You may be familiar with the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. He was a tad bit eccentric, to put it nicely. You might even call him crazy, 'off his rocker', a few fries short of a Happy Meal or just downright mad (meaning marked by mental disorder). But do you know where the term 'mad as a hatter' originates? The expression is linked to the hat-making industry and mercury poisoning. In the 18th and 19th centuries, industrial workers used a toxic substance, mercury nitrate, as part of the process of turning the fur of small animals, such as rabbits, into felt for hats. Workplace safety standards often were lax and prolonged exposure to mercury caused employees to develop a variety of physical and mental ailments, including tremors (dubbed “hatter’s shakes”), speech problems, emotional instability and hallucinations. Unfortunately, toxic mercury exposure has continued into this century as silver (mercury) fillings are still commonplace in the dental industry. These types of fillings can off-gas mercury vapors that you breath in. Chewing can also release small amounts of mercury. Do your brain a favor and plan to have any silver (mercury-based) fillings replaced. When it comes to brain health, prevention is always better than cure. Memory loss and dementia, like Alzheimer’s which accounts for two-thirds of dementia, are not conditions you suddenly get, like an infection. They are not the natural consequence of aging nor are they genetic. Only 1% of Alzheimer’s is due to genetic makeup. There is a lot you can do to ensure proper brain function for life. In addition to limiting toxic exposure (like mercury) to improve brain health, consider the good things you should be putting into the body for better brain function. We want to make you aware of a great organization whose goal is to raise awareness of the importance of optimum nutrition in mental health. Food For The Brain is a not-for-profit charity working to empower individuals to change their diet and lifestyle and take greater control of their own mental health. We highly recommend testing to get a baseline of your cognitive function here: https://foodforthebrain.org/the-cognitive-function-test/ There is so much great information on their website, including helpful foods for various brain conditions (anxiety, ADHD, depression, memory loss, etc.) Be sure to sign up for their newsletter, too.
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March 2024
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