Sleep Deprivation
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
High Blood Pressure
Now, we will cover other contributors, but it's really worth while to highlight those three as they tend to do the most damage and by far are the most common.
The good news is I'm about to give tools and actions to mitigate BBB damage.
1) Sleep
- Get enough sleep!! 7-9 hours in a 24hr period.
- Small doses of melatonin (.3-2mg) has been shown to decrease BBB permeability. Though I don't recommend supplementing melatonin too regularly, just as needed. For example during travel through multiple timezones to mitigate jet lag and mitigate the effects on your circadian rhythm.
2) Limit Alcohol
- Limit alcohol to 1-2 servings preferably in a fasted state, on a day where you had a hard workout.
- Support your liver, detox, and nutrient status when consuming alcohol.
3) Control Blood Pressure
- Consume nutrients shown to reduce blood pressure : Beets (and anything that increases nitric oxide), Magnesium & Potassium, Dark Chocolate (yum), Garlic, Garlic Extract, Allicin
4) Caution with High Fat Diets
- If doing high-fat or ketogenic diet, make sure it’s rich in plant fibre and phytonutrients! Include lots of: Dark leafy greens, Cruciferous vegetables, Turmeric, Astragalus root.
Certain supplements can help combat the deleterious effects of high-fat on the BBB:
Bitter melon extract (Kion Lean)
- Vitamin D3
- Aged garlic extract
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)
- Niacin
- Nicotinamide
5) Avoid Snacking
- Avoid frequent snacking or grazing and only eat when hungry.
- Practice IM (intermittent fasting) such as daily 12-16 hour fasts, and/or a weekly 24 hour fast
6) Improve Vagal Nerve Tone
- Deep Breathing
- Singing
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Cold Exposure
- Chewing Gum
- Sleeping on your right side
- Electronic VNS devices
7) Drink Coffee / Tea
- Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors => Incites cAMP production => Increased intercellular communication => Reduced inflammation => Better BBB integrity.
8) Nourish the Gut
- Regularly consume nutrients that nourish the gut. Bone broth, Colostrum, glutamine, prebiotics, probiotics, and fermented foods.
9) Cold Therapy
- Cold exposure can improve communication between gut and brain via vagus nerve, and also causes a release of blood and nitric oxide in the brain. Implement daily cold therapy practices:
