Cognitive Function Archives - Dan Hammer Health LTD

Eliminating Heart Disease Naturally Thru Nitric Oxide Therapy

Archive for Cognitive Function

Can L-arginine and Nitric Oxide Help With Alzheimer’s Disease?

Posted by Dan Hammer //

05/08/2021

Can L-arginine and Nitric Oxide Help With Alzheimer's Disease

In today’s article I want to examine L-arginine, nitric oxide and Alzheimer’s Disease. Currently, there are approximately 6 million people in the United States with this disease.

This age-related neurodegenerative disease is characterized by memory impairment and cognitive issues that become more severe as time passes. Which causes increasing stress and health related challenges for both the patient and their family members.

And while there is currently no effective strategy to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, every study that I know of that improves blood flow to the brain improves cognitive function.

Maybe a better understanding of L-arginine and nitric oxide can help provide a way to lessen the impact of this disease.

(If you would prefer to view this information in a video format, then please click on my YouTube video below:)

L-arginine in a semi-essential amino acid. What this means is that your body can create this amino acid but not in sufficient quantities to fuel all the metabolic pathways that it’s needed for.

Because of this you need to consume additional food sources or nutritional supplements for this critically important amino acid.

L-arginine fuels 7 different metabolic pathways, but the two most critical ones are: Read More →

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Posted by Dan Hammer //

02/22/2021

The health benefits of green tea are numerous. In fact, I did a Google search for health benefits of green tea and I found the following:

Can Aid in Losing Weight
May Help to Reduce the Risk for Cancer
May Reduce the Risk for Heart Disease
Can Help to Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Powerful Antioxidant
Supports Immunity
Supports Bone Density
Helps Protect the Skin from Aging
Protects Brain Health

It’s this last health benefit of green tea that I want to focus on. How green tea can be used to bolster and protect brain health.

If you would prefer to view this information in a video format, then please click on my YouTube video below:

In a 2019 article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Subjective Cognitive Decline — A Public Health Issue they showed the following statistics:

The subjective cognitive decline was 11.1% or 1 in 9 adults.
For adults in the age range of 45 – 64 it was 10.8% and 11.7% if you were over the age of 65
Men had a subjective cognitive decline of 11.3% where as for women it was 10.8%

And when they broke this out based on ethnicity the following was listed:

10.9% for Whites
12.8% for Blacks/African Americans
11.0% for Hispanics
6.7% for Asians and Pacific Islanders

Asians and Pacific Islanders range from 4 to 6% lower in cognitive decline when compared to others races.

So the question is why? Read More →

Improving Brain Function – Part One

Posted by Dan Hammer //

08/01/2020

As people age one of their concerns is improving brain function. Every study that I’ve ever seen that improves blood flow to the brain improves brain function.

It is one of the reason why I’m a big proponent of Nitric Oxide Therapy.

Helping your body improve its ability to create nitric oxide ends up improving blood flow. Improved blood flow improves the deliver of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. As well as helps to properly remove metabolic waste.

This allows your brain cells to function better.

What is critical to blood flow is the health of your endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide.

The importance of your endothelium was recently highlight in a 2019 video that I saw from the BrainMind Summit. In this video Dr. George Church of Harvard Medical School made the following statement:

“Here some stem cells are turning into two different kinds of important brain cells. The one that everyone thinks about which is neurons . . . but the one that people tend to forget about is the endothelium, which provides the blood to the neurons. And there is almost exactly 1 capillary per neuron. So you have 86 billion neurons in your brain you have almost 86 billion capillaries. . .”

Capillaries are needed to bring the oxygen and nutrients to the neurons. Capillaries are endothelial tissue.

Thus the health of your endothelial tissue helps determine the health of your capillaries.

And contained in your endothelium are enzymes that convert the amino acid L-arginine to nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide then dilates the blood vessels for improved blood flow.

As I’ve already stated, improved blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients, which then nourishes your neurons to improve their performance.

One of the ways for improving brain function is to improve the health of your endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide. To this end there are five key ingredients. They are: Read More →

Sage Extract For Improved Cognitive Function

Posted by Dan Hammer //

05/22/2020

It’s a long title but this article is going to discuss using sage extract for improved cognitive function. Especially for short-term memory.

As we age one of our concerns is cognitive function. Especially the ability to remember. Not just past events. But recent activities. What would be called “short-term memory.”

There are many factors that can contribute to this decline.

One is poor circulation, which robs the brain of the needed oxygen and blood glucose to operate at peak efficiency.

But another factor are chemical compounds called neurotransmitters. These compounds are used to help your brain cells communicate with each other.

Acetylcholine is a key neurotransmitter. It is critical for memory, attention, and reasoning.

As we age acetylcholine declines. This decline plays a major role in poor memory and your inability to pay attention to tasks.

The pharmaceutical industry has created a drug that boosts your level of acetylcholine by inhibiting an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme degrades your brains level of acetylcholine, which then effects your memory.

Sage extract can inhibit this same enzyme resulting in an increase in acetylcholine levels.

In a 2018 clinical study that used a standardized sage extract, the participants, when compared to the placebo group, had:

Nearly a 60% increase in memory performance.
An approximate 2.5 fold improvement in attention.

And the improvements were within hours of taking this sage extract.

This interest in a natural way to address cognitive function as spawned additional studies for both younger adults and those with Alzheimer’s disease.

For younger people, the sage extract showed the following improvements within hours: Read More →

6 Key Health Benefits of Blueberries

Posted by Dan Hammer //

07/08/2019

The health benefits of blueberries are numerous but for this article we are going to concentrate on just six of them.

Blueberries are native to North America. With approximately 30 different species, blueberries have become an important and plentiful tool for preventing free radical damage, one of the leading causes of aging and degenerative diseases.

Because of its high ORAC value and nutritional density, I use frozen blueberries as one of my ingredients in my morning protein shake.

Here is a brief overview of the health benefits of blueberries:

Improves heart health

Provides cancer protection

Helps prevent damage to collagen

Improves cognitive function

Protects against macular degeneration and cataracts

Improves elimination

That’s an impressive list of health benefits all designed to keep you young and healthy as you age.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Because of the high antioxidant properties of blueberries they are quickly becoming the North American version of the Brazilian Acai berry. Researchers at Tufts University recently analyzed 60 different fruits and vegetables. Blueberries rated the highest in their capacity to prevent free radical damage.

Blueberries belong to the heath family that includes the cranberry and bilberry, so some of the health benefits of blueberries are also found in these fruits.

Heart Health

There is a great deal of talk about the protective benefits of wine for cardiovascular health. A recent study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry compared white wine, red wine and blueberry wine for their ability to deliver the cardio-protective benefits of anthocyanins, a powerful class of antioxidants. Using a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) as their testing sample, white wine delivered .47 mmol of this free radical absorbing antioxidant. Red wine delivered 2.04 mmol. And blueberry wine (made from high bush blueberries) delivered 2.42 mmol.

This would make sense since the darker the pigmentation of the fruit the greater its antioxidant capacity.

Cancer Protection

Blueberries seem to provide protection against both colon and ovarian cancer. In laboratory studies published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the phenolic compounds extracted from blueberries were able to inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation. As well as induce apoptosis or programmed cell death.

The famous Nurses Health Study, which followed 66,940 women, revealed that those who have a diet rich in the flavoinoid kaempferol had a 40% reduction in the risk for ovarian cancer. Blueberries, non herbal tea, onions, curly kale, leeks, broccoli and spinach are all good sources of kaempferol.

Prevent Collagen Damage

Blueberries are ideal in helping to prevent damage to your collagen. Collagen is your body’s main protein making up 25 – 35% of your total protein content. It is the main component of fascia, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone and skin. It strengthens blood vessels and is present in the eye.

The powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins help to neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues. Because the blue-red pigments of blueberries are rich in anthocyanins they help provide protection against cataracts, varicose veins, arteriosclerosis, premature aging of the skin, heart disease, and cancer.

Cognitive Function

Researchers have found that blueberries help to protect the brain of aging animals from oxidative stress. This significantly improves both their learning capacity and motor skills. Although animal studies do not always correlate with humans, at least you can share you blueberries with your favorite pet and one of you will remember were you left your keys.

Eye Health

A study of 110,000 men and women, published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower the risk of macular degeneration by 36% when compared to those who consumed less than 1.5 servings of fruit per day. Bilberry, the British cousin to the blueberry, has long been shown to improve nighttime visual acuity.

Improves Elimination

The health benefits of blueberries also extend to elimination. Blueberries are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The insoluble fiber will add bulk to the stools. The soluble fiber will absorb bile helping the body to naturally lower its cholesterol levels.

Blueberries contain tannins which act as astringents in the digestive system to reduce inflammation. Blueberries also contain the same compounds found in cranberries. These compounds help to prevent or eliminate urinary tract infections by reducing the ability of E. coli to adhere to the mucosal lining of the urethra and bladder.

Conclusion for the Health Benefits of Blueberries

As you can see blueberries have tremendous health benefits. They are rich in vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene. They are an excellent source of potassium, manganese, and magnesium. They are high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. And they provide a wide variation of protective antioxidants to help prevent degenerative diseases.

The only negative to blueberries is that they are a source of oxalates. Oxalates should not be eaten in high concentration as they can crystallize to cause kidney and gallbladder problems. However, with a high ORAC value, a small amount can be consumed on a daily basis to provide you with the antioxidants needed to protect you from free radical damage.

One final note regarding the anthocyanins found in blueberries. According to a study from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, anthocyanins from berries are almost undetectable in canned foods, bread, cereals and baby foods because of how they are processed. This means that if you want to enjoy all the health benefits of blueberries, then fresh and frozen berries are best.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Taurine and Brain Health

Posted by Dan Hammer //

05/01/2019

Recently I stumbled across an article that talked about taurine and brain health, especially as it applies to protecting brain cells from further destruction after a stroke.

As many film buffs know, two famous people in the movie industry recently died from a stroke. One was the actor Luke Perry. The other is the director John Singleton. Luke Perry was 52. John Singleton was 51.

Could they have benefited from taurine?

I don’t know.

But I recently did an article on taurine and its ability to eliminate certain types of heart arrhythmia. So it’s worth looking at the research on taurine and brain health to see if this conditional amino acid can be helpful in age-related cognitive concerns.

Taurine and Brain Health – The Basics

Taurine is an amino acid. Your body needs 20 different amino acids to maintain optimal health. And while all 20 are important, only nine of them are classified as essential. They are:

Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, and Valine.

These are classified as essential because your body can’t make them. They must come from your diet.

Taurine is not an essential amino acid because your body can make its own. But only in small amounts.

If your diet is rich in meat, fish, and dairy, then you most likely get enough of this amino acid to meet normal needs. However, as we age our taurine levels decline, especially its concentration in the brain.

Taurine helps your mitochondria, the “power plants” of every cell, function optimally in their production of cellular energy. It’s most abundant in your muscles, heart, eyes, and brain. Which would make sense since these organs need a great deal of energy to function properly.

Taurine and Brain Health – The Specifics

Taurine is a key amino acid in helping to protect, maintain, and optimize brain health. Let me first give you an overview and then we’ll specifically highlight 3 key elements of taurine and brain health:

Taurine helps to stimulate new brain cell growth.
Taurine helps to protect against a condition called excitotoxicity, which is harmful overactivity in the brain.
Taurine minimizes brain damage caused by head injuries and strokes.
Taurine protects your brain cells against environmental toxins like lead and organic pesticides.
Taurine helps maintain normal mitochondrial function within the brain to help sustain energy levels.
Taurine synergistically works with other neurotransmitters to help form memories and aid in retaining information.
Taurine helps to reduce brain inflammation especially in key brain health concerns like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Taurine helps to protect against damage caused by beta amyloid protein, which is a major contributing factor in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

That’s an impressive list of health benefits to the brain. And I would like to focus on three key items from the above list.

Taurine and Brain Health – Neurogenesis

For a long time it was assumed that once a person was fully grown they stopped producing new brain cells. That is no longer true.

Recent research shows that adults at any age have the capacity to create new brain cells. This process is called neurogenesis. And it’s a key element in preserving a healthy brain as you age.

Multiple animal and cellular studies on the use of taurine have demonstrated how this amino acid helps to activate brain stem cells, stimulate new brain cell production, and then is key in supporting their survival.

Taurine and Brain Health – Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the major contributing factors to Alzheimer’s disease is the toxic effects of beta-amyloid formation and the resulting inflammation associated with it.

In a resent study published in Neuropharmacology, taurine was shown to protect rat brain cells from the toxicity associated with beta-amyloid production. It seems that taurine can directly bind to the beta-amyloid protein to reduce its impact on cognitive function.

Additionally, taurine helped to protect brain function, reduce brain inflammation, protect against oxidative stress, and boost neurotransmission all leading to improved cognitive function.

Taurine and Brain Health – Diminishing Stroke Impact

Every year more that 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. For those that do not die, the vast majority of them live the rest of their lives disabled, which impacts them and their loved ones.

Most of these strokes are due to an ischemic stroke were blood flow is reduced or blocked to a part of the brain because of a blood clot.

In animal models of ischemic stroke conditions, supplementing with taurine deceased the volume of brain damage by about 55% compared to animals that didn’t receive treatment.

Taurine’s ability to reduce oxidative stress and improve energy production were helpful in reducing the damage. As well as aiding in the healing process.

And the use of taurine also reduced brain swelling.

As I shared earlier you can get the amino acid taurine from your diet. However, if you’re like most Americans your diet is heavy in carbohydrate intake and low in protein consumption.

This means that supplementation can be a good option for increasing your intake of this amino acid. It is low cost and most good capsule formations will have 1,000 mg per serving.

One note of caution. Taurine is usually added to most energy drinks. I would highly recommend that you not use energy drinks to get your daily intake of taurine because the anhydrous caffeine and sugar used in these drinks create more health problems than benefits.

For additional information on taurine and brain health, please click here.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

CoQ10 Benefits Go Beyond Heart Health

Posted by Dan Hammer //

01/01/2019

Most people understand that CoQ10 benefits heart health. Even the pharmaceutical industry understands this especially as it applies to the effects of statin drugs in interfering with your liver’s ability to naturally produce CoQ10.

For example, the 1989 patent application by pharmaceutical giant Merck revealed the need for CoQ10 since statin drugs deplete this needed energy compound in your body. Here’s a quote from part of their patent application:

“Since CoQ10 is of benefit in congestive heart failure patients, the combination with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) should be of value in such patients who also have the added risk of high cholesterol levels.”

Most statins effectively interfere with your liver’s ability to create cholesterol. Unfortunately they also interfere with your liver’s ability to create CoQ10, which is a needed coenzyme for proper energy production.

Why Merck, and other pharmaceutical companies, didn’t create a drug that combined a statin with CoQ10 is a mystery.

And, as statins were promoted by the pharmaceutical industry for the control of cholesterol, little was done to counter the side effects caused by these statin drugs.

Fortunately physicians are finally acknowledging this need for CoQ10. It’s reported that approximately 70% of cardiologists will prescribe CoQ10 for their heart disease patients.

But the purpose of this post is to help you understand that CoQ10 benefits go beyond heart health.

Why?

Because CoQ10 is a coenzyme that helps facilitate the creation of energy for all cells. And current research is revealing that CoQ10 can benefit brain, bone, and metabolic health while also reducing mortality. Read More →

Damaging Effects of Sugar

Posted by Dan Hammer //

12/01/2018

This blog post is all about the damaging effects of sugar. Most people acknowledge that too much sugar is bad for you. Unfortunately most people don’t understand the following:

How much sugar they consume each day!

How the damaging effects of sugar are slowly and consistently compromising their health!

Let’s look at the first question to help you understand how much sugar you consume each day.

When I tell people that the average American is consuming a 4 pound bag of sugar every 2 to 3 weeks, the reaction I get is:

“No Way!”

Well, I produced a video 7 years ago titled “A Simple Dietary Change” that helps you understand how much sugar you consume each day. The information that I shared back then is still true today.

At minimum, watch the first 5 minutes to see how 4 foods items, that many people consume each day, are causing them to consume a 4 pound bag of sugar every 2 to 3 weeks. Read More →

Best Anti Aging Advice is Grounded in The 1% Solution!

Posted by Dan Hammer //

10/01/2018

I want to introduce you to the best anti aging advice I can give you. It is rooted in biology. It’s so powerful that it will impact the way you look at what you eat and drink forever!

This anti aging advice will become the foundational strategy for helping you to slow down the aging process. As well as reducing your risk for cancer and all types of diseases.

What is this powerful strategy? It is called:

The 1% Solution!

Pretty dramatic isn’t it!

What? You think it’s pretty lame. You’re thinking how can 1% of anything have any real effect on your health and longevity?

Well, before I show you how powerful this anti aging advice is let me ask you this question:

Would you want a stock that increased in value by 1%?

Maybe.

What if it increased in value by 1% each day you owned it?

Absolutely!

I thought so. Who wouldn’t want something that improved in value everyday you owned it.

Well, let’s apply this thinking to your body. What would happen to your health if you could improve 1% of your body today? And, another 1% tomorrow!

What if you could to this everyday for the next 90 days? Would that make a difference in your overall health and wellness? Improve your chances for longevity and anti aging? Could it reduce your risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease? Read More →

A Primer on Blueberry Nutrition!

Posted by Dan Hammer //

08/08/2018

Blueberries are native to North America but it’s only been recently that blueberry nutrition has hit national attention. With approximately 30 different species, blueberries have become an important and plentiful tool for preventing free radical damage, one of the leading causes of aging and degenerative diseases.

Because of its high ORAC value and nutritional density, I use blueberries as one of my ingredients in my morning protein shake. Here is a brief overview of their health benefits and why it’s important to include blueberries in your diet:

Improves heart health

Provides cancer protection

Helps prevent damage to collagen

Improves cognitive function

Protects against macular degeneration and cataracts

Improves elimination

That’s an impressive list of health benefits all designed to keep you young and healthy as you age. Read More →