My Quora Answer to "Parents, what did your doctor do that ticked you off?"

My wife had just given birth to our third child, our first boy. We had decided not to have him circumcised. This was at a time when the medical (read more) establishment scared parents into getting them because it is a quick buck for the docs and hospitals. Despite newer evidence against routine use of the procedure, they still try to push it although rather less forcefully or as in our case, less deceitfully.

After delivery and while she was still sedated (it was a C-section), and while I was in the nursery with my new pride and joy, a nurse or other staff person convinced my wife to sign the consent forms. And they KNEW of our stance beforehand! They mutilated our baby against our wishes. And the insurance company paid them for it!

http://bit.ly/2MThQ8U

Comments

Phoenix Andrews: Slightly off topic but I’m curious as to why you wouldn’t want to circumcise your son. I’m not a mom nor do I have a penis so I personal don’t have an experience with it in that sense. From what I know it’s better for your hygiene not to have it. Not judging you I’m just curious.

My Reply

Not off topic. I wrote my Answer hoping someone would ask.

It's a form of genital mutilation invented in the Bronze Age to set a certain group of men apart from those who didn't belong to their society. We are aghast at female genital mutilation yet look askance when it happens to baby boys. Note too, that it was forced upon the male slaves of the Patriarchs who, like infants, had no say in the matter.

While this happened to my oldest in my first marriage, my second wife and I prevented it happening to our two sons. With vigilent hygiene which we taught them, they had a total of maybe 3 yeast infections (smegma) in childhood. The worst case was in Benny, (of “earbuds in nostrils" fame) and that was very short-lived.

The other scare tactic was telling us that there is an increased risk of penile cancer in uncut men. More recent long-term studies have debunked this.

I believe that if you belong to a religion that still mandates circumcision, that it can certainly wait until the day of reckoning, which is 13-years old in the Jewish tradition. It also seems more in line with how it was done in ancient Canaan. After all, both Abraham and Ishmael were at least that old!

Life Extension and Brain Boosters

The following is a cut-and-paste response with my added comments and advice to a real friend of mine who has cognitive issues. No matter what station in life you are at, there are many take home issues here. As always, consult with your physician before blahdy blahdy Hell.

Brain Boosters

Josh: this is mostlly from the Life Extension website. I've emboldened the really important things you need to know and put my thoughts in italics. While it addresses cognitive decline with aging, It's great advice for all of us. At the end I'll give my best recommendation for you.

Proactive lifestyle changes, cognitive training, and nutritional interventions such as phosphatidylserine and glyceryl phosphoryl choline have been shown to decrease the rate of intellectual decay and potentially reverse age-related cognitive decline.

Several dietary and lifestyle changes can help reduce age-related cognitive decline:

1. Switch from a western diet high in simple sugars and saturated fats to a Mediterranean diet high in mono- and polyunsaturated omega-3 fats, fiber, and polyphenol.
2. Caloric restriction may improve learning and memory
3. Cognitive stimulation and training, including playing chess and speaking more than one language, can enhance cognitive reserve and convey protection against loss of brain function
4. Exercise is known to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which can lead to enhanced cognitive function. Tomatoes also contain a Nerve Growth-like Factor which is better absorbed with fats like Olive and coconut oils.
5. Moderate alcohol consumption (up to 2 drinks/day) and caffeinated coffee consumption (~3 cups/day) may convey protection against cognitive decline. Dry red wines!
6. Fish Oil: Daily omega-3 supplementation was independently associated with a dramatic reduction in cognitive decline over a 1.5-year period in an aging study population.
7. Phosphatidylserine: Human clinical trials have found that supplementing with phosphatidylserine improves cognitive function in aging subjects with cognitive impairment.
8. Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline (GPC): Patients taking GPC showed neurological improvement and relief of clinical symptoms of chronic cerebral deterioration that was superior or equivalent to that obtained with prescription drugs.
9. Acetyl-L-carnitine: A meta-analysis of data from over 21 studies shows that supplementation with acetyl-L-carnitine improves cognitive deficits observed during aging and pathological brain deterioration. I recommend a combination supplement of ALC & ALA (alpha lipoic acid). Here's why: http://bit.ly/2lcZW4w

10. Huperzine A: Patients with Alzheimer’s disease improved their scores on standard cognitive tests after supplementing with huperzine A.

Several other medications with potential brain-protective effects are:

1. Piracetam (Nootropil) and levetiracetam (Keppra) are anti-seizure medications sometimes used as cognitive enhancers. These and several related drugs (the “racetams”) are often colloquially referred to as “nootropics.” Preclinical evidence suggests these medications may reduce neuroinflammation, improve mitochondrial function, and prevent β-amyloid-induced neuronal dysfunction. IIn early research, levetiracetam was found to improve cognitive performance on a memory test.Findings from a clinical trial in cognitive impairment and dementia patients suggest piracetam may be most effective in those with depressive symptoms. Whether these medications hold benefits for patients with age-related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment has not yet been established. Also, the regulatory status of piracetam and related compounds is vague, and legal status varies between countries.
2. Zileuton (Zyflo) is an inhibitor of the pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. While its main use is as an anti-asthma medication, zileuton has demonstrated some intriguing effects on brain function in preclinical trials. In animal research, zileuton has been found to reduce brain levels of β-amyloid and tau, as well as amyloid- and tau-related neuroinflammation, neuronal dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. Other animal research suggests zileuton may reduce brain damage and cognitive losses after stroke. The possible usefulness of zileuton in age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia awaits future investigation.
3. Hydergine (co-dergocrine mesylate), a mixture of ergot alkaloids, has been found to improve cognitive function and mood in preliminary trials in elderly subjects with age-related cognitive dysfunction.Its mechanism of action is not completely understood; however, it appears to modulate neurotransmitter activity, improve cerebral metabolism, and increase antioxidant enzyme activity in the brain. Despite interesting findings, there have been no clinical trials investigating hydergine’s usefulness in age-related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment for decades.
4. Selegiline (Deprenyl) is a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor that blocks the enzymatic breakdown of certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. It is used to treat Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and major depressive disorder, and is thought to have anti-aging effects. Selegiline was found to improve cognitive performance in a six-month preliminary trial in human subjects with mild-to-moderate brain atrophy. Studies in animals suggest it can reduce oxidative stress, protect against brain damage due to loss of blood flow, and preserve neurotransmission and memory. More clinical trials are needed to ascertain the potential benefits of this medication in age-related cognitive decline.
5. Centrophenoxine or meclofenoxate (Lucidril) enhances activation of cholinergic pathways in the central nervous system. An early trial in elderly subjects found centrophenoxine improved formation of new memory and increased subjective reports of mental alertness.Animal research has found that this medication may protect against cognitive losses due to aluminum toxicity, drug toxicity,and lack of blood flow.

My basic prescription medication support list is: Hydergine, Piracetam, and Deprenyl. Ask your doc. While Hydergine and Deprenyl are available by prescription in the US, you need to order Piracetam offshore.. 

Diet

An eating pattern based on the traditional Mediterranean diet has been shown to have anti-aging effects on brain, cardiovascular, and metabolic functions, and on overall longevity. Findings from a variety of studies suggest eating a Mediterranean-style diet can slow cognitive decline and may reduce risk of dementia. If you are already eating Indian cuisine, it will be easy to go.

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Mediterranean. I asked about fava beans because they increase dopamine levels in your brain. If you're using them as medicine, shoot for either breakfast or lunch since they can cause insomnia.

Mediterranean diet. With its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, unrefined whole grains, legumes, and extra virgin olive oil, as well as moderate amounts of seafood, fermented dairy products, and red wine with meals,200 the traditional Mediterranean diet provides ample amounts of critical nutrients such as mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. It can be used as a template that can be adapted to favor local and seasonal availability of specific foods.

A study including 832 participants examined every two to three years for up to 18 years found that those whose diets most closely reflected a Mediterranean diet experienced significantly less cognitive decline than those whose diets least reflected a Mediterranean diet. A study based on data collected over 16 years from men participating in the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study found that those whose diets were most Mediterranean-like were 36% less likely to report poor subjective cognitive function than those whose diets were least Mediterranean-like.Examining the brains of cognitively normal older-age subjects has revealed that adherence to a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern is associated with reduced β-amyloid accumulation. The components of the diet most closely linked to this effect were high fruit and vegetable consumption and moderate wine consumption.

1. Olive oil😉

Use extra virgin olive oil on vegetables, legumes, salads, stir-fries, and sautés;

Flavor food with herbs, spices, garlic, onion, and lemon

2. Vegetables

Mainly starchy vegetables

Have vegetables with both lunch and dinner;

Use vegetables as a main dish often;

Have some raw, dressed with olive oil and vinegar, every day

3. Fruits

Fruit products often contain added sugar

(Low consumption)

Eat raw fruits as dessert most days;

Include a variety of seasonally appropriate fruits

4. Unrefined whole grains

Use whole grain bread, pasta, and flour;

Include whole unrefined grains often

5. Legumes

Include a variety of beans, lentils, and peas;

Cook dried beans or choose canned beans without additives.

http://bit.ly/2l3Q4u7

6. Nuts and olives

Have nuts and olives as snacks;

Eat a handful of raw nuts daily;

Choose a variety of nuts

7. Moderate seafood intake

Fatty fish (tuna, salmon, sardines) twice or more weekly;

Shellfish (oysters, clams, squid, shrimp) occasionally

8. Moderate fermented dairy (yogurt and cheese)

Use unsweetened yogurt and flavor with fruit;

Have small amounts of fresh or cured cheese occasionally;

Avoid ice cream

9. Home cooking

1. Limited intake of homemade baked goods and processed baked goods (high in sugar, processed fats, and additives). 8n fact Josh, just avoid altogether.
2. Bake at home;
3. Use olive oil instead of butter;

Ghee is good, though. So are coconut oil and MCT oil. Read up on Bulletproof Coffee which is coffee with ghee (or range-fed organic butter such as KerryGold). www.bulletproofcoffee.com I think. It's what I drink.

4. Eat baked goods only occasionally or better, not at all 
5. Little meat and limited poultry. I disagree with this. Range-fed pork and chicken, wild salmon and tuna, crab and shrimp, calamari, and lobster are tasty and healthy foods. Avoid clams and other shellfish since they are filter-feeders which means you are eating fish poop and spawn.

High intake of red and processed meats:

1. Large portions. Limit meat consumption to a fistful per meal.
2. Choose lean poultry. Free-range only.

Red wine/Beverages

1. Avoid beer, hard liquor, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks.
2. Include moderate amounts (up to 1 glass per day for women and 2 glasses per day for men) of wine, preferably red, always with meals. Merlot, Shiraz, and Port. You want a red wine so dry it makes you pucker. 
3. Drink water instead of soft drinks. Limit fruit juices most of all. If you decide to do Intermittent Fasting, break your fast with a single glass of apple or grape juice. These replenish your liver's glycogen stores but too much decreases sperm count and semen volume.

Caloric Restriction

Caloric restriction, a dietary intervention in which calorie intake is reduced but adequate nutrient intake is preserved, has been shown to delay the onset of age-related diseases and extend lifespan in many organisms.216 This effect is thought to be due to a triggering of resilience mechanisms that enhance cellular resistance to stress. This effect is known as hormesis.

In rodent models, caloric restriction was associated with decreased neural stem cell senescence, increased neuroplasticity, and better cognitive performance.

Specifically, caloric restriction has been found in animal models to stimulate neural stem cell activity and promote normal metabolism of phospholipids needed for myelin production, lower stress reactivity and stress-related changes in brain structure, and induce epigenetic changes that support youthful gene expression in aging brains. Some of the same metabolic and molecular changes and health benefits associated with caloric restriction in animals have been demonstrated in humans engaging in 25% caloric restriction or through an intermittent fasting strategy, combined with physical activity.

I recommend Intermittent Fasting. A good strategy is by Brad Pillon at "Eat. Stop. Eat:" http://bit.ly/2kHDJLL

So my best advice for you:

1. Medications: Piracetam, Hydergine, and Deprenyl
2. Supplements: ALA!ALC, Phosphatidylserine, fish oil, and glyceryl phosphoryl choline
3. Food: Mediterranean diet but with more range-fed meats, fava beans, eat low on the Glycemic Index
4. Drinks: water, dry red wines, Bulletproof Coffee.