INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE What the Brain Loves: Adequate Blood Flow
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE What the Brain Loves: "Adequate Blood Flow" by Barry Sears, Ph. D. Adequate Blood Flow The most important thitig the brain needs is an excellent supply of oxygen, and this only comes from adequate blood flow, since your blood eel Is earry oxygen to your hrain and the resl of your organs. Your brain's energy, as well as the energy in the rest of your body, is made by energy powerhouses found in each cell, ealled the mitochondria. Oxygen enables mito- ehondria in your brain cells to pump out an energy ehemical known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Without adequate levels of ATP, your brain has an energy drain and its function decreases. As you age, the mitoehondria become less efficient al pumping out ATP, and a primary reason that this happens is because of decreased blood flow to the brain. Although the brain represents only about 2 pereent of your total body mass, it aeeounts for more than 25 pereent of the blood flow. Without adequate blood flow, your brain is deprived of oxygen and, thus, is unable to manufacture enough ATP lo operate at peak efficiency. Below a erilieal level of ATP produetion, brain cells can begin to die. A stroke is an extreme example of this: Blood flow and oxygen are restricted lo a portion of the brain, and brain cells in that region die off. The best way to increase blood flow to the brain (and every other organ for that matter) is to generate more "good" eicosanoids (whieh are powerful vasodi- lators that widen the opening of arteries, veins and capillaries) and fewer "bad" eicosanoids (which are powerfiil vaso- eonstrictors that have the opposite effect). The long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid EPA contained in fish oil will inerease the pro- duction of those "good" eieosanoids by decreasing the levels of arachidonie acid (the building block of "bad" eieosanoids). The higher levels of EPA in the diet, the more your cells will be induced to make more "good" eieosanoids. Stable Blood Sugar Even if you have adequate oxygen flow to the brain, you still need a stable sup- ply of glueose, since the brain also needs this fuel to make ATP. The only way to maintain a steady supply of glucose to the brain is by controlling insulin levels. Having a spike in your insulin levels (whieh eomes from eating too many carbohydrates) can drive glueose levels down so low that your brain fiinetion is compromised. That's why you feel so sleepy two hours after eating a huge pasta meal. Your thinking becomes fuzzy, you have difficulty coneentrating and all you want to do is take a nap. At this point, your brain, deprived of adequate levels of blood sugar to make ATP, is desperately seeking any way possible to get more blood sugar. As a result, you are driven by an almost manic urge to eat carbohydrates. That's your brain's way of telling you that you have to get some glueose into the blood stream quickly or else. The more carbohydrate rieh that food is, the faster the carbohy- drates ean reach the bloodstream and make it to your hrain. The candy bars, sofl drinks, or other types of junk food are just a quick way to self-medieate the low blood sugar induced by elevated insulin levels from your last meal. These carbohydrate fixes temporarily solve the low blood sugar problem but now create a new eyele of increased insulin levels, and you soon find yourself with one carbohydrate-craving bout after another. To keep yourself off this viefous eycfe, you need to prevent your brain from sending out this distress eall in the first plaee. The way to do that Is to keep your brain supplied with steady amounts of glucose by keeping insulin levels within a defined zone that is neither too high nor too low. The only way to stabilize blood sugar levels is by maintaining a relatively eonstant protein-to-earbohydrate bal- 54 The American Chiropractor • FEBRUARY 2007 As you age, the mitochondria become less efficient at pumping out ATP, and a primary reason that this happens is because of decreased blood flow to the brain. anee every time you eat. You need some insulin to drive glueose into your cells for storage, but too much insulin low- ers blood sugar to such low levels that brain function is impaired. By stabilizing insulin in the blood, you won't have a dizzyingly drop in blood sugar You aiso get an added benefit: Steady insulin will enable your b<xly to maintain a steady level of the hormone glucagon, which releases stored bUjod sugar from the liver, allowing a eonstant supply of blood sugar for the brain. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin, and protein stimulates the release of glueagon, whieh is why I always recommend eating a balance of these two nutrients at every meal and snaek. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) The final thing the brain loves is an adequate level of docosahexaenoic aeid (DHA). This is one of the two long-chain Continued on pg. 63 www.amchirvpractor.com
Transcript of INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE What the Brain Loves: Adequate Blood Flow
INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE
What the Brain Loves:"Adequate Blood Flow"
by Barry Sears, Ph. D.
Adequate Blood FlowThe most important thitig the brain
needs is an excellent supply of oxygen,and this only comes from adequate bloodflow, since your blood eel Is earry oxygento your hrain and the resl of your organs.Your brain's energy, as well as the energyin the rest of your body, is made by energypowerhouses found in each cell, ealledthe mitochondria. Oxygen enables mito-ehondria in your brain cells to pump outan energy ehemical known as adenosinetriphosphate (ATP). Without adequatelevels of ATP, your brain has an energydrain and its function decreases.
As you age, the mitoehondria becomeless efficient al pumping out ATP, anda primary reason that this happens isbecause of decreased blood flow to thebrain. Although the brain represents onlyabout 2 pereent of your total body mass,it aeeounts for more than 25 pereent ofthe blood flow. Without adequate bloodflow, your brain is deprived of oxygenand, thus, is unable to manufactureenough ATP lo operate at peak efficiency.Below a erilieal level of ATP produetion,brain cells can begin to die. A stroke isan extreme example of this: Blood flowand oxygen are restricted lo a portion ofthe brain, and brain cells in that regiondie off.
The best way to increase blood flowto the brain (and every other organ forthat matter) is to generate more "good"eicosanoids (whieh are powerful vasodi-lators that widen the opening of arteries,veins and capillaries) and fewer "bad"eicosanoids (which are powerfiil vaso-eonstrictors that have the opposite effect).The long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid EPAcontained in fish oil will inerease the pro-duction of those "good" eieosanoids bydecreasing the levels of arachidonie acid(the building block of "bad" eieosanoids).The higher levels of EPA in the diet, themore your cells will be induced to makemore "good" eieosanoids.
Stable Blood SugarEven if you have adequate oxygen flow
to the brain, you still need a stable sup-ply of glueose, since the brain also needsthis fuel to make ATP. The only way tomaintain a steady supply of glucose tothe brain is by controlling insulin levels.Having a spike in your insulin levels(whieh eomes from eating too manycarbohydrates) can drive glueose levelsdown so low that your brain fiinetion iscompromised. That's why you feel sosleepy two hours after eating a huge pastameal. Your thinking becomes fuzzy, youhave difficulty coneentrating and all youwant to do is take a nap.
At this point, your brain, deprived ofadequate levels of blood sugar to makeATP, is desperately seeking any waypossible to get more blood sugar. As aresult, you are driven by an almost manicurge to eat carbohydrates. That's yourbrain's way of telling you that you haveto get some glueose into the blood streamquickly or else. The more carbohydraterieh that food is, the faster the carbohy-drates ean reach the bloodstream andmake it to your hrain. The candy bars,sofl drinks, or other types of junk foodare just a quick way to self-medieatethe low blood sugar induced by elevatedinsulin levels from your last meal. Thesecarbohydrate fixes temporarily solve thelow blood sugar problem but now createa new eyele of increased insulin levels,and you soon find yourself with onecarbohydrate-craving bout after another.To keep yourself off this viefous eycfe,you need to prevent your brain fromsending out this distress eall in the firstplaee. The way to do that Is to keep yourbrain supplied with steady amounts ofglucose by keeping insulin levels withina defined zone that is neither too highnor too low.
The only way to stabilize blood sugarlevels is by maintaining a relativelyeonstant protein-to-earbohydrate bal-
54 The American Chiropractor • FEBRUARY 2007
As you age, the mitochondriabecome less efficient at pumpingout ATP, and a primary reason that
this happens is because ofdecreased blood flow to the brain.
anee every time you eat. You need someinsulin to drive glueose into your cellsfor storage, but too much insulin low-ers blood sugar to such low levels thatbrain function is impaired. By stabilizinginsulin in the blood, you won't have adizzyingly drop in blood sugar You aisoget an added benefit: Steady insulin willenable your b<xly to maintain a steadylevel of the hormone glucagon, whichreleases stored bUjod sugar from the liver,allowing a eonstant supply of blood sugarfor the brain. Carbohydrates stimulate therelease of insulin, and protein stimulatesthe release of glueagon, whieh is why Ialways recommend eating a balance ofthese two nutrients at every meal andsnaek.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)The final thing the brain loves is an
adequate level of docosahexaenoic aeid(DHA). This is one of the two long-chain
Continued on pg. 63
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There are other pluses for the non-qualified plan. You do nothave to make any contributions for employees. You have no re-stdctioas on the amount you can deposit into this plan. The mone>within this plan is sheltered from creditors in most states. You donot have to wait until you are age fifty-nine and one-half (59' )to get to your money without a tax penalty. Plenty of advantageslor the non-qualified plan over the qualified one.
Do you have a eurrent qualified retirement plan? IRA? Roth?SCP? Pension? Profit Sharing? 401 k? Maybe it is time totake a good long look at these plans and not just the immediatetax savings you get on the deposits. What is your plan going tocost you in fees? How much will you give away to employees?What will your tax burden be at retirement? Do you really wantto wait until age sixty to retire? Do you realty understand howyour cun-ent plan works? What will your retirement plan orplans look like in the future? AU these are important questionsfor you to answer while setting up your retirement plan!
Stanley B. Greenfield has been engaged in the field.'! ofFinancial Management and Insurance since 7 962. He hasbeen a guest speaker for Educare Financial on numerousoccasions. He is a Registered Financial Consultant, andwas awarded the designation ofRIIU. Registered Profes-sional DisahiUly and Hcahh Insurance Underwriter, in 1979. as oneof its Charter Members.
Mr Greenfield also sen'cs as a member of the Board of Direc-tors of the Florida Chiropractic Foundation for Education andResearch. You may reach him at [email protected] S00-.'>85- I 5 3 5 or v i .v (" / hi s web s itewww.stanleygreenfield-cor}i.\
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Establishing a Care Plan for YourPatients—by Kirk Lee, D.C.Continued from page 60
One of the most frequently missedpatient presentations is how a patientraises and lowers himself from a seatedposition. How often has a patient said toyou he is having difficulty raising andlowering himself from the toilet, dif-ficulty maneuvering stairs and gettingout ofbed? Quite often, this is the resultof weakened musculature and alteredspinal biomechanics. Are the assistivedevices (walkers, canes, enitches) beingused properly, or are they a contribut-ing factor?
As the Doctor of Chiropractic, youroutinely develop a plan for how youwill provide the chiropractic adjust-ment. You do this from a correlationof your examination findings, whichmay include X-ray and other additionaltesting. It is important to have anditnplement a plan that may complimentthe chiropractic adjustment with thor-ough rehabilitative techniques. Pleaseremember, this is much more thanmerely handing your patients a bunchof exercises and expecting them to dothem on their own.
11 -ww. amchimpractor.com
A I9S0 graduate of PalmerCollege ofChiropractic. Dr. KirkLee is a member of the PalmerCollege of Chiropractic PostGraduate Faculty and ParkerCollege of Chiropractic PostGraduate Faculty. He iias lectured nation-wide on sports injuries and the adolescentathlete, and currently practices in Albion.Michigan. He is very active with the MichiganChiropractic Society. .s-etTing on the legal andgovernment affairs committees.
What the Brain Loves: "AdequateBlood Flow"—by Barry Sears, Ph. D.Continued from page 54
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil(EPA is the other). More than 60 percentof the weight of the brain is composed offat, and most of the long-chain Omega-3fatty acids in the body are concentratedin the brain.
Virtually all ofthis long-chain Omega-3 fat, however, Is in the form of DHA,since the brain contains very little EPA.One reason why the brain demands suchhigh levels of DHA is that the criticalcell membranes in the brain are veryrich in this long-chain Omega-3 fattyacid. These critical membranes includethe synapse (to transfer Information)..
FEBRUARY 2007
the retina (to receive visual inputs), andthe mitochondria (to make ATP). Thus,the key brain cells can't pertbmi at peaklevels without adequate DHA in theirmembranes.
Without adequate amounts of DHA,your brain can't function adequately andcertainly can't form new neural connec-tions, let alone maintain old ones. Tryingto maintain your brain function withoutadequate DHA is like trying to build thesturdiest brick house in town withoutbricks. You might have the best architect,the best location, and the best contractorbut, if you don't have enough bricks, thedream house will never be built properly.DHA can be considered the building brickfor the brain. You better have enough ifyou want to maintain brain function, letalone improve it.
Dr. Barry Sears, leadingauthority on the dietary con-trol of hormonal respon.se. au-thor of the New York Times#/ he.st seller. The Zone, is aformer research scientist at " ^ ' 'the Boston University School of Medicineand the Massachusetts Institute of Tech-nology. For more infortnation about TheZone program call 1-S00-404-S171 or visit
The American Chiropractor 63
