In November 2006, Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB operative, sat down for tea at the Pine Bar at the Millennium Hotel in London. He immediately fell ill. For the next 22 days his body disintegrated before the eyes of his friends and family. A photo released to the public shortly before his death showed the 44-year-old in a decrepit state. He had aged a lifetime in two weeks. Litvinenko’s tea was poisoned with Polonium 210 and he died of acute radiation syndrome—essentially a rapid age accelerator of DNA—and a collection of health effects caused by exposure to ionizing radiation. Litvinenko’s story has become one of the most well known cases of assassination via a radioactive substance, but international spies aren’t the only ones in danger of radiation related illnesses. Whether it comes from North Korea, power plants or simply the sun, everyone is now facing the threat of accelerated aging and thyroid cancer via exposure to radiation. Luckily, there are preventative measures we all could and should be taking. Over the last four decades, I’ve studied the effects of radiation on human health and emergency preparedness. My work is endorsed by New York governors George Pataki and David Paterson, as well as U.S. military generals and Irwin Redlener, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University’s The Earth Institute. Our research proves that the health effects of radiation do not have to be as catastrophic. As the World Health Organization and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have reported, the only observable health effect on the general public from the Chernobyl nuclear accident was epidemic levels of thyroid damage, including more than 6000 cases of thyroid cancer. Other cancers, including leukemia and birth abnormalities, were not seen. The great thing is there are safe, effective, and inexpensive measures to protect the thyroid from radiation induced effects due to nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons. This consists of small doses of three different supplements, potassium iodide (KI), cesium and strontium that have been tested and proven to strengthen the human body against radiation. They work by blocking the thyroid from absorbing the radioactive fallout that harms it. We know they work—those who received KI after the Chernobyl disaster were protected. I’ve recently partnered with distinguished West Point graduate Major General Bernard Loeffke and endocrinologist James Hurley, Professor Emeritus of Weill Cornell, to recommend to the U.S. government’s Office of Science and Technology that KI be distributed within 50 miles radius of nuclear power plants. As a nation we need a significant public awareness campaign regarding the health risks of nuclear exposure, to inform the public about the efficacy and distribution of these valuable elements that can save lives. Not only can they save the body from the harmful effects of radiation but they also strengthen your body and mind. These treatments are inexpensive and easy to get. The time for dragging our feet is over. Dr. Braverman is a prolific author and Founder of the PATH Medical Center and the PATH Foundation. He is known nationally as the foremost expert in anti-aging, longevity and brain health, and how brain health relates to full-body health.
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Even when we're young, very few people are extremely high in only one brain chemical, or only low in another. Most of us are a combination of highs and lows. In fact, brain chemicals are synergistically related to each other: When one is high, the other is low. Dopamine and Acetylcholine are the brain's "on" switches, providing you with lots of energy. GABA and Serotonin are the "off" switches - they help calm the body. When your brain is balanced, you are creating the exact right amount of each chemical, and you'll feel energetic, creative, and calm, and will have the ability to reset your brain with restful sleep at night. But as we get older, the structure of the neuronal highway gets worn down and becomes less efficient as both a chemical producer and transmitter. That's when you start to lose the speed of Acetylcholine or the energy of Dopamine. Without these, you'll feel the low-Serotonin blues, which lead to higher anxiety as GABA becomes imbalanced, which forces a low-Serotonin inability to sleep. All these symptoms can contribute to your feeling older than your actual age, because they are literally aging your brain. This is why a youthful brain is perhaps the most crucial challenge of aging, and why you must keep your brain as young as possible throughout your life. We at PATH Medical can help you balance your brain for a Younger You. 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. Serotonin is the brain chemical that allows you to experience pleasure and feel good about yourself. When your serotonin levels are strong, you feel alive and excited about taking on new challenges. At night, serotonin allows the brain to recharge and rebalance as you experience deep, restful sleep, so every morning you begin with a fresh start. That's why I equate balanced serotonin to complete serenity. And when your brain is balanced and refreshed, you'll even find it a whole lot easier to lose weight. Yet as we get older, serotonin levels begin to wane. You may notice that your mood is the first aspect of your overall health that has changed. While dopamine and GABA deficiencies affect our emotional life, serotonin deficiencies are markedly different, and even more pronounced. Instead of feeling fatigued (low dopamine) or anxious (low GABA), without serotonin we don't feel much of anything. That's why the stereotypical aged person is often portrayed as crotchety or withdrawn. This is an example of someone who has burned out their serotonin. Both sleep disturbances and depression are associated with low serotonin levels, and therefore influence weight gain. Emotional upheavals can subliminally lead you to self-medicate through food, fostering specific food cravings that when satisfied, can temporarily change your mood. For example, have you ever told anyone "I eat when I'm depressed"? If so, think about the foods you choose when you are in a funk. If you are low in serotonin, chances are very good that you are a "salty snack" binger: simple carbs and salty foods actually provide more energy to combat fatigue, and actually help to release stored serotonin. But even though highly salted carbs, like potato chips, provide the lift you are looking for, they don't provide the nutrition your body desperately needs. You can boost your serotonin levels in a variety of healthy ways and become younger. You can learn how to get out of a black mood without the help of fattening foods so you can reverse your bad and often dangerous eating habits. You can also learn the tricks you need to get a better night's sleep so your brain can rest, allowing you to make better food choices the next day. Strategies to Create/Increase Serotonin Tryptophan If you are low in serotonin, tryptophan is vital because it induces the creation of this brain chemical. Tryptophan is an amino acid the brain and body needs, but cannot make on its own. The foods that are key to producing serotonin are those low-calorie foods that are high in tryptophan, such as avocados, eggs, or cottage cheese. Here's a list of foods containing significant amounts of this amino acid. Try to incorporate as many of these as possible into your diet each day:
Spices While many spices can make your meals more flavorful, specific spices will act as antidepressants, naturally increasing your serotonin levels. Good choices are saffron, marjoram, peppermint, spearmint, dill, nutmeg, licorice (anise), and turmeric. Supplements Many foods that are high in tryptophan do not provide significant levels in diet-size portions. You would have to eat a whole cup of granola to get the levels you need. Another way to increase your tryptophan and other serotonin-boosting nutrients without adding calories is through vitamin and mineral supplements. Consult your healthcare provider to see which of the following supplements may be appropriate for you. Some supplements can interfere with medications you might be taking - especially antidepressants.
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. He 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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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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