Why should you care that this series reached 13,298 practitioners in 72 countries? Because brain science, when artfully applied, can make a difference – it can truly heal people’s lives. And when someone’s brain changes, they respond with fewer fear-based reactions. Just that alone can plant the seeds of change across families, communities, and even […]
Improving Memory through Meditation?
Many of us fear losing our memory and healthy brain function. Whenever I misplace my car keys or forget my online banking password, I get the fleeting thought of “oh, no, is this a sign?” Meditation is one way that I calm such fears, but I may be helping my memory in the process too. […]
When Exercise May Not Be Good for the Brain
Have I managed to convince you that exercise is an optimal way to encourage neuroplasticity (brain growth) and maintain a healthy brain? Good. However, now I have a caveat: exercise can sometimes be bad for the brain. Just ask the people who end up with one of the estimated 300,000 sports-related injuries per year.* For […]
When the VW Bug fell off a cliff –and other things that can harm the brain
We want our brains to remain fully functioning until we’re 100. Right? But will that happen? What makes the difference in whether our brains stay healthy or not? Daniel Amen, MD has conducted over 70,000 brain scans and thus has some hard-won insight into what the pre-cursors might be to a less-than-optimally-functioning brain. Based on […]
Turmeric for a Healthy Brain: Part II
Have you had your turmeric yet this week? In a recent post, I talked about the neuroplastic possibilities of curcumin (a brain-boosting chemical in turmeric) for slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Did that convince you to start eating it? If not, consider this my second attempt. Slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease isn’t the […]
Could Brain Science Help us Treat a Cold Without Cold Medicine?
Could empathy have the power to heal? The link between stress and susceptibility to illness is fairly well established but what if you could start healing just by going to see your doctor? No pill. No x-rays. Just the experience of being heard and listened to. Now “power” is a strong word and I don’t […]
Increasing Your Brain Size with . . . Walnuts?
What foods could strengthen your memory, improve your problem-solving ability, and make you an even better multi-tasker? In short, can any foods help to improve your brain power? Are there foods that would increase the size of your brain? Studies suggest that omega-3s help brain function, specifically visual memory and executive function, including problem-solving, multi-tasking […]
Stress, Addiction, and Neuroplasticity –How the Brain Changes
We know that stress can take a toll on our bodies, but it also affects our brain. I’ve written about how it affects memory and the hippocampus. Research is now suggesting that stress also alters how we learn. This has ramifications for addiction and anything involved in the negative aspects of neuroplasticity. A recent review […]
Brain Science: Application is the Key to Changing the Brain
The New Brain Science 2012 series is off to an amazing start. We are humbled and gratified to report that more than 6,000 listeners from 44 countries all around the world have signed up for the series. (I’m sorry, due to a fluke in our system, I don’t have the number of people who actually […]
How to change the brain: There are some things that we know, but… persuading people isn’t so easy
I’ve been talking a lot about exercise recently. We know that it’s good for the brain, and yet the studies showing this can be pretty dry. And when it comes to persuading patients to actually do what’s good for them, lectures aren’t too effective either. With that in mind, we wanted to try something new, […]