Brain Health Biohacks

The human brain is an amazing organ:

60% of the human brain is made of fat and needs to be fueled with healthy brain-boosting omega 3’s

The brain is not fully formed until age 25.

The brains storage capacity is unlimited. There are approximately 86 billion neurons, each forming connections with other neurons – with an estimated quadrillion connections.

Overtime, these connections combine. A piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100 000 neurons and 1 billion synapses.

Brain information travels up to 268 miles/hour.

The spinal cord is the main communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

The brain can generate about 23 Watts of power …enough to power a light-bulb.

Each brain cell contains up to 22 000 mitochondria – the powerhouses of our cells that generate energy (ATP).

The brain is extremely sensitive to toxins like heavy metals, tar from cigarettes and inflammatory foods like refined sugar (just to name a few)

The blood-brain-barrier is designed to protect the brain from toxins but it can be easily damaged and compromised by unhealthy lifestyle habits.

With such an important function within the body, taking care of our brains is fundamental.

Better brain health starts today!

Follow our top 7 brain health biohacks:

# 1: Heal your gut

Leaky gut = leaky brain

Zonulin compromises the tight junctions between the epithelial cells of the intestinal lining. In just the same way, the tight junctions (filter system) of the blood-brain-barrier can become compromised, allowing toxins to permeate brain tissue, causing inflammation and compromised brain function.

Heal leaky gut and leaky brain with:
Coloperm
L-glutamine powder at night
Organic bone broth
Anti-inflammatory diet of good quality CHO, protein and fat, and including the ‘rainbow’ of whole foods, especially green leafy vegetables.

Heal your gut

Many of the neuro-transmitters (brain chemicals) including Serotonin, the happy hormone, are produced in the gut. When bad bacteria become overgrown in the gut (imbalance of the healthy gut bacteria or dysbiosis of the gut microbiome), inflammation can result, with more excitatory neuro-transmiters being produced, causing anxiety and panic disorders.

Serotonin is converted to the hormone melatonin at night. Melatonin is our body and brain’s rest, repair and recover hormone. A prolonged period of reduced melatonin production will compromise brain function.

The five R protocol for gut healing

# 2: Increase phyto-nutrient and healthy fat intake.

And avoid refined sugar (including alcohol – sad but true :-))

Sugar easily crosses the blood-brain-barrier, causing fluctuating moods and an inability of the higher brain centres to keep a lid on the ‘emotional’ brain. ‘Bouncing’ off the walls from a sugar high doesn’t only apply to kids at birthday parties! It happens to all of us!

# 3: Get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night

Did you know that the brain shrinks to 66% its normal size at night in order for the lymph tissue of the brain to expand. This is a very important detoxification function of the brain. Poor sleep reduces our brain’s ability to detoxify. Accumulated toxins can give rise to brain fog, poor concentration and focus, poor memory retention and eventually, compromised cognition and overall brain function.

Sulforaphane is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants on the planet!

Sulforaphane is in all the cruciferous veggies

The highest concentration of Sulforaphane is in broccoli sprouts

# 4: Exercise

Increasing our heart rate through physical exercise normalizes almost everything in our bodies!

Exercise:

Increases blood flow to the brain
Increases feel good endorphins
Increases BDNF: Brain Derived Neuro-trophic Factor is the ultimate brain health enhancer!

Exercise for your brain

# 5: Activate the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is the calming centre of the body!!!

Increasing tone in the Vagus nerve improves parasympathetic nervous system function, which has a profound and immediate effect on the symptoms of extreme stress (flight/flight response, with high levels of the stress hormines cortisol and adrenaline)

# 6: Brain Boosting IV Vitamin drip at the DripBar

This powerful IV Vita drip contains:

Vitamins BCo and B12 – improve memory as well as the metabolism of those highly active brain cells
Magnesium – important in relaying signals between the brain and the body
Vitamin C – is a neuro-modulator which means it helps the brain cells to use important neuro-chemicals like dopamine. Also facilitates neural maturation – complex process of generating new brain cells and creating/maintaining neural connections
GPL amino acids (Glycine, proline and leucine) – active in phase 2 liver detox, where toxins are conjugated or bound to amino acids. Efficient detoxification is essential for optimal brain functioning
Taurine – very important in brain function: growth and development, neurotransmission, neuro-modulation, anti-oxidation and immune function.
IV Taurine is not the same as that found in red bull J
glutathione: the master anti-oxidant, ridding the body of toxins and free radicals that cause brain fog and other cognitive symptoms.
Add Vitamin D as a powerful anti-inflammatory, and cellular repair
Add Piracetam – improves neurotransmitter function as well as enhances learning and memory.
Book your Brain Health boosting IV vita drip at www.thedripbar.co.za

# 7: Contact Functional Medicine Practitioner, chantal@healthtrac.global, for health and lifestyle coaching to assist you in identifying root cause of brain/cognitive symptoms and in implementing lifestyle changes that result in sustained improvement.

Blog post written by Chantal Du Chenne, Health and Lifestyle Coach and owner/ operator of the DripBar.

BIO: Chantal is a B.Sc.Hons Allied Health with an international diploma in Nutrition and Sports Nutrition. Chantal is a passionate Gut Health advocate and works as a Lifestyle Coach, facilitating the improvement of her clients health conditions through healing leaky gut and correcting dysbiosis (imbalance) of the gut microbiome.

Over her 25 year career, Chantal has held various positions within the health and wellness industry – including 10 years as the Executive Head of Vodacom’s corporate wellness & mobile health programs. Chantal is the owner/ founder of the DripBar which offers vitamin and mineral drip therapy in improving micronutrient deficiencies. She is also the founder/owner of a Kombucha brewery which produces the brand of ‘booch’ called theFarmacy.

Chantal is a competitive cyclist, a plant strong vegan and mom to two grown up girls.

to Book your Functional health and Lifestyle coaching session: email: info@thedripbar.co.za

This blog post contains information that is not designed to take the place of,
substitute, or replace any form and method of professional or medical advice
and treatment or medicine. All content is the author’s opinion and is not
intended to diagnose and remedy. The facts and figures contained in this
document are presented solely for informational and educational purposes
only.