"Our brain is the organ that provides us with insight and guides our decisions.  When it's not working well, we may struggle to envision a better life or to take the steps needed to get there."

It's common for us to hear about conditions such as heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure. But for some reason, we don't generally think about the concept of "Brain Failure," even in medical circles. There's just something about the brain that causes people to treat it differently than other organs. Maybe that's because the idea of losing our minds is so unsettling.

That fear of the brain, or "Neurophobia," causes many to avoid discussing and confronting the issues that lead to brain failure. This is a major problem because today, more than half of the world's population make their living from cognitively demanding activities.

 

There are five main causes of brain failure:

1. Inflammation.

Inflammation of brain tissue can occur following an infection or in the setting of an autoimmune disorder. Even generalized, systemic inflammation can indirectly cause brain failure, which can be reversed by combating inflammation with the right nutritional supplementation.

2. Genetics and aging.

It used to be the case that these were inevitable, but we're entering an exciting new era of human existence where both can be altered for the better. Certain nutritional supplements can alter our "epigenetics," a control region that changes the way that DNA is expressed.  Remarkably, it has also been shown that the aging process is attributable to the vast numbers of errors that accumulate in our cells. Some Age-Management molecules hold the process of slowing down or even reversing the process of aging.

3. Structural problems.

This one is tricky. The brain is so easily damaged by the physical effects of trauma, stroke, oxygen deprivation... the list goes on. The good news is that we now know of two processes that kick in to salvage damaged brain tissue:

- Neurogenesis. This is the creation of new brain cells, something we formerly thought was impossible.

- Neuroplasticity. This concept is the "use it or loose it" phenomenon. As we go through stressors, the brain makes new connections between existing brain cells.

Certain "brain-building" nutritional supplements contribute to the reversal and repair some of the structural damage.

4. Sleep deprivation.

Most people cannot function on less than 7 hours of sleep.  Most people also do not come close to achieving even the minimum amount of sleep necessary to restore the brain to its ideal state of function. Certain blends contain critical components, such as melatonin, to help the brain ease into a state of relaxation and recovery.

5. Metabolic and nutritional causes.

This is a very lengthly topic that deserves special treatment. To make a long story short, the brain is so powerful that, pound for pound, it generates more energy than the sun in the middle of our solar system! All of this energy generation consumes a lot of raw material, and it also creates a lot of waste-products that need to be neutralized.

Insufficient blood flow, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and resistance to insulin all can contribute to brain failure.

Adaptogens improve the function of the cells to be able to perform better during period of high stress.

Metabolic boosters, as well as the caffeine found in functional coffees, can have a major impact on improving brain function.