Transcript ProActive Aging: Food and Lifestyle Choi

Proactive Aging: Food and
Lifestyle Choices
Majid Fotuhi, MD PhD
New Discoveries
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Objectives
 Why does the brain shrink with
aging?
 Which foods increase or decrease
age-related brain atrophy?
 What else can be done: Brain
Fitness Program
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Objectives
 Why does the brain shrink with
aging?
 Which foods increase or decrease
age-related brain atrophy?
 What else can be done: Brain
Fitness Program
4
Memory Lapses or Alzheimer’s?
Memory Lapses
Age-Associated
Memory
Impairment
MCI
Alzheimer’s
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Short-term: Hippocampus
Long-term: Cortex
Cortex
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Hippocampus
With Aging,
Hippocampus Atrophies Faster
than the Rest of the Brain
 Hippocampus shrinks by about 0.5% per
year after age 50
 That is the reason memory lapses become
more frequent after age 50
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Overlapping Causes of
Brain Atrophy with Aging
Obesity
Diabetes
Inflammation
Stroke
Sleep Apnea
Concussion
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Stress
Alzheimer’s
Less Brain Volume in Patients with
Sleep Apnea
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002; 166:1382–7
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Multiple Vascular Risk Factors:
Worse Brain Atrophy
No
Vascular
Risk Factors
Hippocampus
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Multiple
Vascular
Risk Factors
Hippocampus
Stress Shrinks
Brain Cells in Hippocampus
Control
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Stress
Alzheimer’s:
Plaques and Tangles
 Plaques: gum-like
collection of a protein
called Amyloid
 Tangles: abnormal
aggregation of a protein
called Tau
 Inflammation
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Brain-healthy Diet
Physical Fitness
Cognitive Stimulation
Meditation
Diabetes
Hypertension
Obesity
Sleep Apnea
Head Trauma
Genes
Stress
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Objectives
 Why does the brain shrink with
aging?
 Which foods increase or decrease
age-related brain atrophy?
 What else can be done: Brain
Fitness Program
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Obesity Shrinks the Brain

Associated with reduced
brain volume
Ward, et al., 2005

Slows cognitive function
Debette, et al., 2011

Brains of overweight and
obese individuals
appeared 8 and 16 years
older, respectively
Raji, et al., 2010
Brain Research Volume 1280, 14 July 2009, Pages 186–194
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Step Away From the Sugar

Increases insulin
resistance

Slows cognitive
performance

Reduces hippocampal
BDNF levels
Agrawal & Gomez-Pinilla, 2012.
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Neurology. 2005 May 24;64(10):1704-11.
Trash Trans Fats
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Trans fats typical found in foods
such as:
-
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Cookies, crackers, muffins,
donuts
Fried foods like French fires,
chicken nuggets
Chips and other snack foods
Increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease
- Increases LDL (bad cholesterol)
- Decreases HDL (good cholesterol)

Linked with brain shrinkage
Agrawal & Gomez-Pinilla, 2012
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Image source: Bantransfats.com
Alcohol Shrinks the Brain
 Alcoholics shows significant
brain atrophy
Jacobson, 1986. Mann, et al., 1992.
 Heavy drinking is associated
with learning and memory
problems
Nixon, et al., 1995.
 Women appear to be more
susceptible to damage
Hommer, et al., 2003.
Image source: Lisabauman.blogspot.com
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Three Types of Food for
Reversing Brain Atrophy with Age
1. Increasing levels of a healing protein: BDNF
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BDNF helps with growth of new brain cells
2. Reducing levels of toxic amyloid in the brain
-
Too much amyloid kills brain cells
3. Increasing blood flow in the brain
-
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Reducing risk of stroke is the best way to keep your
brain young
More BDNF: Bigger Hippocampus
Erikson, PNAS 2011
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Food That Increase BDNF Levels
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Omega-3 Fatty Acids: DHA and EPA
Vitamin D Rich Foods
Cocoa
Blue Berries
Grapes
Caffeine
More DHA-EPA: Bigger Hippocampus
Pottala J V et al. Neurology 2014;82:435-442
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Good sources of DHA:
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Vitamin D


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Associated with increases in
BDNF
Low levels are linked to fatigue,
cognitive deficits, and poor
mood
Good sources include:
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Sunlight
Milk, yogurt, & cheese
Salmon (especially wild-caught)
and Mackerel
Fortified cereals
Mushrooms
Egg yolks
Llewellyn, et al., 2010.; Wilkins, et al., 2006.
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Cocoa

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Increases BDNF levels
Improves blood flow
Prevents inflammation
Enhances memory, learning
and cognitive function
Can help to prevent heart
disease, high blood pressure,
stroke and dementia
One ounce a day (more is not
better)
Spencer, 2009., Fisher et al., 2006., Reid et al.,2012
Crimini et al., 2013
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Image source: Healthyfoodstar.com and Huffintopost.com
Blueberries

Strongly increases BDNF
in the hippocampus
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Enhances memory and
motor performance

Good source of vitamins
A,C and K
Image source: Huffingtonpost.com
Rendeiro, et al., 2009.
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Grapes
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Increases BDNF
Excellent source of
Resveratrol
Increases blood flow to
the brain
Reduces the risk of heart
attack
Darker the grape- the
better
Rahvar, et al., 2011. Marques, et al., 2009.
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Image source: en.wickipedia.com
Wine

Source of resveratrol

Moderation is key!
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Recommendations:
-
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Women- 1 drink / day
Men- 2 drinks / day
Memory problems?—
Avoid alcohol completely!
Gómez-Pinilla, et al., 2008.
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Image source: Scooppost.com
Coffee

Increases BDNF levels in
the hippocampus
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Increases attention and
concentration
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Increases cerebral
glucose uptake

One cup a day; more is
not better
Moy & McNay, 2013.; Cao, et al., 2009.
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Image source: bubblews.com
Food That Reduce Levels of Amyloid
in the Brain
 Curcumin
 Walnuts
 Pomegranates
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Curcumin
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Yellow spice commonly
found in Indian foods
Reduces levels of
amyloid in the brain
Reduces inflammation
Improves memory
Absorption is a problem;
more research is needed
Gómez-Pinilla, et al., 2008.
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Image source: Dnndesigner.com
Walnuts

Reduces amyloid toxicity
in the brain
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Enriched with beneficial
fatty acids, vitamins and
polyphenols

Associated with a lower
incidence of
neurodegenerative
disease
Gómez-Pinilla, et al., 2008.
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Image source: Ironmagazine.com
Pomegranates

Reduces amyloid plaques
in the hippocampus
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Antioxidant rich
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Good source of vitamins C
and K
Gómez-Pinilla, et al., 2008.
Image source: Pomegranates.org
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Food That Increase Blood Flow
to the Brain
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Tomatoes
Avocados
Beets
Vitamin B12
Image source: Good housekeeping.com
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Tomatoes
 Increases blood flow to
the brain
 Source of vitamins A, B6,
and K
 Reduces inflammation
 Contains lycopene which
prevents platelet
aggregation
Gómez-Pinilla, et al., 2008.
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Image source: Thesleuthjournal.com
Avocado
 Increases blood flow
 Excellent source of
Vitamin B, C and E
 Reduces risk of diabetes
and stroke
Fulgoni et al., 2013
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Image source: Huffingtonpost.com
Beets

Increase blood flow to heart
and the brain
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The benefits of beets include:
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Lowers blood pressure
Reduces inflammation
High in fiber and low in calories
Helps with weight loss
Improves “running performance”
(more blood flow to muscles)
J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Apr;112(4):548-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2011.12.002.
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Vitamin B12

Improves blood flow to the
brain
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Low levels are linked to
smaller size of hippocampus
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Increases cognitive function
and processing speed
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Reduces risk of inflammation,
stroke and heart attack
Ho, et al., 2011.; den Heijer, et al., 2003.;
Firbank, et al., 2010.
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Best Brain Diet
 Low Carb
- No white rice
- No white bread
- Just a touch of cakes
 High protein
- 1-2 lean meats / week
- 1-2 salmon / week
 Lots of fruits and
vegetables
 Plenty of water
 DHA supplements
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Physical Activity and Mediterranean
Diet, More Effective Together
Scarmeas et al, 2009
Scarmeas et al., JAMA 302 (6):627–37, 2009
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Objectives
 Why does the brain shrink with
aging?
 Which foods can increase or
reduce age-related brain atrophy?
 What else can be done: Brain
Fitness Program
41
NeurExpand’s Unique Integrative Approach
Comprehensive
Diagnostics to
Evaluate Brain Health
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Customized Treatment
Program to Maximize
Brain Performance
Remarkable Results
Before
Hippocampus
After
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Overlapping Causes of
Brain Atrophy with Aging
Obesity
Diabetes
Inflammation
Stroke
Sleep Apnea
Concussion
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Stress
Alzheimer’s
Diabetes
Hypertension
Obesity
Sleep Apnea
Head Trauma
Genes
Stress
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Brain-healthy Diet
Physical Fitness
Cognitive Stimulation
Meditation
THANK YOU!
[email protected]
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