Written by Lucie Jolicoeur, Health Coach
Lucie is a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach from FMCA and is certified in PreCODE/ReCODE 2.0, MoCA, and AFMPS. She also holds a degree in Molecular Biology and is the founder of HYGIA.CA, a health coaching service for everyone.
You know about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. You read about it. What are your thoughts? What a powerful shift in mindset it would be for everyone to just appreciate that, when it comes to Alzheimer's disease or any other form of dementia, there are things that we can do to prevent/reverse this from happening! Yes, there are things that we can do!
Then, what can you do now?
The best way to avoid or reverse cognitive decline is to combine seven (7) foundational strategies that work together to create neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to establish, maintain and modify synaptic connections. We want to keep these neurons’ connections in the brain, these synapses.
And when these strategies are practiced together, they create powerful synergy.
So, what are the first steps?
Work on the B7, the Bredesen 7: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, brain stimulation, detox and supplements. And I would add testing. Dr. Dale Bredesen, amongst others, built a protocol called ReCODE or PreCODE for REverse COgnitive DEcline or PREventive COgnitive DEcline.
Why doing the B7?
Because reversing cognitive decline is multi-factorial, it was built slowly: too many synthetics/inorganic/chemicals in the foods, toxins in the environment, in water, in the air pollution, to name just a few. These are our toxic loads. You can see a load as a bucket. Each person has their own bucket load. Each one has a unique capacity in detoxifying and getting rid of these toxins that are disruptors and block important pathways toward brain health. Also, these valuable nutrients are not absorbed and used properly due to these disruptors.
So, we have to work on many issues from every angle.
Ready for some action? Let’s start
Do a MoCA as a first evaluation
It is a 10-minute test with a certified MoCA practitioner that will give you a note on the 30th. You can re-do this MoCA test 6 months later to reevaluate where you’re at after this period of time. MoCA stands for Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
You prefer to do it by yourself. Do a Cq test, a SLUMS or a SAGE that is similar to MoCA, same principles. Cq stands for Cognitive Quotient; SLUMS stands for St. Louis University Mental Status. SAGE stands for Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination from the Ohio State University.
Then, start with ketoflex 12/3
It means that you don’t eat 3 hours before sleep and you fast for 12 hours minimum.
It can be longer than that. It can be up to 16 hours.
Ex: You stop eating at 7 pm, you go to bed at 10 pm and you have your breakfast at 7 am the day after (for a 12-hour fast) or you stop eating at 6 pm, you go to bed at 10 pm and you have your breakfast at 10 am (for a 16-hour fast).
The idea is to utilize nutrition to support brain health by creating insulin sensitivity, increasing energy, reducing inflammation, improving vascular health and promoting autophagy.
Food is information. By having the right information, your body can do an optimal job from head to toe.
So, you eat a whole foods diet. And by working with your health coach/practitioner trained in REversing COgnitive DEcline, for example, you can adjust your vegetable intake, your fat, nuts, and seeds intake, etc., to achieve ketosis. The goal is to be nutritarian, meaning that what you eat is nutritious, full of nutrients. And your goal with this nutritarian plan is to become ‘ketosis flexible’ at least once a day.
How do you know if you’re in ketosis?
There are devices on the market to verify your level of Butyrate (BHB) for a minimum of 0.5mM. It is this butyrate that is telling you if you’re in ketosis or not. Keto-mojo is a very nice device and is easy to work with. It is good to know your ketosis level and also your glucose level. We also want to know this glucose level. It is a tool to have to relate with what you are eating.
How do you know if you have nutritional deficiencies?
Micronutrients from SpectaCell is a test that determines your vitamin and mineral levels.
You don’t want to wait and have low levels of minerals or vitamins or any components essential in our biochemistry. Look at a sample report (Micronutrients Sample Report )to see the information provided. This test is a gold mine!
These components are crucial for our biochemistry and for optimal functioning.
What about hydration?
As we age, we are very often dehydrated. Again, water is used in many bioreactions especially in our brain. Optimization is the goal.
Try to find a way to increase your intake by having several glasses of filtered or distilled water in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.
Choose a bottle and keep it nearby all the time.
If it is out of sight, you won’t think about it.
Are you moving every day? The best medicine: Exercise
The list of benefits of exercise is a very long one really.
Think of what you used to love. Think of what can be done right now, this week.
Do you know the 7-minute bodyweight workout? It is an application to put on your phone.
You can start with the 7-minute workout habit, for example. There is also an advanced one on the app.
You need a yoga mat, a chair, a wall and that’s it, and also the decision to do it.
Or do you love yoga? Again, an application can be used, for example, a yoga studio.
Or do you know Darebee? The list contains a 1-page exercise for everyone and every level. There are over 100 ideas to choose from. They also have the collections ones.
There is also Everfit, another app that contains a library of exercises. You build yours on the PC, and you’re ready to use it from your phone. You can include rest time, supersets, etc.
The idea is to get moving, to walk, to use your strength, to build your endurance, your cardio level, your capacity to be able to as you age.
Think of what you can do and what is feasible for you right now.
And sleep?
Work on how you can get to sleep at around 22 hours.
Your goal is to have restorative sleep. You know about that. You heard about it.
So, what can you do during your evening to be sure to go to bed earlier?
Start preparing yourself ahead of time for this goal.
What about dementogens?
Have you heard about these disruptive components around you: some cleaners, laundry detergent/softeners, perfumes, BPA, Phthalates, non-stick cooking pans, creams, etc, that contain ingredients/chemicals and disrupt your hormones, wreaking havoc on your energy and mitochondria. Some organizations worked very hard to identify these components and quote each product to help us choose the better ones, the best one for us. Look at EWG app or ThinkDirty app to guide you.
The idea is to reduce/avoid as much as possible these components because they are competing with our minerals, enzymes and functions.
Decide 30 minutes /week to look at a category and slowly change your products for better ones. At the end of the year, you will have made an impressive turn around.
What about EMF and Wi-Fi?
Make the invisible visible. Look at Safe living technologies inc. and their guidelines to realize the impact electromagnetic fields have on us. While having a building biologist or buying an EMF meter can be a second step, creating distance between yourself and your phone is feasible. Create a distance with your phone when you use it, as much as possible. Put your phone on airplane mode when you don’t use it. Put your phone away during your sleep.
Put the WIFI OFF and cable your devices from your modem. You don’t need WIFI to be connected. You can cable your devices and still have internet especially when you are at home!
At least, you reduce the emissions/radiations at home. There is a lot to say on this topic and a lot of possibilities to reduce these emissions.
And stress?
Have you tried the 4-7-8 from Dr. Weil? It is easy, impactful and give a chance to your physiology to switch your stress state. The box breathing is another one. They are very simple to do but we need to know about the techniques to be able to put it into practice in our daily life. And it’s free.
The idea here is to realize that during the day, we don’t bring enough oxygen, and we need to pause and think of breathing, especially in the working place.
Do we need supplements?
They are very helpful in our world today. Either for some pathway optimization or to get rid of deficiencies in a timely manner, they can be a game changer. Food will always be first, but to be able to reach optimization, supplements are these incredible tools. After testing and/or nutrition evaluation, some supplements can have an incredible impact that cannot be neglected.
Finally, what about brain stimulation?
Bring your brain to a new level. With BrainHQ, Elevate, or Lumosity, choose one that speaks to you, and you will stay alert, focused, and able to process information, strengthen neuromodulatory function, improve speed, and be challenged at your fingertips. To reduce EMF, though, cable your PC or phone or use Lumosity in airplane mode.
There are many ideas for neuroplasticity: Take a class or a course (ex: Coursera), learn a language, learn to dance or practice dancing more often. Do something you used to love. Taking the time for the right reasons.
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And what is the role of a health coach?
Simply put, health coaches facilitate change.
Health coaching can transform the experience and the clinical outcomes. They bridge the gap between what you know you need to do to be healthy and the motivation that actually makes and sustains those changes.
Individual coaching provides one-on-one attention and can be more easily tailored to each one’s scheduling needs. Many patients love direct attention. With the use of audio and video technology, providing care at a distance facilitates follow-ups as well.
They can provide considerable insight and intelligence on how to adapt and implement the B7 and more related to the Bredesen protocol. Apollo Health is a very good website to look at and is related to the B7, Ketoflex 12/3 and Dr. Dale Bredesen. You can do a Cq free test on their site. With blood testing, it is possible to have a report that is an excellent tool to use for improvement. Apollo Health can provide you with the list of practitioners and health coaches trained in ReCODE as well.
In summary:
Do a MoCA or SLUMS, or Cq or SAGE
Start the Ketoflex 12/3 by fasting 12 hours and stop eating 3 hours before bed
Buy a Keto Mojo
Do the Micronutrients test from SpectraCell
Buy an SS bottle and have it nearby to increase your filtered water intake
Take the time to look at the exercise applications and choose one
Organize yourself to go to bed no later than 22 hours.
Decide 1x/week to look at EWG or Think Dirty to change your products slowly
Put your phone on airplane mode and reduce your EMF exposition
Being informed is very good. And while having all this information is very beneficial, doing something with it, is even better! Knowledge is fantastic. But this knowledge needs to be transformed into actions, don’t you think?
Otherwise, it will just stand as knowledge, right?
Reward this effort process. It feels good to walk up this hill. Reward yourselves when you reach any milestones.
You want to know more. You have questions.
If you are willing to do something, then don’t hesitate.
Read more from Lucie Jolicoeur
Lucie Jolicoeur, Health Coach
Lucie Jolicoeur is a PreCODE/ReCODE 2.0 Certified Health Coach, a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, a Molecular Biologist by education, and is MoCA and AFMCP certified.
She works independently with participants through the ReCODE and PreCODE programs with Practice Better, which includes video telemedicine, tasks, shared documents, appointments, reminders, chats, payments and more.
Lucie is passionate about cognitive health and living her full potential now in her sixties, She wants to support others in making the necessary strategies to succeed and enjoy life as she is.
