What is glycine?

Glycine is an essential amino acid (protein). Glycine is produced via the conversion of serine (another amino acid) as well as our diets.

Our bodies need more glycine when sick or under stress and  if diet is poor, we can well end up with a deficit of glycine.

Glycine helps form another protein called collagen. Collagen is responsible for our structural form and is found in the skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones, teeth, corneas, blood vessels, and back discs.

In order for healthy collagen production the body needs a steady supply of glycine. If a body does not get enough glycine, it compensates by slowing down the production of collagen. Lack of collagen shows up as the signs and symproms of aging, as in stiff joints, wrinkled skin, weakened eyesight, etc.

Good ways to stock up on glycine are with gelatine and bone broths. 

What is the difference between grey and white matter in the brain?

Grey matter is greyish in colour because of the grey nuclei of cells and fills 40% of the brain, but consumes 94% of the oxygen.

White matter is whitish in colour because of myelin and fills 60% of the brain.

White matter is made up of long extending nerve fibers (axons) and connects various grey matter areas.

Grey matter is made up of neurons, dendrites, glial cells, synapses, and capillaries which are involved in muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, speech, and self-control.

Grey matter contols how brain processing and cognition.

White matter controls how the brain functions and also controls temperature, blood pressure, heart rate.

Smokers loose grey matter at a greater rate than non-smokers.

The elderly with more grey matter have better cognitive function.

A US study has shown that there is an association in children between poverty and lower volume of grey matter.

Damage to white matter may be a sign of Alzheimers, even though Alzheimers is a grey matter disease.

Alcohol use may decrease white matter volume.

Which muscle is associated with best brain aging?

A study from Kings College, London looked at identical female twins over a ten year span. They found that the twin who had strongest leg power at the beginning of the study, also had the most amount of grey matter in the brain ten years later.

The boosting of physical activity which enhances leg strength may help with brain health as we age. 

What is anosmia?

Smell can be defined as an olfactory experience . Humans have about 12 million olfactory receptor cells which can detect about 10 thousand odours. (Dogs have 100-200 million receptors which can detect 40 thousand odours).

Anosmia is the loss of sense of smell. It can be a result of a head injury, stroke, Parkinson's Disease, or aging.

Anosmia can contribute to depression and loneliness. Smells trigger the limbic system of the brain via the olfactory nerve. The limbic system regulates memory, mood, and emotion which is why smells can trigger old memories. So if a person can't smell, their limbic brains are not triggered, contributing to depression.

Studies show that humans subconsciously transmit emotions via smell. This may explain why dogs seem so sensitive to human feeling (we call it intuitive, but it may be smell).

Studies show that the fear of smell is contagious.

Is sugar bad for our brains?

A recent study at the Center for Stroke Research in Berlin, Germany studied healthy people who also had high blood sugar levels. They found that the lower their blood sugar levels, the more words they could remember.

Other studies have shown that people with Type 2 diabetes or those with other glucose issues may have higher rates of Alzheimers or dementia.

The hippocampus can be the first part of the brain to be damaged by high sugar intake.

What are some foods which are good for my brain?

As we age the brain starts to atrophy or waste away; this starts around age 30, and then increases rapidly after age 50.  Brain deterioration can look like memory loss, difficulty learning new skills, sleep disruption, scattered concentration, and so on. Certain lifestyles such as high stress, substance misuse, and dehydration can also led to the same signs of an aging brain.

The brain is the most delcate organ of the body and can use up to 30% of the energy we derive from food.

Allergies can affect the central nervous system (brain and spine) and can show as fatigue, slowed thinking, irritability, agitation, aggression, nervousness, depression, schizophrenia, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, all issues we associate with brain function.

There are certain foods which can help with maintaining optimal brain function:

1) Blueberries: this fruit has compounds which boost neuron signals, to help neurons "talk to each other", helping with balance, coordination, and motor function.

2) Salmon: this fish helps the brain have more grey matter in the hippocampus, the posterior cingulate, and the orbital frontal cortex.  Studies are showing people who eat salmon have more omega-3 fatty acid in thier brain which helps protect against Alzheimers. Other studies show that omega-3 helps with mood, bipolar, and alcoholism.

3) Coffee: Studies show that limited caffeine from coffe can protect against Parkinsons, Dementia, and Alzheimer.

4) Nuts: Nuts contain fatty acids which can help with insomnia, poor memory, and mental clarity.

5) Avocados: This fruit contains a healthy fat which promotes blood flow to the brain.

6) Eggs: Egg yolks contain choline, one of the B vitamins. THis essential nutrient helps with memory function.

7) Chocolate: Dark chocolate contains magnesium and many antioxidants which are good for focus and concentration.

8) Broccoli: This vegetable activates cell recptor sites ad therefore is seen as a protective food as well as slows down the aging process.

9) Vitamin C & E: These vitamins enhance memory under stressful conditions. 

What is an Enzyme?

Enzymes speed up the thousands of chemical reactions our bodies need to function. They are like our vital force and are needed for cellular energy, repairing tissues, stimulating the brain, and digesting food. Without them, we'd soon die.

Enzymes were discovered by Dr. Edward Howell in 1920 who thought that humans are born with a certain amount of enzymes at birth and that we can only replenish them with certain healthy foods such as raw fruits and vegetables. Research now shows that as age, we produce fewer enzymes than in youth. Some people see that aging and enzyme production are closely linked.

There are 3 classes of enzymes:

1) Metabolic enzymes: help manage reaction between cells such as turning phosphorus into bone, attching iron to our red blood cells, healing wounds, and making sure our hearts beat.

2) Digestive enzymes: are formed in the pancreas and help break down foods so that we can assimmilate nutrients into the blood stream. There are different types of digestive enzymes which break down different type of nutrients and this is described in another post (see:  What are digestive enzymes?)

3) Food enzymes: come from raw food and is what helps uneaten food decompose. Food enzymes help us "predigest" our food, before the other enzymes kick in.  One theory says that if you eat lot's of uncooked food, you are helping prolong the number of other enzymes in your system, as they do not have to work as hard. Saving enzymes slows down the aging process.