He’s a #1 New York Times bestselling author, host of the On Purpose podcast, and has over 28 million followers on Facebook alone. Jay Shetty, a former monk, spreads his unique brand of inspiration by talking about mental wellness and finding your purpose in life. While living as a monk, he learned to train his brain to overcome negativity, manage his thoughts, strengthen his empathy, and more. In general, these practices enhance overall brain function.
As someone who advocates the importance of self-awareness, however, Shetty wanted to know even more about his own brain. That’s why he visited psychiatrist and brain health expert Dr. Daniel Amen at Amen Clinics to get a brain SPECT scan. SPECT measures blood flow and activity in the brain and reveals areas of the brain with healthy activity, low activity, or too much activity.
“I’m at a place in my life where I don’t want to be irresponsible about my own health and well-being, and if I can see my brain and see what I can improve, this is the best place to come for brain health,” says Shetty in an episode of Scan My Brain at Amen Clinics.
SCREENING FOR BRAIN HEALTH
As Shetty explains it, most people would think if you’re getting a brain scan, it must be because something’s wrong. But the former monk sees things differently “I’m doing really well,” he says, “but why would we not be curious [about our brain].”
Shetty’s attitude is gaining momentum as more people realize that the brain is a physical organ that runs our lives, and it deserves far more of our attention. The medical community advocates regular screening and scanning of so many parts of the body—the heart, breasts, and colon—but it ignores the brain that runs them all. This is changing.
At Amen Clinics, which has built the largest database of functional brain scans related to behavior, more and more highly successful, well-adjusted people like Shetty are getting scanned. But they aren’t doing it to overcome specific mental health challenges or cognitive issues. Instead, they’re looking at it as a way to prevent any future problems and to provide a roadmap to brain optimization and peak performance.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR BRAIN TYPE
Brain imaging studies reveal that not all brains are alike. In fact, after reviewing over 170,000 brain scans, the psychiatric team at Amen Clinics has identified 16 different brain types. Each brain type has unique strengths and challenges that influence the way you think, act, and interact with others.
Your brain type plays a role in how you perform at work, how you get along in relationships, how you parent your children, and so much more. Knowing your brain type gives you key information about the best ways to optimize your brain, including the types of food to eat, the nutritional supplements to take, and the lifestyle changes that will have the biggest benefit for your brain and your life. Take our Brain Health Assessment to find your brain type.
The notion that our brains are “not all the same” resonates with Shetty. “The idea that all of our bodies, brains, and minds are so different and react differently to the same things is still very new,” says the former monk. He thinks it’s time to say goodbye to the one-size-fits-all approach our society generally takes toward solving problems, including issues that are medical, mental, or spiritual. Shetty says there’s a better way. “Providing a more personalized, specific approach—whether it’s meditation or fasting or whatever it may be—is important.”
THE BRAIN OPTIMIZATION SOLUTION
Even if you already have a good brain, you can make it better. When your brain is optimized, it means brighter moods, better focus, and greater clarity—now and in the future. Strengthening your brain now can help you prevent cognitive decline, reduce the risk of developing issues like anxiety or depression, and give you the tools you need to cope with life’s stressors. Add it all up and it leads to more success, a stronger ability to achieve your goals and a bigger dose of happiness. We could all use that!
The health of your brain 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. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most dreaded ailments. It robs us of the memories of our life’s joys, accomplishments, hurts, and lessons learned—the very things that make up the essence of who we are. When our memory is damaged by Alzheimer’s, it diminishes our ability to make sense of the world, creates a disconnect with loved ones, hijacks our independence, and ultimately steals our life. It’s utterly heartbreaking.
Many people believe Alzheimer’s disease is inevitable or that it strikes randomly without warning. It’s common for medical professionals to tell their patients who are complaining about forgetfulness that age-related memory loss is normal. And the vast majority of us believe there is nothing we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease or to stop it from deteriorating further.
That’s wrong!
The truth is, Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease—similar to heart disease or type 2 diabetes—and your everyday habits contribute greatly to your level of risk. New research confirms this.
The truth is, Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease—similar to heart disease and type 2 diabetes—and your everyday habits contribute greatly to your level of risk.
11 Lifestyle Factors that Increase the Risk for Alzheimer’s
Currently, over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple by 2050. If you don’t want to be one of them, you need to know the 11 major risk factors of memory loss. The lifestyle factors that contribute to a heightened risk for Alzheimer’s disease can be summed up with the mnemonic BRIGHT MINDS. Here’s what each letter stands for.
B is for blood flow problems.
Healthy blood flow is essential for a good memory. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s.
R is for retirement and aging.
Advancing age is the strongest risk factor for memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Brain SPECT imaging shows that the activity in the brain generally decreases with age.
I is for Inflammation.
Smoking, eating a high-sugar diet, and carrying excess body fat are associated with chronic inflammation that can harm the brain and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
G is for genetics.
Having first-degree family members with Alzheimer’s can be a sign that you need to make serious lifestyle changes to protect your memory.
H is for head trauma.
Several studies show a link between traumatic brain injuries or repeated mild head trauma (like repetitive helmet-to-helmet tackles in football) and the risk for dementia.
T is for toxins.
Toxic substances, such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and drugs are associated with memory issues.
In a 2016 editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 33 scientists expressed concern that infectious diseases were being overlooked as a major cause of memory problems and dementia.
N is for neurohormone problems.
When hormones are out of balance, it creates an increased risk for illness, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and more.
D is for diabesity.
The unhealthy combination of obesity and diabetes seriously impacts brain health and memory. Research in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has linked abnormal insulin levels, which are a hallmark of diabetes, to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. The correlation is so strong, some scientists have labeled Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”
S is for sleep issues.
A growing body of research links sleep problems, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, to a higher risk of memory problems and dementia.
The Link Between ADHD and Alzheimer’s Disease
As mentioned above, mental health issues increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. New research sheds light on the link between ADHD and the disease. A 2021 multi-generational study out of Sweden shows that the grandparents and parents of those with ADHD are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease compared with older people who have no ADHD relatives. And the increase in risk is substantial. Parents of a child with ADHD have a 55% greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and grandparents of ADHD kids have an 11% increased risk of the disease.
The study doesn’t show that ADHD causes Alzheimer’s. However, it’s important to look at how ADHD makes people more vulnerable to lifestyle risk factors for memory loss. Many of the symptoms of ADHD—including short attention span, impulsivity, distractibility, disorganization, and procrastination—lead to poor decision-making and increase the vulnerability to lifestyle risk factors for memory issues.
People with ADHD are at greater risk for traumatic brain injuries, obesity, substance abuse, and smoking. In turn, these lifestyle factors increase the chances of developing some form of dementia.
Know the Side Effects of Not Treating Mental Illness
Some people are wary of treating psychiatric issues with medication due to possible side effects. This is a valid concern, and it’s generally a good idea to try the least toxic, most effective solutions for any mental health problem. However, it’s equally important to understand that not treating mental illness also comes with side effects. In some cases, those potential side effects include an increased risk for memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. That is too high a price to pay.
Memory loss, 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 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. When it comes to maintaining a healthy, optimally functioning brain, there’s no better habit to form than getting regular physical exercise. Exercise improves the flow of oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the brain, which helps it to function at its best.
Physical exercise also protects the brain against things that can harm it, like high blood sugar levels. A regular exercise routine reduces stress, improves sleep, boosts mood, and supports healthy blood pressure levels.
Aerobic activity boosts neurogenesis, which helps maintain memory and protects against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Among all the types of exercise you can do, here are 5 that support brain health in truly remarkable ways.
Aerobic activity boosts neurogenesis, which helps maintain memory and protects against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
Of all the brain-boosting sports activities, table tennis reigns supreme. It is highly aerobic and requires tremendous coordination. Japanese researchers first recognized that the game activates as many as 5 separate areas of the brain simultaneously in a clinical study titled, “The Effectiveness of Exercise Intervention on Brain Disease Patients: Utilizing Table Tennis as a Rehabilitation Program.”
The study found that ping-pong players with brain disease showed better brain function and awareness, as well as decreased dementia and depression.
Ping-pong’s aerobic activity increases blood flow to the brain, which is associated with improved cognition, better memory, an increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and hippocampus neurogenesis, according to research.
Just last year, preliminary research in Neurology presented on Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and table tennis showed that PD patients demonstrated significant improvements in speech, handwriting, getting dressed, getting out of bed, and walking after a 6-month regimen of regular ping-pong sessions.
Table tennis is now used therapeutically to mediate the effects of neurodegenerative diseases.
Most of these brain health benefits apply to all racquet sports, including popular and fast-moving pickleball, racquetball, and tennis. What’s more, they can be enjoyed by people of every age and have very few instances of brain injury!
2. Swimming
Swimming is an intense aerobic exercise that works the heart and lungs and involves all of the major muscle groups. This makes it a powerful activity for brain health.
As one of the most intense aerobic sports, swimming increases blood flow to the brain, which, as mentioned above, increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus and improves focus, attention, memory, and cognition, as well as triggers the release of endorphins, a well-known hormone known to reduce the perception of pain throughout the body and elevate mood.
Research shows that children with ADHD may benefit from swimming, as exercise can impact the developing brain—particularly aerobic exercise as it promotes neural growth and cognitive development. A 2020 review study examined a growing body of literature that suggests a potential role for physical exercise in the treatment of ADHD as it may reduce ADHD core symptoms as well as improve executive functions.
One recent study found that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity swimming improved cognitive performance. And a 2021 animal study showed that 7 consecutive days of swimming training results in improved short- and long-term memory benefits.
Of course, swimming is immensely calming and meditative, as the sound of your breathing and the water rushing by brings about an inner focus without outside distractions. It’s an excellent activity to do at any age.
3. Dancing
Dancing boosts brain health in unique ways as it involves coordination, social bonding, and music, which, like table tennis, activate multiple areas of the brain. The music that goes with dance additionally stimulates the brain’s rewards centers, and the social connection has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms.
Indeed, dancing makes us feel good. It releases feel-good endorphins and increases levels of the hormone serotonin, which reduces stress, and helps us develop new neural connections, improving overall cognitive function. A randomized controlled study that looked at the effects of dance on depression on college students found that a group participating in dance training 3 times a week for 12 weeks showed that depression levels had decreased.
Dance protects our brain from decline. In a cohort study involving more than 450 seniors over the age of 75, it lowered participants’ risk of dementia. While any kind of dance is beneficial, the dances requiring memorization of steps are better for brain power!
4. Yoga
Yoga is universally valued for its calming effects, but it does so much more for the brain. In addition to quieting a busy mind, yoga and other mindful exercises have been found to reduce anxiety and depression, increase focus, improve cognition, and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
Yoga soothes overactive basal ganglia, reducing anxiety. Research indicates that more active yoga practices followed by relaxing ones lead to deeper relaxation than relaxing practices alone.
Yoga has also been shown to improve cognition. A study published in the Journals of Gerontology found that participants who practiced 8 weeks of regular yoga had significantly improved performance on the executive function measures of working memory capacity and efficiency of mental set shifting and flexibility compared with a control group that did stretching only.
A 2019 study review published in Brain Plasticity revealed promising early evidence that yoga practice can positively impact brain health. Looking at 11 yoga studies, the review found that, like aerobic exercise, yoga activates areas of the brain that have trouble as we age, and it may potentially mitigate age-related neurodegenerative decline.
5. Strength training
When you build your muscles through strength training, research shows that you also strengthen your brain health. A review of strength training research published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that it is associated with numerous mental health benefits, including reduced anxiety symptoms in healthy adults, improved cognition among older adults, reduced symptoms of depression in those diagnosed with depression, improved self-esteem, and better sleep.
Just last year, a human study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Sydney found that 6 months of strength training followed by 12 months of normal activity can help protect brain areas especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease.
EXERCISE TO CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN
Any exercise at all benefits the brain but incorporating these brain-boosting physical activities into your life will give you more brain-powered bang for your effort!
Brain and 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. Having bipolar disorder can make you wonder who is the real you. Is it the manic you who is full of big ideas and energy? Or is it the depressed you who can barely crawl out of bed in the mornings? Anyone who suffers from this condition knows that dramatic mood swings can make you feel like a different person from day to day.
That’s how actress and singer Talia Jackson describes what having bipolar disorder feels like. Best known for her role in Netflix’s Family Reunion, Jackson says one of her biggest issues is “the back and forth of never knowing who I am.” In an episode of Scan My Brain with Dr. Julie Brush, a doctor of naturopathy at Amen Clinics, she says she also struggles with panic attacks, “horrible anxiety,” “awful frustration,” and anger. It’s a lot to cope with. Jackson wanted to have her brain scanned to gain a better understanding of herself and who she is.
IS THERE A BIPOLAR IDENTITY?
Jackson is one of an estimated 4.4% of Americans who will experience bipolar disorder in their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This condition, which used to be called manic-depressive illness, is characterized by extreme changes in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out everyday tasks. With bipolar disorder, people often cycle from manic episodes to depressive episodes.
Manic episodes are associated with abnormally elevated mood, heightened energy, grandiose ideas, and in some people, delusions, and hallucinations. On the downside, depressive episodes come with persistent negativity, decreased energy, loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Researchers have noted that this can lead to issues with identity. In a 2020 issue of the Journal of Personality, researchers write: “These experiences confront people with bipolar disorder with a subtler and more chronic struggle related to self and identity.”
THE CONSEQUENCES OF BIPOLAR IDENTITY ISSUES
Along with the challenge to find an identity, people with bipolar disorder also have trouble with self-esteem. The 2020 study mentioned above shows that for those with the condition, self-worth is often linked to goal attainment. This leads to instability in terms of self-esteem, as it rises and falls with perceived successes and failures. A 2009 study in The British Journal of Psychiatry found that over the course of one week, daily self-esteem scores fluctuated more widely among those with bipolar depression compared with healthy controls.
A lack of clear self-identity has negative consequences. Findings in the journal Self and Identity show that inconsistencies in self-concept are associated with decreased life satisfaction and a lower sense of well-being. This is further evidenced by the fact that 20-60% of people with bipolar disorder (especially when it goes untreated) attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime, according to a 2019 review in Medicina.
HOW A BIPOLAR DISORDER DIAGNOSIS INFLUENCES IDENTITY
Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder can spark an identity crisis. A diagnosis can make you feel like your life story has suddenly changed, causing you to reevaluate your sense of self. For some people, a diagnosis is a positive step that helps you understand who you are and find effective treatment. For others, it’s a label that invites shame and stigma.
Educating yourself about the condition and gaining an understanding that it is a brain-based disorder rather than a character flaw or personal weakness can be beneficial. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows people with bipolar disorder and other mental health issues that their problems are medical, not moral. It also decreases shame and guilt and encourages understanding and forgiveness among family members. Most of all, it elevates hope and provides valuable information to help find the least toxic, most effective treatment plan.
FINDING A BALANCE WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER
With a targeted, comprehensive treatment plan, people with bipolar disorder can find more balance in their lives and a greater sense of self. That’s what Jackson is hoping for. Her SPECT scan, which can be seen in the video of her session at Amen Clinics, showed abnormal activity in various brain regions. Seeing her brain scan helped her understand that her issues have biological roots. “That is so relieving to me, because I know I’m not insane,” the actress says.
On the right treatment to improve blood flow and activity levels in the brain, better balance can be achieved. People with bipolar disorder can experience more stable moods, energy levels, and activity patterns, which help lead to a clearer sense of identity and greater self-esteem.
Bipolar disorder, anxiety, 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.
