My Mind Finds: Brain Awareness Week (Avoiding Dementia)

Brain Awareness Week:

I became more aware of the brain, diseases that attack it, what food can hurt it, and what fuels it over a decade ago when my mother was diagnosed with what seemed to be a form of dementia. She was only in her fifties…

There are so many questions, fears, and moments you simply can’t prepare for or understand when it comes to dementia.

TO ease my anxiety I started researching the brain more and today I will share with you some of the changes I made and supplements I added into my own life in an attempt to actively fuel my brain and avoid a fate such as my mothers if I do have any sort of control over it… 

Understanding well that I simply may not. I am proud to be a child of God. Dementia is often genetic and cases can’t be healed but some studies are showing ways to slow, avoid or reverse it. 

So, for starters, I cleaned up my diet some. I have, fortunately, never been much a fan of soda, beer, or fast foods. But I am no health wizard. I studied the “Mind Diet,” which is very similar to a Mediterranean style of eating (show book) and I try to use this knowledge as my guide as much as possible. I keep a print out on my fridge to remind me as I reach for something I shouldn’t :) I also love water. I have this water bottle and tend to drink quite a bit of water each day. 

I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep and I set an alarm a few times a day on my phone to remind me to get the exercise of some sort. My 30 minute moment changes daily, it is all about convenience for me. If I can’t get away from an office or the house to go to a gym I simply take a walk around the building or neighborhood. I bought an ancient elliptical off Marketplace to have around on cold or rainy days. I feel like I’ve tried every fitness class out there and even taught a few over the years. I have chosen my favorites and enjoy attended them when I can. If all else fails, I just turn on some music when no-one is around and hold a dance party which feels ridiculous at 1st but ends up being fun.. plus all of this also helps with mood. Also, Try to stimulate your brain with a suggested activity some each day. You can google some suggestions to find what is the most fitting and fun for you, there are also apps for it! 

So, an example of my daily routine is:

*Wake up and take Mito Q before any meals or coffee while I feed my dog children and watch the news.

*I have what I have named my “goodness jar, for breakfast every day except Sunday. On Sunday I like to have a larger brunch somewhere or make it. My jar can be prepped or made fresh. It is a low or no-sugar yogurt, with banana, steel-cut oats (or love crunch), chia seeds, almond butter, and berries. This is a great place to add supplement powders. I like Maca Root powder or Collagen Peptides powder.

*I brew a coffee or tea and add a spoon full of MCT oil. Sometimes I just take it straight. It's coconut oil so it tastes like coconut which isn’t hard to handle. 

*At least a few times a week I take a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar (from the mother) with a splash of lemon, water, and turmeric. Some people take a supplement daily. 

*Once a week, with lunch, I take a probiotic. Many take one daily but I eat yogurt daily already so I rarely take mine more than once a week. 

Favorite snack if I am craving something is dark chocolate, Omega nuts with dark chocolate chips and I finally have gotten on the hummus bandwagon and dip veggies, wholegrain Triscuits, or something in the hummus. 

I also enjoy a Body Armor drink from time to time in the afternoon which is a good place to add supplement powders like the Maca Root powder or Collagen Peptides powder I mentioned before. So maybe I add Maca to the goodness jar and Collagen Peptides powder to the Body Armor drink. 

*Find some time for exercise and or a mind activity between 1 pm & bedtime as many days a week as possible. 

*At night I take a daily multi-vitamin and keep an extra Vitamin D oil bedside. I like CBD oil (Kats) and enjoy taking it at bedtime. 

I don’t take any medications, just supplements although meds come up from time to time. I am not a medical professional so you are welcome to talk to your Dr about any of these suggestions or visit an alternative medicine professional. There are a lot of holistic style suggestions for dang near every issue you may experience. I will say, I am very happy with my overall health, mood, energy, and sleep on my routine with no added medications.  

If I could go back in time, I would have studied neurology (or forensics: I mean I can’t stop watching forensic files haha) but I am doing my best to take care of my brain & I can only hope to help others with my advice and “Mind Finds,”