Outsmart this Alzheimer’s gene by eating your way to a better brain

If you carry the ApoE4 gene, you’re at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In fact, this is considered a major risk factor.

Genetic testing can determine if you’re a carrier or not. And if tests confirm you do indeed have the gene, don’t panic!

And if AD has shown up in your family tree (indicating that you and your living relatives may have the gene), again—don’t panic.

In fact, any one of us may be carrying this gene, but that doesn’t mean we’re destined to develop AD…

Recent research reveals there’s one major factor that plays into whether or not the ApoE4 gene will trigger AD: the presence of chronic inflammation.

The good news is you can begin controlling long-term inflammation today.

Proof positive—this lethal combination harms your brain

Ever since researchers confirmed the link between ApoE4 and AD, they’ve wondered why some ApoE4 carriers develop the disease while others don’t.

The team of researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) set out to find some answers.

They suspected that chronic low-grade inflammation might be a factor since many older adults experience this type of inflammation, which typically stems from common diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and pneumonia—as well as factors that can put a strain your health, like surgeries, lack of exercise, poor diet, and insufficient sleep.

The researchers collected data from the Framingham Heart Study—the largest and longest ongoing heart study in the world. They matched ApoE4 carriers with measurements of C-reactive protein—a substance produced by the liver in response to inflammation. This key marker is easily detected with a blood test.

In the journal JAMA Network Open, the BUSM team reports that ApoE4 carriers with chronic low-grade inflammation are far more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s compared to those with ApoE4 without inflammation.

In addition, more than 1,700 participants underwent brain MRIs which showed that the combination of ApoE4 and chronic inflammation was linked with brain atrophy in the temporal lobe and hippocampus.

The researchers concluded: “Rigorously treating chronic systemic inflammation based on genetic risk could be effective for the prevention and intervention of AD.”

Your memory suffers from inflammation too

In Dr. Marc Micozzi’s Protocol for Eliminating Deadly Inflammation, he’s right in sync with the BUSM study, calling brain inflammation “the missing link in memory loss and Alzheimer’s.”

Dr. Micozzi believes that to solve the problem of brain inflammation, you need to pay attention to your gastrointestinal (GI) tract—also known as your gut microbiome, which is home to thousands upon thousands of health-promoting probiotic bacteria.

He says, “A tidal wave of research is showing that the GI microbiome is linked to every part of your body and brain, and is involved in all aspects of health.” And of course that includes chronic inflammation.

To illustrate how microbiome activity directly affects your brain health, Dr. Micozzi shares a study led by an international team of researchers and published in the prestigious journal Nature.

“For this study,” Dr. Micozzi says, “researchers determined that healthy probiotic bacteria in your GI microbiome ‘remotely’ influence your body to respond to inflammation.”

Dr. Micozzi explains the process:

  • First, healthy gut bacteria send signals to activate immune system cells in your brain.
  • Then, these immune system cells “turn on” your body’s response to inflammation.

This is why he believes that “regulating and balancing your body’s response to inflammation is vital for a properly functioning brain.”

The makings of an anti-inflammatory meal

Fortunately, you can start preventing brain inflammation with your very next meal.

Dr. Micozzi points out that with proper nutrition, the gut-brain pathway ensures your brain won’t overcompensate in reaction to what he calls “immune provocation.” In turn, this will help prevent cognitive decline.

To do this, Dr. Micozzi recommends eating foods in the three categories that provide ideal anti-inflammatory nourishment:

  • The Brassica vegetable family. He notes that these vegetables are particularly potent in regulating immune response in the brain.They include arugula, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and turnips.
  • Short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids control inflammation when they’re activated by probiotic bacteria.Apples, asparagus, artichokes, bananas, beans, carrots, garlic, and leeks all promote the natural production of short-chain fatty acids.
  • Tryptophan. Dr. Micozzi explains, “Probiotic bacteria use tryptophan, an amino acid from food proteins, to produce the GI microbiome molecules that travel into the brain and help regulate the immune response, which mediates inflammation.”You’ll get tryptophan from beans, cheese, chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, oats, seeds, shellfish, and turkey meat. (Tryptophan is the substance that famously induces drowsiness after Thanksgiving dinner.)

As these foods douse inflammation and nourish your gut/brain connection, you’ll want to incorporate more of Dr. Micozzi’s strategies into your daily regimen to help achieve and maintain optimal brain and whole-body health. These are outlined step by step in Dr. Micozzi’s Protocol for Eliminating Deadly Inflammation.

Simply click here to learn more about this unique learning protocol, or to get started today on your new anti-inflammatory lifestyle for mental clarity.

SOURCES

“Association of Chronic Low-grade Inflammation With Risk of Alzheimer Disease in ApoE4 Carriers” JAMA Network Open 2018; 1(6): e183597. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3597