Neurodegenerative Disease: Supporting Brain and Nervous System Health
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of people who develop neurodegenerative disease. These disorders occur when nerve cells in the brain or peripheral nervous system lose function over time and ultimately die. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are the two most common neurodegenerative disorders. Others include Huntington’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Multiple sclerosis (MS) can also involve neurodegeneration within the central nervous system.
Symptoms of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Symptoms of neurodegenerative disease frequently include apathy, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, rigid muscles, problems with balance, sexual dysfunction, changes in speech, tremors, and difficulty with movements that used to come automatically, like blinking. Researchers are uncertain what is causing the increase in these problems, but we do know that the risk increases with age. Environmental pollution and poor diet may contribute. Some feel that exposure to increasing levels of electromagnetic radiation may also contribute.
No one wants to lose their ability to think clearly or control their body, so supporting brain and nervous system health as we age is important. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent neurodegenerative disease, many of the same healthy habits that support whole-body health also support brain and nervous system health.
Supporting Brain and Nervous System Health
I can’t stress how important it is to your overall health to develop healthier lifestyle habits. I took back my health by focusing on four key areas:
- Lifestyle – Water, Exercise, Breathing, Sleep, and Stress.
- Diet – What foods to eat and what foods to avoid. Information on Sugar Detox.
- Gut Health – Transit time, digestive health, and the microbiome.
- Reducing your exposure to environmental toxins is also key.
Learn how your diet, your gut health, and your lifestyle impact your health and what you can do to improve it! Learn how to improve your sleep, how to better manage your stress, what foods promote health and what foods don’t, how much you should move your body, and why it is so important to support a healthy gut. All these things are practical steps you can implement to support your overall health, while also helping you work toward or maintain a healthy weight.
This article was originally published as part of the Sunshine Sharing newsletter series.
Browse the archive