Episode 120

5 Ways to Cut Your Dementia Risk by 40% + The Truth About Microplastics

In today’s episode, Lisa discusses information presented by Dr. Reza Hosseini Ghomi, MD, MSE. Dr. Ghomi is a Neuropsychiatrist, and a 2X Best-Selling Author, who is also an expert on dementia. Having diagnosed over 1000 dementia cases throughout his career, he explains to us why 40% of those dementia diagnoses were 40% preventable. Lisa shares this crucial information with her audience today as to what Dr. Ghomi says, “Is what those patients wished they had known.” You don’t want to miss this informative episode to learn how you can minimize your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by knowing what Dr. Ghomi discloses. Also, in this episode, Lisa shares a recently published article about the amount of microplastics being found in the brains of people and that the amount has increased by 50% between 2016 and 2024. Listen to find out what this revelation could be doing to your brain. Scientists are calling it a “reckoning.”   

Mentioned Resources:

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Transcript
Lisa Skinner:

Hi everyone. Welcome back to another new

Lisa Skinner:

episode of the truth, lies and Alzheimer's show. I'm Lisa

Lisa Skinner:

Skinner, your host, and I have been receiving information from

Lisa Skinner:

a gentleman by the name of Dr. Reza Hosseini Ghomi, Ghomi. He's

Lisa Skinner:

a medical doctor and an MSE. He's a neuro psychiatrist. He's

Lisa Skinner:

an engineer. He's a four times Health Tech founder and a cancer

Lisa Skinner:

graduate. And I am finding the information that he shares to be

Lisa Skinner:

extremely enlightening, extremely fascinating and really

Lisa Skinner:

valuable. And this doctor has diagnosed 1000s of patients

Lisa Skinner:

living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, and does a

Lisa Skinner:

lot a lot of research on this topic. So I'm going to share

Lisa Skinner:

this information with you today, and I will be sharing more of

Lisa Skinner:

his information with you in future episodes, because I think

Lisa Skinner:

that this is a really valuable resource of information for all

Lisa Skinner:

of us. So he's telling us that he has discovered that through

Lisa Skinner:

his research, that there are five things that we all can do,

Lisa Skinner:

starting today, that cuts our risk of developing dementia by

Lisa Skinner:

40% and none of them require supplement, yay. And he says

Lisa Skinner:

after diagnosing 1000s of dementia cases. He's learned

Lisa Skinner:

that prevention matters more than any treatment that we

Lisa Skinner:

currently have available to us today. The research is clear on

Lisa Skinner:

what works, and this is his recommendation, what the

Lisa Skinner:

research has shown, and what moves the needle? Number one, we

Lisa Skinner:

gotta protect our hearing. Hearing loss in midlife doubles

Lisa Skinner:

our dementia risk, so it's recommended to use ear

Lisa Skinner:

protection around loud noises address hearing problems early

Lisa Skinner:

with AIDS, because our brain has to work harder when it can't

Lisa Skinner:

hear clearly. Number two, we've got to prioritize sleep quality.

Lisa Skinner:

I read this all the time, and he's re emphasizing that here in

Lisa Skinner:

in this information he's providing, it's recommended that

Lisa Skinner:

we each get seven to nine hours of consistent sleep sleep in a

Lisa Skinner:

dark, cool room without screens address sleep apnea, if you

Lisa Skinner:

snore. And the findings are that poor sleep prevents what happens

Lisa Skinner:

in our brains when we fall into that REM sleep, and it's brain

Lisa Skinner:

waste clearance. It's almost like the brain goes into this

Lisa Skinner:

washing machine mode or dishwasher mode and cleans out

Lisa Skinner:

all the toxins that are accumulating in our brain. If

Lisa Skinner:

you don't get seven to nine hours of consistent sleep and

Lisa Skinner:

fall into the deep sleep stage of REM that brain waste

Lisa Skinner:

clearance happening will not happen. Number three, move your

Lisa Skinner:

body. Move our bodies regularly. It's recommended 150 minutes of

Lisa Skinner:

moderate exercise per week. And the key is moderate exercise,

Lisa Skinner:

walking counts if it raises your heart rate. Resistance training

Lisa Skinner:

is recommended twice weekly, because exercise has been found

Lisa Skinner:

to increase brain derived neurotropic factor number four,

Lisa Skinner:

stay socially connected. You. Loneliness has been found to

Lisa Skinner:

increase our dementia risk by 50% and I wanted to just mention

Lisa Skinner:

that there is a correlation between hearing loss and

Lisa Skinner:

isolation, because people with hearing loss have a difficult

Lisa Skinner:

time being engaged in social interactions and social so it's

Lisa Skinner:

this is all tied in. So we want to be in a position where we can

Lisa Skinner:

enjoy and have regular, meaningful conversations. They

Lisa Skinner:

matter. Join groups. Volunteer, maintain friendships throughout

Lisa Skinner:

your life. Quality of connections beats quantity

Lisa Skinner:

number five. Manage your blood pressure. A high blood pressure

Lisa Skinner:

in midlife, damages our brain blood vessels target less than

Lisa Skinner:

130 over 80, if possible, diet, exercise and medication are

Lisa Skinner:

necessary when needed, and because our small blood vessels

Lisa Skinner:

feed our memory centers, and why these work. Each intervention

Lisa Skinner:

targets a different pathway to brain damage, and again, they

Lisa Skinner:

found that hearing loss forces cognitive overwork. Poor sleep

Lisa Skinner:

prevents toxin clearance, inactivity reduces brain growth

Lisa Skinner:

factors. Isolation also increases inflammation in our

Lisa Skinner:

brains. High Blood Pressure damages vascular supply, the

Lisa Skinner:

compound effect. Doing one of these interventions helps

Lisa Skinner:

tremendously. Doing all five creates dramatic risk reduction.

Lisa Skinner:

The earlier we start, the bigger the impact. But it's never,

Lisa Skinner:

ever, ever, too late to begin what doesn't work expensive

Lisa Skinner:

supplements, with marketing claims, brain training games

Lisa Skinner:

with limited evidence, single interventions without lifestyle

Lisa Skinner:

context. And the reality of all this is prevention requires

Lisa Skinner:

consistent habits, not quick fixes. So ask yourself, which of

Lisa Skinner:

these five areas will you want to focus on? First start small

Lisa Skinner:

baby steps. And in conclusion, Dr. Ghomi reiterates that he has

Lisa Skinner:

diagnosed over 1000 dementia cases, and he says 40% were

Lisa Skinner:

preventable, and that his patients wished they'd known

Lisa Skinner:

what I just shared with you today. I think that's pretty

Lisa Skinner:

profound, and I wanted to share one other bit of information

Lisa Skinner:

that I come across that I think is really, really important for

Lisa Skinner:

everybody to be aware of. This is pretty substantial, and this

Lisa Skinner:

was published on July 18 by a doctor ask why scientists

Lisa Skinner:

recently found that the amount of microplastics, which are tiny

Lisa Skinner:

plastic particles smaller than five millimeters in the human

Lisa Skinner:

brain, is about the size of a plastic spoon, has increased by

Lisa Skinner:

50% between 2016 and 2024

Lisa Skinner:

that's just startling. Surprisingly, the brain contains

Lisa Skinner:

more microplastics than our livers or kidneys, and people

Lisa Skinner:

with dementia actually had higher microplastic levels than

Lisa Skinner:

those without dementia, researchers are now

Lisa Skinner:

investigating how these microplastics, especially those

Lisa Skinner:

coming from ultra processed foods, may be affecting our

Lisa Skinner:

brain health. Ultra processed foods, like chicken nuggets,

Lisa Skinner:

contain up. 30 times more microplastics than whole foods

Lisa Skinner:

such as chicken breasts. Do these foods now make up over

Lisa Skinner:

half of daily calorie calorie intake in places like the US.

Lisa Skinner:

These microplastics in Ultra processed foods can cross the

Lisa Skinner:

blood brain barrier, which is the brain's natural defense, and

Lisa Skinner:

cause inflammation. And studies that I have read, there has been

Lisa Skinner:

a direct correlation now found between inflammation and our

Lisa Skinner:

risk of developing dementia. Also oxidative stress and damage

Lisa Skinner:

to the brain cells. These effects may contribute to rising

Lisa Skinner:

rates of dementia, but also depression, anxiety or sleep,

Lisa Skinner:

and these have been confirmed by studies linking Ultra processed

Lisa Skinner:

food consumption to those conditions again increased

Lisa Skinner:

rising rates of dementia, depression, anxiety and poor

Lisa Skinner:

sleep, all contributing to increasing our risk of

Lisa Skinner:

developing dementia from eating Ultra processed foods.

Lisa Skinner:

Scientists are calling this situation a reckoning to catch

Lisa Skinner:

that a reckoning since microplastics crossing into the

Lisa Skinner:

brain challenges what we consider to be safe inside our

Lisa Skinner:

bodies. They suggest developing a dietary microplastic index to

Lisa Skinner:

measure exposure, and they are exploring ways to remove these

Lisa Skinner:

microplastics from people's bodies, like using some kind of

Lisa Skinner:

a blood filtering process called a Pharisees. But more research

Lisa Skinner:

is needed on this. So with both Ultra processed food consumption

Lisa Skinner:

and microplastic pollution rising globally. Understanding

Lisa Skinner:

this connection is urgent in order for us to protect our

Lisa Skinner:

brain health. That's a pretty compelling bit of information.

Lisa Skinner:

Sure caught me my attention. I've known for a long, long

Lisa Skinner:

time, in the research I've done, in all the studies, I've read

Lisa Skinner:

that ultra processed foods are considered to be the worst foods

Lisa Skinner:

that we can ingest, and now this has come out, saying that they

Lisa Skinner:

increase these the amount of microplastics by 50% between

Lisa Skinner:

2016 and 2054 that are being found in our brain. So food for

Lisa Skinner:

thought. No pun intended. But you know, I've said this before,

Lisa Skinner:

and I'm going to say it again, there is absolute truth in the

Lisa Skinner:

adage that we are what we eat anyway. I thought this was going

Lisa Skinner:

to be really valuable for all of you to know. I wanted to share

Lisa Skinner:

it with you. I think the the more we learn about what can

Lisa Skinner:

possibly increase our risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

Lisa Skinner:

and related dementia is critical for our long term health. So

Lisa Skinner:

that's one of the things and reasons why I bring this

Lisa Skinner:

information to all of you every week, because I want you to be

Lisa Skinner:

informed that way. You can make your own decisions on how you

Lisa Skinner:

choose to live your lives moving forward and reduce your possible

Lisa Skinner:

risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. We don't know what we

Lisa Skinner:

don't know. I'm taking it upon myself to educate you, so I hope

Lisa Skinner:

you found this as valuable as I did. I think that this is just

Lisa Skinner:

unbelievable information that's being disclosed. So that'll do

Lisa Skinner:

it for this episode of the truth lies and Alzheimer's show. I'm

Lisa Skinner:

Lisa Skinner, your host, thanks again for being here and

Lisa Skinner:

spending part of your day with me. I appreciate all of you

Lisa Skinner:

very, very much, and I will look forward to you coming back next

Lisa Skinner:

week to join me for another episode of the truth. Lies and

Lisa Skinner:

Alzheimer's show. Have a great rest of your week. Be healthy,

Lisa Skinner:

be safe, and I will see you all next week. Take care. Bye, bye.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's
Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's

Listen for free

About your host

Profile picture for Lisa Skinner, CDP, CDT

Lisa Skinner, CDP, CDT

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.
Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Skinner’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and offering workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.