#231: Avoid These Risk Factors to Prevent Brain Inflammation with Dr. Datis Kharrazian

Avoid These Risk Factors to Prevent Brain Inflammation | This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth and Paleovalley. For a long time, brain fatigue and a lack of cognitive endurance were just considered a normal part of aging. These issues are actually symptoms of a much larger problem, though—neuroinflammation—and they aren’t inevitable. Our brains naturally create cellular debris as we age. A healthy brain with the right anti-inflammatory and antioxidant systems in place can clean up this debris using a process called autophagy. But when those systems become compromised through a variety of insults, like insulin resistance, toxicity, and lack of sleep, the debris piles up and neurodegeneration and inflammation result. Taking the right steps now can prevent and even reverse an inflamed brain. On today’s episode, Dhru talks to Dr. Datis Kharrazian about the principles of health that protect and optimize our brain function. Dr. Kharrazian is a clinical research scientist, academic professor, and a Functional Medicine health care provider. He is an Associate Clinical Professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and a researcher at the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Kharrazian earned a PhD degree in Health Science with concentrations in immunology and toxicology and a Doctor of Health Science degree from Nova Southeastern University. He completed his post-doctoral research training at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Kharrazian earned a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Southern California University of Health Sciences, and a Master of Medical Sciences degree in Clinical Investigation from Harvard Medical School. In this episode, we dive into: -The link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s (6:58) -What is neuroinflammation and what causes it (11:29) -The earliest signs of neuroinflammation (14:10) -Conditions that are tied to neuroinflammation (16:56) -The impact of air pollution on our brain (19:32) -Dr. Kharrazian’s recommendations to maintain healthier indoor air quality (23:12) -How poor sleep can drive neuroinflammation (33:08) -What role glial cells—the brain’s immune cells—play in neuroinflammation, and what it means when they are primed (48:52) -Why gluten is one of the most inflammatory foods for the brain (59:52) -Molecular mimicry and how it can drive autoimmunity (1:10:14) Also mentioned in this episode: -Save Your Brain Online Course - https://drknews.com/save-your-brain/ -Kharrazian Institute - https://kharrazianinstitute.com/ -Earlier Diabetes Onset Could Raise Dementia Risk - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/well/mind/diabetes-dementia-Alzheimers.htm -Reaction of Human Monoclonal Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 Proteins with Tissue Antigens: Implications for Autoimmune Diseases - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.617089/full -Top 10 Reasons Why Autoimmune Patients Don’t Get Better - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAXZRVTpdOs -The Total Exposure Assessment Methodology EPA Study - https://bit.ly/3j9k95x -How to Grow Fresh Air - https://www.ted.com/talks/kamal_meattle_how_to_grow_fresh_air For more on Dr. Kharrazian you can follow him on Instagram @datiskharrazian, on Facebook @datiskharrazianpage, on YouTube @datiskharrazian, and through his website https://drknews.com/. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter - https://dhrupurohit.com/newsletter. This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth and Paleovalley. Right now, Cozy Earth is offering my audience 40% off. Just head over to https://cozyearth.com/ and use the discount code DHRU40. Right now they’re offering my listeners 15% off their entire first order. Just go to paleovalley.com/dhru to check out all their clean Paleo products and take advantage of this deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices