Episode 434

How to Prevent Brain Shrinkage and the Role of the Hippocampus in Chronic Disease

With Dr. Majid Fotuhi

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Dwindling memory is thought to be a normal part of aging. But just because something is common doesn’t make it normal. There is a lot we can do to safeguard the memory center of our brain, and it’s never too late to get started.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru sits down with Dr. Majid Fotuhi to discuss the top diet and lifestyle factors that shrink our brains and insightful tips on what we can start doing to grow and preserve our brain health today. 

In this episode, Dr. Fotuhi shares how our hippocampus is the hub of our memory and that, in order to ward off Alzheimer’s, dementia, and related neurodegenerative diseases, we must protect it with a healthy diet, quality sleep, regular physical activity, and so much more. We also get insights into the importance of stress management and having a sense of purpose for a healthy, high-functioning brain. 

Dr. Fotuhi is a neurologist with expertise in the fields of memory, concussion, and successful aging. Through his 30 years of teaching, clinical work, and neuroscience research at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins, Dr. Fotuhi has developed a multidisciplinary program for helping people of all ages improve their memory and attention. The results of his program have been published in several scientific journals and his three books. His passion lies within public education on brain health, and he teaches in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at George Washington University and Harvard Medical School.

Also mentioned in this episode

For more on Dr. Majid Fotuhi, follow him on Instagram @dr_fotuhi, YouTube @DrFotuhi, and through his website, drfotuhi.com.

This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough, LMNT, and Rupa Health.

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I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did.
Wishing you health and happiness.
Dhru Purohit

In this Episode, you will learn

  1. The top things that shrink our brains as we age
    (2:53)
  2. How a big belly relates to a shrinking hippocampus
    (5:01)
  3. Why trans fats are so bad for the brain
    (6:50)
  4. Protective fats for the brain
    (11:12)
  5. How a sedentary lifestyle shrinks the brain
    (16:01)
  6. Dr. Fotuhi’s prescription for exercise
    (17:56)
  7. How walking helps grow the hippocampus
    (20:48)
  8. The role of the hippocampus in chronic disease
    (24:34)
  9. A testimonial of a patient under Dr. Fotuhi’s care
    (31:48)
  10. How snoring, sleep apnea, and stress impair our sleep
    (41:10)
  11. Dhru’s dad’s experience of sleep apnea and how he fixed it
    (50:22)
  12. Why sugar is so damaging to the brain
    (54:32)
  13. The link between elevated uric acid levels and brain aging
    (1:00:59)
  14. Key strategies to help us grow our brain
    (1:11:26)
  15. Why having a sense of purpose is so important for brain health
    (1:12:26)
  16. Final thoughts
    (1:20:32)

Guest

 
Dhru Purohit

Dhru is the host of the Dhru Purohit Podcast, a top 30 health podcast with over 30 million downloads. His interviews focus on the inner workings of the brain and the body and feature the brightest minds in wellness, medicine, and mindset.

Dhru Purohit is also a serial entrepreneur and investor in the health and wellness industry.

 
Dr. Majid Fotuhi

Dr. Fotuhi is a neurologist with expertise in the fields of memory, concussion, and successful aging. Through his 30 years of teaching, clinical work, and neuroscience research at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins, Dr. Fotuhi has developed a multidisciplinary program for helping people of all ages improve their memory and attention. The results of his program have been published in several scientific journals and his three books. His passion lies within public education on brain health, and he teaches in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at George Washington University and Harvard Medical School.

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