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(閱讀時(shí)間?約為3分鐘。Approximate reading time 3 minutes)
你的智力和健康在很大程度上取決于你的基因嗎？老年人?定會(huì)反應(yīng)遲鈍嗎？如果你的上輩有老年癡呆，你幾乎可以肯定也會(huì)有同樣的命運(yùn)嗎？?久的不良?活習(xí)慣和飲?對(duì)?腦造成的傷害是?法逆轉(zhuǎn)的嗎？
Are your intelligence and health largely determined by your genes? Are you going to inevitably lose your mental sharpness when you get older? Are you almost certain to get dementia if it runs in your family? Is it really impossible to reverse the damages you did to your brain with years of bad lifestyle and diet choices?
所有這些問題的答案都?樣：不！
The answer to all of the above questions is an astounding NO！
我們曾經(jīng)以為，你天生的那個(gè)大腦就是陪伴你?輩子的大腦。醫(yī)學(xué)院的課本告訴學(xué)生們：你?腦中的神經(jīng)元是?定的，失去了之后就無法彌補(bǔ)。主流醫(yī)學(xué)界認(rèn)為?年癡呆無法治療，也無誤法預(yù)防，這只能看你的基因和運(yùn)氣。我們都認(rèn)為智力的衰退是正常的衰老表現(xiàn)。
We used to believe the brains we were given upon birth are the brains we’ll have for the rest of our lives. Medical doctors were taught in school you have certain numbers of neurons in your brain and once you lose some, you can never get them back. Main stream medical belief was that Alzheimer’s cannot be treated or prevented. It’s up to your genes and your luck. We all thought that slowing down of the mental ability is just part of aging.
過去三?多年?現(xiàn)代科學(xué)對(duì)于我們?腦如何運(yùn)作有了更深的了解。 有些新的發(fā)現(xiàn)完全推翻了我們的舊觀念。事實(shí)上，你的?腦存在著巨大潛?，你完全可以讓你的?腦更加強(qiáng)有力，這個(gè)能力你?生都具有，直到你離世的那天。你完全可以依靠后天努力而升級(jí)你大腦的版本。
Modern science has helped us gain much deeper understanding of how our brain really works in the last 3 decades. What it has revealed to us are sometimes quite contrary to the old beliefs we held. In fact, you are not stuck with the brain you have, you can make it much better, you can make it better up to the day you leave. It is up to you to be the best version of yourself.
要理解大腦的巨大潛力，我們需要知道和最新神經(jīng)科學(xué)相關(guān)的三個(gè)詞：表觀遺傳學(xué)，神經(jīng)發(fā)生和神經(jīng)可塑性。
To understand the immense potential your brain has, we need to understand three concepts that are related to the latest neuroscience discovery: epigenetics, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity.
表觀遺傳學(xué)
Epigenetics?
表觀遺傳學(xué)的英?epigenetics起源于希臘語，其中“epi”的意思是“超越”。 Epigenetics?詞表?的意思是“超越遺傳”。我們看下美國國家基因組研究給予的定義：
The letters “epi” in the word “epigenetics”, which is of Greek origin, means “over and above”. First let’s see the definition given by the National Genome Research Institute:
“表觀遺傳學(xué)是?門新興的科學(xué)領(lǐng)域。它研究基因在其DNA序列沒有任何變化的情況下通過被激活或者失活而造成的遺傳變化“
“Epigenetics is an emerging field of science that studies heritable changes caused by the activation and deactivation of genes without any change in the underlying DNA sequence of the organism.”
?我們外行人可以理解的解釋，DNA之外的其它因素可以改變我們基因的表達(dá)，可以將基因關(guān)閉或者打開。下?這個(gè)類比也許更形象?些：你的基因可以讓槍裝上子彈，但扣不扣扳機(jī)則在于很多其它你可以掌控的因素。
In more layman’s terms, it means Epigenetics studies how factors other than our DNA can change our gene expressions, turning them on or off. Here is an analogy that may help us understand: your genes may load the gun, but many other factors that you are in your control determine whether the trigger will be pulled or not.
現(xiàn)在科學(xué)家們開始告訴我們，遺傳基因并不像我們所想象的那樣完全決定我們的命運(yùn)，我們的?活?式和習(xí)慣對(duì)于我們是否可以有健康和充滿活力的?生起著至關(guān)重要的作?。這當(dāng)然也包括和腦部基因。
Now the scientists start to tell us that our inherited genes don’t determine our fate nearly as much as we thought, instead, our lifestyle choices play an essential role in whether we’ll live a healthy and vibrant life. That principle applies to the genes that are related to our brain health as well.
和阿爾茨海默病最想關(guān)的基因叫做APOE4。有這種基因會(huì)增?你患上這種病的?險(xiǎn)。但是，不是每?個(gè)有?個(gè)甚?兩個(gè)這種基因的?會(huì)患上阿爾茨海默， 而很多患有這種病的人并沒有這個(gè)基因。
The gene that is most directly linked to Alzheimer’s disease is APOE4. Having at least one APOE4 gene increases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, not everyone who has one or even two APOE4 genes will get Alzheimer’s, and many people who got this disease do not have this gene at all.
事實(shí)上，那些影響你健康和?壽的基因有超過70%的都受表觀遺傳的控制。
In fact, more than 70% of genes that influence health and longevity are under epigenetic control.
神經(jīng)發(fā)?
Neurogenesis?
神經(jīng)發(fā)?是指腦部形成新神經(jīng)元的過程。很?時(shí)間以來?們?直認(rèn)為這只是嬰兒在子宮內(nèi)生長的時(shí)候才會(huì)發(fā)?的事情。成人的大腦可以產(chǎn)?新的神經(jīng)元這?理論主流科學(xué)界?直拒絕認(rèn)可。所以醫(yī)學(xué)院學(xué)生關(guān)于大腦的教育?直基于的假設(shè)是，?旦胚胎發(fā)育完全，新的神經(jīng)元就不可能再生了。直到90年代，當(dāng)我們有了更為精密的儀器之后， 科學(xué)界才開始承認(rèn)神經(jīng)發(fā)生是確實(shí)存在的。
Neurogenesis is the process that new neurons are formed in the brain. It was long thought that formation of new neurons were only active when a baby grows in the womb. The concept of adult humans having the same ability was rejected by mainstream science for a long time. Students in medical school were educated on the assumption that humans cannot grow new neurons in the brain beyond embryonic development. It was not until 1990s when more advanced technologies were availabe did the science community finally accept neurogenesis as hard science.
神經(jīng)元再生發(fā)生在腦部兩個(gè)部位，其中?個(gè)是海馬體，?對(duì)海馬狀的腦部組織結(jié)構(gòu)，對(duì)我們的記憶?關(guān)重要。我們以前認(rèn)為這部分的神經(jīng)元?旦受損，就不能恢復(fù)。但現(xiàn)在我們知道海馬體產(chǎn)?新神經(jīng)元的能?我們??都具有。
Neurogenesis happens in two areas of the brain, one of which is hippocampus. Hippocampus is the pair of seahorse-shaped structures in our brain, playing a critical role in our memory. We used to think we have a definitive numbers of neurons and once we lose some we can never get them back. Now we know human hippocampus retains its ability to generate neurons throughout one’s life.
神經(jīng)可塑性
Neuroplasticity?
神經(jīng)可塑性是指我們的大腦通過建?新的神經(jīng)連接而進(jìn)行改變和重組的能力，有時(shí)候是因?yàn)槭軅蛘呒膊?，有時(shí)候是另外?些外部的刺激，?如學(xué)習(xí)?項(xiàng)新的技能。這個(gè)能?我們同樣一生都擁有。
Neuorplasticity refers to brain’s ability to change and reorganize itself by making new neural connections, whether as a result of injury and sickness, or other types of external stimulation such as learning a new skill. This ability is available to all of us throughout our life times.
過去科學(xué)家們認(rèn)為腦部不同的區(qū)域主導(dǎo)不同的功能。?腦的某?部分?旦被損，你就永遠(yuǎn)失去了那部分所主導(dǎo)的功能。神經(jīng)可塑性將這種觀念完全推翻了。你的?腦其實(shí)沒有那么?成不變，它有著極強(qiáng)的可塑性。這就是為什么有些?在中風(fēng)之后可以部分或者完全恢復(fù)說話?路這些曾經(jīng)喪失的功能，即使主導(dǎo)這些功能的?腦區(qū)域并沒有恢復(fù)。這些?的?腦學(xué)會(huì)了如何創(chuàng)造新的神經(jīng)鏈接，找到了實(shí)現(xiàn)這些功能的新途徑。
The old belief was that different areas of the brain are connected with different functions. Once that part of the brain is damaged, you forever lose your ability that is enabled by that part. Neuroplasticity overthrew that old belief. Turns out our brain has the potential to rewire and adapt. That is why some people will partially or completely regain their ability to talk and walk and other functions that were lost for some time right after the stroke, although those parts of the brain never recover. In those cases the brain learned to make new connections between neurons, finding alternative ways to achieve the same tasks.
當(dāng)你學(xué)習(xí)?門新的語?，?個(gè)樂器或者?個(gè)新舞步的時(shí)候，你的大腦在做著同樣的事情：創(chuàng)建新的神經(jīng)元鏈接。如果你持之以恒地進(jìn)?練習(xí)，那這些鏈接就會(huì)更加牢固，更加永久。
The same applies when you are learning a new language, a new musical instrument or a new dance move. The neurons are firing up to form new connections. When you do it often and consistently, the connections are reinforced and become more permanent.
這些我們?類掌握的新知識(shí)對(duì)于如何看待衰?和健康意義深遠(yuǎn)。我們總以為腦能力的下降是衰老的?部分?，F(xiàn)在我們意識(shí)到，我們的大腦遠(yuǎn)沒有我們所理解地那么僵硬。我們的???有很多機(jī)會(huì)和?具可以讓我們提高?腦潛力，有的甚?會(huì)帶來巨大改變。
This relatively new human knowledge has profound implications on how we view health and aging. So much decline, especially that of the brain, was considered just part of normal aging. Now we know our brain is not nearly as fixed and hard-wired as we thought. Throughout our life times, we have plenty of opportunities and tools to enhance our mental performance, in quite big ways.
即便不了解這些科學(xué)知識(shí)，我只憑經(jīng)驗(yàn)就知道確實(shí)如此。女兒出生之后，很?的?段時(shí)間我每天只能睡兩三個(gè)小時(shí)。我的身體和大腦因此而遭受的損害非常明顯。我極其容易患病，想表達(dá)自己的時(shí)候，會(huì)經(jīng)常感覺到?腦在費(fèi)力地尋找詞語拼湊在?起。多年之后的現(xiàn)在，無論是身體素質(zhì)還是頭腦的靈活，都是我這一生至今感覺最好的時(shí)候。看來我的身體和?腦找到了彌補(bǔ)我當(dāng)年失去的神經(jīng)元和鏈接的方法。
I know this to be all true without even understanding the science. After giving birth to my daughter, I was sustaining on 2 to 3 hours of sleep a day for a prolonged period of time. The damage to my overall health and brain was obvious. I got sick often and easily. Sometimes when I wanted to say something I could feel my brain working hard to put words together. Now, years later, I am the healthiest and sharpest I have ever been in my whole life. Somehow my body and brain have found ways to compensate for all those neurons and connections I lost.
我們以后會(huì)分享各種?法和技巧幫你提?腦能力，讓你成為最優(yōu)秀的你。今天給出幾個(gè)大的原則：
We will delve deep into details on what you can do to improve your brain health and be the best version you can be. For now, here are some general principles:
· 健康飲食。大量減少糖和簡單碳水化合物的攝?量（白面，白米，土豆）
· Have a healthy diet. Dramatically reduce your sugar and simple carbohydrates intake (white flour, white rice, white potato)
· 運(yùn)動(dòng)，運(yùn)動(dòng)，運(yùn)動(dòng)！
· Exercise, exercise, exercise!
· 創(chuàng)建?套解壓方法
· Have a stress management system to reduce stress
· 經(jīng)常給你的?腦做做操，學(xué)樣新東?，或者時(shí)不時(shí)改變?下慣例
· Give your brain a work-out from time to time through new learning, routine changes ,etc.
· 盡量減少毒素的攝入量，包括空氣，?物，個(gè)人護(hù)理品等。
· Try to avoid toxins as much as possible, including toxins from the air, food and personal care products
· 控制好血糖的穩(wěn)定
· Maintain stable blood sugar
· 每天7到9個(gè)小時(shí)的高質(zhì)量睡眠
· Get 7 to 9 hours of restorative sleep every day
· 適當(dāng)補(bǔ)充營養(yǎng)素，尤其是高質(zhì)量的DHA
· Supplements appropriately, especially with high quality DHA
References:
· Peter S. Eriksson, Ekaterina Perfifilieva, Thomas Bj?rk-Eriksson, Ann-Marie Alborn, Claes Nordborg, Daniel A. Peterson & Fred H. Gage. Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus. Nature
· Mandal, Ananya.What Is Neurogenesis? https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-isNeurogenesis.aspx
· Pelmutter, David. Epigenetics as fuel for brain health
· Perlmutter, David. The gift of neuroplasticity.
