Toronto Functional Medicine Centre Elucidates on Functional Medicine's Approach to Brain Health

Toronto, Ontario -

Toronto Functional Medicine Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada, has recently published a blog post that elucidates on functional medicine's approach to brain health. The article explains the importance of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has a vital role in the survival and growth of neurons, takes part in neural plasticity, and functions as a neurotransmitter modulator. The functional medicine approach is to increase the levels of BDNF as one of the ways to achieve optimal brain health.

According to various studies, there are various simple ways to boost BDNF levels even while at home. The first way is to exercise regularly. This is because exercise causes the release of endorphins, which in turn, boosts the BDNF levels. The second way is to consume probiotics, which will not only be beneficial for gut health but will also improve BDNF levels. Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum IS-10506, which are part of the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal system, have been found in several studies to increase BDNF levels.

The third way to boost BDNF levels is to take herbal medicine. Some of the herbs that may be recommended by functional medicine practitioners are stress-relieving adaptogens, such as panax ginseng, bacopa, and Ashwagandha. These have been observed to offer mood support while increasing BDNF levels. The fourth way is to eat blueberries or take blueberry extract supplements. This is because the blueberry flavonoids have been observed to help with memory recovery and to boost BDNF levels. And finally, one can consume whole coffee fruit concentrate. This extract from coffee cherries is rich in chlorogenic acid, which is a biologically active polyphenol observed to have neuroprotective and antioxidant characteristics.

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, they are committed to providing compassionate care for patients. They aim to empower patients to take control of their own health. For instance, they also assess the patient’s thyroid health in relation to weight loss management. Untreated thyroid problems, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, goiter, and thyroid nodules can affect a person’s ability to achieve weight loss. In addition, leptin resistance may also add to the problem because when the body is no longer sensitive to leptin, the patient will always have that “hungry” feeling. When the body has leptin resistance, the brain instructs the body to reduce energy levels, which requires the use of less calories, while consuming more food resulting in weight gain.

Leptin resistance and being overweight can also lead to thyroid hormone imbalances. With leptin resistance and thyroid problems, the body undergoes a cycle of inflammation and excess weight. In functional medicine, the practitioner’s goal is to reverse the leptin resistance and some of the natural treatment alternatives are: changing lifestyle factors, such as increasing physical activity and practicing meditation and mindfulness to reduce stress; changes to the diet, such as eating more protein, decreasing sugar consumption, consuming non-processed food with low glycemic index, increasing consumption of dietary fibers, following the guidelines for an anti-inflammatory or paleo diet, and reducing the consumption of carbohydrates; enhancing sleep quality; and taking kaempferol and L-cysteine supplements.

The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre uses an integrative functional medicine approach, where they integrate functional medicine approaches, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) allopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, bio-identical hormone replacement, herbal medicine, NAD IV therapy and more. They apply both functional medicine and restoative therapies for different kinds of health problems, including: neuropathic pain, hormone imbalances, postmenopausal health issues, acute health issues, and more. The health issues that they may be able to help with include: chronic fatigue, tissue repair, cellular damage, DNA repair, athletic recovery, weight loss, mineral deficiencies, thyroid conditions, infertility, immune function, skin rejuvenation, adrenal function, and others. This private practice clinic in Toronto always follows a patient-centered strategy for wellness and their functional medicine programs can be used for both chronic and acute care.

Those who would like to know more about the functional medicine services provided by the clinic can check out the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website, or contact them on the telephone (416) 968-6961 or through email info@tfm.care. They are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.