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Stony Brook has the only regional Trauma Center in Suffolk County. File photo from SBU

By L. Reuven Pasternak, M.D.

Injury is the leading cause of death for all Americans under age 45. When an injury or trauma occurs, having fast access to comprehensive care can be the difference between life and death. Stony Brook Trauma Center was officially verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and designated by the New York State Department of Health as Suffolk County’s only Adult and Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center earlier this month.

Level 1 Trauma Centers are the highest level centers, capable of providing a full range of services to the most severely injured patients. Stony Brook Trauma Center is also designated by New York State as the Regional Trauma Center (the highest level) for adults and children and serves as Suffolk’s only regional burn center through the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center at Stony Brook Medicine.

Meeting the strict quality and safety requirements established by the ACS further proves Stony Brook’s standing in the community as a center of excellence, able to offer a full range of medical services and world-class patient care. Patients who are seriously injured by major trauma require immediate attention from a team of medical professionals who are specially trained to recognize and treat immediate threats to life.

Led by Dr. James Vosswinkel, trauma medical director, and Dr. Richard Scriven, pediatric medical director, Stony Brook Trauma Center cares for close to 2,000 patients annually — adults and children, who have sustained blunt, penetrating or thermal traumatic injury. Ninety-five percent of these patients have sustained blunt injuries — the majority from falls or from motor vehicle crashes. Twenty-five percent of the center’s patients are transferred in from one of the county’s 10 other hospitals and every day Stony Brook flight paramedics are on board Suffolk County Police Department helicopters, providing timely and advanced care directly at the scene of an injury.

As a Level I Trauma Center, Stony Brook participates in a national quality program called TQIP (Trauma Quality Improvement Program). In the most recent TQIP report, it was found that patients who were seriously injured and then treated at Stony Brook Trauma Center were much less likely to die or to develop a major complication than patients treated at other TQIP trauma centers.

Stony Brook Trauma Center is committed to not only treating injury but to preventing injury from occurring. The trauma center regularly conducts many community prevention programs in partnership with other local agencies. They include:

Teddy Bear Clinics: These school-based safety programs target the use of booster seats, rear-facing car seats and use of helmets for sports.

Senior Fall Prevention: These community-based programs educate older adults and their families on how to remain independent and safe. Evidenced-based programs, such as Tai Chi, that are designed to build core strength and prevent fall injury are taught.

Traffic Violators: A bimonthly program with the Suffolk County Traffic Court teaches the consequences of risky driving and offers techniques for behavior change.

Bleeding Control for the Injured (B-Con): To help community members cope with public emergency situations, this important program, which is provided at no charge to universities, community groups and schools, teaches key lifesaving skills, including hands-only CPR, tourniquet making and wound treatment.

To learn more about Stony Brook Trauma Center, visit www.trauma.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

L. Reuven Pasternak, M.D., is the chief executive officer at Stony Brook University Hospital and the vice president for health systems at Stony Brook Medicine.

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A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and oily fish may prevent breast cancer. Stock photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

NFL players are wearing pink shoes and other sportswear this month, making a fashion statement to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This awareness is critical since annual invasive breast cancer incidence in the U.S. is 246,000 new cases, with approximately 40,000 patients dying from this disease each year (1). The good news is that from 1997 to 2008 there was a trend toward decreased incidence by 1.8 percent (2).

We can all agree that screening has merit. The commercials during NFL games tout that women in their 30s and early 40s have discovered breast cancer with a mammogram, usually after a lump was detected. Does this mean we should be screening earlier? Screening guidelines are based on the general population that is considered “healthy,” meaning no lumps were found, nor is there a personal or family history of breast cancer.

All guidelines hinge on the belief that mammograms are important, but at what age? Here is where divergence occurs; experts can’t agree on age and frequency. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms starting at 50 years old, after which time they should be done every other year (3). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends mammograms start at 40 years old and be done annually (4). Your decision should be based on a discussion with your physician.

The best way to treat breast cancer — and just as important as screening — is prevention, whether it is primary, preventing the disease from occurring, or secondary, preventing recurrence. We are always looking for ways to minimize risk. What are some potential ways of doing this? These may include lifestyle modifications, such as diet, exercise, obesity treatment and normalizing cholesterol levels. Additionally, although results are mixed, it seems that bisphosphonates do not reduce the risk of breast cancer nor its recurrence. Let’s look at the evidence.

Bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates include Fosamax (alendronate), Zometa (zoledronic acid) and Boniva (ibandronate) used to treat osteoporosis. Do they have a role in breast cancer prevention? It depends on the population, and it depends on study quality.

In a meta-analysis involving two randomized controlled trials, results showed there was no benefit from the use of bisphosphonates in reducing breast cancer risk (5). The population used in this study involved postmenopausal women who had osteoporosis, but who did not have a personal history of breast cancer. In other words, the bisphosphonates were being used for primary prevention.

The study was prompted by previous studies that have shown antitumor effects with this class of drugs. This analysis involved over 14,000 women ranging in age from 55 to 89. The two trials were FIT and HORIZON-PFT, with durations of 3.8 and 2.8 years, respectively. The FIT study involved alendronate and the HORIZON-PFT study involved zoledronic acid, with these drugs compared to placebo. The researchers concluded that the data were not evident for the use of bisphosphonates in primary prevention of invasive breast cancer.

In a previous meta-analysis of two observational studies from the Women’s Health Initiative, results showed that bisphosphonates did indeed reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in patients by as much as 32 percent (6). These results were statistically significant. However, there was an increase in risk of ductal carcinoma in situ (precancer cases) that was not explainable. These studies included over 150,000 patients with no breast cancer history. The patient type was similar to that used in the more current trial mentioned above. According to the authors, this suggested that bisphosphonates may have an antitumor effect. But not so fast!

The disparity in the above two bisphosphonate studies has to do with trial type. Randomized controlled trials are better designed than observational trials. Therefore, it is more likely that bisphosphonates do not work in reducing breast cancer risk in patients without a history of breast cancer or, in other words, in primary prevention.

In a third study, a meta-analysis (group of 36 post-hoc analyses — after trials were previously concluded) using bisphosphonates, results showed that zoledronic acid significantly reduced mortality risk, by as much as 17 percent, in those patients with early breast cancer (7). This benefit was seen in postmenopausal women but not in premenopausal women. The difference between this study and the previous study was the population. This was a trial for secondary prevention, where patients had a personal history of cancer.

However, in a RCT, the results showed that those with early breast cancer did not benefit overall from zoledronic acid in conjunction with standard treatments for this disease (8). The moral of the story: RCTs are needed to confirm results, and they don’t always coincide with other studies.

Exercise

We know exercise is important in diseases and breast cancer is no exception. In an observational trial, exercise reduced breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women significantly (9). These women exercised moderately; they walked four hours a week. The researchers stressed that it is never too late to exercise, since the effect was seen over four years. If they exercised previously, but not recently, for instance, five to nine years ago, no benefit was seen.

To make matters worse, only about one-third of women get the recommended level of exercise every week: 30 minutes for five days a week. Once diagnosed with breast cancer, women tend to exercise less, not more. The NFL, which does an admirable job of highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, should go a step further and focus on the importance of exercise to prevent breast cancer or its recurrence, much as it has done to help motivate kids to exercise with it Play 60 campaign.

Soy intake

Contrary to popular belief, soy may be beneficial in reducing breast cancer risk. In a meta-analysis (a group of eight observational studies), those who consumed more soy saw a significant reduction in breast cancer compared to those who consumed less (10). There was a dose-response curve among three groups: high intake of >20 mg per day, moderate intake of 10 mg and low intake of <5 mg.

Those in the highest group had a 29 percent reduced risk, and those in the moderate group had a 12 percent reduced risk, when compared to those who consumed the least. Why have we not seen this in U.S. trials? The level of soy used in U.S. trials is a fraction of what is used in Asian trials. The benefit from soy is thought to come from isoflavones, plant-rich nutrients.

Western vs. Mediterranean diets

A Mediterranean diet may decrease the risk of breast cancer significantly.
A Mediterranean diet may decrease the risk of breast cancer significantly.

In an observational study, results showed that, while the Western diet increases breast cancer risk by 46 percent, the Spanish Mediterranean diet has the inverse effect, decreasing risk by 44 percent (11). The effect of the Mediterranean diet was even more powerful in triple-negative tumors, which tend to be difficult to treat. The authors concluded that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and oily fish were potentially beneficial.

Hooray for Breast Cancer Awareness Month stressing the importance of mammographies and breast self-exams. However, we need to give significantly more attention to prevention of breast cancer and its recurrence. Through potentially more soy intake, as well as a Mediterranean diet and modest exercise, we may be able to accelerate the trend toward a lower breast cancer incidence.

References: (1) breastcancer.org. (2) J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011;103:714-736. (3) Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:716-726. (4) Obstet Gynecol. 2011;118:372-382. (5) JAMA Inter Med online. 2014 Aug. 11. (6) J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:3582-3590. (7) 2013 SABCS: Abstract S4-07. (8) Lancet Oncol. 2014;15:997-1006. (9) Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev online. 2014 Aug. 11. (10) Br J Cancer. 2008;98:9-14. (11) Br J Cancer. 2014;111:1454-1462.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Full-fat and low-fat cheeses are no better for you than refined grains. Stock photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

We are constantly redefining or at least tweaking our diets. We were told that fats were the culprit for cardiovascular disease (CVD). That the root cause was saturated fats, specifically. However, a recent study showed the sugar industry had a strong influence on the medical and scientific communities in the 1960s and 1970s, influencing this perception (1).

Why is this all important? Well, for one thing, about one out every two “healthy” 30-year-olds in the United States will most likely develop CVD in their lifetime (2). This is a sobering statistic. For another, CVD is still the reigning notorious champion when it comes to the top spot for deaths in this country. Except, this disease is preventable, for the most part.

What can prevent CVD? You guessed it, lifestyle modifications, including changes in our diet, exercise and smoking cessation. There is no better demonstration of this than what I refer to as the “new” China Study, which was done through the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I call it “new,” because T. Colin Campbell published a book in 2013 with the same name pertaining to the benefits of the Chinese diet in certain provinces. However, the wealthier China has become in the last few decades by opening its borders, the more it has adopted a Western hemisphere-type lifestyle, and the worse its health has become overall. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, results show that over 20 years the rate of CVD has increased dramatically in China, and it is likely to continue worsening over time (3). High blood pressure, elevated “bad” cholesterol LDL levels, blood glucose (sugars), sedentary lifestyle and obesity were the most significant contributors to this rise. In 1979 about 8 percent of the population had high blood pressure, but by 2010, more than one-third of the population did.

Does this sound familiar? It should, since this is due to adopting a Western-type diet. The researchers highlighted increased consumption of red meat and soda, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and, unlike us, half the population still smokes. But you can see just how powerful the effects of lifestyle are on the world’s largest population. There were 26,000 people and nine provinces involved.

Cardiologist embraces fat

We are going to focus on one area, diet. What is the most productive diet for preventing cardiovascular disease? In a recent New York Times article, entitled “An Unconventional Cardiologist Promotes a High-Fat Diet,” published on Aug. 23, 2016, the British cardiologist suggests that we should embrace fats, including saturated fats (4). He has bulletproof coffee for breakfast, with one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of coconut oil added to his coffee. He also promotes full-fat cheese as opposed to low-fat cheese. These are foods that contain 100 percent saturated fats. He believes dairy can protect against heart disease. Before you get yourself in a lather, either in agreement or in disgust, let’s look at the evidence.

The Cheesy Study

Alert! Before you read any further, know that this study was sponsored by the dairy industry in Denmark. Having said this, this study would presumably agree with the unconventional cardiologist. The results showed that full-fat cheese was equivalent to low-fat cheese and to carbohydrates when it came to blood chemistries for cardiovascular disease, as well as to waist circumference (5). These markers included cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, fasting glucose levels and insulin. There were three groups in this study: those who consumed three ounces of full-fat cheese, low-fat cheese or refined bread and jam. The authors suggested that full-fat cheese may be part of a healthy diet. This means we can eat full-fat cheese, right? NOT SO FAST.

The study was faulty. The control arm was refined carbohydrates. And since both cheeses had similar results to the refined carbohydrates, the more appropriate conclusion is that full-fat and low-fat cheeses are no better for you than refined grains.

What about dairy fat?

In a meta-analysis (involving three studies — the Professional Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Studies 1 and 2), the results refute the claim that dairy fat is beneficial for preventing CVD (6). The results show that substituting a small portion of energy intake from dairy fat with polyunsaturated fats results in a 24 percent reduction in CVD risk. And doing the same with vegetable fats in replacement of dairy fat resulted in a 10 percent reduction in risk. Dairy fat was slightly better when compared to other animal fat.

This meta-analysis involved observational studies with a duration of at least 20 years and involving more than 200,000 men and women. There needs to be a large randomized controlled trial. But, I would not rush to eat cheese, whether it was the full-fat or low-fat variety. Nor would I drink bulletproof coffee anytime soon.

Saturated fat: not so good

In a recent meta-analysis (involving three studies run by the Harvard School of Public Health), replacing just 5 percent of saturated fats with both mono- and polyunsaturated fats resulted in a substantial reduction in the risk of mortality, 27 and 13 percent, respectively (7). This is a blow to the theory that saturated fats are not harmful to your health. Also, the highest quintile of poly- and monounsaturated fat intake, compared to lowest, showed reductions in mortality that were significant, 19 and 11 percent, respectively. Again, this is an observational conglomeration of studies, using the same studies as with the dairy results above. This analysis suggests that the unconventional cardiologist’s approach is not the one you want to take.

The good news diet!

Here is the good news diet. In a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT), the gold standard of studies, results showed that high levels of polyphenols reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (8). Polyphenols are from foods such as vegetables, fruits, berries especially and, yes, chocolate. The researchers divided the study population into two groups, high and low polyphenol intake. The biomarkers used for this study were endothelial (inner lining of the blood vessel) dependent and independent vasodilators. The more dilated the blood vessel, the lower the hypertension and the lower the CVD risk. These patients had hypertension, a risk factor for CVD. Those who consumed high levels of polyphenols had higher levels of nutrients such as carotenoids and vitamin C in their blood.

Is fish useful?

In a study, results show that eating a modest amount of fish decreases the risk of death from CVD by more than one-third (9). What is a modest amount? Consume fish once or twice a week. You want to focus on fish that are rich in omega 3s — docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). These are fatty fish with plenty of unsaturated fats, such as salmon. Thus, more of a Mediterranean-style diet, involving fruits and vegetables, as well as mono- and polyunsaturated fats in the forms of olive oil, nuts, avocado and fish may reduce the risk of CVD, while a more traditional American diet, with lots of pure saturated fats and refined carbohydrates may have the opposite effect. The reason we can’t say for sure that pure saturated fat should be avoided is that there has not been a large randomized controlled trial. However, many studies continually point in this direction.

References: (1) JAMA Intern Med. online Sept. 12, 2016. (2) Lancet. 2014;383(9932):1899-1911. (3) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68(8):818-833. (4) NYTimes.com. (5) Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104(4):973-981. (6) Am J Clin Nutr. Online Aug. 24, 2016. (7) JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(8):1134-1145. (8) Heart. 2016;102(17):1371-1379. (9) JAMA. 2007;297(6):590.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Fruits and vegetables may protect the kidneys. Stock photo

By David Dunaief

Chronic kidney disease is on the rise in this country. In a study that looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) increased more than 30 percent from 1988 to 2004 (1). Earlier-stage (moderate) CKD is no exception and may not be getting enough attention. In this article, we will look beyond the more obvious causes of moderate chronic kidney disease, like diabetes, smoking, aging, obesity and high blood pressure (2).

Why is earlier-stage CKD so important? It is associated with a 40 percent increased risk of developing cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks (3). It also significantly increases the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Those with decreased kidney function have a 24 percent prevalence of PAD, compared to 3.7 percent in those with normal kidney function (4). Of course, it can lead ultimately to end-stage renal (kidney) disease, requiring dialysis and potentially a kidney transplant.

One of the problems with earlier-stage CKD is that it tends to be asymptomatic. However, there are simple tests, such as a basic metabolic panel and a urinalysis, that will indicate whether a patient may have moderate chronic kidney disease.

These indices for kidney function include an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine level and protein in the urine. While the other two indices have varying ranges depending on the laboratory used, a patient with an eGFR of 30 to 59 mL/minute/1.73 m2 is considered to have moderate disease. The eGFR and the kidney function are inversely related, meaning as eGFR declines, the more severe the chronic kidney disease.

What can be done to stem earlier-stage CKD, before complications occur? There are several studies that have looked at medications and lifestyle modifications and their impacts on its prevention, treatment and reversal. Let’s look at the evidence.

Medications

Allopurinol is usually thought of as a medication for the prevention of gout. However, in a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard of studies, the results show that allopurinol may help to slow the progression of CKD, defined in this study as an eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (5).

The group using 100 mg of allopurinol showed significant improvement in eGFR levels (a 1.3 mL/minute per 1.73 m2 increase) compared to the control group (a 3.3 mL/minute per 1.73 m2 decrease) over a two-year period. There were 113 patients involved in this study. The researchers concluded that there was a slow progression of CKD with allopurinol. Allopurinol also decreased cardiovascular risk by 71 percent.

Fibrates are a class of drug usually used to boost HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and reduce triglyceride levels, another cholesterol marker. Fibrates have gotten negative press for not showing improvement in cardiovascular outcomes.

However, in patients with moderate CKD, a meta-analysis (a group of 10 studies) showed a 30 percent reduction in major cardiovascular events and a 40 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular mortality with the use of fibrates (6). This is important, since patients with CKD are mostly likely to die of cardiovascular disease. The authors concluded that fibrates seem to have a much more powerful beneficial effect in CKD patients, as opposed to the general population. So, there may be a role for fibrates after all.

Lifestyle modifications

Fruits and vegetables may play a role in helping patients with CKD. In one study, the results showed that fruits and vegetables work as well as sodium bicarbonate in improving kidney function by reducing metabolic acidosis levels (7). What is the significance of metabolic acidosis? It means that body fluids become acidic and it is associated with chronic kidney disease. The authors concluded that both sodium bicarbonate and a diet including fruits and vegetables were renoprotective, helping to protect the kidneys from further damage in patients with CKD.

Alkali diets are primarily plant-based, although not necessarily vegetarian or vegan-based diets. Animal products tend to cause an acidic environment. The study was one year in duration. However, though the results were impressive, the study was small, with 77 patients.

Sodium rears its ugly head yet again. Red meat is not thought of positively, and animal fat is not far behind. In the Nurses’ Health Study, the results show that animal fat, red meat and salt all negatively impact kidney function (8). The risk of protein in the urine, a potential indicator of CKD, increased by 72 percent in those participants who consumed the highest amounts of animal fat compared to the lowest, and by 51 percent in those who ate red meat at least twice a week. With higher amounts of sodium, there was a 52 percent increased risk of having lower levels of eGFR.

The most interesting part with sodium was that the difference between higher mean consumption and the lower mean consumption was not that large, 2.4 grams compared to 1.7 grams. In other words, the difference between approximately a teaspoon of sodium and three quarters of a teaspoon was responsible for the decrease in kidney function.

In my practice, when CKD patients follow a vegetable-rich, nutrient-dense diet, there are substantial improvements in kidney functioning. For instance, for one patient, his baseline eGFR was 54 mL/min/1.73 m2. After one month of lifestyle modifications, his eGFR improved by 9 points to 63 mL/min/1.73 m2, which is a return to “normal” functioning of the kidney. His kidney functioning after 6 months actually exceeded 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 for eGFR. However, this is an anecdotal story and not a study.

Therefore, it is important to have your kidney function checked with mainstream tests. If the levels are low, you should address the issue through medications and/or lifestyle modifications to manage and reverse earlier-stage CKD. However, lifestyle modifications don’t have the negative side effects of medications. Don’t wait until symptoms and complications occur. In my experience, it is much easier to treat and reverse a disease in its earlier stages, and CKD is no exception.

References:

(1) JAMA. 2007;298:2038-2047. (2) JAMA. 2004;291:844-850. (3) N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1296-1305. (4) Circulation. 2004;109:320–323. (5) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010 Aug;5:1388-1393. (6) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012 Nov. 13;60:2061-2071. (7) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8:371-381. (8) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010; 5:836-843.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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We should dedicate 33 percent of our lives to sleep to improve brain health. Stock photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

The brain is the most important and complex organ, yet what we know about the brain is inverse to its prominence. In other words, our knowledge only scratches the surface. While other organs can be transplanted readily, it is the one organ that can’t, at least not yet.

The brain also has something called the blood-brain barrier. This is an added layer of small, densely packed cells, or capillaries, that filter what substances from the blood they allow to pass through from the rest of the body (1). This is good, since it protects the brain from foreign substances; however, on the downside, it also makes it harder to treat, because many drugs and procedures have difficulty penetrating the blood-brain barrier.

Unfortunately, there are many things that negatively impact the brain, including certain drugs, head injuries and lifestyle choices. There are also numerous disorders and diseases that affect the brain, including neurological (dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke), infectious (meningitis), rheumatologic (lupus and rheumatoid arthritis), cancer (primary and secondary tumors), psychiatric mood disorders (depression, anxiety, schizophrenia), diabetes and heart disease.

These varied diseases tend to have three signs and symptoms in common: they either cause an alteration in mental status — cognitive decline, weakness or change in mood – or a combination of these.

Probably our greatest fear regarding the brain is cognitive decline. We have to ask ourselves if we are predestined to this decline, either because of the aging process alone or because of a family history, or if there is a third option, a way to alter this course. Dementia, whether mild or full-blown Alzheimer’s, is cruel; it robs us of functioning. We should be concerned about Alzheimer’s because 5.2 million Americans have the disease, and it is on the rise, especially since the population is aging (2).

Fortunately, there are several studies that show we may be able to choose the third option and prevent cognitive decline by altering modifiable risk factors. They involve rather simple lifestyle changes: sleep, exercise and possibly omega-3s. Let’s look at the evidence.

The impact of clutter

The lack of control over our mental capabilities as we age is what frightens us the most since we see friends, colleagues and relatives negatively affected by it. Those who are in their 20s seem to be much sharper and quicker. But are they really?

In a recent study, German researchers found that educated older people tend to have a larger mental database of words and phrases to pull from since they have been around longer and have more experience (3). When this is factored into the equation, the difference in terms of age-related cognitive decline becomes negligible. This study involved data mining and creating simulations. It showed that mental slowing may be at least partially related to the amount of clutter or data that we accumulate over the years. The more you know, the harder it becomes to come up with a simple answer to something. We may need a reboot just like a computer. This may be possible through sleep and exercise and omega-3s.

Sleep

I have heard people argue that sleep gets in the way of life. Why should we have to dedicate 33 percent of our lives to sleep? There are several good reasons. One involves clearing the mind, and another involves improving our economic outlook.

For the former, a study shows that sleep may help the brain remove waste, such as those all-too-dangerous beta-amyloid plaques (4). When we have excessive plaque buildup in the brain, it may be a sign of Alzheimer’s. This study was done in mice. When mice were sleeping, the interstitial space (the space between brain gyri, or structures) would increase by as much as 60 percent.

This allowed the lymphatic system, with its cerebrospinal fluid, to clear out plaques, toxins and other waste that had developed during waking hours. With the enlargement of the interstitial space during sleep, waste removal was quicker and more thorough because cerebrospinal fluid could reach much further into the spaces. When the mice were anesthetized, a similar effect was seen as with sleeping.

In a published follow-up study, the authors found that sleep position had an impact on glymphatic transport in rodents. Sleeping in a lateral position, or on their sides, was more effective at clearing waste than prone or supine positions. Of course, the authors note that for rodents a prone position is similar to their awake positions. It would be most like a human sleeping while sitting upright (5).

In another study, done in Australia, results showed that sleep deprivation may have been responsible for an almost 1 percent decline in gross domestic product for the country (6). The reason is obvious: People are not as productive at work when they don’t get enough sleep. Their attitude tends to be more irritable, and concentration may be affected. We may be able to turn on and off sleepiness on an acute, or short-term, basis, depending on the environment, but it’s not as if we can do this continually.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 4 percent of Americans report having fallen asleep in the past month behind the wheel of a car (7). I hope this hammers home the importance of sleep.

Exercise

How can I exercise, when I can’t even get enough sleep? Well there is a study that just may inspire you to exercise.

In the study, which involved rats, those that were not allowed to exercise were found to have rewired neurons in the area of their medulla, the part of the brain involved in breathing and other involuntary activities. There was more sympathetic (excitatory) stimulus that could lead to increased risk of heart disease (8). In those rats that were allowed to exercise regularly, there was no unusual wiring, and sympathetic stimuli remained constant. This may imply that being sedentary has negative effects on both the brain and the heart.

This is intriguing since we used to think that our brain’s plasticity, or ability to grow and connect neurons, was finite and stopped after adolescence. This study’s implication is that a lack of exercise causes unwanted new connections. Of course, these results were done in rats and need to be studied in humans before we can make any definitive suggestions.

Omega-3 fatty acids

In the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, results showed that those postmenopausal women who were in the highest quartile of omega-3 fatty acids had significantly greater brain volume and hippocampal volume than those in the lowest quartile (9). The hippocampus is involved in memory and cognitive function.

Specifically, the researchers looked at the level of omega-3 fatty acids, called eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, in red blood cell membranes. The source of the omega-3 fatty acids could either have been from fish or supplementation. This was not delineated. The researchers suggest eating fish high in these substances, such as salmon and sardines, since it may not even be the omega-3s that are playing a role but some other substances in the fish. It’s never too late to improve brain function. You can still be sharp at a ripe old age. Although we have a lot to learn about the functioning of the brain, we know that there are relatively simple ways we can positively influence it.

References: (1) medicinenet.com. (2) alz.org. (3) Top Cogn Sci. 2014 Jan.;6:5-42. (4) Science. 2013 Oct. 18;342:373-377. (5) J Neurosci. 2015 Aug 5;35(31):11034-11044. (6) Sleep. 2006 Mar.;29:299-305. (7) cdc.gov. (8)J Comp Neurol. 2014 Feb. 15;522:499-513. (9) Neurology. 2014;82:435-442. Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management.

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