Our practice focuses on health of all parts of our bodies, and in my patients, that largely means attending to brains, bones, and hearts.

Or as Paul Simon said, “Hearts and Bones.” Because taking proper care of hearts and bones will cover much of brain health!

(For those of you too young to know — or old enough to want to be reminded — here’s Paul Simon’s wisdom.)

There are a few pearls I’ve picked up recently from one of my favorite sources, Dr. Nick Norwitz (who was also a guest on our podcast, Episode 24).

I will limit myself to two for the purpose of this newsletter:

TUDCA

TUDCA is an emerging supplement of cardiac interest, previously known for its role in gut and liver health.

While cholesterol has received most of the attention in cardiovascular disease, it’s important to know that inflammation also plays a huge role in the development of plaque. Check out Dr. Norwitz’s article on the topic.

TUDCA interrupts the vicious cycle of inflammation that leads to plaque — which leads to disease.

The side effects?

• Helps your liver produce functioning bile for digestion

• Lowers blood sugar

• Boosts our own internal GLP-1 levels

(GLP-1 drugs being the celebrity-favored option for pharmaceutical weight loss.)

A good brand of TUDCA is produced by one of our favorite office brands, BodyBio. Talk with your physician if you think this might be good for you!

And while you’re at it, perhaps that same physician has been wondering with you…

“What shall we do about your cholesterol?”

Turns out there is an old, well-tolerated cholesterol-lowering drug that is NOT a statin and seems to have some value in preventing Alzheimer’s.

Generic ezetimibe (known as Zetia) works completely differently from statins. It blocks cholesterol absorption — and the liver’s response includes lower levels of blood cholesterol but… HIGHER brain levels of a very-important-to-the-brain form of cholesterol known as desmosterol.

There’s another very complicated molecular process that also appears brain-friendly — but I’ll let Dr. Norwitz explain that one.

Nothing proved yet — but definitely looking good for the value of this old and time-tested drug working well for both “Hearts and Brains.”

Anyone here able to make a catchy tune with a new title — a kind of homage to Paul Simon?