Part III of the video series MTHFR and Homocysteine picks up where the parts I & parts II leave off. In those previous videos, I’ve already outlined where homocysteine comes from and the multiple ways it can damage our bodies. You can review those ideas anytime by watching parts I and II. In this third video you will learn to see evidence of brain problems on the outside of the body. By knowing what to look for in the hands and feet, you can learn how to see brain problems with the naked eye. Very cool stuff!
While homocysteine is a problem, it can be relatively simple to manage. Methylation nutrients play a major role in keeping this system balanced. We already know that SNPs such as PEMT, BHMT, MTR, MTRR, MTHFR and AHCY increase homocysteine levels and impair methylation processes in the brain. By making sure you have enough folate, b12, trimethylglycine, betaine, and choline you can work around these SNPs, optimizing brain health. These nutrients are necessary to keep homocysteine levels from rising too high. The best part is that the current, peer-reviewed research agrees with the above.
Everything from epilepsy, brain fog and depression (all brain-related conditions) are involved with neuro-inflammation. As the previous videos have shown homocysteine is a key player in brain inflammation and neurodegeneration. If we balance homocysteine we’ve fixed a large part of the problem. Recent studies prove that B-vitamins (methyl donors) protect the brain from degeneration, mainly through balancing homocysteine levels. Remember that homocysteine rises when:
- SNPs are present that slow down the recycling and/or the transulfuration of homocysteine. SNPs are often said to mimic dietary deficiency of methyl groups. Meaning, SNPs slow down the chemistry in the same way that dietary deficiencies do.
- Diets are deficient in methyl groups – aka Standard American Diet. Since folate is named after “foliage” which means green leafs it doesn’t take a PhD to realize that most people don’t eat enough plants and therefore don’t get enough folate from their food. This causes homocysteine to rise and leads to neurodegeneration.
- Homocysteine SNPs and poor diet are both going on at the same time. This is the worst of both worlds, but still fixable by changing habits and nutritional levels.
- Toxins, Heavy Metals, and Stress all increase inflammation in the brain and forces the body to produce more glutathione. As the body runs out of glutathione, homocysteine rises. This is a common problem and again is fixed by proper metabolic detoxification, glutathione support and of course methylation support.
So any of these problems listed above will raise homocysteine. It is cured through detoxification, healthy eating, lifestyle and stress management, and individualized supplementation with proper methylation support. In other words, natural medicine when properly applied makes these problems go away or improve a great deal. And pay attention to the skin of the hands and feet as that is a direct reflection of the health of the brain.
The first thing to notice is if someone has poor circulation in their hands or feet. The microvasculature (small blood vessels) that bring blood to the extremities are the same which bring blood to the brain. We can say then that poor circulation in small vessels of the extremities indicates poor circulation in the brain – the same small vessels deliver blood to both areas. On the other hand, if someone has very dry, cracked skin on their hands and feet that is almost always due to Omega 3 and essential fatty acid deficiency. The fats required to build and maintain a healthy brain, are also necessary to keep the skin from cracking, bleeding and being excessively dry. You can take it to the bank that if someone has a deficiency of fat or circulation in their hands and feet, they also have a deficiency in their brain!
Methylation science is complicated but it doesn’t have to be. We are always making things more difficult and confusing than is necessary. We can fix so many brain problems that are destroying people’s lives simply by treating the root cause – balancing methylation. That is the take away message I hope you get from this third MTHFR and Homocysteine video. Don’t let the information scare you. Let it inspire you to make a positive change!
In Health,
Dr. Rostenberg