Bill's Brain Blog
Prefrontal
7 Straightforward Ways to Strengthen Your Prefrontal Cortex
(hint the most important part of the brain!)
- Resist Instant Gratification
- Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone
- Learn New Material
- Blue Sky Thinking
- Get Enough Sleep
- Meditation
- Clean Up Your Diet.
- Reduce Drama
- Volunteer
Frontal
Gratitude
Imagine good outcomes
Use a consistent sleep routine
Be Active - walk, run, swim, dance, yoga . . .
physically engage people - Hug
Use Acronyms, pictures, cartoons, silly sentences to improve/ reinforce memory
Practice "make believe"
Juggle, do magic tricks
Temporal
more
rhythmic movement, sound - music, chanting, dance
calming healing music
humming,
language, verbal learning & memory
Pariatal
textures on palms & soles
Math
Spacial
Vagal Nerve
more
- Cold water in the face -
- shower ever morning
- Jump in the pool
- Ice water
- Vocalize - hum, sing, read aloud to kids
- Slow Deep Breathing - stomach
- Activity/ Exercise
- esp. more meditative - cycling, swimming, running, Yoga,
- Walk the dog*
more
- Guided Breathing
- Eye movement
- Whole foods
- Planning
- Sleep
- Vocalize - hum, sing, read aloud to kids
- Sunshine Dawn, Noon, sunset
- Activity/ Exercise
- esp. more meditative - cycling, swimming, running, Yoga,
- Walk the dog*
Less
- Randomness
- Stuck
- Refined products, preservitives
- Screen time
- Slow Deep Breathing - stomach
- Sitting
- esp. more meditative - cycling, swimming, running, Yoga,
- Sitting
Markers of Change
The first steps toward my goals are often not the changes I have at the top of my list. Seemingly I need to fix the foundations before I fix the cosmetics. I need to be aware of sometimes subtle changes that confirm I am on the path of change.
Daily Energy Levels
- Did I get more/ less done today?
- Did I hit a wall earlier/ later in my day?
- Was it harder/ easier to get things done?
- Did my day go smoother?
Mood Quality/ Stability
- Was my mood better today?
- Was I able to stay positive
- Was I able to be less affected by setbacks and challenges?
Sleep Quality
- Do I seem to sleep better?
- Do I wake up more rested?
- Am I getting better sleep app scores?
My Stress Management
- Did I manage stress better today?
- Did I stay in the present and handle the challenges?
- Did I stay out of emotion and in solution?
- Did I resolve more problems?
Thinking
- Is my thinking clearer?
- Did I try a new perspective?
Focus
- Did I stay on track/task
- Did I stay in the present
- Did I complete things
- Did I listen
Memory
- Did I remember what I was doing?
- Did I remember people's names?
Learn New Things
Discomforts
- Did I feel any new aches/ pains?
- Did any change/ move/ diminish?
- Did I reach beyond my comfort zone?
Anxiety
is the basis for
Structure
Good postureSmile
Nutrition
Magnesium
Vitamin DVitamin B??
Builders
- Sleep
- Arrive early & have a plan for the time
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Autonomic system "Tone"
- Vagal Nerve
- Sympathetic
- Plan - Prepare better
- Think a good thought with each drink of water
- Practicing Gratitude
- Chunk it. Chunk Chains
- Celebrate Completions
- Use & Teach
- in all learning styles
- Analogies and metaphors
Reducers
App
- Poor Nutrition
- Poor Sleep - quality & quantity
- Procrastination
- Focusing on the things I can't control rather than the ones I can
Nutrition
Overwhelm
is the basis for
Reducers - less overwhelm
- Smile
- More what I can do/ impact/ change
- Am I sweating the little stuff?
- Imagine big (important) things
- Vision possibilities
- Slow Deep Breathing
- What can I accomplish right now?
Builders - more overwhelm
- Sleep
- Focusing on things I can't do, impact or change
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Autonomic system "Tone"
- Vagal Nerve
- Sympathetic
- Plan - Prepare better
- Practicing Gratitude
- Chunk it. Chunk Chains
- Celebrate Completions
- Use & Teach
- in all learning styles
- Analogies and metaphors
Reducers
App
- Poor Nutrition
- Poor Sleep - quality & quantity
- Procrastination
- Focusing on the things I can't control rather than the ones I can
Nutrition
Depression
A common rut we get caught in
Physical symptoms of stress include:
- Low energy
- Headaches
- Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
- Aches, pains, and tense muscles
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Insomnia
- Frequent colds and infections
- Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
- Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet
- Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
- Clenched jaw and grinding teeth
Builders
- Time with people we care about
- Social
- Work
- Appreciation for work well done
- Show
- Receive
- Addressing Stressful situations
- Differently
- More Positive perspective
Reducers
- Negative Emotions
- Depressive Thoughts
- Nervousness
- Impatience
- Anxiousness
- Time on Toxic Relationships
Behavior
- Walk, skip, jump,
- Yoga
- Cardio
- Weight Training
- Test known factors to determine how you respond
Food
- Mediterranean Diet
- may prevent onset
- may reverse
- Magnesium
- Diet
- Epson Salts bath
- Folate - low levels can reduce effectiveness of several antidepressant medicines
- Evaluate how you do on the top 10 nutrient deficiencies & adjust. Give your body and brain the tools to operate.
Mood Experience - Check all that apply
Cognitive Stress
is responsible for
Cognitive symptoms of stress include:
- Constant worrying
- Racing thoughts
- Forgetfulness and disorganization
- Inability to focus
- Poor judgment
- Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side
Reducers
- Sleep deprivation
Behavior
- Chew Gum - makes stronger memories
- Drink Coffee - memory consolidation
- Meditation - improves working memory
- Sleep/ nap to consolidate
- Berries build long term memory
- Exercise/ walking - esp that morning
Nutrition
App
Spiritual Energy
is fueled by our sense of meaning and purpose.
There is a saying that if you love what do you do, you won’t have to work for a day in your life. And that is true. Our sense of purpose and belief in the value of what we are doing can keep us going longer than any energy drink.
We should all try to identify what we do best and enjoy most, allocate our time and energy to the area of our lives that we deem most important, and incorporate our core values into our everyday behavior.
Behavioral symptoms of stress include:
- Changes in appetite -- either not eating or eating too much
- Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
- Increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
- Exhibiting more nervous behaviors, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing
Builders
- Feeling Effective
- Seeing Meaning
- Experiencing Fulfillment
Reducers
- Acupuncture for Fertility
- Acupuncture for Delivery Anesthesia
- Chinese Herbs
Brainercizes
Use mostly small muscles to develop the input and output pathways of the brain.
What are the Consequences of Long-Term Stress
Periodic stress peaks with recovery periods between every now are how life occurs. Ongoing or chronic stress can cause or exacerbate many serious health problems, including:
- Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders
- Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and stroke
- Obesity and other eating disorders
- Menstrual problems
- Sexual dysfunction, such as impotence and premature ejaculation in men and loss of sexual desire in both men and women
- Skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, and permanent hair loss
- Gastrointestinal problems, such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and irritable colon
Nutrition
- Identify top 10 nutrient deficiencies in American diet
- Identify which apply to you
- Choose how to eliminate them
Probably will take more work and thought than you anticipate. The benefit is in the process as much as in the final result.
Our brains are the master control center so performance is impacted by shortages in key ingredients that affect all systems including points beyond the nervous system.
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