Stay Sharp and Salubrious: How to Maintain Brain Health

Your brain is your most valuable asset. It is the organ that rules them all. But the catch twenty-two here is that when your cognitive health declines, there is a trickle-down effect that affects your whole-body health. For this reason, maintaining brain health is paramount to maintaining holistic health.

Factors That Can Affect Brain Function

Believe it or not, the health of your brain is almost entirely in your hands. Cognitive decline, in its various stages and types, is often a result of lifestyle-related choices, behaviors, and habits. While certain risk factors might be beyond our means to maintain total control over (i.e., genetics, the natural aging process, environmental pollutants, etc.), where we can have control, we must take it. 

The key to maintaining brain health is simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle choices that affect cognitive well-being include:

• Nutrient-dense diet 
• Adequate sleep
• Physical activity and physical exercise
• Social interaction and social activity
• Mental stimulation (e.g., crossword puzzles and continual learning)
• Sufficient NAD+ levels

What is NAD+, and Why Does Your Brain Need It?

NAD+, short for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a naturally occurring coenzyme that plays many vital roles on a cellular and cognitive level, including energy production, cellular homeostasis maintenance, circadian rhythms regulation. Every cell in our body needs NAD+, which is vital for all life functions and essential for a healthy brain. As we age, NAD+ levels naturally decline. NAD+ levels can also become pre-maturely depleted as a result of chronic stress and inflammation, poor diet, and lifestyle choices such as alcohol and drug use.

This depleted state can contribute to accelerated aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Low NAD+ levels have also been linked to very visceral symptoms such as anxiety, brain fog, chronic fatigue, depression (mental health decline), memory disturbances, muscular pain and weakness, sleep problems, trouble focusing, and a weakened immune system. Coined the “metabolite of life,” NAD+ supports the brain’s natural ability to create the energy it needs to perform life-sustaining functions and adapt and respond to the cognitive demands of modern life. 

NAD+ Support in a Capsule

NAD+ is so crucial for brain health and cognitive function that Dr. Thomas K. Szulc and the Innovative Medicine team made it their mission to figure out a way to make supplementation readily available and bioenergetically accessible. The result was Nadovim, a game-changing advanced whole-brain health nutraceutical blended with a unique mix of nootropic herbs, minerals, and vitamins to enhance cognitive function and support the whole trickle-down effect of optimal brain health.

In combination with the following, Nadovim supports your brain and body’s natural ability to self-regulate and heal.

• Bacopa, an adaptogen known for its ability to improve brain function, reduce stress, and regulate neurotransmitters
• Cat’s claw, a potent anti-inflammatory widely used for immune support, fatigue, and DNA repair
• CoQ10, an antioxidant that helps mitochondrial function and energy production
• Magnesium, a mineral that helps normalize neurotransmitters
• Thiamine, a vitamin that helps regulate neurotransmitters
• Glycine an “anti-aging” amino acid that works to protect and repair muscle tissue and cartilage
• Aspartic acid, an essential building block for cells and tissues

When our brain has what it needs (sufficient NAD+, the right combination of nutrients, ample time to rest and repair, mental stimulation, etc.), the symptoms are celebration-worthy: more energy, better concentration, lifted brain fog, improved memory, boosted mood, and reduced stress. 

Supporting your brain health should be a no-brainer!

Bonus: A Bunch of Brainy Questions

Is brain health impairment inevitable as you age?

As we age, it is normal for areas like memory and forgetfulness, attention span, problem-solving, processing speed, and language recall to not remain as sharp as when you were in your earlier years. However, debilitating cognitive decline like Alzheimer’s disease is not part of normal aging. The rate of slowing down cognitively depends on several factors. Insufficient NAD+ is one of those factors that can speed up cognitive decline. NAD+ “turns off” genes that accelerate aging, protects tissues, induces DNA repair, and, as mentioned previously, supports brain health.

Learn about early signs of cognitive decline here.

How do you eat for optimal brain health?

Your brain craves healthy forms of glucose (whole grains, legumes). A healthy brain diet also includes plenty of vitamins B6, B12, E, and D, iron, lycopene, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc. You can find these nutrients in dark leafy greens, black beans, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, flaxseed, hemp seed, and chia seeds. A brain healthy diet is also a whole health diet. 

Learn how to unleash your brain’s potential through your diet here.

Are there other ways to get NAD+?

NAD Brain Restoration (BR+) therapy is a natural detox and nutrient-based treatment available at the New York Center for Innovation Medicine. NAD BR+ uses the purest form of NAD to infuse NAD+ intravenously or as a nasal spray. An intravenous infusion of NAD+ has shown to be the most effective way to increase NAD+ levels. 

Learn more about NAD BR+ therapy here.

What are some additional integrative therapies to improve or support brain health?

Aside from NAD BR+ therapy, ozone therapy and emotional freedom training (EFT) are two integrative therapies that help support brain health. 

Explore more about 100+ therapies available at the NYCIM here.

Learn more about NAD+ and Nadovim.