The Pastore Podcast

[PART 2]

Dr. Pastore continues on the topic of brain health, and what celiacs & non-celiacs can do now to lower the risk of future neurological & cognitive health issues. He covers what medical tests to have done, recommended foods and supplements, as well as ways to cognitively challenge your brain.

Recap of part 1, upcoming in episode [0:40]
- Key action steps for celiac and non-celiac patients for brain health
- Decrease in gray & white matter in the brain for those with celiac disease, even if following a strict gluten-free diet [1:35]
- - Can lead to cognitive decline or mental illnesses
- Celiac Disease & Mental Health (Part 1) podcast episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-mental-health-celiac-disease-part-1/id1455383694?i=1000468339779
Why celiacs feel brain fog, forgetful or fatigued [2:30]
- Multifactorial - many reasons for these symptoms based on structural gray/white matter changes in the brain celiacs have
- Malabsorption of nutrients due to damaged villi, causing nutrient deficiency [4:15]
Recommended test #1 for brain health and cognition: BrainSpan [4:40]
- https://www.brainspan.com/home
- - Can be ordered directly to your house & mailed back
- Finger-prick blood test
- Measuring Omega 3 fatty acid levels EPA/DHA
- - Celiacs should use fish oil supplementation [6:30]
- Brain health & cardiovascular diseases are connected [8:50]
- - Plaquing of the arteries negatively affects brain health
  - High blood pressure presents with a higher risk of dementia
- Analyze palmitic acid levels to help normalize insulin, leptin signalling, appetite cues, never feeling full [10:05]
- Blood test is paired with brain games both developed by US military physician & used by physicians from Harvard. Sanjay Gupta, MD of CNN is an advisor [11:40]
- - Measures memory, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, and processing speed
- Celiacs - speak to your physician about the test [13:00]
- - Covered by Medicare in USA
Recommended test #2 for brain health and cognition: Bloodwork for nutritional deficiencies [15:30]
- Deficiencies for celiacs podcast episode
- - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-nutritional-deficiencies-increased-infection-risk/id1455383694?i=1000454914981
- Deficiencies for non-celiacs
- - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-common-nutritional-deficiencies/id1455383694?i=1000445381290
High blood sugar & insulin [16:45]
- Previous podcast: Alzheimer's Type 3 diabetes
- - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-alzheimers-disease-a-new-type-of-diabetes/id1455383694?i=1000448202120
  - Poor circulation can affect white & grey matter in the brain
- Previous podcast on Blood Sugar & Insulin here:
- - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-blood-sugar-insulin/id1455383694?i=1000438688442
- Previous podcast on Triglycerides & Glycemic Index here:
- - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-glycemic-index-triglycerides-and-cholesterol/id1455383694?i=1000440223375
- Celiac disease is connected to Type 1 diabetes
- Eat low-glycemic index carbohydrates
- Identify if there is a risk factor for insulin resistance [18:45]
- - Take fasting glucose & fasting triglycerides level from last bloodwork to predict risk of insulin resistance [20:05]
  - - Triglyceride-Glucose Index - https://jscalc.io/calc/4VDpIssERFymapm5 (calculator)
    - - Fasting Glucose * Fasting Triglycerides / 2
      - Index of 4.9+ have greater risk of insulin resistance
Foods & Nutrients to consume daily for brain health [22:55]
- Berries - blueberries, strawberries [23:20]
- - Harvard study: 2 servings per week delayed memory decline by 2.5 years
- Caffeine [24:40]
- - John Hopkins: Caffeine equivalent to 1 cup of coffee, better memory recall the next day than placebo
  - Genetics affect reaction to caffeine [25:35]
  - - Previous podcast on caffeine genetics:
    - - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-functional-nutrigenomics/id1455383694?i=1000446534488
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids [28:10]
- - UCLA study: Walnut consumption improved cognitive test scores
  - - Rich is ALA, converted into EPA
  - Fish
  - - Can reduce beta amyloid plaque production, improving brain signalling
- Choline [29:25]
- - 92% people deficient in choline
  - ~400-550mg/day
  - Critical for white matter function & reducing inflammation
  - Found in beef liver, egg yolk, chicken breast, ground beef, cod, broccoli
  - Celiacs not absorbing food optimally
  - - Supplementation recommended
  - Power ON to improve cognitive function and cell integrity - https://poweronpoweroff.com/products/power-on
Brain games to improve cognition [36:05]
- AARP brain games, apps such as Lumosity
Get adequate sleep [37:05]
- Journal of Sleep - short sleep duration showed worse white matter markers in mid-life
- Middle-aged celiacs with already lower white matter because of the disease especially need adequate sleep to lessen risk of cognitive decline, dementia, stroke
- - Power OFF to help calm the mind & improve sleep quality
  - - https://poweronpoweroff.com/products/power-off
Learn something new and complex [38:45]
- Leads to rapid structural changes in white and grey matter
- Must be complex - multiple steps to achieve success
- Must be something entirely new to you - language, computer code, tactile skill, musical instrument, a new exercise with proper form
Probiotics [40:40]
- Journal of Nutrients April 2019 study showed
- You must care for your gut microbiome
- - Eating healthy, whole foods
  - Removing digestive irritants/intolerant foods
  - Consuming fiber (prebiotic)
  - Take a probiotic supplement if recommended by a physician
- Gut & Mood are connected for cell communication and neurotransmitter production
- - Podcast: LINK
Episode recap [41:45]
- We’ll be back next week with a COVID19 episode

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