That’s the advice of naturopathic physician Dr. Michael Murray. “The greatest technology in the university is nature,” he quotes from Sir Arthur Clarke, and adds that “we can build health or destroy our health through the food choices that we are making.”
Dr. Murray tells us that many of today’s man-made drugs adversely affect the brain. and that “even something as simple as taking acetaminophen or Tylenol can lead to an increased risk for dementia later in life.” Chronic degenerative diseases are related to diet, according to Dr. Murray, so let’s consider it.
Our brains use 40% of the food we consume daily to function properly. “If we don’t feed it what it needs, it will manifest with a variety of symptoms, and we end up on a blood sugar roller coaster with insulin resistance and a confused brain. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, depression, autism, Asperger’s, and ADD are all brain conditions that are associated with impaired energy production.
Dr. Murray’s “Seven Keys” to health are (1) eat to control blood sugar levels; (2) eat a colorful “rainbow diet” of 5 vegetables and 2 fruits daily (raw as much as possible); (3) eat high-fiber foods; (4) eat the right type of fat (nuts, seeds, avocado, fish); (5) take quality supplements (high-potency vitamin/mineral formula, high quality fish oil, Vitamin D3 (2,000 – 5,000 IU per day), and a plant-based antioxidant like curcumin); (6) stay well hydrated; and (7) EXERCISE!
Bonus news: A new product in the marketplace is PQQ (pyrroloquinoline qionone), a compound of a special fat in combination with coenzyme Q10 that has shown remarkable effects in improving cognitive function in humans. PQQ is necessary for proper functioning of our mitochondria, the energy producing compartments of our cells. 300mg a day is the dose, per Dr. Murray.