Proactive Aging: Food and Lifestyle Choices Majid Fotuhi, MD PhD Friendship Heights Village Center...

Proactive Aging: Food and Lifestyle Choices

Majid Fotuhi, MD PhD

Friendship Heights Village CenterChevy Chase, MDOctober 1, 2014

New Discoveries

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“This book may be the most important you’ll ever read. Certainly, what Dr. Fotuhi teaches in this book has

changed my life.”

Michael Roizen, M.D. Chairman of the Wellness Institute- The Cleveland Clinic

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“Dr. Fotuhi has summarized the latest discoveries that show how we can grow our

brains bigger and stronger…”

Mehmet Oz, M.D.

The Dr. Oz Show

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Objectives What happens to our brain

with aging? Best Nutrition for a Healthy

Brain Brain Fitness Program

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Short-term: HippocampusLong-term: Cortex

Cortex Hippocampus

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Hippocampus

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Beautiful Neurons in Hippocampus

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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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What CausesAtrophy in Hippocampus?

Obesity Stroke

Sleep Apnea

ConcussionAlzheimer’s

Diabetes

Hypertension

Stress

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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 is a Highly Vascular Organ

Zlokovic et al. Neurosurgery 43(4), 877–78, 199812

Multiple Vascular Risk Factors Shrink the Brain, Especially the Hippocampus

Multiple Vascular

Risk Factors

No Vascular

Risk Factors

HippocampusHippocampus

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DiabetesHypertensionObesitySleep ApneaHead TraumaGenesStress

Brain-healthy DietPhysical FitnessCognitive StimulationMeditation

Objectives What happens to our brain

with aging? Best Nutrition for a Healthy

Brain 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

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Brain Research Volume 1280, 14 July 2009, Pages 186–194

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

Trans fats typical found in foods such as:- Cookies, crackers, muffins,

donuts- Fried foods like French fries,

chicken nuggets- Chips and other snack foods

Increase the risk of cardiovascular disease - Increases LDL (bad cholesterol)- Decreases HDL (good

cholesterol)

Linked with brain shrinkageAgrawal & 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.

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Image source: Lisabauman.blogspot.com

Three Types of Food for Reversing Brain Atrophy with Age

1. Increasing levels of a healing protein: BDNF- 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- Reducing risk of stroke is the best way to keep

your brain young

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More BDNF: Bigger Hippocampus

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Erikson, PNAS 2011

Food That Increase BDNF Levels

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: DHA and EPA Vitamin D Rich Foods Cocoa Blue Berries Grapes Caffeine

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More DHA-EPA: Bigger Hippocampus

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Pottala J V et al. Neurology 2014;82:435-442

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: DHA

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Good Sources of DHA:

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Foods That Reduce Levels of Amyloid in the Brain

Curcumin Walnuts Pomegranates

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Foods That Increase Blood Flow to the Brain

Tomatoes Avocados Beets Vitamin B12

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Image source: Good housekeeping.com

Vitamin B12

Improves blood flow to the brain

Low levels are linked to smaller size of hippocampus

Increases cognitive function and processing speed

Reduces risk of inflammation, stroke and heart attack

Ho, et al., 2011.; den Heijer, et al., 2003.;

Firbank, et al., 2010.29

Mediterranean Diet

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The MIND Diet: Mediterranean + Low Salt

Makes Your Brain 7 ½ years Younger

Berries Nuts Apples > 3 servings of bean Olive Oil 1-2 servings of

fish/week

Low in trans-fats Junk food (zero) <4 servings of

meat/week Low in cheese and

butter

Presentation by Martha Claire Morris, Alzheimer’s

conference, Denmark 2014

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Physical Activity and Mediterranean Diet, More Effective

Together

Scarmeas et al, 2009

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Objectives What happens to our brain

with aging? Best Nutrition for a Healthy

Brain Brain Fitness Program

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Brain Fitness Program Goals

Short Term Think faster Remember more Improve efficiency

of problem solving Sharpen focus React quicker Enhance self

esteem Brighten mood

Long Term Help to regrow brain

cells in hippocampus Establish a brain

healthy lifestyle change that results in lifelong benefits

Reduce risk of dementia in late-life

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BFP: Evaluating &Treating All Causes of Cognitive Impairment in

Elderly

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BFP

MedicineN

euro

logy

Psychology

Comprehensive Tests to Evaluate

Brain Health

Customized Treatment Program to Maximize Brain

Performance

NeurExpand’s Unique Integrative Approach

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Improvement in Memory

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Remarkable Results

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Hippocampus

HC

After

Before

Baseline 3 Months 1 Year6.5

6.7

6.9

7.1

7.3

7.5

7.7

7.9

8.1

7.29

7.927.94

Sustained Benefits

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Hip

poca

mpus

Volu

me

(cm

3)

8.6% increase in HC volume = brain that is approx. 16 years younger

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DiabetesHypertensionObesitySleep ApneaHead TraumaGenesStress

MIND DietPhysical FitnessCognitive StimulationMeditation

THANK YOU!

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