Dementia Prevention and Reversing it – is it possible?

Continuing on with our articles on Dementia today we look at the possibilities for the future. When you or a loved one is diagnosed with dementia it can be very daunting. However, there has been research that has found that natural therapies may be able to, not just slow down dementia but also maybe reverse it.

As we get older, we start to worry about our cognitive abilities and the decline in our memories. Dementia is normally the general term we give for loss of memory and also other mental abilities which decline enough to interfere with everyday life. Alzheimer's disease, is just one of these many forms of memory loss that fall into the general term dementia. This form affects around 60% to 80% of all dementia patients. These figures are unfortunately expected to grow in the coming years. The most daunting thing about a diagnosis is that there is no effective treatment for Alzheimer's. One of the leading causes of death is aspiration pneumonia when food or liquid goes down the windpipe instead of the oesophagus and this leads to a lung infection leading to pneumonia.

The reason there is no treatment for Alzheimer’s is that the drugs that are on the market only target one part of the disease. Alzheimer's disease is unfortunately more complex than this.

Factors involved in Dementia

There are a number of factors that influence the development of dementia and Alzheimer's. One small study by Dr. Bredensen at UCLA found that, using personalised and comprehensive protocols helped to reverse memory loss in some patients. These patients’ memories improved within 6 months.

The study consisted of a number of changes in their diet, use of brain stimulation, doing exercise, getting enough sleep, and some specific pharmaceuticals and vitamins. A therapeutic program was developed and extensive testing done on each patient to find out what is affecting the signalling network in their brain. This led to a personalised program for each person.

Changes needed for Prevention and Reversal

Some changes that a patient can make includes eliminating simple carbohydrates, gluten, and processed food from their diet while increasing vegetables, fruits, and non-farmed fish. They also need tools to reduce their stress levels such as yoga and meditation. It is also important to get a good night’s sleep, up to 8 hours a night. If you have trouble sleeping you can try taking melatonin or a natural supplement consisting of lavender oil. Supplements that may help include vitamin B12, vitamin D, CoQ10, and fish oil. Other things that can be helpful include optimising oral hygiene, finding natural ways to regulate your hormonal balance and intermittent fasting. Fasting for a minimum of 12 hours between dinner and breakfast and fasting for a minimum of three hours between dinner and bedtime can be helpful. Also make sure you are getting regular exercise even if you don’t move very fast every little bit of mobility helps. Of course all this needs to be monitored by a trained natural therapist or naturopath to ensure it is administered properly.

It is important that you remember that dementia can have many causes and some of those causes are often reversible. If you or a loved one suffers from memory loss or dementia contact us today to develop a program to help you to have a better, healthier lifestyle.

Dementia – Part 2 on how to handle it

How to keep an active healthy brain and prevent dementia

Dementia is hard to deal with, whether you are the one who is suffering with it or whether you are watching someone you love go through it. There are however many things you can do that can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Look after your heart

It’s not only your brain you need to look after but also the rest of your body. Your heart and your head are connected. There are certain conditions that can increase your risk of developing dementia. If you have reached ‘mid-life’ then these conditions could increase your risk more. The conditions are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Having these and not getting them treated can lead to damaged blood vessels in your brain. This then starts to affect your brain function and thinking skills. If you get these things treated and look after yourself you will decrease your risk of developing dementia.

If you’re a smoker, you are increasing your risk for developing heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other diseases, causing your risk for dementia to increase. However, if you stop smoking, these risks rapidly reduce.

 

Challenge your brain

Providing challenges for your brain to solve is great for your brain health. This could mean doing daily crosswords of Sukodo. You need to challenge your brain with new activities to build new brain cells. This is important because you will have extra cells in reserve for when some get damaged. If you don’t find puzzles appealing, then maybe you can try challenging your brain in different ways. Such as learning a new language. Whatever you enjoy doing it will keep your brain active. The goal is to stop your brain from being on ‘automatic pilot’.

 

Physical activity

Physical activity increases blood flow to your brain, which then stimulates the growth of brain cells. It is also associated with larger brain volume, which helps your brain function and reduces the risk of dementia. Exercise also reduces your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. If you are someone who does very little physical activity, you may be increasing your risk of dementia.

 

Healthy diet

A high intake of saturated fats that are found in fried foods and takeaway food along with trans fats found in pies and cakes may increase your risk of dementia. Good fats such as monounsaturated fats maintain brain functionality and reduce the risk of dementia. These are the fats found in fish and olive oil. Also good for your bran are foods high in antioxidants. The Omega 3 fatty acids that are in oily fish help reduce inflammation in the brain, which then helps the growth of new brain cells.

 

Socialise

Socialising can be stimulating. It also helps to alleviate depression and improves vascular conditions. There is research that shows when you combine social activity with mental and physical activity you are not only having fun but improving your brain health as well.

 

If you have concerns that you or someone you love is developing dementia see your naturopath or nutritionist to find out how you can start living a healthier lifestyle. This clinic specialises in all matters concerning physical, spiritual, energetic, mental and emotional health. Give us a call today to find out how we can help.

Dementia and tips on how to handle it

Dementia is a harsh and heartbreaking diseases. Dementia is the umbrella term used when describing symptoms of a number of illnesses.  These illnesses cause a slow progressive decline in your functioning. Symptoms that are looked for include memory loss, loss of intellect, rationality, social skills, and physical functioning. Although before these symptoms are diagnosed as dementia, they must be affecting two or more brain functions. Brain functions doctors look for include memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behaviour.

Types of Dementia

There are two main types of dementia, these are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. However, there are more types such as frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disease, and dementia from Parkinson’s disease.

Causes of Dementia

Dementia develops as a result of the degeneration of neurons or disturbances in the body that affect how neurons function. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, with dementia, and vascular dementia are included in neurodegenerative diseases. There are factors that can cause neurodegenerative diseases such as side effects of medication, chronic alcoholism and also some tumours or infections of the brain. Other causes of dementia include frontotemporal lobar degeneration. This is when there is damage to the frontal and temporal lobes in the brain. Also, metabolic disorders and toxins like lead can cause dementia. People with Alzheimer’s disease have high levels of brain inflammation.

Genetics

Some people may be worried if they have seen loved ones suffer from dementia, that they too are at risk. That is not always the case. There is a particular gene, the apoliprotein E, including ApoE2, ApoE3, and Apo4 associated with some cases of dementia. This though, is only one risk factor among many. Regarding Alzheimer’s specifically, only 40 – 50% of what causes the disease is attributable to genetics. In rare cases the attributable cause is gene mutations. This is thought to be at only 5% of cases. This means that for some, dementia may be preventable.

Symptoms

Some symptoms can include, having a hard time when it comes to accepting changes in schedules. There can also be small changes in short-term memory. This can cause remembering things such as childhood or events that happened 30-years-ago feel as though they happened yesterday but at the same it can be a struggle to remember things that happened that day, such as what was eaten at breakfast. There can be difficulty with word recollection or association. Some words can be repetitive and sometimes there is a confused sense of direction, even though the person may have driven the same way for years. Also, when watching television, the person may struggle to follow story lines or descriptions. There may also be changes in mood, resulting in people feeling depressed, frustrated or angry more often. There can also be a loss of interest in the hobbies or activities they used to enjoy. Confusion can cause them to feel as though people, places, and events are no longer familiar and they may have difficulty completing everyday tasks that used to cause them no issues before.

What to do

All of the above make Dementia a difficult illness for the person having it and for their loved ones. By all means take assistance from doctors and other organisations that offer it but don’t discount a visit to the naturopath/nutritionist as to what would be an ideal diet to lower inflammation. Also get some testing as to what is causing the inflammation in the first place. Inflammation in the body causes illness. Find out what pollution is upsetting them, what Wi-Fi they are exposed to and if there is a balance of sleep, exercise, social interaction and nurturing. This clinic looks at all those issues and can help you discover new information about yourself or a loved one which will improve the quality of lifestyle. Feel free to give us a call to discuss your needs.

Slippery Elm – the innocent powder to regulate your body

The medical name for Slippery Elm is Ulmus Rubra. This is a fantastic herb for digestion and the digestive tract and although it may not look great it has amazing qualities. Slippery Elm comes from the inner bark of a certain species of the elm tree. These species are found in Europe and North America. Slippery Elm is called a mucilage because it is able to trap water which then causes it to swell. This is why it looks like a gel when you go to drink it.

 

Health Benefits

 

Slippery Elm is a great nutrient as it contains calcium, iron, Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and potassium. These nutrients mean it is great for a variety of health issues. One of which is for the treatment of heartburn, also known as acid reflux. It is also a good herbal remedy for gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This is a chronic disease that causes stomach acid to flow back into oesophagus irritating the lining. It is also good for inflammation and gastrointestinal conditions, such as gastric reflux, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It helps as it forms a physical barrier that protects the esophagus and stomach walls from damage caused by stomach acid and irritating foods. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Slippery Elm creates a soothing action and has fibre content to help with the treatment of diarrhea by slowing down bowel transit time. It is sometimes used when people experience unexplained inflammation of the urinary tract. The powder is known to soothe the lining of the urinary tract. This then helps with the painful symptoms associated with urinary tract infections. It can also help increase the flow of urine and help to eliminate waste from the body.

Slippery Elm contains mucilage. This is a sticky mixture of sugars that our digestive tract cannot break down. It coats the throat. Slippery elm is sometimes found in some brands of throat lozenges.

Slippery Elm can also be used to soothe irritated and inflamed skin conditions, including wounds and burns, it can help to draw out boils and abscesses. It helps with these conditions by forming a protective gel-like layer.

How to use Slippery Elm

You can drink Slippery Elm powder by adding one teaspoon or ½ tsp for children, to one cup of warm or room temperature water and stir well. This mixture should thicken up slightly. To help with the flavour you can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. Alternatively you can put it in juice – apple is pretty neutral. If you don’t like the taste just put it in less juice or water (like ¼ glass) and stir. Then swallow it while it’s all mixed in. The qualities it has are well worth the somewhat bland, dry taste.

 

If you’re using it for stomach and upper intestinal problems like reflux or stomach ulcers, it is best to take it after meals. However, for lower intestinal/bowel problems it is better to take it 1-2 hours before your meals.

When taking it for a dry cough you can take it up to 3 times per day and it is best taken in-between your meals.

 

Slippery Elm is not known to have any adverse side effects. However, as it coats the digestive tract, it could slow down the absorption of other drugs or herbs. It is best to have it two hours before or after other herbs or medication.

Why you need to meditate at least 20 minutes a day

Meditation is important for anyone that has a busy, hectic lifestyle, is under lots of physical, mental, and emotional stress, is feeling tired, weak, and overwhelmed. These kinds of stressors can lead to anxiety, depression and excess inflammation. Meditation and mindfulness can help reduce stress and improve the way you feel, increase focus and concentration, clear a foggy head, improve your productivity and most of all teach you how to chill out when you need it.

Health benefits

Meditation can also give you a sense of peace, increase your confidence with achieving your goals, improve your energy levels and give you a better quality of sleep. It can give you positive self-reinforcement and empowerment.

Mindfulness which is akin to meditation can be used to guide you through most challenges that life bring you. If you meditate regularly, you may find that most of your stress goes away or seems smaller, takes up less of your time and attention. Bringing meditation into your daily life in the form of mindfulness can help your moods to also improve. Just that lift you may need. Meditation can be practised on your own or in a group. It helps you to respond consciously and reflectively, instead of reacting instantly to your circumstances.

When you meditate your oxygen consumption drops automatically by 10 to 20% giving your entire physical body a rest. This creates increased physical energy. It also creates a drop in blood lactate, which is a toxic substance that builds up in your muscles. These build ups can cause you pain and fatigue. It helps decrease heart and respiration rates, increases melatonin and decreases cortisol. This is why it helps your sleeping habits.

Meditation for a busy Lifestyle – how to do it

You may be thinking that there isn’t enough time in your day to meditate but no matter what skills you use to achieve mindfulness, it should fit your daily routine and make you feel incredible. Meditation cannot be done in less than twenty minutes no matter what people tell you.

Reasons for this is that to start meditating you first need to find a place to sit comfortably. Rest your hands on your legs with palms totally separated to let the energy flow through. This is not the classic hand positions for meditation you see in pictures. Those pictures you see are not for beginners and hand positions are important in terms of what type of meditation you are doing and why you are doing it. Be sure your spine is straight and your chin down a bit. Remember to put on a guided meditation on your phone or IPad. Don’t just listen to music and don‘t just sit and listen to your breathing. For beginners it is not enough to capture your restless mind. You need a trained therapist guiding you as to how your specific mind works if you want to do this properly. So don’t just download anything on the internet and go for it. That’s not how it works despite what you may read elsewhere. You will also find the first five minutes is spent working out if you are too hot, too cold, does your toe twitch or your knee hurt etc. Then another few minutes goes pulling your mind in away from what stresses you. If you are just meditating for five minutes your time is up – totally wasted. So the ancient sages teach that minimum 20 minutes is a must.  

Once you have got you position just focus on what the download you are listening to from your therapist is telling you to do and breathe. Once you have practiced a bit you can focus on your breathing or if you are stressed out at work or in a public place then count each inhalation and exhalation and be slightly aware of the action of breathing. Inhale to a count of one, but exhale for a count of two. If you are already a meditator in most situations this action will calm you down somewhat.

If your mind does wander in meditation don’t worry just re-focus on your download and see where it is guiding you. You will have thoughts and feelings flooding your mind but don't hold on to them, just let them go. The more you practice, the better you're going to get at controlling your thoughts when you aren't meditating. The skill you are now learning will be with you the rest of your life as a wonderful tool for you to use when life starts to get on top of you. Over time, you'll begin to notice you have less stress, more focus, and a younger, healthier, and stronger body just to name a few things.

Need help? We are here

We teach meditation and mindfulness at the clinic here. With a course you can pick up the knack in a few weeks and give it 6 months and you will be an expert. Practice makes perfect so to speak. Give us a call today to find out how you can start with just a few short lessons for an hour a week and practice at home. We do online and face to face.

Frankincense has many benefits for your health and peace

Frankincense is an essential oil that can be used for a variety of reasons for wellbeing which stands out from the rest. It is made up of elements called Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes which are the most valuable elements of the oil. Other constituents include alpha-pinene, octanol, linalool, octyl acetate, bornyl acetate, incensole and incensyl acetate.

Monoterpenes are good for your health as they work in the liver and kidneys. They help lower cholesterol activity in the liver. Also, monoterpenes have antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumour2 and expectorant properties. Secondly Sesquiterpenes may cross the blood-brain barrier which can help stimulate the limbic system. The limbic system is the emotional centre of your brain, and stimulates antibodies, serotonin, endorphins and neurotransmitters. All this makes you a healthier person.

Frankincense oil is nontoxic and generally won’t irritate your skin but it is always important to test it before using the oil undiluted straight on your body. It’s a good idea to dilute the oil with a carrier oil such as almond or jojoba.

What are the health benefits?

Some of the health benefits of this oil can include the speeding up of healing a wound, helping with the appearance of stretch marks, age spots and wrinkles. It can help to reduce inflammation and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma, it reduces stress hormones, boosts your immune function and it can help improve your oral health. It does this by preventing bad breath, cavities, toothaches, mouth sores and infections. Frankincense can also help to support women’s uterine health, by regulating oestrogen production and menstrual cycles in premenopausal women. It also helps remove skin tags, helps promote sleep, improves digestion, and helps with digestive issues such as chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Frankincense can also help with respiratory issues like the common cold, allergies, asthma and bronchitis. It helps as it reduces phlegm build-up and congestion. It may also help fight cancer.

How to Use Frankincense

You can use essential oils in a few different ways. You can apply a drop or two of the frankincense onto your pulse points while meditating or doing yoga. Frankincense can be used undiluted, but there are other oils that must be diluted with a carrier oil. If you have sensitive skin though always dilute the oil. Another way to use the oils is to add a drop or two to a teaspoon of a carrier oil such as Moringa Oil or Coconut oil. Or you can put a few drops into a bath and soak in it. Your body may also absorb some of the oil this way. To stop the oil from separating from the water and floating to the surface, mix the oil with a small amount of full-fat milk. You can also add a few drops of the oil to a hot compress or you can put the oil into a diffuser or vaporiser. Make sure you have one made specifically for essential oils and don’t add the oils to a standard humidifier.

Using oils can enhance your life in many ways. It can also add atmosphere and bring an aura of peacefulness to your home or office. Sometimes all you need is a bit of a lift or to set the tone. Nurture yourself with this delightful oil and explore what it can do for you.

Autophagy and why it’s important to know what it is

Autophagy is your body’s way of getting rid of damaged cells. This essential cleaning process helps to promote building of new, healthy cells and is a needed for cellular rejuvenation and longevity.

What is Autophagy?

Autophagy destroys foreign invaders in your body like viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. Autophagy helps to detoxify the cells of harmful materials. However, it tends to slow down with age. When this happens, it can create a wide variety of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.  There are a number of ways to activate and increase the natural process of autophagy which then helps us to prevent many health problems. Heard of intermittent fasting? Here is a full explanation.

How does it work?

Autophagy activation is a powerful way to treat many diseases. Autophagy normally happens at a rate of continuous supply in most cells. It eliminates protein masses forming and damaged small structures in cells that have functions like small organs but are within the cell itself. These are called organelles. This happens so that your body maintains a healthy balance within the cell for it to work properly. It includes reduction in the production of energy by a part of the cell called mitochondria via a process called, mitophagy. Mitophagy is the removal of damaged mitochondria (the structure that produces energy in the cell) All this is to keep your cells healthy.

This is a process that limits both the production of reactive oxygen species and the release of toxic proteins which can damage RNA, DNA or proteins needed by the body. This destruction happens in many illnesses such as neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic conditions, infectious diseases and cancers. These things can disrupt autophagy or inhibit it.

The disruption and inhibition of autophagy can increase disease. However, in some other cases autophagy may be good regarding the development of a disease. Inducing autophagy has been shown to increase longevity and help with some neurodegenerative diseases as well as inhibiting autophagy inhibition has been used as a strategy for treating some cancers. Basically, cyclical autophagy is a natural way to help improve your health and longevity.

How to boost Autophagy

To help achieve these benefits you need to boost autophagy naturally. You do this through healthy lifestyle strategies. The most effective way is to fast. This is because autophagy is stimulated during various pathological and physiological states like starvation. Starvation induced autophagy is a way to control cells by destroying proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. This then lets the cell adapt its metabolism to meet its energy needs. Water-only fasts are a form of starvation that induce autophagy. Even only as little as 200 calories can inhibit the process. This starvation period needs to be around at least 16 hours longer if possible. However, autophagy cannot remain activated all the time as you need to let the cells rebuild and rejuvenate. Rejuvenation happens during the re-feeding phase which is why cyclical fasting and feeding both need to be done.

Precautions you must take

There are precautions you need to take though, if you're on medication, you need speak to your natural therapist and doctor to ensure this is done safely. You should continue taking nutritional supplements during your fast. You also need to take a high-quality salt. The first time you do a water-only fast, start slowly by fasting for 16 hours a day, and slowly work up to 20 hours a day. Once you've done that for a month, it will be easier to get through a five-day water fast. All fasting needs to be supervised by a medical professional and I can’t stress this enough. Your doctor, naturopath or natural therapist must be on deck to supervise your fasting and be aware that it is happening. If they ever tell you to stop then you must stop as these people are highly trained to help you achieve optimum health.