Sometimes we think of the neurology as either an accident or a blessing that, either way, we can’t control. Controlling how your brain functions is much like going to the gym and giving a heaping helping of WORK to the muscles.Want to know a secret? The brain needs work too…

So work it baby!

Some studies have even shown that Alzheimer’s disease can be warded off by the moving of furniture and changing your watch to 24 hr mode. Crossword puzzles are another great thing to do… basically anything that you can do to make the brain work a little harder or in a new way, than it has done, will provide a lasting benefit.

The brain is not a muscle… The brain is an intense electrical map. It is networked together in the most efficient and powerful ways to make the processing power of your brain better than any computer. The brain will process constant stimuli from your body in the background and still be able to carry on a normal conversation without much difficulty.

You know when things are not right. Speech patterns and memory deficits are primary indicators.

IF you can do a few simple things your brain will be in Olympic shape in no time. 

1. Rest
   1. Getting enough rest is essential! The brain will function at a sub-par level unless you get about 7 hours of sleep per night. You need to average 7-8 to be at your best. Dr. Perlmutter, in his book, "The Better Brain," suggests that not getting adequate sleep overtime is actually killing brain cells. The recap goes like this…
   2. Sleep is a time when your body winds down and rejuvenates. It is also a time when the brain does systems check. The brain goes through and checks hormone levels, neurotransmitters, and cleans out waste products. BUT one of the most interesting things that your brain does when you are sleeping...IT LEARNS… when you are awake you are storing things in your short term memory, but when you sleep the brain takes advantage of the down time and processes all that information and stores the necessary things! So... sleep the right amount… perform at your peak… and LEARN.

1. Exercise
   1. Puts yourself through the paces every once in a while. Getting the right amount of exercise does a ton of good things for your body. When you get a hard work out in your brain will function better simply because you have just flushed the proverbial toilet on your body. Taken your insides and given them a thorough washing. Chemically your body needs some activity every day, and this means more than getting the kiddos going and off to school. Make yourself become the master of your body. Doing this will give your brain a break. As we exercise regularly we turn down the background noise and allow the brain to relax, and save some of that processing power working in a daily environment.

So how do you get that brain of yours into tip-top shape?

Rest it…

Work it…

And eat right.

I will save the last one for another day… but a plug for our health talk coming up is IF your body is full of crappy foods and crumby lifestyle choices… your brain will be so busy working in the background that your mental sharpness may suffer.

Here is the link to the questionnaire about DETOX and if you need one.

Leave a comment and tell how you like to boost your mental prowess!

REFERENCES:

The Better Brain Book by Dr. David Perlmutter, M.D., FACN, and Carol Colman

The Brain of Dr. Bench :)

Many people have issues that arise with the daily fight against gravity… Some have a bit more of an issue than others. This is usually referred to as vertigo. There are two main centers of control for the balance and posture of the body. The primary center is in the inner ear. The labrynth of the ear is the best place to look if you have vertigo problems… but do not be fooled into thinking that the ear is the only problem area. The cervical spine (the neck) is rich in proprioceptors. The proprioceptive reflexes can give bad information to the brain because of misalignments of the spine (subluxations) or previous injuries.

In the Evo Chiropractic office we have seen many cases of dizziness resolve with some cervical adjusting. Some people need only a few adjustments and other need some diligent care… one patient I am thinking of was quite a case. The patient presented to the clinic with vertigo, so bad that she could not stand straight, looking drunk was the nice way to put it! She was dizzy and slurring and swaying and running into things. I would have thought someone gave her a drink, but she had been under parental supervision for the past few days. She had just come from her primary care doctor, and the lab work was normal. They had no idea why she was so “off.” After a careful evaluation and an adjustment we let her rest for a few minutes on the table. She got off the table with an immediate relief of about 75% of her vertigo! With only one visit she had seen her body respond in a more than positive way. This patient is in the office for a checkup now and then and has to this day not had a recurrence of the vertigo…

I have attached a more in depth article about causes, treatment options, and problems to watch out for with vertigo.

Dr. Bench

Causes of Vertigo

• Vertigo can be caused by many problems, most of which originate in the peripheral or central nervous system.
• The causes of vertigo that stem from the peripheral nervous system include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), acute vestibular neuronitis, labyrinthitis and Ménière’s disease.
• Acoustic neuroma, migraines, cervicogenic vertigo and multiple sclerosis are all related to the central nervous system.
• Vertigo can also be caused by a wide variety of medications such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antihypertensives, diuretics, barbiturates, salicylates (e.g., aspirin), sedatives or hypnotics, some prescription and over-the-counter cold medicines, and some antibiotics and antineoplastics.
• Diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, high blood triglycerides, hypoglycemia, and food allergies or gluten sensitivity can also cause or worsen vertigo.
• Motor vehicle accidents, falls or other types of traumas or illnesses can also be associated with vertigo.
• To diagnose the cause of vertigo, your health care provider will perform an examination, including a variety of positioning tests, to check if they will reproduce the sensation of motion. Other tests may also be necessary.
• Read more at … http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=4013