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When young adults head to college, they sometimes worry about the dreaded “Freshman 15″—the 15 (or more) pounds new students often pack on during their first year in school. But there is something far more worrisome than going up a pant size.

Did you know that many serious mental health conditions begin during young adulthood? The age of onset for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, eating disorders, psychosis, and suicidal thoughts and behavior is common in the late teens or early 20s—a time when many students are entering college. In fact, 75% of mental health conditions start by age 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

And the numbers are getting worse. In 2017, teens and young adults in the U.S. were more prone to depression, distress, and suicide compared with Millennials when they were the same age.

What is the connection between college and mental illness?

Here are 4 ways the college experience may contribute to psychiatric issues:

1. The brain isn’t fully matured.

The human brain is not finished developing until age 25 for females, and closer to age 28 for males. A process called myelinization is still underway. With this process, brain cells are coated with a protective sheath that increases the brain’s processing speeds. The process starts at the back of the brain and works forward, making the front part of the brain—the prefrontal cortex that is involved in focus, planning, decision-making, judgment, and follow-through—the last area to gain the protective covering.

Because of this, young people need supervision until their brains have matured and they can supervise themselves. Throwing young adults into an environment where they no longer have parental supervision when their brains have yet to fully develop invites risky behavior and poor habits that may contribute to mental health issues.

2. Stress takes a toll on the brain.

The last years of high school and the first years of college can be extremely stressful. And stress can wreak havoc on brain health. Dealing with challenging life circumstances—such as starting college, moving, having new roommates—elevates stress hormone levels and makes people more vulnerable to many mental health conditions. Toxic stress has been associated with ADHD, learning disabilities, social anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, PTSD, and more.

Unfortunately, young people don’t learn about stress management skills in school. Learning how to deal with stress in a healthy way should be taught in elementary classes nationwide.

3. The typical student diet steals your mind.

Cheesy pizza, bottomless cups of coffee or sodas, bags of chips, kegs of beer—the foods most college students eat zap brainpower and mess with your mental well-being. In 2015, a group of 18 scientists concluded that “the emerging and compelling evidence for nutrition as a crucial factor in the high prevalence and incidence of mental disorders suggests that diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.”

The standard student diet is filled with pro-inflammatory, allergenic foods laced with artificial chemicals that will damage the brain and increase the risk for depression, ADHD, and anxiety disorders, as well as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and even dementia.

4. Skimping on sleep lets neural trash build up.

While you are sleeping, your brain is hard at work performing some very critical functions necessary to keep it operating at optimal levels. For example, during sleep, your brain cleans or washes itself by eliminating cellular debris and toxins that build up during the day (basically taking out the neural trash), consolidates learning and memory, and prepares for the following day.

College students are notorious for pulling all-nighter study sessions and partying until dawn. It adds up to a sleep deficit that can take a toll on mental health. Over time, sleep problems can lead to a higher risk of mental health problems, including depression, ADHD, panic attacks, brain fog, memory problems, and dementia. For example, teenagers who on average get an hour less sleep at night were 38 percent more likely to feel sad and hopeless, 42 percent more likely to consider suicide, 58 percent more likely to attempt suicide, and 23 percent more likely to engage in substance abuse.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of struggling students overcome brain imbalances and mental health problems so they can be more successful at school and in life. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Being overweight can make you feel bad about the way you look and feel like a failure if you can’t stick to a healthy diet. But can it actually contribute to depression?

A growing body of evidence shows that obesity and depression go hand in hand and can feed off each other. Weight problems increase the risk of developing depression. Likewise, people who are depressed are more likely to be overweight and experience a faster rise in body mass index (BMI) than people who are not depressed. Which came first—the weight problem or the depression—remains to be seen.

Fat, Depression, and the Brain

Fat tissue can contribute to the problem. Fat cells secrete substances called cytokines that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation of the brain, which is often found in people who are obese, is also found in those struggling with depression.

Brain imaging studies show that the areas of the brain that are most impacted by obesity tend to be the ones involved in self-control and the regulation of appetite. When these brain regions aren’t functioning at optimal levels, it can make you more vulnerable to overeating and to giving in to cravings for unhealthy foods, which compounds the problem.

People who are depressed also tend to have markedly increased activity in the limbic areas of the brain, which are involved in setting a person’s emotional tone.

7 Tips to Get Thinner and Happier

Losing the extra pounds can help alleviate depressive symptoms and vice versa, getting your depression under control can help you manage your weight. Making minor tweaks to your food, nutritional supplements, exercise, and even your thinking patterns can help you do it.

1. Know your brain type.

Not all people who are overweight and depressed are the same. Knowing your brain type is the first step into learning more about how your unique brain functions. Brain imaging studies show that there are 5 types of overeaters and 7 types of depression:

Type 1: Pure Anxiety

Type 2: Pure Depression

Type 3: Mixed Depression

Type 4: Over-focused Depression

Type 5: Temporal Lobe Depression

Type 6: Cyclic Depression

Type 7: Unfocused Depression

Knowing your type can help you find the best solutions for your needs.

2. Eat more healthy fats to lose fat and feel better.

Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with depression and obesity. There is also evidence that low levels of these fatty acids play a role in substance abuse, and it can be argued that overeating is a form of substance abuse. Boosting omega-3 levels is one of the best things you can do for your weight and moods. Research shows it decreases body fat, appetite, and cravings, in addition to reducing symptoms of depression. Unlike what we have been told in the past, good fats are not the enemy of a healthy diet. To increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, eat more:

3. Optimize vitamin D levels.

Having low levels of vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” has been associated with both depression and obesity. Some researchers believe that nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population suffers from a vitamin D deficiency.  Get your levels tested and supplement with vitamin D if needed.

4. Get moving every day.

It’s no secret that exercise revs your metabolism, but it is also a powerful mood booster. In fact, several studies have found it to be as effective as antidepressant medication. How does it do it? Physical exercise stimulates neurotransmitter activity, especially dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which elevates mood. One of the ways it helps is by boosting a substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is involved in growing new brain cells and has been found to be instrumental in putting the brakes on depression.

5. Do the best exercises for boosting moods and metabolism.

The best exercises for people who are both depressed and overweight include those that combine aerobic coordination activities and a social aspect. The aerobic activity boosts blood flow and neurotransmitter activity, and social bonding can help calm overactivity in the brain’s limbic system to boost your mood. Try these activities:

6. Change your thinking, change your weight and moods.

Automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) can infest your mind and keep you chained to unhealthy habits that cause weight gain and mired in the negativity that contributes to depression. You may be familiar with ANTs like these:

“I have no control over my eating.”

“I don’t like foods that are healthy for me.”

“I have to eat to comfort myself.”

These ANTs play a major role in making you fat and stealing your happiness. Learning to challenge your thoughts is critical to winning the battle of the bulge and enhancing your moods.

7. Try the natural supplement SAMe.

A helpful treatment for emotional overeaters is the natural supplement SAMe in dosages of 400-1,600 mg. It is involved in the production of several neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine) that affect mood. The brain normally produces, all the same, it needs from the amino acid methionine. When a person is depressed, however, it impairs the synthesis of SAMe. Taking SAMe has been found to promote positive moods and also suppress appetite.

With the world’s largest database of functional brain scans — 150,000 and growing —Amen Clinics physicians are able to more accurately diagnose and more effectively treat the 7 types of depression than any other healthcare professionals. We also take a unique brain-body approach to treatment that includes brain health nutrition coaching to help you feed your body and fuel your brain so you can achieve and maintain a healthy weight and healthy moods.

Find out how we can help you today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Many people are aware of some of the devastating consequences of uncontrolled or untreated diabetes, including an increased risk for heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure. But did you know that it also puts you at a higher risk for memory problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and other types of dementia? Scientific evidence links abnormal insulin levels to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s bad news for the 50% of the U.S. population who have diabetes or prediabetes.

Diabetes is a disorder that occurs when the body’s blood sugar levels are chronically too high. The condition develops when the body either does not produce enough insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels or does not use insulin efficiently. There are two types of diabetes:

Both types of diabetes damage blood vessels, which then cause harm to the body’s organs and brain.

Prediabetes, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, is defined as having blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

Diabetes and the Brain

Brain imaging studies using a technology called SPECT shows that diabetes has been linked to decreased blood flow to the brain (which is the #1 predictor of future memory problems) and a smaller hippocampus, a brain region that is involved in the formation of memories.

Even mildly elevated blood sugar levels and prediabetes are significant problems and are associated with brain atrophy, memory problems, and dementia. In people who didn’t have diabetes, the risk of dementia was 18% higher for those with an average blood glucose level of 115 milligrams per deciliter compared to those with average glucose levels of 100 mg/dL. (Normal blood sugar levels are less than 100 mg/dL.) And every incrementally higher glucose level was associated with a higher risk of dementia.

“High normal” blood sugar levels have also been linked with shrinkage in the hippocampus, leading to memory problems. The dementia risk was even worse for people who had diabetes because their blood sugar levels were generally higher. It was 40% higher for people with an average glucose level of 190 mg/dL compared to those with an average glucose level of 160 mg/dL.

10 Ways to Lower Your Risk for Diabetes and Protect Your Memory

The great news is that diabetes and prediabetes are preventable and even reversible in many cases and can help protect your memory. Here are 10 ways to do it.

  1. Ditch all sugar and artificial sweeteners. The refined stuff causes blood sugar levels to spike, and the fake stuff is linked to a higher risk of dementia.
  2. Limit high-glycemic, low-fiber foods (think cookies, cake, and pretzels).
  3. Eat smart carbohydrates that are high in fiber and low-glycemic (think vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich carbs like quinoa).
  4. Skip sodas and sugar-laden energy drinks and opt for still or sparkling water instead.
  5. Drink decaffeinated tea and coffee to boost metabolism and lower the risk of diabetes.
  6. Eat small quantities of high-quality protein and some healthy fat (such as avocado, walnuts, or olive oil) with every meal to stabilize blood sugar levels.
  7. If you’re overweight or obese, forget crash diets. Instead, lose weight gradually as you develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
  8. Make physical exercise—and especially strength training—a part of your daily routine to help balance blood sugar levels. In one study, women who did strength training reduced their incidence of diabetes by 30% compared to women who did no strength training.
  9. Spice up your cooking with cinnamon, which has been shown to lower fasting glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce HbA1c (a test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months)
  10. Supplement your diet with a high-quality multivitamin/mineral, as well as:
    • vitamin D (low levels have been linked to memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease)
    • omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA (help maintain proper insulin signaling)
    • chromium picolinate (can aid in insulin regulation)
    • alpha-lipoic acid (improves overall blood sugar management)

If you or a loved one has diabetes or is experiencing memory problems, understand that there are many things you can do to prevent or reverse diabetes and memory loss. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive brain-body assessment to help us develop a personalized treatment plan for your needs. Our Memory Rescue program has already helped many patients improve their memory.

Reach out today to speak with a specialist at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

If you want to prevent dementia or rescue your memory, choosing the right foods is one of the most important strategies. Your brain uses 20-30% of the calories you consume. If you eat a junk-food diet, you will have a junk-food mind that is less capable of quick thinking and sharp decision-making. A number of studies have found that a healthy diet is associated with significantly lower risks of severe memory problems, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are 7 Foods that Help Protect Your Memory

1. Colorful vegetables and fruits

Go for the greens (and reds, yellows, blues, and other hues) in your meals. Produce is packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that provide a powerful brain boost. Foods from plants of every color, even white, help reduce the inflammation that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Water

Your brain is about 80% water. Not staying adequately hydrated can lead to brain fog. Research has shown that performance in tasks requiring memory, as well as attention, are diminished when you are just 2% dehydrated. And your brain can actually shrink in volume when it’s dehydrated.

3. Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, which powerfully assists in DNA repair. They’re also high in folate and carotenoids, which lower homocysteine. High levels of this amino acid are linked to cognitive decline and dementia.

4. Berries

Acai, raspberries, and blueberries are high in antioxidants, which decrease the destruction caused by free radicals in the body and provide numerous benefits for the brain. In one study, people who consumed more berries experienced a slower rate of cognitive decline—up to 2.5 years—as they age.

5. Herbs and spices

Research shows that herbs and spices can be powerful memory enhancers. For example, rosemary and sage have been found to improve memory and offer protection from the cognitive decline associated with dementia. And cinnamon has been found to improve working memory in older adults.

6. Fatty fish

Fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, and mackerel are healthy fats. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, and in particular in two types of these fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that are crucial for optimal brain health. A growing body of evidence shows that higher levels of EPA and DHA are associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and slower cognitive decline.

7. Nuts

Eating nuts has been found to boost brain power as we age. In one study with nearly 5,000 people over the age of 55, eating at least two teaspoons of nuts per day was associated with improved memory and increased cognitive function by as much as 60%, compared with people who didn’t eat nuts. In a separate study appearing in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, mice that were bred to have Alzheimer’s disease were fed either a standard diet or one supplemented with walnuts. Over the course of the study, the mice eating the standard diet suffered memory deficits and impaired learning ability, while the mice eating walnuts showed a significant improvement in memory and learning ability.

If you or a loved one is suffering from memory issues, understand that there are many things you can do to prevent or reverse memory loss. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to help us develop a personalized treatment plan to prevent or reverse memory issues. Our Memory Rescue program has already helped many patients improve their memory.

Reach out today to speak with a specialist at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

When it comes to food, knowing what’s healthy and what isn’t can be tough. The food industry has done a masterful job of brainwashing people into believing that their products are good for you. Wrong! Get the real dish on healthy eating from nutrition coaches Tana Amen, the co-author of The Brain Warrior’s Way and several brain healthy cookbooks, and Mareya Ibrahim (aka the “Fit Foodie”) and author of Eat Like You Give a Fork. The two women met on ABC’s Recipe Rehab when they were both contributing to the #1 New York Times bestseller The Daniel Plan, written by Dr. Daniel Amen, Pastor Rick Warren, and Dr. Mark Hyman.

Join these two in a week-long series of the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast, in which they share their secrets to the food swaps, easy cooking methods, and simple mindset strategies that can help you shift to a way of eating that will help you thrive. Find out what to put on your fork will boost your moods, supercharge your energy, sharpen your thinking, and more.

In this entertaining and insightful series, you’ll discover:

Listen to the 4-part series on Eat Like You Give a Fork on the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of people use nutrition to help balance their brain and minimize symptoms of mental health/brain health issues. If you or a family member needs help, call 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

For years, people have been speculating as to why as many as 9 in 10 people with autism have gut issues. Exciting new research from 2019 has confirmed the gut-brain link in autism. The study, which appeared in the journal Autism Research, found that the same gene mutation that disrupts neuron communication in the brain also contributes to gut dysfunction.  

This new research opens up the possibilities for future treatments targeting the gut to improve the quality of life for people with autism, a condition also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is characterized by developmental delays, learning disabilities, abnormal social and communication skills, and other behavioral issues.

5 Steps to Better Gut Health

In the meantime, here are 5 ways to promote better gut health that have already been linked to an improvement in autism symptoms.

1. Go gluten-free.

Research shows that people with autism are more sensitive to gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains that can also be found in everyday food items like ketchup, salad dressing, and soy sauce. Gluten is known to disrupt the balance of gut bacteria and contributes to inflammation and an increased risk of leaky gut. This also leads to the malabsorption of nutrients and interferes with the synthesis of neurotransmitters, which can raise the risk of issues like anxiety, mood problems, and mental difficulties. Some parents who have eliminated gluten from their autistic child’s diet have noticed improvements in behavior and communication symptoms.

2. Skip the dairy.

Remember this old ad: “Milk: It does a body good”? The truth is milk does NOT do an autistic body (or brain) good! Milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and other dairy foods contain a protein known as casein. As dairy foods are digested, casein contributes to the release of substances called exorphins that bind to the brain’s opiate receptors. The result? Brain fog, problems concentrating, and a spacy feeling. Eliminating dairy from the diet has decreased hyperactivity and increased communication in some people with autism.

3. Ditch all food dyes and artificial additives.

Nacho Cheese Doritos, M&M’s, Powerade Orange—these “food-like” products all have something in common. They all contain red dye #40, which has been linked to hyperactivity, nervousness, trouble concentrating, and more. A growing body of evidence has found that other food additives can alter gut bacteria and are linked to mood problems, behavioral issues, and other neuropsychological issues. Getting them out of the diet is important for anyone with autism.

4. Shake the sugar habit.

Consuming simple carbohydrates—think cookies, pretzels, and pasta—can reduce the levels of good bacteria in the gut. Imbalances in gut bacteria have been linked to inflammation as well as mood problems, impulsivity, and other issues. Sugar also raises the risk for the erratic firing of neurons. Avoiding sugar is critical for people with ASD.

5. Prime the gut with probiotics and prebiotics.

Probiotic and prebiotic foods and supplements help with restore the balance of healthy gut bacteria. Probiotic-rich foods include fermented foods that contain live bacteria, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, unsweetened yogurt, kefir, kombucha tea, and miso soup. Prebiotics support and promote the growth of probiotics. Look for products that contain both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains.

At Amen Clinics, we have seen over 1,000 patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder and have discovered that autism is not just one thing. There are 8-10 different factors that influence abnormal brain function. We utilize brain imaging technology called SPECT to help identify brain patterns, which can be either dramatically overactive or underactive in people with ASD. With this information, we can more effectively personalize treatment, including nutritional coaching, to help decrease symptoms of autism. If you would like help finding integrative solutions for autism, call 888-288-9834 today to speak to a specialist or schedule a visit online.

The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas—and thousands of other processed foods—are anything but sweet. In fact, they can be toxic to the brain. Consuming these sugar substitutes on a regular basis is not a recipe for a healthy memory.

Sherry, who weighed over 200 pounds on her 5’5” frame, guzzled diet soda thinking it would help her lose weight. It didn’t. Even worse, she started experiencing a host of symptoms—digestive issues, arthritis, forgetfulness, and confusion. In fact, Sherry’s diet soda habit was hurting her brain and putting her memory at risk.

That’s what a growing body of evidence shows. For example, a study in the journal Stroke found that drinking diet soda was linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

4 Ways Artificial Sweeteners Steal Your Mind

1. Aspartame overstimulates neurotransmitters.

One of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in diet sodas, aspartame is particularly damaging to the brain. Consider how it impacts aspartate, an excitatory neurotransmitter associated with memory as well as learning and pain perception. Aspartame stimulates this neurotransmitter. This may sound like a good thing, but in excessive amounts it overstimulates it, turning it into a potent neurotoxin that damages neurons, causes cell death, and is associated with a host of issues including memory problems and dementia.

2. Artificial sweeteners contribute to chronically high insulin.

Elevated insulin levels increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and also raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other health problems.

3. The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas may lower metabolism.

For anyone who thinks diet sodas help with weight loss, the reality is that artificial sweeteners can lead to weight gain. Studies of rats fed artificially sweetened foods have found they have slower metabolisms and greater weight gain than those given sugar-sweetened foods—despite the fact that the rats that ate sugary foods consumed more calories than those that ate artificially sweetened foods.  Both diabetes and obesity are considered independent risk factors for memory problems and several forms of dementia. 

4. Artificial sugar substitutes mess with gut health.

A 2018 study in Molecules found that six artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, advantame, and acesulfame potassium-k) had toxic effects on gut bacteria. Compromised gut bacteria can lead to issues such as leaky gut, a condition in which the lining of the gut becomes excessively permeable. Leaky gut has been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Sweeter Alternatives

If you want to avoid sugar and don’t want the damage that comes from artificial sweeteners, here are two options.

It is critical for any changes in memory or cognitive function to be investigated. Research shows that changes in the brain from Alzheimer’s disease can start decades before any symptoms arise. Amen Clinics uses brain SPECT imaging to see what is happening in the brain as part of a comprehensive evaluation that also includes cognitive testing and a detailed look at the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that may be contributing to memory issues.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of people reverse memory problems. To speak to a specialist about how we can help you, call 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Pop quiz!

  1. In which organ are 75% of the neurotransmitters in your body produced?
  2. Which organ contains 2/3 of your immune tissue?
  3. Which organ has 10 times more cells than the total number in the rest of your body?
  4. Which organ houses an army to protect your body from harmful invaders?
  5. About 70% of people have problems with which organ?

The answer to all these questions?

Your gut.

The health of your gastrointestinal tract is directly tied to the health of your brain, which is why it is so important to feed it high-quality fuel. The food you eat has a major impact on your overall health as well as your mental wellbeing.

Just look at Victor. He had been depressed for 30 years and tried multiple treatments without relief. He even had electroconvulsive therapy, but it didn’t help. Finally, he went for a full brain-body assessment that included brain health nutrition coaching and was put on an elimination diet, which meant he gave up eating foods that are common allergens, such as gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, and corn.

After he stopped eating these foods, his mood improved dramatically. Then he re-introduced each food one-by-one. When he ate gluten, nothing happened. When he ate dairy, nothing happened. It was the same with sugar and soy. But when he ate corn, it was a different story. Within 20 minutes, he had a vision of putting a gun in his mouth with his hand on the trigger.

By giving up corn, he helped heal his GI tract, decrease his depression, and regain his life.

In a special 4-part series of the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen explore the importance of nutrition and gut health. Here’s just some of what you’ll discover:

Listen to the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast series on nutrition and gut health.

If you think gut problems may be contributing to your own mood issues, focus problems, or brain fog, understand that Amen Clinics has helped thousands of patients, including Victor, to heal their GI tract as part of a targeted treatment plan to heal their symptoms. Amen Clinics takes the guesswork out of psychiatry by performing comprehensive brain-body evaluations that include looking at biological issues that contribute to mental health issues. Schedule a visit online or call 888-288-9834 to speak to a specialist.

After his mother died of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, 52-year-old Bud started worrying that he would eventually get the disease too. He had one copy of the APOE4 gene, a gene variant known to increase the risk for Alzheimer’s. That was strike one. Cognitive testing showed that he was already experiencing some memory problems as well as attention issues. Strike two. Bud also had high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, pre-diabetes, untreated sleep apnea, and about 30 pounds too many around his midsection—all of which have been found to contribute to increased risk. Strike three, strike four, strike five… You get the picture.

Bud was so concerned, he made an appointment for a brain scan using SPECT technology. The brain scans showed decreased activity in the frontal and temporal lobes—a clear sign he was headed for serious trouble. Was he doomed to follow in his mother’s path?

Your Genes Can Increase Your Risk for Dementia

Having a family member—especially a first-degree relative like your mother, father, sister, or brother—with severe memory problems, Alzheimer’s disease, or another form of dementia makes you 3.5 times more likely to develop symptoms. Similarly, if you have one or two copies of the APOE4 gene, you have a greater chance of memory problems.

Many people in the medical community contend that there is nothing anyone can do to mitigate genetic risk. They’re wrong. There are many things you can do to reduce your risk even if you have a genetic predisposition for the disease. Just look at Bud.

Your Genes are not Your Destiny

Studies show that our genetics predict only about 20-30% of our longevity. The rest is up to our lifestyle choices. It’s similar for dementia risk. When Bud saw his brain scans and his cognitive testing results, he got serious about his physical health and his brain health. He completely overhauled his diet—dramatically reducing his sugar consumption, increasing his intake of protein and healthy fats, decreasing the number of processed carbohydrates, and adding important nutritional supplements. He also started exercising and began using a CPAP machine to help his sleep apnea.  

Within a year, he dropped 30 pounds and was happy to see blood pressure and blood sugar levels fall into a healthy range. Even better, he said his memory and focus were better than when he was in his 20s. With these lifestyle changes, Bud had lowered his risk for the dreaded disease. You can do it too.

5 Strategies to Reduce Your Risk for Dementia

Go for early screening.

If you have a family member with any form of dementia, get screened around age 40. Getting a brain scan can show early signs of a problem, and cognitive testing can set a baseline for future comparisons.

Get serious about keeping your brain sharp.

Engage in new learning throughout your lifetime. Studies show that learning new things lowers the risk for dementia in people with one or two copies of the ApoE4 gene.

Eat a brain-healthy diet.

To work at optimal levels, your brain needs high-quality nutrition. Don’t overeat as studies show that obesity—and in particular belly fat—increases the risk for Alzheimer’s.

Get moving.

Research shows that exercise can reduce some of the brain changes seen in people with the ApoE4 gene.

Protect your head.

Head injuries can increase the risk for the buildup of abnormal proteins in the brain that is seen in people with Alzheimer’s. Avoid risky sports and practice balance exercises to prevent falls.

If you’re concerned about dementia or if a loved one is showing signs of the disease, don’t hesitate to speak to a specialist. At Amen Clinics, our multi-faceted brain-body approach, which uses the least toxic most effective treatments, has helped thousands of people improve their overall brain health and prevent or reverse memory problems. Find out more by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln suffered from depression? Historians discovered that our 16th president actually considered suicide and couldn’t even get out of bed on some days. Does this sound like you or someone you love? You may take heart in knowing that as Lincoln aged, he learned to use laughter to help overcome his dark moods. He found that when he told jokes and laughed, it helped him keep the bad feelings at bay. It turns out that new science shows Lincoln was right. Laughter alters neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which can help people with depressed moods. And like Lincoln, you can take advantage of simple ways to push sadness and negativity away. 

Simple Ways to Push Sadness and Negativity Away

1. Eliminate foods that drag you down.

Although the term “nutritional psychiatry” is only recently becoming more common as experts in the psychiatry field realize the power of food on mental health, the team of neuropsychiatrists at Amen Clinics has been incorporating food and diet recommendations in treatment plans for over 30 years. One patient at Amen Clinics named Jeff, 53, had spent years suffering from depression as well as other issues. After attempting suicide, he went to several healthcare professionals and was put on a variety of medications, but they weren’t helping. On the advice of his Amen Clinics physician, he eventually eliminated potential allergens—such as gluten, soy, corn, dairy, sugar, and MSG–from his diet.

When he added the foods back one by one, he realized that one of them was triggering his suicidal thoughts. When he ate corn—popcorn, tortilla chips, corn chips—he almost immediately got an image of putting a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger, something that had not happened since before he went on the diet. By kicking corn out of his life, he greatly improved his moods.

Beat the Blues: To fight depression, do an elimination diet for 3 weeks, eliminating sugary food, gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods. Then add these back one at a time and be alert for reactions to them, which would indicate that you should permanently avoid that food. In general, it’s advisable to keep the sugar out of your diet on a permanent basis.

 2. Eat foods that boost your moods.

On the flip side, getting your diet right can help you feel better. For example, omega-3 fatty acids—found in foods like wild salmon or in nutritional supplements— have been found to reduce symptoms of depression. Similarly, over a decade of studies—including a randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Affective Disorders—have found that a saffron extract is as effective as antidepressant medication in treating people with mild to moderate depression.

Beat the Blues: Consider brain health nutrition coaching to improve your diet and focus on eating mood foods that promote more positive feelings.

3. Start every day by saying, “Today is going to be a great day” and end every day with “What went well today?”

Where you direct your attention matters. Your mind makes happen what it visualizes. When you start the day by saying “Today is going to be a great day,” your brain will find the reasons it will be a great day. This is a simple way to start training your brain to focus on things that are going right in your life rather than on things that are going wrong in your life. It also sets a positive tone for the remainder of the day.

When you start the day by saying “Today is going to be a great day,” your brain will find the reasons it will be a great day.
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At the end of the day, ask yourself, “What went well today?” This helps you end the day on a positive note. Research in The American Psychologist has shown that people who did this exercise were happier and less depressed at 1-month and 6-month follow-ups than at the study’s outset. Right before bed, write down 3 things that went well that day; then ask yourself, “Why did this happen?” In a 2017 study in BMJ Open, this simple exercise was found to help people in stressful jobs develop more positive emotions.

Beat the Blues: Practice starting and ending your day with these strategies, which will take only about 3 minutes out of your day.

4. Check for biological issues.

Did you know that there are many biological issues—such as hormonal imbalances and blood flow problems—that can cause mood issues? One of the most common hidden causes of depression is a past traumatic brain injury. Evidence in Frontiers in Psychiatry shows that head trauma increases the risk of depression. At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging shows that 40% of patients have experienced a significant head injury.

One of the most common hidden causes of depression is a past traumatic brain injury.
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Beat the Blues: Seeing an integrative (or functional) medicine physician for a complete evaluation that includes lab work is one of the keys to determining the root cause of your depression. With this important information, you are more likely to find the right treatment for your specific needs. Taking care of underlying physical issues can decrease depression symptoms.  

5. Tailor interventions to your depression type.

Things that help one person feel less depressed may not work for someone else. To find what works best for you, you need to know which type of depression you have. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that depression is not a simple or single disorder. Giving everyone with depression the same treatment plan will never work.

Giving everyone with depression the same treatment plan will never work.
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Beat the Blues: Get to know the 7 types of depression. When you know your type, you are much more likely to find the targeted solutions that will work for your specific needs.

Depression, as well as anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other mental and cognitive issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.