045 - How to Support Your Brain - Part 1 of 4 - Brain Overview

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Your brain is the most complex organ in an incredibly complex body, and it's running the show. I continue to see a massive uptick in brain-based symptoms coming into my clinic (and everyone else's), such as depression, anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, dizziness, vertigo, fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, panic attacks, bipolar episodes, nausea, pain syndromes, and so much more. 

I have a lot of brain-related content available, and I linked some at the top of the show notes for this episode. My goal with this series is to help people understand how all these puzzle pieces fit together - neurotransmitters, brain regions, how to use all of the different tools available. Today's episode is an overview of some of the more important concepts in the brain, and reviewing what a healthy brain needs:

• Neurotransmitter Activity - serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, epinephrine/norepinephrine, GABA
• Adequate Oxygen - good blood flow, no anemia
• Steady Fuel - no hypoglycemia, and no insulin resistance
• Proper Lipid Morphology - omega 3s, DHA, phosphatidylcholine
• Healthy Stimulation - learning, fun, skills, memory, coordination, visual complexity, connecting with other humans
• Hormone Balance - estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol (steroid hormones), thyroid 
• Gut-Brain Connection - good micro biome, bacterial diversity and abundance, no infections/overgrowths, good vagus nerve activity
• Healthy Circadian Rhythms - good light exposure, good sleep....

I also briefly talk through a patient's case history and some of her symptoms, lab findings, and how we have kept her brain healthy and kept her symptoms under control over the past several years. The next several episodes will be more of this, teaching you how to solve your own puzzle!