Memory Health Made Easy

Humans are built to be resistant to negativity. That’s our brain’s coping mechanism. It’s psychology. It’s science. Whatever you’re feeling right now can directly affect your overall health and wellbeing. Sometimes, the situation that we find ourselves in can be difficult to accept. Other times, we just let these negative thoughts and emotions take over our lives. It’s just a matter of how we deal with these thoughts and how we surrender to them. If you find yourself fighting against negative thoughts, trying to bust yourself out of your negative situation, resisting change, and resisting fate, then this podcast is just perfect for you as it will help you embrace, accept, and play around with your situation to better your emotional wellbeing. In today’s episode on Emotional Wellbeing, we talk about: Listen To Your Heart To Find Your PurposeAcceptance Can Help You Learn and GrowResistance is Hardwired Into Our Heart And BrainInternal Awareness Paves The Way To AcceptanceHeart Rate Variability Helps Improve Emotional WellbeingHaving A Sense Of Commitment Practices MindfulnessFinding The Harmony Within You Makes You Live In The FlowDon’t Expect Instant GratificationFocus and Inner Awareness Helps Shift Pain and Anxiety Leading To A Better Emotional WellbeingPlayfulness Gives You The Freedom To Let Go Of NegativityCollaborative Meditation Enhances The Experience Have you ever felt like you are in some kind of emotional turmoil and just can't seem to get out of your negative situation? Feeling those negative emotions is normal. Being frustrated, angry, or agitated is normal. You can dwell on those emotions and beat yourself up everyday. Or, you can just leave those emotions behind and start accepting your situation, focusing on the positive, and accepting that growth takes time. For you to move on, the first step is always acceptance. Acceptance is a key factor in improving your emotional wellbeing. Resistance is natural. It's your brain's coping mechanism. Once it starts thinking that you are going deeper and deeper into a situation that can bring harm to you, it automatically switches on the alarm bell, telling you to turn back and run away. But running away can only cause your negative emotions to grow bigger and bigger. What once was a grain of sand or a raisin snowballed and ultimately turned into an avalanche. However, by working your way around resistance, you'll know that accepting and playing around it can help you cope better with it. Minimal stresses and activities can get you back on track and improve awareness. You might think practicing mindfulness and awareness takes a lot of effort. However, anything that is done repetitively and consistently can have great effects on yourself. Simple exercises such as walking a flight of stairs while counting the steps… Or closing your eyes and focusing on one thing that's around you can already help you practice mindfulness and awareness. Then, you can start looking inside you, meditate, and start listening to your heart, picking up your problems one by one, and solving them. Mindfulness and collaborative meditation enhance the experience and overall effect. There is something in social connections that urges you to do things. You can meditate on your own. But once you start doing it with other people, the experience gets amplified and the learning process is quicker. Science indicates that meditation can improve your quality of life. Imagine if you do it with more people. Sometimes, you just have to realize that there are things that you can and cannot control. And it is up to you how you want to handle it. Stop acting against those negative emotions and start looking inside you. Meditate and pay attention to what your heart is telling you. Only then can you move on and start living a better life. About Our Guest Guy Lawrence is a wellness coach and a fitness trainer. He hosts his own podcast “The Guy Lawrence Podcast,” and founded the...

Finding out your genes increase your risk for a disease can be quite scary. It almost sounds like your fate, your health is dictated by your genetic makeup. But your genes don’t have to be a life sentence. You don’t have to accept that fate...well, not yet. What if I told you that you can still change the course of your health? That you can fight against and lower your risk for... Neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia. Or that a gene could be the reason you’re finding it hard to lose weight. Are your genes truly your destiny? Well, I believe that you can still rewrite your ‘health’ destiny and weave something more beautiful. Something that doesn’t restrict or limit the quality of your life. Something that lets you scream out at the top of your lungs... Yes, I can fight this! My genes are not in control, I am! Because that is what we all need to become. We all have to become empowered health warriors. Armed with the knowledge about our risk factors and motivated to make the necessary changes. Lifestyle changes are powerful because our health isn’t completely based on our genes. A personalised lifestyle plan and genes both affect your lifespan. A proper diet and nutrition. Exercise, movement, and physical activity. Getting enough sleep. All of these including a whole host of other factors have an impact. Genes are still important. They play an important role in our lives, but we don’t understand them fully. Despite what we already know, there are still common misconceptions about genes. For those of you who have done genetic testing, what were your results like? Does seeing those red, green, and yellow results give you a better understanding? Or maybe, it only increased your frustration and confusion. It might be that you became more anxious about your health. Far from being the empowered individual, you end up being more stressed. Stressed about what your future would be. Some people are even more susceptible to getting more stressed than they already are. Oh, what to do now? Build the right team that supports and guides you. Look for a functional medicine practitioner. Or someone that has training and knowledge in this space. There have been more and more practitioners like myself who’ve been interested and working towards improving their knowledge. So they can help people like you. Now’s not the time to take a backseat. We’re talking about your health here. And you are the driver. Not your genes, but YOU. So strap on your seatbelt and shift the gears. Don’t worry though because I’m here to guide you. Check out this new episode as we go over: The common misunderstandings surrounding genes and epigeneticsHow nutrition and environment have an impact on your genesDr. Denise’ own risk and the applications for people in a similar situationWhat to be mindful of when getting a genetic testThe common gene variations associated with neurodegenerative conditions Episode Highlights Finding The Genes Affecting HealthCommon Misconceptions On Genetics And Your HealthHow Genetic Variations Impact Your HealthUnderstanding Your Genetic Risk FactorsGenes Impact On Stress LevelsGenes Role With Weight GainOther Factors To Consider About Your GenesThe Biggest Takeaway About How Genes Affect Your Health About Our Guest Dr. Denise Furness is a molecular geneticist and nutritionist. She spent 20 years studying the relationship between our genes and our environment, and has focused on nutrient genomics or the relationship between what we eat and how to fix our genes. You can connect with Dr. Denise through her website, Your Genes and Nutrition or reach out to her on her Facebook. Genes, Lifestyle Choices, And Your Health Finding The Genes Affecting Health The difference between a clinical geneticist and a molecular geneticist is that a clinical geneticist works in diagnosing rare genetic disorders linked with disease.Dr. Denise is an academic and scientist which...

Get Clear On Brain Fog Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Test and Treatments and be sure to grab the Free Transcript What have I got to do to beat this brain fog? Whether you... Experience low mental energy? Feel like your living behind glass? That lack of clarity. The difficulty in focusing. Everyone’s experience is different. So, if you’re wondering how to bust out of this brain funk-feeling in your head, or you want to help someone who is suffering from these symptoms, then today’s podcast is just for you. In today’s Brain Fog: Symptoms to Treatment episode I address: What Does Brain Fog Feel LikeWhat Are 5 Brain Fog Symptoms12 Causes of Brain FogLack of Sleep Makes A Fuzzy MindChronic #Stress And A Tired BrainHormone Changes Lead To Bad MemoryDepression And Brain FogFood and Nutrition Affects Brain HealthMedication Can Make You FuzzyNeurological Conditions Impact ClarityPoor Gut Health Means Poor Mental ClarityFatigue Makes You Too Tired To FocusToxins Are Toxic To Your BrainAlcohol Flooding Your Brain?Genetics May Up Your Brain Fog RisksBrain Fog Testing: What Do You Need To Do?Get Some Brain Clarity with #TreatmentsRecovery Is PossibleThe Biggest Takeaway About Brain Fog And Stress How's your concentration? Pfft! Out the door and into the….uh. What was I thinking again? Maybe you find yourself getting lost in a conversation and not in a good way. You have to read things over and over. How do you turn up in your life and for your family when everything feels like you’re living behind a pane of glass? Simple everyday words seem like a struggle. You might be experiencing the cognitive changes people often refer to as “Brain Fog” Brain fog isn’t a medical condition. But it is an experience lived by people. And it impacts their quality of life. There are symptoms, a cluster of symptoms that indicate whether what you’re going through could be brain fog- but that’s not really the area to focus on- more so- what can you do about it. The experience though varies from person to person. One person’s experience of brain fog could be very different from another. It could be very light and minor. Or it could be so severe and significant that it’s already an impairment to your life. How you are dealing with memory problems, poor concentration, and lack of mental clarity.... When it comes to your ability to do things such as drive a car, manage your finances, pursue your hobbies. Have fun interactions and make conversations. Know this one important thing. Brain fog doesn’t have to be a permanent fixture in your life. There are tests that you can do. There are treatments available. You don’t have to live the rest of your life behind that glass pane. Life can become clear again! So make your move. If you know the cluster of symptoms associated with brain fog then you’ll know whether or not you’re experiencing it. The next step is to understand what could be causing your brain fog. Because when you know what’s causing it then you know what to do next. It is often that the causes determine the action. Address the things causing your mental fogginess. Take charge of your brain health and get clear. When your mental focus is taking a dive, that’s the signal for you to dive in as well. Take things into your hands. Attack the causes associated with it. Because that’s what you have to be. You have to stay vigilant and safeguard your cognitive fitness for as long as possible. So that you can get control and live your life on your terms. About Our Host David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years. He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss. David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane. Brain Fog And...

Follow the rockstar life and stay sharp for life No one would expect that living like a rockstar can help your memory health. Yet we’ve seen that in a musical rock legend. That’s right. It’s the Rolling Stones’ lead singer himself, Mick Jagger. An enigma of health and vitality, Mick is reaching his eight decade of life. It hasn’t stopped him from giving life everything he’s got. He’s still rocking it out on the stage. He’s still kickboxing, cycling, and running many miles around. He’s still putting his focus and intensity and working hard to get what he wants. He’s shown this when just a couple of weeks after heart surgery, he goes back to practice for his rescheduled tour. That’s Mick Jagger for you. But what can we learn from his lifestyle choices? You see, there’s a lot of tips we can pick up after analysing the things he does. I’m not saying that you have to live exactly the way he does. Well, that’ll be quite a feat! But making small changes in your life will have a huge impact. Simple things do add up over time. I’ve already talked about how simple, daily actions can compound and lead to powerful changes in your health. Mick is a living, breathing example of that. It’s about consistency and commitment. Plus, the willingness to do the hard work. You don’t have to completely overhaul your entire life. As we’ve also learned, habits take time to stick. What I ask is an openness to learn and to change. Change always starts there. And what better way to start your path to improved memory health than following a legendary example. You can still get yourself back, get your health back. All it takes is to make the move now. So get ready to start livin’ the healthy rockstar life. In today’s show, you will learn the 11 tips to stay sharp for life that we can learn from Mick Jagger. Episode Highlights Living A High Intensity Rockstar Life11 Tips For Staying Sharp For LifeTip # 1: Stay Sharp By Starting EarlyTip # 2: Consistency Is Key To Keeping Your Memory SharpTip # 3: Focus On Your Goals, Stay HealthyTip # 4: Check If Your Memory Is Still SharpTip # 5: Staying Sharp Means Putting In The WorkTip # 6: A Good Diet Equals Sharp MemoryTip # 7: Add Supplements For A Strong MindTip # 8: Increase Your Heart Rate Tip # 9: Lay Out A Rich Movement BuffetTip # 10: Don’t Forget To RelaxTip # 11: Limit Alcohol For A Mentally Sharp MindThe Biggest Takeaway about Rockstar Tips for a Rockstar Life DOWNLOAD THE PDF TRANSCRIPTION About Our Host David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years. He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss. David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane. Rockstar Health Tips Living A High Intensity Rockstar Life Mick Jagger has been living as a rockstar for six decades..His health and vitality has been the subject of articles and investigations.He had to get heart surgery for a leaky heart valve in 2019, recovered in 6 weeks, and was practicing for his rescheduled tour.He has been known for his high intensity when it comes to workouts and performances.He made the choice to do the hard work to get the results he wanted.His father coached him from an early age on the fundamentals of achieving and sustaining physical strength and endurance. 11 Tips For Staying Sharp For Life What can we learn from Mick Jagger about how you can keep your memory sharp as we age?It’s not about smashing your guitar or flying off the stage.You can get satisfaction that you are doing things to stay sharp because you can. Tip # 1: Stay Sharp By Starting Early Mick was influenced by his dad from an early age about the importance of maintaining your physical health.If you didn’t start early, you can kick it into...

A personalised memory loss test should be done every year. The sooner you test your risk factors for memory loss, the sooner you can respond. When drastic changes are already happening, it becomes harder to correct. Do you know someone who’s had a sudden change, almost as if they flipped over.. You can be caught off guard and surprised. Wondering what caused all of this to happen and why did it happen. You can pull out all of your hair trying to get to the bottom of it. Go to so many doctors. Do so many tests, bloodwork, scans, the works. But it’s all just a way to eliminate what it isn’t. Even with all the research and evidence we have, the picture we have is still incomplete. Yet, it doesn’t mean we should wait and let things get worse. Appreciate the complexity of the mechanism of memory loss then ACT Prevention is still best. If you’ve listened to my other episodes, you know I’ve talked about how lifestyle choices play a role. How you live your life, when it comes to exercising, sleeping, and eating can either harm or help your memory health later. You can choose to make positive changes or continue down the path of memory decline. Part of proactively choosing health includes identifying your risks. If there is a framework that lets you check the areas associated with memory loss as you get older. Then you can keep tabs on your memory health. You can compare whether there are changes that would later lead to dementia. A memory loss test should be done every year. Think of it as part of your annual physical. I know, I know. But shouldn’t it be? You’re probably already used to doing the tests regularly required at work. Why shouldn’t you also include checking your memory health? Memory loss is one of the reasons affecting older people’s ability to live a happy life. If that’s a future you want to avoid, then a test must be done. Be active and take charge of your memory health. Avoiding memory loss is a possibility. All it takes is for you to choose. In today’s show, you will find out the risks for memory loss and get a personalised view on where you stand through a memory health checkup. Episode Highlights The Approach For Testing Memory HealthBenefits Of Getting A Personalised Memory Loss TestTest To Prevent Memory LossTest To Identify Your Personal Memory Loss Risks DOWNLOAD THE PDF TRANSCRIPTION About Our Host David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years. He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss. David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane. Personalised Memory Loss Health Test The Approach For Testing Memory Health Different lenses and different frames of reference are used when diagnosing the cause of an illness or disorder.Tests and doctor consultations are done to rule out what an illness isn’t.Your body influences the performance of your brain.There are so many things happening that it can be difficult to pinpoint which influences one over the other.It is your basic nature to group things or cluster things together. Context, environment, and other variables drive how we look at things. It is the fault of thinking things in boxes.A more global or holistic understanding that looks at many different systems and moving parts is needed to reduce your risk for memory loss.There are likely other factors that impact memory health that we don’t know yet. Benefits Of Getting A Personalised Memory Loss Test Things are complicated when it comes to memory health.The risk factors for late onset dementia includes a lot of factors associated with increasing one’s risk. The APOE gene puts people at higher risk for developing dementia.Lifestyle choices and environmental factors can influence...

Good lifestyle habits lead to better memory health Even small changes to improve your life, building good habits, can have effects that add up to a point of... Better health, better cognitive function, and a better life. Your choices will bear fruit. Just like my mango tree. Who doesn’t love mangoes? The sweet smelling fruit is just so good. My family’s mango tree is an old tree, about 90 years old. The tree stopped bearing fruit a few years ago. It’s been neglected. Fungal growth is spreading around. So we pruned. We planted. We attacked the fungal growth. We made changes here and there. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late to do something about it. Then things started to get better. No, much better! The tree started producing so many fruits that I’ve more mangoes than I‘ve chutney jars, Thai salads and gelato boxes. Yum! Your cognitive fitness is much like the mango tree.- But don’t leave it before it’s too late To be at your peak, to help prevent memory loss starts with the right nurturing, personalised to your situation The small changes in your lifestyle really do matter. Our daily habits add up to a bumper crop of memory health later in life. Habits are powerful. You probably don’t even realise you were doing them. That’s because they’ve been ingrained in your life, in your routine. Harness that power. Imagine being armed with habits that reduce your risks for memory loss. You become more confident. You go into battle ready armed to live life fiercely- on your own terms. Raar! What an image, right? But how do you go about creating and living with those good, daily habits? It’s hard to consistently make good choices that stick. There’s a way though. A way to learn how to successfully build new habits. Six principles that will lead to new, powerful habits. As long as you’re resolute. As long as you’re willing to keep at it. As long as you’re willing to keep grinding. You have your goal, your vision. And I know you can reach it. It is never too late to start. Do you really want to deprive your community of ALL that you can be? In today’s show, you will learn the 6 facets of how to build successful habits. Find out also what is the most often neglected element key to habit formation. Episode Highlights It’s Never Too Late For ChangeSetting The Right Goals For Developing BehaviourRepetition Leads To Successful Habit Formation6 Principles For New Habit SuccessQuick Exercise For Finding PurposeThe Biggest Takeaway about Key Lifestyle Factors For Better Health DOWNLOAD THE PDF TRANSCRIPTION About Our Host David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years. He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss. David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane. Building New Habits It’s Never Too Late For Change My family's 90+ year old mango tree was able to bore fruits after years of not doing so.The tree had been neglected and was experiencing some fungal growth. Support and some tending helped it to thrive again.There is still the opportunity for your body to be primed to achieve as much as possible.Poor conditions increase the likelihood of memory loss happening again.It is never too late to start correcting your illness.Changing our diet can have a dramatic impact on your gut microbiome resulting in improved health and being. Short exercises will release endorphins and give you improved endurance and focus.Meditation can easily be used to tackle stress. Setting The Right Goals For Developing Behaviour Goals are amazing. But set it too high and you set yourself up for failure.When you fall short of your goals, it’s easy to turn back to what you were doing before and give up.Not having goals though is like going on...

Memory loss is not a one-way street. Cause of temporary memory loss can be reversible. But just because it’s temporary doesn’t mean you should not take it seriously. Far from it… Temporary memory loss is much like a garden, there are always threats to your plants. Infections, bugs, frost, soil conditions, lack of nutrients- wrong planting time- over watering. These all can impact your plant’s health in the short term. Wilting leaves, lack of flowering and fruit, It really struggles to get through daily “garden life” You could say there’s a lack of energy. Anyone will tell you … Leave your plant too long in these conditions and they really struggle to bounce back In fact they may turn up their roots, kick into plant failure and die Gosh I’ve seen a few plants go this way.. ( Who hasn’t? ) Causes of temporary memory loss can also act much the same way Yes, memory loss is a potentially life threatening issue. By now if you’ve listened to other episodes you’d be aware of how your daily lifestyle choices can create the conditions which can lead to mild cognitive impairment and potentially dementia. It’s the small steps leading ultimately to big life (memory loss) consequences. This makes it vital to pay attention to how you live your life, today. Your memory has its ups and downs - that’s normal right. BUT, act with urgency to cut down the causes of temporary memory loss NOW. The symptoms and their causes are like beacons directing you to where things need to change. The more you wait the greater the impact on your memory. Neglecting the root causes of temporary memory loss can lead to bigger problems that are harder to treat and improve later. So, the time to start is right- NOW. Sure there is a lot going on - but isn’t that always the case. How can you make time for yourself for small positive steps? In today’s show, you will learn the causes of memory loss and the actions needed to reduce your risks and live a brain fit life. Episode Highlights Memory Loss Isn’t A One-Way StreetSkill Acquisition And Performance Over Time8 Signs Your Memory Health Changed9 Factors Associated With Memory LossTreating Temporary Memory LossThe Biggest Takeaway about Causes of Temporary Memory Loss DOWNLOAD THE PDF TRANSCRIPTION Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Host David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years. He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss. David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane. Temporary Memory Loss Why Memory Loss Isn’t A One-Way Street Experiences of memory loss and mild cognitive impairment mean that we are 6x more likely to progress to dementia.Memory decline is a life threatening issue and is the biggest threat to healthy and happy aging.Your memory sways between having normal operations to adverse conditions.Poor conditions increase the likelihood of memory loss happening again. How We Learn: Skill Acquisition And Performance Over Time As you get older, your ability to learn new skills and recall information takes more time.Your historical information and ability to know more become more robust as you age. The 8 Signs Your Memory Health Changed Forgetting names or faces. Forgetting conversations.Irritability reflects changes in memory performance.Getting stuck while doing a task.Forgetting why you went to a room or place.Your attention or ability to recall events clearly is impacted.Forgetting the content of what you just read.Having trouble recalling dictation or number sequences. The 9 Factors Associated With Temporary Memory Loss Medications that lower your acetylcholine levels will increase your forgetfulness, reduce your concentration, and result in a foggy brain.What...

In this show Prof. George will share with you his own personal journey of surviving multiple sclerosis and how the power of mindfulness has helped him and others. Getting a life threatening diagnosis can be devastating. Your entire world gets turned upside down, and you feel isolated and powerless. There is a point when you are in denial and refuse to acknowledge what’s happening. Or you get angry. You get angry at everyone and even yourself. How you react can have an impact on how things turn out later on. But what a lot of people don’t know, a state of non reaction can be beneficial to dealing with your crisis. In today’s show, Prof. George shares with you his research on lifestyle factors and reducing risk on neurological conditions, of which he has first-hand experience. Prof. George and I go deep into: Facing a Major Life CrisisTools for Navigating Disruptions and OverwhelmThe Benefits of MeditationOpportunities during the Coronavirus CrisisGetting Started with MeditationAmplifying your Practice On top of that, we engage in a fabulous conversation on how being an observer and avoiding judgment is crucial at this time when the world is facing a massive crisis brought upon by Coronavirus. For everyone out there, you won’t want to miss this. You always have a choice no matter what the world brings. There are opportunities that even a crisis brings. The key is to become more present and reconnect. You may have gotten used to how life has been and how things work. But life is cyclical. There are always ups and downs. So let go and accept that there is victory in accepting and opening yourself up to change. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Professor George Jelinek is a professor and founder of the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. This unit expressly evaluates modifiable risk factors that predict the progression of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. He has served since 2017 as the Chief Editor for Neuroepidemiology in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, and he was Founding Editor – and is currently the Editor Emeritus – for Emergency Medicine Australasia. Prof. George also has the distinction of being the first Professor of Emergency Medicine in Australasia. Between 1987 and 2018, he published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, seven book forewords and eight books, and received more than 20 research grants. He is author of the life changing book, Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, which recounts his research on the disease and how he applied what he discovered to his own life. Living With and Surviving Multiple Sclerosis Facing A Major Life Crisis Prof. George talks about his mother who died from multiple sclerosis.He shares about finding out he had the disease also.The scientific literature on treating multiple sclerosis was limited at that time and included few immune modifying medications.Professor Jelinek formulated a comprehensive lifestyle plan for himself he had adhered to until now.When facing a massive life adjustment, being in denial and refusing to face the reality of it is common.A mentor helped Prof. George to face the challenges of the life threatening diagnosis he received.It’s important when facing a really big challenge to give it space, be vulnerable, and allow things to come up rather than try to control the whole thing. Tools For Navigating Disruptions and Overwhelm Life is cyclical. There are highs and lows, and you have to learn to accept that.When you look back in your life, you’ll realize that the difficult times are when you experienced tremendous growth.The notion that people are stable and unchanging needs to be challenged.You need to understand that after this crisis your life won’t go back to the way it was.Meditation is a big part of Prof. George’s toolkit for dealing with moments of overwhelm. Research such as the work on mindfulness-based stress reduction by Prof. Jon Kabat-Zinn has already proven the benefits...

In this show vegan fitness super star Kate Galli will share with you how to make a strong mind and body. In fact Kate reveals what she does with her clients so you can Achieve the mindset and motivation to claim power over your choices in Food and your Life GameHave a strategy for winning BIG with your health goals Kate’s clients rate her for good reason and she shares her tips and strategies today. Bad habits are hard to break. You’re used to them, and you’re already comfortable. When you’re surrounded by so much unhealthy food, it can be difficult to make the healthy choice. As for exercise, who has time for that? Living with this kind of life and mindset can have a compounding effect on your body and mind. At some point, you may be forced to change your lifestyle because of an illness or other issue. But it’s always best to start early by starting now. In today’s show, Vegan fitness coach, Kate Galli, shares with you her insights on how to make a strong mind and body as well as revealing her fierce love for the planet. Kate and I delve deep into: The Journey to Better HealthStaying Motivated on the Path to FitnessThe Healthification Podcast As A Tool for Health EducationDeveloping Awareness of SustainabilityConscious Decisions Lead to Stronger BodiesThe Starting Point to Good Health and Beautiful Mind Not only that we go deep into understanding how you can create more time, be more effective with building lasting habits that doesn't mean sacrificing fun. Plus More. A great conversation not to be missed. Living a healthy life doesn’t have to be complicated. Life should be fun and easy. By making little choices towards building a strong body and mind, you get results that push you further to those bigger goals. You are responsible for your health alone. No one can make the decision for you. There may be barriers that stop you, but it’s no longer about not having the discipline or the time. So step up into your life, reclaim your health, and move forward with confidence. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Kate Galli is the host of the Healthification podcast and owner of Strongbodygreenplanet.com. She has a strong passion for creating a beautiful body, mind, and planet. Strong Bodies and Beautiful Minds The Journey to Better Health Kate talks about turning her passion for fitness into a career. She switched to a vegan lifestyle and plant-based nutrition to advocate for animals.The journey is not a straight line. Sometimes you end up going backwards and question yourself whether you can still do it. Staying Motivated on the Path to Fitness It’s important to have self-compassion and come from a place of working with your body as a team. Motivation comes from being able to align actions with your values and beliefs.Self-awareness is needed to constantly check and ask whether things are still working out.Know that in time, with all your experiences and growth, you will be a different person.What’s helpful in the past may not be helpful today.It’s important to ask the question, “How’s that working for you?”You could ask that question for every facet of your life. The Healthification Podcast As A Tool for Health Education Kate’s definition of health has evolved and for her, health involves the individual, the community, and the environment.Kate is concerned about sustainability in terms of individual fitness, nutrition, and the community, so that people can keep being healthy for the rest of their lives.The relationship with the environment is the missing piece to the conversation about health. Developing Awareness of Sustainability The journey to sustainability can be overwhelming. Whatever your reason for having a lifestyle change, don’t set the bar too high.She recommends making everything simple, easy, fun, and non-restricting. To avoid being overwhelmed, she suggests telling people what is the number one, most important step. Conscious Decisions Lead to Stronger Bodies Admitting the lack of...

It’s clear, we’re in the middle of a global crisis. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic spreading worldwide, self-isolation and the disruption of daily routines are leading to stress and anxiety. In this show you’ll learn about: Why self-care should be front and center of your life right nowHow to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, cognitively, and socially In today’s show, you will get practical information on how you can take care of yourself amidst the coronavirus epidemic. News feeds are filled with negative reports and dismal stories about the selfishness and greed exhibited by people. The current situation is both overwhelming and disheartening, especially to a lot of people who feel powerless at this time. But you can cut through this cycle of fear and worry. You may find yourself facing unfamiliar circumstances, but you have the chance to grow into this new world. You start by taking care of yourself. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guests Emma and Carla Papas are known as The Merrymaker Sisters. Their work involves finding love, integrity, and compassion during the journey to health and well-being. After quitting their desk jobs, Emma and Carla went on a journey of self-discovery to find magic and follow the bliss. They’re the founders of MerryBody Online Studio, which provides unlimited access to yoga, pilates, and meditation classes. Their website also gives free healthy recipes that nourish your body. The Merrymaker Way of Life The Sisters’ Journey To Self-Care Emma and Carla talk about their self-loathing, self-hate, and unhealthy relationship with food. Making the decision to follow their bliss.They took a break and got training for yoga and pilates.They started their MerryBody studio and changed their mindset to feeling good and letting go. Acknowledging The Negative Feelings You have the right to feel the way you feel.Remember that you are not alone in this.Moving physically allows Emma and Carla to move through their emotions.Movement allows them to let go of the responsibility of carrying the world on their shoulders. Moving Through This Bad Time The easiest thing to do is to constantly come back to the breath and breathe deeper.Falling into the anxiety and stress will allow you to find your anchor.Utilize the power of mediation.Dancing like a crazy person and going wild will help you from being stuck in your head. Breathing Exercises For Listeners The first step is a kind of grounding or sinking into your bodies for one minute.The grounding exercise involves using three breathing techniques.There’s usually resistance when starting out, so it’s best to pick one breathing technique and focus on that.It’s important to check in with yourself and always come back to your practice. You can get so caught up in the news nowadays that you can forget to do what makes you feel okay.The experience of deep breathing fires neural signals up in your brain and triggers calmness.The disruption to your daily routines makes you more vulnerable to stress.Breathing exercises can help you reclaim some sense of power.The language in your head can be a pathway to doing self-care first aid to yourself. Doing Self-Care Remember to always fill your cup, so you can give better to the people around.Practice yoga or pilates at home and eat nourishing food to take care of yourself. Avoid dehydration by having a big bottle of water at your desk.Create a sense of safety by staying connected with family and friends through voice messages or video calls.Get creative and do the things you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time.Create bumpers around the information you digest to avoid exhaustion. The Beginning Of A New Opportunity There is an opportunity to create something good for the community and practice altruism.Emma and Carla opened up MerryBody for free to get everyone moving while at home. Recommended Resources Articles: John O'Donohue - https://www.johnodonohue.com/ The...

When you think of medicine, the picture that often comes up involves prescription medication, surgery, and other conventional procedures. But these kinds of treatments only come into play when your body is already broken, so to speak. So conventional treatments act to fix whatever is broken. But this only puts you in a position of having to take medication for the rest of your life. You might find that picture grim, but that is the reality for a lot of people. However, recent studies have shown that there is a way to strengthen your body to enable it to do what it wants, which is to heal. This is where lifestyle medicine has stepped in and been at the forefront of this exciting opportunity. Your health should not be determined by your genetic predisposition. You can still do something. Only you can empower your own body to do something not even medication can do. In this show you’ll learn about: What is Lifestyle Medicine and why does it matter?Valuable lessons Dr Shurney has learned and vast data that he has collated through clinical, workplace and national campaigns In today’s show, you will learn the power of simple daily actions and how they can have a huge impact and health benefit. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Dr Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH, FACLM is President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Editor of the Journal of Managed Care Physicians. He is also Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Zipongo, a San Francisco-based digital health and wellness company. Dr. Shurney serves on numerous boards including: the Global Business Group on Health and the National Association of Managed Care Physicians. Dr Shurney is co-author of the book, “Integrating Wellness into Your Disease Management Programs.” Why Lifestyle Medicine The Trajectory That Led Him To Lifestyle Medicine Dr Shurney talks about shifting in specialty from general surgery to preventive medicine. He remembers hearing about lifestyle medicine while devising plans and protocols for chronic disease management.He shares how he got interested and applied lifestyle medicine to himself to treat diabetes and hypertension.He recounts facing rejection from family members who are also medical professionals when he told them about his experience. What Is Lifestyle Medicine Lifestyle medicine is a holistic approach to allowing your body to do what it wants to do, which is to become whole and well.Your body wants nutritious food and exercise.Doing the basics and fundamentals to strengthen your body to heal itself can cure 60-70% of chronic diseases. If you dial it up, you can even reverse chronic disease. Lifestyle Is Often Neglected Most people don’t know what it means to live a healthy life.People with a high genetic risk factor for developing dementia can reduce their lifetime risk by 30% through healthy lifestyle decisions.There is no medication in the market that can have the same impact.Two observation studies, one involving identical twins and another involving Japanese people living in the States versus those living in Japan, supported how lifestyle can be impactful in a powerful way. Simple Actions That Have Huge Health Impacts Adding bits of physical activity or healthy food choices can result innon-exerciseactivitythermogenesis (NEAT).There are many ways to include physical activity in the office environment to avoid being sedentary. Add more potassium to your diet to counteract too much sodium.Stop cooking with salt and instead put salt on the table to season the food when you’re eating.Having a community of people around lifestyle medicine can empower people to make those healthy lifestyle choices. We live in a culture that pushes us in the wrong direction. Culture and environment drive the health and longevity of people. Integration and connection in all facets of our life, and creating a community that nurtures this are key.People living in Blue Zones have shown to benefit from...

How Chronic Stress Contributes To Cognitive Decline We often think of brain disorders as separate from the body. Anything that affects the brain occurred due to factors that affected the brain. But our understanding of the relationship between the brain and the body is far too linear to fully grasp the complex network of interactions that occur. We are seeing now how limited our knowledge is. More young people are dealing with depression. We believe this is due to an elevated allostatic load brought about by chronic stress. The thing about chronic stress is that your body gets exposed to cortisol for a longer period of time. This leads to a disruption of your body’s normal processes. To put it simply, your body being put under a long-term, stress-response state result in health problems. While completely eliminating stress from your life might be impossible, having a better understanding of how stress affects your physical and mental health is key. We’re at the tip of the iceberg, but we have to keep on digging. The more we comprehend this fascinating, multidirectional interaction between the brain and the body, the more we can unearth the many facets of what contributes to mental well-being. In this show you’ll learn about: How your environment is key to influencing our health and well-being throughout your lifespanHow your body’s wear and tear is associated with your mental healthWhat you can do to achieve an optimal level of living In today’s show, you will get a rich conversation on stress, allostatic load, and how it affects our cognitive fitness. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Prof. Zoltan Sarnyai is a medically-trained, PhD neuroscientist with real research interests in the neurobiological mechanisms of stress and psychiatric disorders including addiction, schizophrenia, and depression. Prior to his role in James Cook University in Australia, he was a university lecturer in pharmacology and a fellow of Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge. He has been awarded the Curt P. Richter Award by the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology for his work in neuropeptides and brain functions. He was also the recipient of the Dupont Warren Fellowship from the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Stress and Allostatic Load His Background In Neuroscience Prof Zoltan shares being disillusioned while in medical school and getting excited over research involving neuropeptides and brain function.An outdated book on stress research piqued Prof Zoltan’s interest.A research article on the impact of social hierarchy and general health among wild baboons opened Prof Zoltan to the idea of the environment influencing the body and brain. His Fascination In Mental Health And The Environment Our understanding of mental health and the brain in relation to the body has evolved over time. Brain disorders were seen as something related to brain function.The brain does not work in isolation, but there is a multi-directional communication occurring between the brain and the body.We don’t understand a lot about the interactions between the brain and the body. Now, we know that the gut microbiome has a lot to do with how the brain functions and the brain directs the local environment for these bacteria to change. How Stress Affects The Brain and Gut Chronic psychological stress and trauma affect both the body and the brain. Chronic stress leads to a leaky gut syndrome, which leads to bacteria interacting in the bloodstream.Immune cells react and activate our stress biology.The body develops more cortisol.Things in our bodies are interconnected in a nonlinear fashion making it more difficult to grasp. Variables That Contribute To Stress Resilience Our genetic makeup contributes to our susceptibility or resilience to stress. We have genes that are related to our biological stress axis.We can’t do anything about our genetic background, but we can do something about what happens to us,...

Today’s fitness industry looks at exercise as a means of improving and maximizing performance. We see large biceps and stronger legs as indicators of a healthy body. This pushes us to have a compartmentalized view of movement that focuses on specialized activities, where we have a leg day or a chest day. But having a gym or simple fitness-oriented view limits your ability to be resilient, to be well-rounded. Basically it limits the potential of the exercises to challenge your cognitive abilities. Compare that with how “we” used to move, for example, our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Their movement isn’t just about working on one muscle group, one routine. A diverse and varied range of movement triggers brain engagement. It allows our brains to grow and mature new neurons leading to better memory health. This mindset about exercise and movement needs to change. It’s no longer about intensity. Having an awareness of the unique and challenging demands we can impose on our bodies to squeeze out more opportunities for neurogenesis is key. If we understand how neurogenesis works and how to prompt it, we have a better chance of preventing avoidable memory loss. Our brains can continue to build and maintain a rich network of neurons if we understand how the human body as an organism works. We have the chance to tap into this power if we want to. The truth is, we are meant to create and live a formidable life. In this show you’ll learn about: How we can squeeze more out of physical exercise by adding cognitive aspects to leverage neurogenesisPutting stress on the body through unique and challenging demandsThe phenomenon of movement poverty increasing our risks of sedentary dementia In today’s show, you will learn how to combine cognitive aspects to physical exercise to leverage neurogenesis and build a rich and dense hippocampus resilient to change. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Matt Rutley is a natural movement specialist in Australia. He is a bush skills instructor and the owner and head coach of health and fitness center, Stage Six. As one of the leading experts on moving your body the way it was designed to move, he has worked with clients of all ages including sporting teams, professionals, and Olympic athletes. The Case for Neurogenesis Getting Interested In Functional Movement Exercise and Its Role Matt shares his childhood of doing a lot of physical and mental work, and his exposure later on to physical training. Opening his own gym to give people the opportunity to do the things he was doing as a child led him to realize the backward approach to physical fitness and health.Diving into research into the human organism led to more questions.Our physical and mental well-being aren’t separate. What Is Critical To Be Able To Navigate Our Will We are the drivers to fixing our problems.Having an inquisitive mind is important to understand why our body works and reacts to certain ways.If you don’t impose a demand on your body, it will not get good at it. This is the principleSpecificAdaptation toImposedDemands (SAID). Your body adapts to what you ask it to adapt to.Be specific about what you want, why you need it, and how the two correlate.Have an awareness of our physical capabilities and an understanding of what you want. How To Get Better Transference In Life There are different kinds of fitness. We need to have a sustainable approach when it comes to exercise rather than being on edge all the time just to maximize performance.Most people don’t really have a good idea of whether they might be able to do something.Movement is the reason our brains exist. Exercise boosts brain activity. Leveraging Movement To Boost Our Hippocampus Movements that are complex and adaptive maximize neurological engagement.The lack of disease in Blue Zones and hunter-gatherer populations. Challenging ourselves more each time rather than getting used to a routine allows us to squeeze a bit more of the...

How well do you understand your body’s signals to make decisions about maintaining your health and preventing disease? Stress has a tremendous effect on our health and memory in a way that there is a downregulation in the signals sent by our brain to the rest of our bodies. There is a rich neurological symphony that comes under threat when we are stressed. Our healthcare system is focused on traditional treatment methods of medication and surgery. But evidence-based research has come up supporting how lifestyle medicine can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases. This is very crucial as the more we know how our bodies react to stress and how deeply it affects the cells, tissues, and organs of our body, the better we can help our bodies heal. Because ultimately, this is the reason our brains are sending these signals. In this show you’ll learn about: Whether we are doing the best approach to improving our healthEvidence-based support on ways to heal and reverse chronic diseasesWhy and how lifestyle medicine works In today’s show, you will learn the mechanism of how stress affects our bodies and what we can do to improve our life. Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Dr Tom Guilliams has a doctorate in molecular immunology from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He has spent two decades investigating the mechanisms and actions of lifestyle and nutrient based therapies. He serves as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-School of Pharmacy and is VP of Science for Ortho Molecular Products. He is the founder and president of The Point Institute and has written several teaching manuals functional to the integrative medical community. He is the author of several publications, including The Original Prescription. Understanding the Human Condition Why Does Dr Tom Focus On Lifestyle Medicine ? Dr Tom has always been interested in biology and how the world works. Working with a dietary supplement company exposed him to non-traditional ways of asking questions and looking at connections between healing and lifestyle medicine.Access to research literature allowed him to continue investigating the healing properties of the human body. How Lifestyle and Environment Affects Our Bodies Our bodies will prioritize certain mechanisms, behaviors, and cellular performances that are most important when dealing with a stress response.The cumulative effect bad habits have on our bodies. The Signals Of Life We Should Pay Attention To The seven areas we want to look at - diet and nutrition, physical activity, stress response, circadian rhythm, environmental factors, hygiene and health factors, and purpose and community.The seven areas are interdependent and aren’t isolated from each other. Our Concept of Stress People’s perception of stress is tied to the the ability to control the outcomes they want to control.Most of the time stress has to do with time and responsibilities. How the Exposure to Stress Changes our Bodies There are two levels of the stress response - the fight or flight response and the HPA axis.An imbalance happens when a physical response is triggered when there is no physical need for the energy generated.Our body maladapts to the constant disconnect between our stressors and our physiological needs. Chronic Stress and Our Body Physiological functions in the body are downregulated by chronic stress.We learned to self-medicate through durational use of drugs and caffeine to distract ourselves from being under chronic stress.Our brain protects us from constant stress by downregulating leading to low cortisol levels. How Do We Get People to Take Control of Their Personal Habits and Routines to Reduce Chronic Stress Clinicians and patients need to know the importance of understanding signals and how nutrients affect the body.We have to empower people so they’ll realize that they make the choices on what they put in their body. We should shift our mindset from...

You’ve no doubt sat in your science classes ( gosh that feels like a long time ago) and learned about the theory of evolution. Quick refresher: It’s about how the fittest survive the harsh changes in the environment and comes out as the victor. But we regularly hear about new diseases, giving us more reasons to be vigilant about our overall health. How are we supposed to get through life as healthily as we could? With the spread of contagious diseases and health risks, our body needs a line of defense that would keep us immune and protected. Hold up, don’t get too stressed about it! We do have ways to protect our health, and it’s not just through supplements. Presenting... the armada of teeny-tiny microbiomes in our gut! That’s right! These microorganisms stand at the vanguard of all the dangerous battles that we face every day! Did you know that aside from shielding us from potential harm from our environment, they can also affect our cognitive processes? They do so much of the heavy lifting to break food down into body building, brain nourishing information. Yes, that’s right. And knowing more about how it all works can definitely help us all have sharper minds and better memory health. Let’s put your battle gear on as we learn from the National Geographic science communicator, Gut Bug Pioneer and author, Scott Anderson. He’ll tell us how to build on our natural line of defense and train it to fight at its best. I’m sure you’re now also asking, “How can I keep their numbers growing?” No worries, we got you. In this show you’ll learn about: The role of the gut microbes in your immune system How gut microbes affect your mental healthHow your diet plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy level of good microbes inside your body. In today’s show, you will learn how to optimise your health and cognitive fitness though the power of your microbiome! Let’s now power up our body’s line of defense and boost the bugs for brain power! Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Scott C. Anderson is a scientist who specialises in health and technology. He is the author of several science books, including Human Embryonic Stem Cells and co-authored multinational best selling The Psychobiotic Revolution. The Role of Microbes and Our Brain Health Why Do We Have These Bacteria? We can never get away from bacteria. They are ubiquitous and coat every surface of the earth.Certain bacteria grew with us, and we grew up with them in a way that was beneficial to both of us. A lot of them are unique to humans.These bacteria have become used to us. They help in protecting us from pathogens. Two Forms of Human Immunity First, theinnate immune systemis fighting bacteria in our environment. Second, theadaptive immune systemhelps us deal with things our body has never encountered before. This system functions more like hit or miss. How Can Bacteria Build Our Adaptive Immunity It takes a bacterium to fight a bacterium.We need to live together with our gut bacteria and recruit them to fight the pathogens of the outside world. It can be good or bad, depending on who is in charge. A lot of those bacteria are what makes a good set of microbes in our gut called microbiota. The Human Gut and Its Microorganisms The gut consists of the whole alimentary canal, starting from our mouth all the way to the anus.Our microbiome is composed of a broad variety of microorganisms that have specific roles to play within the alimentary canal.There are situations when some of the harmful bacteria, microorganisms and their metabolites can get into our blood system, especially when our immune system is down. That’s when we get inflammation, the immune system’s alarm bells are starting to ring.They can also get into the brain through the blood and cross the blood brain barrier. Bacteria associated with gingivitis have been found in people's brains living with dementia on autopsy. How Bacteria Can Affect the Brain First, it can affect the brain...

Here’s How Bill Got His Brain’s Mojo Back Bill Gasiamis’s Personal Story of How He Healed His Brain After A Stroke There’s a famous saying that goes, ‘Health is wealth’. Like going to the bank and making regular deposits- the benefits build up over time. Easier said than done, though. It is challenging to eat right and stay active if it’s not ingrained in your lifestyle. But- when you draw down too much- the body and brain can take a hit. Sadly for some we wait until a major health event, 1- 2 Kapow! combination and all of sudden you’re on the floor. When our health is threatened, our entire life gets affected. I can think of so many unhealthy habits that lead to disabling and fatal consequences. Overwork, excessive drinking, smoking... The list goes on! Let’s not wait for your system breakdown. Today’s show with Bill Gasiamis is a real memory health warrior story of where it went completely pear-shaped to how he built and sustained brain optimising healthy habits. This show is for you if You’re pushing the red lineYou’re compromising on healthy routinesYour sleep sufferingYou’re juggling life and feeling more stretched than Elasta-girl Stroke, Brain Bleed, Cerebrovascular Accident or CVA - how can you come back from the MASSIVE impact this has on your physical, mental and emotional abilities? In this episode, Bill Gasiamis shares his own experience with stroke and how his life has taken a turn for the better afterwards. He shares his key healthy habits, coping mechanisms and insightful lessons which were pillars of his recovery and now bedrock of his life. There is a lot we can learn from how Bill Gasiamis got his brain’s mojo back. Bill’s unhealthy habits he didn’t know were ruining his life (you might be doing them too!)How our beliefs about productivity can cause us to overwork and neglect our healthHow to change your habits and reclaim your brain after recovering from a diseaseIs there a single method to calming and improving your mind?The power of your brain to heal itself with the right nudges Today’s podcast will help you address how you perceive health, understand how your habits affect you, and move towards a healthier lifestyle for better brain health. Stroke survivor or not, there is a lot here for you to learn from what it means to make massive change and the benefits of it. You might just find healing too! Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest Bill Gasiamis is a four-time stroke survivor and founder of Recovery After Stroke. The community aims to help people heal their brains through a systematic process he has made himself. He also authored 7 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Your Stroke and hosts webinars, coaching seminars and podcast episodes regularly. Healing the Brain After a Stroke The Wake-Up Call In 2012, Bill found himself overworked and complaining about everything being difficult. It was far from his upbeat and calm demeanour. In February, he experienced his first brain haemorrhage. It was an arteriovenous malformation.This incident was Bill’s wake-up call that his health was misaligned and he needed to do something with it. Perception of Health Before all the stroke attacks, Bill had always thought he was a relatively healthy guy. He would describe himself as driven, motivated and focused. Looking back, Bill says he only thought he was healthy back then. In reality, his habits consist of a few healthy habits and a lot of unhealthy ones. He had vices like excessive drinking and smoking and some other bad habits like lack of sleep and lack of de-stressing activities. On Being Overworked A huge reason why Bill wasn’t able to track his health is that he did not have enough time for it.Not acknowledging unhealthy habits and being busy are a deadly loop you are putting your body in. Becoming busy can cause you to overlook small habits which can affect your health quickly. Cultural and Historical Implications of Becoming Overworked Bill’s parents came from a...

If you’ve ever failed to make a new habit stick, you’re soooo not alone on this one. New Year Habits - Schmabbits, that almost sounds like rabbits and they act like it, right? Start off bouncing with energy, follow a path, get distracted with other greener, juicer patches, wanders off and all of a sudden it’s breeding new ideas, guilt and all sorts of other charged up ideas about WHY it didn’t work. Well enough already! Don’t get me wrong, the new year ( or any other calamitous moment < BIG Health Event> in life) is the trigger for many people, maybe like you, to focus on what’s important, what you want. It revs the engine of possibility and hope so…. you set a plan, you get the gear, get the stuff to make it happen, you prioritise your focus and energy, you start. But, life gets in the way right? Yep, more likely than not, we end up forgetting about it or giving up on it. BUT, why does it work for some and not others. …I’ve often stared at the white wall and grabbed another Tim Tam and thought “Is there something wrong with me?” Maybe I’m not dedicated enough, maybe I’m not motivated, maybe I’m not… Sure, it takes dedication and commitment to form a new habit. There’s also a lot we can learn from neuroscience on how you can crack the new habit code. OK, time to put the Tim Tam down and turn it up because we're joined by Dr Melissa Davis of Renaissance Periodization. Dr Mel is World Champion martial artist, doctor of neuroscience and behaviour change coach. Martial Artist Champion + Dr of Neuroscience + Behaviour Change = Knockout Habit Show Exercise is no doubt a massive pillar to better brain health and Dr Mel offers up a recipe for achieving your goals. In the show, you’ll learn about What exercise does and why it’s an important liffe factor at any age - yes any age!The strategies and methods based in neuroscience you can use to make a physical exercise habit stick. Dr Mel shines a light on the big blockers to your success and what to do about them. How to pierce the veil on published information to see if it really does work and is it worth your time, energy and very likely dollarsDr Mel also busts a few nutrition myths along the way Today’s show will help you kick down the doors, throw old habits on the tatami mat and tighten your hold on what you really want. Here’s to forming memory health habits that stick! Listen To The Podcast Now. About Our Guest: Dr Melissa Davis has ten years of research experience in neurobiology, with her works featured in Scientific American. She is a lifelong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete and scholar, who has represented the United States in international Abu Dhabi World Pro Competition. She specializes in helping clients utilize tools in losing weight, gaining muscle, and performing. Make Your Physical Exercise Habits Stick Understanding the Brain There is a lot of information in classes and in scientific papers that are not accessible to people because they haven't been trained to read papers.Reading a science paper takes training to understand the statistics and jargon. The Role of Exercise in Longevity With retained muscle mass longer into old age, you get fewer chances of injuries that may lead to death or dependence on others.Through exercise, you get better cognitive function for a longer time.It increases the quality of life. Why Don't Our Exercise Behaviors Stick? What you want to do differs from what you're used to doing.The new year's resolution effect: People want to make a massive change all at once.The biggest mistake is wanting a fast process and fast results. Navigating the Space Forming a habit, or breaking away from it takes one step at a time—it takes time, work, and dedicated effort.Reward yourself for even the smallest achievement. The Guilt Realm Give yourself credit for making little changes. Don't beat yourself up for not being perfect.Taking responsibility for your failures prevents the external locus of control that takes away your capability...

In this day and age where everything is instant, it is crucial to take care of our mental and physical fitness. One of the ways to achieve a well-balanced and healthy mind and body is by taking care of what we eat. After all, we are what we eat. So for us to be healthy, we have to maintain a robust digestive system. In today's episode, we're joined by Dr Amy Loughman of the Food & Mood Centre. We’ll talk about the importance of the gut microbiome and how it affects and maintains our mental health. She will also discuss psychobiotics and how they affect our brain functions. Tune in to the show to learn how healing can start in our guts! About Our Guest: Dr Amy Loughman is a post-doctoral research fellow who leads the microbiome research team at the Food & Mood Centre. She is clinically trained in neuropsychology and is an expert in memory function and brain diseases. The Role of Gut Microbiome in Our Wellbeing Understanding Mood and Memory Changes There can be fluctuations across our lifespan, and a lot of them are normal.If you are experiencing low mood and other symptoms that are bothering you, it is not always a sign of dementia. Failures in your memory could be due to many things such as high level of stress.Depression can change the clarity of your thinking and the way your brain works. Importance of Nutrition and Sleep Sleep can maintain cognitive health and fitness.High levels of nutrition throughout the lifespan, and particularly as we age, can significantly affect our susceptibility to cognitive decline and dementia. Sleep, physical activity, and stress combined provide a risk profile for people in terms of brain health in their older age. What Is a Microbiome? It is usually referred to as the gut microbiome. The microbiome is a collective community of microorganisms that comprises mostly of bacteria, as well as fungi, algae, and other microscopic life forms.It is approximately a kilogram of massive microorganisms living mostly in the large intestine and throughout the digestive tract.It’s also important in the oral cavity. Recommended Diet for a Healthy Brain and Gut The Australian Dietary Guidelines is a useful resource.Some recommended foods are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean animal proteins.Limit your consumption of processed food and snacks. Psychobiotics It is a gut-directed therapy that aims to target the brain positively.Probiotic: living organism or bacteria that we take to add to the community of organismsPrebiotic: a type of fibre that feeds the bacteria or the probioticSymbiotic: a combination of the twoThere have been animal studies which show that specific gut-directed microbiomes changed their brain function and improved their behaviour.It is, however, tricky to recommend a particular probiotic or prebiotic. Maintaining the Robustness of Our Microbiome Take care of your physical health.Even if you drink antibiotics, the gut bacteria bounces back and replenishes with proper diet.Avoid foods which contain artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, and preservatives. How Bacteria Communicates with Our Brain The vagus nerve connects the brain to almost all the organs of the body, including the gut. Bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids when they metabolize food. These byproducts can signal directly to the brain, as well as cells around the body, about the state of the gut.It signals the brain through the bloodstream that there's inflammation in the body.We can experience more inflammation as we age. We can mitigate this by keeping our health in check. How the Gut Influences Disease Process An inflammatory response is also a factor.Bacteria are involved in the accumulation of amyloid beta-protein, which accumulate in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. There are bacteria present in the brain tissue of people who have died without Alzheimer's disease.The bacteria found were in quite high levels that correspond to bacteria in the mouth. It again suggests that it’s...

Cognitive decline is affecting more people every year. However, you can do a lot to keep your brain functions in top shape. People need to look at three aspects of their lives and see what they can do to optimise their brain health. Welcome to the Memory Health Made Easy podcast. I’m your host, David Norris. In today's episode, I'll be tackling the three areas of your life related to cognitive function: physical activity, diet, and stress. You'll learn how to optimise each of these areas to keep your brain fit and healthy. You'll also learn about the importance of social connections. This aspect of your life can help you solidify the habits you need to protect your cognitive well-being. Listen to this episode now and empower yourself with the steps you need to take to fight against cognitive decline. How to Optimise Your Cognitive Function to Prevent Memory Loss The Rise of Dementia In 2015, 15 million people lived with dementia.The number of people struggling with dementia will double every 20 years.We might see more than 113 million people living with this disease by 2050.The total cost of dementia is 1 trillion USD, which will double in the next 10 years.Around 35 to 50% of people experience a subjective cognitive impairment.There are many ways to stave off memory problems and improve our brain fitness. Physical Activity and the Brain You do not have to hit the gym to get the exercise you need, as long as your whole body is working out.Make sure to have both cardiovascular and resistance exercises throughout the week.Proper exercise encourages the formation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which helps the brain adapt and change.Exercise improves the blood supply of the brain.Exercises requiring coordination adequately challenges the brain.If you haven't exercised for some time, start moving to raise your heart rate.If you have a medical condition, contact your local medical practitioner about your exercise plans. Dietary Factors Diets rich in various colourful fruits and vegetables are full of phytonutrients that are essential for brain health.Get most of your fat intake from vegetables, nuts and seeds, but make sure that you get enough fat.Target 30 grams of protein per meal if you're under 65 years old, and consume enough energy sources such as carbohydrates and fats.As much as possible, avoid foods with additives such as pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.Try to adopt a diet close to the Mediterranean diet, which has powerful protective effects on the brain. Stress and Rest Stress hormones damage the ability of the hippocampus to store and manage memories.While low amounts of stress are useful, chronic exposure can impact your cognitive fitness.Stress also interferes with sleep, an essential activity for maintaining brain health.Sleep deprivation, which can come from chronic stress, limits the ability of glial cells in the brain to remove wastes.Performing a particular exercise a few hours before you sleep can improve your memory by as much as 30%.Stress reduction techniques include taking breaks, slowing down and engaging in meditation practices. Social Networks Aside from the three areas mentioned earlier, it's also essential to consider the richness of your social networks.The quality of your social interactions matters more than the quantity.A sound social support system allows you to sustain healthier habits like exercise, healthy diets and stress reduction. If you have any questions or insights, please don’t hesitate to leave a review below to help us reach more people in starting a discussion about memory health. Subscribe to the podcast to stay in touch! Thanks for listening! Grab a free copy of the Memory Health Toolkit today and start strengthening your brain building. You can reach me on my website and connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Disclaimer: The purpose of Memory Health Made Easy Podcast is to educate and to inform. It is no substitute for professional care by a doctor...

From board games to puzzles and handheld games, we all look for ways to improve our memory and logic, response time and overall mental functioning. With the surge of brain training games that are conveniently accessible in our smartphones, it can be worth asking if they really hold any cognitive benefit. In today’s episode of the Memory Health Made Easy podcast, we’re going to explore and clarify some things about brain training games. We’ll talk about the eight-point checklist that can help us identify whether brain training is worth our time and money. In addition to that, I will also introduce the “narrow” and “broad” effects. To know more about the real-life benefits of brain training games and what you can expect from them, keep your ears open and make sure that you tune in to the show! How Brain Training Games Work Murky Waters Around the Cognitive Science of Online Games These games often have a cost involved.We rely on the validity of how well these exercises are going to translate to improved cognitive fitness. Narrow & Broad Effects of Brain Training The exercises in these apps have a narrow effect; in other words, it doesn’t go wider to other cognitive skills.For example, if we practise attention, it’s not going to translate to insight, awareness and judgement. Broad effect is the desired effect that translates to other cognitive skills and in different domains of life. Eight-Point Checklist: Determining Whether Brain Training Is Worth Your Money and Time Is there an established evidence history?Does it establish a personal baseline for you? Are they continually challenging?Does it target a specific skill set?Is it novel and engaging?Has it got auditory and visual components?Does it track your performance over time?Does it give you feedback on areas to focus on? Dual N-Back: The One Brain Exercise You Should Do Research findings are split about the effectiveness of these programmes.However, unlike many other training exercises, Dual N-Back, created by Susanne Jaeggi and her team in 2008, has been proven to transfer training results to other brain activities.A study done by John Hopkins University showed a 30% improvement in working memory using brain training. The optimal time to do the training is 1 to 2 hours before sleep.To maintain the cognitive gains, it’s essential to come back and dose up on this particular exercise over time.Make sure that at the core of what you’re doing, you’ve got good sound exposures to the Dual N-Back exercise. Can Brain Training Improve Memory? Science proves brain-training games can be an essential part of your toolkit in reducing the risk of memory loss.However, it is vital to look at the biological risk factors such as sleep, exercise, eating, social relationships and stress management, among others. If you have any questions or insights, please don’t hesitate to leave a review below to help us reach more people in starting a discussion about memory health. Subscribe to the podcast to stay in touch! Thanks for listening! Grab a free copy of the Memory Health Toolkit today and start strengthening your brain building. You can reach me on my website and connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Disclaimer: The purpose of Memory Health Made Easy Podcast is to educate and to inform. It is no substitute for professional care by a doctor or qualified professional. This podcast is provided on understanding that it does not constitute medical or personal professional advice or services. Instead, we would encourage you to discuss your options with a health care provider who specializes in your particular needs.