BrainAdvantage

New Quote of the Week

2014-10-11T07:43:00.001-07:00

“[Psychiatric] drugs have so many side effects because using them to treat a complex psychiatric disorder is a bit like trying to change your engine oil by opening a can and pouring it all over the engine block. Some of it will dribble into the right place, but a lot of it will do more harm than good."

David Anderson

"Your brain is more than a bag of chemicals"

Repair Your Memory

2014-03-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Losing your memory is scary. Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you went in there? My patients joke and call it a "senior moment", but the fact is that it’s really no joking matter.
As you age, your mental functions slow down. Both your thinking and your reaction time slow. It's probably natural. But is it unavoidable?

As it turns out, you don't have to become one of those slow-lane drivers. In fact, despite what you may have heard, cognitive decline is not inevitable. What's more, maintaining your memory has little to do with genetics, and even less to do with drugs.
What you can do are a few simple exercises that are easy to understand and easy to do. We provide everything you need. Call us today at 714-269-7990 or Click here for more information.

Fun Brain Facts

2014-02-18T21:06:00.001-08:00

A little neuroscience savvy gives us all power to understand ourselves, manage ourselves and adapt behaviours to work with our brain, not against it. Let's face it, times are indeed "crazy busy" for many of us so learning how to keep ourselves sharp, hearty, resilient and effective with some brain savvy can't hurt.

I'd like to pay a tribute to the brain with: "10 Things I Learned About the Brain and Why You Should Too Learn Them Too."

*Please note that in this list, I use the term "brain" very loosely, recognizing that the brain is a highly complex organ with many different parts, functions and relationships in our bodies.

1) Too much stress compromises our higher thinking brain's capacity. The pre-frontal cortex (PFC) is the part of the brain that drives much of our higher-thinking brain functions such as problem solving, analyzing, prioritizing, distinguishing and reflecting. When we feel overly stressed, this part of the brain "gears down" and lets the stress brain (amygdala) take precedence. No time for reflective thought; it's time for flight or fight!

Just when we need it most we lose our "thinking ability"! So learn to manage that stress response so you can properly think your way through those "crazy busy" times.

2) Our brains love it when we get organized and make plans. When I'm totally stressed out I take a moment to pause, park and reflect. I write out a list, prioritize and make plans. Turns out thinking activities such as reflecting, prioritizing, planning, not only use the prefrontal cortex, they also stimulate it and bring it back online. So taking just a few moments to get a bit more organized will not only bring our higher thinking brain back online, you will also be rewarded with a dose of GABA, the hormone that brings a feeling of calm. Two orders of that, please!

3) Our brains have a sweet spot of optimal stress for their best functioning. Goldilocks was so finicky. She needed everything just right. Well our brains do too. While too much stress can compromise the prefrontal cortex and "shut down" our brain's capacity for higher functioning, too little stress can do the same. Neuroscientist Amy Arnsten, a professor of neurobiology and psychology at Yale University, says the prefrontal cortex is the "Goldilocks" part of the brain - it needs everything to be "just right" for optimal performance.

So become aware of your sweet spot. Learn to ramp it up when under-stressed and how to tame the stress when overloaded.

4) Our higher thinking brains are not meant to store large loads of information. Our PFC is meant to perform critical thinking activity, but isn't meant to be a storage bin for all of our "to-do's." Yet, all too often, we try to load up our "to-do's" in our head which is a first class ticket to "Mind Full" syndrome.

I've learned that it is important to get much of my "stuff" out of my head, but keep it appropriately top of mind. So "yay" to structures like lists, plans, etc. Those loads in your brain can be major distractions and prevent you from focusing. Speaking of which, see next point.

5) Focus is "candy for the brain" - and the body too.

Our higher thinking brains love to focus. When we focus, we are rewarded with better thinking, more clarity, a feeling of engagement and sometimes, even a dose of GABA (hormone) which is like antacid for the brain and brings a feeling of calm.

Unfortunately, we tend not to give ourselves much focus time. Instead we juggle, multitask and exhaust our brains, which are not built for multitasking attention. This can be a major energy drain and compromises productivity, creativity and efficiency. So ditch the multitasking habit. Chunk down your priorities and bring more focus into your day -- even if for only minutes at a time, start small and build up from there. See book excerpt for more on multitasking.

6) Our brains tend to hold on to "unfinished business." Long ago (1927), Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik discovered that people tend to remember incomplete or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks. Known as the Zeigarnik effect, this can be a good thing - if you are a waiter and remembering food and drink orders. But not so much if you are dealing with a heavy workload when tasks are never quite finished. The weight of unfinished business can burden us and contribute to the feeling of overwhelm.

So more proof for the merit of making plans for your unfinished business - e.g., schedule it or put it into a "to-do" list. This will give your brain a feeling of completion for the moment vs. letting it swirl around in your brain with menace - distracting and taunting you as you try to get through it all. This strategy will also help you sleep better at night, another essential for maximizing your "brain-ability."

7) Positivity broadens and builds your brain (and life) capacity. Positivity is not just a "nice-to-have" attribute. It is truly an essential ingredient for success and well-being. Positivity scientist Barbara Fredrickson coined the term "broaden and build" to capture this notion and years of hard scientific evidence that links positive emotions with better health, improved brain and cognitive function, greater personal efficacy, a heightened ability to connect and an overall boost to one's potential to thrive with more fulfillment and success.

Learn to rein in the negativity and to boost your positivity. You don't have to be permanently positive (that would not be real), but do aim for a minimum of 3:1 ratio of positive thoughts to negative. Go for the micro moments and get plenty into your daily diet. See here for an article on the positivity advantage.

8) Connecting with others is good for the brain, body and spirit. Interacting with people positively can boost levels of the hormone oxytocin, which can have a calming effect. It's also one of the best ways to boost your positivity ratio. Don't go it alone! Seek out positive connections. Even moments at a time will give you and your brain boost.

9) A picture is worth a thousand words. While our left brain hemispheres may like to organize and create lists, our right brains love metaphors and visuals. Sometimes focusing on an image or a mantra can bring the calm and open our minds more than using our rational brains. There is no such thing as being a left brain or right brain person. For maximum success, we all need to integrate and tap into both sides of our brains. So go ahead and give it a try: Create a picture, image or saying that will help you tap into a more positive, calmer state at a moment's notice.

10) You can teach an "old dog new tricks"! Our brains may be the same model we inherited from our ancestors from early days, but they are neuroplastic which means that with repetition and practice, we can create new neural paths and connections. That means we can create new habits, new ways of thinking and new ways of reacting and experiencing the ups and downs of work and life. We have the power to choose. You can indeed change. Practice, rinse, repeat. Then see what happens.

Brain Multitasking

2014-02-18T19:44:00.001-08:00

Work warriors wear their multitasking badges proudly. Then we take this skill home and multitask some more.

Multitasking is similar to how we felt about eating a lot of carbs in the early ’90s. The more, the better, right?

Wrong! Flying in the face of old notions, we’re now learning that multitasking is, in fact, not the shiny attribute it’s been touted to be all these years. While we do need skills to handle diverse demands in work and life, too much multitasking costs us precious energy, productivity, and even critical-thinking capacity.

Our brains aren’t built for certain kinds of multitasking. Sure, we can walk and talk and eat and listen at the same time. But when we ask our brain to process unrelated information with multiple critical-thinking tasks at once, we actually compromise our short-term memory and cognitive-processing capacity.

In fact, what our brains do is switch from task to task – back and forth, back and forth. The faster we ask it to do so, the faster it switches. All this switching takes energy and amounts to wasted brain energy. This precious energy is not focused on thinking but, rather, is lost on switching.

Think of it like a driving a car. If you drive 20 kilometres on the highway and then drive the same distance in the city, you will use more gas during the city drive. The constant stopping, turning, and shifting gears consumes more gas. The distance is the same, but the switching takes more energy.

Now put this analogy into the context of your day. If your entire day is filled with juggling tasks and little focused time, you will likely spend much more energy and feel more depleted than if you put the same amount of hours into your work with more focused time. And you might not be as sharp and effective, because you might compromise your brain’s capacity to give you its best.

The Story at a Glance

Here’s an embarrassing yet true story. I had just written part of a first draft of this chapter (without this story that I’m about to tell you). It was a Sunday, and I was getting ready to go to the gym but wanted to call a friend before I left so that I could share some news with her. I phoned her and, while chatting, decided to simultaneously pack my gym bag, change my clothes, and feed the cat. I must have come across like a moron, because she called me on it. As I was trying to relay a story to her, my focus was completely scattered, and I couldn’t get a proper sentence out. I kept losing my train of thought.

Not only did I forget key items to put in my gym bag, but I also couldn’t communicate for the life of me. I was all over the place! Realizing what I had just done gave me a great laugh, especially because I had just finished writing about the perils of multitasking. But the episode reinforced for me how much we have become ingrained in our multitasking habit; we are always trying to jam in too many activities at once. This example was benign. But where else in our lives do we compromise our attention by attempting to do too many things at once?

I know, thankfully, in my coaching calls, I create a space and environment where I can completely focus my attention on the client. But at other times, when I’m doing other work, maybe I could do better.

How about you? Are you over-expressing that juggler tendency? Do you build in enough focus time? Are your thoughts fuzzy at times? Are you depleted at the end of the day?

Flow: The sweetness of focused time

Our brains actually love to focus, and one of the rewards of focus can be an experience of flow. This is when you are in a zone where you lose yourself in an activity, and everything feels effortless and right. You feel completely on, and it is easy to lose your sense of time. Not only does this flow feel good in the moment, but it also provides a longer-lasting sense of gratification. Experts, such as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, say flow is an essential ingredient to finding engagement and more joy and even success in our everyday work and lives. Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced ‘chick-sent-me-high’), a renowned psychologist and educator, has written extensively on the topic, including the book Finding Flow.

The idea isn’t to do less work per se but, rather, to find ways to focus our attention and build in more time for focused activity. And while our work might not offer the luxury of focusing for hours on end, there might be pockets of time we can carve out with intention.

The Advice

Take a timeout from your love affair with multitasking. Learn to tame the juggler in you and create more opportunities for focus time. Notice what happens to your productivity, energy, and overall sense of well-being. If you can’t get enough flow time in your workday, try to include some in your after-work time.

Start small. Don’t expect to tame the multitasking habit overnight. Start small, and set aside short periods of time – even as little as 20 minutes – every day for a week for focused activity. Commit to putting your attention on one thing at a time – perhaps working on a particular project or completing a portion of it before moving on to another. Then observe the impact that this focused time had on you. Were you more productive? Sharper and more creative? Did the time fly by? Was your energy increased or depleted?

You can then build up to longer periods as you see fit or are able to accommodate in your day.

Support your intention with the right environment. Turn off your phone, close your door, clear your desk – do anything that will give you the space and time to focus.

Schedule it. Earlier, we talked about putting yourself into your own schedule for thinking time. Use this strategy to ensure you have focused time for important thinking activities. If you have a report to write or a plan to develop, block off time without other competing priorities and see how much more productive you will be. Beware of distractions that will impede your focus time.

Coach others to do the same. If you are a leader, try to encourage others to set apart time to focus on a particular task. It sounds simple, but in our frenzied world of continuous rushing, focused time seems to be lost in the shuffle. You might notice a marked improvement in your own productivity as well as in that of your team.

The Pay-Off

Focused time will give you more energy and sharper thinking and will result in more productivity for your efforts.

You will become more energy efficient with your time.

You will experience more clarity in your thinking.

You will enjoy a longer-lasting feeling of engagement that often results from flow and focused activities.

You will experience more productivity and satisfaction in your day.

Sleeping Helps Memory

2014-01-21T07:27:00.001-08:00

Sleep yourself to a
better memory?
Every lifestyle choice has the potential to affect your cognitive abilities and health. In recent years, various researchers have found that a habit that most of us take for granted — sleep — may affect our memory in noticeable ways.
Does sleep help long term
memories stick?
In a study published in the June 2011 issue of Science, University of Washington researchers studied the role of sleep in forming long-term memories by using a special breed of fruit flies that could be induced to sleep on demand. First, the male flies studied in this paper were “trained” by being exposed to other, genetically engineered males who released female pheromones. After several courtships and rejections during this training period, some of these flies were then forced to sleep for 4 hours. These sleepers made no further attempts to court the engineered males when exposed to them again — suggesting that sleep had helped form a long-term memory of the earlier deception.

But flies who didn’t sleep were tricked once more by the same genetically engineered males. The researchers in this study concluded that training alone was not enough to trigger memory consolidation — sleep was a necessary component. While this study’s results don’t necessarily carry over to humans, they help cast the role of sleep in a new light.
How lack of sleep could hurt you
Not only may sleep help your memory, but lack of sleep may also hurt your health. A 2010 study from Biological Psychiatry found that chronic insomnia may lead to loss of brain volume. Researchers used fMRI scans to examine the brains of 37 human subjects with and without chronic insomnia. Insomniacs had a smaller volumes of gray matter in three brain areas — and the more serious the insomnia, the greater the loss of volume.

And in 2012, a preliminary study from the Washington University School of Medicine found that in mice, poor sleep may be related to brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's.
The future of sleep studies
The third of our life that we spend sleeping has always been something of a mystery. Now a new wave of studies are finding indications that while we may appear to be in a stupor, our brains are actually hard at work. It may take many more years or decades before we reach definite conclusions about all the many roles that sleep plays, but most scientists agree that getting a decent night’s rest is a good idea.

Researchers discover source of imagination in human brain

2013-09-17T07:33:00.001-07:00

National Monitor, Lance Tillson

According to a news release from Dartmouth College, researchers have discovered the source of imagination in the human brain. Their research answers several longstanding scientific questions: what gives people the ability to make beautiful art, construct novel tools and achieve other extremely distinct actions.

The researchers think that imagination comes from a sweeping neural network, known as the brain’s “mental workspace,” that deliberately shapes images, symbols, idea and theories and provides humans with the mental focus required to determine intricate problems and produce novel ideas.

“Our findings move us closer to understanding how the organization of our brains sets us apart from other species and provides such a rich internal playground for us to think freely and creatively,” notes lead author Alex Schlegel , a graduate student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, in a statement. “Understanding these differences will give us insight into where human creativity comes from and possibly allow us to recreate those same creative processes in machines.”

Researchers believe that human imagination demands a sweeping neural network in the brain, but proof for this “mental workspace” has been hard to generate with methods that primarily look at brain activity in isolation. The researchers welcomed the obstacles by trying to determine how the brain lets humans mold mental imagery. For example, thinking of a horse with the head of a human, an ostensibly easy job but one that means the brain has to form a completely novel image and have it materialize in our mind’s eye.

The researchers asked 15 participants to think about precise abstract visual figures and then to mentally blend them into novel more intricate forms or to mentally disassemble them into their separate parts. They determined the 15 participants’ brain activity with functional MRI and discovered a cortical and subcortical network over a significant section of the brain was answerable for their imagery moldings. The network looks a lot like the “mental workspace” that researchers have suspected might be responsible for a lot of human conscious experience, as well as the malleable cerebral capacities that humans have developed.

The study’s findings are described in greater detail in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

What Makes Intelligence?

2013-07-31T07:37:00.001-07:00

Have you ever said that about someone and, if so, what gave you that impression? There were clues, naturally. Maybe you listened to that person talk on lots of different topics with ease. Perhaps you've observed that she's particularly good at some talent or skill.

IQ stands for Intelligence Quotient, and it's measured by a number of tests. But more than a numerical score, what it looks like in real life is the ability to function and respond appropriately in any given moment. In other words, intelligence can typically be seen, translating into things like actions, choices, decisions and even achievements in everyday life.

What makes intelligence? It's actually a composite of many different things.

One component is knowledge. When you set out to solve a problem or function in a social setting, you're taking information you've learned in the past (whether it's the boiling point of water, someone's name, or which fork to use to eat your salad) and applying it to your current situation. So intelligence requires knowledge.

The other thing you need for intelligence is cognitive skills. What mental skills do you bring to a problem or situation? Do you have really good logic and reasoning? Can you focus on a task for a long time? Do you see the big picture really well, or are you more likely to see details at a fine resolution? Do you have a strong working memory? Can you remember and follow directions exceedingly well? It's one thing to have knowledge, but sharp mental skills are critical if you want to remember, reorganize and apply that knowledge to specific tasks, problems or situations.

Information and sharper mental skills. Want a smart combination? Pursue both.

By Dr. Layne Kalbfleisch, Neuroscientist

ADHD in San Clemente

2013-07-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Come to our ADHD Workshop in San Clemente

Better Balance Easy exercises to improve stability and prevent falls

2013-07-14T07:14:00.001-07:00

You've heard about how disastrous Broken hips can be for independence and long-term health. Fortunately, many can be prevented — more than 90% of broken hips occur because of falls.

One of the best ways to prevent falls is to maintain a sound, responsive, and enduring sense of balance.

BrainAdvantage take you through a series of workouts and exercises that will increase your stability, confidence, and self-reliance.

Our goal is to help you keep yourself from a potentially devastating fall. If you want to protect yourself from instability, if you want to continue to enjoy the independence and peace of mind that sound balance gives you, take the first step now. Call BrainAdvantage today.

Brain stimulation at any age may slow memory decline

2013-07-03T18:28:00.001-07:00

Leigh Taylor, The Cincinnati Enquirer, via AP
Reading now may protect your memory later in life, a new study suggests.

by Cathy Payne, USA TODAY

It's never too early to start protecting your brain power, a new study suggests.

Reading, writing and participating in other brain-stimulating activities at any age may protect your memory later in life, according to the research. The study, which tracked 294 individuals, is published online in the July 3 issue of Neurology.

"Our study suggests that exercising your brain by taking part in activities such as these across a person's lifetime, from childhood through old age, is important for brain health in old age," said the study's lead author, Robert Wilson.

After adjusting for signs of brain disease, higher levels of cognitive activity across the life span were associated with slower cognitive decline, the study found. Mental activity explained about 14% of the differences between people in how much their memory and thinking skills declined.

The finding supports the hypothesis of cognitive reserve, which describes the brain's ability to cope with disease or damage. According to the hypothesis, mental activity helps delay the cognitive consequences of disease.

Neuroimaging research suggests that cognitive activity can lead to changes in brain structure and function that may enhance cognitive reserve.

"An intellectually stimulating lifestyle helps to contribute to cognitive reserve and allows you to tolerate these age-related brain pathologies better than someone who has had a less cognitively active lifestyle," says Wilson, a neuropsychologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

He recommends that people have cognitively stimulating hobbies that they enjoy, such as photography and quilting.

Intellectually stimulating activities involve processing and using information. Examples are reading a book and then predicting what will happen next, as well as watching a movie and then comparing it with other films, says Judy Willis, a neurologist based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Willis says doing a variety of cognitive activities appears to be more protective of the cognitive reserve than focusing on one thing, even something like playing chess. "More research is needed to look at how much time should be devoted to an activity or learning a skill and how often it should be revisited," she adds.

Willis, who was not involved in the study, agrees that the activities should be motivated by pleasure. "Forcing yourself to do something takes a lot of mental effort," she adds. "If you try something and don't like it, try something else."

How to Cope With Spouse With Anxiety and/or Depression

2013-06-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Now there's help for those coping with
a spouse who has depression and anxiety.

Anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand and is very common for an individual to be diagnosed with both. For those who have a spouse who is suffering from one or both of these issues, life can be difficult. Many times those who are affected have a hard time holding together relationships and jobs. They get so wrapped up in their own feelings, they are unable to look outside themselves and see the world and people around them.

People with depression have the perspective that everything is negative, and that there is little hope for improvement. People with anxiety think negatively about specific situations, and can see at least some positives some of the time.

People with depression see the future as hopeless, and largely out of their control. People with anxiety generally see some hope for the future, but feel anxiety about how to accomplish what they need to do to achieve that improvement.

People with depression see their shortcomings as evidence that they are “bad,” or “defective,” or “broken.” People with anxiety also have negative views of their mistakes, but feel that they can be overcome, even if they are not sure how.

People with depression avoid routine tasks because they take too much energy, are too overwhelming, or because they believe doing them is not going to make a difference anyway. People with anxiety avoid specific tasks that make them anxious because of their fear of failure or being unable to cope or being ridiculed if they do it wrong.

People with depression expect failure, and often give up without even trying. For example, if a depressed person wakes up in the morning and feels tired, she may say, “I won’t be able to do anything today….it’s not even worth trying….I might as well stay in bed all day.” People with anxiety take the view that yes, the day may be challenging, but it hasn’t happened yet. Bad things could happen, such as messing up a presentation at work, and that does provoke anxiety, but it might not necessarily stop the anxious person from trying.

The automatic thoughts of a depressed person focus on overall sadness and loss, such as, “I’ll never be as capable as I once was,” or “It’ll never get better.” The automatic thoughts of an anxious person are more specific to performance, such as “I won’t know what to say when I talk to him,” or “I won’t have enough time to do a good job.”

It is important to know that there is help for people who are anxious and depressed that don’t include brain-altering drugs. These people can be trained to take control of their own brains and change their thinking and their behavior without drugs.

Click here to find out more about depression and anxiety.

Remember...Workshops start this Thursday!

2013-06-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Can Lumosity Cure All Brain Issues?

2013-06-17T10:37:00.002-07:00

Brain training is more than games.

We’re seeing lots of television advertising these days on how you can create perfect brain function just by using software games such as Lumosity. The facts are that if all you need is a little boost to your thinking skills, these programs might be just the ticket for you. But if there are other issues masking as brain issues, these programs won’t cure the underlying cause. How can you tell? Most people have a pretty good idea if their memory loss is more than just a few forgotten names or if they have difficulty with sound discrimination in a crowded room or being over-sensitive to sound and/or light. Even if your not sure, having a thorough assessment is essential. Looking at processing issues (how well your brain interprets the information coming in from your ears and eyes, and areas of the brain with abnormal function can give us information about what training will actually work on the root issues.

Call 714-269-7990 or 949-276-8704 or come in today for afull assessment to see just how your brain can be working to its full potential.

BrainAdvantage is offering 20% off all testing for the summer. Just mention it at the time of service.

Neurofeedback and ADHD

2013-06-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

The Executive Brain is in the frontal lobes.

Many people ask us why we use HEG neurofeedback instead of the more the traditional EEG neurofeedback. Our answers are simple.

Faster results:
HEG vs EEG neurofeedback in continuous performance tests: HEG showed a 1 point gain per session, compared to a 1/2 point gain per session of EEG neurofeedback on the TOVA test (Test of Variable Attention). This means HEG works in half the time.

Ease of training the frontal lobes of the brain:

EEG neurofeedback is not typically used on frontal lobes because of eye blinks or facial movement which cause distortion in the signal. Therefore EEG training must be done on other parts of the scalp away from the areas that most need training. HEG can be used directly on the areas where training is most needed, the frontal lobes, without sticky electrodes. HEG uses a simple headband with lights that can be tolerated even by autistic children.

Importance of Frontal Cortex:
The frontal cortex (frontal lobes) is often called “The Executive Brain” for good reason. It is the control center and has neuronal connections to, and exerts some control over, all other parts of the brain.

Sensory input gets filtered in the frontal cortex to determine what is important to pay attention to (or not).

Sequential processing, including using language and executing tasks in proper order, takes place in the frontal cortex. Increased blood supply helps the brain accomplish these tasks.

The frontal cortex is in charge of inhibiting impulses, when appropriate. If the frontal cortex is not functioning well, a person will show increased impulsive behaviors.

The frontal cortex is important in the function of working memory. Working memory is important for reading comprehension and carrying out tasks.

Low frontal cortex blood flow affects:
Frontal cortex hypoperfusion (low blood supply) has been shown to be a factor in Autism, ADD / ADHD, memory loss, depression, schizophrenia and more.

For more information about how we can help you, call 714-269-7990 or click here for more information.

Thyroid and Your Brain

2013-06-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Thyroid imbalance might be the true

Thyroid hormones are essential for brain maturation, and for brain function throughout life. In adults, thyroid disease can lead to a variety of brain disorders. Hypothyroidism (or low thyroid) for example, can cause lethargy, poor reflexes and motor coordination and is often associated with memory impairment. Hypothyroidism is also associated with bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and loss of cognitive functions, especially in the elderly.

On the other hand, Hyperthyroidism (or too much thyroid) causes anxiety, irritability, and increased reflex action. Both, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can lead to mood disorders, dementia, confusion, and personality changes. Most of these disorders are usually reversible with proper treatment. Call BrainAdvantage at 949-276-8704 or 714-269-7990 or click here today to find out more information.

Remember! Brain Workshops from BrainAdvantage Starts This Thursday!

2013-06-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Come see how you can improve your brain and your life!

Back by popular demand, BrainAdvantage will be giving its Brain Workshops at The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley on Thursday evenings. Come and learn about your brain and what to do about ADHD, Memory Loss, Depression, Anxiety and more. We are offering these workshops on a donation basis so all can come. Free yourself from those things holding you back from being your best!
Call 949-276-8704 or 949-240-6463 for more information.

Adult ADHD Affects Relationships

2013-05-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

Adult ADHD can affect relationships.

Having attention deficit disorder as an adult can dramatically affect relationships. Research has shown that a person with ADHD may be almost twice as likely to get divorced, and relationships with just one or both people with the disorder often become dysfunctional.

While ADHD can ruin relationships, the good news is that both partners are not powerless. The first step, of course, is to identify the ADHD symptoms, as more than half of adults who have ADHD don’t realize they have it. When you don’t know that a particular behavior is a symptom, you may misinterpret it as your partner’s true feelings for you.

ADHD symptoms alone don’t necessarily cause problems. It’s the response to the symptom from the partner that’s at issue. For instance, distractibility itself isn’t a problem. How the non-ADHD partner reacts to the distractibility can spark a negative cycle: The ADHD partner doesn’t pay attention to their spouse; the non-ADHD partner feels ignored and responds with anger and frustration; in turn, the ADHD partner responds in kind.

If the ADHD partner has trouble being reliable, many times the other person will try and cover-up or take over responsibilities for them. With good intentions, the non-ADHD partner tries to make the relationship easier. And not surprisingly, the more responsibilities the partner has, the more stressed and overwhelmed — and resentful — they become. Over time, they take on the role of parent, and the ADHD partner becomes the child. While the ADHD partner may be willing to help out, symptoms, such as forgetfulness and distractibility, get in the way.

Luckily there is a solution. Non-drug, non-invasive means to correct the function helps the ADHD person organize, focus and stay on task allowing them to make correct choices for their relationships and life. Call 714-269-7990 to see how BrainAdvantage can change ADHD symptoms for ever.

ADHD and Poor Sleep

2013-05-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

ADHD can have a link to poor sleep.

Does your child with ADHD sleep well, or do they toss and turn all night long?

Not every child with ADHD has sleep problems, but it can happen. In one study, about half the parents said their child with ADHD had difficulty sleeping. Parents reported that their child felt tired when they woke up, had nightmares, or had other sleep problems such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Another study involving children with ADHD found the children had less refreshing sleep, difficulty getting up, and more daytime sleepiness.

Is snoring related to ADHD?

Large tonsils and adenoids can partially block the airway at night. This can cause snoring and poor sleep.

That, in turn, may lead to attention problems the next day. In one study of 5- to 7-year-olds, snoring was more common among children with mild ADHD than in the other children. In another study, kids who snored were almost twice as likely as their peers to have ADHD. However, that doesn't prove that snoring caused ADHD.

Children who snore tend to score worse on tests of attention, language abilities, and overall intelligence. These children may have sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea have brief episodes when they stop breathing, though they don't know it. These episodes can happen frequently throughout the night.

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the most common causes of sleep apnea in children. But obesity and chronic allergies can also be a cause.

As with adults, children with sleep apnea will be tired during the day. They may have problems concentrating and might have other symptoms related to lack of sleep. For instance, they may be irritable.

Sleep apnea in children is treatable. Your pediatrician or an ear, nose, and throat specialist can determine whether your child's tonsils are enlarged enough to possibly block the airway and cause sleep apnea.

To confirm the diagnosis, the child may get a sleep study that's done in a special laboratory. Not every child with enlarged tonsils or with loud snoring has sleep apnea.

Surgery is the treatment of choice for kids with enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Other treatments are available for those with restricted nighttime breathing due to allergies or other causes.

New Treatments for ADHD and Autism

2013-05-22T12:45:00.001-07:00

The basal Ganglia is thought to be affected by Strep.

New research has shown a link between strep infections and ADHD, autism and other brain-related issues. Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus, also known as PANDAS, is a condition that leads to autoimmune-mediated inflammation of the brain, and usually occurs after several bouts of Strep throat, but may manifest even if the parent cannot recall a history of Streptococcal infection in their child.

PANDAS attacks a part of the brain known as the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia links the cerebral cortex (involved in rational, calm behavior) with the primitive areas of the brain (involved in fear, anger, and uncontrolled emotion). When the basal ganglia is disrupted by the brain inflammation, serious changes in behavior and though processes can occur.

Symptoms and Signs often associated with PANDAS

· Tic disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

· Onset of symptoms between the ages of 3 and start of puberty

· Episodic course of symptom severity (dramatic ups and downs in the child’s behaviour)

· Associated with a group A beta hemolytic strep infection (positive throat culture for Strep or history of Scarlet Fever

· Neurological abnormalities such as hyperactivity or choreiform movements

*The above diagnostic criteria for PANDAS are specified by the National Institute of Mental Health

· ADHD symptoms such as inattention and hyperactivity

· Separation anxiety

· Mood changes which may include irritability, anger, fear or sadness

· Sleep disturbance

· Bed wetting or increased urinary frequency during the day

· Fine/gross motor changes (Changes in handwriting, unusual or repetitive movements)

· Joint pain

To diagnose a current or recent Streptococcal infection the following tests are available:

· A throat swab (rapid Strep test or throat swab culture) can identify a current case of Strep throat

· An ASO titre (antistrepolysin titre) shows an elevation in antibodies to Strep 3-6 weeks after infection

· An AntiDNAase-B titre (antistreptococcal DNAase B titre) shows an elevation in antibodies to Strep 6-8 weeks after infection

A positive result in any of these tests does not diagnose PANDAS, it just gives more information about whether the child has had a recent exposure to Strep. In addition, low Strep titres do not rule out PANDAS. If symptoms of PANDAS occur suddenly, it is useful to have the above Strep titres tested to see if a recent Strep infection could be related.

Beyond this point, further testing for food allergies/sensitivities, as well as levels of immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgM) can be done to assess for additional burden on the immune system that is contributing to the child’s susceptibility to PANDAS.

Treatments for PANDAS may include oral antibiotics to eradicate a Streptococcal infection, and prophylactic antibiotics to prevent recurrence. Oral prednisone is also used as a potent anti-inflammatory to relieve inflammation of the brain and prevent damage. Another therapy known as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is being investigated.

Complementary treatments support the use of antibiotics with probiotics (non-Streptococcal strains), and natural therapies to downregulate inflammation and support the brain, such as curcumin, EPA and DHA. Vitamins and minerals to support immune function (vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc, and selenium) should be administered intravenously. Intravenous glutathione, a potent antioxidant, can be used to protect the brain from being damaged from inflammation.

Investigation should be done to rule out or treat other non-Streptococcal infections that may be present such as Candida (yeast), parasites, viruses (EBV, CMV, HSV), Lyme disease, or pathogenic bacterial overgrowth. Food allergy and food sensitivity testing can be done, and foods should be eliminated from the diet that may be placing additional burden on the child’s immune system.

Lifestyle modifications are also important. Children with recurrent Strep infections may be constantly re-inoculated with the Strep bacteria through an asymptomatic family member. Some people are carriers of Streptococcus, and special care must be taken to prevent spread from carriers to the susceptible child. A child may also be re-exposed to Strep through skin infection (impetigo), urinary tract infection or ear infection. Immune system support to prevent recurrence of these conditions is important in long-term management of PANDAS. The tonsils and adenoids may harbor Streptococcal bacteria and some evidence suggests tonsil and adenoid removal in cases of PANDAS; however, careful consideration of the role of the tonsils and adenoids in fighting infection should be made before making this decision.

How to Help ADHD Without Drugs

2013-05-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

ADHD can be hard on all of us!

How do we change ADHD behavior without drugs? The pieces of the puzzle necessitate a holistic approach. The body simply acts on the information it's given; if a child is sensitive to gluten, the body is going to react. Many children with ADHD have diets full of hybridized wheat, genetically modified corn and sugar, synthetic sugars, and chemical additives. Some specific foods can cause a child to become agitated, to space out, or to become violent. Well-behaved children suddenly start to bite their mothers, hit their siblings, wander around in a daze – all when they are tested for specific foods. Sometimes what sets the children off are not foods, but rather coloring, additives, and preservatives. Red dye is a big culprit, for example. The symptoms are readily reversible, when the appropriate homeopathic dilution of the substance is administered, and the effects are reproducible. Some children have turned around just by removing specific foods to which they are sensitive and adding omega-3 fatty acids to correct a deficiency.

Other children get a big boost with chelation to remove metals that are silently warehoused in brain and bones and gum up the works. Children with elevated body burdens of lead are more easily distracted, less organized, and more prone to aggressive behavior than children without this burden. The average American infant is born with more than 200 synthetic chemicals in its body.4 A study from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center confirmed a suspected link between prenatal tobacco exposure and ADHD, and demonstrates that the greater the level of blood lead, the greater the risk of ADHD.

Many children and adults with ADHD have leaky gut syndrome, meaning that their intestines are so damaged that they cannot process what they eat, and so become malnourished.

A starving brain has an extremely difficult time simply functioning, much less learning anything. We often think of the brain as a computer that just has to be plugged into an electric outlet in order to work perfectly. However, if the software is deficient or corrupted, the computer does not run its programs very well. Similarly, the brain functions through electrical impulses and specific pathways. However, in order to generate those impulses, it requires many nutrients – proteins to supply the amino acids needed for manufacture of neurotransmitters and other messengers, glucose to supply the energy needed for the manufacturing process, lots of vitamins and minerals to serve as cofactors, or assistants, in the manufacturing process. … The pathways have to be correctly developed, and able to handle the flow of information. If any of these components are missing or deficient, then the brain can no longer process information at top speed. It slows down, or gets the messages garbled.

What is in the child’s environment? Sometimes a child will react to mold in the classroom, or have a bad day every time the grass is cut because of allergies to the grass. Some children react to pesticides or to chemical air “fresheners.”

Parasitic infections are common with ADHD and autism; remedies can correct that. Sleep deprivation is another piece of the puzzle that can be addressed through both behavioral and nutritional means, sometimes with specific supplements.

David Granet, PhD, director of pediatric ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, reviewed 1700 records of children diagnosed with ADHD. He discovered that, of those who had taken eye exams, 16% had convergence insufficiency, an eye disorder that makes focusing on nearby targets difficult. This is three times the number of non-ADHD children. More research is needed to determine if a brain impairment is causing both ADHD and the eye disorder, or if the eye disorder manifests the same symptoms as ADHD and causes misdiagnosis. That's why we do an eye exam using infrared glasses that look at tracking and convergence, or how your eyes work together!

Call us at 714-269-7990 today to see how we can help you!

Drugging Our Children

2013-05-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Side effects of ADHD drugs

In some classrooms, 100% of students are on medication for some form of learning or attentional disorder.

Prescription drugs are a quick answer, right? – just pop a pill in hopes of re-balancing brain chemistry. But these drugs are classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as Class II narcotics – in the same class with cocaine and methamphetamine. Ritalin is an amphetamine. In street lingo, it's called "speed." Schedule II includes only those legal drugs with the very highest potential for addiction and abuse. They carry a "black box" warning, the most serious medication warning required by the FDA. The situation gives rise to the interesting irony that selling speed to children is a felony, but feeding speed to children with a prescription is called "treatment."

These drugs have been linked to cardiovascular problems and sudden death. The more common side effects can be so devastating or unpleasant that many children just don't want to take them. A recent study by National Institute of Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Maryland, showed that individuals who did poorly on cognitive tasks actually did substantially worse when using Ritalin or Concerta. This is a significant finding, because methylphenidate is commonly prescribed for those who do poorly on tasks.

Peter Breggin, a medical doctor and Harvard-trained psychiatrist, wrote:
The “therapeutic” effects of stimulants are a direct expression of their toxicity. Animal and human research indicates that these drugs often suppress spontaneous and social behaviors (making the psycho stimulants) seemingly useful for controlling the behavior of children, especially in highly structured environments that do not attend to their genuine needs.2
According to California neurologist Dr. Fred Baughman:

The single, biggest heath care fraud in U.S. history – the representation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to be an actual disease, and the drugging of millions of entirely normal American children as “treatment,” is spreading like a plague – still. Once children are labeled with ADHD, they are no longer treated as normal. Once methylphenidate hydrochloride, or any psychiatric drug, courses through their brain and body, they are, for the first time, physically, neurologically, and biologically abnormal.3

Do children with ADHD and/or LD actually have a disease treatable with drugs? What kind of intervention can help kids without severely affecting their body chemistry or personality?

ADHD, for example, is more than just hyperactivity. Root causes may include brain processing abnormalities, problems with the entire listening/hearing system, food or environmental allergies, metabolic insufficiencies, and heavy metal toxicity.

Come and find out what the real issues are before choosing to drug an ADHD individual!

We are offering our $495.00 full brain function assessment at $295.00. Come see how we can help. Call 494-276-8704 or 714-269-7990 today!

Maximum Performance for Athletes

2013-04-29T12:11:00.001-07:00

Improving your brain function can be all it takes to be number 1!

Maximum Peak Performance is what lets athletes reach their goals by overcoming the mental obstacles and competitive pressures. At BrainAdvantage, we have helped many people improve their performances in sports as well as life. The BrainAdvantage System helps our trainees achieve results others can only envy. Here are a few of our results:

A motorcycle racer who reported better mental focus and flexibility in the saddle, giving her quicker reflexes and better control over the bike
A snowboarder who was able to calm his pre-race jitters and achieve better vision on the snow.
Springboard and platform divers were able to complete higher quality and more complex dives after completing as few as 20 BrainAdvantage sessions.
Golfers and football, baseball and tennis players have all found that BrainAdvantage gave them the edge they needed to perform better.
(And even videogamers have reported that their response times were much faster!)

Wherever your competitive juices take you, what you achieve comes from your brain and body working together. Let’s use tennis as an example:

You see the ball coming and your brain has to make many lightning-fast calculations: Forehand or backhand? Can I reach it? What pace and spin should I use? Where is my opponent most vulnerable? What’s his weak point?

Your brain directs your leg and torso muscles to get you to the right spot and into position. Your eyes continue to read the ball’s position and rotation and your brain directs your arm, shoulder and torso muscles to position the racquet for the swing. And then you swing! If it all comes together the way your brain has planned it, you land a solid cross-court winner to your opponent’s weak backhand for the set point!

You can't expect muscle training alone to accomplish this complex performance. You need to see more, have perfect timing, maintain your focus on the ball, and think quickly and accurately. At BrainAdvantage, we know how to help athletes train their brains to focus and concentrate, block out emotional disturbances and ignore extraneous sounds.

Using The BrainAdvantage System is fast, fun, easy—and affordable. We work with an athlete’s brain to improve:

· Focus
· Concentration
· Memory
· Emotional strength
· Coordination
· Sound discrimination

Maximum Peak Performance requires your best in all of these areas.

The BrainAdvantage System is not just "brain training".

We begin with an assessment of overall brain performance. We look at brain function, neuromotor skills, oxygen levels in the brain's frontal lobes and how well the eyes work together. We need a complete picture of how the brain is functioning in order to create a personal brain training protocol just for your athlete.

Then we guide the athlete through a series of training sessions that exercise a varierty of skills and physical abilities. We at BrainAdvantage use an individualized, integrated system combining a number of technologies to help maximize brain function. We work both the brain and the body because we know that they must work together to achieve athletic goals.

How does The BrainAdvantage System work? It provides the athlete with more information about the brain and body than normal senses can provide. This "feedback" helps an athlete learn to develop greater control over his brain.

Our system is exceptionally effective for amateur and professional athletes who wish to improve their ability to focus, improve accuracy, gain clarity, resist outside pressures and sustain a mental edge. Those who complete our program report that they have stronger attention and focus, improved ability to "get into the zone" and much improved mental timing and coordination. Our clients also tell us that they are much more relaxed when competing and have much improved mental recovery.

We have worked with a wide range of clients over the years and know that a single mode of training just doesn't work for everyone. That’s the reason we developed our integrated system to attack all of the issues preventing Peak Athletic Performance. Our system has proven exceptionally effective for athletes who want to improve their ability to focus, improve their concentration, gain clarity and emotional stability, resist outside pressures and sustain a mental edge.

Call BrainAdvantage today at 949-276-8704 for a free consultation and take that first step to helping your athlete succeed.

Better Concentration, Memory and More

2013-04-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished that you were smarter, have better concentration, remember important details and solve complex problems in the blink of an eye? Is fading memory or mental fatigue sabotaging your work performance, personal relationships, or independence? The latest scientific research reveals that we can change how our brains work just by training it.

Train your brain to control your brain rather than the other way around!

Research has revealed that many dynamic leaders, scholars and most intelligent people all share similar brainwave frequencies and display distinct peak brain states while engaged in mental tasks. Years of research also has shown that brainwaves not only provide insight into an individual’s mind and body, but they can be stimulated to actually change that person’s current state. By causing the brain to produce or decrease specific types of brainwave frequencies, it is possible to bring about a large variety of mental states and emotional reactions.

This is a fast an easy task with BrainAdvantage’s entrainment therapy. It can improve depression, anxiety, memory loss and cognitive function. Brain training is more than just neurofeedback. Make sure your program is an integrated model of several types of therapy customized to your needs. Call 714-269-7990 now to see how we can help you.

Adult ADHD: It’s a real problem

2013-04-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

The image depicts the difference between a normal and ADHD brain. You can see that ADHD brains typically have very high activity in the frontal lobe making it difficult to think, calm down and focus.

Until recently, it was believed that children outgrew ADHD in adolescence. However, it is now known that ADHD symptoms can continue into adulthood. In fact, ADHD does not develop spontaneously in adults. If you have ADHD as an adult then you had ADHD symptoms as a child even if they went undiagnosed. It is just much more difficult to identify them as adults because they usually turn to self-medication to ease the symptoms. During childhood, the condition is more common in boys than girls, but this ratio appears to even out by adulthood. Adults with ADHD may be chronically late to work or important events. They may be disorganized, restless, and have difficulty relaxing. Some people with ADHD have trouble concentrating while reading. Mood swings, low self-esteem, and poor anger management are also common problems. Many times adults self-medicate to decrease these symptoms with caffeine, alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. Although individuals with ADHD can be very successful in life, if the disorder goes undiagnosed or untreated, they may struggle at work and in relationships, and have chronic emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression.

The good news is there is a solution. BrainAdvantage can change the way the brain functions and reacts to situations giving the ADHD person the ability to think through problems and cope with life’s challenges much more effectively without medication. Call us today at 949-276-8704 to see how we can help!

American Medicine Can Kill You

2013-04-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes traditional medicine docs can be hard to understand. Make sure you ask questions and get all the answers you need to make an informed decision.

We've talked about the problems with allopathic medicine in this post before. When medicine is reduced from healthcare to "the business of medicine" and treating symptoms instead of root issues you can suffer. With this in mind the latest news is a new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that finds that hospitals often make a large profit when surgery goes wrong.

A medical error can cause a three day hospital stay to become a two week stay, which can result in an additional $39,000 in profit for the hospital if the patient has private insurance.

It's a good idea to be your own advocate if you have issues. Make sure you research your particular issue, the consequences of any invasive procedure or medication and what will attack the root cause, not just a symptom.

With brain issues it can be even more difficult. Make informed decisions.

For help with brain function assessments call us. We use non-invasive tools that will give you a clear picture of the issues. Call 714-269-7990 or 949-276-8704 today!