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4 Simple Ways to Stop Dieting & Get Healthier Habits
Going vegan, the Cabbage Soup Diet, a Paleo Diet, the Mediterranean Diet… We have all been there. You spend hours or even days trying to decide if or when you should start that detoxing juice cleanse, the low-carb diet, the list goes on and on. You commit all week long and then your weekend get-together rolls around, and you decide that you are tired of being starving. Or feeling deprived or depressed. Or lonely. Down goes the diet. Don’t let this toxic yoyo cycling ruin your chances of shedding excess body weight and living a more vibrant lifestyle. The brain is your command-and-control center. It’s how you make good or bad decisions about behavior and food, and it also tells you: What, when and how much to eat What to buy at the grocery store or order in a restaurant When and how often to exercise Here are simple and thoughtful strategies from Amen Clinics to thread into your food practices and into your life. Rather than forming a stand-alone diet, these tips help you navigate mealtime and choose healthier eating practices. Remember, you may need brain health and emotional support to overcome some of these trendy diets. 4 Simple Ways to Stop Dieting & Get Healthier Habits 1. Drink 8-10 ounces of glass of water before meals The idea of eating something very healthy to boost satiation before a main meal has been around a long time – and it still works. Also, the premise of many soup diets and cleanses, the idea is you drink to fill up, creating fewer hunger signals to the brain and false cravings, which can help you ingest less during meals. Some dieters may find that broth or even an apple can satisfy food cravings pre-meals and help you eat less during the main event. 2. Eat smaller portions and chew slowly Get rid of large clunky entrée plates and try eating your snacks and meals on smaller appetizer-size plates (or salad bowls) for more control. Try using chopsticks and appetizer-sized cutlery to take in smaller portions. There are portion-sized plates and Tupperware in every supermarket to help you. When you are eating, tune into your food and turn off any digital interference until the last bite. 3. No gobbling, guzzling, or skipping meals On your new practical diet, eat moderately, take smaller bites, and allow your stomach to expand and send the signals back to your brain when it needs to turn off the hunger switch. You already know that drinking excessive alcohol may help you lose control of your appetites, so avoid that too. Also, eat organic, all-natural whole foods as often as you can to keep all the “bad” cholesterol and extra calories at bay. (By the way, skipping meals slows your metabolism – the rate you burn calories – which may cause overeating and intensify your hunger at the next meal.) 4. Plan ahead to practice smart meal preparation Pick one day of the week to shop healthfully, filling your cart with vegetables, and nutrient-rich foods to help you fuel up all week, and keep your brain active and healthy. Try chopping up veggies every morning to feast on throughout your day. Bring your own healthy bag lunch (think colorful salads) to work every day, too. Not only will this help your wallet, but it will help your waistline as well. Set aside an evening and throw together quick dishes that are balanced and healthy. Here is the thing: There is no perfect diet for every single human. We are all different when it comes to our brain and genetics, and your diet should be customized for that. The reality is, with diligence and nutritional knowledge you can not only lose weight, and keep it off, but you can learn to live a brain-healthy lifestyle too, one that also benefits your heart, mind, and body. Amen Clinic food philosophies stand apart from the crowd because by discovering your brain type, we get very significant information to help create the best custom nutrition and lifestyle plan to help you lose weight, optimize brain function, become healthier, and increase your energy. Hear more about this food and nutrition topic on one of our Live Chats on Facebook.
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Can You Be Born With a Bad Memory?
Is Bad Memory Due to Genetics? Can it be Fixed? No one quite knows how memory works, and although researchers are getting closer to figuring it out, there is conclusive evidence that you can be born with a poor memory – but you can also fix it. Some evidence in adults shows that hormonal birth control, for one thing, can negatively affect memory retention. The good news is that the effects are not permanent and only affect temporarily while they are taking hormones. How Can You Be Born with a Poor Memory? A recent research study published in the journal of Neurology shows a strong correlation between birth weight and the number of weeks in gestation, and memory and attention problems as an adult. After studying adults who were born prematurely, studies indicate that those with the lower birth weight still score lower on their attention and visual memory tests when compared with those born full term. Although the study didn’t conclusively pinpoint what exactly happens in the womb during those crucial weeks, research indicates the longer a baby is in the womb, the better for his or her brain. Some studies show that this could be because of the development and maturity of the hippocampus, part of the brain that is essential for developing contextual memories. When the structure of the brain itself was studied, Amen Clinic’s SPECT brain imaging showed that the maturity of the hippocampus at birth and memory function as an adult were associated. Those born prematurely appear to have significantly smaller hippocampus’ than full-term babies, and this may explain why specialists find weaker memories in preemies later in life. How Can You Improve Your Memory Now? Poor memory can also be caused by a variety of things, not just hormones or being born prematurely. The most common sources of poor memory tend to be from very preventable conditions: Stress Lack of sleep Traumatic brain injuries By developing routines that can help to alleviate these issues, and using natural supplements to increase blood flow and circulation, your memory can improve over time. BrainMD Health’s Brain and Memory Power Boost was developed for exactly those reasons. With seven powerful brain boosters – including Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Ginkgo Biloba Extract, and Vinpocetine – Ginkgo Biloba and Vinpocetine work synergistically to increase blood flow to the brain, promoting increased circulation. Huperzine A, a medicinal herb, improves the function of acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter that plays a central role in memory. The Amen Clinics are committed to promoting, optimizing, and supporting brain health naturally. Your memory is what allows you to treasure and revisit the most special moments in your life. Make sure you fortify your brain with the nutrients and supplements that can strengthen and restore it.
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Benefits and Uses of SAMe Supplements
SAMe Supplements Promote Good Mood Brain Chemistry At BrainMD, we see your brain as a sophisticated supercomputer with both hardware and software. For peak efficiency, the machinery (including cells, connections, chemicals, energy, blood flow, and waste processing) needs to work effectively. When your brain hardware or “machinery” doesn’t work quite as smoothly, your health practitioner may suggest therapeutic and biological interventions, including exercise, supplements, medication, neurofeedback, sleep apnea evaluations and treatment, hyperbaric oxygen, and more. Whenever feasible, we recommend the most natural ways to heal and support the brain, such as supplements and lifestyle interventions – nutrition plans and workout prescriptions, for example. While we still use medications when needed, and believe they save lives when used appropriately, we believe that treatment providers should first do no harm, and use the least toxic treatments. (Note: People who suffer from bipolar disorder should generally avoid SAMe since it may provoke mood swings.) What is SAMe? S-AdenosylMethionine (SAMe) can be made naturally in the body or synthetically as a supplement. It powers over 200 enzymes necessary for healthy cell growth, maturation, and specialization. In the brain, SAMe is required for nerve cells to make energy, maintain connectivity, and generate mood-related neurotransmitters. And your body utilizes SAMe for pain relief, depression, liver disease, and other conditions. People who don't make enough SAMe naturally may be helped by taking SAMe as a supplement. Widely studied for the treatment of osteoarthritis – you may have even seen a bottle of SAMe at your grandmother’s house first. But SAMe is not just for joints. In fact, over 40 clinical studies have suggested SAMe can potentially help some people battle heart disease, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, depression, PMS and other conditions. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which provides scientific evidence ratings for natural supplements, reports that SAMe is effective for treating depression, and may help slow the aging process. SAMe Supplement Benefits: May Also Help PMS, Fibromyalgia, Dementia, and Pain This nutrient has been available by prescription in Europe for many years as an antidepressant and has been available over the counter in the U.S. since the early 90s as a mood lifter and as a supplement for nervous system disorders. SAMe is involved with the production of several other brain neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Maintaining adequate levels of these foundational neurotransmitters is essential in supporting feelings of well-being. Recent controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of SAMe in promoting a happy, balanced mood. NIH double-blind research conducted at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrated that SAMe is beneficial as an additive to those resistant to FDA-approved antidepressants. People taking SAMe in addition to regular antidepressants experienced double response rate and remission rate compared with placebos. One major problem with compliance of prescribed antidepressants is the number of unpleasant side effects, including the 70 percent of patients who experience sexual dysfunction. (This negatively affects adherence to their medication regimen.) Clinical trials have found that SAMe can decrease sexual dysfunction. Everyone can use a little help sometimes. If you are looking for a safe, natural supplement that can support brain health and joint function all while promoting a positive mood, try the natural route first.
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Omega-3 and Omega-6: Know the Difference
Omega-3 and Omega-6 may sound similar because they are both essential fatty acids, meaning that your body needs them but cannot make them naturally. However, each type has different functions and effects. (All Omegas are not created equally!) Omega-6 Fatty Acids Can Help Raise “Good” Cholesterol and More Omega-6 fatty acids are commonly found in today’s modern diet because of its high concentration in popular foods: Vegetable oil Fast food items, such as French fries, popcorn chicken, onion rings Dairy and eggs Chicken, pork, beef Many baked items such as muffins, cookies, bread Omega-6 helps lessen the risks of diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis and even allergies. Interestingly, there has been a correlation between Omega-6 and decreased symptoms of ADHD. These polyunsaturated fats are often used to help lower the risk of heart disease by decreasing “bad” or LDL cholesterol, and increasing “good” or HDL cholesterol. Because of our dependency on fast foods, most people actually have too much Omega-6 in their bodies. Too much Omega-6 can actually increase inflammation, which brings its own set of risks, and has also been linked to depression. Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Brain Health and Vision Omega-3 fatty acids are found in a high concentration in fish, olive oil, garlic, and walnuts. Though these foods are common, people don’t eat them in the adequate quantities it would take to get beneficial levels and supplements are often recommended. Omega-3 plays a crucial role in reducing inflammation, which, in turn, may reduce your risk of osteoporosis, some cancers, heart disease, asthma symptoms, and other conditions. In addition to the prevention aspects, Omega-3 stimulates hair and skin growth, and because of how important it is during an infant’s development, pregnant women are encouraged to take it to prevent problems associated with vision. When you consider the immense benefits that Omega-3’s unsaturated fats have on the body, it’s easy to see why they are recommended to nearly everybody for their preventative and medicinal qualities. Some benefits are merely anecdotal and research based, such as their belief to protect against memory issues and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and other dementia issues. Regardless, their proven benefits to decrease joint problems and heart disease make it worth adding to your supplement regimen. Omega-3’s major health benefits come primarily from its long-chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA). In fact, DHA is the most prevalent fatty acid found in the brain and there’s a direct correlation between the volume of DHA in the brain and memory/intelligence. We’ve all heard of fish being called “brain food” and DHA is the main reasoning behind that. DHA fatty acid is vital to the creation and maintenance of certain cellular parts of the brain and retina, making it essential for brain health. As your body ages, your body makes less and less DHA, which is one of the reasons believed to be behind mental decline with age. It’s incredibly important that anyone looking to stay on top of their mental game incorporate Omega-3 into their health care regimen.
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Tips to Helping You Focus & Set Realistic Goals
Staying on track with consistent fitness can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. To optimize your chances of reaching your New Year’s goals, you’ve got to actively set yourself up for mind-body success. Here are expert tips for helping you stay focused and set realistic resolutions that inspire you to get a stronger body and an optimized brain all year long: 6 of the Best Ways to Stay Focused and Fit Join a Gym or a Training Studio Just getting there is the hard part. Always try negotiating waiving the sign-up initiation fees especially if you are joining a new or smaller exercise studio that’s privately owned. (There’s more leeway for navigating monthly fees.) Snare yourself a better deal before the big rush on January 1, advises fitness expert Tana Amen, BSN, RN. And finally, sign up with a fitness buddy who will hold you accountable to make it to your workouts, she says. Start a Healthy Supplement Regimen If one or more of your healthy resolutions was to ramp up your mental focus and jumpstart energy then you’ve come to the right place. A deficiency in vitamin D or serotonin, for example, may cause excessive fatigue. Take a good multi-vitamin with vitamin D, B6 and magnesium, for starters, says Dr. Daniel G. Amen, MD. Then add on supplements for other areas of improvement, like mood, focus, or memory. BrainMD even offers the opportunity to try three of our most popular products for free with our 7 day Free Trials. Gravity Classes… Anyone? Find a new activity you love and make that a weekend warrior habit you can look forward to. Anything from ice skating to dance lessons to gravity training can make that dreaded workout a fun activity you look forward to. Gravity training compiles strength, endurance and cardio workouts with Pilates and yoga inspired movements and mindfulness. We think you’ll love how much fun it is as well as the results you’ll see! Both group classes and private lessons are offered depending on your preferences. Give the Gift of Green Tea Dr. Amen’s Focus & Energy supports both focus and healthy energy levels. It is formulated with green tea and choline to help enhance endurance, digestion and stamina. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. (Research also indicates that some supplements, made with the amino acids found in green tea, may help anxious people focus more clearly.) Commit to be Fit, One Session at a Time Learn the basics and take notes during one affordable session. Asking for help from a professional not only ensures that you will have the accountability you need to meet your weight loss and health goals, but also adds a level of safety for your future solo sessions, says fitness expert Tana, author of the just-launched Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook. Personalize Your Fitness Rewards Get inspired to ramp up your workout motivation (and commit!) by attending a group bike class, hikes or Pilates sessions 2-3 times a week for one month, writing down the prize you’ll choose and enjoy once you meet your get-sweaty goals. Then, go treat yourself to a sports massage or a movie night. (You deserve it.) Set yourself up for success: take these recommendations and write down how you can use them. Writing them down means you make then an intention, and will help form them in your mind so you can more easily implement them into a habit. Find out what supplements are right for you and your goals by shopping at BrainMD. And remember that you don’t need to be perfect, just better!
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How to Stop Emotionally Overeating
There’s an old adage that goes, “It’s better to face your stuff than to stuff your face.” In addition to being an obnoxious statement, that is far easier said than done! To maintain a healthy relationship with food, or to gain clarity and more acceptance around food, it may require you to re-connect to your body and your natural appetites. And if you’re like a lot of people, food has become the “friend” you turn to when you are feeling blue, dealing with anger, or feeling unloved. When these emotions start to bubble up, it makes you feel uncomfortable, and you may use food to stuff them back inside you (literally), so you won’t have to deal. We all know that doesn’t serve you well in the long run. Do You Turn to Food to Soothe Anger or Loneliness? You may not even realize just how much your relationship with food is impacting who you are and how you live your life. Thankfully, you can learn how to “face your stuff” with expert tips from Amen Clinics. 1. Manage Your Stress When you get frazzled, do you calm your nerves with ice cream or cheeseburgers? Rest assured there are better ways to deal with stress. Meditation, yoga, tai chi and deep breathing exercises, for starters, are simple techniques that help improve your equanimity and help reduce your cravings to overeat. Considering that stress is one of the most common triggers for emotional overeating, reducing your anxiety can be vital to changing your eating patterns. 2. Exercise Every Day Physical exercise is a super-fantastic, all-natural way to help increase self-control and feelings of confidence and well-being. Exercise also boosts your mood in a number of ways: Working out increases serotonin in your brain to help you get unstuck when you can’t stop thinking about pepperoni pizza, potato chips, beer, etc. It increases blood flow and dopamine in your brain, which improves impulse control It clearly reduces stress, balances your mood, and stabilizes your blood sugar levels so you won’t overeat. 3. Nosh Mindfully Being present means paying attention to what you are doing, thinking, feeling, smelling, touching, and tasting in the moment. This is especially important for folks who camp out on the couch all evening and devour bags of cookies without even realizing it. Unfortunately, it’s usually quantity over quality when it comes to emotional eating! By contrast, when you eat mindfully, you pause gratefully on each bite of food and become aware of the smells, tastes, colors, and textures. You learn to savor each bite without checking your phone or watching Survivor reruns. Mindful eating can help you become more aware of feeling full and teaches you to sidestep carb cravings. 4. Balance Your Serotonin The fastest way to balance your blood sugar and decrease cravings (which will help you avoid emotional overeating) is to decrease the amount of high-glycemic, low-fiber carbohydrates you eat (simple sugars, sodas, processed foods). Instead, focus on clean, lean proteins and smart carbohydrates, which we define as low-glycemic, high-fiber. Serotonin, the “don’t worry, be happy” brain neurotransmitter, is at least partially responsible for mood stability, sleep regulation, appetite control, and social engagement. Often the reason that people emotionally overeat is that they are unconsciously trying to increase depleted serotonin levels. They intuitively crave carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta and bread because simple carbohydrates can raise serotonin levels, and temporarily increase your feelings of well-being. If you’re in need of serotonin-boosting carbs, reach for whole grains and carbs derived from plant foods like sweet potatoes, blueberries, pears, and apples. 5. Don’t Deprive Yourself (Completely!) Avoiding every treat or food you like is a set up for failure: Allow yourself to enjoy those treats that you look forward to, but keep in mind there's no need for an all-out binge-fest. In fact, research indicates that the first few bites of food are the most satisfying. So, follow the three-bite rule – be fully present and conscious while you have those first three bites so you can really concentrate on enjoying the food. 6. Use H-A-L-T to Curb Emotional Eating To keep emotional overeating in check, learn to H-A-L-T, which stands for: Don’t get too Hungry. Going too long without food lowers your blood sugar levels, which can lead to irritability, which can directly trigger overeating. Don’t get too Angry. Uncontrolled antagonism can send you running to the cookie jar to calm your raging emotions. Don’t get too Lonely. Social skills and a nurturing social network are critical to your emotional well-being. Enlist a team of supporters and healthy role models. Don’t get too Tired. Sleep deprivation leads to a brain that cannot cope as well with stressful situations, leading to worsening moods, greater irritability, increased anger, and more frustration. When emotions are running wild, you are more apt to run to the refrigerator for solace. Make sleep a priority to boost brain function and improve judgment and self-control. Be patient and learn how to balance your emotions and overeating eating triggers. More sleep, a support network and dietary supplements can all potentially support healthy serotonin balance in the brain, which can minimize emotional overeating.
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How Hypnosis Can Help You Gain Mastery Over Your Mind
Your brain is the most complex organ in the universe. It weighs about three pounds, or roughly 2 percent of your body’s weight, and yet it uses 20-30 percent of the calories you consume, 20 percent of the oxygen you breathe, and 25 percent of the blood flow in your body. What’s more, your brain is 85 percent water! We estimate that the brain has 100 billion nerve cells and more connections than there are stars in the galaxy. Your beautiful brain is the organ of learning, loving, and behaving. When the brain within a family or an organization work properly, for example, the family or organization tends to be positive and effective. When the brain of one or more family members or an organization is troubled, the family or organization may experience increased stress and strain. Hypnosis may help change all that. How Can Hypnosis Combat Negative Thinking? It’s simple. Negative thinking disrupts healthy brain function. And chronic stress also kills cells in the memory centers of the brain. Hypnosis is a powerful tool to help you gain mastery over your own mind and body. Hypnosis can also be helpful for sleep problems , as well as for anxiety and pain. Before trying hypnosis, your health professional will first help you eliminate anything that might interfere with optimal brain function and positive thinking: These include lack of sleep, drug abuse or alcohol, too much caffeine before bed, being sedentary, and simple tips like unplugging electronics before bed to allow for more restful and brain rejuvenating sleep. One Fascinating Case Study in Hypnosis I have used hypnosis as a tool to help many patients. When I was an intern at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center years ago, many of my patients wanted sleeping pills. As you can imagine, it’s hard to sleep in a busy, noisy hospital. Before I gave them the pills, however, I asked if I could hypnotize them first. Almost everyone agreed, and it was very helpful. Several of my first professional papers came from using hypnosis for sleep issues. One of my patients, a decorated World War II hero, had Parkinson’s disease and when he was in hypnotic trance for sleep, his intensive tremors went away. When I told the attending neurologist about it the next morning, he thought I was crazy. So, I repeated the exercise in front of the doctor, and the astounding results became my first clinical paper. Just as negative thoughts can make a body sick, promoting positive and nurturing thoughts (via hypnosis) can help you heal the brain. What Does It Feel Like to be Hypnotized? First, let’s admit that real hypnosis is definitely not the woo-woo Las Vegas trickster magician scenario, where he’s up on stage making his audience cluck like chickens just for laughs. Not at all. Hypnosis is another tool to help you (and other professionals) understand your brain. It is often accompanied by talk therapy, lab tests, and doctor’s visits. When you are under, some people claim being hypnotized is more like a heightened state of relaxation that helps you get more in touch with your unconscious. The term “hypnosis” may mean different things to different people, but it generally entails becoming fully relaxed by entering a trance-like state, then listening to a hypnotist as he or she communicate in a rhythmic, calming voice. Dr. Amen says hypnosis is quite effective for becoming much more aware of what your body needs. For one example, a small study from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that women who were hypnotized for weight loss shed an average of 17 pounds within 6 months, compared to a mere half a pound in the control group. If you’d like to investigate how hypnosis can enrich your brain function, better induce sleep, help you with food cravings, smoking cessation – or just help you understand certain difficult situations with deeper clarity – ask your health professional to steer you to an appropriate pro. If you’d like to read more about Dr. Daniel Amen’s real-people case studies, pick up his newest book, The Brain Warrior’s Way. Until then, you may find yourself getting very, very sleepy!
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4 Tips to Become the Best Version of You This Year
Jingle bells, jingle bells – wait a minute. Hold your reindeer, there. If you are not feeling quite in the holiday swing of things yet, just do it. Let out one giant “Humbug!” and get it out of the way… Ah, now, that feels better! It is the time of year to look back, take stock and rewrite your negative stories. Set goals for the new year that center around gratitude, strength, and mindfulness. Try these four expert techniques to get in touch with your healthier, calmer self, the best version of you this year. We can help you slow down your busy brain, create healthier relationships, and ultimately bring your life back under control, all of which increase the likelihood for glad tidings of comfort and joy. 4 Ways to Make the Season Merry and Bright 1. Boost Your Immunity Naturally No one feels happy and bright when they are sniffling over the Christmas cookies! While no single food will magically fend off the flu, some nutrients can help protect your body from billions of germs and bacteria. Here are specific nutrients and foods that researchers may suggest to enhance your immune system: Omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed oil, nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel Zinc-rich foods found in chickpeas and some legumes, oysters, crab, lean meats and poultry Selenium-rich foods found in barley, broccoli, sardines, tuna, Brazil nuts Vitamin E-rich foods found in seeds, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts 2. Slate Time to Tune Up Getting 30 minutes of daily physical activity can strengthen many defenses of the immune system, kick-start your stamina and keep anxious thoughts at bay. Since consistent exercise is a natural anti-depressant, it can help deflect some of those daily and seasonal anxieties. “Exercise gets antibodies and white blood cells moving through the body faster, so they may detect illnesses sooner,” says Daniel Amen, M.D. “Additionally, an increase in blood circulation [from exercise] may also trigger the release of hormones that ‘warn immune cells of intruding pathogens,’” which may help sidestep sickness while enhancing your mood. 3. Take Your Vitamin D, for Goodness Sake Vitamin D plays a number of pivotal roles in promoting weight loss, good moods and immunity. Unfortunately, nearly one-third of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, says Dr. Amen. Very few foods contain much vitamin D, so your best bet is to take a supplement containing Vitamin D. NeuroVite Plus combines more than 50 nutrients, including vitamin D and plant extracts in their most active forms, to provide whole body-mind nutrition. 4. Train Your Brain to Bring Joy to the World Every time you have an unkind thought or a stress-out thought, your brain releases negative chemicals that make your body feel bad, says Dr. Amen. Every time you have a happy thought, or a kind thought, your brain releases chemicals that make your body feel good. Whenever you're happy, imagine that your brain is releasing bubbles with smiling faces, he suggests. And pass them on to the next person who may be mumbling “Humbug” right about now. Being vital and feeling hearty around the holidays improves your mood and boosts your stamina. (Go chop that firewood already.) To celebrate additional glad tidings, try more of these “good mood” nutrients.
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Become A Brain Warrior and Master Your Brain Health
Every day, we are fighting a war for our health. We are constantly being bombarded by persuasive advertisements, tempted by dangerous habits, and surrounded by “sheep” making it too easy to follow the herd into an unhealthy lifestyle. That is why we have to be Brain Warriors for ourselves, and the ones we love. Our very lives depend on it. What Exactly is a Brain Warrior? A Brain Warrior is someone who has M.A.S.T.E.R.Y over the health of their brain, their attitude and their body because they know what’s really at stake. Everything. M.A.S.T.E.R.Y starts with an M for Mindset If you don’t know your why you’ll never do your what. Before you can start on the way to becoming a brain warrior, you must first determine exactly why you want to start on this path – what is your short-term goal? Do you have long-term or preventive health goals? M – Mindset Fostering willpower and honing your mental concentration is a great place to begin mastering the Brain Warrior’s philosophies. When you begin to consistently think more clearly, nothing can distract you from your goals. A – Assessment You can’t change what you don’t know. You have to make an honest, practical self-assessment of your health; no matter how bad things are now, if you aren’t honest with yourself, they will only get worse. S – Sustenance To start acting like a warrior, you have to start eating like a warrior. Food is medicine. What you put into your body is fueling how you feel and respond, to external stressors. When you eat nutrient-rich foods, and make smarter meal choices, you will feel the benefits in record time. T – Training To be a warrior, you have to train like a warrior. This war for your health is no joke, which is why you have to physically exercise, sweat regularly, get strong, stretch, train, eat right, and prepare every day for the battles ahead. Soon, you will be more prepared for any obstacle you face on your way toward total well-being. (Maintaining a stronger body helps make you feel more equipped, potentially better at handling crisis or health problems that crop up.) And they always do, after all. E – Essence What is a warrior made of? All of us have felt pain, weakness or discomfort. With time and education and professional help, real warriors can turn their pain into purpose. And because of those convictions, you will push yourself to be stronger, clearer and more vital every day. R- Responsibility It’s not just about you; it’s about generations of you and your family. Your actions on the way to becoming a warrior are not simply for your benefit. Good habits affect your offspring and your family tree over generations. Your health and wellness efforts will rub off on those around you and have positive effects you could never have predicted. Y – Years The Brain Warrior’s Way is not a fad diet or a 2-week program, this is a way of living so that you can learn to start each day better than the last. A warrior is rational and focused. Learning to have M.A.S.T.E.R.Y. over your brain, emotions and also your body will benefit you not just for the next few weeks, but for the remainder of your life. (Remember those long-term goals?!) If you enjoy reading this type of inspiration, join me for a weekly Facebook live chat where we’ll discuss all types of health, nutrition, exercise and wellness strategies. Thank you for being an important part of our tribe. We get better together. That’s why it is important for you to start your own tribe and work together with the people you love to get everyone healthy. A great way to start is by gifting The Brain Warrior’s Way Bundle: an amazing package containing both The Brain Warrior’s Way and The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook at a special discounted price!
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Top Three Things to Look for in Protein Powders
Protein is a critical component in the healthy growth and functioning of cells, tissues, and organs throughout your body. Eating lean protein everyday has a variety of benefits, including: chasing away hunger improving focus stabilizing your blood sugar boosting energy speeding up weight loss enhancing cognition Most adults need an average of 45-100 grams of dietary protein daily, depending on their size, activity levels, and metabolic demands. For some, the prospect of needing to ingest that much protein each day may be daunting. To ensure that you are receiving optimal health benefits from protein powders, and other sources of lean dietary proteins like fish, here are the top three things to look for when you’re comparing protein powders. Look for a Plant-Based Protein Powder The two most frequently used protein powders are made from whey (a milk protein) or soy, but they come with significant health risks. Top scientists are beginning to recognize what many human intestines have already made clear: Cow’s milk and subsequent dairy products are unnecessary in the adult human diet. In fact, many humans have trouble properly digesting dairy products at all. Additionally, bovine growth hormones, commonly given to dairy cows to increase their milk production, are suspected of contributing to early puberty in our children because of elevated igF-1 (insulin growth factor). Soy Proteins May Not be the Healthiest Choice Soy contains components with high concentrations of lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins), which can contribute to leaky gut, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, MD. He says eating too much soy protein can also affect other systems of the body: Soy proteins may include too much phytic acid, believed to reduce the absorption of vital minerals. It may contain too many phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that can contribute to the development of some cancers. Too-high levels of phytoestrogens can contribute to premature puberty in girls and impotence in men. New research is demonstrating that plant-based protein is a healthy alternative, providing the same protein benefits as whey and soy but without the potential health detriments. According to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, plant-based protein performed just as well as whey protein (the industry’s dairy-based standard). Plant-based protein is also good for the health of your heart. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers found that intake over time of plant-based proteins (rather than animal-based proteins) decreased the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, plant-based protein is very hypoallergenic, easy to digest, and doesn’t cause bloating, a common side effect of many other protein powders. Choose a Protein Powder with “Complete Proteins” Your body requires 22 amino acids to function properly – 13 are made by the body (called non-essential amino acids) and the other nine must be obtained through external sources, usually food (called essential amino acids). The presence of these essential amino acids is what determines if a protein is considered complete or incomplete. Complete proteins provide all the essential amino acids in sufficient quantities. Unfortunately, most plant-based protein powders do not contain complete protein and therefore need to be supplemented with other proteins. Having a full-spectrum of amino acids provides powerful support for healthy mental focus, muscle energy production, and overall recovery from exercise and stress. Make sure to choose a protein powder that provides complete protein by combining a variety of plant-based proteins. Choose a Protein Powder with Adequate Fiber Fiber impacts nearly every phase of digestion, starting from your fist bite. In the stomach, fiber absorbs water and creates bulk, which can increase the time it takes for food to move out of the stomach. The longer food stays in your stomach, the fuller you feel — and the less likely you are to experience the spikes in blood sugar that occur when food digests quickly and glucose is dumped into the blood. In your small intestines and all the way through to the colon, fiber keeps things moving, yet provides bulk. Bonus! Fiber is a prebiotic – food for the good bacteria in your gut – thus improving your gut health too. In many cases, when people start to increase the amount of protein in their diet, the amount of fiber they ingest often decreases. This can create problems, so ensuring that you’re getting fiber at the same time as protein can prevent this. Most protein powders on the market seem to lack one thing or another – taste, fiber, consistency, low sugar, complete protein, and even certain nutrients. BrainMD created OMNI Protein to provide 22 grams of complete plant-based protein in a delicious, non-gritty, fiber-filled way without any artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, soy, dairy, sugar, or GMO’s. If you are interested in learning more about protein powders, make sure to check out one of our related blogs, Top 3 Things To Avoid When Purchasing Protein Powders. Now Available in Chocolate and Vanilla
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Meet Dr. Parris Kidd, Chief Science Officer
Under today’s intense pressures, we must actively work to conserve and improve our mental functions. The fast-growing body of neuroscience research proves that the human brain is always working to improve itself, and that literally by changing your brain you can change your life. At BrainMD, we’ve dedicated our careers to helping people feel better by creating the highest quality nutritional products for optimizing and balancing brain health. BrainMD's supplement products are developed from the published knowledge base of successful clinical trials and other scientific research on the safety and effectiveness of specific nutrients and herbals. Additionally, BrainMD’s product development team has over 75 years of combined experience in developing dietary supplements that work. Heading up that team with Dr. Amen is BrainMD’s Chief Science Officer and Director of Quality Control, the renowned Dr. Parris Kidd. Revolutionary Dietary Supplements for the Brain Dr. Kidd has developed a diverse array of dietary supplements over his career, and since 1994 has specialized in developing dietary supplements for the brain. A native of Jamaica, Dr. Kidd has been active in integrative medicine for over 30 years. Dr. Kidd earned a B.Sc. with First Class Honors in Zoology at the University of the West Indies, then a Ph.D in cell and developmental biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Subsequently he pursued an academic career that included teaching developmental biology at Berkeley, doing research and teaching at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, and research at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF). [caption id="attachment_4669" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Left to right: Laura Nunes, Tana Amen, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Parris Kidd[/caption] In 1983, having developed a strong interest in “alternative medicine,” Dr. Kidd began a collaboration with Dr. Stephen Levine (another Berkeley PhD) that resulted in the 500-page book Antioxidant Adaptation — Its Role in Free Radical Pathology. While developing a thriving consulting practice, beginning in 1994, Dr. Kidd reoriented his focus to specializing in brain nutrients. He was the scientist on the team that brought PS (PhosphatidylSerine) into North America in 1994 and helped launch PS in Europe and Asia. His support also helped popularize GPC (Glycero-Phospho-Choline) beginning in 1997, and Krill Omega-3 Phospholipids in 2003. Throughout his career, he has developed numerous dietary supplement products, has published extensively on the science behind supplements, and has done hundreds of radio and video features. Highly respected for his integrity and exemplary contributions to building the scientific knowledge base of nutritional medicine, Dr. Kidd’s continued dedication to the quality and effectiveness of supplemental products lead him to BrainMD. He has championed a quality mindset within the company to ensure the best, most effective products reach our customers. “Dr. Kidd’s passion for science and for people’s health reflects in his work every day. His heart is driven by a desire to help people live healthier, happier lives; his decisions are driven by the science – what has been shown to make a difference. He, along with Dr. Amen, has a never ending need to help people and to do right by them. It is inspiring to work with someone like that.” – BrainMD Our Products are Created for People Just Like You You are important to us and we consider our BrainMD customers part of our family. We want you to be confident with and satisfied by every aspect of doing business with us — from our products and customer service to our one year money back guarantee. When you feel better and your family is healthier, we know we have done our job well.
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Kid's NeuroVite Supplements
By definition, vitamins and essential minerals are substances that are essential for normal health and functioning. Without them we develop deficiency symptoms that can be serious. Since they cannot be made by the body in sufficient quantities, they must be taken in from the environment – typically through food. Thanks to the dramatic amount of growth and development they are experiencing, children are especially in need of generous allowances of vitamins and minerals, which are critical for healthy growth, activity, learning, and behavior. Without question, the best possible source of vitamins and minerals for kids is high-quality, organic, locally-grown, unprocessed food. However, for most time-crunched families, eating home-cooked, well-balanced meals made from these ingredients 100% of the time just isn’t possible. Additionally, it is possible for genetic variation to raise an individual's requirements for a vitamin or mineral to way higher than they can obtain even from a perfect diet. Many Children Eat Less Than a Minimum Daily Allowance of Nutrients Alarming studies show that a high percentage of children in North America and other developed countries eat less than the minimum daily allowance of many essential nutrients. Additional studies indicate that modern foods don't meet children's needs for these nutrients. Adding an expertly designed multivitamin/mineral supplement to their diet helps to fill any nutritional gaps. Many clinical research studies have established that supplementing children's diets with multiple vitamins and essential minerals supports their brain and body development. So now that you know the importance of giving your child a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement, you are still faced with trying to figure out which one to buy: There are a lot of multiples out there – if you’ve ever walked down the vitamin aisle of your local health food store, pharmacy, or grocery store, you know how many choices there are. That’s why Dr. Amen and his BrainMD team developed Kids’ NeuroVite – to take the guess work out of what multiple vitamin-mineral supplement to use for your kids. This science-based formulation provides generous amounts of well-utilized nutrients for: making energy (magnesium, the B vitamins) supporting the brain's maturation (methylfolate, methylB12, choline) improving immunity (vitamin C, zinc, selenium) supporting vision (lutein, zeaxanthin) "Get kids started with the support they need. Kids’ NeuroVite was developed for my own children and grandchildren. It can help yours, too." – Daniel G. Amen, MD The BrainMD team scoured the clinical research to document which nutrients are best proven for kids over the long term. We didn't take any shortcuts when selecting the ingredients for our Kids’ NeuroVite. A broad spectrum of nutrients for healthy minds and active bodies was chosen while paying close attention to purity, optimal absorption, and utilization. You know what you WON’T find in Kids’ NeuroVite? Ingredients that you might find in other kids’ multivitamin/mineral supplements that: May be unsafe, such as cyanocobalamin (cyanide with vitamin B12) Are poorly absorbed, such as magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, other oxides Are poorly utilized once absorbed, such as folic acid, beta-carotene (poorly converted to vitamin A), and vitamin D2 Are simply unnecessary, such as titanium dioxide, artificial colorants, and sugar Your child will LOVE the taste of the orange-flavored penguin chewables which are free from sugar, dairy, gluten, wheat, eggs, and artificial colorings or flavorings. Give BrainMD’s Kids’ NeuroVite a try- risk free! We offer a 1-year, money back guarantee on your first bottle of any supplement. And you will have peace of mind knowing that you are providing your child with high-quality "nutritional health insurance," adds Dr. Amen.
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