Currently viewing the category: "brain"

Brain Enhancing Healthy Foods

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's disease, blood nutrients, brain, diet, elderly, junk food, nutrition, omega-3 fatty acids, trans-fats, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D deficiency

More bad news for junk food, as a recent study published in the journal Neurology shows that elderly people having higher levels of certain vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids in their blood score better on mental acuity tests than those who eat the junk.  Further, researchers found that eating better might even reduce the brain shrinkage associated with with Alzheimer’s disease. Booyah!

The study, conducted at Oregon State University, and one of the first of its kind, looked at 104 people at an average age of 87, and specifically measured a wide range of blood nutrient levels (instead of basing results on food questionnaires, which are less precise and less reliable).

“The vitamins and nutrients you get from eating a wide range of fruits, vegetables and fish can be measured in blood biomarkers,” said Traber Maret Traber, a principal investigator at the Linus Pauling Institute and study co-author. “I’m a firm believer these nutrients have strong potential to protect your brain and make it work better.”
Yes, so am I! I’ve been preaching for years. Always happy to see the science back up a universal truth–whole, natural foods are healing and health enhancing. We’ve gone through millions of years of evolution feeding ourselves the foods of the earth–can’t think of any Doritos shortages that challenged mankind, can you?
The principle vitamins they found to help neurological health are some of my personal favs–vitamins B, C, D and E, as well as the omega 3 fatty acids–which increased mental quickness and brain size.
Elderly people that had diets high in unnatural and unhealthy foods, like those laden with trans-fats, fared worse on cognitive tests. Although the researchers found that age and education had major effects on cognitive function and brain size, nutrient status accounted for 17% of the variation in scores, and 37% of the differences in brain volume.
Well, what can I say other than…been tellin’ ya. Eat well–it’ll take you far. This study looked at people with typical American diets–some good, some…well, not so much. But it’s not too late to make the switch–in fact, perfect time for the new year. 
I’ll leave it to study co-author Gene Bowman of the Oregon Health and Science University to conclude with, “It is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet.” Indeed.

Addicted to Evolution

By On · Add Comment · In addiction, brain, dopamine, evolution, Facebook, internet, reinforcement, reward system, technology, texting, The Digital Diet, Twitter

Are you addicted to technology? How about social media? It’s a real thing, you know–virtual monkey on the back. Here are the sure signs you are addicted (at least according to one author who has written a book called “The Digital Diet” about when too much is not enough):

  • The urge to pull out a cellphone even when someone you’re with is in the midst of a conversation with you.
  • Texting even while your child is telling you about his or her day at school, and realizing later that you can’t remember the details of what your son or daughter has said to you.
  • Having the vague feeling that something hasn’t really happened until you post it to Facebook or Twitter.
  • Feeling isolated and anxious if you are offline for an extended period of time.
  • Noticing that even when your family is all together in one room at home, each person is gazing at his or her own screen and tapping at a miniature keyboard.
The author Daniel Sieberg says that some people even create status updates or tweets in their heads when they are experiencing things (Who doesn’t?).  He says, “It’s as if they have lost the ability to live in the moment, and have become conditioned to feeling that they have to instantly share it electronically while it is still going on.”
Ha ha ha…I am only posting this to take enjoyment in what is a natural response to all new and world-changing phenomena. Whether talking about the light bulb, television, rock & roll or the internet, there will be some people that focus on the downside, freak out at where it’s leading us, and perhaps even try to prevent the change from happening.
No doubt that every phenomenon has a negative side. In our new technological world, where information is just a mouse-click away, of course, there will be some detriment. And whenever our brain processes something as pleasurable, like multiple responses and comments on social media sites, it will release dopamine, the neurotransmitter “associated with the reward system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement to motivate a person proactively to perform certain activities.”
Dopamine is released in response to experiences such as food, sex, drugs, and neutral stimuli that become associated with them.  It is believed that this system is responsible for the physical aspects of addiction. So in that regard, there is no doubt some people will struggle with the symptoms of addiction in the early years of the social media explosion.
Saying that, Mr. Sieberg, there is nothing in need of changing.  As I’ve said before in this blog, the human species will continue to evolve with machine–that is, with our informational systems. This symbiotic growth will not be stopped, so striving for separateness from our cyber-existence is futile. And why would we want to? Sure, neglecting your family for Facebook is lame, but for some it’s welcome refrain from family strife and tensions. Some people that are isolated socially from the real world, find acceptance and a forum for their thoughts on social media. You see, it all depends on which perspective you are looking from. 
So don’t fear your relationship to social media–I guarantee no matter how absorbed you are now, it will even out over time. And if it doesn’t, so what? It just means you’re popular…in cyberspace.

Multiple Interpretations: A Mind Opener

By On · Add Comment · In brain, illusions, perceptions, perceptual ambiguity, sensory systems, unfragmented

This post is about perceptual ambiguity.  When encountering situations with multiple interpretations (uh,like everything), the mind filters information in such a way as to present what is comfortable.  Watch the video below to see this principle in action:

Interesting, yes?  Our brains do exactly that when interpreting life events as well–they filter information so as to make our perceptions fit the most recognizable (what we have seen before, what is understandable) and comfortable configurations.  In other words, we tend to see things the way WE are not always the way THEY are, which is complete, whole, and unfragmented.  So it is our brains that fragment, separate and disjoin.

Why do our brains do this?  What can we gather and learn from these types of illusions?  Just know that our sensory systems have expectations of how the world is supposed to be, yet they are illusions.  By looking for the whole–other interpretations become available, and doors open.

Lesson: Seek the whole in every situation.  Guaranteed to blow your mind.

Dinner with the Doctor: Neuroplasticity.

By On · Add Comment · In brain, chiropractic, nervous system, neurological sciences, neuroplasticity, West Hollywood

Spent a great evening with clients a couple weeks ago, talking about the big thing in the neurological sciences today: Neuroplasticity, the ability of the nervous system to shape itself.  We had good food, some laughs (mostly at me) and a discussion about how people control their development in every area through their nervous system.


Neuroplasticity is an unconscious mechanism for most, but we all utilize it whether we do so to our advantage or not; and we are doing it all with the nervous system, particularly the brain.

I discussed how we habituate by doing the same unconscious actions repeatedly.  I also discussed how we can break old habits and create new ones neurologically by practicing some useful and interesting techniques. 

I will be writing much more on neuroplasticity in the future.  Just suffice it to say that our Dinner with the Doctor event in West Hollywood was a success.  With a little chiropractic, neurology and mind thrown in…and, of course, some olive oil…you’ve got the makings of quite an evening.  I’m glad my brain created it.

Stem Cell Cancer

By On · Add Comment · In ataxia telangiectasia (A-T), brain, genetic engineering, stem cells

What holds the greatest promise for a disease-free future? Well, if you’ve guessed stem cells, then you certainly know your panacea. Yes, these miraculous little cell line precursors are a shoo-in to rid the world of such maladies as Alzheimer’s, depression and cancer.

But not so fast my little genetic engineering groupies–there’s a hidden danger within the nano-confines of the micropipette. According to a recent story, a family desperate to save their son from a lethal brain disease sought highly experimental injections of fetal stem cells, which triggered tumors in the boy’s brain and spinal cord.

The boy was suffering from ataxia telangiectasia (A-T), a fatal neurodegenerative disease of the brain that ultimately leads to loss of coordination of movement. Because the disease also affects the immune system, frequent infections and cancer can also result. His parents took him Russia when he was nine, and it was in a Moscow clinic where he received the stem cell injections into his brain and spinal cord. He received subsequent injections at 10 and 12 years old.

The boy began suffering greater symptoms of incoordination as well as headaches. While under observation in a Tel Aviv hospital, doctors found two cancerous growths pushing on his brain stem and spinal cord. Doctors at Tel Aviv University removed the growths and found the cells to have both male and female cells present, as well as two normal copies of the A-T genes, which led them to conclude that they were the result of the injected stem cells. Yeesh.

Lot’s of red flags arise with this story. First, stem cell research is in its infancy. Much of its promise is currently a dream; nothing definitive in the science yet. Just because they can clone goats, doesn’t mean they know how to safely use stem cell lines for any medical treatment yet.

Second, if chasing an experimental treatment, wouldn’t it make sense to first determine if said treatment is indicated for your particular condition? Dr. Marius Wernig of Stanford University pointed out that A-T is not a disease conducive to stem cell therapy, so what the hacks in Moscow were thinking (besides where they were going to drink their money) is anyone’s guess.

And finally, if you are going to get a new and highly uncertain treatment done, don’t do it outside the U.S. We’ve got the best medicine in the world here; why go to Russia, Brazil, or the Philippines for a pipe dream? At least someone in this country might be held accountable (well, I guess we’ll see what happens to Octomom Doc, anyway).

Although the boy in the story survived, there are still important points to be made: Genetic engineering is serious business, and it is not to be taken lightly. There is so much we do not know about the science, despite how freely it is discussed by laymen, politicians and the media. We have an incredible responsibility with this technology, and although we should look into its promise to “cure disease,” this story proves that the dark side of genetic tampering can be more than just ideological.

Brain Starvation May Be Cause of Alzheimer’s

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's, amyloid beta, BACE1, blood flow, brain, dementia, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress

Who knew that Grace Slick would have had the answer for preventing Alzheimer’s: Feed your head!

That’s right, according to new research published in this month’s issue of Neuron, poor blood flow to the brain may be the main cause of the dementia disorder. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, and the brain’s main fuel is glucose, a sugar. The researchers found that when the brain is deprived of glucose, a biochemical cascade is unleashed that ultimately leads to neurodegeneration.

This study, and all Alzheimer’s research for that matter, focuses on a type of protein called amyloid beta. Amyloid beta is found in high concentrations in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. An enzyme, called BACE1, has also been found high concentrations along with the amyloid beta, but whether high BACE1 causes high amyloid beta or vice versa is still under study. Either way, the main focus of Alzheimer’s research is in how to decrease both without screwing up the brain–very important since BACE1 is also important in many brain functions including memory and protection and regulation of nerve cells.

The interesting thing about this study is that it recognizes an external stress which might lead to the physiological defect, as opposed to just a “random” dysfunction. Yes, of course there’s a precursor event–hypoxia and oxidative stress. Brilliant! Give lead researcher Robert Vassar, professor at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the Nobel Prize. He’s the same gent who has discovered the BACE1 enzyme, and I think his work is instrumental in understanding this dreaded disease.

What I don’t agree with is the preoccupation with searching for drugs to combat the hyper-production of amyloid beta or the BACE1 enzyme. It’s obvious to me that these products are a response to a dysfunctional state, so attacking them is like putting a band-aid on a bloodshot wound. But the astute Professor Vassar knows better. He suggests that increasing blood flow to the brain of those susceptible to Alzheimer’s would be more prudent. This could be done with drugs like vasodilators, or it could be done preventatively through…exercise!

You’ve got it. Good old fashioned exercise is the best way to increase blood flow to the brain. Throw in good nutrition (whole, natural foods), some vitamin supplementation (vitamins B, C, essential fatty acids, some anti-oxidants), regular chiropractic care to keep the blood a’flowin’, and minimizing the cigarettes, drugs, and booze (sorry Grace) and you’ll do wonders for your cerebral blood flow. Hey, don’t wait until you’re forgetting what year it is to start doing these head-healthy habits. Start today and lower your chances of developing Alzheimer’s in the future.

Academia on Speed

By On · Add Comment · In addiction, brain, brain-boosting, drugs, Provigil, Ritalin, speed, stimulants

Who are the biggest up-and-coming speed freaks of the 21st century? Academics!

Yes, our nation’s literati are doing legal speed to boost brain power. Or so they say. According to a recent report, the production and supply of “brain-boosting” stimulants like Ritalin or Provigil has increased 300% between 1995-2006. But not all people use these easy to get drugs for intellectual prowess. Some, no doubt, use it simply to get high.

This latest drug abuse trend has some in health care worried–and rightly so. When altered states of consciousness become tolerated, even desired, in our institutions of higher learning, there is cause for concern. Primarily because most controlled substances have the potential for abuse and a high risk of addiction–the last thing we need in our universities, seeing how much power academia yields in politics and public opinion.

The concern has been sparked by a recent commentary in the journal Nature on Sunday that argues for use of the drugs in healthy adults as a legitimate way of improving brain power, much like education, the Internet or other helpful tools. Doesn’t this echo Timothy Leary’s turn on, tune in, and drop out ethos of the 1960s? Damn if things don’t come back full circle. The problem is that these pharmaceuticals have a much higher probability of leading to dependence than Leary’s LSD. And as you know if you’ve ever been dependent, drugs have a way of running one’s life.

So, increased brain power or not, I wouldn’t recommend playing this dope game. But if you must, just remember…I told you so.

Prehistoric Brain Tonic

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidant, blood flow, brain, concentration, free radicals, Ginkgo biloba, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), memory, stroke

Good news for health naturalists: Ginkgo biloba extracts have shown promise as both pre and post-stroke treatment in mice. We have all heard of ginkgo’s ability to improve blood flow to the brain, thereby enhancing memory and concentration. What better to help with stroke than a substance that increases blood flow to the brain?

A study out of John’s Hopkins University showed that mice given ginkgo before a stroke suffered only half the damage than mice not given the substance. And mice that received the extract five minutes following stroke had 60% less damage than mice not receiving it, while mice receiving ginkgo 4.5 hours following stroke had a third less damage. Wow! That’s incredible.

Researchers attribute ginkgo’s benefits to raising levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme that acts as an antioxidant protecting cells against free radical damage. Free radicals are toxins that can damage DNA leading to aging, degeneration, and cancer.

Ginkgo is one of the top five highest-selling medicinal herbs in the U.S. Ginkgo biloba is a living fossil–it is the lone surviving species of an ancient order of trees which died out millennia ago. It grows wildly in Eastern China and has long been used for its medicinal properties.

I’ve never taken Ginkgo, but I must start. I just can’t ignore all the many benefits it seems to offer. Since I’m into the power of my mind, why not an occasional tonic? I say occasional because I think it’s always good to practice prudence when it comes to taking herbs or tinctures. But every once in a while can’t hurt, now can it? Not according to this latest study. I do want to caution, though, that this study is preliminary, and extrapolating the findings to humans may be premature; but like I said, I just can’t ignore all the positive press this herb has been getting. So I’ll keep my eyes open, and my mind too; and I’ll keep you all informed.

It’s Done With Mirrors

By On · Add Comment · In brain, hemiplegia, imagery, limbs, neural, neurological, paralyzed, stroke, visualization

Here’s a tripper: Japanese scientists have discovered that recovery from stroke is faster when using a mirror to create the illusion that paralyzed limbs move in tandem with healthy ones. Just another study showing the incredible healing power of the mind.

Stroke causes hemiplegia–a condition where one side of the body becomes paralyzed–one of the more serious complications of this dreaded brain injury. Rehabilitation of hemiplegia is especially tricky, and regaining full use of the paralyzed half isn’t always successful.

But now with mirrors the rehab has gotten easier. What researchers did was place a mirror on the side of the stroke patient’s body. As the patient moved his or her healthy arm, it appeared that the paralyzed arm was also moving due to the impression in the mirror. This bilateral image of limb movement, the researchers found, actually tricks the brain into believing that there is normal motion. Apparently this visual imagery is necessary to create and maintain neural motor function, the ability to move.

This is simply fascinating to me. If the visual imagery caused by mirror trickery works on a neurological level, then what are the implications for other types of healing? And why would it only apply to mirrors? Wouldn’t simply visualizing healing processes also work? What does this mean for cancer patients? Or AIDS patients? Or people with high blood pressure? I mean, can’t we extrapolate these findings to other healing mechanisms? Well, we don’t know yet. But my guess is that adding visualization to any treatment or therapy–be it chemo or drugs–should do wonders to help the healing along.

As Kazu Amimoto, one of the study’s authors said, “The mental aspect of rehabilitation has far greater importance than previously understood and should be paid far more attention.” Indeed, Kazu–I think it’s coming.

Exercise Reverses Brain Damage

By On · Add Comment · In brain, cancer, exercise, nerve, neuons, neurological, pediatric, physical fitness, radiation, regenerate, rehabilitation, stem cells, training
How’s this for plugging physical fitness: Research shows that exercise may reverse the damage done to the brain of cancer patients from radiation, particularly in kids. That’s the latest out of the Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. How’s that? Exercise for the brain!?!? Duh, yeah! According to the research, exercise causes new stem cells to develop, which in turn can form new neurons, the brain’s cellular workhorses.

Here’s how they found out. The researchers irradiated the brains of baby mice; the dose was comparable to doses given to cancer patients with brain tumors. They then let half the mice exercise on running wheels, while the other half simply hung out in cages. After a few months, all the mice were killed and their brains examined. What they found was that the mice which were allowed to run “had more precursor cells and more new neurons, and these neurons took up their places better in the brains than mice simply kept in cages.” The exercising mice had a 275% increase in the number of newborn cells that developed into neurons.

The conclusions of the study are that pediatric cancer patients can benefit from exercise. Ah, yes. And the brain damage seen to their undeveloped brains can be reversed. Yes, yes! And that physical rehabilitation should be an integral part of post-cancer radiation treatment. Bravo!

But let’s take it a step further. Physical rehabilitation should be on every post-treatment protocol, whether chemical, radiation, or surgical. Think about it: The human body was meant to move. Physical activity has neurological implications. The nervous system controls and coordinates every function of the body. It’s the master control of the system (have you read my book yet?), and it’s the structure we know the least about. But we’re learning–and studies like this extend our knowledge into this vast and fascinating territory. What might be more important is what we learn about development and regeneration in general. Not only reptiles have that ability.

Remember: The human body is an amazing self-healing, self-regulating organism. It can repair itself, and it can regenerate. We have the power to heal ourselves if we do the right things. A few of those things are regular movement, physical challenge and balance training–all of which help our bodies create new nerve pathways that allow us to adapt to our environment. So if you are not moving your body regularly, better get started–your life depends on it.

Another Anti-Aging Flop

By On · Add Comment · In anti-aging, brain, DHEA, estrogen, hormone, memory, prohormone, supplement, testosterone
You can never accuse me of being one-sided. Although it may seem that I only pick on the medical and pharmaceutical industries, I actually enjoy picking on other “health” industries equally as much. Whether it be the “natural” products industry, psychotherapy, the weight loss industry, or bottled water, nobody is immune to my ridicule. I merely call it as I see it, and I love to point out the flaws in what’s being sold as “good health.” One industry in particular that I love to knock, simply because it’s so knockable, is the “anti-aging” shamsters.

So here’s the latest: I’m sure you’ve heard of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). It’s a hormone produced naturally by the adrenal glands and is converted into other hormones, like testosterone and estrogen. It is sold as an over-the-counter supplement and touted heavily by anti-aging enthusiasts. Maybe you’ve been taking it yourself, to boost brain power, memory, and such. No? Oh, that’s good, because the first large scale study done to test supplemental DHEA’s effectiveness in brain function showed that it didn’t do diddly. That’s right…nothing, nada, nunca.

Here is the idea behind DHEA supplementation: DHEA is a natural steroid prohormone produced from cholesterol. It is the precursor of androstenedione (remember this stuff, baseball fans?), which can convert into the androgen testosterone and estrogens. DHEA levels peak during a person’s twenties, and then slowly declines with age. Because DHEA levels decline with age, and certain physiological functions also decline with age, while certain diseases increase with age (cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, etc.), then the thought is that DHEA must be linked to age related health decline (oh, lord). So to prevent natural decline in physiological function, to decrease one’s risk of developing age-related illnesses, to improve one’s libido, energy levels, strength and bone density, and essentially to slow down or halt the aging process, one need only supplement with DHEA. Cha Ching! Or so the story goes.

But the latest research reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that supplementing with DHEA for as long as one year had no beneficial effects on brain function, memory or other cognitive abilities. According to lead researcher Dr. Donna Kritz-Silverstein, “healthy older adults should not turn to DHEA for the purpose of improving their cognitive function or overall well-being.” And I agree.

But here’s something older adults (and younger one’s too) can turn to quite confidently in their attempts to increase their natural levels of DHEA, and, in turn, age gracefully with increased strength, endurance, vibrancy and vigor: regular exercise, healthy diet, supplementation with basic vitamins and minerals, EFAs and a good antioxidant, regular bodywork, proper rest and recuperation, and minimizing toxin exposure (polluted air, polluted water, drugs, and so forth). And for boosting brain power, nothing…and I mean NOTHING…beats regular mental challenge like learning something new; and staying mentally engaged–reading, debating, writing, thinking, studying, problem-solving–at all times.

The research also showed that the subjects taking DHEA supplements had 2-3 times higher DHEA levels in the blood, so it’s not as if the body was just removing the supplemental form of the molecule (injecting the prohormone is, therefore, not a more effective alternative). Higher blood levels of DHEA had no benefit to mental function…zero. So I conclude by saying, once again, that things were designed the way they were for a reason. The body knows what to produce, at what concentrations, at any given time. It’s called Innate Intelligence, and every living thing has it. Man cannot improve on the wisdom of the body–not with Viagra, not with LASIK, not with pig-heart valves, nothing. And this latest research on DHEA is just another proof to that principle.

Sleep Deprivation Leads to Brain Shutdown

By On · Add Comment · In brain, Six Keys to Optimal Health, sleep, sleep deprivation
Every day we get more and more information on the importance of sleep. I am certain it is one of the The Six Keys To Optimal Health. If you don’t get enough sleep, thereby depriving your body of it’s vital recuperative and reparative functions, it will go through a series of mini-aborts to carry out it’s processes while you push it to the limit. So says a study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

According to the study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a brain deprived of sleep–even for one night–becomes unstable and prone to shutdowns akin to power failure. Sleep deprived people “alternate between periods of near-normal brain function and dramatic lapses in attention and visual processing.” In the study they did brain imaging studies of 24 adults performing simple tasks involving visual attention when they were well rested and when they had missed a night’s sleep. They found significant, momentary lapses in several areas of the brain when the people were sleep deprived, but not when well rested.

This study goes to show that the body’s recuperative and reparative functions are so substantial that it will do what it needs to in order to carry out these essential processes, even if that means doing it piecewise. The brain will override its conscious command center little by little until shutting itself down completely when the sleep deprivation goes on for lengths which compromise the integrity of the whole. Bam! Out for the count. A truly amazing feat of self preservation.

As I always say: The human body is an incredible self-healing, self-regulating system. It will do what it needs to for survival. Push it too hard and it will shut down for repair. The best thing is to not let yourself get to that point. But if you do–don’t worry–your body will do what it needs to. Just pray it doesn’t abort while you’re driving down the highway.

Antibiotic Overuse Raises Ethical Questions

By On · Add Comment · In Alzheimer's disease, antibiotics, brain, death, dementia, drug-resistant, Hastings Center, nursing homes, old man's friend, pneumonia, superbugs, terminal illness
As medical technology advances, modern society is increasingly faced with tough ethical questions–questions regarding right to life and quality of life issues. Take for example a new study which suggests that antibiotics are overused in people dying of dementia diseases and should be considered more carefully in light of the growing problem of drug-resistant superbugs. In other words, should people at the end stage of disease be given life-saving treatments despite the fact that time is not on their side? Or should medical practitioners consider the larger implications to the public health as a whole?

According to study co-author Dr. Susan Mitchell, a senior scientist with the Harvard-affiliated Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research in Boston, “Advanced dementia is a terminal illness; if we substituted ‘end-stage cancer’ for ‘advanced dementia,’ I don’t think people would have any problem understanding this.” What she is referring to is withholding antibiotics from people in the end-stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a fatal brain disease. Although many dementia patients die from infections like pneumonia, the underlying cause of illness and deterioration is damage to brain cells.

In the study, over two hundred people with advanced stage dementia residing in nursing homes in the Boston area were followed over an eighteen month period or until they died. Almost half the subjects died during the study. All subjects failed to recognize loved ones, had stopped speaking, were unable to walk or feed themselves, and were incontinent. Researchers looked at the patient’s medical records and found that 42% received antibiotics–many intravenously–within two weeks of their death. And here’s the kicker: The closer the patients were to dying, the more likely they were to receive antibiotics.

The problem with the practice of administering antibiotics to people near death is that we are in the midst of a superbug (antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria) epidemic; and the indiscriminate use of anti-bacterial medicines is more than a little to blame. Liberal prescribing of antibiotics is common in nursing homes, in children with ear infections, in adults with coughs and sore throats, and in many other ailments which, for the most part, will resolve on their own over time, or for which antibiotics are useless, like viral infections. But the fact is that, in nursing homes, the standard of care is for doctors to see the residents only one time per month or once every two months. According to Dr. Daniel Brauner, a geriatrician and ethicist at the University of Chicago Medical Center who was not involved in the study, “I’m sure a lot of these antibiotics were prescribed over the telephone.” I’m sure of that, too.

So the question remains: Should medical treatments be administered to people who are at the end stage of terminal illness? I’m certain there is no real answer. If the person is your loved one–your wife, husband, mother, father, and so forth–I’m quite convinced the answer will be YES! We all want the extra time with our closest family members. But in the bigger picture, perhaps a dignified death with the help “the old man’s friend”, as pneumonia was once called, is in order. As bioethicist Bruce Jennings, consultant at the Hastings Center, a research institute on medical ethics, says, “You might rescue the patient from life-threatening pneumonia and they live a few days, weeks or even months longer, but the extra time you have bought them by that rescue is not beneficial.”

Education and Mental Preservation

By On · Add Comment · In aging, Alzheimer's, anti-aging, brain, cardiovascular health, cognitive, educated, elderly, memory, mental sharpness, stroke
Losing one’s memory is a natural consequence of aging, right? Not necessarily; in fact, it has been shown in several studies that the more one stimulates one’s mind–in the form of learning–the greater one’s chances of retaining mental sharpness well into old age. Yet another studyhas been released confirming these conclusions.Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the more educated a person is, the better he or she performed on cognitive tests. Nothing new there, as we reported the same in this blog back in October. What is new, though, is that the study found that significant memory loss has declined in the elderly (people 70+) over the last decade, which may be due to that generation’s longer education and schooling when compared to previous ones. According to lead author Dr. Ken Langa, “the research reinforces other studies that suggest people who do mentally challenging tasks early on build up a reserve of brain power that helps them withstand later injuries to the brain, such as a mini-stroke.” He was also sure to point out the link between good cardiovascular health and brain health, another way to reduce mental decline, strokes and possibly Alzheimer’s.

You want to know why I keep plugging these studies? Because everyone seems to be into anti-aging these days. Great–here’s how to do it. My top seven tips to keeping the brain young:

  • Drink lots of water (1-2L per day)
  • Do 30-60 minutes of cardio (that makes you sweat) every week.
  • Learn something new at all times. Once you master it, move on tho the next thing. My favorites:
    • Languages (Chinese anyone?)
    • Musical instruments
    • Mathematics (always a great brain developer)
    • An art (photography, web design, sculpting, knitting)
    • Anything new (economics, poetry, cosmology, quantum physics, philosophy, psychology, etc.)
  • Take essential fatty acids (EFAs) daily
  • Meditate (sit in silence) every day
  • Practice daily gratitude (for your life exactly as it is now)

Do these things and rest assured that you will keep trucking through life sharp as a whip. Don’t just take my word for it, or the bevy of studies coming out each year; instead, prove it to yourself. And check back in with me when you hit your seventies–something tells me you’ll remember my words.

Montel Williams and Chiropractic

By On · Add Comment · In brain, chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, chronic pain, demyelination, inflammatory disease, Montel Williams, multiple sclerosis (MS), myelin sheath, nerve cells, spinal cord, white matter


Television talk show host Montel Williams praised chiropractic on his show aired December 18, 2007. Montel, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), said of chiropractic, “It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me!”

Multiple sclerosis or MS is a painful, chronic, inflammatory disease that causes demyelination of the nerve cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Demyelination is the thinning or complete loss of the fatty layer–the myelin sheath–of the nerve cells, which is responsible for the conduction of electrical impulses down those cells. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the scars (scleroses–better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. MS has many symptoms, one of which is chronic pain. Montel Williams is no stranger to chronic pain.

According to the well-known talk show MC, he is in pain “24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year”; yet within just two weeks of chiropractic care he can “stand up straight without pain for the first time in over 5 years”. However, it did not take two weeks for Montel to get relief. He says that he experienced almost instantaneous relief from his first chiropractic adjustment. Booyah!

Says Montel, “There is not a person who knows me that will not confirm this…I am walking differently; my pain is less; I have already regained strength in my left leg; my left leg has dropped back down–I found out that my pelvis was tilted–[my legs] are now the same length.”

This is another huge plug for chiropractic. As my illustrious profession gets its fair share of knocks, it’s wonderful to see superstar athletes like Johnny Damon, Tom Brady (read about him and Joe Montana, here) and Lance Armstrong (read the interview with his chiropractor) and well-known celebrities, like Madonna (scroll down for the picture of her getting adjusted in the film, Truth or Dare), Dr. Phil and now Montel Williams endorse chiropractic by telling their incredible success stories.

Bravo, bravo. More people need to experience the miraculous healing power of chiropractic care. And only when highly-regarded public figures stand up to tell their success stories will the masses follow. Thank you Montel for sharing your chiropractic story with the world.

Self Healing Body

By On · Add Comment · In brain, brain cells, central nervous system (CNS), healing, health, injuries, mind-body, nerve cells, nerve pathways, nerves, paralysis, repair, self-healing, self-regulating, spinal cord

Check this tripper: Scientist say that the central nervous system (CNS) can rewire itself to bypass damaged nerves that cause paralysis. Tiny nerves in the brain and spinal cord can actually crisscross creating new nerve pathways between brain cells and nerve cells that control movement. Injuries once thought to be irreversible now seem to show hope of recovery.

The study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles looked at mice whose long axon nerve fibers were blocked causing paralysis of their hind legs. However, researchers left the core of the mice’s spinal cords, which contained short nerve fibers, intact. Within eight weeks the mice regained movement in their hind legs, astonishing researchers. The scientists then blocked the short nerve fibers, once again, causing hind leg paralysis. This showed that the short nerve fibers, which had reconnected, were responsible for the regain in hind leg movement.

Wow! Imagine that. Nerve cells repairing themselves and creating new connections in a self-healing, self-regulating repair process. I find this new discovery absolutely fascinating, although I’m not exactly surprised by it. I would expect this type of self-repair to be inherent in living organisms, especially one as complex as Homo sapien. And I’m certain we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. I still contend that the greatest gains in human health and healing will be realized in the realm of mind-body dynamics in the future–and perhaps not as far in the future as one might think.

The implications go way beyond reversing paralysis, in my mind. I think that all healing probably follows this type of mechanism in one way or another. There is so much about the human body and it’s physiology that we do not know, especially on the molecular (and smaller) level. I’m excited to see where science will lead us tomorrow. The human mind and body are truly magnificent, and we have yet to realize their full potential. Truth is, we probably haven’t even seen the half of it.

Aging Brains Do Better With Exercise

By On · Add Comment · In brain, central nervous system, cognitive function, Dante's Inferno, dendrites, exercise, mentally fit
When it comes to cognitive function, what’s more advantageous to the aging brain, mental or physical exercise? The answer is–BOTH!

That’s right, physical exercise is just as important as mental exercise when it comes to keeping mentally fit. So say researchers who have been studying brain function and aging.

According to experts, memory improved in 72-year olds when they took up a regular walking routine as little as three times per week. The brains of these seniors resembled those of younger people when scanned by sophisticated equipment measuring mental activity. No surprises here as exercise increases blood flow, which is absolutely essential for keeping the brain healthy. Blood brings nutrients and oxygen to a hard working brain keeping it nourished and healthy. Exercise also stimulates hormone production and keeps the central nervous system firing in a rhythmic pattern, which is necessary to keep the machinery running smoothly. You know, just like firing up the ol’ jalopy in the garage every now and again, just to make sure all the parts stay lubricated.

But, of course, mental activity must also take place regularly. As I’ve said in my last podcast (Episode 4), it also pays to keep learning new things. The process of learning developes dendrites–the nerve cell extensions that form neurological pathways. As the researchers of this latest study point out, people who are more mentally active, and especially those who have higher education, have bushier brains. That is, people who keep learning have more dendrites, and thus more neural pathways. The prescence of abundant dendrites causes a bushy appearance of the brain. No wonder my 6th grade math teacher had bushy ears. He was smart! And don’t forget–continued education also prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

So take heed–exercise regularly, and pick up a copy of Dante’s Inferno. That’ll help keep you functioning beautifully for years to come.

Too Much Dummy Tube Leads to ADD

By On · Add Comment · In ADD, attention, attention deficit disorder, brain, brain development, children, concentration, dendrites, dendritic pathways, dummy tube, focus, problem solving, T.V., television

We all know that too much T.V. isn’t good for the brain, right? Well, at least most people with common sense suspect so, anyway. But now we have proof: Current research shows that young children who watch more than two hours of the brainfryer a day are more likely to have attention problems as adolescents.

Duh. You mean that constantly changing visual images rapidly flashing on a screen – sometimes faster than the human mind can comprehend (anyone hear of subliminal messages) – might have long term effects. You don’t say?

Think about it for a second (I’d have you think about it for a minute, but veteran television watchers might change the channel): Television really does consist of rapidly changing images. As a medium, it does not engage your concentration. You just passively watch images and listen to the accompanying audio. No thinking or concentrating necessary. True, you are following a story (reality shows notwithstanding), but it’s still a passive activity.

One might make an argument for educational T.V. (like Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and the History Channel), but you still passively watch and listen, which does nothing for the development of focus or concentration. Add to that today’s popular programming – reality shows, awards shows, music videos – and the term dummy tube starts to take on a whole new accuracy, doesn’t it?

The study, carried out at the Dunedin School of Medicine in New Zealand, showed that children who watched two or more hours per day were at a significant risk for developing attention deficit disorders later in life. And those who watched over three hours per day were at even greater risk. According to Carl Erik Landhuis, one of the lead authors of the study, kids who get used to watching lots of attention-grabbing TV may find ordinary life situations – like the classroom – boring. It’s also possible, he adds, that TV may simply crowd out time spent doing other activities that can build attention and concentration skills, such as reading and playing games.

Yes, that’s exactly it. Activities like reading, solving puzzles, playing sports and other games, learning computers or instruments, all require focus and concentration. They also require thinking and problem solving which leads to the development of dendritic pathways in the brain and nervous system, which leads to overall brain development. I’m sorry but T.V. doesn’t do that – no thinking involved. Furthermore, learning to entertain oneself in the absence of mind-numbing image flashing is the gateway to the imagination. Give your kid a copy of Tom Sawyer, Harry Potter, Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, or whatever, and let them learn to stimulate their own vivid and priceless imaginations. And get them away from the dummy tube. Trust me, our autonomy and self-sufficiency as a civilization depend on it.

Ratso Schizo!

By On · Add Comment · In antidepressants, biochemical cause, brain, delusions, depression, genetic engineering, mood changes, paranoia, schizophrenia

Scientists have been genetically engineering laboratory mice to develop the physical and psychological characteristics of schizophrenia. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, used genetic engineering techniques to create mice that suffer from delusions, mood changes and paranoia – the same symptoms human schizophrenics suffer from. They say the findings will help in the understanding and treatment of this disorder, especially in how external factors, like stress or viruses, might aggravate symptoms. Take a peek here to see what one of theses rodents looks like

My only question is this: How did they observe delusions in rodents? A delusion is a pathologically false belief, and I just can’t imagine what a mouse would have to do to be labeled that! Perhaps it was an incorrigible conviction that a cat was a hunk of cheese, or something like that. Either way, it’s cruel and unusual – placing that cat in front of a cheese-hallucinating mouse. I’m not the only one who thinks so, either. Animal rights groups are up in arms over this study. They do not believe its necessary to “create” animals with this type of disorder, since schizophrenia is a “uniquely human feature.”

I’d have to agree. But there is an insistence within medical science to find the biochemical cause of mental illness – the same nonsense they have been trying to convince us of regarding depression for the last two decades. Find a biochemical cause, develop a biochemical “cure” – a new pharmaceutical, that is. At least that’s the rationale anyway.

Unfortunately, things are not that simple. When it comes to the human brain, there is still so much we do not yet know. At this time, not one shred of evidence points toward depression having a biochemical cause – but antidepressants are now the number one prescribed medication in the U.S.! Woohoo! Party! I talk at length about depression and antidepressant drug therapy in my upcoming book – The Six Keys To Optimal Health. And I guarantee you, it’s an eye-opener.

OK, now my other only question: If antidepressants are so good, why aren’t prescriptions going down? Hmmm…makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Who Says They’re Not Normal!

By On · Add Comment · In birth defect, brain, cranium, Downs Syndrome, hydrocephalus, intelligence tests, IQ, mentally retarded, National Human Genome Research Institute, small brain, ventricle
Here’s a tripper: French researchers have reported that a man with an unusually small brain has been living a healthy, functional life as a civil servant and family man in France. MRI scans of the 44-year-old man’s brain showed that most of the room in the cranium was filled by a fluid filled chamber called a ventricle. Only a small, thin sheet of brain tissue was actually present.

The “small brained” man lived a very normal life; he was married with two children and worked as a civil servant (insert dumb joke here). He went to the hospital after suffering mild weakness in his left leg. Upon taking his medical history, doctors uncovered that he had a shunt inserted into his brain to treat him for hydrocephalus – water on the brain – as an infant. The shunt was removed when he was fourteen. Intelligence tests showed the man to have an IQ of 75, below the average score of 100 but not considered mentally retarded or disabled, either.

This story felt very satisfying to me because I’ve always been a little put off by the concept of a birth “defect”. Defective? According to who? What defect makes a human being defective? I know, I know…some variations threaten life. However, I’d argue that life spans vary – doesn’t make that individual defective in my eyes. Many people are born with circumstances that take them outside of the norm – heart murmurs, polydactyly, sickle cell, lactose intolerance, cleft palate, and now, small brains – they still can live rich rewarding lives within their own unique limits. You’ve got limits too, and so do I – doesn’t make us defective – so why someone with Downs Syndrome? I know of people with Downs Syndrome who live independently, work for a living, pay their rent, and LOVE their lives. And a man in France with a smaller brain is, I’m quite certain, happy to be alive.

As Dr. Max Muenke, a pediatric brain defect specialist at the National Human Genome Research Institute puts it, “What I find amazing to this day is how the brain can deal with something which you think should not be compatible with life. If something happens very slowly over quite some time, maybe over decades, the different parts of the brain take up functions that would normally be done by the part that is pushed to the side.” Ah, the miraculous adaptability of the human body. Makes you sort of rethink the notion of being defective, doesn’t it?

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