Seven Super Supplements For Nerve Health

Today's post from drperlmutter.com (see link below) is one for those of us with neuropathy and a fairly healthy wallet! I often think that supplement recommendations are a bit of a luxury for a select few because they're not cheap and many people's budgets just can't stretch to extras that may or may not work. That said, if it's possible financially, you may want to take a look at some of these seven recommendations here. They are all widely reported as having benefits for a health nervous system (apart from other beneficial health areas which you could see as a bonus) and the list and explanations could be very useful as a base from which to start, especially if your normal diet isn't the healthiest on the block. Unfortunately, supplement takers are often the people who are most conscious about their overall health and as such may not need them as much as others. If you do your research on the web, you'll see that each of these seven is claimed to be helpful for neuropathy patients but if you're at all concerned, talk to your doctor. Please watch out for supplements that claim to solve everything in one pill though - they are exorbitantly expensive and their claims are often wildly exaggerated - shopping for individual elements will work out cheaper in the end and then you know what you're putting in your mouth.

Grain Brain and the 7 Super Supplements 
Dr. Perlmutter

 
A brain-healthy, Alzheimer’s-fighting diet has properties that extend far beyond just decreasing your daily carb load. To truly provide your body with brain-boosting nutrients and vitamins that help stave off brain disease and other illnesses, you should consider a regular regimen of supplements. These seven supplements will go a long way towards helping you with prevention:

DHA: An omega-3 fatty acid that represents more than 50% of the omega-3 fatty acids in the brain. Numerous studies link high levels of DHA with a decreased risk for dementia, Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases (view some of these studies here on my site). Look to take in about 1,000mg/day. 

Resveratrol: If you like that red wine is permissible in the Grain Brain lifestyle, then you can thank this natural compound which slows down the aging process, boosts blood flow to the brain, and promotes heart health. In addition to the role it plays in stimulating brain function, resveratrol is also a key ally of our body’s immune system. Target 100mg twice daily.

Turmeric: If you follow me on social media (Facebook, Twitter), then you’ve heard me talk about turmeric before. Turmeric is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We can thank turmeric for protecting our mitochondria (thanks to its role in stimulating antioxidant properties), and it also improves glucose metabolism — both of which are essential for reducing one’s risk for brain disease. Try to get 350 mg twice daily.

Probiotics: Research conducted in just the last few years has started to conclude that eating food rich in probiotics can influence brain behavior, and may modulate the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression. In Grain Brain, I dive deeper into the relationship between probiotics and brain health, and today’s researchers are further exploring the role gut bacteria may play in maladies ranging from chronic pain to autism. Ideally, get your probiotics through a supplement that contains at least 10 billion active cultures from at least ten different strains, including lactobaccilus acidophilus and bifidobacterium.

Coconut Oil: If you follow this blog, you know I am a big fan of coconut oil and probably know why it’s an important part of our diet. It’s even a part of my anti-Alzheimer’s trio! Go for at least 1-2 tablespoons of an organic variety daily.

Alpha-lipoic Acid: Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that works to protect brain and nerve tissue. Look to get 600 mg/day. 

Vitamin D: I can’t say enough about the importance of Vitamin D, and that’s why I devote five pages to it in Grain Brain. To learn more, watch my video on the subject. It’s ideal to start with 5,000 units of Vitamin D3 daily, get tested after three months, and adjust accordingly.

As with any dietary/health changes, these are suggested guidelines only, and you should consult with your physician before making any changes to, or beginning, a supplement plan.

For more information, order your copy of Grain Brain today and join Dr. Perlmutter’s email list.

http://www.drperlmutter.com/grain-brain-seven-super-supplements/?hvid=2vNL2

When The War On Drugs Hit The Super Bowl

Today's post from statnews.com (see link below) once more focusses on the opioid crisis; an issue that won't go away and has a direct bearing on the lives of many neuropathy sufferers who need strong medications to dampen their pain. This time it's the Super Bowl hitting the spotlight for different reasons than the quality of sport. It was an advertisement trying to elicit sympathy for genuine patients who need opioids to stay sane that caused all the fuss and just goes to show what happens when someone tries to go against the flow of current media opinion. It also shows quite how much issues can be media-driven and that's a dangerous trend, especially when it concerns medical issues that the media has very little understanding of. Whatever the statistics of drug overdose, drug abuse and drug criminality, there is a significant segment of society that needs strong medications to be able to function normally. These people with chronic pain diseases must not be ignored or swept away on a tide of media hysteria. They must be able to have access to the drugs they need - end of story! If there's a problem with criminality and or drug abuse, then tackle that problem but leave the genuine patients alone!

"Well, that's one opinion!'

In the shadow of an opioid crisis, Super Bowl ad spotlights chronic pain patients
By Rebecca Robbins @rebeccadrobbins February 8, 2016

A Super Bowl ad mixed humor and empathy as it introduced the problem of opioid-induced constipation.

Abuse of prescription painkillers has grabbed center stage in conversations about the nation’s opioid epidemic. Presidential candidates talk openly about their relatives’ struggles with addiction. Officials at the state and federal levels ponder ways to restrict the number and dosage of pills doctors can prescribe.

That’s why it was so striking to see a Super Bowl ad that took a different tack: It aimed to stir empathy for patients who truly need the drugs to manage chronic pain.

The 1-minute spot targeted viewers who “need an opioid to manage chronic pain” — and who suffer from a common side effect of the pain relievers, constipation.

Read more: Obama wants $1.1 billion to fight opioid abuse Striking a balance between humor and gravitas, the ad featured a man suffering from the condition who can’t help noticing that everyone else around him can poop: A dog on the street. A woman with toilet paper stuck to her shoe. Even a sugar shaker dispenses crystals with ease.

 

The ad drew sharp rebuke from high-profile observers on social media, who saw it as a tone-deaf commercial play amid a devastating public health crisis.
“Big pharma buys #Superbowl ad to warn about the most pressing effect of opiates: constipation. Thanks. For nothing,” tweeted the police department in Burlington, Vt.

Even White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough weighed in on Twitter: “Next year, how about fewer ads that fuel opioid addiction and more on access to treatment.”

But several advocates for patients with pain saw it differently. They spent months advising drug makers on the ad, and said their goal was simple: to illuminate one of the burdens faced by the patients they represent.
Paul Gileno, president of the US Pain Foundation, was particularly troubled by a coarse tweet from comedian Bill Maher, who joked that the ad seemed to be aimed at “junkies.”

That happens all too often, Gileno said: Patients in persistent, terrible pain are wrongly “labeled as junkies or pill seekers” because they seek relief. Yes, he said, there’s a need to educate people about painkiller abuse. But there’s also a need to remind the public that these drugs have legitimate uses.
“There is a huge need for education on both issues,” Gileno said.

Read more: Opioid crisis drives record overdose deaths 

 “We definitely see both sides of the issue, and both sides need to be dealt with, but we can’t forsake one of the issues,” said Barby Ingle, president of the International Pain Foundation.

The ad didn’t promote a specific medication. Instead, it urged patients to ask their doctor about prescription treatment options for the condition. It also plugged a website that links to information about Movantik, a drug marketed by the ad’s makers, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo.

The spot was directed by Lenny Dorfman, a veteran ad maker with Hungry Man Productions who works on commercials for big-name consumer brands like Nike and Coca-Cola.

Super Bowl ads tend to focus on products and issues that have mass appeal. That’s why, for example, you tend not to see the ads for erectile dysfunction that dominate the airwaves during regular season NFL games.

So it was telling that the advertisers deemed prescription opioid users suffering from a particular side effect to be a large enough market to justify a Super Bowl ad. Thirty-second spots during the game sold for up to $5 million.

Abigail Bozarth, an AstraZeneca spokeswoman, said the company’s goal was to “open the door” for patients with opioid-induced constipation to talk with their doctors, “which provides another important touch point to help ensure opioids are being appropriately used.”

In 2014, prescription opioid pain relievers killed about 19,000 people, up more than threefold since 2001.

This story was updated with more information about the response from local and federal officials to the Super Bowl ad.

Rebecca Robbins can be reached at rebecca.robbins@statnews.com

Follow Rebecca on Twitter @rebeccadrobbins

http://www.statnews.com/2016/02/08/opioid-constipation-super-bowl-ad/ 

FIVE SUPER FOODS THAT SLOW DOWN AGING

Ageing is a natural phenomenon which everyone has to go through, but consuming dark chocolates or blueberries can help slow down the process with better results

 A list of five super food that can actually make a difference to our body system.

OLIVE OIL-It is a good source of MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) and omega 3. A serving of olive oil will give you the daily dose of healthy fats. Cooking in olive oil damages the structure of olive oil and it converts it into a saturated fat. Olive oil is also excellent source of polyphenols which are strong antioxidants which are needed to balance the free radicals.

YOGURT-It is an excellent source of protein and calcium. It helps us to prevent from muscle and bone loss. Also it provides us with billions of good bacteria in our stomach. These bacteria help us to break down our food and also help us to get rid of toxins. Make sure to have at least two servings of yoghurt, for best results take it at room temperature.

BROCCOLI-: Broccoli is a good source of Vitamin C and also dietary fibers. It belongs to the edible green plant in the cabbage family. It is rich in beta carotene and selenium. These ingredients make it a perfect super food.

DARK CHOCOLATE-: Dark chocolate with high cocoa content can actually be very beneficial. It contains minerals like iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. It is also an excellent source of antioxidants which will help us prevent the damage done by free radicals. Cocoa beans, from which chocolate is made, have a higher antioxidant capacity than any other food, and the high concentration of antioxidant flavanols in cocoa beans helps reduce inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to UV light.

RED WINE-Red wine if taken in moderation is an excellent anti-ageing drink. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which contributes to a lot of health benefit. White wine doesn’t have as much resveratrol as red wine because resveratrol is found primarily in the grape skins. Some researchers have shown red wine to slow down the cellular ageing. If taken in moderation it is really helpful. The antioxidants and nutrients in red wine can help prevent heart disease by protecting the arteries and the lining of blood vessels. Males can have two glasses of wine per week and females can have one glass wine per week.