Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Reflexology Certification Programs and Workshops

Eliminate Stress With One Simple Decision

Part of my intent in the Say Goodbye to Headaches class is to give therapists the tools and forms that they can use to help people identify the source of their headaches and secondly help them strategize ways to eliminate or reduce the incidence and severity of their headaches. (In addition to hands-on reflexology procedures, of course.)

In last weekend’s class, we were doing an activity around stressors; identifying our habitual responses to them and how we actually would like to respond – all in the hope of reducing stress levels that cause the most common form of headache – tension.

The common element I heard from participants was the belief that they must change someone else’s behavior or some outward situation in order to eliminate the pain and discomfort they were experiencing. Believe me, this group was not unique. I hear this all the time. It seems to be a natural human belief that, in order to eliminate my own discomfort, I must change the world around me.

And that, my dear friends, will never work. We will never get the world and all its inhabitants to do exactly what we want.

The only person we can change is ourselves.

The only thing we do have control over is our response to an event or person.

So, if we want to remove stressors from our lives, and the subsequent health issues that result from living under constant stress (like headaches, depression, insomnia, digestive issues), then we must learn how to respond differently to that which we do not like.

Here is the strategy that we worked with and what resulted in some positive options:

* Identify what is stressing you; what upsets you.

* Describe what it is you would like to see happen.

* Determine what you could do to move yourself closer to what you want.

* Decide if you are willing to take action.

The beauty of this strategy is that it puts you in a place of power. You are no longer a victim to outside circumstances and people. It also reinforces the fact that you must take responsibility for your own state of being. And that’s all good.

This approach does not ask that you change yourself forever. It simply suggests a different approach to try – as an experiment – for a limited amount of time. That is do-able.

Try it next time you find yourself complaining about a situation or person that has you irritated – or angry – or frustrated – or sad – or……

You have nothing to lose but your pain.

Start Here! Solutions To Foot Pain

A number of years ago I was surprised to discover that I had developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot. In all honesty, I had, up until that time, not paid much attention to the condition. Well, I had no choice but to pay attention now!

Online research indicated that it could take a year to correct! That was not acceptable.

I set about to learn as much as I could as quickly as possible, by reading current literature, studying with a chiropractor who specialized in the condition and mining information from earlier trainings I had taken. I’m happy to say that I was able to create a recovery plan that allowed me to return to normal within three short months.

Since then I have studied and learned even more and have been able to help countless others rid themselves of this painful condition. I learned that there are many external reasons and physical imbalances that can cause plantar fasciitis and its advanced and more serious cousin, plantar fasciosis. It’s not always a case of tight calf muscles. (It wasn’t for me.)

While sharing my knowledge and experience with other reflexologists over the next few years, I kept being asked about other painful conditions, so I decided to morph the plantar fasciitis class into the current How to Relieve Chronic Foot Pain workshop.

I invite you to join your fellow reflexologists and me for an upcoming workshop to learn this valuable work. Thousands of adults suffer from chronic foot pain due to bunions, hammertoes, gout, plantar fasciosis, peripheral neuropathy, bone spurs, arthritis, metatarsalgia (including Morton’s neuroma), tarsal tunnel syndrome, injuries, surgery or just plain overuse – and YOU can help!

* Learn a reflexologist’s approach to 19 conditions that cause chronic pain in the feet.

* Practice a specific hands-on protocol specific to plantar fasciitis/fasciosis and peripheral neuropathy.

* Gain lifetime access to a video of the hands-on protocol.

* Leave with an illustrated manual and templates for client forms.

Added bonus – if you join us in Minneapolis, you can help me celebrate my birthday!

Here’s a link to the details.  Thank you in advance for sharing this with your fellow therapists. I sincerely appreciate that and hope to see you in one of these three locations!

Sick And Tired Of Headaches?

I feel fortunate – fortunate because I am not one of the 45 million Americans that experience chronic headaches.[i] For that matter, I barely make the club of nearly 90% of the population that experiences occasional headache pain.[ii]

So, let’s get this straight – a headache is not a disease. It is the loud and persistent and painful voice of a body living with chronic stress, toxic blood, physiological imbalances and/or trauma: ie. a body crying out for help. It turns out that there are many bodies crying out for help in the United States – people seeking treatment for headache pain account for 8 million consultations with physicians annually.[iii] Migraine headaches alone account for an estimated 157 million days lost from work.[iv]

Cephalgia (a headache) is defined as pain in the head and/or neck, and is classified as either episodic or chronic. Episodic headaches are triggered by a specific episode of stress; chronic headaches are frequent or even daily, associated with ongoing stress.

Headaches are categorized according to their symptoms, the area of the head that is afflicted, the frequency and intensity of the episode. The International Headache Society lists 200 causes of headaches. They separate the causes into three main categories that the United States National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (part of the National Institutes of Health) simplified into two: Primary and Secondary. Unfortunately, many people experience more than one type of headache.

Primary Headache Pain

Primary headache disorders are said to occur independently, in that they result from changes in blood vessels, nerves and muscles, not as a secondary response to disease or injury. The most familiar primary headaches are associated with stress: migraine, cluster, and tension. A rebound or MOH (Medication Overuse Headache) is considered primary. Massage therapy and reflexology are very effective approaches to stress-related headaches, because both modalities will help restore optimal circulation and relax both muscular and nervous tissue.

Secondary Headache Pain

Secondary headaches are actually symptoms of underlying disorders or diseases, such as high blood pressure, injury, dental infections, earaches, sinus infections, psychiatric problems, chronic constipation, hormonal imbalance etc. Pain is the body’s way of communicating that something needs attention. This is the area in which reflexology really shines, since reflexology works to support the health and functionality of the body’s organs and systems.

I was shocked when I first learned the above stats, and decided that I wanted to reach out to people in my community who were sick and tired of living with headaches, and who preferred to do something other than take drugs that were only masking their pain. In other words, people who were ready to take charge.

I created a community class that helped people identify what triggered their headaches (from a list of over 60 possible causes) and what type of headache they suffered from. Without this knowledge, it is very difficult to design a targeted session of reflexology or reflexology and massage protocols and/or to establish lifestyle changes to bring about lasting results.

I realized that I could actually help more people if I made this class available to licensed bodyworkers, who could in turn provide either one-on-one coaching or lead small classes themselves in their communities. Thus was born the 1-day, Say Goodbye to Headaches continuing education class.

You will learn how to transform the lives of people living with head pain, and transform a sluggish practice into a thriving, focused business. In addition to designing individualized hands-on session protocols utilizing reflexology, massage, hydro and aromatherapy, you will leave with the materials and skills needed to coach one-on-one or offer small classes in your community to those people who are sick and tired of living with headaches.

[i]RealAge.com 2012

[ii]RealAge.com 2012

[iii]RealAge.com 2012

[iv]RealAge.com 2012

You Don’t Have to Live With Headaches

With media reports as prevalent as they are for headaches, you’d think there must be an increase in people affected. That turns out not to be true. In the United States at least, the statistics have held pretty steady over the last decade: approximately 12 million people visit doctors annually seeking relief from headaches. At least one-quarter of that group suffers from severe chronic tension or migraine headaches. So, why the increase in reported headaches then?

A little investigating uncovers two reasons:

  1. Advanced diagnostic machines;
  2. A more-informed and assertive patient population.

Those two factors have led to a doubling of tests being performed in the last 12 years.

Advanced testing procedures are not without drawbacks though. They are expensive, can lead to additional and often unnecessary procedures (like biopsies) and increase exposure to radiation.

And it turns out maybe not the best course of action.

New research has shown that lifestyle changes often have the biggest impact on reducing the incidence of headaches, and particularly those associated with sleep. According to one study, for example, 50% of people reporting chronic migraine headaches also disclosed poor sleep habits. A change in sleep habits made a significant difference for these subjects.

Scientists now believe that it makes sense to approach headaches first from a self-care strategy, leaving a medical consultation as a follow-up in the event that lifestyle changes aren’t the solution. I agree with that line of thinking; most – not all, but most – headaches result from habitual practices that sabotage our wellbeing. And that is why I created the Say Goodbye to Headaches class.

The challenge to living headache-free is three-fold: first to identify the type and classification of headache, secondly, the behaviors that contribute to head pain, and thirdly, find agreeable substitutes for those behaviors.

In the Say Goodbye to Headaches class, attendees learn how to help clients to identify their headache triggers from a list of nearly 70. They learn how to coach clients in creating lifestyle changes they are willing to make and how to offer a hands-on reflexology session designed specifically for that client.

I hope you will join us. This class always garners some of the best follow-up responses from therapists when they head home to help their community. With 12 million sufferers in the country, I figure you must know a few you can help!

Migraines and Insomnia

Lifestyle Change for Headaches

Diabetes and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

I was surprised to learn recently that diabetes mellitus is recognized as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome. [i] Couple the high numbers of people living with diabetes [ii] with the increased use demanded of our hands for laptops, smartphones and tablets, it’s just a matter of time before more and more people present in your office with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Although the reason for the correlation between diabetes and carpal tunnel syndrome is unclear, the fact remains true according to 36 different studies conducted over a 65-year period. [iii]

What Is Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is defined as a medical condition that causes tingling, numbness, burning and pain in the wrist, hands and all fingers, except the fifth. Although those symptoms may sound merely like an inconvenience, those sensations, if left unattended, lead to debilitating agony and the loss of ability to use the hand(s).

The condition results due to continual pressure on the median nerve as it travels under the transverse carpal ligament through a narrow path between the wrist bones. Repetitive actions, especially when the hand is extended and abducted, can cause swelling in the area that puts pressure on the cramped nerve. Certain professions and activities increase the risk of developing CTS – think massage, hair stylists, typing, using a mouse for a computer.

Impingement anywhere along the median nerve’s long route from the brachial plexus to the palm of the hand can cause the symptoms named above; however, true carpal syndrome is a result of pressure on the median nerve in the tunnel between the carpal bones (wrist bones) of the hand.

A number of other conditions can cause similar symptoms, and explain why many people are misdiagnosed. Some doctors can be quick to blame CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome) when the cause may be something totally else. My father was a great example of this. The pain in both of his hands had progressed so much that he was barely able to use them. Surgery for CTS provided no relief. Blood work ultimately showed he had rheumatoid arthritis.

In addition to RA and diabetes, CTS-like symptoms can arise from impingement of the median nerve at the brachial plexus, nerve compression at C5-C7 in the neck, wrist injuries such as a fracture or ligament damage, or long-term use of birth control pills or pregnancy, both of which cause a depletion of vitamin B6 in the body.

Tests

Following a detailed medical history and physical examination, a doctor may conduct the following two tests to determine whether CTS is evident:

* Tinel Test

The doctor will vigorously tap the median nerve in the wrist, either with her fingers or a reflex hammer. Tingling in the fingers or an electric shock-like sensation indicate a strong possibility of carpal tunnel syndrome.

* Phalen’s Maneuver

The patient presses the backs of his hands and fingers together with the wrists flexed and fingers pointing downward – for two minutes. Tingling or numbness in the fingers indicates CTS.

Reflexology and CTS

Reflexology for the hands is very helpful for people with carpal tunnel syndrome, especially if they are following through with a committed self-care program.

Make sure to include lots of gentle range-of-motion of the wrist and the digits. Traction the bones of the hand away from those of the forearm.

If your jurisdiction allows you to perform massage therapy, and you are trained in the art, then do connective tissue massage on the muscles of the forearms.

Self-Care

Different things work for different people, so you or your clients will have to experiment.

* Some people find that gently flexing and extending the hand while soaking in warm water three or four times/day helps. Others find icing the wrist for about 10 minutes a few times in an hour helps.

* Wearing a wrist brace to bed is reported by many to be very helpful, since people often end up bending their wrists while sleeping.

* Take breaks often and stretch your hands. Use only as much force as is necessary for a task, and use both hands to complete tasks, not just your dominant.

* This one is very important: Stop or correct whatever it is that is causing the carpal tunnel syndrome. Make whatever adjustments you need to make to improve work ergonomics and body mechanics. Keep the wrist straight!

* Do wrist curls with light weights (one to 3 pounds); both flexion and extension. As above, keep the wrists straight!

If you know any other strategies for addressing carpal tunnel syndrome, either as a practitioner or sufferer of the condition, please share. That way we can all learn from our collective experiences.

 

[i] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22628597

[ii]According to the most recent numbers form the US Centre for Disease Control (2012) there are 29 million people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in the USA, and 2 million in Canada.

[iii]  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26173490

Muscle Cramps

Whether you call it a muscle spasm, a charley horse or a muscle cramp – it hurts! A muscle spasm can wake you in the middle of the night, interrupt a tennis game, reward you after a long run, or surprise you in the middle of a foot reflexology session.

There are a number of situations that are generally referred to as a cramp:

* Tic or twitch – not usually painful

* Tremor – a quivering that usually precedes a full-on cramp

* Spasm – what most people refer to as a cramp – an involuntary state of contracture in a muscle; ie. a muscle that will not voluntarily or willfully relax.

Muscles spasm when the normal balance of electrolytes in the muscle cells is disturbed for a longer period of time than the muscle can withstand.

Causes

There are a number of things that can contribute to an imbalance of these electrolytes:

* Dehydration from inadequate fluid intake or excessive sweating.

* Muscle fatigue from a prolonged position or vigorous exercise, especially when stretching before and or stretching/adequate cool down afterwards do not occur.

* Lack of minerals including sodium and magnesium; potassium and/or calcium deficiency being the most common.

* Decreased oxygen delivery to muscle tissue due to poor circulation in the legs.

* Drug effects. Diuretics, statins and many other medications can cause muscle spasming.

* Spinal cord injury.

Muscle Spasms and Reflexology 

So why does a cramp occur when someone is receiving reflexology?

Muscles that have been overly taut for a period of time, such as those of the lower leg or sole of the foot, relax during a reflexology session. That sets up a disruption of the electrolyte balance, causing the muscle to cramp.

If this happens when you are giving a session, don’t panic. The solution is as simple as switching an on/off button. Two actions – reciprocal inhibition and digital pressure will change the neural signal to a muscle, allowing it to relax again.

To relax any muscle in the body, you actively engage the antagonistic (opposing) muscle, which will increase circulation to the affected muscle and allow it to lengthen and relax. This is known as reciprocal inhibition.

If someone on my table cramps in the bottom of the foot or in the calves, I immediately place the palm of my hand on the dorsal side of their foot and ask them to strongly pull their foot towards their face (dorsi-flex). At the same time my hand resists their motion, attempting to pull their foot towards my face (plantar-flex). This combined action engages the foot extensor muscles and relaxes the flexor and intrinsic foot muscles. The hold is held for a couple of seconds and then both the client and I relax our efforts. We immediately do it again, and continue to repeat the sequence of engagement and relaxation until the cramping stops. Applying massage to the muscle bellies and pressure in the muscle spasm will also help.

Preventing Cramps

Adequate hydration, regular foot reflexology, massage of the muscles prone to cramping, a diet high in potassium and calcium, and daily stretching can prevent the re-occurrence of muscle cramps.

Drink before you’re thirsty. Restoring an adequate level of hydration in your body will take a few days. It’s kind of like pouring water on a super dry plant and expecting the soil to retain the moisture; the water just pours out the bottom. It will take a few days for the minerals to recirculate and invest your tissues. Evian water is a good water to drink for a few days if you are dehydrated. It contains a higher salt content than regular drinking water.

I don’t recommend relying on Gatorade as a general source of hydration. It’s great for an acute situation – think triage – perhaps after a strenuous exercise activity. It’s too high in sugars and chemicals to be good for you as a regular habit.

Do any of you have other strategies for dealing with foot and leg cramps?

Blue Light

I watched a program with Katie Couric last night that I had recorded from part of The American Experience series. It was about the influence of technology on our lives now and in the future. Fascinating program if you can find it – it aired a couple of weeks ago.

One point that she did not touch on was the affect that light – all forms of light, both natural and artificial – has on our circadian rhythm (our body’s internal clock). I’d like to share a little info on that today.

When Light Hits Our Eyes

When the photosensitive cells in our eyes detect light, they send this information to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) – a group of nerves in the brain that controls our circadian rhythm. When the SCN detects light, it triggers alertness and delays the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us to fall sleep.

Maybe that is why we just automatically want to dim our lights in the evening when sitting around relaxing, compared to the bright lights we blare during the day when in the kitchen or at our desks.

Blue Light

It turns out that the cells in our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, the shortest and highest frequency of the light waves detectable by the human eye with a wavelength of around 480 nanometers. Studies have indicated that longtime exposure to blue light can cause serious harm to our eyes, such as retinal damage and macular degeneration, greater risk of certain types of cancers, diabetes, heart disease, depression and obesity. And guess what! That is exactly the light wave our smart phones, tablets and computers emit! (Blue light sources also include the sun, fluorescent lights and LED lights.)

Exposure to blue light in the hours before bed has been proven to suppress melatonin levels, making it very difficult to get to sleep.

Never fear! The device manufacturers have found a way to keep us glued to our screens and still get some sleep. Here’s what to do:

Go to the Settings on your smart phone or tablet and look under Display and Brightness. You will see options to filter out the blue light. You can schedule a Night Shift/Blue Light Reduction between certain hours so as to automatically filter out the blue light. Slide the bar that appears for Color Temperature more to the warmer side.

Here’s An Idea

Better still – turn off those devices a couple of hours before sleep! Just read a physical book by lamplight, or mediate, or do some gentle yoga, or give yourself a moisturizing, relaxing reflexology session; anything other than staring at a screen. Give some extra love and attention to the reflexes of the eyes, pituitary and pineal glands, brain and diaphragm muscle.

And, if your eyes are sore from too much time in front of the screen during the day, or time spent outside in the direct sun without protection, lay down on your back with cool herbal-infused eye pads** covering cleaned eyes, while working the eye reflexes on your hands. They are found on the palmer side of both hands in the second and third digits in the most proximal of the three phalanxes. Simple, relaxing way if your eyes feel tired or sore – and a nice way to wind down before bed, too.

** Visit this link and scroll down to the description of Pharmagel Eye Pads. These are the ones that I use personally and with clients in our student clinics.

Disrupt the Concept of Aging

When I turned 50 I didn’t see myself as over the hill. On the contrary, I felt like I was standing on the top of a mountain – my mountain. Years of life experience, schooling, relationships, ups and downs, and highs and lows had brought me to a place of heightened clarity, reflection and wisdom I hadn’t enjoyed before. Life felt easier. It was time to soar; to reap the benefits of having made it this far.

I know that when I was a teen and younger, 30 seemed ancient. But, somewhere in my own upward climb I abandoned that thinking. I never bought into the belief that aging was pathological, a downhill slide into the grave.

In a recent article, AARP wrote a strong statement addressing the topic of aging:

“People 50 and older are still living in ways that reflect the attitudes, activism and aspirations of the boomer generation – the desire to live life on our own terms, to make a difference, to change the world.”

And Wendie Trubow, MD, a wonderful functional medicine doctor who spoke at the recent conference of the Reflexology Association of America, shared a challenge that really stuck in my brain:

“Reject the conventional wisdom of discrepancy as you age.”

Just like Uber disrupted the taxi industry and Airbnb the hospitality industry, I challenge myself – and you – to disrupt the concept of aging!

Believe me, I don’t have my head in the sand when it comes to aging. I know that genetics and luck play into how we age, and I’m fully aware that my aging body needs more and more, and sometimes different, attention than it did in my younger years. But, I also know that the bigger part of how I feel is a consequence of my thoughts and beliefs, not a number. Add to that the incredible amount of information that is available these days regarding self-care and there’s no excuse for me not to live my best life now. All that stands in the way is negative self-talk.

As the AARP article continued: “The negative stories we tell ourselves and one another about aging lead to negative behaviors that, in turn, create a negative reality of aging. The view of aging as decline becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy.”

 “Instead we could look at aging as a process of continuous growth. Aging is just living. Some aspects of life get a little tougher as you go along, and some get a little easier, but it’s all part of being alive.”

 It seems that the magazine editors are on the same page as Jane Fonda, who gave a short TED talk regarding the ‘third act’ of her life that absolutely knocked me out.  She challenges us to re-imagine this new phase of our lives; to recognize that no matter the number, I am still me and you are still you – and maybe even more so now than ever.

I leave you with the above thoughts to ponder, and invite you to share your beliefs around aging.

And here’s the link to Jane Fonda’s inspiring talk.

My Favorite Foot Exercise

It is challenging to walk with ease without strength in the toes. After the ankle joints, the joints of the phalanges are the most important in the foot. The toes propel us forward as we ‘toe off’. Without strength and mobility in the toes, walking comfortably and efficiently is difficult.

Almost all the muscles in the foot are involved with moving the toes, so the exercise I want to share here manages to strengthen and stretch pretty well every muscle in the foot, as well as the toes.

This exercise stretches the muscles and tendons on the dorsal side of the foot and lower leg and strengthens the muscles and tendons of the plantar surface – 14 in total.

The exercise is simple and one of the most important things you can do for the health of your feet (after proper selection of shoes). I hope you will be motivated to incorporate it into your own daily routine and teach your clients. It can be performed while sitting on the couch watching television; no need to set apart any designated time of day to do.

All you do is place some small rubber or silicone balls or marbles (about 2.5 cm) on the floor next to the chair you are sitting on. With bare feet, pick up each of the balls with your toes and move to the side. Repeat with other foot. Aim to pick up about 10 balls with each foot.

The other option is to place a towel on the floor beneath your feet, with a small weight on the far side. Using your toes, pull the weighted end of the towel towards you numerous times.

You will see your toes ‘scrunch up’ as you perform either of those exercises. Work to engage all of the digits. The action of picking up the balls/scrunching the towel is stretching the dorsal tissues and strengthening the plantar tissues, and increasing the mobility, strength and flexibility of the joints in the phalanges and metatarsals.

Simple – so let’s do this!

The Greedy Brain

 

I have two people in my life who recently fell and banged their heads pretty badly. The repercussions have been surprising and most unwelcome, to say the least. That, of course, got me thinking about the brain and our reliance on it to function.

I’d like to share some fascinating things about the human brain, a few ways you can take care of it and what the focus of my reflexology session is when working with folks with functional brain issues.

5 Interesting Facts About Your Brain

1. There are 100,000 miles of blood vessels in your brain, enough to wrap around the Earth four times!

2. A headache actually occurs in blood vessels around the brain, not inside the brain itself. The brain cannot feel any pain whatsoever since there are no pain receptors within it. That explains how people can be awake during brain surgery and not feel any pain. The ability to give immediate, much-needed feedback to the surgeons is essential; therefore patients must be awake and aware. That’s pretty amazing – and, I have to admit, I would prefer to be unconscious if someone’s got their hands inside my head!

3. Your brain is 60% fat, the nutrient that helps to transport water and protein through membranes to the brain cells. And that is why healthy fats are so important in the diet.

4. The brain is a greedy animal. It nabs about 20% of the energy generated by your body from the food you consume and more than 20% of the oxygen taken in; more than any other organ in the body. Greedy, yes, especially when you take into consideration that the adult brain’s weight – 3 lbs – is only 2% of the full weight of an adult. In fact, your skin weighs twice that of your brain! The brain also snatches 70% of the glucose stored in your body.

5. The brain has 100 billion neurons and one quadrillion connections – more than the Internet, and more than can be accurately counted. For you geeks out there, one quadrillion is 1,000,000,000,000,000.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with many people suffering from brain injuries; some from traumatic falls, others from strokes, and others that medicine just calls idiopathic (meaning they don’t know the cause). The improvements are slow and sometimes small, but they are measurable: people regaining their sense of smell or hearing of higher registers; learning to walk and or speak again; reduction in headaches; improved mood and sense of hope, to name a few.

In my work with these people, I constantly remind myself of the need to be patient, encouraging, to work slowly and with intention, and to offer stillness as opposed to ‘doing’. My sessions focus on the general brain reflexes at the tips of the toes, spinal reflexes, cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hypothalamus points.

6 Practices to Protect Your Brain

1. Eat healthy foods.
* Take a high-quality omega-3 fat supplement. (Remember #3 above?) The omega -3 fatty acids EPA and DHA keep the dopamine levels in your brain high, increase neuronal growth in the frontal cortex of your brain, and increase cerebral circulation.
* Protein is the essential item your brain requires, as well as vitamins and minerals from fruits.
* Spend time in the sun to maintain optimal vitamin D levels. Scientists realized the role vitamin D plays in the health of the brain when they discovered specific vitamin D receptors in the central nervous system. Vitamin D improves brain detoxification and is thought to provide protection from autism in infants’ young brains.

2. Exercise. Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity. If you want to change the trajectory of your life and that of your brain, then exercise. Dr. Wendy Suzuki explains how this all works in her short high-energy TED talk.

3. Get adequate sleep: eight hours/night. Sleep is not wasted downtime. Your brain is as active, and at times more active, when you are asleep than when you are awake. If you want to learn all that your busy brain is doing while you’re tucked in bed, check out Dr. Matthew Walker’s book, Why We Sleep. It’s a fascinating read. One of my top non-fiction books from 2017.

4. Turn off electronic devices such as TVs, computers and smartphones. Spend less time in front of these screens, especially a couple of hours before bed. Those blue screens have long-term effects on your brain chemistry.

5. Challenge your brain. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, board games; play an instrument; learn a new language or Tai chi. Make your brain work beyond what it does by rote each day. Studies have shown that it doesn’t even matter if you master the new activity; it’s the challenge of thinking in different ways that does the trick.

6. Avoid artificial sweeteners and additives. These chemicals have been shown to inhibit enzyme function in the brain and lead to neurodegeneration.

Those are just six easy practices that will help support your brain’s health. What other ways do you know to support your brain’s health?

Resources:
ScienceMaster.com 3.12.2014
Mercola.com