The Brain Health Lab

13/08/2021

Interesting findings in regards to the potential relationship between hippocampal neuronal firing and the regulation of blood sugar levels.

A set of brain signals known to help memories form may also influence blood sugar levels, finds a new study in rats.

09/06/2021

There is much research out there that suggests that strength and resistance training can not only reduce symptoms of depression but also helps improve cognit...

31/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily -

Yoga is an ancient system that originated in India around 2000 BCE. Translated from Sanskrit, the word yoga means 'union', which is commonly interpreted as the unification of mind, body and spirit.

Current research suggests that yoga can be a useful intervention in the treatment of conditions like anxiety, depression and PTSD, with participants reporting improved states of well-being after doing yoga exercises.

The practise of yoga has been shown to increase levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which is a neurochemical that has anti-depressant effects. In addition, coordinated breathing while in yoga postures has been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve resulting in increases in serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

31/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily -

All forms of exercise can be great for your overall health, but one must beg the question - when it comes to improving mental health, what will give you the best bang for your buck?
The research I have been coming across lately all point fingers to strength training.

A meta-analysis study done by JAMA Psychiatry examined the results of 33 studies, and once the results were aggregated, they found that strength or resistance training reduced the incidence of depression, significantly.

Other studies found that strength training increased levels of self-esteem, made people feel more confident in themselves and even slowed down the process of mental decline.

Its not certain as to why strength training in particular aided in the slowing down of mental decline, but the general hypothesis is that strength training increases the production of BDNF - a substance created in the brain that helps maintain and grow new brain cells.

30/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily -

Saffron is said to be one of the most expensive spices on the planet by weight, and for good reason. Believed to have originated in Iran, it has been found in Iranian medical literature to serve for a whole range of different purposes, but perhaps the most impressive of all is it's use in the treatment of depression.

Researchers from Murdoch University in Western Australia found that after several trials examining the antidepressant effects of saffron, it was confirmed that this spice can be an effective treatment for those who suffer mild-to-moderate levels of depression.

It is suggested that saffron can be in some cases just as effective for treating depression and anxiety as some anti-depressant medications. Its thought to improve mood because it works to change levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine - three neurotransmitters associated with mood.

Saffron also contains antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, and has neuro-endocrine and neuro-protective effects; all of which may be contributing to the positive outcomes for reducing depression in those who took saffron in these trials.

28/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily - EFT

My biggest challenge right now with anxiety and depression is the fact that I have to continuously manage my symptoms, because they are constant and very often debilitating. Because of this, I have had to find tools that relieve some of the pain immediately. My favourite tool in the kit right now for instantaneous relief from symptoms of emotional distress is EFT tapping.

According to the developer of EFT, tapping on different parts of the body helps balance the energy within you and reduce emotional pain. It is considered an alternative therapy for things like depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress, chronic pain, weight loss, and some addictions.

According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, blocks or imbalances in the flow of energy lead to ill health. The tapping is intended to restore balance and resolve any issue with energy blockage, which is believed to be the cause of physical and emotional pain.

Harvard medical school studies have revealed that by stimulating the body’s meridian points, you can significantly reduce activity in the amygdala, which is known as the alarm system of your brain. The amygdala is triggered during experiences of trauma or fear, and once it is triggered it releases cortisol through your body – this is the hormone corresponding to stress.

These studies reveal that when one stimulates these meridian points, there can be a reduction in distress, as the tapping signals to the amygdala that there is no danger. An amazing result showed that after a session of tapping, people were able to reduce their cortisol levels by up to 30%.

The recommended app to use is called 'The Tapping Solution'. After 10 minutes of tapping, I find huge reductions in emotional pain that result from emotions of; fear, loneliness, guilt, depression or shame.

23/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily - Lion's Mane Mushroom 🍄

With roots from Traditional Chinese Medicine, research suggests that Lion’s Mane mushroom can help reduce the effects of cognitive decline as people age. With cognitive decline comes a loss of memory and focus, the result of shrinkage and damage of neurons in the brain and nervous system. It’s thought that this mushroom stimulates the creation of two compounds called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) - both promote the production of new nerve cells, while strengthening existing ones.

A newly emerging thought in mental health and medicine is that most of our diseases are the result of inflammation in the body. This also includes inflammation in the brain, possibly being the cause for some of the psychiatric illnesses like mood disorders and anxiety.

Lion’s Mane mushroom has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to protect brain cells from free radical damage, and improving blood flow and oxygen to the brain for better mood and cognitive function.

Sleep quality is crucial for both physical and mental health, and there is still insufficient evidence that suggests that Lion’s Mane mushroom assists with this, although some people have reported getting better quality REM after taking a dose of the mushroom before bed. Lion’s Mane mushroom contains adaptogens which help manage stress, and this may suggest why people report feeling more relaxed and restful in bed after their dose of the medicinal mushroom

22/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily - Magnesium (Mg)

Magnesium is known to be one of the most abundant minerals in the body, and studies suggest that it can be a helpful natural treatment for anxiety.

It is still unclear why people report lower levels of anxiety after consuming magnesium, but it is thought that magnesium might improve brain functioning, particularly in a region of the brain called the hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus regulates the messages that get relayed from the brain to the glands that secrete hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When the hypothalamus is functioning in healthy form, it will do a better job at regulating this neuroendocrine connection between the brain and our glands, thus being in better control of things like our response to stresses.

You can find magnesium in foods such as; leafy greens, avocado, dark chocolate, and seeds. Supplementation is also an option for those who feel as though they don't get enough through their diet.

21/03/2021

🧠The Brain Health Daily - Hypnosis🧿

Hypnotherapy is one of the oldest forms of psychotherapy in the West. When we think of hypnosis, we might associate it with people dancing like chickens on stage. Generally speaking though, hypnosis is all about focusing attention on positive imagery.

Hypnosis is the tool, and hypnotherapy is the use of this tool in a therapeutic context. In America, the clinical use of hypnotherapy has been around since 1961, when the American Psychiatric Association approved it as a form of therapy to treat mental illness.
I'll tread carefully by pointing out that there is still insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of hypnotherapy (conforming to academic norms), however, lets not ignore the existing data - a 2006 study suggested that those who underwent hypnotherapy before surgery saw 56% reductions in their levels of anxiety.

Another study involved 84 depressed participants who underwent a 16 week program in either hypnotherapy or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and according to the Beck Depression Inventory scale, those who received the hypnotherapy displayed slightly greater improvements in their symptoms.

I am currently exploring my options in regards to hypnotherapy, as I believe it could be an effective tool to add to the treatment kit. Hypnotherapy appeals to me because it works to move your conscious mind out of the way so that you can reprogram your subconscious mind.

The main thought in psychology today is that our conscious mind runs about 5% of our lives, while our subconscious runs the other 95%. That's a huge portion of influence, especially considering we don't have much control over what goes in and out of the subconscious.

Our conscious minds act as the gatekeepers to what can go in and out of the subconscious, however the conscious mind does a lousy job at gate-keeping because our subconscious minds are usually full of self-limiting and self-defeating beliefs about ourselves and the world around us.

Because the subconscious runs an overwhelming majority of our lives, it means the more self-limiting and self-defeating beliefs it has programmed into it, the more we think, feel and act out in these self-limiting and self-defeating ways.

Hypnosis works to push this conscious mind out of the way, so that you can access the subconscious. Once you have greater access into the subconscious, you can start to reprogram it with more favorable beliefs. The more favorable the content of your subconscious, the more favorable you think, feel and behave in every day life.

19/03/2021

Download The Brain Health Handbook -

Years worth of research and application in a quest to discover how you can improve your mental and brain health.

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19/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Anxiety, depression and stress can be attributed to negative emotional states, however, these negative emotional states are always the by-product of underlying negative thought patterns.

For those of us who suffer from low mood, we will almost always find that these low moods are a result of distortions in our thinking.
When we are anxious, depressed or stressed, it is almost impossible to see things objectively, as our judgements are clouded by our moods - "I feel bleak, therefore my life is bleak". However, this isn't always the case.

Our moods are great at tricking us into thinking that they have a true basis in our reality.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps in identifying and changing these distorted thought patterns by replacing them with more logical ones, providing the space for more objectivity.

19/03/2021

🧠 The Brain Health Daily - Journaling 📖

Studies suggest that journaling can strengthen the immune system, lower blood pressure and aid in sleep quality. It has been shown that reflective journaling can reduce anxiety, depression and stress, mainly when your journaling is structured around other therapeutic techniques as CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy.

Perhaps one of the best benefits of journaling is that it can help reduce the amount of time spent in rumination and provides the space for methodical planning and action-taking. Journaling can also be done by showing gratitude, which is another potent tool for mental and emotional well-being.

I began journaling a few years ago, and I stumbled across its therapeutic benefits accidentally. I started writing in a journal to document my experiences travelling through unconventional parts of the world. But little did I know, I had stumbled across a habit that would transform the way I process my mental and emotional life.

My hot tips for starting a journal;

📖 Throw perfectionistic tendencies out the window. A journal doesn't have to be neat or structured. It's for your reference only.
📖 Be genuine about how you feel and write about it. No one is watching. This is your safe haven where you get to express your thoughts and emotions fully.
📖 Use journaling as a way to have a conversation with yourself. Ask yourself questions, and answer them as you write. It is an interactive experience between you and yourself.
📖 Don't overthink it - Just write ffs.