Just take it from functional medicine psychiatristKat Toups, M.D.
“Gradually, there came a day that my brain came back online,” she recounts.
Still, prevention is the best medicine.
“[Your mouth] is right next to the brain,” adds Toups.
“And what’s in the mouth and nose can travel right up into the brain so easily…
It’s quite easy for bacteria to track up there.”
Specifically, research has found that the bacteriaP.
gingivalis, the key pathogen in periodontitis, wasidentified in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients1.
Another study suggests a possible link betweenF.
nucleatum(another periodontal pathogen) and Alzheimer’s disease2.
All that to say: Seriously give a shot to prioritize your sleep.
“I mean, it’s easy to fix.
You get a hearing aid.”
“As people are aging, they should have that on their awareness.”
However, as Toups notes, you cansupport your natural detoxification processes in the name of brain health.
One of her tips?
“Sweating is a great way for our bodies to detoxify,” she says.
“And there’s been nice studies done that showwe will excrete heavy metals when we sweat5.”
She recommends opting for hot yoga orsauna bathingbasically any activity that will encourage sweating.
They may be less obvious, but according to Toups, they can make a significant difference over time.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
