Help – My Brain is Shrinking!

Did You Know Your Brain Shrinks With Age?

Scary, isn’t it? Comprehension, memory and reasoning actually begin to decline at the age of 45 – considerably earlier than previous studies where declining brain capacity began at 60.

Brain shrinkage increases even more when associated with smoking, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, according to a recent study at the University of California-Davis.

I discovered a virtual Fountain of Youth recently in my research – a key to reversing the effects of aging on our brains and slowing brain shrinkage. In fact, this secret “Miracle-Gro®” ingredient is already produced inside your body!

It’s called BDNF, Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor. BDNF is a versatile protein linked to brain cell survival and rejuvenation.

Ground-breaking research from UC San Diego has shown the protein BDNF impacting memory circuits in the brain and preventing disease at the cellular level. It appeared to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s Disease in mice and monkeys!

BDNF enhancement also was shown to have beneficial effects on Parkinson’s Disease, high-blood pressure and disorders of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

How Can I Increase My BDNF Levels?

One simple and inexpensive way to increase BDNF in your brain is to start each day with 20 minutes of aerobics or brisk walking. Just 20 minutes increases your alertness, lowers your stress and wakes up your brain! If you want to increase your BDNF levels even more, sprint for 1 minute, then walk for 2. Keep doing this for 30-45 minutes. In studies, this has shown to increase BDNF levels by 20% or more compared to non-sprinters.

Watch this CBS News report highlighting new research in neuroscience demonstrating how exercise makes kids smarter. The real-world study showed that kids who exercised before class had double the improvement compared to kids who exercised afterwards. Exercise enhances brain plasticity and promotes the growth of new brain cells.

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