Brain ShrinkageTwenty years ago, I'd sit down in front of the daily crossword puzzle each morning with a pen in one hand and a stopwatch in the other. Nowadays, I sometimes feel like I could time myself with a sundial. Sometimes it feels like we spend the first half of our lives accumulating knowledge, and the second half of our lives trying to remember it. Cherished memories move from the tips of our tongues to the deep recesses of our brains, and concentrating long enough to get through a game of bridge can feel like a chore. Go see a mainstream doc with these complaints, and he'll dash off a prescription for dangerous Ritalin faster than a snow cone melting over an open fire. Millions of American adults are already popping Ritalin even though it's been linked to high blood pressure and psychosis -- and more prescriptions are being written every day. The good news is that if you want to keep your brain buzzing right into your ripe old years, you can keep that co-pay in your pocket and skip the ride on the Big Pharma carousel. Because two new studies from leading research institutions show that simple B vitamins may be all it takes to keep your brain sharper than a porcupine pelt for years to come! Unless they're dealing with extreme weakness or fatigue, most folks I know have never had their vitamin B12 levels checked. And that's a big mistake according to a new study published in Neurology that showed that keeping your B12 levels optimized may help you beat back many of the most common symptoms of cognitive decline. A study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago analyzed data from 121 participants in the Chicago Health and Aging Project, and found that a B12 deficiency may result in brain shrinkage and problems with thinking and reasoning. Researchers found that methylmalonate and homocysteine, two indicators of a B12 deficiency, were linked with less brain volume and more cognitive problems. If you're not getting enough B12 from meat, shellfish, or vitamin supplements, you're essentially putting your brain on a diet -- and your skull is one place where you don't want to lose weight. If you're thinking of adding B12 to your brain-boosting regimen, a new international study has proven that there's another powerful nutrient you may want to throw into the mix -- choline. According to a new study by researchers from top universities in Spain, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom, this nutrient from the B vitamin family could be Ritalin without the risks for those of us looking to improve our memory and concentration. In a new study on mice, researchers found that choline plays a powerful role in controlling how we process and organize memories. Rats given a steady diet of choline, which can be found in chicken, eggs, and beef liver, not only concentrated more effectively -- they retained memories longer. Of course, we've been telling you for the past decade about the power of choline, which has been proven in study after study to improve everything from your brain function to your love life! Our Creator only gave us one brain, my friend, and there's a reason he surrounded it with a bony helmet -- he wants it protected. Get your vitamin levels checked, and see about giving B12 and choline a go. You could soon be polishing off those crosswords faster than a jackrabbit in track shoes! Nutrition and Healing - Bob Reagan <NutritionandHealing@newmarkethealth.com> |