Brain BASICS© How Your Brain Works and How to Make it Work Better

Dee is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. She is a Board Certified Associate Fellow in Neurofeedback (BCN) by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) with a specialization in EEG-Guided Biofeedback.Dee has specialized training and experience in neuroscience and consults on many areas of counseling and coaching, psychology, general brain fitness, Cogmed Working Memory Training, and Neurofeedback. Dee has been an invited speaker, article contributor, and expert media consultant in the area of mental health and overall brain fitness. Her first book Brain B.A.S.I.C.S. is scheduled to be published in September 2013.

Brain BASICS© How Your Brain Works and How to Make it Work Better

Why is brain health an important topic for us to consider? Because we are all aging every day, we are living in a demanding environment and most importantly because if we don’t we may likely suffer from the old “use it or lose it” adage.

I believe healthy brains are a choice, a choice based on what goes in our body and what we do with our body every minute of every day. Research has shown that plenty can be done to slow the age-related declines in memory, mental speed, and decision making that affect most people. The potential payoff is enormous!

Want a simple yet powerful way to understand, remember, and most importantly implement a brain health program? I came up with the Brain BASICS acronym as an easy way for my clients to recall anytime what the fundamental building blocks of brain health are so they could truly impact their brains and the brains of the people they love.

Here are the BASICS© (from my soon to be published book by the same title Brain BASICS©):

B – Breathing

A – Affirmations

S – Sleep

I – Intake of nutrients and water

C – Cardiovascular

S – Social

B – The average person takes 21,000 breaths each day, and most only use 50% of their lung capacity! How many of your breaths are slow and deep, providing adequate oxygen to your brain?

A – Pick one brief sentence you can have at the ready to re-direct any negative thought that might pop into your mind. For example, some of my clients like to use a prayer or mantra. Others can say the names of people (or pets) they love.

S – Our brains need about 8 hours of restful sleep each night. One new tool that can be useful is a free app called “Sleep Genius” that incorporates music and sounds for a deeper faster sleep.

I – Putting nutritious food and adequate amounts of water into our body is essential for brain health. I have found a very simple rule for water intake: Drink the equivalent of half, to all, of your body weight in ounces of water every day. If you weigh 150 lbs, it is crucial to drink 75 ounces of water (and up to 150 ounces).

C – Cardiovascular exercise helps get oxygen to the brain by increasing circulation. A Harvard study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 found that long-term, regular physical activity, including walking, was associated with “significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline in older women.”

S –The subject of social support as a core foundation of brain support is a fairly new area of research and understanding. Just as we have needs for food and water, we also have needs for positive and lasting relationships.

What are the benefits of a healthy brain? Improved overall mood, better sleep, quicker thinking speed, along with optimal attention and memory.

 For more information and to learn about the “Beyond Brain BASICS©” advanced training programs, please visit www.neurofitnow.com or dee@neurofitnow.com, 972-NEUROTX (638-7689).