Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (86 page)

Coffee and alcohol, as they affect the brain negatively.

HERBS

Astragalus, red clover, and nettle are good sources of B vitamins and other helpful nutrients.

Add liquid algae to smoothies to help in the removal of heavy metals from the body.

Ginkgo biloba has been found in studies to help increase circulation to the brain. It increases brain function due to its effect on acetylcholine, the brain chemical that allows the communication between nerve cells for reasoning and memory.

Hawthorn improves blood flow to the brain.

Club moss has been found to improve memory in Alzheimer’s sufferers.

Biota seed is known in Chinese medicine for helping with age-related memory loss. You would have to see a specialized practitioner for this.

Coptis has been found to help prevent negative effects of aluminum.

SUPPLEMENTS

You absolutely must take a good all-around multivitamin/mineral complex. There are usually numerous nutrient deficiencies with this condition.

Take B vitamins: B
₁
, B
₃
, B
₁₂
. Neurotransmitters in the brain depend on B vitamins.

In Alzheimer’s patients, there is usually insufficient stomach absorption. Take betaine with HCL before meals to help the assimilation and absorption of nutrients.

If zinc is low, the brain nerve cells may be affected. And zinc is a critical nutrient that in normal situations would be at high levels in the hippocampus, the memory center.

Soy lecithin in high dosages can make a huge difference in brain function. It helps to prevent the destruction of brain tissue.