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24 NATURAL PRACTITIONER WWW.NATURALPRACTITIONERMAG.COM MARCH/APRIL 2015

By Daniel Breeman

With aging, comes normalchanges in cognition…and thedesire to slow the process forthose most affected.

According to the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services, three specificchanges in cognitive health as we age include,reduced processing speed, greater tendencyto be distracted and reduced capacity toprocess and remember new information atthe same time. Is this “cognitive impairment”or “cognitive decline,” simply normal changesour mind and bodies go through as we age?

As of April 2014, the U.S. Census Bureauindicated that there were 76.4 million BabyBoomers in the United States, representingclose to one-quarter of the estimated 2012U.S. population of 314 million. The CensusBureau also projects that the Baby Boomerpopulation will total 61.3 million by 2029,when the youngest boomers reach age 65.And by 2056, the population 65 years andolder is projected to become larger than thepopulation under the age of 18.

According to numerous studies, a largemajority of Baby Boomers fear the loss ofmental capacity as they age. Mild cognitiveimpairment can be defined as cognitivedecline that is more than normal for some-one of a specific age, and is said to affect upto 25 percent of people over the age of 70.The further rate of decline to dementia is

about 10 percent. If cognitive changes areindeed inevitable for this enormously largepopulation and others as they reach theirgolden years, what can be done to helppatients remain in good cognitive health?

Research points to prevention as the keyto the slowing of cognitive decline, spear-headed by nutritional information and guid-ance and exercise for both the mind andbody for the young and old alike. In fact,according to a February 2015 HarvardWomen’s Health Watch report, the four bestways to “maintain your brain” include, phys-ical exercise, eating well (Mediterranean Dietis recommended), staying connected sociallyand keeping mentally active.

Health care practitioners are in a uniqueposition to be at the forefront of this chargeto help patients maintain healthy cognitivefunction in the years by recommending pre-vention measures and guiding them alongthe path to cognitive wellness.

“Cognitive function can be influenced bymany different factors, including dietary,genetic, environmental and psychosocial,”said Andrew Halpner, PhD, vice president ofproduct development for Pennsylvania-based Douglas Laboratories, makers ofOptimized Curcumin with Neurophenol.“Given the ability of the integrative healthcare professional, especially those practicingfunctional medicine, to integrate all of these

areas in their management of patient care,complementary medicine practitioners areuniquely suited to address the maintenanceof healthy cognitive function.”

Feeding the MindNutrition for the brain is just as importantas nutrition for the rest of the body, expertssay. Making sure patients have the propernutritional intake to help counter negativefactors, such as stress, fatigue, depressionand prescription medications and their sideeffects, which can all contribute to cognitivedecline, is imperative to keeping the mindhealthy and happy.

“As with all part of the body, the brainespecially needs to be properly nourished,”said Mark Kaylor, PhD, CN, MH, vice presi-dent of education and research at NewJersey-based Mushroom Wisdom, whichpromotes lion’s mane mushroom extract inits Amyloban product to help support cogni-tive function and health. “On top of this, andsomewhat specific to the brain, is makingsure it does not get the toxic and non-nour-ishing compounds. The brain is more sensi-tive to toxins, high sugar levels, pro-inflam-matory foods and ‘bad’ fats.”

“Make sure that the person gets overallexcellent nutritional support with a multivit-amin that contains folate, B12 and zinc,”added Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. “In addition,

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be sure that they get good amounts ofomega-3s. For those who have a family his-tory of Alzheimer’s, I strongly recommend aspecial highly-absorbed curcumin supple-ment. India has a 70 percent lowerrate of Alzheimer’s than does the U.S.,and this has been traced back to thehigh curcumin levels in the diet.”

Dr. Teitelbaum recommendsCuraPro 750 mg from Wisconsin-based EuroMedica (one to twodaily), which he says has a muchhigher rate of absorption than othercomparable supplements.

One of the most important thingswe can do to promote healthy agingand cognitive function is to recom-mend a whole foods, anti-inflamma-tory diet that keeps blood sugar bal-anced, according to Aimee Shunney,ND, advisory board member forCalifornia-based Nordic Naturals,maker of ProDHA 1000, an essentialnutrient for maintaining optimalbrain and mood health, cellular fluidi-ty and normal memory and vision.

“We know that chronic inflamma-tion plays a role in the developmentof Alzheimer’s disease and otherforms of dementia,” said Dr.Shunney. “Emerging data shows thatnutrients, particularly omega-3 fattyacids, are important to not only sup-port memory, focus and overall cog-nitive function, but also to help treatage-related cognitive decline.”

David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHMand author of a new book on brain health,Brian Maker, also cites inflammation as con-tributing to cognitive decline and other con-ditions, and believes that the hundred tril-lion bacteria that lives within the human gutplays a critical role in brain health.Probiotics may also come into play here.

“The brain is exquisitely sensitive to theprocess of inflammation,” Dr. Perlmuttersaid. “Indeed, it is inflammation that under-lies virtually all the degenerative diseases ofthe brain, including Alzheimer’s disease,Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis andeven non-degenerative conditions likeautism. Now, we understand that the healthof the gut modulates inflammation in human

physiology. When there is a disruption of thebalance of normal gut bacteria, variouschemicals and proteins can escape the gut asit becomes more permeable and enhanceinflammation.”

Dr. Shunney also warned about the long-term effects on excessive sugar intake and itsrole in cognitive decline. “Science is catchingup to what integrative practitioners have longbeen saying about sugar,” she offered. “Thelong-term impact of excessive sugar intakeand subsequent insulin resistance is metabolicsyndrome of the brain—increasing risk for

cognitive decline and dementia, not tomention diabetes, heart disease andimmune system dysfunction.

“Integrative practitioners areuniquely equipped to present theirpatients with the full spectrum oftreatment options, thereby empower-ing them to take charge of theirhealth, and sometimes prevent theneed for more invasive therapies andtreatments.”

Inflammation and cardiovasculardisease are the top drivers of cognitivedecline as we age, according toChristopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc, direc-tor herbal science at California-basedRainbow Light, who said that anythingthat can be done to keep these condi-tions in check will support cognitivehealth. He also agrees with Dr.Shunney about eliminating excessivesugar intake.

“We can reduce chronic inflamma-tion by eating lots of fresh fruits andvegetables, whole grains, nuts andseeds, which will also help normalizeweight and reduce fat stores,” Dr.Hobbs said. “Strongly reducing oreliminating any foods or drinks thatcontain added sugar will also make ahuge contribution to cardiovascularand cognitive health. Regular moder-

ate exercise will improve blood circulation,which brings more blood and therefor oxy-gen to the brain, supporting improved cogni-tive function.”

Lifestyle ChoicesEating the right nutrient-rich foods may beonly half the battle when it comes tohealthy cognitive function as we age.Getting plenty of sleep, supplement-ing when needed and being active areall major contributing factors to stay-ing ahead of the brain game.

“The body has a ‘use it or lose it’approach to efficiency,” said Dr.Teitelbaum. “Because of this, themore you use your mind, the more

likely you are to keep it.”Aging well with optimal brain health

depends very much on your genes, yourenvironment and your lifestyle, according toGreg MacPherson, CEO of New Zealand-based MitoQ. “You can make a difference toyour patients regardless of their circum-stance and delay cognitive decline byencouraging them to exercise, keep theirweight in a healthy range and prescribing arange of evidence-based supplements to sup-port healthy brain function.

“Any supplement recommendation shouldhave antioxidant and anti-inflammatorysupplements at its core. By resolving chronicoxidative stress you down regulate key trig-gers for the inflammatory cascades thatdirectly cause neuronal damage and disease.Combining effective antioxidants with anti-inflammatory supplements give you a syner-gistic effect for maximal brain protection.”

MacPherson points to mitochrondria-tar-geted antioxidants as a new and emerging cat-egory of brain health supplements that notonly lower oxidative stress and inflammatorysequelae by tackling free radicals at the pointof production, but also improve cell energet-ics to support optimal neuron function andrepair. Evidence suggests mitochondria-tar-geted antioxidants improve vascular endothe-lial function, which further benefits brainhealth by improving blood flow to the brain.

At the Integrative Healthcare Symposiumin New York, NY in February, Michael E.Greer, MD, in his presentation “FromMitochrondria to the Spoken Word:Important Brain Herbs for MaximumMemory,” identified some of the top nutrientsfor mitochondrial and anti-inflammatorywellness. The list included, bacopa, rosemary,eleuthro, carotenoids, proanthocyanidins,ashwaganda, rhodiola, gotu cola and omega-3s. Dr. Greer stressed that specific nutrientscan positively affect cognitive functions, suchas learning and memory, and can actuallymodify the aging brain function, in part, byincreasing formation of brain synapses.

New-York-based PatientOne Medi-Nutritionals, offers NeuroOne supplementcontaining BaCognize, an extract of BacopaMonnieri, as a key ingredient in itsNeuroOne brain health supplement.

Other brain supplement champi-ons may include, vitamin D, grapeseed or pine bark extract (pyc-nogenol), creatine, theanine (l-thea-nine), found in green tea and mush-rooms and DHA omega-3s.

Mental health issues, such as atten-tion deficit disorder, depression, anxi-ety, among others, are rapidlyincreasing in society, and while the

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causes may not yet be fully understood,dietary and lifestyle choices have an impor-tant impact on mental health, according toJim Daily III, PhD, president of NorthCarolina-based Daily Manufacturing, Inc.

“Maintaining a healthy active lifestyle iscritical of healthy cognition,” said Daily, whoalso explained that nutrition interacts withthe brain in two major areas, supplying keyenergy sources for the brain and providingsubstrates for making neurotransmitters andcytokines. “Providing the brain with criticalnutrients, oxygen, and rest are all essential.There is no one food or supplement that canprovide reverse poor lifestyle choices. Sleepdeprivation is just recently being recognizedas one of the most common causes of mooddisorders and cognitive dysfunctions such asattention deficit disorder.”

An Early StartWhile much of the focus on cognitive healthis on the aging and elderly, and the steps thatcan be taken to help the Baby Boomer gen-eration and beyond, there is a renewed effortto begin the preventative measures at amuch younger age when the brain is healthyand fully functioning.

Cardiovascular health has long beenlinked to cognitive health and new studiesshow that cognitive function may peak atage 22 and decline beginning as early as age27. And once symptoms of cognitive declineset in, there are more often than not difficultto reverse. That’s why starting early and fin-ishing strong is the way to go when it comesto cognitive health, experts say.

“Cognitive decline rarely happensovernight,” said Dr. Shunney. “Insulin resist-ance, oxidative damage and chronic inflam-mation happen gradually. Because it is somuch easier to protect the cells of the brainthan it is to restore function once damage hasbeen done, starting early is crucial. How early?Ensuring optimal brain development with fishoil during pregnancy is a great place to start.”

“It’s never too early to starting thinkingabout how diet and lifestyle can impact cog-nitive function,” added Dr. Halpner. “Onedoes not have to wait until their 50s or 60sto start considering how to best optimizetheir brain health. Choices that are madeearly in life can ultimately impact cognitive

function many years later. The early years oflife, when the brain is still rapidly develop-ing, is one of the most important times tothink about healthy cognitive function.”

Developing healthy habits from a youngage, like getting plenty of rest and exercisingregularly, helps set the stage for a healthybody and a healthy mind, as one truly doeshave the potential to feed the other.

“Cardiovascular disease is the main driverof cognitive decline and can begin as early asour teens, studies show,” said Dr. Hobbs. “Weneed to develop good health habits as earlyin our lives as possible, not only to make itmuch easier to maintain health later in lifebecause it’s a life-long habit, but also to slowthe progression of chronic inflammation andvessel damage, which directly leads toreduced blood flow to our brains.”

Many believe that the process for optimalcognition for an entire lifespan can evenbegin prior to birth, and that there are vitalnutrients that should be made part of anexpected mother’s health regimen.

“Early brain development determines thepotential for optimal cognition for theentire lifespan,” said Daily. “This probesbeings before birth. Over the last 20 yearswe have learned that epigenetic control ofgene expression in all parts of the body,including the brain, is largely determinedin utero. Most people are aware of theimportance of folate during pregnancy, butvitamin B12 and choline should also beincluded.”

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body?So if patients make the right lifestyle choices,then, does a healthy body really guarantee ahealthy mind?

“I think the two are inseparable,” saidMushroom Wisdom’s Dr. Kaylor. “For somereason, at some time, someone separated themind from the body and place it solely inthe head. That being said, there are alwaysthings one can do to support a healthy mindwhile getting the body healthy.”

It’s also no secret that stress and anxietyare common enemies of cognitive health asthe body’s battle with these conditions oftenset the wheels in motion for a harmful event.

“The mind and body is an interconnectedsystem that needs to be in balance,” addedMitoQ’s MacPherson. “We are all familiarwith the physical manifestations of chronicstress and anxiety. Keeping your brain inoptimal condition is going to be reflected ina healthy body not least because you will bemotivated to make good lifestyle choices.”

“I believe that managing the stressresponse is as important as diet and exercise,”added Dr. Shunney. “We do so much in our

daily lives that keeps us in constant motion.Anger, hostility, depression and shame haveall been shown to increase inflammatorymarkers in the blood. Taking the time to slowdown helps calm and balance our nervoussystem. Activities such as yoga, tai chi, medi-tation, and anything else that helps clients getto a quieter place benefits our health.”

Closing ArgumentsAs patients age, many begin to worry aboutcognitive decline. So what can integrativepractitioners offer patients who are lookingfor real-world answers to their questions thatconventional medicine or prescription drugscannot?

“My best advice is to get started now on aholistic program that supports health andintegration of the whole, the body-mind-spirit, and not to neglect any of theseaspects,” said Dr. Kaylor.

“It may be upsetting for patients to learnthat diet and lifestyle contribute to cognitivedecline, dementia and even Alzheimer’s,”said Dr. Shunney. “But to good news is thatdiet and lifestyle are within our power tochange. My best advice to patients is not tolook back. Start today to preserve brainfunction tomorrow.”

28 NATURAL PRACTITIONER WWW.NATURALPRACTITIONERMAG.COM MARCH/APRIL 2015

■ The Baby Boomer population inthe U.S. will total 61.3 million by2029.■ Mild cognitive impairment is

said to affect up to 25 percent ofpeople over the age of 70.■ The further rate of decline to

dementia is about 10 percent.■ Integrative practitioners are

uniquely positioned to guidepatients in cognitive wellness.

Healthy Take Aways

■ Daily Manufacturing, Inc., (800) 782-7326,www.dailymfg.com

■ Douglas Laboratories, (800) 245-4440,www.douglaslabs.com

■ EuroMedica, (920) 593-6277,www.euromedicausa.com

■ MitoQ, Ltd., +64 9 3798222, www.mitoq.com■ Mushroom Wisdom, (800) 747-7418,

www.mushroomwisdom.com■ Nordic Naturals, (800) 662-2544,

www.nordicnaturals.com■ Patient One MediNutritionals, (877) 723-0777,

www.patientoneformulas.com■ Rainbow Light, (800) 635-1233,

www.rainbowlight.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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