I like to think of tea as the Tree of Life that saves your health. It's a much healthier option than coffee, because it is also high in nutrients and antioxidants, yet does not contain a single calorie. Make an effort to drink SEVEN 6-ounce servings of tea per day - hot or cold. The health benefits of drinking tea add up fast. Not only does it get you in the habit of drinking more beverages, you are simultaneously flushing out of your system the toxic foods you've been eating. The nutrients in tea speed up your metabolism. By itself, tea has no calories and can stimulate digestion, cleanse the body, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and give you lots of energy. These are all necessary for losing weight and reversing the aging of every part of your body. A cup of hot tea is also the perfect antidote for calming an anxious mind. Both black and white tea are derived from the same green tea, but each has a different taste and appearance. White tea is growing in popularity because it has a higher antioxidant value than green and black. Green, black, and white teas all contain the nutrient L-theanine, which has been shown to stimulate alpha brain waves. These waves are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state, which may increase attention span. Because theanine helps the mind to stop racing, it also seems to help promote a more restful, sound sleep. Author Bio: Eric Braverman MD is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. Dr. Braverman is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine.
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To my mind, diets that do not address brain chemistry fail for two reasons, which are: First, when you restrict certain macronutrients (like carbs or fat), your brain isn't getting all the nutrients it needs, so the body sends out a hunger signal that results in overeating. Instead, my key to weight management is not found in counting carbohydrates, fat grams, or calories; but, instead, in balancing brain chemistry through nutrition - something anyone can do easily and effectively. It is an eating plan you can follow for life. Second, when we diet, we often deprive ourselves of vital nutrients, so our mental state becomes taxed and we make bad food choices. We are too fatigued, so we eat to boost our energy. We are depressed, so we eat excessively to force sleep. These mental states are aging you far beyond your chronological age. The good news is that by following a diet that enhances brain chemistry, each of these mental states can be completely reversed naturally. That's why my Younger (Thinner) You Diet is all about. On the Younger (Thinner) You Diet, you will not only lose weight because your are increasing your brain chemical, Dopamine, but as you balance your brain, you will also become more fit as you increase another brain chemical - Acetylcholine. You will become calmer as you learn to stabilize your GABA. And you will be happier and sleep better with more Serotonin. The Basics of the Younger (Thinner) You Diet Make sure that you are eating foods that are nutrient dense, rather than calorie dense. This is key in maintaining weight loss and a balanced brain chemistry. You want every square inch of your food to be packed with nutrients, not calories. The Younger (Thinner) You Diet offers hundreds of good choices: complex carbohydrates, which include lots of fruits and vegetables; lean meats; healthy fats; wonderful herbs and spices that are chock-full of thermogenic nutrients including antioxidants; and soothing, healing teas. A diet rich in these will naturally provide plenty of fiber to aid in digestion. They are also considered "high volume": You can eat lots of them and feel full because they take up space in your stomach, yet they are still low in calories. Best of all, you can eat healthy-sized portions of these foods and still lose weight, because the nutrients-to-calorie ratio is the highest of any diet around. You won't feel hungry all day, and at night, you'll sleep well. Not only has this way of eating been proven to improve the way you use and burn your food, but these foods support an anti-aging strategy to get you feeling healthier and younger. Here's a page from my book, Younger (Thinner) You Diet - How Understanding Your Brain Chemistry Can Help You Lose Weight, Reverse Aging, and Fight Disease. These are a few examples of what to eat to balance your brain chemistry and to lose weight. For more help and/or information, make an appointment with us - we can help you with your health and weight loss needs. You can also find some recipes in the recipe section of my blog at Path Medical or on Pinterest (search for Eric Braverman, MD). Author Bio:
Dr. Braverman is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. Eric Braverman MD is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine. THE CORTISOL EQUATION: LOW DOPAMINE = BIG BELLY FAT = A HEAVY BURDEN TO CARRY FOR BOTH BRAIN AND BODY When you have a dopamine deficiency, the body naturally increases the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the backup energy hormone; it provides us with additional power so the brain and body can continue to function without the right levels of dopamine. Cortisol is also released when you are under stress, whether or not your dopamine is low. But, when you are stressed, you naturally burn more dopamine, which is why the cortisol is released. While cortisol can be helpful, I call it the obesity hormone. Even though it effectively keeps your brain running, it does not improve your dopamine levels. It actually forces your metabolism to slow down, because when brain energy falters (low dopamine), the body is forced to send up to the brain its reserve units to pick up the slack, in the form of steroid hormones (cortisol) from the adrenal glands. The cortisol increases the effectiveness of catecholomines like adrenaline and creates the necessary energy, while conveying a feeling of happiness. However, this dopamine substitute is supposed to be a temporary safety mechanism. When your brain is continually turning to cortisol for energy, it becomes a way of life. In the end, you get puffy, round-faced, blood pressure rises, your appetite increases, and you experience weight gain (especially around your midsection). It has been linked as a direct cause of belly fat in both men and women: It causes fat to be deposited in the abdominal area where there are the most cortisol receptors. So if you're a "high energy" individual but are stuck with an apple body shape, chances are your cortisol levels, instead of your dopamine, are supporting your body's energy needs. A big belly is also an indicator that you're at high risk for metabolic syndrome, which from a brain chemistry perspective, is primarily a loss of metabolism: a low dopamine condition. When you see someone with a big belly, think of brain burnout. It is often accompanied by a poor attention span, poor sleep patterns and attention deficit problems. Cortisol also boosts adrenaline, which can make you feel restless: When your adrenaline is pumping, you might be anxious during the day and not able to sleep at night. These two factors also contribute to weight gain. Anxiety tends to cause us to self-medicate with "comfort foods," and a lack of sleep prevents your brain from resetting its other chemicals to the right levels. Strategies for Increasing Dopamine:
We at Path Medical can help you to re-balance your brain. Our exams include a full brain exam, because brainpower is the fire that keeps your mind alive, awake, alert and aware. Author Bio: Eric Braverman MD is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. Dr. Braverman is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine. All of us are vulnerable to the ADDICTION cycle when we experience a deficiency in our brain chemical, Dopamine. Disturbances in the dopamine "reward system" are associated with addictive behaviors. Anything you enjoy doing but can't seem to rein in can cause a release of dopamine. When this happens, you will initially feel that surge of excitement, or "rush." This is true whether the addiction is to drugs, alcohol, or shopping. But if you're already low in dopamine and you abuse drugs or alcohol, you'll feel less and less satisfied with each exposure. Unfortunately, now that you've experienced a good rush, you'll keep craving the experience again. So not only do you become addicted to the substance or experience, but you become addicted to dopamine, even as your brain produces less and less. Because addiction is almost always a self-medication model, it's exactly how the addiction cycle begins. The catch is that the brain can't keep up with demand. Instead, it strives to reach homeostasis, or balance, so that each time you are exposed to the addictive substance or behavior, the brain releases less dopamine, not more. When this happens, the euphoric feeling doesn't come back at all. Yet low-dopamine people will still continue to drink or smoke, in hope of it's returning. Unfortunately, these addictions affect every part of your health, including your thinking. The Good News is that you can break the cycle. You need to learn how to increase dopamine in a more balanced approach: first choosing foods, then nutrients, and sometimes even medications, so that alcohol, drugs, or shopping doesn't become your only source of a dopamine rush. By increasing levels of dopamine, you'll be able to help yourself break the cycle of addiction and gain control over your life. You'll also be able to create new brain cells to replace the ones you've destroyed in the past. Remember, addiction is serious and will sometimes require professional help. We at PATH Medical can help you to restore your brain to a balanced chemical state. Author Bio: Eric Braverman MD is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. Dr. Braverman is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine. There are benefits to trying something new every day. The world is full of endless possibilities, and just by exploring them, you'll increase your brain functioning. By trying a new exercise routine, activity, game, task, book, food, or even television show, you are expanding your brain to create new neuronal connections. You don't have to master an activity, or even like it, for it to change your brain. The point is to get out of your comfort zone for as little as 15 minutes to see what sparks your interest. Find ways that you can expand your experience. For example, if you love to take walks, choose a different route than usual. Even small changes count. IT'S YOUR MOVE! Author Bio:Eric Braverman MD is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. Dr. Braverman is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine. Also See: Dr. Eric Braverman reviews |
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Dr. Eric BravermanDr. Braverman is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and NYU Medical School, did brain research at Harvard Medical School, and trained at an affiliate of Yale Medical School. He is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging medicine. Archives
February 2018
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