Neurotrophins, Stress and Body Health - Ray Griffiths (March 2021)

Apr 28, 2021
“Neurotrophins, Stress and Body Health” is the presenation shared by Ray Griffiths, MSc, mANP, mBANT at the March 31st, 2021 Zoom meeting of the Silicon Valley Health Institute.

Neurotrophins are wonderful proteins that can be seen as our brain nourishers – they act as interfaces between what we eat, think, feel and do, and the brain. The human brain is three times larger than other large primates and therefore requires enormous amounts of energy to power it.

Neurotrophins act as an energy management system that help to decide where brain energy should flow. Eating good food, exercising, being with good people and being in an uplifting environment will all support our neurotrophins, to help deliver ample energy and nourishment to the brain. Eating badly, stress and a sedentary lifestyle will have the opposite effect and deplete the brain of energy, and predispose us to mood disorders and depression. Being bored or uninspired will also have a negative effect on brain energy – why would the brain waste valuable resources on something that we have no interest in? Neurotrophins are sensitive to stress and a large part of the presentation will explore the effects of stress on brain and body health – particularly exploring the positive effects of taking time to relax and activate our parasympathetic nervous system, and in turn our healing vagus nerve.