Here’s my list of the most useful products/tools for engaging the Bredesen ReCODE Protocol™. Note that you do not need any of these products for a preventative brain healthy lifestyle; this is simply a handy list of potentially helpful resources. Please consult your doctor before utilizing any of the products and tools below.
Books
Recipe books can be found at on my recipes webpage.
Ketone Testing
I started with my Keto Mojo FDA-approved dual ketone and glucose meter, see picture. The newer version Keto Mojo glucose and ketone meter starter kit comes with a lancing device, 10 lancets, and 10 ketone test strips for about $45-50. An additional 60 Keto Mojo ketone test strips cost around $1/strip. Use bluetooth or a USB link to their app for online tracking of ketone readings and related health metrics. I appreciated Keto Mojo’s how-to videos to help me get over initial anxiety about pricking my finger. Other clinically-validated ketone meter kits, such as the one by Precision Xtra, are available, but I’ve heard the best feedback on the Keto Mojo brand.
For those averse to pricking their finger, new technology allows an accurate evaluation of ketosis by sampling exhaled breath. The Biosense breath ketone meter is a one-time expense of $269 using my $30 discount code “JenFelix” (type the code without any additional spaces in checkout either under the Show Order Summary tab or in the Discount Code box). Since the recurrent costs of test strips add up with long-term blood ketone testing, a breath analyzer could be easier and more cost-effective in the long run if you’d like the feedback from multiple ketone readings throughout the day over months. Clinical validation of the Biosense device shows about 80% correlation between blood beta-hydroxybutyrate levels and the breath acetone levels that follow after a delay.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
A Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) is a tiny wearable device that reveals how your blood glucose responds to food, stress, and sleep in real time. Continuously wearing a tiny CGM puts you on a faster track to glucose regulation than one-at-a-time finger pricks. Nutrisense offers the clinically validated Freestyle Libre CGM device directly to non-diabetic individuals. Nutrisense offers a 7-day trial, a two-week CGM device, and multi-month subscriptions at a variety of price points, including a phone app for tracking your glucose levels and access to chat with their nutritionists. Levels Health and January offer similar, slightly more expensive options–unfortunately the pricing is not readily transparent and there’s not less expensive option to receive only the CGM device and app readout alone. For diabetic individuals, a doctor can prescribe two-week-duration CGMs, available for around $120 each at Costco, sometimes covered by health insurance.
Brain Training
Cognitively challenging activities (i.e. learning a musical instrument or foreign language) stimulate new brain cell connections. Persevering through some, but not too excessive, cognitive demand creates a positive stimulus to preserve and build cognitive capacity.
A brain training app tracks your score for monitoring progress over time. One option is signing up for a free version at Posit Science BrainHQ. Over one hundred research papers show that exercising your brain with the BrainHQ exercises increases cognitive functioning and quality of life. Pay $14/month (or $96/year) to subscribe for the complete customizable range of BrainHQ activities. A paid ReCODE™ subscription (more details here) includes BrainHQ without an additional charge. Luminosity is a popular alternative brain training app. Celebrate improvement with practice and be mindful of negative self-talk about your percentile ranking.
Genius Gyms is Dr. Sarah McEwen’s app to improve both neuroplasticity and physical fitness synergistically at the same time. The app guides you through cognitive exercises that you can engage by listening and tapping your phone while you’re walking or jogging outdoors or while using a treadmill or stationary bike. If you are not physically limited to walking or a stationary bike, you’ll likely benefit more from skill-based physical activities–such as dance, learning a new sport, tai chi–over Genius Gyms.
Sleep Optimization
In comparison to the Garmin VivoSmart 4 watches used in the clinical study I assisted, I much prefer my Oura Ring Generation 3 to track my sleep (oxygen saturation, duration, efficiency, and light/deep/REM stages), temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, as well as step counts. The Oura app delivers user-friendly daily summaries of readiness, approximate physical activity, and sleep. In November 2021. Cost around $299 for the high-tech ring plus monthly subscription to the app.
A complete Bredesen Protocol™ includes a sleep evaluation, such as the direct-to-consumer home sleep apnea test by iSleep. For $199-$249, iSleep will ship you an FDA-cleared WatchPAT device that measures pulse oximetry along with actigraphy/movement, body position, heartrate, snoring intensity, chest motion, and peripheral arterial tone. Within days, you’ll receive the results along with discussion of your results/treatment options.
A $79 Emay Sleep O2 Wrist Oxygen Monitor can monitoring oxygen saturation to evaluate progress with mouth taping, myofunctional therapy, dental devices, C-PAP, and A-PAP. The Emay wrist strap is a pulse oximeter that records oxygen saturation levels over the complete duration of a night’s sleep, without falling off like fingertip oximeters. Note that a normal/high oxygen saturation does not rule out disruptive apneas and hypopneas (as evaluated in a sleep study.
3M Micropore tape ($5, use a postage-sized piece over lips), Breathe Right strips ($16), Air Max nasal dilator (~$15), and/or a neti pot can create conditions for greater nasal breathing. Difficulty to breathe with the mouth tape on can be diagnostic. Breathing through only your nose during sleep can come with the benefit of reduced snoring and even reductions in hypopneas/apneas.
If you’re not able to get sufficient daily sunshine and therefore suffer from circadian rhythm disruption and/or seasonal affective disorder, then utilizing the Alaska Northern Lights Aurora LightPad 10,000 lux light box (~$200) will likely help.
The light from devices including computers, televisions, smart phones, and iPads can block melatonin production that would otherwise be generated under more darkness. Elevated melatonin is an important promoter of sleep. To dim light overall and block blue light from electronic screens in hours before bedtime: Install the F.lux app on your PC. Adjust your iPhone settings to “Night Shift” (under “Display and Brightness” on newer model iPhones). Wear amber glasses (I use TrueDark Twilight Glasses and there are a myriad of options from prescription Gunnar amber reading glasses to Zendustries clip-on amber glasses). Install dimmer switches to reduce light levels at night and/or use blue-filtered spectrum light bulbs, such as Lighting Science Good Night LED bulbs.
Stress Resilience
The Gupta Program is clinically validated for the treatment of fibromyalgia and also effective for chronic hyper-reactive conditions, including mold biotoxicity and mast cell activation syndrome. The program includes many 20-min or less guided meditations as well as audio exercises to break the cycle of brain and immune system over-reactivity. Take advantage of a free 28-day trial of a few initial Gupta Program exercises and/or use the code ” ” for 20% off the program (that comes with a money-back guarantee).
Other quality meditation app’s include Headspace, Ten Percent, and Waking Up. If you’d like to try a free month of the Waking Up app for yourself, go to wakingup.com/free-month and use the promo code: FREEMONTH.
Dr. Bredesen recommends Neural Agility by RevitaMind for $97. Neural Agility can be passively listened to by individuals who might not be up for other types of meditation.
The Toups et al 2021 clinical study utilized the HeartMath Inner Balance app’s guided breathing exercises as a stress management tool. The app pairs with a wired iPhone accessory ($95-$130) that gently clips on your earlobe to measure heart rate variability (HRV) and coherence–the synchronization between your heart and your brain. Higher HRV is associated with increased stress resilience, better cognition, and better overall health. Coherence increases with more parasympathetic nervous system tone–with more relaxation that comes by using the app’s. The benefits of HeartMath are documented in over 300 studies. Similar benefits likely come with other relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, and breathing practices.
Kritan Kriya meditation audio file and instructions on CD or MP3 from the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, $20, is the type of meditation shown to help individuals with cognitive decline in a clinical study.
Exogenous Ketones and MCTs
A 95% C8 Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) supplement can boost nutritional ketosis., such as Bulletproof Brain Octane (3 oz for <$8) or Mercola Ketone Energy MCT Oil (available at 25% discount on Fullscript). Start with a half-teaspoon taken with food in case your gut doesn’t agree with MCTs, even the more tolerated C8 length. If MCTs help, Dr. Bredesen advises increasing to up to a tablespoon up to three times per day. My coachees can refer to my “Tips for Nutritional Ketosis” for understanding when MCTs are beneficial and when not.
An exogenous source of ketones can provide a boost above the endogenous ketosis generated through the KetoFLEX ultra low carb eating, time-restricted eating, periods of fasting, and/or intense/prolonged exercise.. You’ll find four good exogenous beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) salt options below. Steer clear of supplements like Ancient Nutrition KetoFIRE capsules that refuse to reveal the amount of BHB in each 4 gm serving size of their proprietary blend and so-called “raspberry ketones”.
- Nutricost Magnesium BHB powder (unflavored taste may need to be masked, no calcium, only magnesium; 6.5 BHB per serving, 30 servings, a total of ~195 gm BHB for ~$40)
- Audacious Nutrition Ketostart BHB powder with electrolytes (tropical flavor tastes relatively good, sweetened with monkfruit, clean ingredients; 960 mg calcium and other electrolytes per packet; 10 gm BHB per packet; 10 packets, a total of ~100 gm BHB for ~$48)
- Kenetik BHB Ketone Drink (highly rated, sweetened with allulose and stevia, no calcium; 10 gm BHB per liquid serving, 12 servings in 3 bottles, a total of ~120 gm BHB for ~$50)
- Nutricost Exogenous Ketone Salt powder (unflavored tastes better than Nutricost Magnesium BHB, but often out-of-stock, 1,128 mg calcium; 11.7 gm BHB per serving, 30 servings, a total of ~351 gm BHB, need current price )
KetoFLEX™-Aligned Food Products
Nutrition for Longevity has partnered with Apollo Health to offer home-delivered KetoFLEX aligned meal kits https://ketoflex.apollohealthco.com/#choose-program of 5 lunches, 5 dinners, 6 pasture-rasied hard-boiled eggs, seasonal cruciferous veggies, and the option to add high-polyphenol premium olive oil. You pick your own choices among pescatarian, omnivorous, and vegan options (all are gluten-free) with each day’s menu offering no more than 60 grams of carbohydrates. Ten fresh KetoFLEX 12/3 meals plus eggs, veggies, and Olive Oil delivered to your home in the U.S. runs $172.50 as of the summer 2023 launch. I do not receive kick-backs and offer this meal delivery service option to help you get started . You can also order directly from Nutrition for Longevity https://nutritionforlongevity.com/collections/menu/ketoflex .
Amphora Nueva is an excellent source for third-party-verified high polyphenolic extra-virgin olive oil [EVOO]. Contact Sharon sharon@amphoranueva.com to request the ApoE4 discount or Apollo Health community discount when purchasing their premium large 750-ml EVOO at $16 -18 ea (rather than $21) plus shipping from Northern California. Experience the pleasant pepperiness, pungency, and healthfulness of varietals like their Spanish Hojiblanca, Chilean Coratina, and Tunisian Chetoui. FFA polyphenol ratings vary with each harvest, so ask for their recommended EVOO with the highest therapeutic polyphenol levels.
VitalChoice offers sustainably harvested seafood tested to be low in hazardous contaminants, like heavy metals. I enjoy their canned wild Alaskan sockeye salmon (with small soft edible bones and skin for extra nutrition, larger 7.5 oz cans, product #CWR706) and tinned wild Portuguese sardines in organic extra virgin olive oil (product #CPS012). Both canned fish taste better than most competing products. Vital Choice has other seafood entrees like 5 oz herbed wild salmon burgers (product #FSB501) and spiced wild blue shrimp burgers (product #FBS404) that make it more convenient to eat safe seafood. VitalChoice seafood is delicious, nutritious, and a bit pricey…so look for their 10% and 15% off sales.
Toxin Reduction
Eliminating constipation can be key to your colon’s elimination of toxins out of your body each day. A Squatty Potty ($25 for the plastic one shown left; more for bamboo/teak/taller height) or similar stool creates a body position that aids moving the bowels.
Supplements
My Fullscript supplement dispensary includes numerous premium supplements–such as Cytoplan, Pure Encapsulations, and Quicksilver Scientific–and other products (i.e. Dentalcidin toothpaste for gingivitis) that Dr. Bredesen has identified as supporting brain health. Supplements selection is best guided by your doctor. For prevention, it may be wise to take the minimum effective dose of just the supplements for your individual needs, with awareness of financial incentives to push more than that. If you are an individual already working personally with me, apply for a 25% discount on my entire dispensary and more using the form at the bottom of my Supplements webpage.
LifeSeasons ReCODE Protocol supplements are blends of the numerous Bredesen Protocol supplements for treating dementia patients and one prevention blend called NeuroQ. LifeSeasons offers a 15% senior discount for senior citizens who order by phone. My discount code “nurture” works at LifeSeasons.com to save 10%. You can also save 10% if you subscribe monthly. The maximum regular discount available is 15% from some practitioners who resell LifeSeasons supplements within their clinics.
Immersive Bredesen Protocol Assisted-Living Facility
Marama is a unique residential care facility in San Diego, California with the goal of treating cognitive decline and returning residents to independent living with restored health. Participants experience a full, personalized Bredesen Protocol™ in an environment that serves KetoFLEX™-aligned meals and fosters numerous additional healthy lifestyle practices.
Clear Minds Center in Wichita, Kansas is a similar assisted living facility for treatment of Alzheimer’s with an immersive Bredesen Protocol.
Disclosure: Jen Felix of Nurture Brain Health participates in the Amazon Services Associates Program—an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to amazon.com. Some, but less than half, of all the links above are affiliate links, such that I will earn a commission if you purchase through the links. I’m displaying these products because of the quality, value, and usefulness and not because of the commission I may receive from your individual decision to buy (or not).
Nurture Brain Health 