Brain health, as you can imagine, is an incredibly important topic. For us to thoroughly enjoy our lives to the fullest, it is critical to have our brains performing at tip-top shape! We have many studies now regarding the best ways to preserve and optimize brain health, but Dr. Vickery and I wanted to highlight two specific ones for you.
The first is about brain health and lifestyle choices. Now, it goes without saying that the number one risk factor for dementia is your age. But this study followed elderly people who already had signs of early dementia and sorted them by the quality of their daily lifestyle (diet quality, cognitive activities, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol consumption) to better understand the rate of developing Alzheimer’s dementia.
What they found is that the more healthy choices you made later in life, the longer you lived & the less likely you were to develop Alzheimer’s disease!
Simply following a healthy lifestyle pattern allowed participants to live 3 to 6 years longer and cut the progression of dementia in half! If there was a pill with these kind of stats, people would be lined up outside of our clinic. But what’s most beautiful about this study is that it puts the power of dementia prevention in your hands. You can take the first steps in healthier lifestyle choices today that will dramatically improve your brain health (and lifespan!) in the future (read full article here).
What else should we know about improving brain health?
In the video above, Dr. Vickery describes the importance of having optimal Omega 3s for the brain. Omega 3s are a type of fatty acid that has been shown to reduce brain inflammation, provide the building blocks for brain support and repair, and increase blood flow.
However, did you know that in order to properly utilize B vitamins in the brain, you also need optimal Omega 3s?
In this study, researchers did brain scans on patients with dementia to see if nutrient support with B vitamins was important for brain health. They uncovered something very incredible: Yes, B vitamins are important for brain health but ONLY if the person also had proper Omega 3 levels. Having both reduced the rate of brain shrinkage over 2 years by a whopping 40%! Again, another way to put the power of brain health and dementia prevention right into your hands (read full article here).
We routinely follow vitamin and Omega 3 levels in our precision health program, and it is not uncommon to uncover multiple B vitamin deficiencies as well as deficient Omega 3 levels. In fact, almost everyone we test is deficient in Omega 3s. We try to use food as much as possible to correct deficiencies; but oftentimes, supplementation with Omega 3s is the easiest way to go.
Foods high in Vitamin B and/or Omega 3s:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- SMASH fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardine, herring)
- Pasture-raised eggs
- Grass-fed beef (especially organ meats!)
How can you test your Omega 3 levels?
(1) Join one of our precision health programs to work directly with a physician and health coach to improve and optimize your health. This is a comprehensive, holistic approach to health and designed to help you get the most out of your health.
(2) Purchase a direct-to-consumer test like OmegaQuant Omega-3 Basic Test to monitor your Omega 3 levels.
You can save 5% on this test by CLICKING HERE …
And using in the code: CNICNSPLYP
*
Dr. Vickery’s Supplement Recommendations:
+ Thorne Basic Nutrients 2/Day or SmartyPants Multivitamin (if you have trouble taking capsules)
+ Thorne D3/K2 drops or NOW Vitamin D3/K2 capsules
+ Thorne Super EPA or Thorne Omega Superb (liquid)
* This is general advice and not intended as a medical recommendation. It is very important to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement and monitor your levels routinely.
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