Without any guidance, people can feel overwhelmed by the multiple aspects of the Bredesen Protocol™, frustrated with how much time it’s taking them to figure things out, and demoralized by the unknown amount of money it might cost. It doesn’t have to be this way.
I’ll paraphrase Dr. Bredesen who said in April 2018 that his protocol for prevention of cognitive decline should be able to be done inexpensively with diet, exercise, stress management, sleep hygiene, brain training and “a couple” of supplements directed by basic lab test results.
That may sound like a lot, but it’s totally doable if you take it one step at a time.
Focus on moving a few of the biggest levers of brain health and overall wellness.
Dr. Bredesen, Dr. Isaacson, and all the true experts in this field agree that the totality of evidence shows that exercise is the strongest modifiable risk factor…so don’t skip regular physical activity. Instead, skip the minor details at the beginning by implementing a couple of the foundational Bredesen Protocol™ practices, such as:
- Aim to spend less time sitting. Increase the amount you move your body at an appropriate pace and level for you (i.e. walking, yoga, gardening, strength training, dancing, etc.) until you’re getting in more than an hour of accumulated time moving five days per week.
- Fill your plate with whole foods—lots of plants, plenty of healthy fats, and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. Minimize added sugar, flour, and processed food as much as you can. Consume your food within a 12-hour window or less.
- Set aside time daily for a practice that helps you feel less stressed. A starting point could be three minutes of deep diaphragmatic breathing or five minutes of guided meditation as part of your morning or bedtime routine.
- Regularly participate in some kind of brain challenging activity. Your default practice could start with 5-10 minutes of BrainHQ every other day.
- If you don’t usually wake up refreshed after getting a solid 7 hours or more of sleep, then improve your sleep hygiene and ask your doctor if a home sleep study is in order.
- Gradually switch to low-toxin personal care products, home products, food, and water.
- Start only a couple of the supplements aimed at your chief health concern.
- Run the basic lab tests of a “cognoscopy” for preliminary medical evaluation.
Celebrate when you achieve any one of these goals. Pay attention to how your mind and body feel better as you make the diet and lifestyle changes. The awareness will help you take it to the next level when you’re ready. Making progress to live the full Bredesen Protocol™ is easier with support, so check out some options for help.
The topics below may address your initial concerns when making progress with ReCODE™.
Nurture Brain Health 