Choices Can Improve Brain Health

When you are not feeling well, you have more time to lay around and watch TV and you suddenly become attached to shows you didn't even know existed before!  While in my hotel room in Seattle, I started watching a PBS type program by Dr. Daniel Amen about his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life." I found it so mesmerizing, I ordered the book on my phone that moment.

Dr. Amen studies brain scans. Not scans like MRI's that show physical elements of the brain but scans that show activity level and surface pictures. He was able to determine that diagnoses' like depression, anger, anxiety, head trauma all show significant holes, if you will, in the appearance of the brain. He uses these scans to help people stop guessing what medicines they should be on and, instead, improve their brain health. He has proven it is possible to increase the health and function of the brain.  He helps people do this via supplements, diet, brain challenges, meditation, positive thinking and sometimes, medication.

I stumbled across his TV show after it had started and he kept referring to ants!  Kill the ants, he would say. When the book arrived, I finally understood that ants was an acronym for automatic negative thinking.  In my yoga classes, we practice positive affirmations.  We practice them because they do not seem to come naturally to our ego driven negative mind.  Remember, saying I do not want to be angry any more is not positively worded!  Say instead, I am more patient.  Dr. Amen says, "notice what you like about people more than what you don't".  Let's refer to this as a positive action versus affirmation.  It is sad, but true, that we will probably have to work harder to find more likes than dislikes but it is essential. 

Dr. Amen also stated, "It is not true that it takes two to make things better."  Think about that for a moment.  If I am focused on what I don't like about someone, isn't it true that I am probably sending out a different energy/attitude than if I focused on what I like?  And if I am focused on the like's, the other person senses that and is happier/nicer, perhaps?  Can't I, in essence, alter someone's mood and behavior by redirecting mine?

"The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe." Michio Kaku

"Virtually everywhere we go, someone is tempting us with bad food that will kill us early, putting toxic thoughts in our minds by pushing us to watch horrific news events over and over, or working to addict us to the latest gadgets that interfere with our relationships. To achieve optimal mental performance, we have to have the mind-set of a brain warrior." Dr. Amen

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