Preserve Your Cognitive Health by Understanding the Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease

We all experience lapses in memory now and then, especially as we age. For most of us, these minor cognitive issues are usually just annoyances. But if your cognitive issues interfere with your daily life, they could be the beginning of something much more serious. 

Read on to learn more about the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and how you can preserve your cognitive health.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that impacts a person’s ability to think, reason, and remember. As it progresses, Alzheimer’s can severely affect quality of life, eventually becoming completely debilitating. 

The most common type of Alzheimer’s disease is the late-onset form, when symptoms usually “become apparent in [a person’s] mid-60s or later.”

The 10 Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease:

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, ten early warning signs of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease include:

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality

If you experience a cognitive problem that impacts your daily life, don’t ignore it. Dementia is not a normal part of the aging process. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can take action against cognitive decline.

Get in touch with our care team>>

What Are Some Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease?

There’s still a lot we don’t know about how Alzheimer’s disease develops or why some people are at greater risk of developing it than others. It’s an active area of study, and researchers are discovering new things every day. 

The consensus among scientists is that a combination of age, sex, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the greatest risk factors for Alzheimer’s: 

• Old age does not directly cause Alzheimer’s disease, though the risk of developing Alzheimer’s “doubles about every 5 years” after age 65.
• “There are more women with Alzheimer’s disease than men,” though this might be because women live longer than men. 
• Suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can “increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia years after the injury takes place.” 
• Acute and chronic inflammation is “associated with an increase in cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease.” Eating a diet full of inflammatory foods like processed sugar might exacerbate the risk of developing inflammation in the brain.
• Exposure to environmental pollutants has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Researchers note “half of individual differences in Alzheimer’s disease risk may be environmental.”
• Studies discovered a “significantly increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease with current smoking.” This risk factor offers another compelling reason to quit.
• People with Down syndrome also carry a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. “Alzheimer’s disease affects about 30% of people with Down syndrome in their 50s. By their 60s, this number comes closer to 50%.”

2 Protein Structures in the Brain Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease

Scientists typically focus on two different protein structures in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease: Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques. 

It’s not currently known whether the presence of these structures causes Alzheimer’s disease or if they’re simply byproducts of it. But both can impair cognitive function and can worsen as the disease progresses.

Neurofibrillary Tangles 

Neurofibrillary tangles are accumulations of a harmful protein called tau in the brain’s neurons. These tangles can inhibit the neurons’ ability to communicate, causing cognitive decline. Some studies reveal a lack of brain oxygen is associated with neurofibrillary tangles.

Amyloid Plaques

Amyloid plaques are hard, insoluble clumps of beta-amyloid proteins that build up between neurons. Like neurofibrillary tangles, these plaques are toxic to brain cells and disrupt cell-to-cell communication. They can eventually result in cellular death, harming cognitive abilities even further.

Brain scans can reveal the presence of both protein structures, so your doctor can alert you to the presence of Alzheimer’s disease or if you’re at risk for developing it.

Is Alzheimer’s Genetic?

Both early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease have a genetic component, meaning if you have a family history of Alzheimer’s, you carry a greater risk factor for developing the disease compared to someone who doesn’t have that history.

The risk factor is greater if an immediate family member suffers from the disease, such as a parent or sibling. 

Genetics are almost always the primary contributing factor of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, which can “affect people in their 30s or 40s.” 

Gene Mutations

Researchers have yet to identify any specific genes responsible for the development of late-onset Alzheimer’s. However, certain mutations of the APOE gene, which are found in chromosome 19, “[]remain] the strongest, genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.”

For example, the specific gene mutation APOE ε4 is linked to higher levels of amyloid plaques and is often found in people with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Your doctor may order genetic testing if you have a family history of cognitive problems or early-onset dementia. 

Remember, this doesn’t mean you’re destined to develop Alzheimer’s if a parent or sibling has had it. Some people who possess the APOE ε4 gene never develop Alzheimer’s disease, and some people with Alzheimer’s don’t have any gene mutations at all. 

Genetics is just one of many Alzheimer’s risk factors—we still need more research to get the complete picture of what the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is.

How Can I Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?

A specific hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol shows promise as a potential preventative measure for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. HBOT is a therapy that involves breathing 100% oxygen under increased atmospheric pressure.

• Recent research illustrates a unique HBOT protocol can shrink existing amyloid plaques in the brain and even prevent new ones from forming altogether: Repeated sessions of HBOT showed “reduced hypoxia and neuroinflammation, reduction in beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and phosphorylated tau, and improvement in behavioral tasks.”

• Another study revealed HBOT improved memory recall in people who exhibited mild cognitive impairment:  “HBOT should be considered as a therapeutic approach to slow the progression or even improve the pathophysiology responsible for [Alzheimer’s] disease.”

These studies offer hope that HBOT may become a viable drug-free method for preventing cognitive decline.

A treatment based on this protocol is now available only at Aviv Clinics Florida>>

Lifestyle Habits to Safeguard Cognitive Health

While none of us can change our genetic makeup, we can change our lifestyle. Healthy habits can help lower your risk factor for nearly any disease, not just cognitive-related conditions. Lowering inflammation levels in your body can also help lower inflammation in the brain. Some of the things you can do to preserve your cognitive health include:

• Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables
• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure
• Keeping your mind active
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Practicing mindfulness and meditation
• Avoiding excess alcohol
• Avoiding smoking
• Getting plenty of restful sleep
• Taking care of your mental health

The Aviv Medical Program’s Fight Against Cognitive Decline

The Aviv Medical Program was founded on the unique HBOT protocol discussed in earlier research studies. This protocol involves fluctuating oxygen levels during the HBOT sessions. Oxygen level variations trigger the body’s self-healing process. 

Cognitive Performance and Aging Program

The Aviv Medical Program offers a comprehensive cognitive performance and aging program. Our treatments are rooted in research and lean on a holistic and personalized approach. 

Depending on your symptoms, needs, and goals, the program can include the following: 

• In-depth medical history review
• Comprehensive physical and neurological exam
• Physical therapy evaluation
• Highly advanced brain imaging scans
• Neurocognitive tests

During the treatment, the program can include a combination of the following:

• Cognitive training
• Physical training
• Dietary coaching
• Unique HBOT process

 

Carl & Vickie Eckert Praise Their Improved Cognitive Performance as “Remarkable”

Married couple Carl and Vickie both had parents with dementia and cognitive decline. They soon realized they were experiencing the same cognitive issues that manifested in their parents. 

The couple’s quality of life was not where it should have been, so they took action with the Aviv Medical Program. They call their experience with Aviv Clinics and improved cognitive performance “remarkable.” 

“This is a very viable option…knowing that I was going to have such a complete assessment only for me and my issues was just remarkable.

I’m dancing, I’m hiking, I’m running again. It’s just remarkable. I don’t know how else to say it.”  –Vickie Eckert, former Aviv patient

Lower Your Risk with Aviv Clinics

While we still have a lot to learn about the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease, anyone can lower their likelihood by taking charge of their lifestyle. 

Preserving your cognitive health starts with the choices you make every day. Partnering with Aviv Clinics is just one of them. Contact our medical team to learn how we can help you.

 

Technology and Brain Health: Is screen time affecting our attention span?

Technology is advancing at a shockingly rapid pace. Screens are now a staple of our daily lives–we have them all over our homes, in the office, and in our pockets. We use them to communicate, do business, shop, entertain ourselves, and more.

Between booming technology, the ever-increasing pace of life in general, and rising rates of ADHD diagnoses, many people may wonder–are our attention spans diminishing? In other words, could technology be negatively affecting our brain health?

To some extent, we aren’t sure yet how technology affects us, cognitively or socially.

Experts have warned against the maladies of screens ever since the television became a staple of the American living room almost 70 years ago. Passive television watching, however, may not compare to the technological onslaught of modern culture.

In a world where everyone has a supercomputer in their pocket that provides access to the entirety of accumulated human knowledge via the internet, what’s happening to our brains?

Here is what we know so far about technology and brain health, and some strategies on how to adapt to this new normal.

 

 

Are we all developing ADHD?

If it seems like everybody you know has ADHD (AKA attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) lately, you might not be imagining it. From 2007 to 2016, rates of adult ADHD diagnoses doubled. Although most studies on screen time involve children, the correlation between screens and poor attention in adults is nonetheless present.

It should be noted that these studies are not necessarily saying that people who use screens often will “develop” ADHD. Real ADHD is a neurological condition that a person is born with and that often persists through childhood into adulthood. It represents a different “wiring pattern” in the brain.

However, as the studies demonstrate, screen time and media use do seem to be highly correlated with symptoms of ADHD. In other words, while the underlying mechanism might be different from true ADHD, too much screen time leads to something that looks a lot like ADHD.

The main symptoms of ADHD are:

• Short attention span, especially for non-preferred tasks
• Hyperactivity, which may be physical, verbal, and/or emotional; can also manifest as fidgeting or restlessness
• Impulsivity
• Disorganization and difficulty prioritizing tasks
• Poor time management and time blindness
• Frequent mood swings and emotional dysregulation
• Forgetfulness and poor working memory
• Trouble multitasking and executive dysfunction
• Inability to control anger or frustration
• Trouble completing tasks and frequent procrastination
• Distractibility
• Difficulty awaiting turn

(If you have several of these symptoms, it’s worth discussing them with your doctor.)

Part of the rise in diagnoses could be due to increased awareness and education. Some adults may realize they have always struggled with these symptoms. For an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must have been present in childhood, even if they were initially missed.

As an adult, if you “suddenly” develop ADHD-like symptoms that weren’t there before, there may be many reasons for the cognitive or attentional issues.

What causes cognitive decline?

If you think your attention is suffering, ditching screens may or may not be the ideal solution. When it comes to impaired cognitive function, there are other causes that also should be considered.

Normal aging will cause some minor changes in cognition, including slowed processing speed, taking longer to learn new information, and an increase in distractibility, for example.

But normal aging shouldn’t impair daily functioning. 

Forgetting a name on occasion isn’t a cause for concern, but repeatedly forgetting the same information, on the other hand, could be a symptom of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Although MCI rates increase with age, cognitive impairment isn’t inevitable for everybody of advancing age.

Other factors that can contribute to MCI, including:

• Depression, stress, and anxiety
• Thyroid, kidney, or liver problems
• Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
• Diseases or conditions that affect blood flow in the brain
• Low vitamin B12 levels or other nutrient levels
• Eye or hearing problems
• An infection
• History of alcoholism

 

Stress can also contribute to deficits in cognitive abilities such as short-term memory loss and brain fog. Self-care, including looking after your physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and social health, is critical for brain health.

Is tech making our brains lazy?

Some might argue that the tools of technology have become crutches. For example, most of us no longer bother to remember phone numbers. A smartphone can remember vastly more information than our brain could ever hope to remember.

Now that everyone has a supercomputer in their pockets, does that mean our brain no longer has to work as hard?

There are many challenges to studying the effects of technology and brain health, whether on the biology of the brain or the impact on society, that make that question difficult to answer. Experts are divided, with some seeing technology as a boon to society and others who take a more cynical view.

The one thing both sides agree on is technology’s ability to exploit the inherent human tendency towards laziness and the “quick fix.” As one expert said,

“I’m most concerned about the unthinking acceptance of convenient short-term solutions.” 

The human brain, in an attempt to be energy-efficient, often chooses the thing that benefits us immediately, foregoing potentially greater future benefits.

The problem of persuasive technology

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, drive the progress of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) in a way that’s targeting our subconscious minds. After analyzing billions of data points collected each time you swipe, click, or tap online, social media platforms and other websites know you better than you know yourself.

Tristan Harris, co-founder and president of the , calls this “persuasive technology,” or “technology that shapes attitudes and behavior.” By exploiting natural human psychological vulnerabilities, the website explains, “it begins to train us: our thoughts, feelings, motivations and attention start to replicate what the technology is designed to produce.” This all happens beneath our level of conscious awareness, and yet it’s guiding our behavior; this presents, they argue, a very real threat to personal autonomy.

As these platforms learn your habits, they know exactly what to show you next to keep you scrolling. Thought you were going to breeze through social media in 15 minutes and 2 hours later you’re still there? That’s because your 50,000-year-old brain is trying to compete with the most complex supercomputers ever made.

Getting in balance

How do you know if you need a break from screens?

Awareness is key for any form of self-improvement. If you look at your screen habits and find that you’re missing out on too much of your life and relationships in favor of screen time, here are a three ways to reduce or counter the effects:

1. Get outside.

Technology has many merits, but one way in which it causes collateral damage is that we tend to stay indoors to use it.

The average person spends up to 93% of their time indoors or in an enclosed vehicle. For a species that has spent most of its history as homeless nomads who knew only nature, transitioning to an indoor concrete jungle is not without consequences for our health. Getting out into nature can have a profound effect on our physical, mental, and emotional health.

Richard Louv, a journalist and author who coined the term “Nature Deficit Disorder”, summarized the research on the effects of nature:

“Nature is not only nice to have, but it’s a have-to-have for physical health and cognitive functioning.”

According to a 2019 study, two hours or more per week of nature exposure is enough to significantly improve reported wellbeing.

2. Try a digital diet.

While we may not understand the mechanisms involved with the brain and media use, we do know one thing: the brain performs its best when exposed to variety and balance. While some amount of educational media or video games can improve cognition, too much of anything can be a bad thing. The brain needs many different kinds of stimulation, or lack thereof, in order to run at its best.

There are lots of tricks and methods for cutting back on screen time, from charging your phone outside of the bedroom to full-on silent meditation retreats. Turning off push notifications for apps that profit from your attention (like social media) is another way to cut down on the number of dopamine hits you get from your phone.

Why target these apps in particular? Because each notification, despite typically being of relatively little importance, registers in our nervous system as a minor threat or alert. Turning off notifications can reduce the number of “pings” on your nervous system.

3. Focus on quality, not quantity.

Of course, technology has provided us with lots of conveniences that we have become accustomed to and may not want to sacrifice completely. If we can’t (or don’t want to) give up technology, are we doomed to fry our brains?

A lot of it might have to do with how we interact with the media, not just how much we interact. Although most studies have focused on the quantity of screen time in hours spent watching it, not all screen time is created equally.

One question to ask when it comes to technology and brain health is:

How does the value of whatever you’re doing using technology compare to other things you could be doing? 

Or put another way, what’s the tradeoff? If you have free time and feel like doing a deep dive into the biology of narwhals, for example, and that’s the best way you could imagine spending your time, no problem.

But if you’re still on Wikipedia at 3:30 am and you’re losing sleep, or you’re ignoring friends and family in favor of social media, it might be worth re-examining the relationship.

The bottom line on technology and brain health

Technology is a fascinating and ever-changing tool of human creation. Like any tool, it can be used to confer great benefits, but used improperly has the potential to cause harm. As the pace of life quickens, it’s more important than ever to slow down, stay aware, and focus on balance.

Is Negative Thinking Bad for Your Brain?

Can negative thoughts have a negative impact on your health?

It’s no secret that negative thoughts are related to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety; in fact they’re pretty much required for diagnosis. It’s also known that depression and anxiety can increase your risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Of course, not all negative thinking leads to depression. There’s nothing inherently detrimental about negative thoughts–everyone needs to have some negative thoughts in the everyday course of life. We’re biologically equipped to handle a certain amount of negativity.

But as with most systems, it works under tight parameters. Taxing the system can throw it off balance. And when we get stuck in depressed rumination or anxious worry loops, we put ourselves at risk for physical health effects.

Repetitive negative thinking, it turns out, can lead to depression… but it also increases one’s risk for dementia, all on its own.

Negative thinking and dementia risk

It was already known that there was a relationship between depression or anxiety and dementia, but the direction of the relationship wasn’t clear; dementia could cause depression, or a third factor could affect them both.

In a recent study looking at the effects of negative thinking on cognition, nearly 300 people aged 55 and over were tested and monitored over a two-year period. Researchers measured cognitive skills such as attention, spatial cognition, language, and memory, as well as physical markers for cognitive decline. These markers included tau and amyloid proteins; higher levels of these proteins have been observed in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

These cognitive factors were measured against the tendency to engage in repetitive negative thinking (RNT). The researchers found that RNT was causally associated with:

• A more rapid decline in global cognition
• A more rapid decline in immediate and delayed memory
• Higher levels of AD biomarkers (tau and amyloid proteins)

This study squares well with research that emerged in 2015 on the theory of Cognitive Debt. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more may contribute to cognitive decline and memory issues over a long, cumulative process.

The researchers proposed the theory of cognitive debt to explain how negative thinking can lead to cognitive decline. They recognized that several related, but distinct, conditions (depression, anxiety, life stress, neuroticism, sleep disturbances, and PTSD) all shared increased risk factors for dementia.

But what precisely do they all have in common? The answer is Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT).

The authors defined the term RNT to include both rumination (negative thoughts regarding past events) as well as worrying (typically future-related thoughts). They emphasized that the repetitive and negative nature of the thoughts, NOT their temporal nature, was key to the association.

Why?

The stress system gets chronically engaged due to RNT and accrues cognitive debt by affecting where your attention is focused.

Looking on the bright side is easier said than done

 

 

Maybe you’ve been told before to just “look on the bright side” or “find the silver lining,” but somehow you end up focusing on the negative anyway. If that’s you, don’t feel discouraged–it’s hardwired into your biology. Humans come pre-equipped with a natural negativity bias.

Research has repeatedly shown that we’re more responsive to negative stimuli in the environment than positive stimuli. When making decisions, we tend to weigh the cons more heavily than the pros. In a study looking at how we arrive at our impressions of others, hypothetical individuals were described to participants using both positive and negative traits, but the participants relied more on the negative traits even if positive traits were similarly intense.

That’s because our brains, which are constantly scanning the environment for potential threats, essentially throw away much of the positive data before it even reaches “you.”

Why would it do this? A few reasons.

One of the main jobs of the brain is to act as a filter for stimuli coming from the physical world. In fact, your brain is constantly bombarded with the raw data that is sights, sounds, and other incoming information; only a fraction of it ever reaches your conscious awareness, lest you be completely overwhelmed. The brain is forced to pick and choose what to let through and what to toss away.

Second, negative and positive information isn’t equally weighted from the brain’s perspective.

Consider your far distant ancestor in the wilds of Africa, foraging for edible berries, when she happens upon a ferocious wild animal looking for lunch. Recognizing a threat to survival, her brain directs her to hightail it back home. Do you think she had an opportunity to notice the beautiful sunset in the distance as she ran for her life? Or applaud herself for getting some exercise?

Your brain isn’t in the business of making you happy or being “fair” to reality– in fact, it’s not even distinguishing between “good” and “bad”– it’s not making moral judgments of things. It’s distinguishing between things that need your attention and things that don’t.

In other words, it’s trying to keep you alive.

It’s human nature to filter out some of the positives. The good news is that while your subconscious brain may have designs on the negative, that’s just the default setting on your autopilot system.

In other words, you have the option to chart your own course.

Most of us are on autopilot… a lot

Researchers estimate that up to 95% of human activity is driven by the unconscious brain.

If you’ve ever driven somewhere only to realize you have no memory of getting there, that’s because you weren’t really consciously doing it in the first place.

Our brains are efficient, and consciousness is expensive, metabolically speaking. So if your brain detects a pattern (such as driving the same route to work every day), it’ll simply automate that for you, taking it off of your cognitive plate.

In other words, it forms a habit.

That means that 95% of the time, your brain is relying on your habits; past information, thoughts, and behaviors that you frequently engage in. Most of the time, you’re not actively deciding the course of your life–you’re on autopilot.

How to control your negative thinking

We do have the power to choose to take the wheel when it comes to negative thinking. By doing so, we can construct a more positive reality for ourselves.

We may not be able to fight biology and always be in the moment. But, you can reprogram your autopilot so that it takes you where you want to go. With some tweaking, your autopilot can work for you, not against you.

It starts with choosing what to “feed” your brain. Whatever you expose yourself (and your brain) to the most will certainly shape your unconscious, and thereby your thoughts and behaviors.

Take the idea of doomscrolling, which became so popular over the last year that Merriam-Webster added it to the list of “words we’re watching.”

Doomscrolling involves “the tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening, disheartening, or depressing.” 

What happens to a brain that’s exposed to hours of negative thoughts? Like a carrot in a stew absorbs the flavors of all the other ingredients, your brain soaks up all the elements of the environment around you–sights, sounds, thoughts, emotions, and all. It’s no surprise that doomscrolling can lead to patterns of negative thinking.

Choose your destination

In an effort to counter the negative events of 2020 and the general idea of doomscrolling, Joyscroll.com was born. Iceland’s tourism board launched the website, which features breathtaking waterfalls and geysers, adorable puffins, and many more sights and sounds of Iceland’s most awe-inspiring features.

It’s rooted in research, too. “Interspersing our negative news consumption with uplifting, inspiring content will help combat [bad] feelings,” says Emma Kenny, a psychologist working with Visit Iceland on their new joyscrolling campaign

They’ve even determined the optimal daily “dose” of joyscrolling, measured in distance scrolled. A study concluded that the population scrolls through, on average, over 5 miles on their phones each year, which works out to a little under 75 feet per day. The website even shows how “far” you’ve gone as you scroll through the delights of Iceland!

You can be more intentional

You can’t choose all of your thoughts, but you can choose what you’re exposed to. The more intentional you are with your environment, the more you can reprogram your brain. Here are a few ways to get started.

• Choose your circle.Humans are social animals, and if you surround yourself with negative people, you’re more likely to adopt negative thinking.
• Cultivate mindfulness. Before you can change anything, you have to be aware of it. On average we may only be truly conscious and aware 5% of the time, but mindfulness can nudge that number up. Meditation or other mindfulness strategies are great for catching negative thinking in the act.
• Try cognitive reframing or reappraisal. If you’re able (using mindfulness) to catch a negative thought in the act, you can try reframing it. The idea isn’t to sugar coat anything, ignore or dismiss the negative, or invalidate feelings, because you’re grounded in reality–the idea is to question your assumptions and logic and consider if it’s worth rethinking. Try to approach it like a scientist, with nonjudgmental curiosity. 

 

You might do the following once you’ve identified a troubling thought:

• Stop and observe the thought
• Consider available evidence for the thought
• Question what emotions might be associated with the thought
• Consider that alternatives to this thought might exist
• Look out for thinking traps, but don’t blame yourself for falling into them–they’re traps, after all!

 

The bottom line

Left to our devices, humans tend towards the negative by nature. This gets programmed into our unconscious, and so we continue towards the negative — unless you choose to take steps against it.

 

Lifestyle Changes for Improving Brain Health

When it came to brain health, most scientists used to believe the old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? The long-held belief was that the adult brain lost the ability to expand itself after a certain age. Once you lost certain cognitive functions, they were gone forever with no way to recover them. Fortunately, new research has revealed that improving brain health is possible at any age.

Not only is it possible to change your brain at any life stage, but you can improve your cognitive functions just by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Here’s how you can improve your brain health naturally no matter how old you are!

What is neurogenesis?

The human brain is home to millions of hard-working neurons, or brain cells, firing their synapses to create connections throughout our minds. As we age, the number of neurons in our brains naturally begins to decline, which can lead to cognitive problems. You might find yourself forgetting where you put your keys more often, or struggling to solve a simple brain teaser that might’ve taken you minutes in earlier years. These small slips in your cognitive functions can become frustrating as they interfere with your daily life, and even become outright debilitating over time. Fortunately, it is possible for some people to recover their cognitive functions with a little help.

The creation of new neurons is called “neurogenesis”. New research suggests that the brain can continue to create neurons well into adulthood. The findings reveal that adults with Alzheimer’s Disease have fewer neurons in their brains than neurologically healthy adults, suggesting that Alzheimer’s disease and a lack of neurons are directly connected.

Treatment options, like the non-invasive HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) protocol offered at Aviv Clinics, have been shown to stimulate neurogenesis in the adult brain, slowing and even reversing the effects of age-related cognitive decline. It’s also possible to stimulate neurogenesis on your own.

How to Teach an Old Dog New Tricks: Understanding neuroplasticity

When you experience something new, such as playing your grandkid’s favorite video game for the first time, the stimulation causes the neurons in the brain to fire their synapses, forming new pathways in your brain. The more you play the game and hone your skills, the stronger those connections become. This is “neuroplasticity”—the brain’s ability to change itself in response to new information. With neuroplasticity, your brain can literally rewire itself by changing its physical structure.

But, neuroplasticity can do more than help you level up your gaming skills. Through neuroplasticity, the brain can even restructure itself after suffering an injury, such as a TBI or stroke, by forming new neural connections in undamaged parts of the brain. Building and strengthening your neural connections is a key aspect of maintaining brain health at any age. Here are a few ways to promote neuroplasticity you can try out at home!

5 Tips for Improving Brain Health Naturally

Eat a healthy diet

Think of the brain as your body’s main engine. If you want your brain to run in tip-top shape, you need to give it the proper fuel to run on. Eating processed foods high in saturated fat and sugar can stall neurogenesis, or cause “brain fog” that slows your cognitive abilities.

The good news is, eating a diet with foods that promote neurogenesis can improve your cognitive health. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and fish can increase neuron production. So can the flavonoids in foods like dark chocolate and fresh berries. Even the resveratrol in a glass of wine can give your brain a boost, although drinking in excess can have the opposite effect.

The amount of food you eat and how often you eat it also has a role to play. Caloric restriction diets promote neurogenesis, and so do eating methods like intermittent fasting. Try giving a simple 16:8 fasting schedule a try and see if your cognitive functions improve!

Get up and moving

The brain and the body are intimately connected. When one is out of shape, the other can suffer for it. If you want to give your brain an extra boost, try getting up and moving your body. Studies have shown that physical activity can promote neuroplasticity.

The skills you learn from playing sports like tennis or soccer can stimulate neural connections in your brain. Plus, the physical activity can improve your heart health and help you reach your recommended 30 minutes of cardio per week. You don’t have to run a marathon to see results. Even a brisk walk around the block or tossing a baseball around with your grandkids can do the trick! The key is to find a physical activity you enjoy doing and to do it regularly. Your body and brain will both reap the benefits.

Learn something new

Of course, you can also exercise your brain directly! Just like any other muscle in your body, the brain needs regular stimulation to remain strong. Learning new skills is one of the key aspects of stimulating neuroplasticity in the brain. The possibilities for promoting new neural pathways are endless. You could learn to play a musical instrument, practice speaking different languages, try out a new recipe in the kitchen, or even take a class online.

Playing specialized brain games is one of the best ways to give your brain a good workout. Even solving a crossword puzzle or a challenging sudoku game can provide the extra stimulation you need. So long as your brain is facing a challenge, then you’re promoting the growth of new neural connections. Just give new things a try and see what your brain can do!

Take a deep breath and meditate

Meditation is more than just a way to calm down. It’s an activity you can use to hone your brain’s focus and concentration. Meditating can improve your ability to focus on cognitive tasks by training you to stay present in the current moment. Practicing mindulness meditation can also ward off stress and anxiety, which can improve mental health. A calm brain is a healthy brain.

Meditation can even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and even increase memory recall. You can start seeing positive results in as little as a few weeks of regular practice! The next time you’re having a hard time concentrating, try meditating for a few minutes and see if your cognitive functions improve.

Get plenty of sleep

Just like every other age range, older adults need plenty of sleep too. Sleep is the vital period when our bodies take the time to recharge after a hard day’s work. It’s when the brain consolidates memories, solidifies learned experiences, and cleanses itself of harmful waste. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you could be sabotaging your efforts to create new neural connections in your brain.

Practicing healthy sleep habits can promote neuroplasticity and improve your overall cognitive health. Try to fall asleep at roughly the same time every night to establish routine. While foods like dark chocolate can promote brain health, the caffeine can keep you awake at night. Avoid eating caffeinated foods too close to bedtime to prevent sleep disturbances, and keep your brain-bossting snacks reserved for the daytime. If you need a nighttime snack that can help boost your sleep, try reaching for a handful of almonds to boos your melatonin production!

The bottom line for improving brain health

Cognitive decline doesn’t have to be your new reality with aging. With these techniques, you can take actionable steps to promote neurplasticity and improve your brain health naturally every day. All you have to do is give it a try!

Contact us to learn more about how you can invest in your health to extend your healthspan with the Aviv Medical Program.

 

4 Tips for Managing Chronic Pain Without Medications

Chronic pain is as much a psychological problem as it is a physical one because the mind and the body are linked. All pain originates as a signal in the brain, which is sent out to the body via the nervous system. Training your brain to respond differently to chronic pain can change the way your body responds to it.

According to the Institute for Chronic Pain, chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts for months or years on end. Unlike acute pain, which goes away once the underlying injury or illness subsides, chronic pain is a pain that has developed a life of its own.

Drugs alone are not effective for treating chronic pain

When you’re in pain, you just want it to go away…fast. People often go to their doctors looking for a “magic bullet” to treat their chronic pain quickly. Unfortunately, chronic pain doesn’t work that way.

Studies have shown that opioids (painkillers) are not an effective way to manage chronic pain. While they may provide relief in the short term, opioids can cause lasting problems in the long term and put patients at risk for dangerous addiction and overdoses. Older adults are especially vulnerable to the opioid epidemic for a number of reasons.

It’s far more effective to take an active approach to your pain by using a combination of dietary changes, exercise, and cognitive-behavioral techniques.

 

Taking back control of your pain

Think of pain as an annoying neighbor. We’ve all had a neighbor we’d rather live without. It seems as if they’re always outside making trouble at the fenceline, as if their very purpose in life is to be a nuisance to us.

You can hope that they’ll eventually move away, but chances are good that the neighbor will continue to live next door, and there is nothing you can do about it. Avoiding or hiding from them will only allow them to control your life. So, you have a choice to make.

You can avoid your neighbor forever, living life stuck inside the four walls of your own house. Or, you can invite them inside for a cup of coffee and make peace with them.

Chronic pain is like that neighbor. Unless you make peace with your pain, it will control your life. Re-think your pain with these four helpful and drug-free chronic pain relief techniques.

1. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is an evidence-based technique with a proven track record of relieving chronic pain. In fact, all of these cognitive techniques incorporate principles of mindfulness.

Being mindful requires adopting an attitude of curiosity and non-judgment. It encourages you to look at your pain in an objective way and teaches you how to bear unpleasant sensations without emotional distress. Common mindfulness practices include:

• meditation
• breathing techniques
• visualization exercises
• awareness shifting techniques (see below).

2. Focus-shifting

Sometimes the most effective way to stop yourself from thinking about your pain is to shift your awareness onto something else. The next time your chronic pain begins to flare up, try picking up a small object and examining it.

• Notice exactly how it feels in your hand.
• Pay attention to the unique shape, temperature, and texture.
• Does it feel rough against your skin, or smooth? Is it hot to the touch, or cool? Are there any sharp edges, or is the surface completely rounded?

After a few moments of intensely focusing on the object, you may find that your chronic pain no longer feels as intense. That’s because you’ve actively shifted your focus away from the unpleasant sensation and replaced it with a different one.

3. Visualization and guided imagery

Guided imagery involves imagining a specific reality for yourself, rather than using a real object. If your pain is sharp and hot, you might envision a ball of cool white light enveloping your pain. Imagine exactly how this would feel using all five of your senses. Try to be as vivid as possible. Really feel the cool ball of light washing over your body and soothing your pain.

While the ball itself isn’t real, the relief you feel just might be. Guided imagery has scientifically proven benefits for pain relief. It’s one of the most common techniques for those who suffer from chronic pain. You can envision nearly anything you like here, so long as the effect is soothing, relaxing, and positive. You can try guided imagery sessions on your own, with the help of a professional, or even through meditation apps and subscription services.

The pain circle:  This visualization exercise can help you actively shrink the area of your pain. The next time your chronic pain flares up, try envisioning a circle around the area of your pain.

Ask yourself, where is the pain most intense? Does it hurt more on one side of the circle, or the other? Are there any places inside the circle that don’t hurt at all?

By actively assessing the area of your pain, you can begin to redraw the boundaries for it. You’ll likely find that the area of your pain is smaller than you originally thought! It’s an amazing way to actively re-frame the way you experience pain and put yourself back in control.

4. The importance of diet and exercise 

Remember that while these techniques are effective on their own, they work best in tandem with proper diet and exercise programs.

Eating a nutritious diet of whole foods can lower inflammation and stress levels, which can significantly improve chronic pain. Exercising regularly can also lower chronic pain levels. You don’t have to do anything too extreme. Even a simple walk around the block can help you feel better. Try practicing some of these mindfulness techniques as you walk. You might just be surprised at how far you can go!

In addition to non-medication techniques such as these, technological innovations, like the comprehensive hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol at Aviv Clinics can help manage chronic pain associated with conditions like fibromyalgia.

To learn more about the treatment options available at Aviv Clinics:

Chronic Pain and Its Causes

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons why people seek medical care today. It’s also a leading cause of disability. Chronic pain can be debilitating when it’s severe enough. Many people who suffer from it experience a loss of mobility, leaving them unable to leave their homes or even their beds. While chronic pain this intense is rare, even less severe pain can leave you unable to enjoy activities you once loved, potentially leading to isolation and mental health problems like depression.

According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain.  The older population is hit especially hard because the risk of chronic pain increases with age. Adults aged 65 and older experience the most chronic pain of any demographic. Older adults also are more likely to experience high-impact chronic pain, which can severely impact their quality of life.

Fortunately, there is hope. While there’s a lot about chronic pain that we still don’t understand, we’re gaining more knowledge every day. We’re also learning how to treat it effectively, so that those who suffer from it can live full lives. Here’s a basic overview of what chronic pain is and where it comes from.

What is pain?

In its most basic sense, pain is a sensation of discomfort created by the brain in response to unpleasant stimuli. If you stub your toe on a table leg, the nerve endings in your toe will fire and send a signal to your brain, telling the brain that it’s been hurt. The brain then emits a signal back through your body, which you experience as pain.

This particular type of pain is known as acute pain, and it’s actually a good thing.

Acute pain is a survival mechanism. If you never felt pain, then you would not know that your body was injured. Say you get a cut to the back of the thigh. If you couldn’t visibly see the injury, how would you know that your body had suffered an injury? You could die of an infection before you realized anything was wrong!

Acute pain is nature’s way of making us pay attention to our injuries. It alerts us to stop and take care of ourselves before we suffer further harm. The good thing about acute pain is that it usually disappears without a trace once the injury has healed. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is a different story.

What is chronic pain?

Unlike acute pain, chronic pain persists after an injury or illness heals. Chronic pain outbreaks can last for months or years on end and often show no signs of disappearing. The sensation can vary from sharp and stabbing, like a migraine, to dull and throbbing like an old ache in your bones.

Everyone experiences chronic pain in different ways. There is no standard sensation or unifying characteristic.

This is why the classic 1-10 “pain scale” isn’t always an effective tool to gauge how much pain a person is suffering. Pain is a subjective experience. One person’s 5 may be another person’s 8. We all experience different thresholds for pain. And we all experience different causes for that pain. Here are a few possible explanations about where chronic pain comes from.

What causes chronic pain?

1. A reaction to acute pain

Chronic pain may be caused in response to acute pain, like a lingering ache in your back after pulling a disc. Doctors and patients alike often mistake chronic pain for acute pain at first, because it may appear that chronic pain is simply the re-emergence of an old injury. But chronic pain is a pain that has taken on a life of its own.

While we don’t currently understand exactly why acute pain sometimes shifts into chronic pain, it is clear that the presence of acute pain can spur chronic pain, even after the injury in question has healed.

2. Chronic illness

Just like with acute pain, chronic pain may be brought on by a condition like Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, sciatica or arthritis. Older adults are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses than younger adults. Common side effects of chronic illnesses include fatigue, aches, migraines and nerve pains. Certain types of cancer can also cause chronic pain, as can cancer treatment methods like chemotherapy or surgery.

3. Mental health problems

Chronic pain is also common in people who suffer from mental health problems like depression and anxiety. It’s not currently clear whether depression itself causes chronic pain, or chronic pain causes depression. Given what we know about the mind-body connection, however, it’s likely that having one condition can worsen the other.

If you feel depressed, then you’re more likely to experience chronic pain more intensely. If your pain is so intense that you can no longer leave your home, then your depression can worsen from the isolation, creating a vicious cycle.

4. No obvious cause

Sometimes, there’s no clear cause for chronic pain at all, which can be all the more frustrating for someone who suffers from it. It’s easy for someone with chronic pain to feel powerless to the world around them. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. There are plenty of different ways to manage chronic pain without addictive medications and opioids.

A multi-pronged approach to chronic pain relief

In the past, it was common for doctors to prescribe opioids as a solution for patients with chronic pain. But while medication can be an effective way to handle chronic pain in the short term, using opioids alone is unlikely to give you the relief that you want. In fact, it may do more harm than good. Opioids are extremely addictive. Using them for too long can create a dependence that can put users at risk for dangerous side effects and deadly overdoses.

The most effective way to manage chronic pain is through a multi-pronged approach of proper nutrition, physical activity, and psychological aid. 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, such as the type offered at Aviv Clinics in Florida, also has  been shown to be effective in managing chronic pain from conditions like fibromyalgia.

Read more about how to manage chronic pain without medications.

 

 

Meditation and Brain Health: Benefits Backed by Science

The COVID-19 virus has left us all more stressed than ever before, but there’s one group of people that the pandemic has hit especially hard: older adults. A recent poll conducted by the National Poll on Healthy Aging interviewed 2,000 adults from the ages of 50 to 80. More than half (56%) of the participants reported struggling with feelings of isolation during the pandemic, a dramatic increase from 27% in the 2018 poll.

Long hours spent indoors away from family and friends can have us all feeling low, and the stress and loneliness can wreak havoc on your mental health. That’s why many older adults are turning to the practice of mindfulness meditation to cope with stressful feelings during the pandemic.

Just like washing your hands to get rid of germs, meditation is an excellent way to help cleanse your mind of troublesome thoughts, and practicing mindfulness can do more than just help you relax. Taking a few minutes out of your day to ground yourself in the present moment is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your mental health, and the benefits are backed by science.

The science-based Aviv Medical Program is centered on the innovative hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cognitive and physical training, plus nutrition coaching. Supportive wellness practices, such as meditation, help to create a truly holistic approach to enhancing cognitive and physical performance.

 

 

What is meditation? The art of mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation is the art of being present in the here and now.
It’s about taking a few minutes every day to clear your mind of distressing thoughts and engaging with what’s right in front of you.

Think of it as a workout for your brain. In the same way that you might lift weights to keep your body strong, meditation is a way to train your mind and increase your focus and awareness. It’s not a spiritual practice or a mystical art; it’s a learned skill and anyone can learn to meditate, regardless of age.

 

 

5 Benefits of meditation backed by science

There are several proven benefits to meditating regularly. Numerous studies have shown that mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga can improve all sorts of mental health problems. From easing anxiety and depression to stalling memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients, here are our top 5 benefits of meditation.

 

1. Slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Although many people dismiss lapses in memory recall as a side effect of growing older, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest memory loss is a natural side-effect of aging. On the contrary, forgetting valuable memories doesn’t have to be the new normal for older adults.

Meditation has been proven to improve memory recall in adults in as little as eight weeks. Research also shows promising results in the use of mindfulness to slow the progression of cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Patients who practiced mindfulness exercises reported reductions in cognitive decline and stress levels, and overall improvements to their quality of life.

Mindfulness isn’t only beneficial for those diagnosed with cognitive conditions, either. Studies have also shown that caregivers of those with cognitive impairments can benefit from the stress reduction of practicing meditation. In other words, everyone can benefit from the boost to cognitive centers of the brain.

 

2. Improves focus and keeps your brain sharp

Practicing mindfulness can keep your brain active and in good shape, no matter how good your memory is. You don’t have to be a seasoned expert. Even beginners can reap the benefits of mindfulness meditation.

In one study, participants who listened to a 10-minute meditation tape experienced increased attention spans and focus when completing a test compared to those who didn’t meditate beforehand. One researcher further confirmed that people who meditate regularly consistently perform better on focus-related tasks. The same study also found that meditation calms the areas of the brain associated with mind-wandering and spontaneous thoughts, helping you stay focused on what you are doing in the present.

 

3. Combats insomnia

Getting a good night’s rest is more important than ever for seniors and older adults. Sleep is the vital period when our minds cleanse themselves of harmful waste. Yet current research estimates 10-30% of people are affected by chronic insomnia, with older adults showing more susceptibility to sleep disturbances.

A randomized trial found that mindfulness meditation significantly improved sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults. The lowered stress levels provided by meditation helps clear your mind from troubling thoughts, which can make sleep come easier. If you have trouble sleeping at night, turn off your screens and try meditating for a few minutes before bed.

 

4. Fights anxiety

Although everyone worries from time to time, harboring too much stress in your body can be unhealthy. According to researchers, anywhere from 3-14% of all older adults meet the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Unchecked anxiety and stress can worsen health conditions like fibromyalgia and lead to other mental health problems like depression.

If you want to take control of your anxious thoughts, meditation may be the solution. Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can alleviate symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and reduce stress levels, helping you clear your mind of fears and worries.

 

5. Improves depression and overall mood

Loneliness was already a common problem among older adults and retirees, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made it worse. Going out in public and visiting your family isn’t an option for many older adults, and the isolation can worsen feelings of loneliness and despair

Practicing mindfulness can help you manage these difficult emotions and improve your overall mood. Studies have shown that mindfulness training reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation, helping participants be happier in the present moment.

Mindfulness training has been shown to help reduce feelings of depression in adults. Those who practiced meditation therapy reported fewer symptoms of depression compared to their counterparts who didn’t meditate at all. Practicing mindfulness every day reminds you not to stress over every little thing, helping you stay calmer and more in control of your emotions.

 

How to start a mindfulness meditation practice

You don’t need any special equipment or training to get started. All you need is a comfortable place to sit and the willingness to give it a try. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:

1. Find a quiet space where you can relax, free from distractions.
If you’re inside, make sure that all televisions and electronic devices are turned off.

2. Sit in a comfortable position and breathe gently.

3. Pay attention to each inhale and exhale.

4. Focus on all the sensations of your body as you breathe.

5. Release any tensions you may be holding until you are completely relaxed.

6. Continue to breathe in and out as you focus on your body’s inner sensations.

7. If your mind wanders, that’s ok. Just re-focus on your breathing and start again.

8. Keep going for 5-10 minutes or as long as you’d like to meditate.

Try to meditate at the same time every day to establish a routine. If you don’t want to sit in silence, you can find guided sessions via apps on your smart devices, or you can play some calming music to help you focus. For added benefits, try meditating outside on the porch or in a garden. Doing your daily session in nature can calm you even further, helping you make the most of your mindfulness practice.

 

The bottom line

Mindfulness meditation is one of the most positive things you can do for your mental health and emotional well-being. It doesn’t take long to do, either. Having a simple routine to keep your mind in-shape can show benefits across all areas of your life. From improving memory recall to lowering stress levels and improving your sleep, practicing meditation can keep you more engaged in the present moment, helping you stay happy and calm during the best years of your life.

Aviv Clinics delivers a highly effective, science-based treatment protocol to enhance brain performance and improve symptoms of conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, fibromyalgia, Lyme, and dementia. The Aviv Medical Program’s intensive treatment protocol uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy and takes a holistic approach that includes brain training to achieve optimal results. Based on over a decade of research and development, the Aviv Medical Program is customized to your needs.