Year: 2019

Can memory loss be a side effect of chronic inflammation? 

We all forget where we put our keys once in a while and even find ourselves walking into a room and not remembering why we thought we needed to be there at that moment. These are normal lapses that everyone experiences and can generally be chalked up to not paying attention or having far too many other things on our minds. When they start happening more often or we realize that we are consistently having difficulty recalling names or “losing” words that were previously familiar, it can make us wonder if we are suffering a more serious type of memory loss.

Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease have become familiar fears, especially as longevity increases. There are a lot of things that we fear about aging but probably none more than that of losing our memory. Research has been ongoing in an attempt to understand why some are affected so much more than others and, hopefully, discover ways to stop or at least slow it down. One recent study done by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, found that there may be a connection between chronic inflammation that develops in midlife and memory loss in our later years.  

The Johns Hopkins study lasted for 20 years and included more than 12,000 participants who began the study in their mid-50s. Taking into account factors like education and health issues, like heart disease, blood pressure rates and cholesterol levels, it was determined that the greater the amount of chronic inflammation in the beginning and throughout the study, the more pronounced the cognitive decline after the 20 years. 

More On Alzheimer’s Disease

Since there is presently is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, disease prevention is a strategic research focus. Previously, a number of studies link regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Arfram Ikram, from Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and colleagues investigated compounds in coffee, identifying caffeine and polyphenols as key candidates.

How Caffeine May Aid In Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention

Caffeine appears to help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain – two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s Disease. In addition to this, both caffeine and polyphenols may reduce inflammation and decrease the deterioration of brain cells – especially in the hippocampus and cortex, areas of the brain involved in memory. The lead investigator comments that: “The majority of human epidemiological studies suggest that regular coffee consumption over a lifetime is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.  An optimum protective effect occurs with three to five cups of coffee per day.”

Source:
Di Marco LY, Marzo A, Munoz-Ruiz M, Ikram MA, Kivipelto M, Ruefenacht D, et al. “Modifiable lifestyle factors in dementia: a systematic review of longitudinal observational cohort studies.” J Alzheimers Dis. 2014;42(1):119-35.

What Is Chronic Inflammation?

Chronic Inflammation Vs. Acute

Inflammation is not always a bad thing. Acute inflammation, which is short-term, is part of the immune system’s arsenal that is called into action to help deal with an injury or fight an infection. This type of inflammation only affects the area where there is a problem and, once the crisis is over, acute inflammation disappears.

Chronic inflammation is not localized, nor is it short-term. Because it is spread throughout the body, the perception of the level of inflammation that is experienced may not be as extreme as acute inflammation, but it can last for months and, often, years. This type of long-term, ongoing inflammation can take a huge toll on the body, resulting in damage to joints, tissue and organs. It can also be a contributing factor in the development of serious conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer. 

There are a wide range of causes of chronic inflammation, from autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, all the way to physical stressors. Symptoms often present as joint pain and stiffness, excessive tiredness or fatigue and digestive issues. 

It has always been known that chronic inflammation was unhealthy, but with these new findings linking it to memory loss, there is even more urgency in doing whatever possible to eliminate or, at least, better control it. The recommended steps for doing that will sound familiar because they are the same lifestyle changes we are constantly being urged to do: get more exercise, eat a cleaner and healthier diet, maintain an optimal body weight and reduce stress.

As familiar as that last litany of health suggestions might be, it isn’t always easy to actually do the things we know will make us feel better and give us a better chance of living a happier, healthier life. It often requires help and advice to get us on the right track. 

Treating Chronic Inflammation & Memory Loss

At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we understand the importance of protecting against memory loss, including from the effects of chronic inflammation. We strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, vitamin and antioxidant status, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can offer help with memory issues while creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life.

To learn more about memory loss and or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.  

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Is the keto diet really a healthy weight loss program in the long run?
Who wouldn’t like a weight loss program that promotes having bacon as a snack? Although true devotees of the current keto diet movement would undoubtedly argue that being allowed to eat bacon and other high-fat foods is not the prime motivator for their allegiance to this eating philosophy, it certainly gets the attention of those growing weary of placing their standard order for “salad, but hold the dressing”.
For anyone on social media, it is nearly impossible to spend much time scrolling through photos and posts without seeing evidence of dramatic weight loss and delicious, typically-taboo foods that are purported to go together. Of course, do any sort of search on the health consequences of eating the way the keto diet recommends and there will be link after link to sources warning caution. As with so many things today, it is increasingly difficult to cull fact from promotion. Perhaps the best place to start is to do a little research on why the keto diet was developed in the first place.

Origin of the Keto Diet

It all started with Meryl Streep. Technically, not true, but the famous actress starring in the film First Do No Harm, in 1997, about a young boy with severely debilitating epilepsy having his seizures controlled by a ketogenic diet did help launch the diet into public awareness. The ketogenic diet got its start in the 1920s at the Mayo Clinic in an attempt to mimic the effects of fasting on the metabolism. The goal, which proved successful, was for the treatment of epilepsy. Variations of the ketogenic diet were later developed as treatments for other neurological conditions, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, as well as conditions associated with metabolic dysfunction, like cancer.
It was not until very recently that ketogenic became keto and a new weight-loss diet craze was launched as a result of research done at the Sapienza University in Rome by the Italian professor of surgery, Dr. Gianfranco Cappello. Approximately 19,000 participants in Cappello’s study were given a high-fat liquid diet designed to put them into a state of ketosis. This resulted in an average 20-pound weight loss.
Soon there was a wave of diet gurus promoting this new way of losing weight that involved high-fat food rather than being restricted to only liquids. The basic breakdown consists of a daily intake composed of 70% in fat, 20% in protein and the remaining 10% spent on carbs, which equates to a single piece of fruit or half a bagel’s worth of carbs for the day.

What’s the Verdict on Keto?

Throwing the body into ketosis can have beneficial outcomes. As mentioned earlier, it has proven effective for reducing seizures and there is ongoing research with regard to other brain-related benefits, as well as the possibility that it may help control sugar levels in the blood for those with diabetes.
Is maintaining a keto diet an effective way to lose weight? Ketosis does initially force the body to burn fat rather than carbs which does lead to weight loss.
On the downside, whether the keto diet is effective in promoting and maintaining weight loss for the long term is currently unknown. Plus, there are lists of side effects that plague extreme carbohydrate restriction, including headaches, constipation, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, inflammation and the signature bad-breath that goes with being in ketosis.
Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is important. Your best chances of doing so while also taking care of your overall health and wellbeing is by consulting with a trusted healthcare professional who will help design a program suited for your individual needs.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we know how important weight control is to health and well-being, and we believe that safe and life changing weight loss can be attained and maintained when properly supervised. Weight control is extremely important, but our bodies must also be well-nourished in order to function properly and keep our immune systems at the ready. Once we have diagnosed your particular case through carefully administered tests, we prescribe the diet, or combination of diets, that we know will work for you. To learn more about our weight loss programs or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

What are the benefits of glutathione and how does it help with aging?

“Glutathione is the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease. I called it the mother of all antioxidants.” Mark Hyman, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine

Most of us may not be able to describe exactly what free radicals are or how they operate, but we have heard so much about them in recent years that we know they can cause damage to our bodies at the cellular level and interfere with DNA. We also know that our best defense against these harmful molecules are antioxidants, and we may be familiar with the better known ones, like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene and selenium. But, what some refer to as the “rock star” of antioxidants is a compound that you may have never heard of; glutathione.  
Health professionals recognize the many benefits of antioxidants and glutathione, in particular. Just some of the benefits that are believed to be associated with glutathione include:

• Neutralizes free radicals
• Reduces toxicity of chemicals, pollutants and drugs
• Slows aging processes
• Reduces muscle damage
• Improves recovery time
• Increases strength and endurance
• Aids metabolism in muscle development
• May help prevent or slow the progression of conditions such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, hepatitis and others

Does The Body Produce It’s Own Glutathione?

The good news is that the body produces its own glutathione, which consists of the protein-building amino acids, cysteine, glycine and glutamine. Glutathione contains sulfur, which is believed to be at the center of its superpowers. Because sulfur tends to be a sticky substance, as it moves through the body it attracts and hangs on to lots of things that are not good for us. These undesirables include substances like mercury, heavy metals and other damaging toxins. And, the sulfur in glutathione, gathers up free radicals and carries them out before they can accumulate to the point of causing oxidative stress, which is how they wreck such havoc in the cells.

What may be even more impressive about glutathione is that the body not only produces it, but it also recycles it in the liver so that it just keeps on working. Unfortunately, the not so good news is that glutathione is not indestructible. As we age, the production of glutathione begins to decline. Plus, the onslaught of the way we live our lives these days takes a heavy toll on this crucial antioxidant. Besides aging, just some of the things that deplete the body’s supply are:

• Stress
• Poor diet
• Pollution
• Drugs and medications
• Trauma
• Radiation and toxins
• Chemotherapy
• Infections

What happens to the body if the amount of Glutathione is low?

Without a healthy supply of glutathione, the liver becomes unable to keep up with its main job of removing toxins and our cells are vulnerable to the effects of free radicals and other types of infections and damage. There are ways to help the body maintain higher levels of glutathione. These include:

• Diet – eat foods that are high in sulfur and will help boost the body’s production of glutathione, like onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, watercress, collards, eggs, nuts, legumes and lean proteins.
• Exercise – try to get at least a moderate amount of exercise on a daily basis
• Sufficient sleep
• Supplements – take those supplements that work with and support glutathione, such as alpha lipoic acid, folate, vitamins B6, B12, C and E, selenium and milk thistle.

The Southern California Center for Anti-Aging focuses on the practice of advanced, preventive and regenerative medicine. We strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can help with creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life. We use a wide range of advanced testing and analysis, including food allergy testing, to ensure the best results for our clients.

To learn more about our glutathione injections or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by filling out our convenient online form below.

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