How Can You Safeguard Your Brainpower?

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If there’s one thing we all would like, it would be to retain as many of our memories as we can as well as all of the things we’ve learned over our lifetime. We’d also like the ability to learn new things, like how to make a doll house for our granddaughter or how to bake our favorite dessert. In order to do that, we have to do whatever we can to keep our brain functioning properly.

Protecting Your Brain is my webinar that provides you with state-of-the-research ways to be able to do that. This webinar will teach you:

  • The factors that can impact and damage your brain
  • What is normal brain function and what is not
  • What can you do to protect your brain in spite of prior damage?
    • Continual Learning
    • Fitness – functional and body health
    • The best diet to protect your brain
    • Supplementation that supports the brain

This webinar is available for download in my store right now, and includes the questions about brain health I asked for weeks ago with answers based on the most current research.

The cost of the webinar is just $14.95 (Member and Insider discounts apply), but it contains priceless things you can do to protect your brain whether you’re 25 or 75. This webinar is for you. Don’t wait to get your copy. Do it now—you might forget it later!

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

What Is Scienceploitation?

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I recently learned a fascinating new word: scienceploitation. As it has been defined in various journals and articles by scientists and lawyers, scienceploitation uses new ideas and research to develop products that will “solve” whatever issue you have; examples are stem cells, microbiome, and lately mitochondrial dysfunction. Wellness gurus and social media influencers take advantage of the hype to get consumers to buy such products and services.

The problem is that test-tube, animal, or small human trials aren’t enough to suggest the product or service is safe or effective. The hype websites and social media are always filled with testimonials but not with substantial research. We’ve all bought something that sounded too good to be true—and it was. We just have to be wise consumers.

On the Insider Conference Call tomorrow night, I’m going to give a detailed example of scienceploitation that’s related to mitochondria, mostly because of the increase in products that claim to “fix” them. I’ll also answer Insider questions. Become an Insider by 8 p.m. and you can be on the call, and of course, the replay will be available.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: BMJ Open, 8(2), 1-22

Is Flatulence Good for You?

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In another off-beat recent study, researchers examined if hydrogen sulfide (H2S) could increase the longevity and vitality of C. elegans worms. (Personally, I don’t see what’s elegant about this nematode, but scientists seem to love it; it was the first multicellular organism to have its whole genome sequenced and has been the subject of four Nobel prize winners.)

Two questions right off the bat. Are we talking about the hydrogen sulfide produced by probiotics in flatulence that can clear a room because of the smell? Yes. And worms are living healthier lives while living longer? Yes, but who cares? Allow me to continue.

There are similarities between some functions found in worms and in humans. Because their lifespan is much shorter, scientists can find out whether what they think will work as a treatment in theory will actually work in the worms. They exposed specific regions of the worms to hydrogen sulfide. The objective, based on prior research, was to examine whether the hydrogen sulfide would impact the mitochondria in those regions. Turns out the hydrogen sulfide did exactly that; while the worms lived a little longer, they were more vigorous up to the time they died.  The researchers are proceeding with research to see if this could be duplicated in humans.

The issue would be how to deliver the hydrogen sulfide to the correct place, and that appears to be the mitochondria. It may not prove to be practical, but I can think of a way to increase hydrogen sulfide in the body naturally: Eat foods with sulforaphanes and other sulfur-containing chemicals, such as broccoli and cauliflower in one group and onions and garlic in the other. I think that’s the easiest way to increase sulfides. The health benefits are significant and worth the discrete elimination of any gas that may be produced.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: PNAS. 2023. 120(32):  e22161411202.

Will Carbonated Water Aid Weight Loss?

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In the next few Memos, we’re going to talk about several studies out of the mainstream. Today we’re starting with adding carbonation to water.

If you walk the aisles of a grocery store, you can’t help but see 100 feet of shelves full of water—not just the regular purified or distilled, but flavored with every fruit and herb imaginable with a net of no added calories. I admit that I have my favorite: Liquid Death Severed Lime.

Earlier this year, a research group published a paper that asked the question, “Can carbonated water support weight loss?” They compared the rate of glucose metabolism in the red blood cells of people who drank carbonated water with data from those who undergo dialysis. While the process is complicated, the carbonated water increased the bicarbonate levels of the blood making it more alkaline. That stimulated the rate of glycolysis in the cells, and theoretically, increasing metabolism.

Would drinking carbonated water all day have an impact on body weight long term? The researchers made it clear that nothing replaces a healthy diet and increasing exercise, because the number of calories used in the process is low. However, drinking water before a meal may help you eat less, and making it carbonated water may also help. Unless you have an issue with carbonated water, maybe it will give you a slight edge in your efforts.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2025;:e0011082.

Use It!

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Paula, Riley, and I were in South Carolina for the past week visiting our son and his wife; the picture shows some of us collecting shells at Edisto Beach. After getting in and out of a boat, I came face to face with an issue that’s been bothering me for a while: balance. I don’t mean I’ve been falling down a lot; I mean getting the sensation that I’m not as stable as I used to be.

I decided that I was going to hit the road again—walking. I’ve been using the recumbent bike almost exclusively to maintain my fitness. But the lack of movement over uneven surfaces as you’re moving forward (or backward or sideways) causes stabilizer muscles to atrophy quicker than when you were younger.

We also helped cut down a couple of small white oak trees and stacked what will be firewood. Freshly cut wood is heavier than you might expect, and that brought to light the muscle I’ve lost.

Let me summarize it this way. Your body is going to change, without question. The more physical tasks you give up, whether it’s shopping for and carrying groceries, working in the garden, even taking out the garbage, the more physical decline you’ll have. Exercise is important for many reasons, but functional fitness helps you live your life. Use your body, or your world will start to shrink.

If losing muscle is worrying you, download Taking Back Your Muscle and Reclaiming Your Power, the first two parts of the Aging with a Vengeance series; they’re on sale for only $9.95 each. Meanwhile I’m working on the next Aging with a Vengeance presentation; the topic will be memory and learning. If you have any questions about diet, supplements, or products you’ve heard about, let me know and I’ll weave them into the presentation. It doesn’t matter how old you are now—this is about the number one fear that comes with aging: losing what we know. We’re going to attack it with a vengeance!

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

A Little More About Sleep

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After last week’s memos on short sleepers, I got a couple of questions about other types of sleep. Let’s take a look.

One person asked if sleeping over 10 or 12 hours per night is problematic. The answer is that it could indicate a problem if done on a consistent basis. Sleep apnea can contribute to more time in bed because the person isn’t able to sustain rhythmic breathing; conditions that result are hypertension and other forms of heart disease. People with metabolic disorders who don’t produce enough energy can also spend more time attempting to sleep. Overall, that much sleep is less than desirable unless there’s a reason, such as a loss of sleep occasionally due to stress or travel.

The second was something called bi-phasic sleep patterns. This is legit; it’s a carryover from before the industrial revolution when lighting became more prevalent. Back in the time before regular lighting, people would go to sleep at sundown, sleep for several hours, get up in the middle of the night and do chores, check on animals, etc., then return to bed until sun-up. With the way the world is regulated these days, that doesn’t happen very much unless individuals are free to set their own schedules. Is that healthy and acceptable? I found nothing to suggest otherwise if it’s a natural pattern. If you find yourself temporarily caught in that pattern, such as with a newborn, don’t worry about it; this, too, shall pass, so adapt as well as you can for now. Avoid doing things that will make you more wakeful, such as watching something exciting on a bright screen or drinking coffee, so you can get back to sleep more smoothly.

I hope that clarifies sleep a little more for you. It seems like the correct duration is what fits you the best. If you have the mental and physical energy to do all you need to do, it’s probably fine.

We’re taking next Tuesday off, so I’ll be back in a week.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Never Stop Learning

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The most difficult part of adult learning is choosing to learn. 

That’s the closing line from a recent Seth Godin blog. If you want to read it in its entirety, click the link below. Reading it double-tapped the nail on the head for me. There are definitely some courses and areas of study I would love to learn more about; I just haven’t chosen to spend the time doing it. One course would be on where and how to use herbs in cooking. The other is learning how to make sauces of all types. As Seth suggests, I just haven’t decided to do it for a myriad of reasons.

The other nail on the head was for you as readers to take the time to learn about aging, regardless of your current age: what you can do now, if you’re not older, and what you can do when you’re there. The earlier you start in life, the more you can accomplish and the better you’ll be able to meet the challenges of aging.

Meanwhile, I’m preparing the next component of Aging with a Vengeance. That will be another opportunity to learn more about changes in your body as you grow older, and even better, what you can do about it based on the latest science. Before I announce the date for the next webinar, I’m going to give you the opportunity to get the first three Aging with a Vengeance videos so you can learn about Reclaiming Your Power, Taking Back Your Muscle, and Managing Pain at a reduced rate. I’m lowering the price of these webinar replays to just $9.95. That’s an opportunity to learn a lot at your own pace. Then you can take another opportunity with the next Aging with a Vengeance later this month.

Insiders: Remember you can download free copies of the MP3 or PDF for all topics of The Bottom Line. Subjects include Alzheimer’s disease, migraines, sucralose, and more.

“You don’t know what you don’t know” is a common expression. Isn’t it time you take this opportunity to learn?

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://seths.blog/2025/01/honesty-about-better/

Sleep: Your Body Decides

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Before we get back to sleep (today’s topic), a reminder: don’t forget to sign up for the Kids’ Top Health Issues webinar tomorrow afternoon! And if tomorrow isn’t convenient, the replay will be available after the webinar ends. You can watch it as many times as you want to take more notes or absorb more info.

Now, about sleep—the question remains: how do you know how much sleep your body needs? After all, we’ve all been told that we need at least eight hours per night. Or do we?

My mother-in-law Ruth had a particular aide in the nursing home who just loved her, and the feeling was mutual. Molly said she never got more than four hours of sleep per night; due to the nature of her job, she could come in at 4 a.m. and be on her way home by noon to spend time with her young children. In fact, her dad was the same way—never more than four hours, and they had all the juice they needed to do all they wanted to do.

That’s why I used to give the answer I gave as indicated in the last Memo: “Don’t worry about it, because that’s apparently all your body needs.” But was there any science to support that? Turns out, there was.

The Science of Sleep

Thanks to an excellent article in Knowable magazine, I had a direction to look for the science behind sleep. (If you have the time, read the article in the reference below.) Two researchers in San Francisco have been researching sleep for about 15 years. The initial part of the research was to find people with different sleep patterns. They found a group that were early risers, but the group that caught their attention was the one they termed “short sleepers”; their research focused on that group for the most part.

The research didn’t stop there. Researching that term yields over 380 papers in PubMed alone. I reviewed the first 50 abstracts. To be blunt, there is a lack of clarity in the research; the primary reason seems to be because there’s no clear definition of what a short sleeper actually is. It can be someone who doesn’t get more than seven hours of sleep. They also mix in people with diagnosed insomnia and sleep apnea and associated conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.

What is clear is that when researching families with at least two generations of short sleepers, defined as four to six hours per night, there are at least seven gene mutations involved. Further, this group of short sleepers doesn’t seem to be at risk for any debilitating condition and spend the extra time doing more work or tasks.

The Bottom Line

Should you be concerned about how much sleep you get? Yes, if it interferes with your life and you walk around fatigued all the time. The occasional loss of sleep is expected, but habitual loss is the problem. The actual number of hours of sleep you need is the amount that allows you to recover, renew, and get on with the next day. Forget about how much sleep you’re supposed to get.

One of the researchers was quoted stating it this way: “Saying everyone should get eight hours of sleep every night is like saying everyone should be 5 feet 10 inches tall.” Can’t say it any better than that.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Marla Broadfoot. 2024. The Ones Who Need Little Sleep.  www.knowablemagazine.org

Do You Worry About Sleep?

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We’ve all been there—an occasional night when you just can’t get to sleep. Judging from the questions I get, a whole lot of you are worried about getting enough sleep. I’m not talking about chronic sleep issues, which may require working with physicians and sleep specialists (as Paula has done). I’m talking about people who can’t seem to get more than four or six hours of sleep per night.

My first question is always, “How do you feel? How’s your energy level? Are you tired all the time, or can you do all you need to do every day?” The answer to that question is critical. If the answer is something along the lines of “I feel fine—I just can’t sleep any longer than that.” My typical response is “Don’t worry about it, because that’s apparently all your body needs.”

The problem is that I didn’t have a good explanation beyond that. Turns out it may all be genetically determined, and I’ll explain that on Saturday.

Coming Up

Tomorrow night is the Insider Conference Call. For those of you not familiar with Insider membership, the monthly calls are designed to answer health, nutrition, and product questions; I also dig into the health headlines to give detailed answers based on the research behind those headlines. You can join the call if you become an Insider by 8 p.m. ET tomorrow.

Also, the Kids’ Top Health Issues webinar is Sunday afternoon. I’m going to cover the relationship between gut health and constipation, ADHD, and autism. If you have kids or grandkids or work with kids, you don’t want to miss it; if that time doesn’t work for you, you can watch the replay at your convenience.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

From Polypharmacy to the Natural Way

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When last we left our subject, he had a stent inserted while having a heart attack and was sent to cardiac rehab. He was on six medications (the very definition of polypharmacy) for congestive heart failure, A-fib, and hypertension. He decided that he wanted to get off all the medications he could because they contributed to him feeling weak, with no energy and a foggy brain.

The wellness center he went to had a strong nutrition-education program so while he was exercising, he was learning how to eat. The diet? As much as her wanted of raw, baked, and steamed vegetables; limited amounts of grains, beans, seeds, nuts; no meat. No SOS—that stands for sugar, oil, or salt.

The results? In five months, he lost ten pounds, but that wasn’t a goal. He reduced medications from six to two and will stop another when he’s a year out from his stent. He has normal sinus rhythm, normal blood pressure, and no signs of congestive heart failure. He states that his diet compliance isn’t perfect, but since following the nutrition approach, he has no brain fog, lifts weights, and runs on a treadmill. He wakes up every day with energy.

If you want to really get off medication for cholesterol, BP, and other associated conditions, that’s the natural way. It must be done under supervision and with your physician’s guidance. This man was fortunate that he could afford to participate in the in-patient program where he continued to learn, but many people have done it without an in-patient experience. This case report says it can be done and outlines the way. The effort is up to you.

The Kids’ Top Health Issues webinar on January 26 still has openings. I’ll cover the question I get asked most often in detail: constipation. Reserve your spot today.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: BMJ Case Rep 2018;11:e227059.2. Arch