|
Memories are created through a combination of brain power and clarity, the intake of sensory information, and attention or consciousness. If there is a problem with the brain, memories are not retained. If there is a problem with the sensory system, the eyes, ear, sense of touch, taste and smell then the experience is muted and less easily remembered. If one does not pay attention, say to where they put down their keys, remembering is more difficult. Improving blood flow to the brain, eye, and body can improve the experience of life and the way we remember events. Here are three ways to improve blood flow. [Read More] 
0 Comments
If you have a circulatory issues, blood flow problem like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Swollen ankles here is what some of the research is saying can help: Complementary and Alternative Medicine, physical exercise and balancing blood sugar, qigong movements, yoga, integrative manual therapy synchronizers, craniosacral or cranial therapy, manual lymph drainage, osteopathic manual medicine, acupressure and more.
1 Explore Complementary Medicine for Circulation Issues, Heart Attacks, and Strokes
Once a stroke has happened there are dietary factors, exercises, acupuncture, Qigong, Integrative Manual Therapy, Reiki, Yoga and more CAM options to consider. Every 45 seconds a person in the US has a stroke. It is the third leading cause of death in Western society, affecting 700,000 Americans and killing150,000 people a year. There are lots of ways to decrease your risk factors for a stroke. Cost can be a significant factor in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches. One 1996 study found, "a combined treatment with acupuncture, Shiatsu and lifestyle adjustment may be highly cost effective for patients with advanced angina pectoris (heart dysfunction)." --Acupunct Electrother Res (1996) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9051166
Physically Exercise and Balance Blood Sugar
A recent article on 5 Best Things noted the benefits of physical exercises, balancing blood sugar, and acupressure points. —More Health Research on 5 Best Things https://5bestthings.com/author/kimberly/ A further study noted the effect of low blood sugar on working memory. "During hypoglycaemia [low blood sugar], memory activation task performance was associated with increased activity in the frontal lobe regions [thinking brain], superior parietal lobe and thalamus [feeling brain], and decreased activity in the temporal lobe regions [sensing and hearing brain]. Working memory activation statistically significantly increased blood flow in the striatum during hypoglycaemia. Altered performance was associated with significantly increased blood flow in the striatum, a part of the basal ganglia implicated in regulating motor functions, memory, language and emotion." —Diabetologia (2017) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29188338
3 Qigong Reduces the Need for Medications and the Heart's Electrical Activity
Qigong researchers are doing studies using sophisticated blood flow and cranial imaging equipment such as a Doppler sonography, EEG and near_infrared spectroscopy. What they are finding is that this Chinese meditation exercise appears able to change blood flow in the head. —Neurol Res (2001) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11474806 In a study on the use of Qigong in combination with medications, researchers found the hands-on and energetic techniques of qigong to be beneficial in reducing cardiovascular problems and strokes. They noted, "the therapeutic role of qigong exercises combined with drugs is reported for three medical conditions that require drug therapy for health maintenance: hypertension, respiratory disease, and cancer. In these studies, drugs were administered to all patients who were divided into two groups, a group that practiced qigong exercises and a control group that did not. Taken together, these studies suggest that practicing qigong exercises may favorably affect many functions of the body, permit reduction of the dosage of drugs required for health maintenance, and provide greater health benefits than the use of drug therapy alone. For hypertensive patients, combining qigong practice with drug therapy resulted in reduced incidence of stroke and mortality and reduced the dosage of drugs required for blood pressure maintenance. —J Altern Complement Med (1999) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10471019 Another study suggested, "Qigong exercise could significantly decrease the abnormal electrical activity in the heart and improve blood flow to the coronary artery (the arteries that supply the heart muscle). It can also decrease heart dysfunction after a heart attack." --Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi (1992) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1392492
Daily 17 min Qi Gong practice with Mingtong Gu
4 Yoga and Acupuncture Effect on Blood Chemistry
Chemists looked at the blood chemistry in hatha yoga practitioners by evaluating their breathing response to hypercapnia (too much carbon dioxide in the blood) and arterial blood gases during ujjai respiration (yogic breathing) of once per minute for an hour. The average adult take 12 to 18 breaths per minute, which is a big difference from one breath per minute. The results suggest that professional hatha yoga practitioners have less sensitivity to high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood because their practice has allowed them to adapt to "low arterial pH and high levels of CO2 for long periods." —Jpn J Physiol (2002) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12230808 Another study looked at the effect of acupuncture on calcium levels, researchers concluded, "Electro-acupuncture could regulate the content of Ca2+ in the ischemic area of the brain, inhibit Ca2+ overload, so as to protect neurons from ischemic injury." —Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi (2002) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254627217300523 Stroke is an example of ischemic injury, where a part of the brain does not get the oxygen that it needs to function and some of the brain cells die. ​
5 Muscle Function, Yoga, and Circulation
Stress, muscle spasm in the vascular wall and peripheral blood pressure all affect the risk for strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. A number of complementary and alternative medicine approaches have been shown to be beneficial in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular incidence. In a 2004 study, the Berg Balance Scale and Timed Movement Battery tested improvements with yoga, leading researchers to conclude, "the results suggest that yoga may be beneficial to people who have had a stroke." —Phys Ther (2004) https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/84/1/33/2805327 A course in yoga and meditation was given to 33 people with and without coronary artery disease for an hour and a half, three times a week for 6 weeks. The participants were encouraged to continue practicing at home. Researchers found, a significant reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in the total group with yoga. —Clin Cardiol (2006) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17007170 Another yoga related study looked at the short-term impact of a comprehensive but brief lifestyle intervention, based on yoga. The subjects had history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, 'stress'), gastrointestinal problems (non ulcer dyspepsia, duodenal ulcers, irritable bowel disease, Crohn's disease, chronic constipation) and thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) or were healthy without any of these conditions ... The intervention consisted of Asanas, Pranayama, relaxation techniques, group support, individualized advice, and lectures and films on philosophy of yoga, the place of yoga in daily life, meditation, stress management, nutrition, and knowledge about the illness. "Among the diseased subjects significant improvement was seen in the anxiety levels of patients of hypertension, coronary artery disease, obesity, cervical spondylitis and those with psychiatric disorders. The observations suggest that a short educational program for lifestyle modification and stress management leads to remarkable reduction in the anxiety scores within a period of 10 days." —Indian J Physiol Pharmacol (2006) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16850902 Another study found that Yoga lifestyle intervention slows or stops the progression of damage to the heart blood vessels in people with severe coronary artery disease. It also improves symptoms, what the person is able to do and some of the risk factors important in preventing another circulation related event. —J Assoc Physicians India (2000) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11273502
6 Acupuncture Helps People Avoid Complications of Stroke
In China stroke is the second most common cause of death in cities and the third in rural areas. World wide it is a major cause of disability. Acupuncture for stroke has been used in China for hundreds of years and is increasingly practiced in Western countries, with beneficial effects. Noting that more acupuncture research is need, scientists in China found that fewer people died or needed to be institutionalized, as a result of the stroke. They said, "when acupuncture was compared with sham acupuncture or open control, there was a borderline significant trend towards fewer patients being dead or dependent in the acupuncture group after three months or more." —Zhang, S. H., M. Liu, et al. (2005). "Acupuncture for acute stroke." Cochrane Database Syst Rev(2): CD003317 from http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/36/10/2327. Another acupuncture study found that pain caused by a lack of blood flow to an area, can be decreased by acupuncture. Researchers noted, clinical experience and controlled studies confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture in various pain syndromes, including tension headache, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, posttraumatic pain. They suggest favorable effects in the rehabilitation of peripheral facial nerve palsy, Bell’s Palsy and stroke. "There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies of its pathophysiology and clinical value." 2. Jellinger, K. A. (2000). "[Principles and application of acupuncture in neurology]." Wien Med Wochenschr 150(13_14): 278_85. A functional MRI study, found acupuncture affects several parts of the brain, including the "left superior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus."3 Yoo, S. S., E. K. Teh, et al. (2004). "Modulation of cerebellar activities by acupuncture stimulation: evidence from fMRI study." Neuroimage 22(2): 932-40. The thalamus is the part of the brain where we most experience pain and other sensations. The data suggested that the cerebellum (part of our sense of balance) serves as an important area activated during treatment of certain acupuncture (PC6) points.
​7 Manual Therapy and Heart Rehabilitation
While a third study noted, the addition of manual therapy as an early rehabilitation measures after coronary artery bypass surgery "eliminates postoperative anginal [heart] attacks in 70% cases, reestablishes balance of cellular and plasma components of hemostasis, enhances fibrinolytic activity. The addition of manual therapy in the rehabilitation complex is recommended early after bypass surgery." —Ter Arkh (2000) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11201824 8 Manual Therapy and Energy Work as an Adjunct in Stroke Rehabilitation In a study looking at the use of Reiki in stroke rehabilitation programs, researchers found that the biggest benefit of the Reiki came in the form of mood and energy improvements. — J Altern Complement Med (2002) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12614528 In a study looking at manual therapy, researchers found, "treating the patients with drugs in combination with manual therapy resulted in improved circulation in the vertebral artery bed, lower clinical signs of vertebrobasilar insufficiency." —Kardiologiia (1991) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1753586 Some of the signs of problems with the vertebrobasilar arteries, a pair of blood vessels running up the neck into the head, is dizziness, headaches and trouble concentrating. Another further study looked at Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and found it "causes vessel narrowing followed by increased blood flow in the arterioles, capillaries and venulae of the skin as well as in peripheral arteries and an increased lymph flow in lymphatic collectors." —Z Lymphol (1989) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2672666 Lymph drainage techniques are often very gentle, soothing hands-on techniques that increase the flow and detoxification of the lymphatic fluid. There are lymph vessels throughout the body with the highest concentration around the neck, armpits and fronts of the hips. A dysfunction of the lymph vessels is what contributes to swelling in the arms of the person who has had surgery for breast cancer. Normalizing the flow in the delicate lymph vessles can significantly inprove drainage and decrease swelling.
9 Reflex Points for Vascular Function, IMT & Strokes
In 1973, Kamenetskii did a study looking at the value of therapies using reflex points to improve vascular tone after a stroke. —Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult (1973) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4747487 Integrative Manual Therapy practitioners use reflex point for clinical treatment and for self-care programs with clients with cardiovascular dysfunctions. These reflex points have names like "Synchronizers" (Giammatteo, T., & Weiselfish-Giammatteo, S. (1997). Integrative manual therapy for the autonomic nervous system and related disorders: utilizing advanced strain and counterstrain technique. Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books) "Hypothalamus Regulation Mechanisms", and "Reference Points". They are used to improve cranial circulation and decrease muscle spasm during the course of the treatment of people with strokes, post heart attacks, migraines and other cardiovascular conditions. One Integrative Manual Therapy course focuses on improving function of the muscles and systems of the body in someone with a stroke. Another training program focuses on normalizing blood flow in the head and addresses the neurological dysfunction caused by the stroke. In a case report on the use of Integrative Manual Therapy with a 78 year old man with high blood pressure and a recent stroke, the clinician noted, "prior to therapy, the patient presented with slurred speech, decreased comprehension, and loss of balance in walking. The patient's main goal was to be discharged from the hospital. The man was treated with several Cranial Therapy techniques. After the treatment was completed, the patient presented with significant improvements in speech and comprehension and an improvement in balance during walking. The patient was discharged from the hospital the very next morning." —Dillon, D. A. (2003) The Benefits of Integrative Manual Therapy on Speech Impairment and Balance Secondary to Stroke, from www.centerimt.com/e_journal/articles/ej00063.htm The therapist continued, "To be released from the hospital, he has to be able to answer questions clearly without slurring his speech as well as be able to show he is no longer confused in his thinking, and be able to walk without balance problems." In another case of a baby who had a stroke, the parents reported, "Andy had a stroke just prior to his birth. We were told he might never sit up unassisted, walk, run, or speak. We sought out therapists to help Andy. When he was 9 months old, we brought him to The Center for Integrative Manual Therapy and Diagnostics (CenterIMT). We visited for 2 days, about 8 hours of therapy. The following day Andy began to crawl for the first time. Subsequent trips have given him the abilities to walk, jump, run and speak. He was originally diagnosed as a hemiplegic (limited use of his entire left side). Throughout CenterIMT and follow_ups with his incredible occupational and physical therapy team at home, Andy has shown significant abilities with his left hand and fingers. He has increased mobility overall, and cognitively has begun to read and write at the age 4." Another therapist reports, "I made mom stay up late Sunday night, so I could work on her before bed. I used the nervous system reflex techniques (LEVO). She had very remarkable results. Her neck and shoulder pain is gone. But the big change was her blood pressure which has dropped from a very consistent 180/80 to 140/78. She is much more comfortable now. Most of her health problems surfaced after an auto accident with a neck injury. Her medical diagnosis is unexplained vasospasm of the vertebrobasilar artery in the neck."
Integrative Manual Therapy Synchronisers for Circulation and Cardiovascular Issues. Call or Email for a free 20-30 minute consultation on their use or to explore your health goals for 2018.
Acupressure for BaiHui or GV 20 at the Crown Chakra
"Acupressure for Bai Hui consists simply of resting our middle fingers lightly on the point, as support for bringing our mental attention to rest gently there." —Acupressure Treasures: Bai Hui - Hundred Convergences (2017) https://www.thoughtco.com/acupressure-treasures-bai-hui-hundred-convergences-3182275 Another research study indicated that stimulating the Baihui point improves function in people after a stroke, acting to protect the brain and nervous system (neuroprotector). "Acupuncture stimulation at the Baihui acupoint for 4 weeks increased dopamine levels in the brain tissue of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats and of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats. The acupuncture stimulation also reduced brain atrophy [shrinkage] after cerebral infarct [stroke], suggesting that acupuncture stimulation at the Baihui acupoint acts as neuroprotector." —Am J Chin Med (2007) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17963318 
​Request a Free Report on Circulation and Complementary Medicine.
Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free Report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018. This year eat, sleep, move your body, meditate, sing, love and if you can do it in community even better. According to Kenneth Blum et al (2015) “Finding happiness may not only reside in our genome [genetic material or genes] but may indeed be impacted by positive meditative practices, positive psychology, spiritual acceptance, love of others and self, and taking inventory of ourselves-one day at a time.” Happiness Will the new year be happier for you? Do you have a meditative practice that also involves movements, like Qigong, Taichi, breathing exercises, yoga, chanting, running, etc. Do you seek to bring new awareness to your psychological state and how you feel? Do you practice love of self and others? In the 2015 article entitled, "The Molecular Neurobiology of Twelve Steps Program & Fellowship: Connecting the Dots for Recovery," in the Journal of Reward Deficit Syndrome 1(1): 46-64, Blum and his colleagues outline each step of the Twelve Step Recovery Program in terms of what is happening in the brain and how dopamine (pleasure and anti-stress brain chemical) is involved. Dopamine The researchers note, "A breakdown of this Brain Reward Cascade will lead to the dysregulation and dysfunction of dopamine homeostasis [balance]. Dopamine has been established as the pleasure and antistress molecule. Any reduction in dopamine function can result in a deficiency in reward that leads to substance seeking behavior [addictions]." While the article focuses on people with significant addictions who are trying to recovery, there are some lessons for all of us in how we seek community and how we look for rewards and support in our lives. Neurotheology First, let's consider these questions: How can we use the sensations we experience in the world and our beliefs about our surroundings to feel better and help our communities function better? How can we bring more awareness to our lives and see the path forward more clearly? This is really at the core of the neurotheology or the spiritual neuroscience of brain health and dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter or a small molecule that is produced in the brain and helps nerve signals travel from one place to another. It also helps us feel good, feel rewarded, and move comfortably. In a simplistic way, Parkinson's disease, with its tremors, tight muscles, chronic back pain can be described as not enough dopamine, as is also true of some people with significant addictions. At the opposite end of the spectrum, schizophrenia with it hallucinations and breaks with reality can be described as too much dopamine. Brain Cross Talk and Well Being The researchers continued, "There is evidence that through the 12-step program and fellowship cross-talk [communication] between the Pre-Frontal Cortex-Cingulate (site of decision-making) and the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) (site of craving behavior) is developed. The site of the brain where one experiences feelings of well-being is called the Mesolimbic System and has been termed the reward center. The reward center is where chemical messages, including dopamine (DA), serotonin, enkephalins, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), work together, to provide a net release of dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens. " AntiStress "Dopamine, as stated earlier, has been associated with pleasure and is the primary neurotransmitter modulating the activation of the reward system of the brain. It has been called the anti-stress molecule and the pleasure molecule. When dopamine is released receptors are stimulated and feelings of well-being and stress reduction increase." Food, Sex, & Exploration "Drugs of abuse are considered to be stronger positive reinforcers than natural reinforcers (like food and sex). Natural rewards include satisfaction of physiological drives (like hunger and reproduction and exploratory locomotion), and unnatural rewards are learned and involve satisfaction of acquired drives. Acquired drives involve hedonic sensations and pleasure derived from alcohol, other drugs, as well as, from gambling and other risk-taking behaviors." When an individual is trying to make up for not enough dopamine they may use drugs and other non-natural rewards. Think about your practices around food and sex. Do you feel like you have a healthy relationship to both? Are you stimulating the brain reward centers naturally? Is Chocolate the Answer? Certainly chocolate and salty grease foods can be satisfying for a short period of time but when was the last time you ate delicious healthy food prepared with love that brought you pleasure and a deep sense of satisfaction? Move Your Body "Exploratory locomotion" is the third natural reward. How often do you move as you explore your environment? Many of us drive cars and are moving in space as we see new sights but our bodies are not moving. This research implies that we have a physiological drive to move our bodies and explore new things in our environment. And that our brain rewards this "exploratory locomotion" with a better balance of dopamine and a strong sense of satisfaction. Other research indicates that consciously long walking or taking long steps can also enhance the balance of dopamine in the body. One of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (too little dopamine) is the development of a shuffling gait or walking with short steps. One way to counteract this and improve walking, balance, and muscle relaxation is to consciously take long steps.  Music
"The reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine, alcohol, nicotine, food, and music are mediated in the NAc, a site within the ventral striatum. Indeed, it is believed that this structure directs motivated behaviors, elicited by natural rewards or incentive stimuli." In what ways do you involve music in your life? Do you sing to or listen to music in a community setting? Does performing or listening to music bring you pleasure and satisfaction? Meditation "Other work by Davidson’s group on mindfulness reveals the importance of mediation in terms of brain activation of the reward circuitry. Understanding this could suggest that meditation coupled with enhance spiritual belief may indeed induce dopamine release" and a happier new year. Exercise Tip: Pick up a small item. Look at it. Observe the color, shape, and texture. Listen for the sound it makes when you tap on it. Notice the patterns. Does it have a taste or smell? What does it feel like? Describe in words aloud all the sensations you feel—the color as the light bounces on your eyes, the sound waves beating on your ear drums, the texture as the skin on your fingertips touch the object. A minute of paying specific attention can improve your sensations, mood, and relaxation. When we remember an event, we remember certain types of sensations—the color of the car that hit us, the shape of the tree that fell in the wind storm, the feeling of salt water on our feet as we walked on the sandy beach, or the color of the shirt we were wearing when we got engaged. Medical research indicates that our perception of sensations in the moment as well as our memory of events can improve with practice. Here are two exercises that focus on color and shape recognition and improving memory. ... Request a Free PDF copy of the full article via email Burnham, Kimberly (2017 11 01). "Memory, Color, and the Visual Cortex of the Brain." ABI Magazine, Acquired Brain Injury Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. [Full Article] https://issuu.com/debbiest.jean/docs/arm_20fall_20issue_202017 OR ttps://www.academia.edu/35561260/Memory_Color_and_the_Visual_Cortex_of_the_Bra Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free Report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018.  Exercise Tip: Blink your eyes as you look around. Ask yourself questions about how many things, what shapes, or colors you see. For example, how many thing do you see that are red or round or chairs? This exercise can increase the speed with which you see and interpret the visual information you see. A 2017 study in the Journal of Neurotrauma suggests that the peripheral vision reaction time indirectly measures white matter integrity in the posterior corpus callosum [connection between right and left hemispheres of the brain]. This is a brain region frequently damaged by mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). (Womack, K. B., C. Paliotta, et al. (2017). "Measurement of Peripheral Vision Reaction Time Identifies White Matter Disruption in Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury." J Neurotrauma 34(8): 1539-1545.) Within seven days after the injury, patients received an MRI scan and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Nine uninjured control subjects received similar testing. The patients 18-50 years of age were included if they had a post-resuscitation Glasgow Coma Scale >13 and an injury mechanism compatible with mild traumatic brain injury. Healthy controls were either age- and gender-matched family members of the TBI patients or healthy volunteers. Researchers found that the patients with the worst white matter levels had the worst test scores and the patients with the most mild white matter deficits had the best test scores. "Patients could be stratified on the basis of crossed-uncrossed difference on the Stroop 1, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and the obsessive-compulsive component of the Basic Symptom Inventory tests." Reverse engineering the Journal of Neurotrauma article indicates that exercises that increase peripheral vision and exercises that speed up reaction time may encourage white matter integrity and brain healing. ... Request a Free PDF copy of the full article via email Burnham, Kimberly (2017 08 01). "Speed Up Peripheral Vision, Build White Matter ." ABI Magazine, Acquired Brain Injury https://abimagazine.wordpress.com/. Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. [Full Article] https://www.academia.edu/34244903/Speed_Up_Peripheral_Vision_Build_White_Matter Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free Report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018.  Exercise Tip: Go outside in the morning light and look around at things that are moving in time: swaying trees, cars, people, flying birds, waving flags. Feel for the beating of your heart or the rhythm of your breathing. Do you feel yourself in sync with the universe? People complain about being slaves to time—being on time. There is a clock inside each of us—our brains, our bodies, right down to our cells—that is syncing up every moment to the world around us. Our cells and brain notices the words we use and the way the light changes as the sun circles the sky. "If we’re having lunch, you and I will unconsciously pick up our forks more or less at the same time. There’s a great study about two people playing the game WhackAMole. Even though they were competing against each other, their movements fell into synch, even at the expense of losing points. They would unconsciously work toward this synchrony. If I watch a video of two people talking, I will be able to tell, unconsciously, how friendly they are, based on the extent to which their movements fall into synch with each other," said Alan Burdick, speaking about his book, Why Time Flies: A Mostly Scientific Investigation. In movies where it seems that a child is mimicking the actions of an adult the actors are actually doing the opposite because it is easier for the adult to mimic what the child is doing than to ask a five year old to adjust the flow and rhythm of how they move, even if the scene is portrayed that way. Try this: pair up with someone, stand facing each other, and take turns following the other person's hand movements. How hard is it? Do you get better over time? Many rhythms in the body, known as circadian rhythms or circa (about) dian (a day) regulate our physiology on a 24 hours cycle. The most prominent cycle is the sleep-wake cycle. When these rhythms are disrupted the ability to sleeping deeply and waking up rest and ready to go, suffers. In a 2016 article researchers noted, "Circadian rhythms modulate many physiologic processes and behaviors. Circadian disruption [in rats] induced by constant light exposure has been discovered to produce pathophysiologic [disease] consequences after brain injury. Our results showed that 14 days of constant light exposure after TBI significantly worsened the sensorimotor [sensation and muscle movement] and cognitive deficits, which were associated with decreased body weight, impaired water and food intake, increased cortical lesion volume, and decreased neuronal survival [further brain damage]. Our novel findings suggest that light exposure should be decreased and circadian rhythm reestablished in hospitalized TBI patients." (Li, D., S. Ma, et al. (2016). "Environmental Circadian Disruption Worsens Neurologic Impairment and Inhibits Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Adult Rats After Traumatic Brain Injury." Cell Mol Neurobiol 36(7): 1045-1055. Our relationship to time can be balanced by paying attention to the kind and amount of light we are exposed to. Sunlight in the morning and no screens for at least the 30-60 minutes before we plan to go to sleep are a key to sleeping better. Request a Free PDF copy of the full article via email Burnham, Kimberly (2017 03 01). "Balancing the Brain and Being On Time." ABI Magazine, Acquired Brain Injury https://abimagazine.wordpress.com/. Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. [Full Article] https://issuu.com/debbiest.jean/docs/arm_spring_issue_volume1-issue2 Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free Report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018.  Exercise Tip: As you walk outside or in place count. Does your balance and walking improve? Or listen to music or poetry read outloud as you walk. What changes? A recent study looked at the effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait or walking behavior in 14 adolescents with acquired brain injury. Data collected included the dynamic motions of joints on three-dimensional planes during a gait cycle and the range of motion in each joint. Researchers noted, "Significant group differences were observed in cadence, walking velocity, and step time, indicating that there were greater improvements in those parameters in the rhythmic auditory stimulation group compared with the control group. Significant increases in hip and knee motions in the sagittal plane [hip flexion and extension] were also observed in the rhythmic auditory stimulation group." (Kim, S. J., Y. K. Shin, et al. (2016). "Changes in gait patterns induced by rhythmic auditory stimulation for adolescents with acquired brain injury." Ann N Y Acad Sci 1385(1): 53-62). The research indicates that attention to the rhythmical nature of our lives may help improve our ability to walk as well as the range of motion of joints. Many people with brain health issues find walking more successful when they count out loud or to themselves. This is a way to pay attention to the rhythm or cadence of walking. Think about your own walking does it improve if you sing a song or count or listen to music? Request a Free PDF copy of the full article via email Burnham, Kimberly (2017 01 01). "Balancing the Brain with Rhythmical Poetry and Movement." ABI Magazine, Acquired Brain Injury https://abimagazine.wordpress.com/ Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. [Full Article] http://www.academia.edu/31508510/Balancing_the_Brain...With_Rhythmical_Poetry_and_Movement_in_ABI_Recovery_Magazine_Winter_Issue_2017_ Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018.  “A theologian will tell you that faith is essential to religious belief, but our brain-scan research, which we document in our new book, “How God Changes Your Brain,” led us to the conclusion that faith is the most important thing a person needs to maintain a neurologically healthy brain. Indeed, we believe that faith is more essential than exercise, especially in light of the cumulative research showing how doubt and pessimism can shorten your life by years.
By faith, we mean the ability to consciously and repetitively hold an optimistic vision of a positive future — about yourself, and about the world. When you do this — through meditation, prayer, or intensely focusing on a positive goal — you strengthen a unique circuit in your brain that improves memory and cognition, reduces anxiety and depression, and enhances social awareness and empathy toward others. And it doesn’t matter whether the meditations are religious or secular. However, when meditation is religious and strengthens your spiritual beliefs, then there is a synergistic effect that can be even better. Our research into how people describe their own spiritual experiences speaks directly to this fact. On one hand, it seems that people use a tremendous diversity of descriptions in recounting deeply meaningful, spiritual experiences. For some it is love, for some awe, for some it is the experience of direct contact with the divine (however they define that). However, in spite of these many different descriptions, each person describes a transformative element that changes their mind, their health, and their life. In fact, our research shows that the more you engage all parts of your being, your thoughts, emotions, perceptions, social interactions and spiritual pursuits, the more it enhances your brain’s function. But most importantly, this requires a focus on the positive — on love, forgiveness, optimism, and inclusiveness.” - Neuroscientists Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman
​Request a Free PDF copy of the SlideShare Presentation via email
Ask about a paperback copy of the book Regain Your Balance. ​ Burnham, Kimberly (2012). "Except of Regain Your Balance, Ataxia Solutions" SlideShare Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. ​ Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free Report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018. Liverese to English, If Your Liver Could Talk by Kimberly Burnham, PhD, The Nerve Whisperer6/11/2013  Imagine if this was your day....a headache before you went to bed, then you woke up at 2 am and never did quite get back to sleep. At seven when the alarm went off you thought about calling in sick but there is just too much to do and then irritated you realized you ran out of breakfast cereal and had a pop tart instead. Your eyes can't focus on the report you are preparing. Last night's head ache is coming back and you wish that you had had time for a better lunch.....It is not a good day for you or your liver. What would your liver say, if it had a voice, a say in how your life flows, the amount of energy you have, how well you sleep and how happy you are? In fact, your liver is talking all the time, communicating how it feels and is functioning. Here is a brief Liverese to English translation guide, followed by some things you can do to bridge the communication gap: Low energy in the afternoon : Low energy often means the liver is not doing it job. Normally the liver regulates many substances important in maintaining your body's normal state, stores nutrients including blood sugars and clears out waste products. Easy bruising or bleeding gums - The liver is partially responsible for maintaining a good level of clotting factors. Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies - The liver also stores fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K), folate, vitamin B 12 , and minerals such as copper and iron. Dark circles under the eyes and yellowish skin color - The liver is telling you it is not clearing toxins and the bilirubin from old red blood cells is turning the skin a yellowish hue. Swollen ankles - Decreased amounts of liver produced protein, albumin may lead to swelling and water retention. Difficulty digesting fats - Bile produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder is a greenish fluid need for fat digestion. High cholesterol - Cholesterol, needed for cell membrane structure, hormone balance and proper nerve conduction, is produced or processed in the liver. If the production or processing is off then cholesterol levels rise. A healthy liver keeps it all in balanced. Hot flashes and other hormonal disturbances - Yup, liver again as it plays an important role in hormonal modification and endocrine balance. Chest distention, sighing, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, diarrhea, depression, moodiness, PMS, breast tenderness, painful and/or irregular menstruation - Liver talking again. Headaches - The liver removes harmful substances and irritants from the blood, when it doesn't they can irritate the lining of the brain. Hang over - Alcohol and sugar are primarily metabolized by the liver, and accumulation of its products can lead to cell injury and liver problems. Gallbladder pain / gallstones - The gallbladder is considered in Traditional Chinese Medicine to be the pair to the liver and as you know when one partner is not doing his job the relationship suffers. Trouble sleeping between 1am and 3am - These are considered the peak hours for the liver in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Difficulty between 1 am and 3 am is often ascribed to an unhappy liver. Problems with the eyes, tendons, tears (dry eyes), nails - All associated with liver's acupuncture meridian which flows along the inner leg on both sides. Anger management issues - In Traditional Chinese Medicine the liver, considered a wood element is associated with the emotion anger. So, what is there to do to ensure everyone is happier? If you think of vision / eyesight, liver / gallbladder health and anger forming a triangle, three connected points, each influencing the other for good or for bad. Imagine one point of the triangle is your vision, your ability to see the colors of a rainbow, recognize the face of your best friend, or read an inspirational book like, Pebbles in the Pond, Transforming the World One Person at a Time. Another point is the liver and the gallbladder, they are linked in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The liver meridian associated with the color green, runs along the inner leg. The gallbladder meridian runs along the outer edge of the leg and up into the area over the ears. Rubbing the head as in a scalp massage can stimulate the liver and gallbladder points. Pressure on liver and gallbladder points along the leg is also thought to soothe the liver. Due to the interaction between the three points of this triangle, improving the eyes with exercises, eating more essential fatty acids, such as olive oil, avocado, salmon or through acupuncture or manual therapy will also have a beneficial effect on anger management and liver / gallbladder health. You can go in another door and work on improving the liver and gallbladder by eating organic foods, and maintain a diet low in processed sugars or alcohol. There are many herbs and detoxifying foods that can help the liver and gallbladder function more efficiently. Improving liver and gallbladder health typically also improves vision and anger management skills. Going in the anger door of the triangle will also affect the other two points. Another way to increase internal communication is to rest quietly with one hand over the liver (right side of the lower rib cage) and the other hand on the area you want to connect (ie) the heart to improve blood flow and cholesterol or the spleen (left side of lower rib cage) to improve the way the liver talks to the immune system or the head to improve headache symptoms. By talking to a psychologist or life coach, doing things you love and enjoy, watching one of your favorite movies, like my favorite, The Last Holiday or writing in a journal can each improve your anger management skills. As your level of uncontrollable anger or rage decreases, your vision and liver / gallbladder health may also improve. By improving one of the three you can improve the other two. One of my favorite Japanese sayings is, "There are many ways to the top of Mount Fuji." Once you understand relationships in your body or in your life you can find the access or doorway into improving the overall system. For some people doing talk therapy or coaching for anger issues can be the easiest, fastest way to improve their life. for someone else eliminating processed sugar from their diet might be the best way to improve vision and reactivity to the world. Originally Published at Giving Voice to Your Story with Dorit Sasson http://www.givingavoicetothevoicelessbook.com/home/  by Kimberly Burnham, PhD, Brain Health Coach Imagine for a moment, a potential client calls wanting to know if you can work with them on cancer-related issues. They want to wake up free of cancer, related stress and symptoms, with more energy and more satisfaction with their life, relationships and activities. Can you, as a Health Coach, hold the space, listen and ask questions, animating their process and recovery? Can you ask them, "What if a miracle occurred overnight and the cancer or other troubling physical ailment was gone tomorrow. When you wake up, how do you know it is gone? What do you notice? What is different in your life? Can part of the road to fulfillment lie in these and other questions?" Recently, Mesothelioma.com posted a page on "Health Coaching" for people with mesothelioma and other cancers. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer of the mesothelium or tissue surrounding the lungs. There is only a limited range of medical treatment options for this cancer, which is due primarily to asbestos exposure. Let's consider the health coaching options. There are palliative options including: helping the client and their family gain clarity around what they want, what increases their quality of life and what might provide better stress management. Health coaching takes the point of view that the client is whole and has their own best answers. On some level they each know what they need to do to achieve their goals. Faced with surviving a diagnosis while the medical system provides little hope can be daunting. As Health Coaches, can we envelop ourselves and our clients with healthy ideas and healing morphic fields? In cancer, more than almost any other chronic degenerative disorder, attitude seems to play a crucial role. Can a dose of hope, a sense of control over the situation, more laughter and joy cure cancer? People with cancer have gone into spontaneous remission. Can this happen for the person with a diagnosis of mesothelioma? Perhaps. While we can't judge or predict outcomes, we can see the impact of coaching, mindfulness, and visualization on the individuals we have contact with. We can be surprised. We can paraphrase the late author Laura Whitworth as in Co-Active Coaching and say to the client, "The answers might be part of your conscious awareness. You may turn to a health coach to help you stick to your plans to eat well, exercise, meditate, relax, wake up happy or laugh more. The solutions might be deep within your subconscious as you turn to your health coach to ponder the questions. Consider new perspectives and allow the information on how you can improve your life to percolate up to the surface. "The answers come from you, the client, from your inner wisdom, the power of your mind and subconscious. You may never have sought these answers before the coach asks the questions. Questions create channels for self-discovery and the answers are already there. And, with each answer, comes healing, energy, love and laughter, enough to change your life." More and more people with cancers, including mesothelioma, are giving health coaching a chance to create more joy and satisfaction in their lives, provide pain and stress relief, enable choices that hasten recovery after surgery, and reduce the side effects of certain medications, including chemotherapy. As a Health Coach, are you up to the challenge of holding space while a person diagnosed with cancer creates a different reality for themselves? Request a Free PDF Report on Cancer and Alternative Medicine via email Email Kimberly Burnham at [email protected] Mention your top 8 health goals for 2018 for a free report on how you can feel better with easy self-care exercises. Connect with Kimberly Burnham on Social Media or Email for a Free report on Brain Health Exercises, Mention your top 8 Health Goals for 2018.  |
Kimberly Burnham, PhD (Integrative Medicine)
860-221-8510 phone and what's app. Skype: Kimberly Burnham (Spokane, Washington) [email protected] 
4 Month Brain Health Coaching Package $600 includes: 8 one hour session (twice a month) plus ... Details Here
Regular Rate $120 per hour
Free 20-30 minute consultations available.. Call 860-221-8510 PST or email [email protected] for an appointment this week.
Archives
January 2018
Categories
All
|
