brand name is Splenda), and artificially sweetened beverages . However, there are some sugar substitutes that are healthful (just don’t overdo), such as stevia (made from leaves of stevia plant).
      7. Cured meats, such as: jerky, pepperoni, bacon, salami, pastrami, and hot dogs. I note that pastrami is smoked corned beef; corned beef is a type of fermented meat which is healthful up to a point.

Reversing neurological degeneration

Neurological degeneration results from oxidation of neurological tissue by free radicals; heavy metals such as mercury are the most common cause. But it can be prevented by getting the right nutrients in your daily diet. Whole foods are the best source, but many of us eat primarily processed foods that are deficient in important nutrients for brain health.

The following info is from a video sales pitch for expensive Vitaae supplement (sanesolution.com/secure/nutra/aa/vsl/ni.php); also 2 Critical Brain Boosting Nutrients (CoQ-10 and L-Carnitine), from Jonathan Bailor that provides text to accompany the video sales pitch, including food sources and issues with supplement versions of these two nutrients.

Vitaae active ingredients from 3 Vitaae capsules (½ daily dose, from the product label), which you can use to find less expensive sources:

    • Vitamin D (cholecalciferol), [Vitamin D3]: 125 mcg (5000 IU)
    • Folate (methtyl-tetrahydrofolic acid): 667 mcg DFE
    • Blend of acetyl L-carnitine HCL, L-carnitine tartrate, Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract, Omega-3 fatty acid concentrate from fish oil: 1800 mg
    • Citicoline (Cognizin®): 100 mg
    • Coenzyme Q-10 – cyclodextrin complex: 50 mg

I use the following supplements as my source of the above nutrients (daily dose):

    • Blue Ice fermented cod liver oil (exact amounts not provided; varies by fish):
      • vitamins A and D3 in natural 10:1 balance (approximate),
      • essential Omega-3 fats DHA and EPA;
    • Mercola Whole Food Multi (contains many vitamins/minerals including the following):
      • choline: 60 mg
      • folate (vitamin B-9): 665 mcg
      • vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 125 mg
    • Acetyl L-Carnitine (powder): 1200 mg, added to my smoothie
    • Sunflower lecithin – provides phosphatidyl choline: 420 mg
    • Ubiquinol (a form of Co-Q10 that is easier for the body to use): 50 mg (I take 2x daily)

I used to take herbal Gymnema sylvestre powder for my insulin resistance, but it didn’t help with that, so I quit taking it.

Four main causes of neurological inflammation.

The following is from the article: 2 Critical Brain Boosting Nutrients (CoQ-10 and L-Carnitine):

It always helps to minimize your exposure to the following first three causes as much as possible (it is impossible to avoid them altogether), but this still will not totally prevent or heal brain inflammation. The fourth cause is totally within your control

    1. Standard American Diet: Regularly eating a diet of carbs, sugar, processed fats, and highly processed foods loaded with preservative has been shown to contribute to brain inflammation.
    2.  Stress: Stress plays a role in many medical conditions, such as heart disease, and may actually cause long-term damage to your brain. Research has linked stress to memory loss, depression and other brain disorders.
    3. Environmental Toxins: These can cause a variety of health problems. For example:  pesticides on plants, air pollution from automobile exhausts, BPA in plastics, and many other environmental toxins can cause neurological inflammation.
    4. Chronically Low Levels of Essential Brain-Boosting Nutrients: Research has pinpointed the nutrients (in Vitaae listed above) that are critical in supporting cognitive function and preventing or healing brain inflammation. Unfortunately, they are the ones that are deficient in most people.
Common Food Sources of:
CoQ10 (there are many more as well):
        • Chicken liver
        • Cage-free eggs
        • Grass-fed beef
        • Sardines
        • Broccoli
        • Cauliflower
        • ​​​​​​​Oranges
        • Strawberries

L-Carnitine (present in many foods; ​​​​​​​here are a few of the best sources):

        • Chicken breast
        • Ground beef
        • Cod
        • Asparagus
        • Cheddar cheese

Carnitine has special properties that make it superior to most other amino acids. For instance, it is the only molecule in our cells that can transport fatty acids into the mitochondria to be used for energy. That is, it bring fuel into your cells; supplementing with carnitine is an effective way to burn fat.

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