Boost Your Brain Power in 60 Seconds

by Michelle Schoffro Cook

  ■Water in houses or offices supplied by copper pipes

  ■Some nutritional supplements

  ■Red meat

  ■Shellfish

  Lead. Linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, learning disabilities, seizure disorders, aggression, hyperactivity, and many other health issues, lead is found in:

  ■Canned foods

  ■Cigarette smoke (first- or secondhand)

  ■Colored, glossy newsprint

  ■Some ceramic dishes

  ■Lead paint (found in older homes)

  ■Lead water pipes (found in older buildings)

  ■Refined chocolate (chocolate that is mostly sugar, dairy, or artificial flavors)

  ■Vehicle emissions (Even though lead gasoline was banned 3 decades ago in many countries, it has found its way into groundwater, soil, and other places.)

  Mercury. Known for its speedy ability to cross the blood–brain barrier, mercury is linked to neurological, psychological, and immunological disorders in people, including diseases like Alzheimer’s. It has also been linked to heart arrhythmias, headaches, blurred vision, and weakness. It is found in:

  ■Silver-looking dental fillings (Many dentists cite studies that show no mercury particles are released from fillings, but numerous studies show that mercury is primarily released as a vapor that gains access to the brain and blood.)

  ■Fish (Not all fish, but many farmed varieties tend to be contaminated.)

  ■Immunizations (Many vaccines, even those used for children, contain the mercury-based preservative thimerosal in amounts that are excessive for both children and adults.)

  How to Benefit

  Iron and steel manufacturing distributes cadmium into the environment and our water supply, but an inexpensive water filter can remove the brain-damaging heavy metal in only seconds. Drs. Richard Casdorph and Morton Walker, leading researchers on heavy metals, insist that changing the disposal requirements for cadmium would save many people from Alzheimer’s disease. A simple switch from tap or bottled water to filtered water can significantly cut your cadmium exposure, as well as your exposure to the other harmful metals listed above.

  When you’re selecting a water filtration pitcher or system, be sure to obtain a third-party laboratory analysis showing whether the system removes aluminum, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

  Super Health Bonus

  Large amounts of heavy metals can impede many aspects of health. They can even impair enzymes—specialized proteins within your body that control almost every biochemical function. So reducing your exposure to heavy metals can help restore almost any bodily function. While it may not be possible to immediately feel the difference, many people report having fewer headaches, less “brain fog,” and more energy once they’ve made an effort to reduce their heavy metal exposure.

  60-SECOND BRAIN HEALTH TIP #7:

  Skip the Antacids to Avoid Brain-Damaging Aluminum

  Eliminate one of the main sources of metals that have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

  While we discussed the damaging effects of heavy metals in the previous tip, the use of antacids is so commonplace that it warrants additional discussion. Before you grab that antacid tablet to cope with indigestion, consider that most antacids contain excessively high amounts of aluminum. Aluminum is not actually a heavy metal, but it is a potentially brain-damaging metal. While the link between aluminum and brain diseases is still controversial, several studies note abnormally high concentrations of aluminum in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Some even note 30 times the level of aluminum as their healthy counterparts. As early as 45 years ago, researchers made a startling discovery: When scientists injected aluminum into the brains of rabbits used for laboratory research, the aluminum triggered the formation of neurofibrillary tangles—the same type of damage found in people with Alzheimer’s disease.22

  While there is debate about whether aluminum is a cause of the disease, research shows that it can interrupt more than 50 necessary brain chemical reactions.23 Additionally, aluminum can cross the blood–brain barrier—a brain-protecting mechanism—to cause brain and nerve cell death. Once aluminum enters your brain, it promotes inflammation by causing the formation of brain-damaging free radicals and inducing toxic reactions. As previously mentioned, some studies indicate that the brains of Alzheimer’s patients contain 30 times the level of aluminum as their healthy counterparts, so it is imperative to consider aluminum to be a possible factor in the disease.24 Additional research links aluminum to the increasing incidence of Parkinson’s disease, as well.25

  While researchers continue to assess aluminum’s connection to brain diseases, it is important to reduce your exposure to the toxic metal. One of the easiest ways to reduce your exposure is to stop using antacids. Most antacid preparations used for indigestion contain excessive amounts of aluminum.

  How to Benefit

  Stop using antacids. If your digestive troubles seem unbearable, choose a more natural option than aluminum-containing commercially available antacids, such as this simple, all-natural alternative: Mix 1 teaspoon of aluminum-free baking soda into ½ cup of water. Sip slowly when suffering from indigestion.

  However, regularly taking antacids, even this all-natural alternative, is not healthy, as antacids interfere with proper digestion. If you consistently have indigestion, you may need to choose less complex meal combinations, eat smaller amounts of food at a single meal, avoid eating desserts or sweets directly after a meal, drink less water with meals, or take a full-spectrum digestive enzyme with meals. Keep in mind that most people observe that their digestive troubles—and indigestion in particular—greatly improve on this plan. That’s because following the Principles will help you restore your body’s natural healing functions.

  Antacids aren’t the only sources of aluminum to avoid. Stop using aluminum cookware, as well, since the aluminum can leach into the foods you cook in it. A study conducted by the University of Cincinnati Medical Center found that when tomatoes are cooked in aluminum cookware, the aluminum content per serving increases by 2 to 4 milligrams.26 Be sure to check out 60-Second Brain Health Tip #6 to discover aluminum’s many other hiding places.

  Some antacids that may contain aluminum include Aludrox, Di-Gel, Gaviscon, Gelusil, Maalox, Magalox, Mylanta, Pepto-Bismol, Remegel, and Rolaids.27 This is not an exhaustive list; these are simply the antacids tested.

  Super Health Bonus

  Avoiding antacids and other sources of aluminum can often improve digestive problems. Excess aluminum in the body can be linked with gastrointestinal irritation, indigestion, and nausea, all of which may improve over time as your body eliminates the aluminum.

  60-SECOND BRAIN HEALTH TIP #8:

  Eliminate Chemical Scents for a Sensational Brain

  You brain may be affected much more than you imagine when you spritz that perfume or cologne.

  If you’ve walked through a department store lately, you have probably been overwhelmed by the perfume section. Whether you are obsessed with Obsession, a believer in Believe, or consumed by L’Air du Temps, the smell of perfumes and colognes can be overwhelming. The toxic effects of the fragrances in perfumes and other scented products can also be overwhelming.

  More than 500 chemicals can potentially be used while listing the single word “fragrance” on a label. Fragrances are found in many products, not just perfumes and colognes: “air fresheners,” room deodorizers, cosmetics, fabric softeners, laundry detergents, candles, and many other places. Manufacturers are not required to list ingredients on the labels of these products, nor do they have to reveal to regulating authorities the specific ingredients that qualify as “fragrance,” because they are protected as trade secrets.

  Some of the most common chemicals in perfumes are ethanol, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, alpha-Pinene, acetone, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, linalool, alpha-Terpinene, methylene chloride, styrene oxide, dimethyl sulphate, alpha-Terpineol, camphor, and limonene. Some of these chemicals
cause irritability, mental vagueness, muscle pain, asthma, bloating, joint aches, sinus pain, fatigue, sore throat, eye irritation, gastrointestinal problems, laryngitis, headaches, dizziness, swollen lymph nodes, spikes in blood pressure, coughing, and burning or itching skin irritations.

  And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Acetaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. In animal studies, it crossed the placenta to an unborn fetus. The chemical industry’s own Material Safety Data Sheets list headaches, tremors, convulsions, and even death as possible effects of exposure to acetonitrile, another common fragrance ingredient. In animal studies, styrene oxide causes depression. Toluene (also known as methylbenzene) is a well-established neurotoxin that can cause loss of muscle control, brain damage, headaches, memory loss, and problems with speech, hearing, and vision—many symptoms that mimic brain diseases. And musk tetralin has been shown to actually cause brain cell and spinal cord degeneration.

  Research confirms that many of the ingredients in fragrances are neurotoxins, meaning they have poisonous effects on your brain and nervous system. Additional studies link other negative emotional, mental, and physical symptoms to various fragrance ingredients. Until recently, scientists believed that the brain was protected by the blood–brain barrier. But studies show that this system allows many environmental toxins, including those found in perfumes and other scented products, to access your delicate brain, and that once they’re in your brain, these chemicals can take decades to eliminate—decades that can result in the formation of inflammation.

  Some fragrance ingredients disrupt your natural brain hormonal balance, causing any number of possible emotional concerns, including anxiety, mood swings, and depression. Feeling down? It could be the scent you’re wearing.

  Not all scented products are created equal. Commercial brands of perfumes and colognes are primarily made from synthetic chemicals. Even many natural products contain synthetic fragrance ingredients, so it’s important to start reading labels on personal care products. If there’s no ingredients list, the manufacturer may have something to hide. Also, beware of “fragrance oils” masquerading as essential oils. The former are synthetic, while the latter are derived from flowers, leaves, and other natural substances. Fragrance oils are not only found in many perfumes and colognes, they are also found in air fresheners and deodorizers, laundry soaps, fabric softeners, scented candles, and other scented products.

  If you’re still not convinced that these commonly available products are putting your brain at risk, here are eight neurotoxins found in most fabric softeners—and eight reasons to switch to natural options.

  1.Alpha-Terpineol. This chemical has been linked to disorders of the brain and nervous system, loss of muscle control, depression, and headaches.

  2.Benzyl acetate. Benzyl acetate has been linked to cancer of the pancreas.

  3.Benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol is found in most common brands of fabric softeners, and it has been linked to headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and depression, as well as disorders of the brain and nervous system.

  4.Chloroform. Chloroform is on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of hazardous wastes because it has been identified as a carcinogen and neurotoxin (a substance toxic to the brain and nervous system).

  5.Ethanol. Ethanol is also on the EPA’s hazardous waste list because of its ability to cause brain and nervous system disorders.

  6.Ethyl acetate. This toxic chemical causes headaches and is on the EPA’s hazardous waste list.

  7.Linalool. In studies, this chemical caused loss of muscle coordination, nervous system and brain disorders, and depression.

  8.Pentane. Pentane is a toxic chemical that causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, and depression.

  The standard argument in favor of using fabric softeners is that the amount of the chemicals to which a person is exposed is insufficient to cause harm. But studies are showing that even small amounts of these toxins can have serious effects. So think twice before you add that dryer sheet or liquid fabric softener to your laundry, particularly if you have children whose developing brains are more vulnerable to the effects of toxins.

  Shakespeare claimed: “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Thanks to today’s chemical industry, that is no longer true. Worse than that, the potential brain health effects are anything but sweet.

  How to Benefit

  Switch your perfume to an all-natural essential oil blend. Originally, perfumes were made from essential oils, and it’s only relatively recently that they’ve changed to be cheaper chemical varieties. Perfumes or colognes made exclusively from essential oils are not only a healthier option, but they smell better, too. And like I tell my clients, once you’ve had a break from the chemical versions, you’ll never go back. Most people find that their sense of smell improves, and after a month or more of being chemical scent–free, they actually find the scents they once loved revolting.

  So while you’re selecting a natural essential oil perfume, be sure to stop using “air fresheners,” “air sanitizers,” and “air deodorizers.” Be sure to choose unscented varieties or read the labels on products you’ve selected at your local health food store, since they tend to be superior to many grocery store varieties.

  Choose laundry soap and natural alternatives to dryer sheets at your local health food store, as well. You can add ½ cup of baking soda to the water in your washing machine prior to adding laundry as a natural alternative to fabric softener. Not only will your brain thank you, but so will your pocketbook.

  To help you avoid the worst toxic ingredients in perfumes, skin-care products, and bath and beauty products, be sure to avoid the “dirty dozen” toxic chemicals found in these products. Read labels on the products you purchase and be sure to avoid:

  Artificial dyes and coal tar. These numbered dyes have names like yellow dye #5 or red dye #4 and are found in most cosmetics, body-care products, and hair dyes. Derived from coal tar, they also sometimes appear on the label as CI followed by 5 numbers, such as CI 75000. They are potentially cancer causing and contain heavy metals that are toxic to your brain.28

  BHA and BHT. The full names of these chemicals are butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene. Both of these chemicals are suspected carcinogens and hormone disruptors.29

  DEA, MEA, and TEA. The full names of these chemicals that make products sudsy or creamy are diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, and triethanolamine. These toxic ingredients react to form nitrosamines that are cancer causing.30

  Dibutyl phthalate. Found in cosmetics and baby-care products, phthalates have been linked to asthma, birth defects, and cancer.31

  Fragrance. The single ingredient “fragrance” or “parfum” can actually contain up to 500 other ingredients, many of which are petroleum by-products that have been linked to cancer, asthma, allergies, and nerve damage.32

  Lead. Lead is rarely listed, but it’s frequently found in cosmetics—especially lipsticks—so be sure yours says “lead-free.” Lead is a serious threat to your brain and nervous system and is difficult to eliminate once it gets absorbed into your body.

  Parabens. Used to extend the shelf lives of products, these toxins go by many names: butyl-, ethyl-, isobutyl-, methyl-, and propylparabens. The European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has identified parabens as hormone disruptors and a contributing cause of hormonally linked cancers, reproductive disorders, and other serious health issues.33

  Petrolatum. This is found in many products, including petroleum jelly, and you guessed it: It is derived from petroleum products.

  Sodium lauryl sulfate. This chemical acts as a foaming agent and is frequently found in shampoos, body washes, and soaps. It may cause cancer.34

  Stearalkonium chloride. A common allergen found in many conditioners and creams and often cited as “natural,” it is a toxic ingredient that is used because it is cheaper than natural protein ingredients.35

  Toluene. Found in nail polish, toluene
is an extremely toxic ingredient that can damage your nervous system, blood, eyes, liver, kidneys, and respiratory system. It may also affect a developing fetus.36

  Triclosan. This chemical is added to cosmetics and body-care products as an antibacterial ingredient. I explain in my book The Probiotic Promise how this ingredient is contributing to the development of virulent superbugs that are resistant to our best drugs.

  Super Health Bonus

  Since most scented products are known endocrine disruptors, by eliminating them, you’ll probably feel improvements in hormonal balance and experience better mood balance, too.

  60-SECOND BRAIN HEALTH TIP #9:

  Switch Fabric Softeners for Superb Mental Functions

  Discover the shocking source of common brain toxins—fabric softeners—and how you can reduce your exposure.

  Since I was old enough to do my own laundry, I have never used commercial fabric softeners. As a result, I’m always astounded that anyone who uses them can think they smell good. The fake smell of “Mountain Spring” or “April Fresh” is anything but fresh smelling. I live in the mountains and was born in April, and I can honestly say that neither smells like the chemical fabric softeners and dryer sheets companies are manufacturing. The last time I inhaled the scent of spring mountain air, it made me feel energized, not headachy. So before you run for the rinse cycle with fabric softener in tow or toss a dryer sheet into your laundry, you may be surprised to learn that fabric softeners contain some of the worst brain toxins to which you’re exposed. Here are the eight brain-damaging toxins lurking in your fabric softener.