Dementia

A healthy mind is the outcome of a healthy heart in TCM, and a healthy heart is the outcome of healthy kidneys, and this is down to lifestyle. A weakening of heart and / or kidneys will weaken the mind and manifest as dementia symptoms. Dementia is on the rise because so many contemporary lifestyle factors have a negative effect on heart and kidney function. These include hyper-stimulation, overwork, emotional stress, poor diets and sleep deprivation. Add work cultures of long hours on the computer, eating snacks instead of meals, pulling all-nighters, and fad diets that have insufficient protein, and you get ‘brain fog’ (defined as cognitive dysfunction, confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity) the new phenomenon in the younger demographic.

There is no sudden onset of dementia in TCM, it develops over time. And the symptoms can be slowed down, stopped and even reversed by understanding the underlying progression and building healthy heart and kidney functions. Dementia is not a brain disease, it comes from ‘malnourishment of the head region’. A western medicine preventative suggestion is to keep your mind active and challenged by doing crosswords, puzzles and so on, but this alone won’t prevent dementia, you need to work with your body as well. The prevention and treatment approach is the same: create abundant blood and healthy organs, and only lifestyle and a nutritious diet can deliver this. Chinese herbal formulas are essential. Their effects are extraordinary.

A brilliant preventative measure is tai-chi because it challenges your mind, gets your chi flowing, strengthens all your organs, and builds your blood all at the same time. And it is really enjoyable! Even Harvard medical school researchers refer to tai chi as ‘medication in motion’ now. Tai chi is a key part of the chi-cycle lifestyle; the ultimate medicinal lifestyle to nourish blood, heart and kidneys and to prevent and treat brain fog and dementia. To get a personal plan to change your lifestyle and make it medicinal, book in for a holistic lifestyle consultation. For more info on how, when and why to do tai chi, and how to live in a way to prevent dementia buy my book Clock On To Health.