Your Weekly Dose of #5ThoughtsFriday: A description of what we think is important at BIAMD | |
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Award-winning author Dean Sluyter has taught Natural Meditation since 1970. He gives talks, workshops, and retreats throughout the United States and beyond, from Ivy League colleges to maximum-security prisons. His media appearances have included National Public Radio, Oprah & Friends Radio, Coast to Coast AM, The New York Times, and USA Today. His six books include Natural Meditation and The Dharma Bum's Guide to Western Literature.
A grateful student of sages in several traditions, Dean has completed numerous pilgrimages and retreats in Asia and the West. Dean's free meditation sessions on Zoom have attracted an enthusiastic international following. He is known for his relaxed, accessible, down-to-earth style and his message that anyone can meditate.
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Brain Injury Connector Podcast is in Season 4 and we are looking for guests!
Because every brain is different, every brain injury is different, and every brain injury recovery is different, most individuals and families dealing with brain injuries have many more questions than answers. Join Bryan Pugh, Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, as he searches for answers by interviewing individuals with brain injuries, family members, healthcare providers, policy makers and other members of the brain injury community. Each episode contains powerful information to help you learn more about brain injury, discover new treatments and solutions, and meet inspirational people making meaningful impacts on their community by changing the world.
Join us and tell your story!
CLICK HERE to sign up to become a guest!
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The health effects of food don’t just stop at the body. They extend into the mind as well, affecting not only our risk of future brain-based conditions (such as stroke and dementia) but also our ability to think clearly in the moment as well as our mood and mental health.
But it’s not so easy to know what to eat for brain health, or even how to measure it. Many of us have been told that foods such as blueberries, salmon, nuts and leafy greens are so-called brain foods. But how do they work? Are they neuroprotective? Do they make us smarter? More alert? Less stressed? Happier?
Nutritional psychiatrist Dr. Uma Naidoo has built a career around figuring out which foods improve brain function and positively influence the way we feel. She is the director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, an author and a personal chef.
Naidoo described the nascent and rapidly growing field as the “intersection between nutrition and mental health.”
“We’re not at the point where I can say, ‘Eat this number of blueberries in order to improve your mood.’ But we are definitely emerging and growing in the scientific evidence to be able to say, ‘You can construct a nutritional psychiatry plate for your mood,’” she told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast Chasing Life.
CLICK HERE for more.
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Memory plays a crucial role in our daily lives. Whether you're studying for an exam, trying to remember important details, or simply aiming to keep your mind sharp to get work done, having a strong memory is invaluable.
Fortunately, science has shed light on numerous strategies that can help improve memory and enhance cognitive function. Here are three scientifically supported methods to add to your toolkit for sharpening your mental prowess.
Eat more chocolate
A fascinating study conducted in 2017 explored the cognitive benefits of consuming cocoa flavonoids, a natural compound found in cocoa and chocolate. The researchers carefully divided the study participants into two groups: one group received a daily dose of cocoa, while the other group received a placebo. The study spanned several months to ensure accurate and reliable data collection.
The findings of this study revealed a significant connection between regular cocoa intake and improved cognitive performance. Participants who incorporated cocoa into their routine experienced enhanced memory, increased attention span, and improved executive function compared with those in the placebo group. These remarkable improvements can be attributed to the neuroprotective and neuroplasticity-enhancing effects of flavonoids, which are known to promote healthy brain function.
CLICK HERE to read more.
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Headbutting fights between male bovids (the family that includes cattle, oxen, goats, sheep, and buffalo) look and sound dramatic.
“They hit very hard,” says Nicole Ackermans, who leads the Comparative Vertebrate Neurodegeneration Lab at the University of Alabama. “We are working with pygmy goats right now and even they hit impressively hard.”
While all male bovids wield horns to impress potential mates, some species—notably sheep, goats, and muskoxen—engage in high-force headbutting fights for herd dominance. Males face each other, lower their heads, and charge at peak running speed, ramming head-to-head, sometimes dozens of times in a row.
It’s only natural to wonder what those kinds of repeated forces do to the animals’ brains, says Ackermans. She studies the brains of headbutting animals to better understand how injuries can add up and lead to neurodegeneration. Ackermans hopes this research will fill gaps in our knowledge of how neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), develop over time in humans.
CLICK HERE to read more.
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Conference Date: March 21-22, 2024
Do you have a new presentation or research to share with the brain injury community at the 2024 Brain Injury Association of Maryland's annual conference?
If yes, we are currently taking submissions!!!
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Is living alone preventing you from recovering from your TBI?
One seemingly harmless bump on the head is suddenly blossoming into a host of symptoms. Your doctor says it could take you years to heal, which is frightening enough. But you live alone without a job or insurance. You can't think or speak like you used to. You are experiencing unfamiliar, frightening challenges, and you're paralyzed with doubt about being able to get back to your normal self on your own.
If you searching for a way to speed up your healing process and are looking forward to getting back to your life, Gail Waitkun, a TBI survivor and former athlete, can help.
In Heal Your TBI, she offers game-changing solutions on how to not only recover but thrive after a TBI. Heal Your TBI will show you simple methods to:
- Help your mind start mending naturally
- Regain your confidence even without a lot of support
- Start rebuilding your physical skills
- Master personality changes that come with your TBI
- Manage your lifestyle to support a speedy recovery
It is possible to get back in the game of life after a TBI while living alone. Get ready to take control of your recovery and start healing now.
CLICK HERE to see more.
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1) Quote We are Contemplating | |
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"The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of private citizen."
-Louis Brandeis
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Looking for Something fun to do in Maryland this weekend?
Click the picture below and discover a world of possibilities for things to do this weekend!
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HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND AND ELECTION DAY NEXT WEEK!
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This blog is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of treatments, individuals, or programs which appear herein. Any external links on the website are provided for the visitor’s convenience; once you click on any of these links you are leaving BIAMD's #5ThoughtsFriday blog post. BIAMD has no control over and is not responsible for the nature, content, and availability of those sites.
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful weekend.
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