I woke up early this morning to do some swings before walking to campus to teach. I wanted my brain to feel perfused to help teach head and neck anatomy. I didn’t want to do the students any disservice by not being on top of my game.
As Pavelina (16 kilo KB) and I had some QT with one-armed work, I heard not one but TWO “health” infomercials, back to back. They each had neuroscientists selling pills to combat brain decline.
The irony was almost too much to bear. I was skipping breakfast and exercising to make insulin more efficient, since I know the research points to the avoidance of hypoxia and ischemia for staving off dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. I was also mentally preparing for a cerebrally demanding job teaching anatomy, which also staves off hypoxia.
Brain Decline Pills? Come on. Never ONCE did these scientists mention diet or exercise. They were trying to sell a proprietary blend of supplements.
Maybe those pills are magic, but I will tell you this: there is zero substitute for prevention and the slowing of progression. And we have known insulin’s relationship to neurological disease and atherosclerosis for a while.
Do your reading, and get committed to your body. Do work. Save your money on pills and spend it on solid nutrition.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley