From Elizabeth DeRosa of Finding The Way Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & Author 

http://findingtheway.net

Patient to Advocate Lessons

Today most Americans rely on healthcare professionals to “manage” their health and well-being. We listen to the experts about our physical concerns and follow the treatment plan laid out to us with strict guidance. We do it without asking many questions or getting a second opinion. Most of us follow the medical advice in an attempt to eliminate symptoms or disease, to feel better, and so that we can get back to our daily lives quickly.

While it is necessary to follow the protocol advised by your doctor, it is also important to become your own advocate in terms of your health. Our healthcare system now employs patient advocates as part of a multi-disciplinary team that specialize in supporting patients with issues ranging from consent, privacy and confidentiality, and patient rights.

But, did you know that you can be your own advocate? Not many people understand that you can become your own advocate and contribute to your own healthcare decisions that make you an active member of any medical team working on your behalf. You can do this whether you are visiting the doctor for a well check-up, sick visit, surgical procedure, post-operative care, or being followed for a chronic disease.

Tips to Become Your Own Self-Advocate

• We are all uniquely different and a treatment plan that works for one person may not work for another. This does not mean you or your doctor have failed, it means that another approach must be taken to activate your body’s own ability to heal itself. The doctor is the medical expert but you are an expert on you and your body.
• Become an active and engaged participant in your treatment plan. Do not be a passive by-stander. This is your life! You are paying the doctor to work for you. If it doesn’t feel right, seek out a different doctor or get a second opinion.
• Get a copy of your medical and/or prescription issue. Review your history! Keep a medical journal if desired.
• Communication is crucial. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or to tell your doctor, “I don’t understand”. Your doctor must take the time to answer any and all question that you have regarding your concerns.
• Be prepared and come to your appointment with a list of questions. It is easy to forgot them during the appointment.
• Understand how your insurance plan works. The insurance industry is a complex system within the medical umbrella that can leave patients frustrated and exhausted. Know what services are covered and plan accordingly with you doctor.
• Know your doctor’s medical background. Where and what did they study? Observe their manners and behaviors. Do they listen to your concerns, show respect for this partnership, communicate effectively, and have a commitment to your well-being?

The doctor-patient relationship is changing today. This relationship is essential and must be utilized effectively for delivering high-quality healthcare to you. It is important to forge an improved dialogue, become an active participant, and ask questions so that you can become knowledgeable and empowered in regard to your health and wellness.

How to Change Your Environment to Improve Your Health

From Elizabeth DeRosa of Finding The Way Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & Author

http://findingtheway.net

The number of serious and chronic health issues facing children, individuals, and families continues to increase year after year. Some of these health concerns include an increase in diabetes, cancer, heart disease related diagnosis, mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, digestive disorders, obesity, and asthma, These health concerns effect not only our physical health, but just as importantly, our emotional and spiritual health. Important steps to better daily health includes advocacy, education, empowerment, and action. Taking control of your health is one of the greatest gift you can give yourself. By creating a healthy environment, you are creating the opportunity for overall wellness on many different levels.

Tips for creating a healthy environment:

• What concerns do you have about your health or what goals have you set for yourself in terms of overall wellness? Keep a journal and make this a priority in your life. If you suffer from a medical condition, get your medical records and become your own advocate.
• Look at the food you eat daily. Most people consume the Standard American Diet (SAD) that is composed of chemicals, preservatives, added sugar, “white” flour, unhealthy oils, GMOs, pesticide and antibiotic residue, artificial coloring and flavors, and more. The SAD is typically void of the proper nutrients our bodies require to sustain maximum health. Can you begin to make small changes each week to transition to a Green, Living, and Alkalizing Diet (GLAD)? Including whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, pasture raised meats, wild caught seafood, and healthier oils in your daily diet is important. Read labels and know where your food comes from. This also includes your beauty products and cleaning supplies. For example, the average women is exposed to 168 chemicals daily from her beauty products and most of these have never been tested for human safety.

• Get the proper amount of sleep each night:

School age children (6-13 yrs.) 9-11 hours per day

                              Teenagers: (14-17 yrs.) 8-10 hours per day

                              Younger adults: (18-25 yrs.) 7- 9 hours per day

                              Adults: (26-64 yrs.) 7-9 hours per day

                              Older adults: (65+) 7-8 hours per day

Due to stress and increased daily demands, we are living in the sympathetic nervous system or the fight, flight, or freeze mode. In this state, our body is constantly releasing hormones to compensate. The parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest, is where we want to reside. Sleep is a very important process that assists our body in recovery and rejuvenation from the inside out.

• Proper hydration is important. Drinking adequate water daily is essential for normal bodily function. Water intake can also include incorporating juicing, smoothies, teas, broths, and soups.
• Get the body moving! Exercise is important for the lymphatic system and removal of toxins from the body. Develop a daily routine of getting some form of exercise.
• Mediation/prayer is a great way to center and balance yourself in this fast- paced and stressful world.

Today we celebrate the 10^th annual World Sleep Day. It is organized by the World Sleep Society, founded by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) and the World Sleep Federation (WSF), an international association whose mission is to advance sleep health worldwide.

Frost & Sullivan has been researching how digital health applications can improve our sleep experience. Nowadays, consumers are able to utilize everyday devices as a way to gain a valuable perspective about a critical aspect of their health – the quality of their sleep.  There are numerous applications, wearables and devices that can create an ecosystem that produces and analyzes vital information that can be used by professionals to help an individual.  As consumers create a technology-based ecosystem around their sleep experience, all the patient-generated datagathered will contribute to larger studies that will support sleep science. This will lead to breakthroughs that will help our society to resolve sleep disorders and improve health and wellness globally.

Transformational Health Principal Analyst Victor Camlek explains: “This year's World Sleep Day theme is "Sleep Soundly, Nurture Life." The good news as we move forward is that we can now measure the quality of our sleep using connected digital technology in the natural setting of our home.  Whereas in the past patients needed to check-in to specialized facilities to assess their sleep for serious health related issues, today we can determine information about many aspects of our sleep adopting easy to use sensorsand remote monitors.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the key technologies in the market that can improve our ability to measure sleep by interfacing with other platforms and by leveraging a voice interactive AI system. For example, the Amazon Echo device can become a new partner in our healthcare as it can help to intersect with other aspects of digital health, all within the connected home environment.

“These advances permit us to address the need for serious intervention much sooner and much easier than in the past. Frost & Sullivan actively tracks progress in the sleep technology market, as well as innovative companies who are contributing to the disruption of this digital health segment," concludes Camlek.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the global Growth Partnership Company, has spent more than 50 years guiding our clients toward transformational growth strategies. We focus on innovation opportunities driven by disruptive technologies, mega trends, emerging markets and new business models. Through our Growth Partnership model, we collaborate with clients to leverage visionary innovation that takes advantage of our convergence expertise, an experiential learning platform, 360-degree industry coverage and complete global perspective. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry disruption, increasing competitive intensity, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Better sleep feels like winning the lottery

• Improving your sleep makes you feel as good as a lottery winner – leading to high levels of health and wellbeing over time - say University of Warwick psychologists
• Quality of sleep more important than quantity for optimal health and happiness
• Study analysed link between sleep and mental & physical wellbeing in households across the UK
• Working on better sleep could be an effective, cheap and simple public health strategy

Improving your sleep quality is as beneficial to health and happiness as winning the lottery, according to research by the University of Warwick.

Dr Nicole Tang in the Department of Psychology has discovered that working on getting a better night’s sleep can lead to optimal physical and mental wellbeing over time – and that quality of sleep is more important than how many hours you get.

Analysing the sleep patterns of more than 30,500 people in UK households across four years, Dr Tang finds that improving your sleep quality leads to levels of mental and physical health comparable to those of somebody who’s won a jackpot of around £200,000.

The study shows that positive changes in sleep over time – improved quality and quantity, and using less sleep medication - are linked with improved scores on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), which is used by mental health professionals to monitor psychological wellbeing in patients.

People surveyed who reported positive improved sleep scored a 2-point change in the GHQ – a result comparable to those recorded from patients completing an eight-week programme of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy designed to improve psychological wellbeing.

Furthermore, the same people showed improved scores on the 12-Item Short Form Survey, which tests levels of physical and emotional health, as well as people’s ability to perform everyday activities.

Conversely, it was found that a lack of sleep, bad quality sleep, and using more sleep medication can lead to worsened medical and emotional states.

Dr Tang’s research proves that improving the quality and quantity of sleep amongst the population – as well as discouraging the use of sleep medication - is an effective, simple and cheap method of raising the health and wellbeing of society as a whole.

Consequently, she argues that working on getting good quality sleep, and the reduction of sleep medication, should be promoted as a public health value – something that everyone can do easily to stay physically and mentally healthy.

Dr Tang comments:

“We are far from demonstrating a causal relationship, but the current findings suggest that a positive change in sleep is linked to better physical and mental wellbeing further down the line.

“It is refreshing to see the healing potential of sleep outside of clinical trial settings, as this goes to show that the benefits of better sleep are accessible to everyone and not reserved for those with extremely bad sleep requiring intensive treatments.

“An important next step is to look at the differences between those who demonstrate a positive and negative change in sleep over time, and identify what lifestyle factors and day-to-day activities are conducive to promoting sleep. Further research in this area can inform the design of public health initiatives.”

The paper, ‘Changes in Sleep Duration, Quality, and Medication Use are Prospectively Associated with Health and Wellbeing: Analysis of the UK Households Study’ is published in SLEEP.

It is co-authored by Dr Mark Fiecas, Esther Afolalu and Professor Dieter Wolke.

Image: Creative Commons, "Sleeping Woman", by Petr Kratochvil

Robotics Epicenter Shifts from Japan to the United States in the Global Healthcare Industry

United States emerging as the development and application hub for both industrial and service robots, finds Frost & Sullivan’s Transformational Health team

The pressing need to streamline workflows, improve the quality of healthcare, and provide round-the-clock monitoring for the growing population of elderly and disabled patients is driving the global care assistant robots market. Expected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate of 36 percent between 2017 and 2021, the market encourages technology developers and healthcare providers to collaborate, boosting the adoption of care robots for resolving operational workflow bottlenecks. Declining costs of hardware and robot-enabling software will ensure sustainable market growth going forward, guaranteeing high return on investment (ROI) for early-stage investors.

“Robotics, for both industrial and service use, is seeing a regional shift in technology innovation and advanced application; dominance has shifted from the early epicenter in Japan to the United States,” said Transformational Health Industry Analyst Harpreet Singh Buttar. “Many start-ups are emerging from Silicon Valley, where the future of robotics is being shaped.” 

Global Care Assistance and Automation Robots Market, Forecast to 2021, a part of Frost & Sullivan’s Advanced Medical Technologies Growth Partnership Service program, examines the changing footprint of different types of care assistance robots, such as pharma automation, exoskeleton, daily care,  transportation, telepresence, and rehabilitative. The market is expected to generate $4,473.1 million by 2021, with new growth opportunities driven by:

• Growing penetration of cognitive computing, mobile app control, and image or speed recognition
• Widening scope for consolidation within healthcare segments
• Shift to fee-for-value model

Click here for complimentary access to more information on this analysis and to register for a Growth Strategy Dialogue, a free interactive briefing with Frost & Sullivan’s thought leaders.

Successful collaboration, seamless integration of robots within hospital environments, and first-mover advantage are the core strategies enabling top contenders such as Cyberdyne, iRobot, Aethon and Swisslog to stay ahead. Two factors restraining widespread adoption of care assistance robots are high costs of ownership and lack of awareness about the reliability of these systems in critical treatment processes such as surgery. Real-life demonstration of the efficiency of these robots is helping address the first issue. Manufacturers and healthcare organizations must work together to develop robotic solutions that will provide users the best benefits at the lowest risks.

“Rise in demand for hospital telepresence robots is principally due to increasing use of telemedicine, whereby off-site physicians communicate in real time with on-site patients through robots,” observed Buttar. “As competition is expected to increase in the coming years, finding the right type of partner for the right type of robotic technology in any segment will be crucial to gain early leadership and traction in this market.”

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Care Assistance and Automation Robots Market, Forecast to 2021

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Top 6 Clues That Your Body Is In Flames

Typically, you can immediately tell that acute inflammation has occurred when an injury you had has started to turn hot, red and inflamed. For instance, when you scrape your knees due to an accident, you can see the inflammation occurring right away before your eyes. The symptoms of this situation are hard to miss. So, when your body is trying to heal itself from injuries that just had happened, you can always conclude that acute inflammation is taking place.

Chronic inflammation on the other hand tells a different story. When your immune system has been permanently “turned on” due to factors like unhealthy diet, allergens, toxins and poor lifestyle choices, chronic inflammation begins. As a result, the immune system constantly sends “cell-fighting” chemicals to inflamed areas that can damage the surrounding healthy tissues and cellular material. You can consider it like a forest fire that never burns out.

Recent research suggests that the main culprit of modern diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes is chronic inflammation. In addition to that, chronic inflammation can make you feel washed out and very tired. Since your body is attacking itself, you can expect that you’ll get sicker and sicker by the day if some form of intervention is not done sooner than later.

You can get yourself checked by seeing a doctor and getting some medical lab tests done. What they usually do to you is test the c-reactive protein levels of your blood. A high C-reactive protein indicates chronic inflammation is indeed wreaking havoc in your body.

Aside from getting some blood work done, there are numerous markers that identify whether you have chronic inflammation or not. It can reveal itself in a variety of ways, but here are the top 6 clues your body might be communicating to you.

Excess Fat Around Your Waist

Chronic inflammation is associated with excessive fat deposits in the waist area. The size of the belly fat is somewhat proportional to how much inflammation your body is currently undergoing. For men, the classic “beer belly” is a determinant that inflammation has been taking over their health.

High Blood Sugar

Individuals who have high blood sugar levels due to poor diet choices are susceptible to inflammation. High blood glucose increases the inflammatory cytokines running in your blood vessels. When this happens, it also increases the “advanced glycation endproducts” or AGEs which are pro-inflammatory molecules in your blood stream.

Digestion Problems

A person experiencing indigestion, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation is usually someone who’s suffering from a leaky gut. Having Leaky Gut Syndrome allows toxins – often from the food you eat to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream. When this happens, a widespread case of inflammation in the body occurs.

Feeling Tiresome

Constant fatigue may not just be a result of stress. The cells in your body can’t exactly keep up with the demand of energy they need to feel alert and invigorated due to the over activity of pro-inflammatory cells in your body. This means the energy your body produces is simply being routed to support your body’s inflammatory response, and little is left for proper cellular metabolism.

Skin Issues

Skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and blotches are all signs of an inflamed body. According to medical practitioners, skin problems (especially psoriasis) are manifestations of internal inflammatory conditions. Individuals suffering from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are usually the ones who are experiencing skin problems.

Suffering From “Brain Fog”

Inflammation can affect the chemistry inside your brain. Because pro-inflammatory cells can penetrate the blood brain barrier, it can cause oxidative damage and can potentially put you at risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Some of the symptoms include anxiety, depression and impaired working memory.

How Do You Turn Chronic Inflammation Around?

Because the health signs are pointing to chronic inflammation, changing your lifestyle can be a solution to becoming healthier again.

You can begin by cutting out foods that can cause weight gain. These foods include saturated fats, excess salt, sugar, and carbohydrates. Eat more lean proteins like fish, turkey and chicken. Low-carb vegetables should also be eaten at least 4x a day.

Eating foods that are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties will also be a huge help in turning off your internal fire. Foods like blueberries, and raspberries are known for their antioxidant content. Also, you can include turmeric in your daily diet. Turmeric curcumin can significantly reduce inflammation, redness and pain in the body.

Eliminate toxins like insect repellants, chemical fertilizers or even plastic products. They emit toxins in the air that can agitate your body’s inflammatory response within seconds.

Turning over a new leaf and living a healthy lifestyle is the best and the simplest prescription in solving chronic inflammation. Be smart with your life choices and you’ll be in your way to proper healing.

Bio:

Katrina Rice is a mom and a freelance writer. She strongly believes in the concept of holistic wellness through healthy and natural living, travelling and immersing one's self in new activities. A self-proclaimed health enthusiast, she hopes to inspire more people to take more action to their lifestyle to fight inflammation-related diseases.

Artificial Sweeteners

The following is a very simplified overview of my five main issues with artificial sweeteners.

Re-enforces the craving for sweets and overeating. Sends a very strong signal (stronger than sugar) to the control centers in the brain to remind and push to consume sugar because it creates pleasurable feelings. What ends up happening is people end up craving sugars even more and end up getting it eventually and when they do, it’s more than they would have eaten had it not been for the artificial spike. Eliminating artificial sweeteners from your contest prep diet honestly makes dieting 100 times easier because you’re not providing a constant reminder to eat more sugar.

Changes the way foods are metabolized. Research confirms that artificial sweeteners can negatively impact the way the body processes and metabolizes certain foods. So even if you are eating healthy, your body may not be processing the nutrients appropriately and partitioning them accordingly how they should be. (i.e. more gets potentially stored as fat, not muscle cells). Research has also suggested artificial sweeteners can impair glucose metabolism.

Creates an artificial insulin spike. Mixed research on this but enough in my mind to warrant mentioning it. Artificial sweeteners can send a signal to the body that sugar has just been dumped into the blood. In some individuals, this can actually cause the body to produce insulin (a storing hormone). While in contest prep, we try to suppress insulin with the exception of very specific times. Stimulating it’s release multiple times through the day is not the best way to get shredded.

Long term use linked to changes in the brain-metabolism balance. Artificial sweeteners can create an energy imbalance that mimics the actions of fasting on the brain – which can be highly detrimental to the metabolism. The pathway here is the AMPK causing certain cells to produce NPF – a peptide that promotes hunger.

Studies have correlated artificial sweeteners with weight gain and metabolic syndrome.  While correlation is always up for debate, it shouldn’t be just overlooked.

You Look Great! 5 Ways to Lighten Up on Physical Appearance

Go on your Facebook or Instagram feed and you’ll be hard pressed not to find selfies of people flexing at the gym or sunbathing in a bikini. Sprinkled in are ads for skin creams, weight management shakes, hair restoration, cosmetic procedures and butt lifting yoga pants. Thanks to smartphones and selfie culture we are all online being bombarded and obsessing over physical appearance, especially our own. Dr. Sanam Hafeez a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, says it is time to lighten up. Below are some common obsessive thoughts and actions on physical appearance and what to do about them.

1. “It takes me an hour and 5 outfit changes before I can leave the house.”

“When you find it difficult to commit to an outfit choice and rapidly change outfits only to look in the mirror thinking everything looks terrible, there is certainly heightened anxiety taking place,” explains Dr. Hafeez. She adds, the problem isn’t the clothes. The problem is self-perception and mindset. “The better you feel about yourself from the inside and the more positive things you have in your life to be appreciative of, the less time you will spend on clothing choices. You’ll know exactly what you want to wear and you’ll be more than satisfied with your choice,” offers Hafeez.

The solution? She suggests training your mind to decide and stick to the style decision by setting an alarm for 5 minutes to brainstorm 2 options. Dr. Hafeez also encourages focusing on where you are going and the positive aspects of the anticipated experience to shift the mind off your physical appearance.

2. “I can’t pass a reflective surface without checking myself in it.”

If you’re checking yourself out thinking, you look fantastic and swiftly continue to walk on that’s normal, fine, and even healthy. However, if you are thinking, you need to lose weight, that you have a double chin, that you look old, that your hair is terrible, then you’re beating yourself up and are focused on unattainable perfection. “Our bodies will change and we will age. This is a fact of life. Exercising for as little as 20 minutes per day, eating healthily, walking, reading and meditation are all things that are beneficial to us. When we make how we feel top priority, we start to look good. We’re more radiant, smiling, and have higher, more positive energy,” explains Dr. Hafeez.

3. “I never can leave the house without make-up.”

This is a tough one and common for a lot of women. We all want that fresh faced, gorgeous without trying look. Very few women past puberty can achieve it. “There’s a difference between the level of self-consciousness between a woman who takes 10 minutes to put on some moisturizing foundation, mascara and lip gloss and someone who must spend an hour a full face of make-up perfectly applied,” says Dr. Hafeez.

Getting monthly facials and educating yourself on different make up formulations can help you cut down on the amount of make-up needed. This could shorten the time it takes getting glammed up!

4. “I constantly compare myself to others on social media, in magazines, in public.”

Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director of the Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery who has appeared on national programs such as Good Morning America and 20/20, commenting on physical appearance says comparison mindset is incredibly common. “Ten years ago people would come to me with pictures of celebrities, and now they’re showing me random people on their social media feeds.  It is unreasonable to compare yourself to a celebrity as they have a team of trainers and stylists that help them achieve and maintain a certain desired look. Today people see their high school friend on social media with the perfect breasts and they want that same look. People are really comparing themselves to everyone now,” he candidly explains.

Dr. Hafeez advises taking breaks from social media and doing body strengthening and range of motion exercises that also weave in breathing and mindfulness such as yoga or tai chi. “When you are aware of your body’s strength and your general well-being, you’re not going to compare yourself to others. When you’re too busy enjoying a happy, healthy, you won’t care if your thighs are less toned than someone else’s.

5. “I have a list of cosmetic procedures I want to do and am planning to do this year!”

This is when we must be mindful of body dysmorphia. When we have a distorted perception of our appearance it can lead to an addiction to cosmetic procedures. Dr. Brandow adds that it is very important for cosmetic surgeons to screen people to see if they have signs of body dysmorphia. “Ethically when someone comes in with a list of flaws they want to fix it is up to us professionals to advise them appropriately. When someone is addicted to surgeries and tries to “fix” the same body part repeatedly, that’s a red flag.

Dr. Sanam Hafeez suggests keeping an “appreciation journal” and write down 10 things you appreciate about yourself and your life. This will lessen harsh self-criticism and the need to measure up to any physical ideal.

About the doctors:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens. 

Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz.

Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or www.comprehendthemind.com 

Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director of Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery is a plastic surgeon with practices in the Philadelphia metro area. Named a “Top Doc” in Plastic Surgery by Philadelphia Magazine as well as nationally recognized for one of America’s “Best Plastic Surgeons” of this decade, Dr. Brandow is a trusted expert who has developed many innovative, minimally invasive procedures for the face, body and skin. He has been featured on local, national and international television programs including 20/20, CNN’s Headline News, Good Morning America.

Connect with Dr. Brandow via www.brandowclinic.com

Food on the Brain…

Top Brain Boosters to Add and Brain Drainers to Drop From Your Shopping List

The foods you have in your pantry and fridge may be helping or hindering your brain. Dr. Christopher Calapai DO, a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine explains that the foods we choose have a lot to do with how sharp, attentive, alert, focused and happy we feel after they are consumed. Certain foods may taste great have additives in them that literally cloud our brains and leave us sluggish and dull headed. The opposite is also true. We can eat certain foods and feel a charge of mental energy and focus. We spoke to Dr. Calapai and got a quick list of foods that boost and drain the brain. Which ones will you add and remove from your shopping list?

Brain Boosting Foods to Add!

1 Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are great sources of vitamin E.  Higher levels of vitamin E correspond with less cognitive decline as you get older. Add an ounce a day of walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, and un-hydrogenated nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini. Raw or roasted doesn't matter, although if you're on a sodium-restricted diet, buy unsalted nuts. “Adding nuts to your diet can aid in decreasing levels of enzymes that lead to protein plaques from forming and dementia. Nuts can also reduce brain inflammation, keep blood pressure low, key for preventing stroke,” explains Dr. Calapai.

2. Blueberries

“I eat these daily and encourage patients to add blueberries to as many things as possible. They’re great on their own, added to a shake, to oatmeal, or even to a salad,” says Dr. Calapai. Blueberries are tasty and sweet and loaded with antioxidants. They’re packed with vitamin C, K and fiber and pack high levels of gallic acid, making them especially good at protecting our brains from degeneration and stress. “Studies show that eating blueberries can boost focus and memory for up to 5 hours,” adds Dr. Calapai

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the best brain foods out there. Thanks to its high levels of vitamin K and choline which is a B vitamin know for aiding brain development keeps memory sharp and protects the brain from later decline with age. It’s also loaded with vitamin C. Just one cup provides you with 150 percent of your recommended daily intake. Its high-fiber levels makes you feel full quickly, too. “People hear broccoli and roll their eyes thinking it’s bland a boring. Think of broccoli as a canvas ready to be painted with spices and flavors, offers Dr. Calapai. Try stir frying with a bit of olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add in a spoonful of orange or lemon juice and it gets this nice sweetness to it.

4. Fish

Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and other fish are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA seems to be very important for the normal functioning of neurons in the brain. Eating more fish often means eating less red meat and other forms of protein that are high in artery-clogging saturated fats. “People who are lacking in Omega 3’s can experience mood swings and feeling edgy or negative. Omega 3’s have been know to be mood boosters in addition to enhancing focus and memory,” says Dr. Calapai.

5. Avocado

This creamy treat is also a rich source of the antioxidant vitamin E. Research suggests that foods rich in vitamin E—including avocado, which is also high in the antioxidant powerhouse vitamin C—are associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Brain Drainers to Drop!!

1. Partially Hydrogenated Oils

There is zero reason to ever eat foods that list "partially hydrogenated oils" in their ingredients list. It's code for trans fats, which, in addition to upping your risk for obesity and damaging your heart health, can cause serious brain drain. “Diets high in trans fats increase beta-amyloid, peptide 'plaque' deposits in brain associated with Alzheimer's disease. One study published in Neurology found that people who consumed high levels of trans fats had lower cognitive abilities and smaller brains later in life,” says Dr. Calapai. Common culprits include fried foods, baked goods, and processed foods. So bake or grill chicken instead of frying it, go for sweet potatoes instead of French fries and avoid anything wrapped in plastic that sits on a shelf for months at a time.

2. Added sugars

The average American eats 79 pounds of added sweeteners per year which can cause constant insulin spikes and inflammation resulting in both vascular and neuronal damage. One study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity found that large amounts of sugar cause the hippocampus, the brain's memory control center, to become inflamed, meaning it can’t work at 100 percent. Meanwhile, one cross-cultural analysis found that high sugar intake is linked to depression. “Sugar is a big trap because when you eat something sweet there’s a high initially. It feels good at first taste but then once it starts to be processed in the body there’s a heaviness that follows, says Dr. Calapai.

3. Saturated fat

A diet high in saturated fat can decrease the brain’s ability to fight the formation of Alzheimer's-linked brain plaque. An onslaught of saturated fat also hurts your brain in the short-term. Saturated fat impairs your brain's ability to learn and form new memories within as little as 10 minutes after chowing down. Processed meats such as bacon, pepperoni, pork sausage, or chorizo are examples of very tasty foods that are high in saturated fat. “Look we all like to indulge from time to time and that is fine, but when saturated fats are staples in your diet, then that’s going to take a toll,” advises Dr. Calapai.

About the Doctor:

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed the "The Stem Cell Guru" by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer's, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson's. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Gotham's, Donal Logue; and as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers. Connect with him via twitter @drcalapai or at www.drca