THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL APPROACH - Perth Naturopathy · in the treatment protocol enhances the healing process partially due to the amazing power of the subconscious mind. Hence most

THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL APPROACH

HOW TO GROW NEW BRAIN CELLSPractical, proven strategies to stimulate neurogenesis.

TO COGNITIVE DECLINE, DEMENTIA, DEPRESSION AND NEURODEGENERATION

“Relying on the wisdom and holistic approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Natural Therapies, and a 6000 year unbroken history of Herbal Medicine, I offer a healing system that focuses on the cause of disease, not merely the suppression of symptoms.

My goal is to discover the individuality of your health problem, treat its cause, and stimulate your body to heal itself as soon as possible”.

FELLOW •AustralianAcupuncture&ChineseMedicineAssociationLtd

MEMBER •AcupunctureEthicsandStandardsOrganisation(A.E.S.O.) •FellowAustralianAcupunctureAssociation(A.Acu.A.) •NationalHerbalistAssociationofAustralia(N.H.A.A.) •AustralianTraditional-MedicineSociety(A.T.M.S.)

Personal HistoryDennisVanderKraatswasborninToronto,Canadaandgrewupwithapassionfordistancerunning.HerepresentedCanadanationallyandinternationallyonanumberofoccasions,includingthe1979WorldCrossCountryChampionships.HissuccessinathleticsearnedhimascholarshipfromtheprestigiousUniversityofNotreDame(USA).

AfterarrivinginAustralia,DennisandhiswifeMarionsuccessfullyoperatedahealthfoodstoreandthisstimulatedDennis’sdesiretofurtherhisknowledgeofnaturaltherapies.

Aftereightmoreyearsofstudy,DennisgraduatedfromtheMelbourneCollegeofNaturopathyandHomoeopathy,theNanjingCollegeofAcupuncture,andthe Australian Acupuncture College (Victorian University of Technology) tobecomeaqualifiedNaturopathandAcupuncturist.

Dennisisnowinprivatepractice,andthedirectorofVanderKraats&Associates,evidencebasednaturalmedicineinWesternAustralia.

Dennis Vander KraatsB.A.,N.D.,Dip.Acup.,D.B.M.

Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part withoutpermissionisprohibited. Ifyouare interestedinpurchasingadditionalcopiesofthisbookletpleasewriteortelephone:VanderKraats&Associates291WarwickRoad,GreenwoodWA6024Phone:(08)94477868Email:[email protected]:www.vdk.com.au

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THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL APPROACH TO COGNITIVE DECLINE,

DEMENTIA, DEPRESSION, AND NEURODEGENERATION

Do you suffer from...Poorconcentration,fadingmemory,forgetfulness,

melancholy,depression,dementia,anxiety,chronicinsomnia,mentalfatigue,difficultylearningnewconcepts,panicattacks,

underachievementonexams,Alzheimer’sdisease?

• More than 330,000 Australians suffer with dementia• 1,800 new cases every week.

Disclaimer: IMPORTANT–Theinformationcontainedinthisbookletisintendedforeducationalpurposesonly.Itisnotprovidedtodiagnose,prescribeortreatanydisease,illnessorinjury.Theauthor,publisher,printeranddistributorsacceptnoresponsibilityforsuchuse.Thoseindividualssufferinganydiseaseorpersistentsymptomsshouldconsultwiththeirphysician.Itishopedthatthisinformationwillempoweryoutomakemoreinformeddecisionsregardingyourhealthandwellbeing.

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Note:All website links found in this booklet are

available on our website atwww.vdk.com.au/integrative-links

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Integrative MedicineINTEGRATIVE MEDICINE combines mainstream medical therapies andcomplementarymedicine and picks the best scientifically validated therapiesfortreatment.Itrecognizestheimportanceofthepartnershipbetweenpatientandpractitionerinthehealingprocess.Weoftenrelyonspecific“reductionist”medicaldiagnosestohelpguideustochoosethebestholistictreatment,takingsymptoms into consideration, but focusing the treatment on the underlyingcauses.

INTEGRATIVEMEDICINE isaphilosophywhichneitheracceptsnorrejectsanytype ofmedicine uncritically. It will not be subjugated to ideology or vestedinterests,butstrivetodowhateverisinthebestinterestofthepatient.

WelcomeWelcomeandthankyouforsharingyourvaluabletime. Ihopethatyoufindthis book enlightening and empowering. More importantly, I hope that thisinformationtranslatesintoimplementingeffectivechangeandanimprovementinyourwellbeing.

IhavetriedtowritethisbookinawaythatIwouldwanttoreadabook.

Somuchofwhatwehearandreadabouthealthtodayisjustnottrue.OftenIamaskedformyopiniononmedicaladvicethathasbeengivenby“DrGoogle”.Iamcontinuallyappalledbytheamountofpseudoscienceandabsoluterubbishthatisbeingpromotedontheinternet.Theinternetofcourseisoneofthegreatestinnovationsofourtime.Itisagreatmediumoffreeandcreativethinking.Butwhenitcomestomattersofourhealth,weneedtobeverydiscerning.

Ihavewrittenthisbooksoitcanbereadonseverallevels.Manyofusaretimepoorthesedaysandtheprospectofhavingtocommithugeamountsoftimetounderstandingimportantconceptswhichaffectourhealthcanbediscouraginganddaunting.Ontheotherhand,iftheinformationistoosimplisticandgeneral,themessagewilllackthegravitasthatitdeservesconsideringtheimportanceofthesubjectmatter.

After35yearsinthehealthindustry, Ioftenamguiltyduringconsultationsofassumingthatwhathealthpractitionersconsiderasfundamentalandassumedconcepts, are often unsettling and paradigm changing to those outside theindustry. It has been estimated that people only retain about 10% of theinformationthatispassedonduringaconsultationandsoIsummarizemuchofwhatisspokenaboutinwrittenhandoutsinclinicalpractice.

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Ibelievethepurposeofthepatientpractitionerrelationshipistoempowertheindividualtomakethebestdecisionsabouttheirhealthbasedonbothempiricaland evidence based information. I believe that when one understands andacceptstherationaleforthetreatment,therearebetteroutcomes.Confidencein the treatment protocol enhances the healing process partially due to theamazingpowerofthesubconsciousmind.

Hencemost of the concepts and conclusions are explained in a concise andeasytounderstandmanner.However,muchoftheinformationthatIstateandrecommendationswillbebackedbypeerreviewedpublishedmedicalstudies.Referenceswillbegivensothatthestudiesareeasilyaccessibleforthosewishingtodelvedeeper.Orperhaps,youmaywishtosharethemwithyourhealthcarepractitionerorspecialist.Peopleofscienceshouldalwaysbewillingtoconsiderdifferentpointsofviewwhichareevidencebased.

Ifyouarereadingthisinelectronicformthestudyreferencesandotherrelevantinformation are hyperlinked so you can assess immediately. Many of thestudiesandconclusionsareabsolutelyamazingandareoftencontrarytomanyacceptedmainstreammedicalviews.Thisshouldnotbesurprisingsinceithasbeenestimatedthatmedicalknowledgedoublesevery5to7years.Inscience,somethingistrueonlyuntilitisdisproven.Thingschangeallthetime!

Manypeoplerelyontheinternettohelpunderstandtheirhealthandtreatmentoptions. Unfortunately there is so much misinformation being disguised as“scientific”itishardforthosenotintheindustrytoknowthedifference.

The next tip is very empowering!ItmaybecomeevidentthatmostofthereferencesIuseandciteintheEbookhaveonethingincommon.MostareallsourcedfromPubMed.

PubMedisafreesearchengineofreferencesandabstractsofgloballypublishedscientificstudiesonahugerangeofhealthtopics.TheUnitedStatesNationalLibraryOfMedicinemaintainsthedatabaseandcontainsover24millionentries.Approximately500,000newentriesareaddedyearly.

Tosearcha topic, simply type in thesubjectmatter thatyouwish toexplorefollowedbyPubMed.Conclusionsandsummariesaregivenfreely.Oftenafeeisrequiredtoaccessthecompletemedicalstudy.

Forexampleifyouwantedtoknowifthereareanypublishedmedicalstudieslinking“inflammationandcognitiveimpairment”simplytype:

cognitive decline inflammation pubmed

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intoyoursearchengine.Thefirstsearchresultinmysearchenginecomesupwith...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25178630

Pubmedhasahugerangeofmedicalandhealthrelatedsubjects.AsanavidorganicgardenerwithchickensIwascurioustoseeiftherewereanystudiesontheeffectsoffeedingkaletochickens.Itypedin...

Kalechickenspubmed

Tomyamazementtherewereseveralstudiesincluding...


Searchresultscanvaryduetodifferentsearchenginesornewstudies.Sometopicscanhavehundredsofrelatedstudiesandsometimeschangingakeywordinyoursearchcanhelpnarrowdownthesearchresults.

Of coursenotall studiesare trueandcanbe trusted. Manymedical studiesare flawed or biased for numerous reasons. But one can gain confidence inconclusionswhenmultiplestudiesreachsimilarconclusionsandareingeneralagreement.

Considering the results of meta-analysis are often valuable. Meta-analysisprovideamorepowerfulanalysisofresultsthanindividualstudiessincemeta-analysisusesastatisticalapproachtocombinetheresultsfrommultiplestudies.Forexampleif6studiesagreeontheconclusionsofwhatisbeingstudied,and1studyhasdissentingconclusions,lessweightisgivetothestudythatdissents.Thenumberofstudiesonatopic,thenumberofparticipants,wherethestudyisdone,whoisdoingthestudy,andthedurationofthestudyallareimportantfactorswhenassessingthevalidityofresults.

Oftenthemediafocusesonthe“dissentingstudies”anddoesnottakeameta-analysisapproachwhenreportingtheconclusionstosensationalisethenews.

Youmayalsonoticethatmanyofthestudiesaredoneonanimals.Firstlyitisimpossibletodomanyofthestudiesonhumanssincemanyofthetechniquesofanalysisaretooinvasiveanddangerous.

Secondly,mostpharmaceuticaldrugstudiesuseanimalsfortestingintheearlystages.When results are positive, the study progresses to the human stage.Thisdoesnotoccurwithmanybotanicalsandnaturalsubstancessincethereisnofinancialincentivetoproceedtohumantrials.Naturalsubstancescannotbepatented.Humantrialsareextremelycostlyandtheunavailabilityofpatentrightsfornaturalsubstancesisamajordisincentiveforfinancialinvestmentandfurtherinvestigation.

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People are often unwell for a very long time before they get a diseaseWhenoneseeksmedicaladviceforahealthconcern,oftenacleardiagnosisorcausecannotbefoundorexplained.Thisisduetothefactthatmuchofmodernmedicineisreductionistinnature.Thismethodbelievesthatproblemscanbecompletelyunderstoodintermsof itssimplerpartsorcomponents. Inotherwords,causesofdiseasecanbediagnosedinsingularterms.Forexample,thecauseofyour“problem”isabacterialinfection.Orthecauseofyour“problem”ishighbloodpressure.Whileinnowaydisparagingthisapproachwhichisvalidformanydiseases, itoften failswhen illnessesare causedby the cumulativeeffectofmany,notsoobviouscontributingfactors,oftenoveryearsordecades.

This is particularly true of many illnesses which are the result of chronicdegeneration.Peopleareoftenunwellforaverylongtime,(whethertheyrealiseitornot),beforetheygetadisease.Theidealstrategyistointerveneearlyinthedegenerativestagebeforethediseasebecomesmanifest.

Hence, the focus of this book is to intervene as early as possible in thedegenerative stage. The earlier one can assess the contributing factors andcausesof degeneration, thebetter the chances for slowingdown, halting, orreversingtheprocess.

Early warning signsCan’trememberthenameofafriendthatyou’veknownforyears?Enteraroomandthink,“Now,whyamIhere?”.Oftenlosethingsandmakewrongturnswhiledriving?Isthequalityofyoursleepconsistencygettingworse?

Areyougettingmoreanxious,easilyfrustrated,agitated,andmoody?Youdon’tthink you’re depressed but you sure feel flat andmelancholic. You’ve beenrestingalotbutstillfeeltiredallthetime?

Tasks which were once enjoyable and easily achieved become a chore andburdensome. Do youprocrastinatemore?Do you keep repeating the samequestion?

Areyoustartingtoavoidsocialinteractionandprefertostayathomemostofthetime? Whenyouconversewithpeopledoes itseemlikeyou’renotreallytherewiththem?Arepeopletendingtoparaphraseandexplainthingsmoretoyoutohelpyouunderstandwhatyoushouldhavecomprehended?

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Do you think you are slowly losing it?Thebeforementionedsymptomscanbe early warning signs of cognitivedecline and/or neurodegeneration.It is extremely important that youdon’tignoretheseearlywarningsignsbeforeitistoolate.Iimploreyoutobecomeproactive. Youwill see thatbased on many scientific medicalstudies,muchofcognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration can be sloweddown,haltedandindeedreversedbyincorporatingmanyofthestrategiesmentionedinthisbook.

Thekeyistoactearly.Inclinicalpracticepeopleoftenaskmeiftheycanhelptheir 80 year old parent with advanced Alzheimer’s diseasewho is currentlytakingaboutadozenprescriptionmedications.Theanswerisprobablynot.It’stoolate!

Had they intervened years earlier, I believe there is a good chance that theprogressionof their illnesswouldhavebeendifferentandtheirqualityof lifemuchbetter.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788702/

Physically tired or brain tiredOneofthemostcommoncomplaintsinclinicalpracticeisthatoflethargyandtiredness.Oftenallpathologytestsarenormalandnodiseasescanbedetected.

InsomecasesI’vetreated,afteracourseoftherapywithimprovementsshownwithvariousobjectivetests,thepatientshouldhaveexperiencedanimprovementinwellbeingandenergy...yetthefatiguepersists.

ThisgotmethinkingbacktothedayswhenIusedtobeamiddledistancerunnerrepresentingCanada,trainingtwicemostdaysandroutinelyrunning160kmperweek.WasIoftentired?Youbet!

But the amazing thing was that on the days that I perceived myself to beabsolutely jaded and dreading the training session or race, I surprisinglyperformedextremelywell.

Howcould I think that Iwas so tiredwhen thestopwatchprovedotherwise?Simplystated,mybrainwastired.

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The mind is everythingManyeliteathletesunderstandthatthepowerofthemindistheratelimitingfactor in athleticperformance. PaavoNuumi,nicknamed the “Flying Finn”, winner of 12Olympicmedalsandarguablythebestdistancerunner of all time said: “Mind is everything.Musclesarepiecesofrubber.AllthatIam,Iambecauseofmymind.”

The Olympic Gold medallist and former mileworld record holder, Australian Herb ElliotwasmentoredbytheunorthodoxcoachPercyCerutty.Asrevealedinhisfascinatingbook,“BEFIT!ORBEDAMNED”Ceruttywasaparadigmshiftingproponentofaholisticapproachtotraining.Apartfromgutwrenchingworkoutsthatwouldkillagazelle,includingrepeatedrunsupsteepsanddunes,he imposed strict dietary regimesanddemandeda toughmindedallegiancefromhisathletes. Therewasnoroomforcompromise. Itwashiswayorthehighway.Heknewthatifyourmindwouldfail,sowouldyourbody.Thetitleofhisbookisindicativeofhiscoachingethos.


The illusion of fatigueWenowunderstandthatsensationsoffatigueareoftenillusionarysincetheymaynotaccuratelyreflectthetruephysicalhealthofanindividual.Themoreobviousexample is thatof the elite athlete. But the sameprinciples can apply to most ofus. Subconscious and consciousattitudesanddecisionsaremajordeterminantsofhowwefeelandperform.

Themindandbodyareinseparableandofcoursephysicaldiseaseandagingcanreduceourenergylevels.Theholistichealthapproachstrivestoaddressthephysicalcausesofenergyandminddepletion,aswelldirectlyenhancingbrainfunction.

Ihavefoundthatbyenergizingpeople’sminds,notonlydoestheirenergyimprove,buttheyhaveimprovedclarityofthought,bettermoods,lessinflammation,andothersymptomaticimprovements.

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Never well sinceOneofthemostimportantpartsoftakingapatientcasehistoryistotakeintoaccount the “never well since” factor. Many illnesses can be traced back toaneventthattriggersacascadeofbiologicalprocessesthatcreatenumeroussymptomsandcaneventuateinseriousdisease.

Even the after the trauma or stress has been resolved, often the residualimpairmentlingersunlessproactivemeasuresaretakentorestorebalance.

Overthedecadesofclinicalexperience,manypatientshaveoftenreferredtoaneventwhichseemstohavetriggeredtheirdeclineinhealth.Eventsthatcantrigger this “neverwell since” condition include death of loved ones, viruses,bacterialinfections,hospitalisation,operations,andprescriptionmedications.

Linkingthe“neverwellsince”causalfactorwiththecurrentdaymaladyisoftencrucialtoformulatingahealthrestoringplan.

Post-traumatic stress disorderPosttraumaticstressdisorderisaclassicexampleofapastpsychologicaleventhavingadramaticeffectonbothmindandbody.

When we perceive that we are under threat of danger, whether physical orpsychological, the brain and nervous system go into survival mode. Manyhormonalandneurotransmitterresponsesareputinto“overdrive”.Heartrateandbloodpressureincrease,andinasense,wephysiologicallybecomelikeaboxerthat isabouttoenterthefightring.This isgenerallyagoodthingas ithelpsussurvivelifethreateningcircumstances.

The problem occurs when this “fight or flight response” occurs over a longperiodoftimeperhapsduetoawar,anabusiverelationship,orastressfuljob.Thisstateoffearand“hyperarousal”canleadtonumeroussymptomssuchasinsomnia,nightmares,anger,irritability,andviolenttendencies.Overtimethebodybecomesexhaustedandthestateofhyperarousalcanfadetodepression,exhaustion,confusion,andwithdrawal.

Thesubsequentextentofbraindamageduetothischronicpsychologicalstresssharemany common neurobiological changes and symptoms as those whohaveexperiencedaphysicalbraintrauma.

Formany people these events are powerful drivers of cognitive decline andneurodegeneration.


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Chemotherapy induced cognitive impairmentAnotherexampleofthe“neverwellsince”syndromeischemotherapyinducedcognitiveimpairment.Thereisgrowingevidenceinmedicalliteraturethatpeoplewhotakechemotherapymedicinehaveanincreasedriskofcognitiveimpairment.Referredtoas“chemobrain”or“chemofog”Ihavewitnessedmanysurvivorsofcancerwhoexhibitsymptomsofcognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration.


Post stroke cognitive declineStrokeisamajorcauseofcognitivedecline.Astroke,sometimesreferredtoasacerebrovascularaccident(CVA),isthelossofbrainfunctionduetoadisturbanceinthebloodsupplytothebrain.Thiscanbecausedbyalackofbloodsupply(ischemia)orbyinternalbleeding(haemorrhage).Asaresult,thedamagedareaofthebrainisnolongerabletocontrolrelatedpartsofthebodysuchaslimbsononesideofthebody,facialexpressions,orspeech.

Therearemanycontributingfactorstothecauseofstroke.Indeed,manyofthecausesofstrokealsocontributetocognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration.

Anything that can improve healthy blood flow can potentially prevent theincidenceofstroke. Nobelprizewinner inmedicineDr Ignarroespousestheimportanceofmaintaininghealthynitricoxidelevelsinthebloodasapreventivestrategy.Nitricoxideisamajorsignallingmoleculewhichrelaxesandnaturallywidens(vasodilates)bloodvessels.Optimalbloodnitricoxidelevelshelppreventsheartdiseaseandimprovescirculation.

http://www.amazon.com/More-Heart-Disease-Prevent-Even-Reverse-Heart/dp/0312335822

Generallyspeaking,thehealthierthecardiovascularsystemis,thehealthierthebrain. Anemergingconsensusof thoughtbelieveamajor factor incognitivedecline is poor circulation to the brain. Indeed, some medical researcherssuggestthatAlzheimer’sdiseaseshouldbereclassifiedasavasculardisorder.Attheonsetofearlywarningsigns,testscouldbeusedtodetectearlysignsofpoorcirculationtothebraintohelpimplementpreventativestrategiestofocusontherootoftheproblem.



http://www.journal-imab-bg.org/issue-2012/book3/JofIMAB2012vol18b3p290-297.pdf

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What is cognitive decline?Cognitionisthementalactionorprocessofacquiringknowledgeandunderstandingthroughthought,experiences,andsenses.Cognitivedeclineiswhenthisabilitydeclinesgreaterthanwhatisexpectedforthatperson’sageandeducationlevel.It is estimated thatmore than half of people suffering from cognitive declineprogresstodementia.Itisthusconsideredariskstatefordementia.


The good newsAlthoughcognitivedeclineisverycommonandseemstobestartingearlierinlife,thegoodnewsisthatthebraindoeshaveanamazingcapacitytohealandimprove infunctiongiventherightconditions. Thiswilloften includespecificnutrients which stimulate healing as well as modifying lifestyle factors anddiseaseprocessesthatcontributetocognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration.



What is neurodegeneration?Neurodegeneration is theumbrella termfor theprogressive lossofstructureorfunctionofneurons,includingthedeathofneurons.Neuronsornervecellsarecellsthatprocessandtransmitinformationthroughchemicalandelectricalprocesses. Neurons interactwithother cells and form informationnetworkswhichcanbelikenedtotheinternetofthebody.Neuronsarethefundamentalbuildingblocksofthebrain,spinalcord,andthenervoussystem.

Neurodegeneration can be caused byproblems in the “hardware” and/ or the“software” of the system. There can bephysical deterioration or damage to theneuronsthemselves(hardware)duetomanycauses. And/or there can be disruption inthemessagingsystemsbetweentheneuronswhichincludeneurotransmitters(software).

SevereneurodegenerationresultsindiseasessuchasAlzheimer’s,Parkinson’sdisease,andHuntington’sdisease. However,neurodegeneration isagradualdeteriorationwhichcantakeyearsordecadestodevelop. It is thoughtthat

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gene defects play a major role in neurodegeneration. However, there arealso epigenetic factors which can affect gene expression. In other words,environmental factors can either “turn on” and promote gene expression or“turn off” and promote down regulation of gene expression. Having a genedefectdoesnotalwaysresultinthegeneassociateddiseasebeingmanifested.


Neurogenesis : Growing new brain cellsMedicalscienceoncethoughtthatthenumberofbraincellsthatonehadwasfiniteandthatoncepastacertainage,theonlywaywas“down”withprogressivelossinthenumberofbraincellsandbrainfunction.

Neurogenesisisthegrowthofnewnervoussystemandbraintissueincludingneurons.Numerousstudiesshowthatmanylifestylefactorsaswellasfoods,nutrients,andherbscanstimulateneurogenesis.Exercise: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17374720http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258000/

Curcumin: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281036/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17617388http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18362141

Healthy sex life:


Calorie restriction: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23773068

Living in a rich environment: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9547229

Omega 3 fatty acids: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1892224/

Green tea: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20013823

Galantamine:


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Brain health and dietTherearemanyfoods,herbs,andsupplementswhichcancontributetobrainhealth.Someactdirectlyonthebrainstimulatingneurogenesis.Othersaffectthebrainindirectlythroughpreventingorimprovingbodilyprocesseswhichcancontributetodecliningcognitiveand/ornervefunction.


http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v68/n11/full/ejcn2014173a.html

Somethingassimpleaswaterforexampleisimportantforgoodbrainfunction.Prolongedstatesofdehydrationcanimpairbrainfunctionandcanactuallyaffectbrainstructure.


Althoughdietandlifestyleareofparamountimportanceinbrainhealth,therearespecificmedicineswhichwe’llseelaterinthisbookthatcanhaveadramaticeffect in slowing down, halting, and even reversing cognitive decline andneurodegeneration.

Epigenetics : Changing your own genetic destinyIn recent years there has been arevolutionary paradigm shift inthe understanding of the functionand role of genetics on humandevelopment. The emerging newscienceof epigeneticshas revealedthe profound influence, previouslyunderstated, that the environmenthas on who we are. And moreimportantly, who we can be.Epigeneticshelpusunderstand theprofoundimplicationsthatnutritionandenvironmenthasongenesandthehealthofthebrain.

Often we only consider theimmediate and short term affectsof diet and lifestyle on our health.However it is nowunderstood thatdiet and lifestyle has a profound

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long-termeffectonourhealthbyhavinganinfluenceonourgenes.

Modifications to our DNAwithout changes in the DNA sequence are knownas epigenetic changes. The accumulation of these changes is known as theepigenome.Theepigenomecomprisesall thechemicalcompoundsthathavebeenaddedtoourDNAwithoutchangingtheactualDNAstructure.

Many diseases including cancers and degenerative disorders have all beenfoundtoberelatedtoabnormalgeneactivityduetoepigeneticinfluencesandmistakes. Environmental influencessuchaspollutants,diet,and lifestylecanexertepigeneticinfluenceonourDNAcanprofoundlyaffectourhealth.

Downloadfreebooklet: http://www.vdk.com.au/epigenetics


Gene switchesThenotion that ourDNA code is the sole determining factor of our physicaldestiny has been supersededby the construct thatmany of our genes haveswitches.Thesegene“switches”comeintheformof“onandoffswitches”aswellas“dimmerswitches”.Theseswitchescanbeinfluencedbytheinteractionbetweenthegenesandtheenvironment.

Amore technical definition of epigenetics is the differing expressions of thegenescausedbyenvironmental influenceswithoutactuallychangingtheDNAcode.Imaginethatthegenesarelikethemembersofanorchestraandthattheepigeneticinfluenceristhe“conductor”.Thegenesarecapableofplayingmany“symphonies”dependingonthedirectionsoftheconductor.Apoorconductorcancausetheindividualmusiciansintheorchestratoperformpoorlyandthecumulativemanifestationischaoticandpoorlyreflectsthebeautyoftheoriginalmusical“code”.Thispoorexpressionofexquisitemusicaltalentoccurswithoutchangestothemusiciansthemselves.

Invisible vitamins cause cognitive declineAnumberofvitaminsincludingfolicacid,B12,andB6areessentialforhealthybrain function. Severe deficiencies of these vitamins have been linked to anumberofpsychiatricdiseasesandcognitivedecline.Thebodyhowevercannotusethesevitaminsintheiroriginalform.Theymustbe“activated”byanaturalprocessinthebodycalledmethylation.

Folicacidmustbeconvertedtofolinicacid,B5mustbeconvertedtopyridoxal-5-phosphate, and B12 must be converted to methylcobalamin before these

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vitamins canbeusedby thebody. Even ifdietary intakeof these vitamins isoptimal,withoutbeingconvertedtotheiractiveformbythemethylationprocess,inasensethesevitaminsremain“invisible”tothebodyandcannotbeused.

The name of the gene which controls this methylation process is called“methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (NAD(P)H)” otherwise known as theMTHFRgene.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763414002048

DefectsintheMTHFRgenecanbedetectedbypathologytestingusingasimpleswabinsidethemouth(buccalswab).

http://www.healthscopepathology.com.au/index.php/functional-pathology/tests/mthfr-gene-testing/

The environment and transgenerational effectsTheterm“environment”hasamuchbroadermeaningincontextofepigenetics.Environmental influences on the genes can be in the form of food, drugs,herbs,chemicals,radiation,emotions,andlifestyle.Whenwegazethroughtheprismoftheepigeneticmindsetweseethatourgeneticheritageispartofourenvironment.Numerousstudieshaveshownthatepigeneticinfluencescanbetransgenerational. Inotherwords, changes togeneactivitydue toepigeneticinfluencesinourparents’environmentcanbepassedontothechildren.

Ifyourecall,modificationstoourDNAwithoutchanges intheDNAsequenceareknownasepigeneticchanges.Theaccumulationofthesechangesisknownastheepigenome.TheepigenomecomprisesallthechemicalcompoundsthathavebeenaddedtoourDNAwithoutchangingtheactualDNAstructure.Sothe“memory”ofthesechangescanbepassedon,atleastitpart,toourchildren.

Since our epigenome and gene expression influences profoundly all aspectsofhealthincludingdegenerativeprocesseswhichleadtocognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration,wecanseethepossibleinfluencethatourlifestylecanhaveonnotonlyourselves,butalsoourchildren.

Thiscanbebothfrighteningandliberatingandcanchangeourperceptionabouttheresponsibilitiesofparenting.


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Pharmagenomics : Transgenerational side effectsPharmagenomics refers to thestudyof theepigeneticchanges togenesasasideeffectofpharmaceuticaldrugs.Theunderstandingthatdrugscouldhaveepigenetic side effects canbroaden our understanding ofwhat a drug side effect is. Drugtrials study side effects whilstpatientsaretakingthedrugs.Longterm studies of epigenetic sideeffects of drugs (if undertaken!),including transgenerationalstudies, could force people toreassesstherisksandbenefitsofmedications. The possibility thatchildren can suffer from drug induced transgenerational epigenetic illnessesduetotheparents’drugtherapyisalarming.

The role of epigenetics is cognitive ageinghttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25098266

Acupuncture for the treatment of cognitive decline and neurogeneisisForcenturiesacupuncturehasbeenusetotreatanumberofillnessesincludingmood enhancement and depression. It has only been in recent decades thatmedicalstudieshaveexplainedhowacupuncturehasabeneficialeffectonthebrain.Studiesshowthatacupuncturecanhaveafavourableeffectonneurotransmittersaswellasstimulatingneurogenesis Acupuncturecanalsostimulate thebrain’snatural chemical to protect itself form oxidative stress. A holistic approach forcognitivedeclineandneurogenesisshouldideallyincludeacupuncture.







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What are nootropicsNootropicisatermoriginatingfromtwoGreek words noos (meaningmind) andtrope (meaning turning). Literally then,it means “mind turning”. Current dayusageofthetermreferstoanysubstancethat restores, improves, increases, andfacilitates cognitive abilities such aslearning, concentration, alertness, andmemory. They often are derived fromnatural sources such as botanicals andamino acids and possess very few sideeffectsandexhibitextremelylowlevelsoftoxicity.

Unlike coffee and stimulant drugs which have a temporary effect on thecentralnervoussystem,thecognitiveenhancingeffectsofnootropicsareoftencumulativeandgradual.

Differentnootropics improvebrain function indifferentways. Someworkbyimprovingneurotransmitterefficiency.Neurotransmittersarenaturalchemicalsinthebodywhichallowyourneuronstocommunicatewitheachother.


Othersworkbyincreasingbloodflowtothebraintherebyimprovingoxygenandnutrientsupplytotheneurons.Researchshowsthatpoorcerebralcirculationisassociatedwithmanycasesofcognitivedecline.

Nitricoxide,themajorsignallingmoleculeofthecardiovascularsystemcanbeclassifiedasanootropicsbecauseofitsprofoundeffectonmaintaininghealthycirculationtothebrain.


Thebrainhasanamazingcapacitytohealevenaswegetolder.Somenootropicsencouragethegrowthandrepairofneuronsbystimulatingtheproductionofnervegrowthfactor(NGF)andbrainderivedneurotrophicfactor(BDNF)

NGFisaproteinthatisessentialforthegrowth,maintenance,andsurvivalofcertainneurons.


NGFisanimportantfactorincognitivedeclineandAlzheimer’sdisease. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20186703

Asmentionearlier,theimportanceoflifestyleanddietcannotbeunderestimated

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foroptimalbrainhealth.Buttheexcitingemergingscienceofnootropicsoftenoffersamoredirectstimulationofthebrainandnervoussystemhealingprocess.

Somestudiessuggestthatnootropicsareaseffectiveasmanypharmaceuticalinterventionsinbrainhealth.


Some nootropics work on enhancing the effectiveness of neurotransmitterslikeacetylcholinewhich iscritical forhealthymemory function. Acetylcholinewasthefirstneurotransmitteridentifiedinthehistoryofneuroscienceandhasprofoundeffectonbrainandnervoussystemfunction.

Other nootropics work on repairing the communication network betweenthebrain cells.Weneedoptimalneurotransmitter levels inourbrain for thetransmissionofmessagesbetweenneuronsandwealsoneedgood“wiring”forthosemessagetobedelivered.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CEgQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dovepress.com%2Fgetfile.php%3FfileID%3D14690&ei=8uDCVLWKOc268gW0h4HwCw&usg=AFQjCNGAHGHIw_eGn5vVR3DcJ6aXgCaOtA

Effectivenessandsafetyofciticolineinmildvascularcognitiveimpairment: theIDEALEstudy.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23403474

Why hasn’t my doctor told me about thisMany Doctors in other countries use nootropics and integrative medicinetreatments,andinallfairness,somedoinAustraliaaswell.Butasyou’llsee,diagnosisandtreatmentofthemanyprocessesinvolvedincognitivedeclineandneurodegenerationaretimeconsumingandaredifficulttodointhecontextofashortconsultation.

Pharmaceuticalcompanies ignoremanymedicines if theyarenotpatentable.Whywouldadrugcompanyspendtensofmillionsofdollarsgoingthroughtheprocessofmedicalstudiesandgovernmentcomplianceifthereislittlemoneyinit?

Most of themedicines referred to in this bookwill not be subsidizedby thegovernment. The conventional medical model is generally based on clearlydiagnoseddiseases.Thestrategiesdescribedinthisbookinasensedon’ttreatdiseaseperse.Butratherprocesseswhichleadtodisease.

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Why guess when you can test?The role of functional pathologyFunctional Pathology refers to numerouspathology testswhich investigate functional,biochemical,metabolic,andhormonalstatus.Mostcommonly,blood,urine,andsalivaareusedastestsamples.

Functional Pathology, generally speakingdoesnotdiagnosediseaseperse.ButratherFunctional Pathology measures functionalprocesses, deficiencies, excesses, toxins,allergies, neurotransmitters, and hormones.Inandof themselves, thesemetricsarenotdiseases,butratherprocessesorconditionswhichcanleadtodegenerationandeventualdiseasestates.

These results provide practitioner and patient essential information forintervening early in the process so as to prevent, slowdown, or reverse thediseaseprocess.Focusingonthefunctionalcausesofadiseaseprocess,insteadof merely treating its symptoms, provides a tool for early intervention andfacilitatesanintegrativeandholisticmedicalapproach.

Patients often have mixed feelings when disease oriented pathology testscontinuallyhavenegativeresults.Itisagoodthingbecausethepatientdoesn’thavethedisease,butthepatient’ssufferingandproblemsremaininexplicable.Continually being told that “there is nothing wrong with you” can be verydisconcerting. Worse still, a diagnosis of depression is sometimesmade bydefault.

But is it working?Oftenchangesandprogresscanbemeasuredbeforethepatientfeelsbetter.Peopleareoftenunwell for yearsbeforeadiseasedevelopsand thehealingprocess can take time. The additional advantage of having your diagnosedFunctionalPathologyresults“inblackandwhite”isthatoneisableretest.

Theoriginalresultsserveasbaselinemarkerssothatprogresscanbemeasuredwithsubsequenttesting.FunctionalPathologytestingprovidesatoolforearlyintervention,management,andmonitoringofongoingtreatmentefficacy.Manyofthetestsaredesignedsopatientscancollectspecimensintheprivacyoftheirhomesorinthepractitioner’sclinic.

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Wehavetounderstandthatinmostcasesthereareoftenamyriadoffactorsthat canhave a synergistic and cumulative effect in this insidiousdecay. Byaddressingasmanydeleteriousfactorsaspossible,weincreasethechanceofthebodybeingabletohealitself.Theseverityanddurationofthedegeneration,howmanyfactorsareimplicated,andgeneticpredispositionswillallinfluencetheprognosisofthetreatment.

What are neurotransmitters?Neurotransmitters are the natural brainchemicals that communicate informationthroughoutourbrainandbody.Theyarehownervecellsandbraincellscommunicatewitheachother.Eachneuronmayhavethousandsofbranchesthatconnectittootherneurons.Thebranchesarecalleddendritesoraxons.Dendrites carry messages toward the cellbody; axons carrymessages away from thecell body to another neuron. Axons extendforas longas four feet inhumans. Insomeanimals,axonsareevenlonger.

At first, science thought that axons anddendrites simply ran through the bodycontinuously, like wires. Later, it wasdiscovered that a space was between eachaxon and dendrite. These spaces are call synaptic gaps, or synapses. Thesynapse is the space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites ofthenextneuroninanervepathwayandisaboutone-millionthofaninchwide.Thenaturalchemicalsthatthebodyproducestofacilitatethetransmissionofmessagesacrossthesynapticgapsaretheneurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters regulate most bodily functions including breathing, heartrate,digestion,andbrainfunction.Theyaffectmood,memory,concentration,glucose/insulinbalance,painperception,sleepandweight.Theyhaveamajorinfluenceonmoodsandcognitivefunction.

Depletionorimbalanceofneurotransmittersisverycommon.Stress,poordiet,toxins,genetics,age,prescriptionandrecreationaldrugs,alcohol,caffeineareallcausesofneurotransmitterdisruption.

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Testing neurotransmittersIthasonlybeeninrecentyearsthatneurotransmitterscanbetestedusingurinesamples.This istremendoustoolforascertainingneurotransmitter levelsandcomparingthemwithidealortargetlevels.Thistestisalsovaluabletoassesshoweffectivecurrentmedicationis.


There is conflicting evidence about how effective antidepressant drugsactuallyareforanumberofreasons.Ibelievethatoneofthereasonsisthatserotonin,amajorneurotransmitterfordepression,isoftenassumedtobelowin symptomsofdepression. However, inmyexperience the serotonin levelsare frequently shown to bewithin the normal range. The test often revealsthatotherneurotransmitter(s)suchasdopamine,GABA,glutamate,adrenalin,noradrenalin,orcortisolaretheproblematicone(s). Testingisoftenessentialfordiagnosisandeliminatesguessworkintheprescriptionprocessandisanimportanttoolformeasuringprogress.


For further information on the significance of neurotransmitter function andbrainhealthandashortlistofdiseasecorollariespleasevisit...

http://nutripath.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/NP-NEW-TestFlyerA4-Neurotransmitter-Profile-Extensive.pdf

The nitric oxide factor: How’s your circulation?Theimportanceofhavingahealthycirculatorysystem cannot be underestimated whendiscussing brain health. In fact somedementias are defined as being vascularin origin. We know that the blood deliversnutrients, immunity, and oxygen and thusawellnourishedbrain isdependedongoodcirculation.Ahealthybrainisjustasdependentonoptimalbloodflowasahealthyheart.


Oneofthemajordeterminantsofhealthycirculationisthelevelsofnitricoxideintheblood.Nitricoxideisanimportantsignallingmoleculethatinstructsmanycriticalfunctionsofthecardiovascularsystem.

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Nitric oxide – the ubiquitous signalling moleculeLiterally tensof thousandsof scientific studieshavebeenpublishedonnitricoxideandmorearedoneeachyear. It isbecomingmoreclearlyunderstoodthatnitricoxidehasaregulatoryinfluenceonvirtuallyeverycellandorganofthebody.

Nitricoxide’smostprofoundeffectonthebodyisthatofapowerfulvasodilator.Avasodilator isasubstancethat increasesthediameterofbloodvesselsandpromotes healthy blood flow. Healthy nitric oxide levels also help to relaxarteriesandmainflexibility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn5s9Ovwly8

Nitricoxideisthebody’sownnaturalcardiovascularregulatorandisproducedby thevascularendothelium.Thisendothelium isa thin, fragile layerof cells,whichlinethebloodvesselsofthebody.Manyfactorsreducethehealthofthisliningandhencereducetheproductionofnitricoxide.

MuchoftheresearchonnitricoxidewasdonebyNobelPrizewinnerinmedicineDrLouisJIgnarro.Hisbook,NOMoreHeartDiseaseisanexcellentintroductiontotheprofoundhealthgivingeffectsofnitricoxide.

http://www.amazon.com/More-Heart-Disease-Prevent-Even-Reverse-Heart/dp/0312335822

Since healthy blood flow is vital for brain health and nitric oxide is amajordeterminant of maintaining optimal circulation, we can readily deduce theimportanceofmaintaininghealthynitric oxide levels forpreventing cognitivedecline.

During the agingprocess theproductionof nitric oxidenaturallywanes.Anyprocessthatdamagestheliningofthearteries(endothelium)wherethenitricoxide is produced will start a chain reaction, which can eventually lead tocardiovasculardiseaseandpoorcirculationtothebrain.

Poornutrition,smoking,lackofexerciseandabuildupofplaqueinthearterieswill reduce nitric oxide production. This reduction increases blood pressure,reducescardiovascularfitnessandincreasestheriskofheartattacks,strokes,andcognitivedecline.Poorbloodsupplyhasalsobeenassociatedwithdiabetes,arthritis,poormemory,dementia,andmaleimpotence.

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Starving brains?Theresearchandmedicalstudies,withoutquestionconcludethatmaintaininghealthynitricoxidelevelsarecriticalforthehealthofthecardiovascularsystem.Indeed,allorgansandtissuesofthebodywillbenefitfromahealthycirculation.Thisisespeciallytrueforyourbrain.

Likealltissue,thebrainrequiresoptimallevelsofbloodtocontinuallyfeedthebrainwithnutrientsandoxygen.Thequalitiesofourdiet,supplements,andourinteractionwiththeenvironmenthaveaprofoundeffectonthehealthofthebrain.


However,itistheresponsibilityofthebloodandbloodvesselstodeliverthesenutrientstothebrain. Littlebenefitwillbederivedfromeventhebestdiet ifthesenutrientscannotbedeliveredtothebrain.

Nitric oxide and cognitive functionSincehealthybrainsaredependentonoptimalbloodsupplyandnitricoxideiscriticalforhealthycirculation,wecanbegintoseeacausalrelationshipbetweennitricoxidelevelsandcognitivefunction.

Indeed,manymedicalexpertsconsidermostdementias,includingAlzheimer’sdisease,tobevasculardisorders.Thepathogenesis,orthemannerinwhichadiseasedevelops,fordementiaisthoughttobeinitiatedbythedeteriorationoftheendothelialliningofthebloodvessel.Thecellsliningthebloodvesselareresponsiblefortheproductionofnitricoxide.Aslow,progressivedegenerationof these liningsreducenitricoxide levelswhich impaircirculation throughoutthe body, and especially the brain. The resulting poor circulation (knownascerebralhypoperfusion)slowlyandimperceptibly,starvesthebrainofoxygenandnutrientsanddamagesthetinybloodvesselsinthebrain.Thisdegenerativeprocessalsofosterschronicinflammation,adamagingprocessinandofitself.


Concomitantwithchronicinflammationistheproductionofdamagingenzymeswhichdegradetissue.Takeforexampleosteoarthritis.Wecanfeelthepainfuleffectsof inflammation,butarenotawareoftheseassociatedenzymeswhichslowly“eataway”ourcartilageandconnectivetissue.Ourbraincansufferfromsubtleinflammatoryprocessesfordecadeswithoutusknowingitsincewedon’thavethenervesinthebraintoletusfeelthistypeofinflammation.Thesamechronicinflammatoryprocessescanalsoaffectournervecellsoutsidethebrain.

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A malnourished, hypoperfused, inflamed brain is the perfect storm forneurodegenerationandcognitivedecline.

Thereareanumberofnutrientswhichhelpstimulatethebody’sownproductionofnitricoxide.BasedonDrLouisJIgnarro’srecommendationsaswellasinsightsfrommyownpersonalclinicalexperienceIhavecreatedaformulatoeffectivelyincreasenitricoxidecalledTheNitricFactor.

http://www.vdk.com.au/the-nitric-factor

Inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and dementiaIn2002,doctorsatHarvardUniversitypublishedthefirstofaseriesoflandmarkresearch studies revealing the central role of inflammation in cardiovasculardisease.CardiologistPaulRidker,wholedthestudy,saidthat,“wehavetothinkof heart disease as an inflammatorydisease, just aswe thinkof rheumatoidarthritisasaninflammatorydisease”.

Althoughinflammationisnature’swaytohelphealthingssuchastraumasandpain,uncontrolledchronicinflammationcancauseanumberofdiseases.Likeaforestfireburningoutofcontrol,chronicinflammationdamagestheliningofthearteriesandthisreducestheproductionofnitricoxide.

Damaged arteries become “sticky” and allow cholesterol to formplaque andeventually block blood vessels. Recent studies suggest that cholesterol levelsandsaturatedfatsarenotariskfactorforheartdisease.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/behindtheheadlines/news/2014-03-18-saturated-fats-and-heart-disease-link-unproven/

Thesestudiesalsoconcludedthattransfatswereariskfactorforcardiovasculardisease.

Artificialtransfats(ortransfattyacids)aremanufacturedaddinghydrogentoliquidvegetableoilstomakethemmoresolid.

The primary dietary source for trans fats in processed food is “partiallyhydrogenatedoils.”Theuseoftransfatsinfoodshavebeendeemedunsafeandarebannedinmanycountries.Atthetimeofwritingthisbook,transfatsarenotbannedinAustralia.

Transfatscanbefoundinmanyfoods–includingfriedfoodslikedoughnuts,andbakedgoodsincludingcakes,piecrusts,biscuits,frozenpizza,cookies,crackers,andmargarines.

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Therefore it is the assault of chronicinflammationwhichdamagesthearterywallwhich allows the cholesterol to “stick”. Thecholesterolitselfisnotacausativefactor.

AveryusefultestthatIencouragemypatientstohave isHighSensitiveC-ReactiveProtein.As distinct from C-Reactive Protein, whichmeasuresgeneralinflammationinthebody,High Sensitive C-Reactive Protein measuresinflammationinthearteriesandisapredictorof myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheralarterial disease, and sudden cardiac deathamonghealthyindividualswithnohistoryofcardiovasculardisease.


Itissomewhatironicthatthewidespreaduseofstatindrugstolowercholesterolinanattempttoreducetheriskofcardiovasculardiseasehasbeenshowntoincreasetheriskofcongestiveheartfailure,muscleaches,andpains,generalweakness,fatigue,andcognitivedecline.

StatindrugsoftenreducetheenzymeCoQ10,anecessaryenzymeinvolvedintheproductionofenergyinthemitochondria.Mitochondriaarethetinyenginesinsidecellswhichareresponsible forproducingmostof thebody’senergy. Itappears thatathletesand theelderlyaremostat risk for statin inducedsideeffects.



StudiesshowthatsupplementingwithCoQ10canhelpmitigatethesideeffectsofstatindrugs.ThehigherthedoseofstatindrugsprescribedthegreaterthedoseofCoQ10needed.Inmyexperience,thedosagerangeneedstobefrom300mgto600mgdailytobeeffective.


Thebrainneedsahealthylevelofcholesteroltofunctionoptimally.Indeed,manyofthebody’shormonesusecholesterolasaprecursorinthetheirproduction.Since it isdifficult forcholesterol topass through thebloodbrainbarrier theeffectsofserumcholesterolreductioncanbeamplifiedinthebrain.

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Althoughthebrainmakesuponly2%ofthebody’sweight,itcontains25%ofthebody’scholesterol.Cholesterolishighlyconcentratedinthemyelinsheath,whichenclosesaxonswhichtransportmessagesviathenervoussystem.Cholesterolalso plays a crucial role in facilitating the transmission of neurotransmittersacrossthesynapse.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/statin-side-effects/art-20046013

http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/why_statins_dont_really_work.html

A fascinating account of statin side effectswaswrittenDr. DuaneGraveline,former astronaut, aerospace medical research scientist, flight surgeon, andfamilydoctor. Inhisbook, Lipitor; Thief ofMemory,DrGraveline shareshisexperiencesoflosinghisshort-termmemorywhiletakingLipitortolowerhischolesterol.Uponcessationofthedrughismemoryreturned.Encouragedbyhispeersayearlatertoresumethedrugathalfdose,hismemorylossbecamemoresevereandwashospitalisedanddiagnosedwithtransientglobalamnesia.Virtuallyallhismemoryhadgone.Again,uponcessationofthedrug,hismemoryreturned.

http://www.amazon.com/Lipitor-Thief-Memory-Duane-Graveline/dp/1424301629

Inallfairness,therearealsosomedissentingstudieswhichsuggeststatinsmayhaveabeneficialeffectondementiaandAlzheimer’sdisease. It is interestingtonotethatthesuggestedbenefitsconferredareduetoananti-inflammatoryeffectofthedrug.

Cortisol and cognitive dysfunctionCortisol,ahormonemadebytheadrenalinglandsisvitaltomaintainingwellnessand homeostasis. Dubbed “the stress hormone”, cortisol helps regulate themanychangesthebodyhas inresponsetostress. Cortisol levelsprofoundlyinfluencemostorgansinthebodyandbloodpressure,inflammation,immunity,bloodsugarlevels,andbrainfunctionarealldirectlyaffectedbyit.

Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day and night in a circadian rhythm.Generally higher levels in the morning provide energy in the morning andcontinueuntiltheeveningwhenideallycortisoldeclinefacilitatesarestfulanddeepsleep. Oftenpeoplehaveanoppositepatterntothiswherebytheyareexhaustedinthemorningandthenasstressprovokedcortisolrisesthroughouttheday,anxietyandinsomniaoftenresults.

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Oftensimilarsymptomscanbeexperiencedwithbothhighandlowlevelsofcortisol.Thustestingisdesirablesincethetreatmentforlowandhighcortisolleveliscompletelydifferent.For accurate testing 4 saliva samples aretaken throughout the day; 6:00 am, noon,6:00 pm, and 10:00 pm since cortisol canfluctuatedramatically.

Typicalsymptomsofhighlevelsofcortisolare:impaired cognitive function, reduce thyroidfunction, high blood pressure, loweredimmunity,insomnia,lossofmuscleandbonedensity, and deposition of abdominal bodyfat.

Typicalsymptomsoflowlevelsofcortisolare:depression,brainfog,lowthyroidfunction,fatigue,insomnia,lowimmunity,lowbloodpressureandinflammation.

http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=482360




The advantages of saliva testingSaliva testinghasbeenused tomeasurehormones since the late1960sandhasmanyadvantagesoverserum(blood)testing.Themostsignificantfeatureofsalivatestingisthatitmeasures“free”orbiologicallyactivehormones.

Itisthoughtthatupto95%ofourhormonesarebiologicallyinactivebecausetheyare“bound”withproteins.Salivatestingfocusesonthesmallamountof“free”orbiologicallyactivefractionofhormones.Theseunboundhormonesaremorereadilyavailabletobeabsorbedandutilizedbythecells.



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Subclinical hypothyroidism and cognitive declinehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4192986/

The vast majority of people who suffer from thyroid problems suffer fromhypothyroidism...that is, an under active thyroid. The thyroid produceshormoneswhichaffectalmostallthecellsinyourbody.Itisnowonderthen,thatadisorderofthethyroidcancauseliterallyhundredsofdifferentproblemsinyourbodyincludingcognitivedecline.(Seepartiallist)

Fatigue, decreased libido, candida, dry skin, premature aging, infertility,constipation, mood swings, frequent infections, headaches, blood pressureproblems,endometriosis,diabetes,cancer,nervousness,insomnia,

heart attack, weight loss or weight gain, stroke, hair loss, high cholesterol,intolerance to heat, muscle weakness, low immune system, arthritis, gout,depression, osteoporosis, joint pain, muscle pain, heart palpitations, cysticbreasts,ovariancysts,intolerancetocold,insulinresistance

Whatmakesmatters worse, is that there aremany peoplewho suffer fromhypothyroidismthatremainundiagnosed.Thereareanumberofreasonsforthis that you shouldunderstand toempower you to take steps to see if youareoneof themanywhoare sufferingwithout knowing that your thyroid isunderactive.

Themostcommonmedicaltestformeasuringthefunctionofthethyroidisabloodtestwhichmeasures the levelofThyroidStimulatingHormone (TSHorthyrotropin)thatyouranteriorpituitaryglandproduces. Inasense, this isaconversationbetweenthepituitaryglandandyourthyroidgland. Whenyourthyroidisbeinglazyandnotproducingenoughthyroidhormones,thepituitaryglandproducesmoreTSHasasignal toencouragethe thyroidglandtostartworkingharderandproducemorehormones.Theconverseisalsotrue.Thatis,ifthethyroidisoverproducinghormonesthepituitaryproduceslessTSHinanattempttodownregulatethyroidhormonesproduction.

ThereareanumberofpotentialshortcomingsoftheTSHasameasurementofthyroidfunction.

Firstly, the reference range that most Australian pathology companies useisoutdatedaccording tomedicalexpertsoverseas. InAustralia thesocalled“normal”rangegoesfrom.4to4andinsomecases, .4to5. Inrecentyearsmany pathology companies overseas have narrowed this range to .4 to 2.5.SomedoctorsbelievethataTSHof1.0isidealformanypeopleespeciallyifoneistryingtoloseweightortryingtoconceive.

ThismeansthatifyourTSHisgreaterthan2.5andlessthan5,inAustraliayou

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wouldbeclassifiedas“normal”whereasunderthestricteroverseasrangeyouwouldbediagnosedassufferinghypothyroidism.Themorenarrowrangecouldbedescribedas the “ideal” ormosthealthy range. A recent studyof 65,000healthy people without thyroid disease found that the most common TSHreading(Mode)was1.25andtheMedianValuewas1.50(thatis,overhalfthepopulationinthestudyhadareadingbelow1.50.Theaverage(MeanValue)was1.68.Eighty-fivepercentofthegrouphadaTSHunder2.35(SeeChart)

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonjas-stoffskifteforum.info%2Fattachment.php%3Fattachmentid%3D57%26d%3D1352816918&ei=j93uVKXAM8HZmgWAx4KwBg&usg=AFQjCNG0KStA7xkUsPi3c6dl8IzWnpj06Q&bvm=bv.86956481,d.dGY

The secondandperhapsmore significant problemwith interpreting the TSHreading is to remember that it is only the “dialogue” between the pituitaryglandandthethyroid.This“dialogue”helpsregulatetheproductionofthyroidhormones,butitprovidesnoinformationastowhetherthethyroidhormonesare being effective in their “target tissues”. This iswhere “the rubbermeetsthe road”! To understand this,wemust realize that hormones are chemical“messengers”thathaveinstructionstodelivertocells.Thisinstructiontellscellswhat todo. The transferof “information” fromthe thyroidhormone (indeedallhormones)takesplaceatthecellmembrane(cellwall).Hormonesarelike“keys”thatfitintolocks(receptorsites).Whenthe“key”fitsthereceptorsite,theinformationistakenonboardthecelltostimulatecellfunctionandofteninitiategeneexpression.

Theproblemoccurswhen thereareadequateamountsof thyroidhormonescirculatingintheblood,buttheexchangeofinformationandinstructionsdoesnotoccuratthecellmembrane.It’sasthoughthehormonesdon’texistsincethe cells are “resisting” (ie not listening) to the hormones’ instruction. Thisineffectivenessofthehormone’sabilitytotransfer informationtothecellhasbeennamed,“Type2Hypothyroidism”.

http://www.amazon.com/Hypothyroidism-Type-2-The-Epidemic/dp/0975262408

Asanaside,asimilarconceptoccurswithinsulinandbloodsugars,knownas“insulinresistance”. In thiscase, there isplentyof insulin (ahormone) in thebloodstream,butpoorreceptorsitehealthatthecellwall,likewiseignoringtheinstructionsofinsulin.


AnotherpotentialundiagnosedproblemoccurswiththelackofconversionofT4

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toT3.ThemainhormonethatthethyroidproducesiscalledT4.T4isrelativelyinactiveandmustbeconvertedbythebodytothemoreactiveformcalledT3.IfforvariousreasonsT4cannotbeconvertedefficientlytoT3,hypothyroidismcanresult.

Measuring basal metabolic temperatureAn extremely prevalent symptom of hypothyroidism is a lowering of bodytemperature.Alowerbodytemperatureisasignofadecreasedmetabolism.Coldhandsandfeetareoftenpartofthesymptompicture.Peoplecanalsofeel“hot”yetstillhavealoweredbodytemperature.

Temperatureshouldbetakenfirst thing in themorningbeforegettingoutofbed.Excessbedclothingorblanketscangiveahighreadingascananabnormalsleeppatternthenightbefore. It is idealtomeasureafteragoodoraveragenight’ssleep.

Place the thermometer under your armpit until it beeps (assuming digitalthermometer) before rising first thing in themorning. Temperature readingsbetween36.6Cand36.8Careconsiderednormal.Anyreadinglowerthan36.6stronglysuggestshypothyroidism.Thistestcanalsobeanindicationwhenthethyroidhasbeensuccessfullytreatedsincebodytemperaturewillthenrisebackuptothenormalrange.Atleast3to5measurementsarerecommended

Mencando the testanydaywhennotrushedandafteranadequatenight’srest.Women’stemperatureshowever,canfluctuateatdifferenttimesoftheirmenstrual cycle. Day 2 until Day 6 are ideal. (Day 1 is when themenstrualbleedingstarts)However,measurementatdifferenttimesofthecyclecanbeimportantforcomparisonandalsoindicationsofhormonefluctuations.

Beforepubertyandaftermenopause,womencan take their temperatureonanyday.

Itisnotrecommendedthatthetemperaturebetakenorally.Oraltemperaturecanbeaffectedbysinusproblems,teethandgumproblems,generalinflammationinthebody,etc.

Ifyourbasalmetabolictemperatureissignificantlylowerthanthetargetrangeconsidertakingathyroidsupplement.Sinceiodineisamajorrawmaterialforthe production of thyroid hormones low levels can reduce thyroid function.Iodinelevelscanbetestedwithurinesamples.

https://napiers.net/underactive-thyroid.html

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/1/108.full

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Food allergy testingIthasbeenlongknownthatfoodplaysasignificantroleinbrainhealth.Inmyexperiencegenerallythefocushasbeenonwhatfoodsarebeneficialforbraingrowth,functionandmaintenance.

However,theconverseisalsotrueinthatfoodscanhaveanirritatingeffectonthebrain,eitherdirectlyor throughsomesecondary relatedprocesssuchasfoodallergies,foodintolerances,anddigestiveproblems.


DrDavidPerlmutterconvincinglyarguesinhisbookGrainBrainthatconsumptionofglutenandrefinedsugarscontributestobraindecay.Thesefoodsnotonlycancreateinflammationanddiscomfortinthegastrointestinaltractbutalsocantravelsystemicallyviathebloodtoaffectmanybodypartsincludingthebrain.

http://www.amazon.com.au/Grain-Brain-Surprising-Brains-Killers-ebook/dp/B00H4EPCGW/ref=sr_1_1/378-9086237-5854964?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425860882&sr=1-1&keywords=grain+brain

Themajorityofadversereactionstofoodarerarelylifethreatening,butmaybeasourceofconsiderablediscomfortinmanychronicconditionsanddiseases.

The symptoms are varied and individuals can react in different ways. Manypeoplelivewithminorormajorsymptomsofadversefoodreactionsforyearswithouteversuspectingtheinvolvementoftheimmunesystemandthefoodswhichtriggerthem.

Food sensitivity is often given a lowpriorityin the investigation of disease. Commonconditions where food sensitivity mayplay a significant role include bloatingand fluid retention, inflammatory boweldisease, irritablebowel syndrome,migraine,depression and mood swings, asthma, skinconditions and behavioural problems inchildren.

IgG Food Sensitivity testing is a blood testthat measure’s the body’s immunologicalresponsetofoods.Foranumberofreasonsif the immunesystemdoesn’t “like”a foodoradditive itproducesantibodieswhichcaneventuallycauseamyriadofsymptoms.IgGFoodSensitivitytestinginconjunctionwithacasehistoryandothertestresults,isanefficientandreliablemethodfordiscoveringwhichfoodsarecausingadversereactionsinthebody.

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IgG vs IgE allergiesIt’s important that wemake a distinction between IgG and IgE allergies. IgEmediated food reactions are immediate and can be life threatening. Typicalreactions includeabdominalcramping,diarrhoea,skinrashes,hives,swelling,wheezingorthemostextremereaction,anaphylaxis.Theallergensaregenerallyeasytodetectandcommonlyoccurinchildrenbutarerareinadults.Usuallyonlyinvolvesoneortwofoodssuchaspeanutsandtheseallergensneedtobestrictlyexcludedfromthediet.

IgGmediatedfoodallergiesorsometimesreferredtoas“foodintolerances”,aremuchmoredifficult todetectsincetheallergicreactioncanbedelayedbyasmuchas2days.IgGreactionsgenerallyinvolvemultiplefoodsandarethemostcommonformoffoodsensitivityinbothchildrenandadults.

Commonconditionswherefoodsensitivitymayplayasignificantrole includeabdominal bloating andfluid retention, inflammatoryboweldisease, irritablebowelsyndrome,migraine,depression,moodswings,asthma,skinconditions,andbehaviouralproblemsinchildren.Thesefoodintolerancesoncedetectedandmanagedproperly,canoftenbereversed.

EarlytestingforIgGfoodsensitivityinchildrenmaythereforeidentifychildrenwithanincreasedriskofdevelopingfutureallergicdisease.

Anaggravationofneurologicalsymptomshasbeenreportedinautisticpatientsaftertheconsumptionofmilkandwheat.OntestingitwasfoundthatthelevelofIgGantibodiesforcaseinandothermilkproteinswassignificantlyhightobeanaggravatingfactor.


Glutathione; the master antioxidantGlutathionedefends against toxins, disease,agingandoxidativestress.Declininglevelsofglutathioneinthebodyincreasesvulnerabilitytoover70majordiseaseincludingAlzheimer’sdisease, autism, Parkinson’s disease, liverdisease,cancer,heartattack,stroke,diabetes,depression, fatigue, inflammation, arthritis,thyroid disease, allergies, poor immunity,frequent infections, poormemory, impairedcognition, insomnia, weight gain, and visionproblems.

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“Beingabletostimulatethebody’sownendogenousproductionofglutathioneisthemostsignificantbreakthroughinnaturalmedicinethatI’veseenin3oyears.”

Glutathioneisthebody’smostimportantdefenseagainstfreeradicals,chemicaltoxins,radiation,heavymetals,pollutionandoxidativestress.

Toreadmoreaboutglutathionegoto...

http://www.vdk.com.au/glutathione

Glutathione, oxidative stress, and neurodegenerationAswebegintounderstandthedamagingeffectsofexcessoxidativestressonbrainfunctionwerealizehowimportantitistohaveoptimallevelsofglutathionetopreventthisdeterioration.




NeuroplasticityThehumanbrainhasanastonishingabilitytoadaptandchangegiventherightstimulation.Neuroplasticityorbrainplasticityisanumbrellatermdescribingtheabilityofthebraintochangeandformnewneuralpathways.Neuralpathwaysarethecommunicationsystembetweenthebrainandthenervoussytem.Itishowthebraincommunicateswithdistantpartsofone’sbody.

Adaptivechanges in theseneuralpathwaysaredue tochanges inbehaviour,environment,thinking,emotions,diet,andinjuries.

Althoughanymentalstimulationcanbeagoodthing,giventhecomplexityandnumerouscontributingfactorstocognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration,wecanseethatdoingcrosswordsarenotenough.

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Summary and recommendationsEmpiricalevidenceandthousandsofmedicalstudieshaveshownthatanumberof contributing factors are implicated in theprocess of cognitivedecline andneurodegeneration. The holistic and integrative approach strives to identifythesemany factors and reduce their cumulative effects. We have seen thatoftenthisisacomplexprocesswithmany,sometimeshardtoidentify,andoftenseeminglyunrelatedinfluences.

Whileaddressingtheimpactofcontributingfactors,theintroductionoftargetedsupplements including nootropics are employed to slow down, halt, andhopefullyreversecognitivedeclineandneurodegeneration.

Itisimperativetotakeproactiveactionasearlyaspossible.Ihaveseentheseprocessesinallages,includingteenagers.

Thisbookinnowayismeanttobeusedasadiagnosticorprescriptiveresource.Mygoalistoempoweryoutomakewisedecisionsregardingyourhealthandtoopenyourmindtootherpossibilities.

I strongly recommend that you consult with a health professional who isexperiencedintheuseofnootropicsandintegrativemedicine.

Ifyouaretakingmedicallyprescribeddrugs,donotchangeyourprescriptionwithoutfirstconsultingyourdoctor.

All medicines have the potential for side effects. Changes or additionalsupplementsmustbe introducedgraduallyandsystematicallybasedonwhatfactorsarerelevantfortheindividual.Everyoneisdifferent.

Protocols of course will differ, but here is a check list to consider...

• Findapractitionerwhounderstandstheconceptsinthisbook.

• Assesslifestylefactors.

• Assessmedicalhistory.

• Assessfamilial/geneticriskfactors.

• IncludeacourseofacupuncturepreferablydonebyagovernmentregisteredPractitionerofChineseMedicine.

• If you or your parents or relatives are prone to depression, anxiety, panicattacks,ormoodswingstestneurotransmitters.

• Ifyouhavehaddigestiveproblems,bowelproblems,rashes,IBS,allergies,orallergiesruninthefamily,considertheIgGfoodintoleranceallergytest.

• Haveyourcirculation,andbyextrapolation,yournitricoxidelevelsassessed.

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Aftertheageof30,nitricoxidelevelsstarttodecline.Cardiovasculardiseaseisamajorriskfactorforcognitivedeclineandpoorcirculationtothebrainisverycommon.Ahealthybrainneedslotsofblood.

• Getexpertadviceonwhichnootropicorcombinationofnootropicsisrightforyou.

• Ifyouareoftentired,havefibromyalgia,hadsignificantstressfuleventsinyourlife,feellikeyoucan’tcope,pronetoinflammation,allergies,andanxiety,haveyouradrenalglandstested.

• Markersforchronicinflammationareusefultodiscoverconditionsofhiddeninflammation.ConsiderHighSensitiveC-ReactiveProtein.

• MeasureyourBasalMetabolicTemperaturetoseeifType2Hypothyroidismisapossibility.

The key to maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system is to recognizetheearlywarningsignsand takeaproactiveholisticapproach.What ismoreimportantthanyourbrain?

Crosswordsarenotenough.

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“Really good site with tons of information. Well done.”

Prof. Daniel Weber PhD; MScCEOPanaxeaMedicine

VisitingProfessor;TianjinUniversityPresident;AssociationforIntegrativeOncologyandChineseMedicine

Membereditorialboard;JournalofIntegrativeMedicine(China)Vice-ChairOncology;WorldFederationofChineseMedicineSocieties

AdvisortotheGlobalConsortiumofOncologyandChineseMedicine(Beijing)ChineseMedicineBoardofAustraliaReg:CMR0001709700

“There will never be a simple, one-pill solution for the many neurological and mental diseases affecting our society. This is why an integrative approach to

healing is essential. Dennis provides a comprehensive overview of natural solutions to help protect and promote the growth of new brain cells. This book is

a great read for anyone serious about enhancing brain health and survival.”

Dr Adrian LoprestiClinicalPsychologist

B.A.Psych(Hons),M.A.,PhD

“I have known Dennis for 3 decades now since student days in Melbourne in the 1980’s. Our professional paths have crossed many times since then. Both of us hungry for greater knowledge and constantly searching for an edge on those

difficult to treat conditions, swapping clinical gems and client cases and discussing techniques and technologies that could assist our clients. This is what makes the practice of functional medicine a constantly evolving but immensely stimulating

and rewarding field to be involved in. And I know that Dennis is as passionate and steadfast about this evolving new paradigm of medicine as I am.

Dennis’ strength lies within his longevity of experience and his ability to educate on a scale broader than his immensely successful practice and I congratulate Dennis on a book well written that I suggest will both enlighten and educate his readers.”

Chris RavesiN.D.,D.Ac.

AHPRAregisteredhealthpractitioner,RegisteredAcupuncturistwithChineseMedicineRegistrationBoard.MemberoftheAustralianTraditionalMedicineSocietyandtheAustralianAcupunctureandChineseMedicineAssociation

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Are you interested in discussing how integrative medicine can benefit you?

ContactVanderKraats&Associatestodayformoreinformation,ortobookanappointment.

Email: [email protected]:www.vdk.com.auPhone: (08)94477868(appointmentsonly)

Forappointmentsonlycall (08)94477868Forenquiriesemail [email protected]

Webwww.vdk.com.au

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THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL APPROACH - Perth Naturopathy · in the treatment protocol enhances the healing process partially due to the amazing power of the subconscious mind. Hence most