There is a new book that I think you may be interested in (for yourself or a family member): You Can Fix Your Brain: Just 1 Hour a Week to the Best Memory, Productivity, and Sleep You’ve Ever Had (Amazon link), written by my amazing friend and colleague Dr. Tom O’Bryan.
One of my favorite chapters is chapter 2: The Leaky Brain, where Dr. Tom writes about the blood-brain barrier (BBB), comparing it to a protective cheesecloth-like lining where:
its main role is to block large molecules from entering into the brain from the bloodstream. The brain’s cheesecloth is even finer than the one in the intestine because most molecules are too big to fit in the blood vessels that service the brain. Just as the intestinal lining can tear, resulting in a leaky gut, the cheesecloth of the brain can tear, resulting in a leaky brain. Scientists refer to these tears as a breach of the blood-brain barrier.
He shares the many reasons we can end up with a leaky brain: trauma to the head/a concussion,
“smaller, repeated traumas (think of head butts during soccer practice that can happen 20, 30, or 50 times a day, 3, 4, or even 5 days a week)”, and even excessive exercise (a modest amount of exercise is beneficial).
Dr. Tom also shares the role of inflammation in creating tears in the blood-brain barrier – due to antibodies to wheat and dairy, bacteria, parasites or autoimmune diseases, together with advanced glycation end products (AGEs) from eating charred meats or barbecued chicken.
He shares that the blood-brain barrier typical heals quickly, within 4 hours but “if there is a recurring insult, leaky brain will remain, allowing macromolecules to penetrate the very sensitive brain.”
Dr. Tom suggests having your doctor order the Neural Zoomer blood test from Vibrant Wellness Laboratories, in order to identify if you have ongoing tearing of your blood-brain barrier:
Two of the biomarkers used in emergency rooms for severe trauma to the blood-brain barrier are called S100B and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). If they are elevated, it means that you’re leaking S100B and NSE into your bloodstream. If you have high levels of S100B and/or NSE in your bloodstream long-term (for instance, as a result of playing soccer or football regularly), your body will make antibodies to them in order to get rid of the excess. When you have elevated antibodies to S100B and NSE, it strongly suggests that you have an ongoing tearing of your blood-brain barrier. These are extremely accurate biomarkers that show up with damage to the blood-brain barrier from any cause, not just physical trauma. They identify that the flood gates are open, allowing macromolecules into the brain, which then will activate the immune response, causing the inflammation that eventually manifests as brain fog, forgetfulness, ADHD, seizures, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and eventually dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, and Alzheimer’s.
According to Dr. Tom the Neural Zoomer blood test is:
cutting-edge and is the most sensitive biomarker of brain antibodies available today and includes all six of the most important categories to set a benchmark for: demyelination (the condition of your nerves in your brain, related to MS), the blood-brain barrier [S100B and NSE], peripheral neuropathies (numbness and tingling), brain autoimmunity (antibodies to brain tissue), herpes (there are more than 100 studies connecting herpes simplex 1 and Alzheimer’s), and the genes for Alzheimer’s. I believe this test is a game-changer. It can identify, years in advance, the ongoing mechanisms that can cause degenerative brain diseases. When you can identify the mechanism before there is so much tissue damage that symptoms appear, you have a window of opportunity to do something about it.
If your doctor can’t order the test you can order it directly from theDr.com/neuralzoomer.
Here’s the official book blurb for You Can Fix Your Brain: Just 1 Hour a Week to the Best Memory, Productivity, and Sleep You’ve Ever Had (Amazon link)
For anyone worried about any type of brain ailment, ranging from the chronic conditions to simple brain fog and fatigue, this essential guide covers the full spectrum of prevention to treatment.
We’ve all experienced brain fog―misplaced keys, forgotten facts, a general feeling that you’re just feeling off today. And many of us will experience that “fog” manifesting as something more permanent―either in ourselves or our loved ones.
No matter what your current brain health state may be, You Can Fix Your Brain will enable and empower you to take concrete steps that will make an immediate difference in your brain’s vitality, clarity, and energy. Your memory will improve, fogginess will disappear, you’ll be less tired all the time, and much more. And, you’ll learn that these aren’t empty promises. Dr. Tom O’Bryan, author of The Autoimmune Fix, knows how to create lasting changes in health, and he’s here to share them with you.
It’s a step-by-step approach to better cognitive function―being selective about what’s on your fork, what’s in your environment, and how you take care of yourself can make a world of difference. With only one hour a week of practice, in 6 months, you can say goodbye to brain fog and welcome a better long-term memory and a sharper mind.
This is my endorsement:
The advice Dr. Tom shares in this book is cutting edge and provides powerful results if you want to have the best possible brain. This book is a must-read if you want to improve your memory and clear brain fog, have amazing sleep, reduce anxiety and ADHD, be productive and even feel happier. I love his message about setting a goal each week to learn just one thing and apply it – it makes this totally do-able for each of us!
If you already know you’d like to buy a copy of the book (or have already bought a copy) go to this link after your purchase to get access to some valuable bonuses.
If you’d like to get a taste of some of the content before purchasing you can check out some snippets in this download: Surprising Everyday Things That Can Damage Your Brain (changing the way you pump gasoline is one very simple changes you can make).
Enjoy! And be sure to leave Dr. Tom a review.