The brain is the organ of learning, loving, and behaving. When your brain works right, you work right. When your brain is troubled—for whatever reason—you tend to have trouble in your life.
Your brain weighs only about 3 pounds or about 2% of your body’s weight. Yet, it uses 20 to 30% of the calories you consume, 20% of the oxygen you breathe, and 25% of the blood flow in your body. It is estimated that the brain has 100 billion nerve cells and more connections in it than there are stars in the universe. There are also trillions of supportive cells in the brain called glia. Each neuron is connected to other neurons by up to 40,000 individual connections (called synapses) between cells.
When your brain works right, you work right. When your brain is troubled—for whatever reason—you tend to have trouble in your life.
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A piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion synapses, all “talking” to one another. Information in your brain travels at speeds of up to about 268 miles per hour. If you don’t take care of your brain, you lose on average 85,000 brain cells a day. That is what causes brain aging. With appropriate forethought, however, you can reverse that trend and dramatically slow the aging process and increase your mental agility. Knowing how to care for your brain is the first and most important step to success.
Given the brain’s central role in success, we offer 12 prescriptions to optimize it for a better life in all you do.
Here are the first 6 prescriptions:
1. LOVE YOUR BRAIN
Most people never think about their brain for the simple reason that they can’t see inside their heads. We can see if our bellies start to expand or if we start to get wrinkles on our faces, prompting us to take action to improve our appearance.
At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging gives our patients the ability to see the overall health of their brain and to see areas that could benefit from optimization. Seeing is believing, and it helps people fall in love with their brain and want to take care of it every day.
Loving your brain is the first step toward creating a brain healthy life.
2. INCREASE THE BRAIN’S RESERVE
Have you ever wondered why certain stresses or injuries affect some people and not others? Why do some people get depressed after losing a parent while others, although sad, keep on going? Why do some people struggle with their mental and cognitive health after a minor head injury while others don’t? Why are some people able to roll with being fired or getting divorced while others nearly lose their minds?
After looking at tens of thousands of brain scans, we began to think about the concept of “brain reserve.” Brain reserve is the cushion of healthy brain tissue we have to deal with the unexpected stresses that come our way. The more reserve we have, the more resilient we are in times of trouble. The less reserve, the more vulnerable we are.
For example, if you fell off a bunk bed onto your head at age of 10, were exposed to chronic stress from alcoholic parents, or drank much alcohol, or used drugs as a teenager, you decreased your brain’s reserve. On the other hand, if you protected your head, were raised by reasonably loving and consistent parents, ate a healthy diet, and avoided drugs and alcohol, you increased your reserve.
The exciting news is that it is never too late to work on increasing your brain’s reserve.
3. PROTECT YOUR BRAIN
Your brain is soft and your skull is hard. Concussions and even very minor head injuries can ruin your life, so wear your seat belt, drive in safe vehicles, protect your head in sports or steer clear of contact sports.
4. STOP POISONING YOUR BRAIN
Do not put toxic substances in your body. If you poison your brain, you poison your mind. Avoid alcohol, drugs (including marijuana), and smoking. In addition, limit your caffeine intake, avoid chemical-laden cleaning products and personal care products, and be careful with prescription and over-the-counter medications.
5. PROTECT YOUR MEMORY
It is critical to take early memory problems seriously and not just dismiss them as normal aging. One of the MOST important things you can do to keep your memory strong is exercise. Physical activity boosts blood flow, and on SPECT scans, low blood flow is the #1 predictor of future Alzheimer’s disease. There are also several supplements that have good supporting research for memory including phosphatidylserine, acetylcarnitine, saffron, curcumins, fish oil, ginkgo biloba, sage, and a Chinese moss extract called huperzine.
6. GOOD SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR BRAIN
Unfortunately, 60 million Americans have trouble sleeping, which affects your mood, memory, and ability to concentrate. It is estimated that sleep-deprived people cause more accidents than drunk drivers. Because of sleep problems, doctors are prescribing sleep medications that can affect your moods and memory at alarming rates.
To overcome sleep problems, you need to eliminate anything that might interfere with sleep, such as caffeine or alcohol. Additionally, natural supplements such as melatonin, magnesium, l-theanine, and 5-HTP can be helpful.
Hypnosis can be an effective natural replacement for sleeping pills or medications. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are very powerful tools to help us gain mastery over our own minds and bodies and can be helpful not only for sleep but also for anxiety and pain.
To read the next 6 prescriptions for creating a brain healthy life, click here.
If you’re having mental, emotional, or cognitive health issues, it could be a sign that your brain could benefit from optimization. During these uncertain times, your overall brain health and well-being are more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
The post 12 Prescriptions for Creating a Brain Healthy Life – Part 1 first appeared on Amen Clinics.