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Disclaimer: The following text does not constitute any medical advice, but only information sharing. Please proceed under the guidance of professionals.
As we age, we find that our brains are not working well. This is actually related to brain aging and degeneration.
Usually, our brains begin to decline after we are in our 30s. Is there any way to slow down the aging of the brain?
The answer is yes, and that is to activate brain autophagy.
In today’s article, we will explain in detail how to promote autophagy in the brain and make the brain work better.
Why does the brain degenerate?
→The brain is a vital organ
It is the center of all operations and the backbone of all body functions and systems.
It is essentially the command center of the nervous system, which can sense stimuli, activate responses, obtain and send signals to the whole body, and is also responsible for learning, cognition, memory, thinking and personal growth.
As we age, the risk of brain degeneration increases.
In particular, unhealthy lifestyles and toxic environmental factors can accelerate the decline of brain function.
But the good news is that lifestyle changes and some natural measures may help enhance brain autophagy, support brain function, and alleviate and prevent brain degeneration.
→What is brain degeneration?
Brain degeneration is a serious health problem facing our modern aging society.
Neurodegenerative or degenerative brain diseases, which include dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, all lead to severe degeneration of the brain and nerves.
Symptoms may include memory loss, confusion, forgetfulness, personality changes, mood changes, anxiety, apathy, agitation, or loss of inhibition.
Depending on the type of degeneration you are experiencing, new symptoms may appear and worsen as the disease progresses.
While there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent further brain degeneration through diet and lifestyle strategies.
→ Formation, development, and decline of brain cells
Most brain cells are formed in your mother’s womb, and the rest develop during infancy.
Although brain cells are among the longest-lived cells in the body, they can also die due to migration or differentiation, or be damaged and undergo abnormal changes.
Brain cells need a continuous supply of energy, nutrients, and toxin removal from the blood and its supporting cells, glial cells.
These nerve cells require a lot of energy, accounting for about 20% of the body’s oxygen demand and 25% of its glucose demand. ①
They also need regular cleaning and maintenance to avoid potential protein accumulation.
However, as we age, a large amount of abnormal protein waste is prone to appear in nerve cells. If it cannot be discharged in time, it may lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Sticky protein clumps form in the brain and are often associated with certain unhealthy lifestyle and environmental factors, including blood sugar imbalance, environmental toxicity, sedentary behavior, lack of sleep, chronic stress, and intestinal flora disorders, all of which may increase your risk of brain degeneration.
How to turn on brain autophagy and regenerate cells?
→What is brain autophagy?
Fortunately, studies have found that the brain is able to create new cells for renewable use. ①
The brain can produce about 700 new neurons in the hippocampus every day to maintain central function.
Brain autophagy is critical for preventing and slowing brain degeneration and brain cell regeneration. Some good living habits can promote brain regeneration, improve brain health, and may help prevent or treat degenerative diseases.
The word autophagy comes from the Greek word “auto-phegein” or “self-eating”.
It refers to the process of cell recycling, in which the cell itself metabolizes various components in order to reuse them and build new and healthier cell structures.
The main driver of any autophagy is cell stress.
When there is stress, such as a lack of nutrition and energy due to fasting or exercise, the body will break down older or damaged cells or organelles to improve energy utilization in order to survive.
Brain autophagy, as the name suggests, refers to the autophagy process in the brain.
It removes old and damaged brain cells and creates new and healthy brain cells.
Brain autophagy is essential for memory, cognition and brain health, and helps reduce brain degeneration.
Some ways to promote brain autophagy:
→ Get enough sleep
If you want a good brain, you must first get a good sleep. Sleep is essential for rest, repair and cell regeneration.
When you sleep, the brain will autophagy to remove some aging organelles and metabolic waste.
It is recommended to go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day to maintain a relatively balanced circadian rhythm and sleep cycle.
Avoid eating a lot before going to bed, especially high-sugar and caffeine foods. You can choose to drink herbal tea or boiled water.
Turn off electronic devices before going to bed and make sure the bedroom environment is safe and relaxing, with comfortable bedding and pillows, and curtains that block out enough light.
You can light a salt lamp or some lavender essential oil to help you sleep and calm down.
→ Relieve stress
Learn to turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
You can practice journaling, meditation, prayer, and breathing exercises to relax your body and mind.
You can also go for a walk in nature, sing and dance, try handicrafts, watch interesting movies and books, and spend time with positive people.
→ Produce ketone bodies
Ketone bodies support brain autophagy.
Most people have too many carbohydrates in their diet, which means their bodies rely on glucose (sugar) for energy for a long time.
If your body is fasting or eating a high-fat ketogenic diet, when you reduce carb intake, your diet will turn to stored fat and dietary fat for energy, and your body will produce ketones.
Ketone bodies support and enhance autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and maintain brain health and mental acuity.
It is recommended to use a low-carb ketogenic diet in combination with intermittent fasting to stimulate the brain autophagy system.
→Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a natural way to improve brain autophagy.
It is a form of fasting that alternates between not eating and eating for a period of time.
The benefits of intermittent fasting are too many, including cell repair, autophagy (across organs), immune regulation, inflammation levels, and insulin sensitivity.
It also helps reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
→Extended Fasting (longer time)
Extended fasting is an advanced version of intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting ranges from 12 to 23 hours per day, while extended fasting lasts at least more than a day, and in some cases even longer.
Extended fasting usually involves not eating any food during the fasting period, and only drinking non-caloric liquids such as water and herbal tea.
It is recommended to adapt to intermittent fasting before trying to extend the time. You can also drink some bone broth before fasting for a long time to relieve discomfort.
→ Eat nutritious foods
To achieve brain autophagy and maintain brain health, it is critical to eat more nutritious anti-inflammatory and brain-supporting foods.
Remove all inflammatory foods, including refined sugars, gluten, refined vegetable oils, fried and processed foods, sugary drinks, and foods that are prone to allergies.
Eat vegetables, low-glycemic index fruits such as lemons, limes and berries
Add some herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger, basil
Intake more healthy fats, such as avocados, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, organic butter and ghee
Focus on high-quality protein, including grass-fed meat, free-range poultry and eggs, and wild fish.
→Exercise regularly
Studies have found that regular exercise can promote autophagy in the brain. ②
Regular exercise and movement can help reduce chronic inflammation, relieve stress, improve mood, improve memory and learning, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
It is recommended to exercise at least 5 times a week for 20 to 30 minutes each time. It can be combined with cardiovascular exercise, strength and resistance training, and low-impact exercise to avoid sitting for long periods of time and stay active throughout the day.
You can also do a variety of forms of exercise without leaving your home, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), dance videos, jumping jacks, or indoor mini trampolines.
You can also try bodyweight exercises, TRX or kettlebells for strength training, yoga, Pilates, and barre are good low-impact exercises that can exercise and strengthen strength.
Maintain daily activity by doing regular stretching exercises, as well as gardening, housework, and outdoor walks (60).
→ Heat therapy
Studies have found that heat therapy is safe and effective in preventing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ③
Heat stress can trigger the autophagy process, creating new healthy cells.
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins that cells produce when exposed to heat, as a reflex effect of stressful conditions.
They play an important role in the cell repair system, helping to stabilize new proteins and refold damaged proteins.
Saunas, UV therapy, hot baths, or using a heating pad on sore muscles are all forms of heat therapy.
→ Cold therapy
In addition to heat therapy, cold therapy can also increase brain autophagy.
Stress from the cold can also lead to autophagy of old and damaged cells to produce new healthy cells. ④
Cold shock proteins can help cells survive better under stressful conditions. Cold therapy methods include cryotherapy chambers, cold pools or cold showers.
It is recommended to combine hot and cold therapy.
For example, you can sit in a sauna for a while, then take a cold shower or jump into a swimming pool; or a simpler method is to take a cold shower followed by a warm shower.
→ Some herbs and acupuncture
Herbs that enhance autophagy include Chinese and foreign herbs such as matcha, ginger, turmeric, resveratrol, citrus bergamot, oregano, sage, rosemary and quercetin.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views the human body as a self-controlled network of systems, including “qi”, the five elements and the internal organs as the basis.
Diseases are believed to be caused by imbalances in the “yang” and “yin” that lead to visceral disorders. ⑤
Acupuncture targets different acupoints corresponding to different symptoms to promote qi, and there are 12 major meridians and 365 acupoints with “blood and qi” characteristics.
If the two are combined for treatment, the effect may be better, which can help prevent oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and promote brain autophagy.
→ Red Light Therapy
Red Light Therapy (RLT) is a powerful treatment technique that can improve brain autophagy.
Studies have found that low-intensity light can slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and reduce levels of amyloid β (Aβ) in the cortex. ⑥
Light induces a metabolic shift from glycolysis to mitochondrial activity, and the levels of anti-inflammatory microglia increase.
This process is accompanied by a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and activation of the autophagy system.
In the co-culture of neurons and microglia, light prevents neuronal death, thereby alleviating the spread of Alzheimer’s disease.
Because it also increases cellular energy and antioxidant activity in the body, it is also used for many alternative treatment purposes, including wounds, scars, skin problems, inflammation, pain, sleep and hair growth.
→ Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a method that not only supports autophagy in the brain, but also has benefits for the health of other organs in the body.
In recent years, studies have found that it can be used to improve cognition, neurological health and quality of life after brain trauma and stroke.⑦
This opens up new treatment avenues for many elderly people with cognitive decline, including the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, and can effectively improve mild cognitive impairment and brain metabolism.
It also has a positive effect on cellular processes, transcription factors, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and inflammation.
It has been shown to increase oxygen levels in cell tissues, support the growth of new blood vessels, enhance the body’s defense system, increase stem cells, reduce swelling, and maintain optimal health.
The key Grace said
The brain is the center of all functions and systems. If you don’t take good care of it, it may degenerate quickly.
Brain autophagy can help clear aging organelles and regenerate brain cells.
Get rid of old and unhealthy cells and replace them with new and healthier cells.
Some of the above natural therapies can promote brain autophagy and help the brain maintain health.
If you find that your brain is degenerating and want to improve your brain function and prevent brain degeneration, you can try it.
Reference Links:
① https://drjockers.com/brain-autophagy/
② https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3463459/
③ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7792844/
⑥ https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-022-01022-7#Sec1