Wellness Blog

Snacks That Help You Lose Weight When You're Hungry

Have you ever noticed slim people who eat frequently, but manage to avoid packing on pounds? Well, there’s a reason for that. It turns out that healthy snacks can be a key factor in supporting your ability to stick to a healthy food plan. Yes, eating the right kind of snack between balanced meals can actually help you achieve your weight loss goals! That’s because healthy snacks: Keep your blood sugar stable Curb the urge to overeat Rev up your metabolism Provide the fuel you need to feel alert and focused throughout the day Keeping your blood sugar stable is also very important to healthy brain function. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well, there’s more. Sensible snacks also fight mid-morning fatigue, mid-afternoon carb craving, and mindless evening grazing – one of the chief culprits in weight gain. Think of it like the turtle and the hare. Slow and steady like the turtle, healthy snacks help you sustain balanced energy to go the long distance. Whereas crash diets, like the hare, start out fast and furious with loads of promise, but burn out long before the goal is reached. It’s no wonder a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association¹ found that both people whose weight was already normal and dieters who had successfully slimmed down ate more snacks, compared to overweight participants! The key is to know how often you need to snack to maintain or achieve a healthy weight, and what snacks are best. The researchers reported that the best eating plan for weight loss or maintenance was three meals and two snacks daily. Our own Tana Amen, BSN, RN, the NY Times bestselling author of “The OMNI Diet,” recommends that your healthy snack include the following: Protein: 7 to 10 grams (equal to about 2 tablespoons of hummus or guacamole or a slice of turkey or 2 tablespoons of whole, raw nuts or seeds.) Healthy fats: 3 to 15 grams. Complex carbohydrates: 2 or 3 cups of raw or lightly steamed veggies—or a serving of low-sugar fruit such as berries or tart apples. Tana also offers the following helpful tips: Do not confuse planned healthy snacks with a continual graze. Giving your digestive system a rest between snacks and meals is important so that you aren’t releasing insulin all day! Be sure to plan and prepare your meals in advance. You will be less likely to be drawn into "zombie mode" and mindlessly munch when hungry, traveling or tired. Plan delicious and healthy snacks. Let them work for you and help you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Enjoy!     References 1. Bachman, JL, et al. Eating frequency is higher in weight loss maintainers and normal weight individuals as compared to overweight individuals. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Nov: 111(11):1730-4.

The Power of Protein + Smoothie Recipe

Protein is a major player in the healthy growth and functioning of cells, tissues, and organs throughout your body. Apart from water, protein is the most abundant substance in your body. Eating protein chases away hunger by balancing the hormones of metabolism. It also helps your body become more sensitive to the hormones that tell you when you are full and should stop eating. Protein also helps stabilize your blood sugar and prevent energy crashes. And because of how it is metabolized, protein actually speeds up weight loss. As if all of that weren’t enough to convince you of the importance of eating enough protein everyday, consider this: getting adequate protein improves energy, cognition and focus by fueling optimal brain function. So how much protein should you eat for vibrant health and longevity? Most people need an average of 45 to 100 grams of dietary protein daily, depending upon their size and metabolic demands. For some, the prospect of needing to eat that much protein each day may be daunting. However, remember that animal foods are not the only source of protein. Nuts, seeds, vegetarian protein powders, and greens can also add a significant amount of protein to your diet. To help you get started incorporating more protein in your diet in a really easy and delicious way, here is a recipe from NY Times bestselling author, registered nurse, highly respected health and fitness expert, and nationally renowned speaker, Tana Amen, BSN, RN. Very Omega Cherry Smoothie Serves 2 1 cup organic pitted cherries, frozen 8 ounces almond milk, unsweetened 1 cup baby spinach 2–3 kale leaves ¼ cup raw pecans or other nuts 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 scoop sugar-free Omni Protein Powder (chocolate or vanilla) 1 tablespoon freeze-dried greens 1 dropper full vanilla crème–flavored liquid stevia OPTIONAL fiber bee pollen aloe gel Add all ingredients to blender bowl. Turn blender on low at first, then increase speed. Add additional water or almond milk as needed to achieve desired consistency. Pour into glasses and serve cold. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING 320 calories ▪ 25g protein ▪ 29g carbohydrates ▪ 8g sugar ▪ 9g fiber ▪ 16g fat 1g saturated fat ▪ 0.0mg cholesterol ▪ 129mg sodium

6 Ways to Fall Asleep at Night and Relax Your Brain

Does it feel like your mind is constantly racing? When you close your eyes to go to bed, do you hear silence and feel calm, or are you bombarded with worries and thoughts rushing through your head like a hamster on a wheel? "Monkey mind" is a term used to refer to that chatter of worry, fear, and doubt that we hear in our heads. Whether directed at ourselves or others, monkey mind can rob us of peace of mind, joy and happiness. A restless mind has many negative effects that can include trouble sleeping, poor decision-making, anxiety and even depression when left to run amuck. Repetitive, ruminating thinking limits effective problem solving, and promotes procrastination, avoidance and withdrawal, only resulting in further problems. You may have heard the expression "what you resist persists." As long as we fight against the monkey mind, we give it more energy and make it stronger. As long as we try to beat our thoughts away, we make them bigger. Everyone has monkey mind. It's a part of being human, and it never goes away. So while it is impossible to banish the monkeys in your mind, you DO have the power to tame your monkey mind and keep it in order. Here are 6 simple ways to quiet your mind: 1. Meditate The single most effective way to still your mind is meditation. Meditation is the practice of focusing your attention to help you feel calm and give you a clear awareness about your life. There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components; all share the same goal of achieving inner peace. 2. Breathe deeply Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a very effective, yet simple method for overcoming stress and quieting your mind; one that can be done anywhere, anytime! When you take shallow breaths, it reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain cells and reduces your overall brain function. Taking deep breaths relaxes your muscles, relieves tension, and helps your brain function better. 3. Practice gratitude Did you know that practicing gratitude causes real changes in your brain that enhance brain function and make you feel better? If you want your brain to work better, practice being grateful for the good things in your life. Writing down your grateful thoughts makes the practice that much more powerful. 4. Write it down Try journaling or otherwise putting your thoughts on paper. This process gives those stressful thoughts a home – another place they can live besides your brain. Once those thoughts are expressed, they often no longer feel the need to wreak havoc on your brain so that you can mentally relax. 5. Exercise Physical exercise is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to keep your brain healthy over time? Physical exercise not only boosts blood flow and other positive nutrients to the brain – it actually stimulates “neurogenesis,” the ability of the brain to generate new brain cells – especially the cells that help the brain self-regulate and calm down! 6. Add GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid) GABA's natural function is to reduce the activity of the neurons to which it binds and is vital to quieting an overactive mind. Dr. Daniel Amen’s GABA Calming Support contains clinically tested GABA shown to promote relaxation by increasing calming, focused brain waves, while also calming other brain waves associated with worry. Complimenting this clinically tested and natural substance are vitamin B6, magnesium and lemon balm, an herb traditionally known for its calming effects. When you calm your mind, you can begin to experience clarity, happiness and a sense of well-being. Practicing these simple strategies helps give you your peace of mind back.

Help Fend Off Age-Related Cognitive Decline

You have likely heard a million times that there are tremendous health benefits to be achieved by adopting a Mediterranean diet. In fact, a number of previous studies have shown those who follow the Mediterranean diet can: Feel more energized Have less heart disease Have a reduced risk of certain cancers Be happier Lose weight Live longer But did you know that it can help your brain? A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine provides new evidence that a diet rich in olive oil, nuts, fish, fruit, vegetables and legumes, along with limited consumption of meat and dairy can help fend off age-related cognitive decline. The study’s results showed that, compared with a control group, memory function, and frontal and global cognition remained stronger in a group following a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts and olive oil. The study participants were healthy but at higher risk of developing heart-related problems; some smoked or had hypertension, while others had a family history of heart issues. So the results of the study are especially encouraging since the people in the study were at higher risk of developing cognitive problems because of their heart-related risk factors. "It's never too late to change your dietary patterns to improve your health," explains Dr. Emilio Ros, who led the study at the Hospital Clinic at the University of Barcelona in Spain. Previous observational studies had suggested the antioxidants found in the diet's staples -- namely fruit, vegetables and olive oil -- may help to delay neurodegeneration and the effects of aging on the brain. A whole range of foods that can be found in the Mediterranean diet — from fruits and vegetables to fish and nuts — are rich in antioxidants. Some research points to specific compounds in olive oil as beneficial, too, because they may limit inflammation. Incredibly, not only did the Mediterranean diet counteract cognitive decline, it also improved brain function! The study participants who followed a Mediterranean diet improved in their memory and cognitive skills as compared to their baseline measures. None of these exciting findings come as any surprise to the Amen Clinics. We have long understood that a healthy diet is essential for a healthy brain. “Without a healthy brain nothing in your life is as good as it can be—not your money, your relationships, your memory, your energy, your relationships, nothing.” - Dr. Daniel Amen   References: Valls-Pedret, C, et al. Mediterranean Diet and Age-Related Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 May 11, [Epub ahead of print]

Brain and Body Proper Nutrition

How Exercise Can Help You Live Healthier

12 Ways to Strengthen Your Brain

When it comes to keeping your body’s muscles fit, you often hear the expression “use it or lose it.” Yet most people don’t know that your body’s controlling organ – your brain – is similar to a muscle, too. In fact, keeping your brain “fit” with plenty of mental stimulation is a great way to support your healthy cognition, mental function and memory throughout your life. Isn’t that exciting? It’s Brain Awareness Week through March 22. What better way to celebrate your brain than to begin exercising it with the following 12 brain-strengthening ideas from clinical neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist and brain imaging expert, Daniel Amen, MD? It is just as important to exercise your brain, as it is to exercise your body. It can be fun, too! Dr. Amen’s 12 Ways to Strengthen Your Brain 1. Dedicate yourself to new learning. Put 15 minutes in your day to learn something new. Einstein said that if anyone spends 15 minutes a day learning something new, in a year he or she will be an expert! Learn by taking a class. Try square-dancing, chess, tai chi, yoga, or sculpture. Parents, work with modeling clay or Playdough with your kids to boost their brains. It helps develop agility and hand-brain coordination! 2. Cross train at work. Learn someone else’s job. Maybe even switch jobs for several weeks. This benefits the business and employees alike, as both workers will develop new skills and better brain function. 3. Improve your skills at things you already do. Some repetitive mental stimulation is okay as long as you look to expand your base skills and knowledge. Common activities such as gardening, sewing, playing bridge, reading, painting, and doing crossword puzzles have value, but push yourself to do different gardening techniques, more complex sewing patterns, play bridge against more talented players to increase your skill, read new authors on varied subjects, learn a new painting technique, and work harder crossword puzzles. Pushing your brain to new heights helps to keep it healthy and strong. 4. Limit television for kids and adults. In a study published in the journal Pediatrics it was reported that for every hour a day children watch TV there is a 10% increased chance of them being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD). This means if the child watches five hours a day they have a 50% increased chance of being diagnosed with ADD! Watching TV is usually a “no brain” activity. To be fair, most studies did not specify if watching programs that teach you something had the same effect as situation comedies, reality shows or sports. I suspect that no-brain TV shows are the primary problem. 5. Limit video games. Action video games have been studied using brain imaging techniques that look at blood flow and activity patterns. Video games have been found to work in an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, one of the pleasure centers in the brain. In fact, this is the same part of the brain that lights up when researchers inject a person with cocaine! My experience with patients and one of my own children is that they tend to get hooked on the games and play so much that it can deteriorate their school work, work and social time – a bit like a drug. Some children and adults actually do get hooked on them. 6. Join a reading group that keeps you accountable to new learning. Almost any mental activity you enjoy can be used to protect your brain. The essential requirement is that it activates several different brain areas, one of which should be the hippocampus (in the temporal lobes), which stores new information for retrieval later on. By recalling information (using your hippocampus), you are protecting your brain’s memory centers. In essence, as long as you learn something new and work to recall it later for discussions, you are protecting short-term memory. Reading stimulates a wide variety of brain areas that process, understand, and analyze what you read, and then store it for later recall if you decide it’s worth remembering. The neurons in these activated brain areas are stimulated with specific patterns of information. 7. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. The brain does not interpret what you feed into it; it simply translates it. When you are learning to play the piano, the brain doesn’t care if you are becoming a great piano player or a terrible piano player. Consequently, if you repeat imperfect fingering, you will become very good at playing imperfectly! Teaching someone to do something well at the start prevents them from developing bad habits, which get solidified in the brain and are subsequently hard to retrain. Effective initial training in the workplace and in school is essential to developing effective, happy employees and students. We do not just train people, we train brains! 8. Break the routine of your life to stimulate new parts of your brain. Do the opposite of what feels natural to activate the other side of your brain and gain access to both hemispheres. Write with your other hand, shoot basketballs with both hands, hit baseballs left handed (if you are right handed), play table tennis left handed, shoot a rifle sighting with your other eye, use the mouse with your other hand – make your brain feel uncomfortable. In essence, break the patterned routine in your life to challenge your brain to make new neuronal connections. Here are some more ideas: Make love in a different way. Try a sport you've never tried before. Take a class in a subject you know nothing about. Learn new cooking recipes. Do some volunteer work – see how good you'll feel when you help others. Try a different shampoo/soap/shaving cream/ razor/ tooth/ paste/perfume/cologne. Go to church, or a different church. Go to an opera or symphony. Join a self-development group. Spend time reading the dictionary or a reference book. Learn a new word each day! Take time out each day to strengthen a special relationship -- spouse, lover, child, or friend. Make a new friend--call up someone and ask him or her to do something with you. Contact an old friend you haven't talked to in awhile. Submit a new idea at work; maybe even one you've thought about for awhile but were too embarrassed to mention because you thought no one would be interested in it. Forgive someone you hold a grudge against…this is a new activity for many people. 9. Compare how similar things work. Evaluating similar items – how different pitchers throw a curve ball, the many ways painters can paint ocean scenes, the varying spices in meals – gives your brain a sensory workout. Looking at similarities and differences helps the brain’s ability to think abstractly and challenges our frontal lobes. Learning to see, hear, feel or taste subtle changes will enhance your sensory ability and stimulate brain growth. 10. Visit new and different places. Traveling to new and interesting places helps the brain by exposing it to new experiences, scents, sights, and people. Using maps stimulates the brain in new and different ways and also exercises our parietal lobes responsible for visual-spatial guidance. 11. Cultivate smart friends. People are contagious. You become like the people with whom you spend time. Work on developing friendships with new, interesting people. You can trade ideas, get new perspectives, and generally stretch your mind if surrounded by fascinating folks. In playing any game, if you want to be better you have to play with people who are better than you, to push you to your limit. Same principle holds true in pushing your brain to new heights. Spend time with people who challenge you! 12. Treat learning problems to help kids and adults stay in school. Numerous studies show that better-educated people have less risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. Millions of children, teens and adults suffer from ADD and learning problems that cause them to struggle in school or with learning despite having normal or even high intelligence. Recognizing these problems and getting them the help they need is essential to making “lifelong learning” a reality. Mental exercise is as important as diet and physical exercise for keeping both your body and brain strong. Here’s to keeping your brain fit!     References: Christakis DA, et al. Early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems in children. Pediatrics. 2004 Apr;113(4):708-13.

Benefits of Taking Omega-3 Fatty Acids Daily

Following is an interview with Dr. Kristen Willeumier regarding her talk, "Why Powering Your Brain with Pure Fish Oil is Genius." BrainMD: Can you briefly describe what Dr. Amen’s Omega-3 Power is? Dr. Kristen Willeumier: Omega-3 Power is a concentrated, highly purified, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential because the body cannot produce them, therefore they must be obtained from the diet or through supplementation. Two softgels of Omega-3 Power contain 1.5 grams of omea 3 fatty acids (860 mg of EPA and 575 mg of DHA), a significantly higher amount than what is found in most concentrated fish oil supplements. BMD: How can taking a fish oil like Omega-3 Power with high amounts of EPA DHA support brain health? KW: Omega 3 power functions to support cellular membranes and keep them flexible. Omega-3 fatty acids are comprised of EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid). While both are components of cellular membranes, EPA plays a critical role in supporting the healthy regulation of cellular inflammation while DHA is the most abundant omega-3 found in the brain and is important in maintaining nerve cell structure and function. With over 100 billion neurons in your brain, a daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids with high levels of EPA and DHA to adequately support these cells is essential to optimal brain health. BMD: How do omega-3s specifically support focus? KW: Omega-3 fatty acids maintain the fluidity of the cell membranes which allows for proper communication between nerve cells, therefore, it helps to support focus and mental clarity. BMD: What happens when we don’t provide our bodies with healthy omega-3s, but instead consume a lot of saturated fat? KW: It is essential to be mindful of the type of fats you consume. A diet high in trans fats (vegetable oil, corn oil, sunflower oil) and saturated fats (meat, dairy) can result in elevated omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory. Alternatively, a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, olive oil, avocados) is associated with lower levels of inflammation. One way of assessing health status is to monitor the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. An optimal ratio of omega-6:omega-3 is 1:1, but the typical ratio in the American diet is 15:1. Since the standard American diet tends to be low in omega-3 fatty acids and high in omega-6 fatty acids, a majority of individuals have high levels of inflammation in the brain and body. Ultimately, elevated inflammation can result in a myriad of serious health issues. BMD: Healthy blood flow to the brain is a hallmark of brain health. How does taking omega-3s help get more blood flow to the brain? KW: Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to support healthy blood flow through the vasodilation of the blood vessels. This is beneficial in supporting both cardiovascular health as well as brain health. BMD: For someone who wants to take a plant-based omega-3, why is it more beneficial to go with an ultra-pure, high-potency fish oil like Omega-3 Power? KW: Omega-3s derived from fish (sardine, salmon and mackerel) are comprised of the long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA. Omega-3s derived from plants (flaxseed, chia) are comprised of the short chain fatty acid alpha linoleic acid (ALA), which is a building block of EPA and DHA. Plant-based omega-3s contain considerably lower levels of EPA and DHA; therefore, it requires consuming a significantly higher amount to get the equivalent found in a fish-based omega-3 fatty acid supplement. BMD: What other surprising areas of health does omega-3 supplementation support? KW: The benefits of taking omega 3 fatty acids daily not only include supporting brain and heart health, they are also essential to maintaining healthy vision, hair, skin and nails. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids support healthy joints as well as help healthy weight management. To learn more about Omega-3 Power, click here.

Protect Your Sleep With These Simple Tips

When Daylight Savings Time starts again on March 9, as we “spring forward” an hour, brain health warriors need to be on the ready. Here’s why. While we may enthusiastically welcome spring’s extended, light-filled days, especially after a long, cold oppressive winter, the switch to Daylight Savings Time comes with a bitter pill: losing an hour of sleep! It might not sound like much, but losing an hour of sleep can really mess with your body’s natural circadian rhythms (internal body clock) as well as brain function, which may put you at higher risk for car accidents and even heart attack, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. And for those of us who have sleep issues already (an estimated 70 million Americans), the time change can make insomnia even worse. Did you know that sleep is involved in rejuvenating all the cells in your body, gives brain cells a chance to repair themselves, and activates neuronal connections that might otherwise deteriorate due to inactivity? It’s true! Sleep is that important to your brain and body. In fact, clinical neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist and brain imaging expert, Dr. Daniel G Amen, says that for most adults, getting enough sleep each night is essential for maintaining your mental edge, as well as for losing weight and even keeping depression at bay. That’s because lack of sleep is associated with lower overall blood flow to the brain, which can compromise brain function, will power and mood. Why lose precious brainpower and the healthy choices that come from an optimally functioning mind for even a day? Problems often occur when our brains are not functioning at their best. Sleep is critical to your well-being and most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night. It's simple: When our brains work better, our lives work better. So make a decision right now to protect your vital sleep and maintain optimal brain health when we spring forward to Daylight Savings Time with these four simple actions: Here Are 4 of the Top Ways to Spring Forward 1. Go to Bed Earlier, Wake Up Earlier Starting tonight and until Daylight Savings Time actually goes into effect, simply go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. You’re body will get a head start resetting it’s internal clock and you will transition more easily to the change. 2. Take Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally released from your brain’s pineal gland in response to light and dark. It’s an important regulator of the sleep cycle in the body. Normally, melatonin levels rise in the evening, when it gets dark, making you sleepy and remain high for most of the night and then drop in the early morning, when it gets light and you awake. When we spring forward and there is more light in the evening, your melatonin production may kick in later making it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. (Aging, traveling through time zones or certain medications can also have an effect on proper melatonin production.) Supplementing with melatonin prior to bedtime helps support your body’s natural mechanism that allows you to fall asleep and stay asleep. 3. Avoid Stimulating and Sleep-Disruptive Activities When the time springs forward, we generally have trouble falling asleep. It will help if you avoid anything that has a stimulating or sleep-disruptive effect. This means turning off electronics at least an hour or two before bedtime; avoiding caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), alcohol (although a depressant, it interferes with sleep), vigorous exercise or large meals too close to bedtime. 4. Take a Natural Relaxation Support Supplement Taking one or any combination of the following natural supplements may support your body’s ability to relax. GABA or gamma-amino-butyric acid is an amino acid that regulates brain excitability. GABA functions to inhibit the excessive firing of neurons, which results in a feeling of calm. It essentially plays a role in turning the “off” switch on a busy mind. When you supplement with GABA, you support the body’s natural mechanism for quieting the mind. Who doesn’t need that? Magnesium, also known as the “relaxation” mineral, plays a role in hydration, muscle relaxation, energy production and, perhaps most important to sleep, the deactivation of adrenaline. A deficiency in magnesium can interfere in nerve cell firing, resulting in irritability and nervousness. Supplementing the body with magnesium helps with a sense of calmness, needed for restful sleep. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is an herb that has been used traditionally for centuries and is known for its calming effects. It appears that valerian may work through the GABA receptors, which, as you just learned, calm brain activity when activated. Dr. Amen formulated Restful Sleep with a combination of nutrients designed to support a calm mind and promote a deep, relaxed, restful night’s sleep. Learn more. Here’s to celebrating the joy of more daylight and protecting your brain-healthy sleep!   References Vincent, A. Daylight Savings Time and Traffic Accidents. N Engl J Med. 1996; 334:924-925. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199604043341416 Janszky, I, et al. Shifts to and from Daylight Saving Time and Incidence of Myocardial Infarction. N Engl J Med. 2008; 359:1966-1968. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc0807104

Questions To Get Rid of Automatic Negative Thoughts

Don’t let stressful, negative thoughts hijack your happiness!   When the National Safety Council reports that as much as 80% of all disease and illness is initiated and aggravated by stress, it may make you take stress reduction more seriously. But where does stress really begin? Unless we catch it where it starts, it's going to be challenging to combat it, right? According to clinical neuroscientist, board certified psychiatrist, brain imaging expert, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, often, it is your AUTOMATIC NEGATIVE THOUGHTS (ANTs) that are the root of your stress. Yes, what we think is powerful! And unfortunately, our thoughts lie – they lie a lot. So, if you want to enjoy a vibrant, brain-healthy life, in addition to taking brain-healthy supplements, eating brain-smart foods, getting plenty of rest, water, and exercise – correcting your negative thinking to reduce your internal stress is key! Sounds good. But how do you change your thoughts? Good question! Dr. Amen is a fan of a method developed by bestselling author and speaker Byron Katie, called the Work. The Work consists of writing down any bothersome, worrisome, or negative thoughts, then asking yourself four questions and doing what’s called a turnaround. The goal of the Work isn’t pie-in-the-sky positive thinking; it is accurate thinking. When we correct our ANTs, we reduce our stress, and it becomes easier to make better choices and lead brain healthy lives! Here are the 4 questions to ask: Is it true? (Is the negative thought true?) Can I absolutely know that it is true? How do I react when I think that thought? Who would I be without that thought? Or, how would I feel if I didn’t have that thought? Find out how one of Dr. Amen’s patients, Gina, used the Work when ANTs threatened to sabotage her efforts to lose weight before her wedding day… Gina was hoping to lose weight before her wedding. After shedding some pounds initially, she gained a pound after the third week. She turned around a negative thought process that was triggered by the small weight gain by following the questions. Question #1: Is it true that you will not lose weight in time for the wedding? “Yes,” she said. Question #2: Can you absolutely know that it is true that you will not lose the weight in time for the wedding? Initially, she said yes. Then she said, “Well, maybe I will. Maybe this is just a temporary setback.” Question #3: How do you feel when you have the thought, “I will never lose weight in time for my wedding? “I feel frustrated, and I feel like a failure. I’m afraid that I will be fat on my wedding day, “ she said. Question #4: What would you be without the thought, “I will never lose weight in time for my wedding? “ She said, “I would just be happy that I’m getting married.” Turnaround: What is the opposite thought of “I will never lose weight in time for my wedding?” “I will lose weight in time for my wedding.” Gina then felt a renewal of energy to keep watching what she ate rather than giving up on her diet. You can begin reducing your stress by killing the ANTs and embracing more positive, accurate thoughts that guide you to make better choices and better brain health!

Getting Your Healthy Brain Back

Like most people, you may not wonder why almost all psychiatrists never look at the organ they treat. But one man has. He’s Daniel G. Amen MD, clinical neuroscientist, board certified psychiatrist, brain imaging expert, nine-time New York Times best-selling author and founder of the Amen Clinics. And his curiosity makes perfect sense if you think about it. Cardiologists look, neurologists look, and orthopedic doctors look. In fact, virtually every other medical specialist looks at an image of the area they are treating. Yet, amazingly, psychiatrists look for symptom clusters and then they, well…guess. That’s right…guess. Dr. Amen has been trying to change that approach for over 25 years with his forward-thinking and innovative practice using SPECT imaging--Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography--to treat patients at the Amen Clinics. SPECT is a nuclear medicine study that looks at blood flow and activity, and how the brain works. It reveals three things about the brain--good activity, too little or too much—and plays an important role in the diagnosis and overall treatment process Dr. Amen uses at his clinics. Dr. Amen was among the first physicians to begin using SPECT in a clinical setting to generate critically important information about a patient’s brain activity. He and his colleagues went on to build the world's largest database of brain scans related to behavior—nearly 100,000 scans on patients from 111 countries around the world. The positive results and outcomes keep pouring in and clearly show that illnesses such as ADD, depression, anxiety and addiction can be helped significantly with a brain-health program that starts by “looking.” According to Dr. Amen, looking at the brain is important because many of these issues are not singular or simple disorders in the brain. There are multiple types. For example, two patients diagnosed with major depression can present brain scans that look very different. One might have low brain activity and the other could show elevated activity. Although the diagnoses are the same, these brains need different treatment protocols. In this brief but power-packed TEDx talk, Dr. Amen shares his passion for psychiatry and how SPECT imaging combined with a rigorous brain-health program can reverse brain damage and positively impact generations to come in a family. These results have shown that you are not stuck with the brain you have – brain health can be improved. A former army x-ray technician, Dr. Amen first learned about SPECT imaging at a medical lecture in 1991. It was then that Dr. Amen’s love of medical imaging and psychiatry came together and ignited a passion that changed his life—and the lives of thousands of others. But his innovative approach has had its critics. For years researchers have been complaining that a clinical psychiatrist like Dr. Amen should not be doing scans. They argue that brain imagery should be used exclusively by researchers in academia. Dr. Amen disagrees, of course. Here’s how he puts it: “Without imaging, psychiatrists then and, even today, make diagnoses like they did for Abraham Lincoln in 1840--by talking to people and looking for symptom clusters.” With the diagnostic information revealed in a SPECT scan, Dr. Amen and his colleagues can tailor treatment to individual brains, not clusters of symptoms. Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychiatric Illness One of the most significant findings of the Amen Clinics imaging work is that mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of psychiatric illness. Brain injuries often go undetected by psychiatrists who mostly focus on the problems presented by the patient—things like: temper, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Because psychiatrists never look at the brain, they never know. TBI has far-reaching implications when it comes to mental health and social welfare concerns. It’s not a shock that researchers have found that undiagnosed brain injuries are a major cause of homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, panic attacks, ADHD and suicide. That connection has prompted judges and defense attorneys to seek help from Dr. Amen to understand criminal behavior. To date, the Amen Clinics have scanned over 500 convicted felons, including 90 murderers. The work produced two important findings: 1) People who do bad things often have trouble brains; and 2) Many of these brains could be rehabilitated! Imagine if our society evaluated and treated troubled brains rather than simply warehousing them in toxic, stressful environments? When Dr. Amen and his colleagues performed the first and largest study on active and retired NFL players, the results showed high levels of brain damage. This came at a time when the NFL was still maintaining that they didn't know if playing football causes long-term brain damage. Dr. Amen put the players on his brain-smart program and demonstrated that 80 percent of them could improve in the areas of a blood flow, memory, and mood. That study provided even more compelling evidence that you are not stuck with the brain you have and you can make it better on a brain-healthy program like the one used at the Amen Clinics. Dr. Amen’s favorite story that clearly demonstrates the power of “looking” at the brain comes from a 9-year-old boy named Andrew who attacked a little girl on a baseball field for no apparent reason. At the time, Andrew was drawing pictures of himself hanging from a tree and shooting other children. He was Columbine and Sandy Hook waiting to happen. Most psychiatrists would have medicated Andrew as they did Eric Harris and the other mass shooters before they committed their horrific crimes that day. But SPECT imaging taught Dr. Amen that he should look at Andrew’s brain and not simply guess at a treatment plan. It’s a good thing he did. Andrew’s SPECT scan showed a cyst the size of a golf ball lodged in his brain’s temporal lobe. A medication or therapy would never have helped Andrew. When the cyst was removed, his behavior completely went back to normal and he became the sweet, loving boy hiding under the negative behavior. Andrew happens to be Dr. Amen’s nephew. Now, more than 18 years later, he owns his own home, is employed, and lives a full, brain-healthy life. And it’s all because someone bothered to look at his brain. He has been a better son and will be a better husband, father and grandfather down the road. That poignant story is one of the chief reasons Dr. Amen continues to innovate and change the practice of psychiatry. “When you have the privilege changing someone's brain, you not only change his or her life, you have the opportunity to change generations to come.” - Daniel G. Amen, MD

11 Simple Brain-Boosting Steps

Want to know the real secret to achieving the body you desire? Of course you do! The great news is that it is not a diet or new workout or any kind of quick fix. It’s actually all in your head! (Well…brain, to be exact.) It’s really simple. Your brain is the command-and-control center for your body, and your brain function is directly related to how your body looks, feels, and functions. When you take care of your brain, you take care of your body. Want a beautiful body? Strive for a beautiful brain! So, how exactly do you improve your brain health? Having scanned more than 100,000 brains from 111 countries around the world, clinical neuroscientist, board certified psychiatrist, brain imaging expert, nine-time New York Times bestselling author and Amen Clinics founder, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, has developed the following 11 simple brain-boosting steps that will get you on your way! 11 of the Best Daily Brain Boosters 1. Protect Your Brain Simply be conscious of how precious your brain is to you and your loved ones! 2. Eat a Good Diet Good nutrition is essential to good brain function and to a better body. A healthy diet includes lean protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil. Studies show that your brain works better if you eat nine servings of fruits and veggies a day. 3. Take Daily Vitamins, Minerals and Fish Oil Because most of us do not get all the nutrients we need from the foods we eat, I recommend that everybody take a daily multivitamin and a mineral supplement. I also urge people to take a daily fish oil supplement, which can decrease inflammation, boost blood flow to the brain and help to combat low moods. 4. Exercise When it comes to the brain, exercise acts like the fountain of youth. It is the single most important thing you can do to keep your brain healthy and is one of the best ways to change your shape and improve your mood, energy level, sexual performance and overall health. 5. Get Enough Sleep Getting at least seven hours of sleep at night has been shown to help your brain function at optimal levels, to keep your appetite in check, and to help your skin look younger. 6. Meditate Meditation activates the most thoughtful part of the brain, so you can make better and more intelligent decisions. 7. Relax Learning how to counteract stress and calm your body helps your brain work better, puts you in a better mood, reduces blood pressure, and protects you from disease. 8. Gratitude When you focus on what you love, your brain works better, you are coordinated, and you feel better. 9. Have More Sex Safe sex, and especially sex in a loving, committed relationship, is good medicine for your brain and your body, helping you reduce stress, boost immunity, live longer, and live more. 10. Balance Your Hormones Hormones such as estrogen and testosterone play a key role in helping maintain the health and vitality of your brain and body. 11. Treat Mental Disorders A strong link between mental disorders and physical illnesses and physical conditions has been well established. Treating mental conditions improves brain function and general health and well-being.