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What’s behind rising suicides among troops and vets?

A recent article in USA Today reported that suicides among active Army troops reached record numbers in June of this year. What’s behind the increase? Experts point to the stress of combat, plus the fact that psychological illness is still viewed as a weakness in military circles.

Personally, I would add mild traumatic brain injury to that list of reasons. Reports indicate that 15 percent of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan come home with brain injuries.

After viewing more than 57,000 brain scans, I know just how damaging a “mild” brain injury can be to a person’s life. And as someone who worked in the psychiatric ward of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I understand the effects combat can have on a person’s psychological well-being. I also know how hard it is for soldiers to admit they have a problem and seek help.

When troops, or any people for that matter, don’t get proper treatment for psychological or neurological problems, it can ruin their life.

What is especially troubling is that the problems soldiers face while deployed don’t always go away after they return home. For many returning veterans, neurological and psychiatric disorders continue to plague them for the rest of their lives, sometimes driving them to suicide.

Reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs show that the suicide rate of young veterans between the ages of 18 and 29 went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007.

That is in spite of the fact that the military has stepped up its efforts to fight and prevent suicides among troops and veterans. Many of the troubling issues active soldiers and veterans are dealing with are treatable.

Here at the Amen Clinics, we treat many veterans who have suffered brain injuries, including a young man named James who is the first patient sponsored by the Change Your Brain, Change Your Life Foundation.

A brain booster AND an anti-cancer agent?

I read a remarkable study that I think you would be interested in. For years, researchers have been studying the positive effects of ginkgo biloba on memory, concentration, and energy levels.

The best-studied form of ginkgo biloba is a special extract called EGB 761. A comparison in 2000 of all the published, placebo-controlled studies longer than six months for ginkgo biloba extract, EGB 761, vs. Cognex, Aricept, and Exelon showed they all had similar benefits for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease patients.   

Now comes a new study German researchers showing that ginkgo may also have anti-cancer properties. The research team was inspired to study EGB 761’s effects on cancer after analyzing data that showed that regular users of the supplement showed a reduced risk for ovarian cancer.

Their research focused on EGB 761’s effect on angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the natural process of growing new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. The process is critical for wound healing and other bodily functions. But angiogenesis can get out of control, and excessive growth can lead to the growth of cancerous tumors.

The study’s findings showed that EGB 761 inhibited angiogenesis. The researchers concluded that EGB 761 is a potent anti-angiogenic drug that should be considered for the prevention of or treatment of angiogenesis-fueled tumors.

Link to Dr. Amen’s FREE webinar

Did you miss my FREE Change Your Brain, Change Your Body webinar with Dr. David Ajibade at BuildingStrengthWebinars.com? About 3,000 people signed up to hear my presentation!

If you missed it, don’t worry. You can still catch it online. Just click HERE and enjoy!

 

New weight-loss group starting Aug 17 - sign up today!

Are you tired of struggling to lose weight? Have you gone on diet after diet only to lose weight and then gain it all back… and more? Have you been contemplating bariatric surgery as a last resort?

Did you know that stapling your stomach is working on the WRONG organ?

Most weight problems occur between the ears…
…in your brain.

It is your brain that pushes you away from the table telling you that you’ve had enough, or it is your brain that gives you permission to have that second bowl of ice cream, making you look and feel like a blob.

If you want a better body…

…the first place to always start
is by having a better brain.

It is time to take brain-centered approach to weight loss with the Change Your Brain, Change Your Body weight-loss program at the Amen Clinics.

Our 10-week brain centered weight-loss program, which is offered in person at our clinics and online, is a huge success.

The best thing about the program is that you can keep on losing weight after the 10 weeks because we give you all the tools you need to…

…lose weight and keep it off
for the rest of your life.

So far, the average weight loss is 10 pounds in 10 weeks (note: individual results may vary). But some participants have lost much more than that.

For example, Dan lost more than 50 pounds after participating in two cycles. He feels great, no longer has cravings, and has more energy than ever.

Did you know that not all overeaters are the same? Based on our brain imaging work…

…we have identified five types of overeaters
based on brain type.

Giving everyone the same diet plan will make some people better, but a lot of people worse.  Knowing about your own specific brain will make losing weight and keeping it off a whole lot easier.

With our program, you’ll get to take our Change Your Brain, Change Your Body Questionnaire to…

…determine your individual brain type
so you can find the best weight-loss strategies for you.

When you sign up for this life-changing program, you will also receive:

• Change Your Brain, Change Your Body book — offers the tools you need to optimize your brain so you can get a better body

• Change Your Brain, Change Your Body Daily Journal — helps you track your daily progress so you stay motivated (some of our participants say this is one of the most helpful parts of the whole program)

• Change Your Brain, Change Your Body DVD — gives you step-by-step instructions on how to boost your brain for a better body

• Change Your Brain, Change Your Body Cookbook 2 CD Set — contains OVER 60 recipes for delicious, brain healthy breakfasts, lunch, dinner, snacks, soups, salads, and even desserts so you can start making brain healthy meals tonight

• BMI Wheel — so you can see your progress as you lose weight

The next 10-week brain-centered weight-loss program
starts August 17—don’t miss out!

This is your chance to change your brain, change your body, and change your life! A better brain, a better body, and a better life can be yours for only $500. Compare that to the $18,000 (or more!) you would pay for gastric bypass surgery.

Are you ready to start changing your brain and body? Sign up today!

Call now to reserve your spot. Space is limited so act now.

Email: marketing@amenclinic.com
or
Call Jaclyn Fratalli at 949-266-3710 or Heather Witt 949-266-3728

Starts August 17, 2010
Every Tuesday at 5:00 PM Pacific time
$500 in person at the Amen Clinics Newport Beach or online

Click here to see the flyer for more information.

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