scienceofprevention Day 4 https://scienceofprevention.com/alz/change-your-brain/?inf_contact_key=93930909f162fa038e9a84f7157f93381b0a3f0fd3ee5d9b43fb34c6613498d7 Host: David Perlmutter, MD, Board-Certified Neurologist & #1 NYT Bestselling Author EPISODE 4 OCTOBER 12: How to Change Your Brain For the Better ================ wrong: many common health issues that can’t easily be solved, from chronic headaches to high blood pressure, are often blamed on poor genes. There is much you can do to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease... one way is w/epigenetics, i.e., influencing your gene expression. Lifestyle changes can absolutely offset the risk imparted by inheriting ================ In this episode: - What genes are and the role they play in Alzheimer's disease - Why our genes are not our destiny - How we can actually influence our gene expression through a process called epigenetics - the empowering ability to grow new brain cells through the process of neurogenesis - our brains are capable of creating new connections, and that this occurs throughout our lifetimes through a fascinating process called neuroplasticity ================ dna make up our genes and genes help determine the story of our lives - e.g., how we look, how we feel, how we experience the world around us - and the choices we make influence our genetic material - genes developed over millions of years to suit ancestors' needs for survival - but modern world is vstly diff from what it used to be since no meaningful treatment for alz is available implies prevention is all the more important via - diet, exercise, avoiding environmental toxins, optimal sleep & keeping blood sugar in check to avoid type-2 diabedes - all these things affect how our genes are expresses epigenetics - various nutritional regiments can change how genes are atcivated of deactivated - decoded the entire human genum over 15 yrs ago, discovered a so-called alz gene in mid-1990s - - a particulr varient of that gene, APOE-allele, was linked to an increased risk of developing alz - - - we each have 2 copies of the APOE-allele gene, got a copy from each of our parents - - - if you have 1 or 2 copies of that gene then your risk of developing alz is high - - - APOE-allele is a risk marker for alz, not a determinant - - lifestype changes can offset the risk of the so-called alz gene - - if you have the alz gene - - - note that the APOE-allele penetrant into alz is less than 50% - - - about 5% of alz cases have a strong gene - - - the other 95%, bout 2/3 are APOE4+ and 1/3 are APOE4- - we can change the expression of more than 90% of the genes that have a direct bearing on our health and longevity neurogenesis ::= the birth of new brain cells - regeneration of cells - - certain blood cells turn over every few hours - - taste bud receptor cells get replaced every 10 days - - skin cells turn over every month - - muscle cells turn over about every 15 years, including the heart muscle - - - at 80yrs old your heart will have renewed itself 4 times - even if your brain is damaged - - you can make new brain cells even to the point of death, neurogenesis - - you can increase the connections of brain cells, neuroplasticity - - understanding how to do that and what inhibits that is the secret to creating a healthy brain, to preventing alz and to treating alz - what to do to enhance neurogenesis - - ... neuroplasticity ::= the ability to rewire our brain, this occurs throughout our lifetime - is enabled by neurogenesis - we have it w/n our power at any point in life to improve the operational status of our brain - typically growth until 30's then everything begins to slide downhill - we have the power w/n us to continue that growth - neuroplasticity is reduced in alz and in depression - neuroplasticity can be encourages w/exercise & diet - you can increase your IQ points by challenging yourself - you can be faster in your processing speed - you can be better visually spacially - you can have better judgement, reasoning, planning, memory at ANY age regardless of whether you have pathology or not - - how? by healthy lifestyle - - - ketogenic diet, wide variety of plant based nutriciticles - - - prolonged exercise, prolonged fasting elevate ketone bodies - a epigenetic generator 21:05 - - - music therapy works in late states of alz - - - reading, gamaes, bingo, crossword puzls - - - nutrition, lowering inflamation, increasing anti-oxident protection, managing blood sugar - - how to make neuroplaticity work better - - - what you eat - - - physical side of body - - - exercise the brain itself, improve capacity to learn - - - - increase speed and accuracy of brain - - - - in avg indicidual, max speed occurs around 30th bday and decline progressively from that point forward - - - - - speed is an index of how safe you are, how far you are from calapse into alz & oather forms of dimentia - - - factors that enable growth and positive change in the brain - - - - physical engagement in the world - - - - training your brain - - - - - if you/ve stoped learing, e.g., a new skill or ability, then the brain is dying - - - - - brain must be chalenged, re-engaged by progressive new learning, when you do that the brain is empowered - - - - if physically active w/attention to chemistry of body and what's happening in gut - that's important - - - - also important what you are doing w/your brain - - - - - think about a life of continuous activity and continuous learning &... - - - - - - in general you'll be healthy & have a brain that's ready for change thru the course of your life - - - - how this relates to alz - - - - - need to have a brain changing in a positive direction, whereas it's deteriorating as time passes - - - - - at any age, until cell loss is ssubstantial and dying, rejuvination is possible if you exercise it - - - - how to enhance neurogenesis - - - - - all the same stuff we know... - - - - - - eating a whole foods diet, exercise, sleeping, reducing stress, optimizing nutritional status, getting rid of toxins, optimizing microbiome, balancing hormones - - - - - - minimize inflamation, manage blood-sugar - - - - - - fasting KF!