It is common knowledge that obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, joint issues, and heart disease. Did you know it can negatively impact your brain health too? Inflammation is a major factor associated with obesity and is directly linked to brain fog. A 2015 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience reviewed the connection between mast cells, which play a role in how fat is metabolized. This relationship can impact inflammation in the brain, resulting in brain fog.
Clear the Fog: Learn to love foods that love you back. Adopt a brain-healthy diet that supports cognition—think fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon), protein for better focus, berries, and nuts.
2. Stress
Life changes, whether exciting or difficult can cause stress, overwhelming the brain and leading to the fuzzy thinking and dullness associated with brain fog. If you’re undergoing intense change or dealing with a traumatic situation, you might struggle with symptoms of brain fog. If the stress you’re under requires you to make important decisions, you might have a harder time doing so. Research shows that chronic stress results in reduced blood flow to the brain, which contributes to brain fog and other adverse symptoms.
Clear the Fog: Reduce stress with relaxation techniques like deep breathing and meditation.
3. Untreated depression
Depression is strongly associated with memory loss, which is considered a common brain fog issue. Untreated depression can also result in fatigue, confusion, and an inability to focus—all of which are also linked to brain fog. Because the cognitive effects of depression are so far-reaching, it is imperative to seek help from a mental health professional with a brain health specialty.
Clear the fog: Discover which type of depression you have so you can get treatment targeted to your needs.
4. Hormonal imbalances
Brain fog and hormone issues go hand-in-hand. Hormonal causes of brain fog include hypothyroidism, perimenopause/menopause, and abnormal cortisol levels. Brain fog can be so extreme when hormonally related that it’s not uncommon for people to think they have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and get tested for memory loss.
Clear the Fog: Have your healthcare provider check your hormone levels and balance them if necessary.
5. ADD/ADHD
Lack of focus, being easily distracted, and having trouble concentrating are all symptoms of ADD/ADHD that can contribute to brain fog. A study in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that people with ADD/ADHD have higher levels of cytokines, which have an inflammatory effect on the brain. A spike in cytokines can interfere with your working memory, slow your reaction time, and cause brain fog.
Clear the Fog: Find out which of the 7 types of ADD/ADHD you have and look for natural solutions to help and take medication if necessary.
6. Food allergies
Your diet can either make you feel focused and sharp or slow and sluggish. A study published in Behavioural Brain Research found a correlation between food allergies and cognitive impairment, including brain fog. More mile food sensitivities and food intolerances can also mess with your brain. The typical American diet is riddled with commonly allergenic foods such as gluten, corn, soy, sugar, dairy, and food additives and dyes.
Clear the Fog: Eliminate potential food allergens for 30 days and see if your foggy thinking improves.
7. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has a host of symptoms involving digestive issues, sore lymph nodes, muscle weakness, food allergies, and irregular heartbeat. Another challenge of the condition is brain fog and overall difficulty with information processing, attention, and working memory.
Clear the Fog: Seek treatment for CFS from an integrative or functional medicine physician.
8. Long COVID
According to the World Health Organization, people suffering from long COVID have symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, loss of smell and taste, muscle aches, depression, and anxiety. In a 2022 study, 71 percent of participants reported brain fog as a symptom of long COVID, and it is one of the top three symptoms including fatigue and shortness of breath.
Clear the Fog: Get on a brain-healthy program to help combat long COVID and its symptoms.
9. Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
Mild cognitive impairment (MPI) found in early-onset Alzheimer’s is different from brain fog but might feel similar. Keep in mind the distinction is that dementia symptoms include memory loss that is more profound than the mental cloudiness seen with brain fog, and as Alzheimer’s progresses will interfere dramatically with everyday life.
Clear the Fog: Get screened to rule out Alzheimer’s disease if more pronounced memory loss is a factor.
10. Medications
The blood-brain barrier weakens as we age, which can allow medications to seep into the brain. Over-the-counter and prescription medications that can cause brain fog include pain relievers, sleep aids, anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, high blood pressure medication, allergy medication, and drugs that lower cholesterol (statins).
Clear the Fog: Check your medicine cabinet to see if you are taking anything that may interfere with cognitive function and talk to your doctor about it.
11. Sleep issues
There’s no way around it: we need our sleep. Without it, every aspect of life suffers. The idea that you can “get away with” a few hours of sleep every night or interrupted sleep is just not true. Lack of sleep – even one night – can cause brain fog and a host of other symptoms. Chronic lack of sleep is another source of inflammation that can wreak havoc on cognition.
Clear the Fog: Make sleep a priority in your life. Set a sleep schedule and stick with it, even on weekends.
12. Inflammation
The connection between brain inflammation and cognitive dysfunction is found throughout research on brain fog and applies to ADD/ADHD as well as obesity, depression, long COVID, anxiety, food allergies, sleep issues, and other causes listed here. A study conducted in 2021 found that even low levels of chronic neuroinflammation can have an impact on clear thinking and result in chronic brain fog.
Clear the Fog: Consider taking anti-inflammatory supplements, such as fish oil, curcumin, and probiotics.
Given the wide range of issues that cause brain fog, it’s crucial to seek professional help to find what’s at the root of your problems.
Brain fog, memory problems, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), is known for certain hallmark characteristics, such as the inability to pay attention, stay organized, control impulses, or follow through with tasks. Those who are affected by this neurodevelopmental disorder are also more likely to experience additional issues in many areas of life, leading to outcomes like depression, substance abuse, suicide, burnout, and even an increase in car accidents. ADD/ADHD also increases the risk for physical conditions, and new researchers suggest it can lead to being overweight or obese.
These consequences are a growing concern since 9.4% of children between the ages of 2 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Among adults, 5.4% of men and 3.2% of women have ADD/ADHD—but only about 20% of them have been diagnosed or received treatment. In fact, this condition is often overlooked in females.
A new review of 16 studies points to the reality that kids with ADD/ADHD have a much greater likelihood of being overweight or obese.
THE LINK BETWEEN OVERWEIGHT, OBESITY, AND ADD/ADHD IN CHILDREN
A new review of 16 studies points to the reality that kids with ADD/ADHD have a much greater likelihood of being overweight or obese. The recent review, published in 2023 in Childhood Obesity, looked at the risk of overweight and obesity in nearly 15,000 children and adolescents with ADD/ADHD. It found that “children with ADHD had a significant risk for co-occurring overweight and obesity,” especially among boys, people in Asia and Europe, and patients not using medication.
“ADHD has a significant association with overweight and obesity in both children and adolescents, which may be altered by factors such as geography, gender, and medication use,” the researchers concluded. They therefore recommended early treatment to young people who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, so that they may be monitored and assisted to avoid these additional weight-related concerns.
This is one of a long list of physical impacts associated with ADD/ADHD, an illness that can lead to everything from school and workplace problems to incarceration. That’s because the range of ADD/ADHD’s typical symptoms can create the perfect storm for compromised decision-making, including unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle choices.
5 ADD/ADHD SYMPTOMS THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO OBESITY
Brain SPECT scans have shown that, among those with ADD/ADHD, there is low activity in the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that is involved with focus, attention, concentration, goal-setting, planning, organization, and impulse control. Here are 5 common ADD/ADHD symptoms that might contribute to being overweight or obese:
1. Short attention span.
When it comes to performing regular, everyday tasks, those with ADD/ADHD may struggle to stick with healthy diet and exercise routines. They may consider them “boring” and prefer to have more stimulation or excitement in their day so they can remain interested. On the plus side, this information can be used to create more appealing exercise regimens: Because they’re more likely to enjoy tasks that are new, novel, interesting, highly stimulating, or even frightening, those with ADD/ADHD might enjoy nonrisky sports or frequently changing up exercise routines to hold their attention over the long haul. Experts have suggested that exercises that work both body and brain—activities like martial arts or mountain biking, for example—and can be done outdoors may be great options. In addition, exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on the functioning of those with ADD/ADHD.
2. Procrastination.
When everything can be put off until later—a “later” that often never arrives—it’s easy to avoid tasks like regular exercise. In other cases, mindless or stress eating can be used as a way to delay doing a task that requires completion. Unfortunately, this habit creates a vicious cycle of unhealthy outcomes: A recent study among Swedish university students found that procrastination led to a wide array of adverse results, from depression, anxiety, and stress to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors like poor sleep quality and physical inactivity.
3. Disorganization.
Organizing their time and space can feel like a real uphill battle for those with ADD/ADHD. Lateness, completing tasks on time, working last minute, and keeping physical spaces tidy are all challenges that fall under this category. As such, it can be difficult to pre-plan healthy meals, so it’s easier to grab the closest and most convenient thing, which could be junk food, fast food, and ultra-processed foods. Even worse, these kinds of foods, part of the standard American diet for many, have been linked to an increased risk of receiving an ADD/ADHD diagnosis.
4. Distractibility.
When it comes to sitting down and planning a fitness schedule or a healthier diet, those with ADD/ADHD can easily find themselves taken off track. That’s because they tend to take in more environmental cues than other people—making them more easily distracted by stimuli, such as light, sounds, smells, tastes, etc. This tendency can be counteracted by clear goal setting, including writing down tasks and to-dos so they are completed regularly and on time, followed by reminders to double-check completion. As an upside, making healthy changes in both diet and exercise can improve attention-related symptoms of ADD/ADHD.
5. Poor internal supervision.
Many people with ADD/ADHD struggle with judgment and impulse control, leading them to have a larger chance of issues like substance abuse. As we now know that many ultra-processed foods in the standard American diet trigger the same addictive-type responses as drugs like cocaine, food can also fall under this category. People with ADD/ADHD also have a harder time learning from their mistakes, which may make them more apt to repeat errors in diet, exercise, and other lifestyle choices. In one study, they were also found to be more likely to engage in harmful behaviors like binge eating.
HEALING ADD/ADHD TO PREVENT OBESITY
Despite examining various contributing factors, even researchers have admitted that, in 20-plus years of studying the links between ADD/ADHD and obesity (which may be even stronger in adults than children/adolescents), there is more work to be done. Furthermore, scientists ask, is it that ADD/ADHD is more likely to contribute to obesity, or are the effects of obesity, such as increased inflammation, leading to increased ADD/ADHD symptoms? In the future, further studies will help provide answers.
Even now, there are a lot of myths and misunderstandings around ADD/ADHD, but we are making strides in understanding its workings, which can help in preventing further detrimental effects, such as instances of overweight and obesity. For example, did you know there are 7 types of ADD/ADHD? It’s crucial to first learn what type is at work, and a brain SPECT scan can be instrumental in identifying the type and finding the most effective treatment. Then taking the appropriate steps, including many natural ADD/ADHD solutions and/or medications (if needed), can be truly life-changing.
ADD/ADHD and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. Being addicted to something is usually associated with the excessive use of substances like alcohol, opiates, street drugs, and nicotine. All of these can lead to a psychological and physical dependence because of the complex ways in which they take over the brain.
But did you know that aside from the use of drugs and alcohol, there are several common behaviors to which people can become addicted? These are called process addictions or behavioral addictions, and you might not even recognize that you have a serious problem.
There are several common behaviors to which people can become addicted. These are called process addictions or behavioral addictions, and you might not even recognize that you have a serious problem.
The term process addiction or behavioral addiction refers to uncontrollable habits that people will engage in—compulsive gambling and addiction to pornography or sex are some of the more well-known ones. However, there are other addictions that might fly under the radar because they are common activities for many people. The difference is that some people can’t seem to stop despite the negative consequences it might be having on their lives. And, when they try to give it up, they can struggle with mental health symptoms from the withdrawal.
5 Common Process Addictions
Because these addictive behaviors are a more extreme version of everyday activities, it can be harder to detect them and understand when they might be developing into a big problem.
Are any of these 5 process addictions getting in the way of your life or the life of someone you care about?
1. Video Gaming
As ubiquitous as these games are, some people are not able to hit the pause button on this habit. This is particularly true for those who have been playing video games for most of their lives. A research study published in the journal, Psychological Science, analyzed the gaming behaviors of more than 1,100 kids between the ages of 8 and 18. The study found that 8% of them met the criteria for “pathological gaming,” which indicated that the excessive amount of time spent playing video games adversely affected their functioning at school and led to health problems for these kids.
But this growing problem is not relegated only to the young. There are many adults who are hooked on gaming too (hello millennials!), and their addiction can result in the neglect of important responsibilities, thus causing problems with their relationships, careers, finances, and physical and mental health.
2. Shopping
It’s not unusual to joke about how a little retail therapy might help you get out of a funk, and often it does the trick. You feel better and move on, and don’t have the urge to go to hit the “Buy Now” button again any time soon. Not so with people who are truly addicted to shopping.
For a person who has what is known as compulsive buying behavior (CBB), shopping is like a drug and they experience a reduction of stress and a sense of euphoria when they buy something. The impulsive and excessive shopping results in stockpiles of purchases that don’t get used and/or overflowing closets with many items still having the tags on. For obvious reasons, this addiction can lead to significant financial problems, including maxed-out credit cards and even bankruptcy.
3. Exercise
Although the mental and physical health benefits of exercise are well-known, some people take their workouts to the extreme. Over time, they need to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise to feel the same emotional benefits. The hyper-focus and excessive amount of time spent exercising often lead to the exclusion of other important aspects of their lives, including social and family commitments.
To the extent possible, they may also continue exercising despite physical injuries. Everything in their life is organized around their need to exercise. And, according to an article published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, when exercise addicts have to stop, they experience withdrawal symptoms such as increased anxiety, irritability, and sleep problems. They keep exercising to avoid the discomfort these bring on.
4. Tanning
There’s no question that it is important to spend some time in the sun, and that doing so can make us feel better. When our skin is exposed to sunshine, it makes vitamin D which is critical for our overall health. But some people take tanning to the extreme. Whether it’s by sunbathing at the beach or pool, or in a tanning bed, they become dependent on how this habit makes them feel. Interestingly, it has been found that ultraviolet light makes our skin generate pain-relieving and mood-boosting endorphin hormones, so some researchers theorize that tanning can have underlying addictive properties.
Unfortunately, it has been well-established that ongoing exposure to ultraviolet light can lead to skin cancer. In fact, every day in the U.S., 9,500 people are diagnosed with some type of it. Nonetheless, a person who is addicted to tanning will continue to engage in this behavior, despite knowing the potential—even lethal—consequences.
5. Food
While being addicted to certain types of food is not considered an eating disorder per se, it’s a form of disordered eating. What this means is that, unlike anorexia or bulimia where there are specific patterns associated with their eating behaviors, a person who has a food addiction will have a difficult time controlling themselves around certain foods—even when they aren’t hungry. Often, the foods they crave are high in sugar, fat, or salt, and when eaten, trigger the release of dopamine—the brain’s pleasure chemical. This is the same neurotransmitter involved in drug addiction, and for the same reason, makes it difficult for them to stop.
People who are addicted to food might intend to have just a couple of cookies or chips, but once they get started, they end up eating the whole bag. Of course, the consequences of compulsive eating are numerous since it can lead to obesity, which increases the risk for heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and other serious health problems.
Behavioral Addiction Problems are Brain Problems
By virtue of how the brain works, anything your brain finds pleasurable will be remembered and your brain will encourage you to repeat it. And, under normal circumstances, this is not a problem. Healthy activities and foods, beautiful objects, and fun social interactions can make you feel happy, so your brain will encourage you to include more of these in your life.
However, not everyone is able to maintain self-control with the things they like to do. This is very much the case for those who have problems with addiction—and there is science to back this up.
Using brain SPECT imaging for the past three decades, one of the big discoveries made by Amen Clinics is that addiction is not a single or simple disorder. Different brains become addicted in varying ways, and based on specific patterns found through brain imaging, the data reveals that there are 6 types of addicts:
Type 1: Compulsive Addicts
Type 2: Impulsive Addicts
Type 3: Impulsive-Compulsive Addicts
Type 4: Sad or Emotional Addicts
Type 5: Anxious Addicts
Type 6: Temporal Lobe Addicts
Each brain type is more vulnerable to certain kinds of addiction, so successful treatment plans will require different strategies to bring the brain back into balance. Despite the length of time, someone has been addicted to a behavior or substance, with the right diagnosis it is still possible to strengthen and optimize the function of the brain to reduce the possibility of relapse in the future.
Addiction and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. What was once thought to be primarily a respiratory illness, COVID-19 has proven to be a formidable foe for the brain as well. While most people recover from the virus within a few weeks, some simply do not. Even months after being infected and getting over the initial symptoms, many people have reported ongoing problems with memory, fatigue, brain fog, and other neurological symptoms, collectively referred to by Amen Clinics as “COVID-Brain.”
These “long-haulers” represent approximately 10% of those who were ill with COVID-19. Many of them were never hospitalized nor in high-risk categories for complications from the virus.
Research into the underlying mechanisms of the persistent and disruptive neurological symptoms is ongoing and will likely continue for years to come. However, there already are some strong theories about what may be causing brain dysfunction from COVID-19 infections, and the possible links to an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia in the future.
How COVID-19 Infects Brain Cells
One of the most striking hypotheses described in a research article in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia is that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is “neurotropic.” This means that it can directly infect the tissues of the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Since the virus is airborne, it can be inhaled via the nose and enter the brain through the olfactory nerve. This nerve gives us our sense of smell, and anosmia—the loss of ability to smell—is often one of the first symptoms of COVID infection. Anosmia can also be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. It remains to be seen whether or not the damage to the olfactory system from the virus deteriorates its function in the long term. However, an October 2020 research study published in the medical journal Neurology found damage to the olfactory bulb (which connects to the olfactory nerve) in autopsy studies of those who had died from COVID-19.
Inflammation and COVID-19
Another significant concern about the long-term implications of COVID-19’s impact on the brain is the degree of inflammation it can cause. Because it is a new virus that no one had exposure to prior to 2019, humans had no defenses against it. And given its aggressive nature and potential lethality, once a person is infected with it, the immune system goes all out on the attack to fight it.
Through complex mechanisms, this results in increased inflammation as the immune system tries to defeat the invading virus. However, a consequence of this process is that, in an effort to protect the brain, the high level of inflammation can actually cause damage to the function of brain cells, including ones involved in memory.
Other possible causes of damage to the brain from COVID-19 include complications related to:
Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) due to breathing problems
Inflammation and damage to small blood vessels, similar to mini-strokes
7 Simple Ways to Lower Inflammation and Boost Your Health
Since the long-term consequences of COVID-19 are becoming increasingly recognized, if you have not been infected with it, it’s imperative that you continue to follow recommended guidelines to protect yourself from this virus. If you have had it—and particularly if you still struggle with lingering symptoms—taking measures to lower inflammation is of utmost importance.
The good news is that there are some easy changes you can make that can have a positive impact on your health. Here are 7 simple ways to decrease inflammation in your body and brain:
Increase your consumption of prebiotic foods such as apples, beans, cabbage, artichokes, asparagus, and root vegetables.
Increase probiotics in your diet either through supplements or fermented foods with live bacteria, including sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled fruits and veggies, and kombucha tea (these are often found in the produce section of the grocery store).
Boost your omega-3 fatty acid intake by eating more cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring, or with supplements.
Limit or avoid alcohol, sugar and refined grains, processed meats, and trans-fats (anything with partially hydrogenated or vegetable shortening on the label).
Take care of your gums! Periodontal (gum) disease can increase inflammation, so be sure to brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily.
Practice stress management with mindfulness, meditation, or prayer.
Engage in some form of exercise every day, but don’t overdo it, because that can actually increase inflammation.
It is widely believed among researchers that uncontrolled inflammation in the brain—regardless of the cause—is a significant risk for developing dementia. Taking the appropriate steps to protect your health, can make a big difference for optimal functioning of your brain now and in the future.
COVID-Brain and memory problems are real and can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever!At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
When it comes to helping people adopt brain healthy eating habits, Zoe Davis is an expert. As the Amen Clinics resident nutrition counselor, she has a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in Health Psychology. And she’s completed post-graduate training in nutrition, disordered eating behaviors, and holistic obesity care. Through her brain health nutrition coaching at Amen Clinics, she’s already helped thousands of people ditch the lifelong harmful eating patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and brain fog and adopt habits that promote better moods, less stress and anxiety, and greater mental clarity.
Here, she offers some of the simplest strategies she shares with the people she helps.
Trick #1. Rearrange your refrigerator.
This is such an easy trick, and it’s one that leaves most people saying, “Why didn’t I ever think of that?” Stop letting the refrigerator manufacturer tell you how to organize your groceries. Instead of storing veggies and fruit in that mysterious drawer at the bottom, where they’ll be forgotten because they are out of sight, out of mind, put them in glass containers at eye level. That way, every time you open the door, you’ll see the nutrient-dense brain healthy foods first.
Trick #2. Kick boring to the curb.
A common suggestion among nutritionists is to bake a sheet of chicken or fish for the week so you’ll have it ready to go for dinners. But most people get bored eating the same thing night after night. This trick solves that problem. When you bake that sheet of chicken or fish, season each one differently, so that when you use them throughout the week, it’s not going to taste the same every day. You can have one seasoned with curry, one with garlic, one with ginger, and so on.
Trick #3. Sneak more veggies into your meals.
One of the most common problems Zoe sees in the people she coaches is that they aren’t getting the recommended daily servings of vegetables in their meals. In fact, research shows that 90% of Americans don’t get enough vegetables and fruits. How can you up your intake of veggies? One of the simplest ways is to add veggies to eggs for breakfast. Just toss a few handfuls of spinach, kale, or mushrooms in the eggs for a major nutrient boost.
Trick #4. Get out of your rut.
So many of the people Zoe helps are stuck in a rut—eating the same things day in and day out. This can mean missing out on some important nutrients. The next time you go to the Farmers’ Market or to the grocery store, force yourself to try something new. For example, if you love almonds—Zoe’s personal favorite—branch out. Each nut and each seed offer slightly different minerals and vitamins. By mixing different nuts and seeds together, every time you grab a handful, you’ll be getting a greater variety of nutrients. Go for variety with seasonal vegetables and fruits too as a way to mix things up.
Trick #5. Use Zoe’s 15-minute rule.
When you come home from the store with all your beautiful veggies, take 15 minutes to cut up a bunch of them. Have them prepped and ready to go, so you can quickly add them quickly to eggs, salads, and other meals. This cuts down on prep time for all your meals during the week and makes it more likely that you’ll actually eat those veggies you bought.
Trick #6. Before you take a bite, take a breath.
If you eat when you’re stressed or worried, it can impair the digestive process and interfere with the absorption of the nutrients in the foods you’re eating. A quick trick that can aid your digestive system to work more effectively is to take a few deep breaths before eating. This easy strategy engages the parasympathetic nervous system to create a state of relaxation, prepare your body to release the enzymes needed to break down the foods you’re about to eat, and support the absorption of nutrients. Just place your hands in your lap and take 4-5 deep breaths before you start your meal.
At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to health and healing, which includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, an assessment of nutritional deficiencies, nutritional coaching, and other important factors.
If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.
A diet that works well for one person may be completely wrong for another person.
Why? Different brain systems drive different tendencies and behaviors. Most diets fail because they take a one-size-fits-all approach. Our work with SPECT imaging has shown us that there are multiple types of overeaters:
• Some are compulsive
• Some are impulsive
• Some are compulsive AND impulsive
• Some eat to improve their mood
• And, some eat to calm their worries
Introducing Type 5: Anxious Overeater
People with this type tend to use food to medicate their feelings of
• Anxiety
• Tension
• Nervousness
• Fear
They may be plagued by feelings of panic and self-doubt, and suffer physical symptoms of anxiety, such as:
1. Muscle tension
2. Nail biting
3. Headaches
4. Abdominal pain
5. Heart palpitations
6. Shortness of breath
7. Sore muscles
It is as if anxious overeaters have an overload of tension and emotion. They tend to predict the worst and often complain of waiting for something bad to happen. They may be excessively shy, easily startled, and freeze in emotionally charged situations.
Certain behaviors and substances can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and make anxious overeaters more likely to eat in an attempt to make those feelings go away.
For example:
• Focusing on the negative
• Believing every negative thought they have
• Too much caffeine or other stimulating substances
• Drinking alcohol
What SPECT Tells Us
The SPECT scans of anxious overeaters often show increased activity in the basal ganglia, which is commonly caused by low levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA.
Interventions to boost GABA combined with relaxation techniques that calm the brain are generally the most helpful.
We Can Help Today
If you would like to learn more about how Amen Clinics can help you with the stress, anxiety, or panic or overeating in your life, call us today at 877-335-8941 or visit our website. You CAN change your brain and change your life! Corporate America is highly skilled at getting you to eat and drink things that are not good for you. Every day, we’re bombarded with the wrong messages: TV commercials, billboards and radio ads show us misleading images of happy, attractive people enjoying greasy fast food and dehydrating caffeinated drinks that decrease brain function and lower your self-control.
Unfortunately, the more overweight you are, the greater the stress on your physiology—particularly the increased inflammation in your body—which affects the volume of the grey matter between your ears, in addition to putting you at risk for serious medical problems.
Introducing Type 4 Overeater: Sad/Emotional
People with this type tend to use food to medicate underlying feelings of sadness and to calm the emotional storms in their brains.
They often struggle with:
1. Boredom
2. Loneliness
3. Depression
4. Low self-esteem
5. Pain issues
6. Decreased libido
7. Periods of crying
8. Low energy levels
9. Suicidal thoughts
10. Lack of interest in usually pleasurable activities
11. Feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
For some people, these feelings come and go with the seasons and tend to worsen in winter. Others experience mild feelings of chronic sadness, called dysthymia. Still others suffer from more serious depressions. This type is more frequently seen in women.
What SPECT Findings Tell Us
The SPECT findings of sad or emotional overeaters typically reveal markedly increased activity in the deep limbic areas of the brain—commonly seen in mood disorders and in people who have had emotional trauma—and decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Treating mood disorders with behavioral interventions, natural supplements, and medication when needed, can be the key to weight loss.
We Can Help
At Amen Clinics, we know that food addiction issues are not a function of not trying hard enough, being lazy, or not having enough willpower. We will work with you to address your specific brain type so that you can eliminate food addiction, reach your weight loss goals and feel amazing every day. Click here to learn more about how Amen Clinics can help, or call today at 888-288-9834.
To lose weight, the only body part you need to be most concerned with isn’t your belly, butt or thighs, it’s your BRAIN.
The brain is your command and control center. It’s how you make good or bad decisions about behavior and food and tells you:
• What, when and how much to eat.
• What to buy at the grocery store or order in a restaurant.
• When and how often to exercise.
The Problem
Most diets fail because they take a one-size-fits-all approach. Our work with SPECT imaging has shown us that there are multiple types of overeaters:
Introducing the Type 3 Overeater: Impulsive-Compulsive
People with this type have a combination of both impulsive and compulsive features. On the surface it seems almost contradictory, but people can be both impulsive and compulsive at the same time (think of the compulsive gambler, who cannot stop focusing on placing a bet and has no restraint to prevent him from doing it).
• These people often think about food all day long
• Many people with bulimia have this type
• This type is particularly common in children and grandchildren of alcoholics or people who have a significant family history of alcoholism
SPECT scans of impulsive – compulsive overeaters tend to show:
• Too much activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus, so people get stuck on their thoughts.
• Too little activity in the prefrontal cortex, so they have trouble putting on the brakes and saying, “no.”
The high activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus is associated with low serotonin levels while the low activity in the prefrontal cortex is likely due to low dopamine levels.
People with impulsive – compulsive overeating therefore, do best with treatments that raise both serotonin and dopamine (using serotonin or dopamine interventions by themselves usually makes the problem worse). It is also very important to strengthen the prefrontal cortex and practice strategies to increase mental flexibility and “get unstuck.”
Keep the Weight Off for Good
The Amen Clinics Method—developed through 26 years of clinical practice—uses a detailed clinical history, SPECT imaging to understand brain function, neuropsychological testing and laboratory studies to target treatment specifically to your brain using the least toxic, most effective means.
If you, or someone you love, could benefit from an evaluation at Amen Clinics, call our brain health advisors today at 888-288-9834 or tell us more online. Did you know as the size of your waistline goes up, the size and functioning of your brain goes down?
In other words, the more overweight you are, the greater the stress on your physiology particularly the increased inflammation in your body—which affects the volume of the grey matter between your ears, in addition to putting you at risk for serious medical problems.
Obesity is an underlying cause of many preventable diseases that result in lowered quality of life and even death, such as:
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Depression
• Alzheimer’s disease
The Different Types of Overeaters: Type 2 Impulsive
People with this type struggle with impulsivity and have trouble controlling their behavior, even though they may begin each day with good intentions. They don’t think about food constantly, but whenever they see something they like, they can’t resist. They have a hard time saying “no” even if they aren’t really hungry. They have a hard time bypassing a second—or third or fourth—slice of pizza, piece of cake, or helping of mashed potatoes.
The most common brain SPECT finding in this type is decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex which is most commonly associated with low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Impulsive overeating is common among people who have ADD, which has also been associated with low dopamine levels in the brain. People with ADD struggle with:
• A short attention span
• Distractibility
• Disorganization
What Research Says
Research suggests that having untreated ADD nearly doubles the risk for being overweight. Without proper treatment, it is nearly impossible for these people to be consistent with any nutrition plan.
Impulsive overeating may also be the result of some form of toxic exposure, a near-drowning accident, a brain injury to the front part of the brain, or a brain infection, such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Overweight smokers and heavy coffee drinkers also tend to fit this type.
Impulsive overeating may worsen with food or treatment that boosts serotonin because this neurotransmitter calms the brain and although it can decrease worries it also decreases impulse control.
Things that deplete dopamine levels are also a problem, so we help impulsive overeaters by boosting dopamine levels and strengthening the prefrontal cortex.
Why We Are Different
By discovering your particular brain type, we get very important information that helps us create the best nutrition and lifestyle plan to help you:
• Lose weight
• Optimize brain function
• Become healthier
• Increase energy
Let’s Break the Weight Loss Cycle for Good
The Amen Clinics Method—developed through 26 years of clinical practice—uses a detailed clinical history, SPECT imaging to understand brain function, neuropsychological testing and laboratory studies to target treatment specifically to your brain using the least toxic, most effective means. If you, or someone you love, could benefit from an evaluation at Amen Clinics, call our brain health advisors today at 888-288-9834 or tell us more online.
If you are on a diet right now, you are not alone. Unfortunately, losing weight and gaining it back (yo-yo dieting) is a vicious cycle that leaves millions of people frustrated and unhappy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
• An astonishing 69% of adults are overweight or obese.
• Nearly 79 million Americans classified as obese—that’s more than 1/3 of adults.
• Even more startling is that 1/3 of all American children are overweight.
• 17% of American children are classified as obese.
Most diets fail because they take a one-size-fits-all approach. A diet that works well for one person may be completely wrong for another person. Why? Different brain systems drive different tendencies and behaviors.
Our work with SPECT imaging has shown us that there are multiple types of overeaters:
1. Some are compulsive
2. Some are impulsive
3. Some are compulsive AND impulsive
4. Some eat to improve their mood
5. And, some eat to calm their worries
What Classifies a Compulsive Overeater?
In this blog, we are going to discuss Type 1, also classified as the ‘Compulsive Overeater.’
People with this type tend to get stuck on thoughts of food. They hear the ice cream in the freezer calling their name. They often feel compulsively driven to eat and might say they have no control over food. They also tend to be night time eaters because they worry and have trouble sleeping.
Compulsive overeaters tend to get stuck on thoughts or locked into one course of action. They often:
• Get stuck on thoughts about food
• Get stuck on their worries
• Are rigid and inflexible
• Have trouble seeing options
• Hold grudges
• Are oppositional or argumentative
• Feel like they MUST have things their way, or they get upset
What SPECT Tells Us about Type 1 Overeaters
SPECT scans show that compulsive overeaters generally have too much activity in the front part of their brains, especially in the anterior cingulate gyrus. When there is too much activity in this area, people tend to become stuck on negative thoughts or actions.
Over-activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus is most commonly caused by low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin; therefore, compulsive overeaters do best when we find natural ways to increase serotonin, which is calming to the brain.
In addition, learning how to get “unstuck” from their thoughts about food and worries is very helpful.
