Have you ever thought about your brain health? According to Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist, the most minor brain injuries, can have severe negative impacts on a person’s future. So if you are athletic, clumsy, or have ever been smacked… you might want to keep reading. A healthy brain is a happy brain and Dr. Amen has the secret.
A concussion is a change in how the brain functions. Whenever the body or the head receives a blow, the brain becomes a ping pong ball against the skull. The damage caused on the brain then manifests itself as depression, anxiety, ADHD, dementia, and so forth. However, many of these diagnosed patients have had dramatic results with improved mood, memory, and overall health whenever they were treated by Dr. Amen.
The key difference, and reason for his success, is that Dr. Amen believes in scanning the brain before treating it. I mean, why not look at the organ we’re treating? We do it for the heart, lungs, and kidneys, yet very few people who have studied the brain as psychologists, psychiatrists, and/or therapists have taken the leap in implementing this practice.
What Dr. Amen found was that many of these patients were misdiagnosed, but the best part is that they were able to be treated with simple supplements and vitamins over an extended period of time. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana), Justin Bieber, and Jay Shetty have already received the miracles of the Amen Clinics.
Thankfully, Dr. Amen has done several interviews over a few podcasts that will truly marvel your mind on how changing daily habits can improve your brain health. A few of them are:
- Improve your Diet – Healthy fats, lots of water, and quality over quantity.
- Exercise – A wide range of activities (table tennis is a favorite of his)
- Meditate – a quiet brain is not an anxious brain
- Learn something new every day
- Spend time with positive people
One of my favorite tips is to kill the ANTs in your brain; Automatic Negative Thoughts. They fester in our minds and turn your mood and focus into a wildfire. But if you can give the brain a name, then you can directly speak to those thoughts and discover if;
- Is there any truth behind it?
- What is the root?
I named mine Tommy, and every once in a while he either gets a high five or a “we need to talk” pep talk. Not only have I noticed that most of my thoughts aren’t true, but I’ve regained control of my mood when it begins to sway.
If you’re still intrigued and would like to keep learning check out The EXPANDED Podcast with Lacy Phillips, and The School of Greatness by former NFL player, Lewis Howes.
Still here? Sweet, now I know you care about your brain. In return, I’ll share with you my recent brain assessment. Thankfully I’m currently at brain type 1 (the healthiest brain) out of 16. However, not too long ago, I was a brain type 9… therefore, I have become a believer. After all, a healthy brain is a happy brain!
Taynah’s Brain Assessment Oct. 2021
Much love Y’all,
Taynahmite
P.S. For more healthy habits, check out Let’s get wet and Reflexes like a puma blog post!