Nutrition for Your Brain and Central Nervous System by Dr. King in San Marino, CA

Thursday, January 26th, 2012, 8:39 pm

Nutrition for Your Brain and Central Nervous System

Many neurodegeneratives diseases have similar brain shrinkage, namely Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease. One common denominator is poorly functioning mitochondria. Mitochondria manage the energy supply to the cell, and unless you consume the correct nutrients, eventual mitochondrial malfunction is the obvious result.

Nutrients in particular are essential for proper mitochondrial function:

1. Animal-based omega-3 fat

2. Creatine

3. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

myelin is an insulating, waxy substance that sheathes the nerves in your central nervous system. Your myelin also needs specific nutrients to function properly, such as:

Vitamin B1
Vitamin B9
Vitamin B12
Iodine

Furthermore, the neurotransmitters in your brain need sulfur and B6 for optimal functioning. Eat whole unrefined foods is needed for optimal mitochondrial, myelin, and neurotransmitter function, because while your body can create some nutrients, others must be provided through your diet.

The majority of Americans eat high amounts of processed foods, which are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, processed grains, and harmful chemical additives such as MSG, and artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Unfortunately, this kind of diet is a prescription for chronic disease and stress to the body. Not only are you getting lots of what you don’t need, you’re quite simply not getting enough real nutrients!

Less than half of all Americans get enough vitamin B6 and magnesium in their diet. More than 70 percent do not get sufficient amounts of iodine, and more then 80 percent do not get enough omega-3 fat from their diet. This, by the way, is why animal-based omega-3 is one the supplements I recommend to everyone.

An unprocessed good nutrient rich diet should include:

3-4 cups daily (equal to one dinner plate, piled high) of green leaves, such as kale, chard, in all varieties which are high in vitamins B, A, C, K, and minerals
3 cups daily of sulfur-rich vegetables from the cabbage- and onion- families
3 cups daily of brightly colored vegetables, fruits and/or berries, which are a good source of antioxidants
Wild fish for animal-based omega-3′s (salmon, sardines, anchovies)
Grass-fed meat
Organ meats for vitamins, minerals and CoQ10
Seaweed for iodine and selenium

Eliminate processed foods, grains, and starches (which includes potatoes, peas and corn).

Vitamin D deficiency can play an important role in MS, chronic fatigue, memory, loss and many other underlying symptoms.

It’s easy to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized to between 50-70 ng/ml year-round for general health, and between 70-100 ng/ml when treating autoimmune diseases such as MS, heart disease, or cancer.

As for dosage, if you’re taking an oral supplement, it’s important to understand that there’s no dosage at which that magic number happens. The most important factor is your serum level, so you’ll want to get your level measured regularly to determine if you need to take more or less than the general recommendation to stay within the optimal range. Most people need somewhere between 5000IU-10,000IU per day and others benefit by having 50,000IU once a week. So it’s important to be tested and to work with a Natural Doctor, Doctor, Or Nutritionist who is familiar with therapeutic vitamin D levels.
Finally, Eliminate sugar, particularly fructose – Cutting out processed foods and sweetened beverages will go a long way to reduce excess fructose, in addition to eliminating the majority of damaging fats in your diet. You simply must keep your daily total fructose intake below 25 grams. If you haven’t yet grasped the toxic nature and profound health dangers of fructose, now’s the time to get with it. Sugar can contribute to the development of a number of autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. It also increases uric acid levels, which leads to chronic, low-level inflammation, which has far-reaching consequences for your health.

There are many easy steps to start living a healthier more productive lifestyle with good healthy eating and the addition of some key quality supplements. For more specific information for your body always talk with a qualified health care professional.

Tags: Alternative Health Care, Alternative Medicine, Alzheimer's Disease & Diet, Alzheimer's Disease & Nutrition, Brain & Diet, Dr. King & Health, Dr. King & Nutrition, Dr. OZ & nutrition, MS & Diet, Nutrition & Diet