In my last article I spoke about the need to eliminate or decrease inflammation. It was hard to summarize that in the space provided as it will be for this topic as well.

The second step to improving cognition is optimizing hormones, nutrients and factors. So how do we do this? I’m going to steal a quote used in the business world from Peter Drucker, "If you can't measure it, you can't improve it."

Hormones can be tested in blood, saliva and urine and nutrient levels can be done with a blood test. Trophic factors are supported by Vitamin D and the sex hormones, so those are a little more difficult to directly measure.

Optimizing your hormones by testing Vitamin D, Thyroid, and Sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and DHEA), are an important part of getting our brains to function properly. Keep in mind that being in range and being optimal, do not always match up. Age is always a factor in hormone levels because as we age, our levels naturally decrease

Trophic factors are helper molecules that allow our neurons to develop and maintain connections with their neighbors. If we lose those connections in our brains, it begins to deteriorate. The most common trophic factor is BDNF or brain derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is a brain healer and the best way to boost this is with exercise.

Optimizing our nutrients is critical to our bodies functioning properly. Think of our body like a car, if we have plenty of gas but no oil, will the car run well?

The same goes for your body. Consider zinc, a mineral we think very little about. Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the elderly and may be a major factor in the development of Alzheimers Disease. Zinc is required in the genetic make-up of every cell and is an absolute requirement for all biologic reproduction. It is involved in over 300 enzymatic pathways.

Unfortunately, zinc absorption decreases with age and can be depleted by proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole), ace-inhibitors (lisinopril) and loop diuretics (furosemide).

So in summary, we need to test our hormones and make sure we optimize their levels. We need to measure our nutrients and replace what we are lacking. And lastly, we need to optimize our trophic factors by starting an exercise program or exercising more vigorously.

In my next article I will go over eliminating toxins. Stop by the pharmacy if you would like more information or need help with choosing quality supplements to get you headed in the right direction for improved memory and cognition.

Until next time, be vigilant about your health!!