Hi Reader,
Last week was a major birthday for me, while I had mixed feelings about it, it did spark some research on my end, which generated this article.
***This a long one – If you just want the low-down in the form of a list -I’ve got you – scroll on down to the end for a synopsis***
My feet are planted firmly, so I don’t tweak my back, cool air from the fridge calming the hot flash that has engulfed my body, and a completely blank mind save the frantic thought running back and forth waving its arms, “You forgot, you forgot, what old folks home will the kids stick you in.”
As we age, there are physiological changes that are less than pleasant and are often used as a scapegoat by Western medicine. A placating pat on the head “There there, old girl, it’s all part of getting older.” Few things make my blood boil than this.
The truth is that we can influence many things associated with aging. One of the more worrisome symptoms for me is cognitive decline. Where the heck are the car keys? Or what the hell did I come into this room for? There are common jokes, but the reality is as we age, those moments become more frequent.
The good news is that recent research and studies are showing some promise for preventive practices and actionable change that can preserve and even improve cognitive function.
Levels of Aging
Dave Sinclair, Ph.D. author of Life Span, talks about three levels that contribute to aging. The base level has three primary elements.
The first is the shortening of telomeres (small ‘caps’ of nucleotides on the end of chromosomes; as they decrease in length, cell division becomes less effective). Telomeres are an indicator of biological longevity – you want longer telomeres.
The second is DNA damage which influences cell-reproduction and death.
The last element in the base level is mitochondrial dysfunction which affects the energy within the cells.
The second level is the sirtuins, proteins that influence metabolic function.
The top-level is environmental. Things like the food we eat, the amount of stress we’re experiencing, exercise, and sleep. All of these elements impact the first and second levels of aging, and this is where we have the ability to shift our outcomes.
Inflammation
There are numerous studies linking inflammation to aging and sugar to inflammation. Sinclair goes so far as to say refined sugar can be toxic to the body. With chronic inflammation, cells detect the byproducts of the inflammatory process and activate inflammasome, which decreases our ability to manage inflammation.
Kinda like when you get used to your neighbor Waldo playing loud mariachi music all weekend, and you barely register it’s playing (wait…your neighbor doesn’t do that?). We adapt, but it’s not always a healthy adaptation. (3,8)
The best way to manage inflammation is through dietary changes. Yeah, cut out all the processed foods and sugary treats. Lean into whole foods with less red meat. It’s not as bad as all that, though….we are adaptable, and honestly, after a few weeks of no sugar, you won’t believe how sweet those things will taste. For me the bigger challenge is the red meat ☹️
The Mysterious Glial Cell
Of note are the glial cells (see figure below) in our nervous system, those same cells responsible for clean-up duty in your brain as you sleep have a role in remodeling – a novel way of saying they influence the disease process. The glial cells slow down and lose function over time.
What slows this deterioration down, you might ask… again the same dietary changes as above and…..(happy dances for me ) learning.
Engaging in intellectually stimulating activities and learning new skills helps protect glial cells from deteriorating and helps keep cognitive function intact. There is some recent research that indicates Alzheimer’s disease may be linked to glial cell degeneration. (1, 6, 10)
Minding the Mind
One of the areas that have been showing promise in preventing cognitive decline is mindfulness. Participating in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, an eight-week program incorporating mindfulness, meditation, and thought shifting, has been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, and pain.
New studies are looking at the response of those with subjective cognitive decline; the person is aware of cognitive ‘slips’ but is not yet scoring low enough to be diagnosed with cognitive issues, and the results showed an improvement in cognitive function.
This may be a result of decreased stress levels, known to impair cognition, or simply a focus on being present in the moment. There are several studies awaiting funding. I’m looking forward to the results….such an elegant and simple solution. (5,7,11)
Dulled Senses
One area that gets overlooked yet makes logical sense to me is hearing and vision loss. With a decline in these senses, it’s easier to miss signals, avoid situations that offer engagement, and increase stress levels.
Hearing loss is the most overlooked, with many avoiding hearing aids, whether for cost or vanity reasons. The research correlates hearing loss with cognitive loss, but there is a need for further research to determine if it’s the root cause of both the hearing loss and decline in cognitive function is a decrease in blood flow to the brain.
A unique reason to get some exercise and keep that blood pumping. (4)
Sipping Tea
Sipping tea while reading Life Span turns out to be a good thing for my cognition.
Oxidative stress, a mitochondrial response between reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and antioxidants, uses a lot of oxygen and causes stress to the system. (see the figure below)
The use of supplements and green tea in several studies showed an improvement in cognitive function after six months of use. The group took COQ10, niacin, L-cystine, vitamin c, succinic acid, fumaric acid, L-glutamine, riboflavin, and green tea extract -EGCG. This study is also awaiting funding to complete the second round of studies.
The study using just green tea, three cups per day, showed a decrease in anti-inflammatory markers, good for overall health and aging, as well as a slight improvement in cognitive function.
Summary
I am an optimist by nature, but this research round-up had me more hopeful than before. Overall most of the suggestions are simple(tho not always easy). Here’s a summary:
- Decrease stress levels – in healthy ways, sorry noshing on cookies while binge-watching Stranger Things doesn’t count.
- Exercise – a simple walk, some yard work, it doesn’t need to be a 5 am Peloton spin class where you’re sweating buckets(unless, of course, that’s your jam, then you do you)
- Cut out sugar and processed foods- that bag of chips calling your name doesn’t need a response. I would say substitute, but let’s be real, a bunch of celery doesn’t have the same effect.
- Sip some tea(or use the supplement) – 3 cups of green tea a day. All the steeping and waiting could help with the next tip – being mindful.
- Be present – practicing mindfulness(while brewing that tea) helps build some reserves.
- Learn new things – my favorite, follow a curiosity just because who knows, you may stumble onto a new passion.
- Keep your senses tuned in – check your hearing and vision, and correct when needed. Better to wear a hearing aid or glasses than to be standing in the bathroom looking for your car keys.
Just for the record, three of my four kids swear they will not “put me in one of those places”…. But they lie; after all, they all swore they were never leaving home 😂
Oh, I was getting a cup of coffee….which is next to the fridge, an honest mistake, but maybe I should switch to the green tea just in case.
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Courtesy of Faraei et al (see references)
The reference list for this article can be found here
Be Well,
Cathy
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