New Findings in Stroke Recovery

Researchers at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, have recently published results showing strength training on the non-affected side can also strengthen weakened limbs after a stroke.

Doctors have known for more than 100 years that short-term, high-intensity resistance training on one side of the body causes some degree of strength gain in the contralateral, untrained limb — for example, the left leg when only the right leg is exercised. The phenomenon is called cross-education, and the strength gain in the untrained limb is up to half of what it is in the trained limb.

This new research with stroke patients is very exciting. The study focused on the legs and ankles with an eye toward walking recovery. The participants spent six weeks rigorously exercising their less-affected ankle dorsiflexors, the muscles that flex the foot and enable natural walking. The training was in 25-minute sessions three times weekly.
Significant results were seen in just 6-8 weeks.
For more information contact BrainAdvantage.

Exercising non-affected side helps in stroke recovery.

Possible Cause of ADHD

Possible Cause of ADHD

In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the annual cost of ADHD-related illness in children under 18 years of age to be between $36 billion and $52.4 billion, making the condition a public health priority. In 2010, approximately 8.4 percent of children ages 3 to 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD. For about half the affected children, the disease persists into adulthood, according to CDC statistics.

During critical periods of fetal organ development, Lack of oxygen and nutrient transport from the mother's blood to fetal circulation may result in compromised oxygen delivery to tissues and cause cerebrovascular complications. A recent study suggests that the adverse effect of hypoxia on prenatal brain development may lead to functional problems, including ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD in children may include attention problems, acting without thinking, or an overly active temperament.

A New Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease

Things Are Looking Up for Alzheimer's 

We all know how Alzheimer’s disease can whittle away the mental faculties of its victims. Although scientists and doctors still don’t know what triggers the process, there is some evidence that toxic or physical insults can set it in motion. Typically the damage that characterizes Alzheimer’s begins a decade or more before the symptoms become evident. The latest theory is that abnormal deposits of proteins form amyloid "trash" in the sufferer’s brain cells which causes healthy neurons to malfunction and eventually die. Over time the damage spreads the hippocampus which is vital to memory and with this forgetfulness takes hold. As additional neurons die the affected areas begin to shrink. By the final stage the damage is very widespread the brain has shrunk considerably.

But there are things that can be done. Brsin therapies can reverse and improve symptoms and we've seen evidence that removing toxic heavy metals from the brain, treating any existing vascular abnormalities, dealing with any impediments to oxygen flow to the brain and more can make a world of difference for them.

In addition, our partner Dr. Steenblock helps Alzheimer’s patients by harvesting their own stem cell-rich bone marrow and giving it back to them. Many published studies have shown that bone marrow stem cells can remediate Alzheimer’s in animal models. Among these are:

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells attenuate amyloid β-induced memory impairment and apoptosis by inhibiting neuronal cell death.

Intracerebral transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells reduces amyloid-beta deposition and rescues memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease mice by modulation of immune responses.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells reduce brain amyloid-beta deposition and accelerate the activation of microglia in an acutely induced Alzheimer’s disease mouse model.

By the time most people with AD reach Us they typically have been wrestling with ever-escalating health problems for some time. Many are on blood-thinners, anti-hypertensive drugs and others.

We approach these patients with a number of goals in mind:

(1) Determine what is going on in their body including disease processes both pronounced and subtle. Including heavy metals, toxins and nutrition.

(2) Take what is revealed in the patient’s medical history and various exams to formulate a precise, targeted, personalized treatment plan. This gives our patients theacim benefit from treatment.

With tweaking along the way this program helps bring about improvements in AD patients and encourages a significant slowing of progression.

So if you have a loved one who suffers with Alzheimer's disease or you are worried about getting symptoms, call is today! 714-269-7990.

Effective Treatment for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Are you frustrated and exhausted from arguing constantly with your child?
All children show some level of defiance from time to time. But in children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), the defiance, hostility and refusal to comply are ongoing and the behavior affects the entire family.

ODD is one of the toughest of all parenting challenges. But when parents have the right tools, they can change their child’s behavior—quickly and dramatically.
Like many parents of kids with ODD, you may have been in family therapy with your child. And you’ve probably come out wondering why it’s still so difficult to get your child’s behavior to change, after you’ve spent all that time and money.
Here’s why. Traditional counseling and therapy focus on getting a child with ODD to talk about his “feelings” and building his self–esteem to change his behavior.
There’s a better way. Changing behavior starts with the child's ability to think through problems. changing brain function is key. then having tools that help control outbursts in day–to–day, real–world challenges can change their lives.
BrainAdvantage teaches your child more effective ways to solve his problems without fighting, screaming, annoying and defiance. He’ll learn a simple system that will enable him to handle his problems appropriately and on his own, without acting out. A system that gets him…and you…better results.

Call today to see how BrainAdvantage can help you and your child.

How to Get Rid of Stress

Before BrainAdvantage

After 20 sessions of BrainAdvantage

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. After all, there will never be more hours in the day, and your career and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you can control your stress is the foundation of stress-free life. Managing stress is all about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems.
For many just the thought of this is stressful. But there are tools to help.

At BrainAdvantage we give you the ability to control that stress forever.
Gentle, non-invasive and drug-free. Don't let your stress get the better of you!

Call BrainAdvantage today for more information.

Can Keeping Active Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's Disease?

Keep active and reduce cognitive decline and the risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Staying cognitively active throughout life is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies link continued cognitive health with social engagement through work, volunteering, or living
with someone. Mentally stimulating activities such as reading books and magazines, going to lectures, and playing games are also linked to keeping the mind sharp.

In a large study of healthy older people, researchers found a relationship between more frequent social activity and better cognitive function. Intellectually stimulating activities may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, studies show. One large observational study looked at the impact of ordinary activities like listening to the radio, reading newspapers, playing puzzle games, and visiting museums. Investigators asked more than 700 older nuns, priests, and religious brothers to describe the amount of time they spent doing these activities. After 4 years, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease was 47 percent lower, on average, for those who did the activities most often than for those who did them least frequently.
Call BrainAdvantage today for more information.

Brain Training Can Help Prevent and Treat Alzheimer’s

You can improve and even reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Our studies have shown that BrainAdvantage interventions can be effective in preventing, slowing and treating Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment.

We believe that the brain training’s benefits seen by our patients are created by increasing cognitive reserve, which allows the brain to perform tasks even if there is damage to the pathways between brain cells. According to a review published in the September 2010 edition of “Nature,” one study of 29,000 people demonstrated that those with the highest cognitive reserves had a 46 percent reduced risk of developing dementia compared to those with lower reserves. The review also agreed with our findings that brain training can partially reverse dementia even after the symptoms are apparent.

We have known for several years that our specialized, integrated programs have had great success with those suffering from stroke, traumatic brain injury and age-related cognitive decline. We’ve seen spectacular improvements in long-term, short-term and working memory, as well as visual and auditory processing, NeuroMotor skills and attention, among other cognitive skills. Now we’re starting to see how our brain training methodology can be beneficial in helping to reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

For more information, contact BrainAdvantage today.

How to Improve Your Brain

Tips to help you improve brain function.

Do you play a single-stringed guitar? How about a piano with a single key? I know my guitar has six strings and I need them all for all the sounds they make.

Your life should not have just a single string either. To make your life a melody, you, your body and your brain need variety.

Take exercise: Spending all of your time on a bench in the gym may let you eventually press 400 pounds, but those powerful arms will look silly if you ignore the rest of your body! Your exercise plan should balance exercise for your body with exercise for your brain.

After all, there are many different machines in the gym, but the brain helps run the body as well as all those muscles.

Your diet should also be a symphony of foods that includes protein, vegetables, fruits, yes, and even carbohydrates. High-protein, low carbohydrate diets may cause quick weight loss, but these diets can affect your brain performance. Recent research at Tufts University showed that a low-carb diet can quickly affect your memory, reaction time, and visuospatial skills. Don’t omit this important string from your diet. Your brain needs energy to think and grow and carbs help provide it.

Make sure that your diet includes fish that contain Omega 3 fatty acids to help your brain and immune system. But avoid farmed tilapia: it actually has few Omega 3 fatty acids. But it does have an abundance of Omega-6, which is potentially harmful to the heart. That old standby salmon is still one of the best sources of what you need.

In my field, cognitive science, I’ve found that a six-stringed approach is most effective. Combining brain technologies improves the effectiveness of each. Some may target the vestibular system while others may improve executive brain performance. While most people can use improvement in both areas, I’ve seen a synergistic effect when used together.

So don’t just rely on a single string. If you want to improve your brain performance or just need to address a specific issue, such as memory, look for someone who knows how to play a complete tune.

For more information about getting your brain in shape, call BrainAdvantage today.

Gaining a Competitive Edge in Business

Be more successful in business by using Peak Performance training.

You may have heard how athletes use The BrainAdvantage System to achieve and maintain their competitive edge. But BrainAdvantage has customized its landmark brain wellness system for business-people and companies seeking to improve every aspect of their business lives. You've come to the right place if you’re:

A businessperson competing in the high-stress corporate world, or

An employer seeking to improve the performance of your employees.

BrainAdvantage is the market leader in providing integrated Peak Performance solutions to individuals to help them reach the peak of the corporate pyramid. Using The BrainAdvantage System, you can

• Improve your cognitive function—think better and smarter! 
• Lower your stress—tap into that relaxation vein whenever you need it! 
• Increase your mental flexibility—always be able to respond to a challenge at the peak of your ability! 
• Increase your memory—keep those important facts always on tap! 

Human Resources Departments can implement The BrainAdvantage System to provide these benefits to company employees—and your company benefits with each employee who performs better!

The BrainAdvantage System can also help reduce health care costs. According to the American Heart Association, we lose over $30 billion a year (and rising) due to stress-related illness associated with cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. And did you know that 70% of the health care costs are preventable?

By providing a brain wellness program, your company can lower health care costs related to stress, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.

The BrainAdvantage System can provide your organization with the tools and technologies to quickly start your own brain wellness program and keep your workers motivated and tracking their progress towards a healthy and fun lifestyle!

Call BrainAdvantage today to see what we can do for you!

Training the Brain for Better Sports Performance

Improve your performance to beat out competition!

Maximum Peak Performance is what lets athletes reach their goals by overcoming the mental obstacles and competitive pressures. At BrainAdvantage, we have helped many people improve their performances in sports as well as life. The BrainAdvantage System helps our trainees achieve results others can only envy. Here are a few of our results:

A motorcycle racer who reported better mental focus and flexibility in the saddle, giving her quicker reflexes and better control over the bike

A snowboarder who was able to calm his pre-race jitters and achieve better vision on the snow.

Springboard and platform divers were able to complete higher quality and more complex dives after completing as few as 20 BrainAdvantage sessions.

Golfers and football, baseball and tennis players have all found that BrainAdvantage gave them the edge they needed to perform better.

(And even videogamers have reported that their response times were much faster!)

Wherever your competitive juices take you, what you achieve comes from your brain and body working together. Let’s use tennis as an example:

You see the ball coming and your brain has to make many lightning-fast calculations: Forehand or backhand? Can I reach it? What pace and spin should I use? Where is my opponent most vulnerable? What’s his weak point?

Your brain directs your leg and torso muscles to get you to the right spot and into position. Your eyes continue to read the ball’s position and rotation and your brain directs your arm, shoulder and torso muscles to position the racquet for the swing. And then you swing! If it all comes together the way your brain has planned it, you land a solid cross-court winner to your opponent’s weak backhand for the set point!

You can't expect muscle training alone to accomplish this complex performance. You need to see more, have perfect timing, maintain your focus on the ball, and think quickly and accurately. At BrainAdvantage, we know how to help athletes train their brains to focus and concentrate, block out emotional disturbances and ignore extraneous sounds.

Using The BrainAdvantage System is fast, fun, easy—and affordable. We work with an athlete’s brain to improve:

Focus

Concentration

Memory

Emotional strength

Coordination

Sound discrimination

Maximum Peak Performance requires your best in all of these areas.

The BrainAdvantage System is not just "brain training".

We begin with an assessment of overall brain performance. We look at brain function, neuromotor skills, oxygen levels in the brain's frontal lobes and how well the eyes work together. We need a complete picture of how the brain is functioning in order to create a personal brain training protocol just for your athlete.

Then we guide the athlete through a series of training sessions that exercise a varierty of skills and physical abilities. We at BrainAdvantage use an individualized, integrated system combining a number of technologies to help maximize brain function. We work both the brain and the body because we know that they must work together to achieve athletic goals.

How does The BrainAdvantage System work? It provides the athlete with more information about the brain and body than normal senses can provide. This "feedback" helps an athlete learn to develop greater control over his brain.

Our system is exceptionally effective for amateur and professional athletes who wish to improve their ability to focus, improve accuracy, gain clarity, resist outside pressures and sustain a mental edge. Those who complete our program report that they have stronger attention and focus, improved ability to "get into the zone" and much improved mental timing and coordination. Our clients also tell us that they are much more relaxed when competing and have much improved mental recovery.

We have worked with a wide range of clients over the years and know that a single mode of training just doesn't work for everyone. That’s the reason we developed our integrated system to attack all of the issues preventing Peak Athletic Performance. Our system has proven exceptionally effective for athletes who want to improve their ability to focus, improve their concentration, gain clarity and emotional stability, resist outside pressures and sustain a mental edge.

Call BrainAdvantage today for a free consultation and take that first step to helping your athlete succeed.

ADHD Medications

What about ADHD medications?

In earlier blog posts we've discussed ADHD and its symptoms. I get lots of questions regarding ADHD medications. What’s wrong with medicating a school-aged child? And, even more disturbing, is the growing trend to prescribe these medications to preschool children aged 1-3. Because of how the brain matures, issues with reasoning, emotions and problem-solving are common and appropriate at this age. The frontal lobes that are so crucial in reasoning, planning, movement, emotions, and problem solving do not mature until between 15 and 21 years of age. Since ADHD medications typically work primarily in the prefrontal cortex, it seems to make little sense to prescribe it to infants. In addition, children are no longer just taking the medicines for a few years during grade school but are encouraged to stay on them into adulthood.

ADHD adults still struggle with the symptoms even though many are not reported as ADHD because by adulthood they have resorted to self-medication with alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes or illegal drugs. They have a high rate of unemployment, lost jobs and broken relationships. Why is this happening? Some clinicians are managing the symptoms instead of treating the root cause and it has created a growing epidemic.

ADHD medications prescribed to children and adults include methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) or an amphetamine (Adderall, Vyvanse). It is important to note that these medications are not a total cure! They are a Band-Aid® for symptoms…when they work at all. The other thing is that they actually change brain chemistry—and not for the better. Medications such as Methylphenidate (Ritalin®, Concerta®, Methylin®), Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®, Dextrostat®), Amphetamine: combined dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine (Adderall®) and Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse®) are all typical first line medications for ADHD and they are stimulants. They create a “high” giving the user elevated mood, increased feelings of well-being, and increased energy and alertness. They are in the same class as cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, nicotine, and MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), better known as “Ecstasy.”

Although stimulants are usually the first choice prescribed to treat ADHD, non-stimulants (e.g., Intuniv™, Strattera®) also may be used. Guanfacine Hydrochloride (Intuniv) was originally created to help control high blood pressure. This medication reduces nerve impulses to the heart and arteries; this slows the heartbeat, relaxes the blood vessels, and thus reduces blood pressure. Intuniv was approved by the FDA for limited use. Eight to nine weeks are usually the limit this drug should be taken. Longer use has not been tested. The side effects for this drug are noted in Table 1.:

Table 1. Side Effects for GuanfacineHydrochloride (Intuniv)

• Abdominal pain 
• Constipation 
• Fatigue 
• Headaches 
• Impotence 
• Dizziness 
• Dry mouth 
• Excessive sleepiness (somnolence) 
• Low blood pressure (hypotension) 

Discontinuing Intuniv abruptly may result in nervousness, rapid pulse, anxiety, heartbeat irregularities, and so-called rebound high blood pressure.

Strattera is also a non-stimulant. However, Strattera is chemically similar to tricyclic antidepressants, an older class of drugs that have long been known to occasionally induce mania in people with bipolar illness. In 2004 the FDA recommended a label warning potential for severe liver injury to be placed on Strattera. In 2004, the Journal of Pediatrics noted concern about Strattera's potential to induce extreme mood swings, which could lead to suicidal thinking: "Our clinical experience [with Strattera] has been that mood destabilization is a much more prevalent risk than was observed."

During Strattera’s clinical trials, two physicians wrote a letter to the Journal of Pediatrics. The doctors, Theodore Henderson of Denver and Keith Hartman of Osceola, Wis., noted that a third of 153 children treated with Strattera at two clinics in their areas manifested extreme irritability, aggression or mania—a state of wild excitement typified by racing thoughts, insomnia and inappropriate acts—soon after going on the drug. Three had to be hospitalized, including one 11-year-old boy who stripped off his clothes, covered his body with markings using a felt-tipped pen, flew into a screaming rage and threatened family members with a sword belonging to his father. Three others were incarcerated in juvenile detention centers for violent behaviors.

Table 2. Side effects for Strattera:

• Liver problems 
• Depression 
• Psychosis 
• Abnormal thought patterns 
• Tendency to self-injury 
• Dry Mouth 
• Insomnia 
• Abdominal pain 
• Constipation 
• Sweating 
• Dysuria 
• Sexual problems 
• Weight change 
• Palpitations and increased heart rate 
• Increase blood pressure 
• Decreased appetite 
• Dizziness 
• Fatigue (tiredness) 
• Headache 
• Mood swings 
• Nausea and vomiting 

Besides the obvious risks, studies have now shown that, in the end, if these drugs work at all, they are only a short-term fix. The 8-year follow-up data from the ADHD MTA Study (Multisite Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) suggests that the use of ADHD drugs for a period longer than 2 years is ineffective.

So the bottom line is, just because they call them ADHD drugs, it doesn’t mean that they’re harmless. Since 2006, the FDA has labeled all ADHD medications with their “black box” warning, meaning they carry significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. ADHD drugs are a class II narcotic. The warning was placed on these drugs for an increased risk of sudden death and serious cardiovascular problems but as you can see there are many other issues to be aware.

Call BrainAdvantage today for more information.

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Training Creativity

Enhance your creativity!

We find that creativity happens not with one brilliant flash but in a chain reaction of many tiny sparks while executing an idea.

Ideas don't magically appear in a genius' head from nowhere. They build on what came before, which means we have to be able to recognize the “big picture” and keep those memories sharp. And collaboration is key. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that distant analogies lead to new ideas—like when a new idea in quantum physics ignites a new idea in astronomy or 3D imaging.

Take risks, and expect to make lots of mistakes, because creativity is a numbers game. Work hard, and take frequent breaks, but stay with it over time. Do what you love, because creative breakthroughs take years of hard work. Develop a network of colleagues, and schedule time for freewheeling, unstructured discussions. Most of all, forget those romantic myths that creativity is all about being artsy and gifted and not about hard work. They discourage us because we're waiting for that one full-blown moment of inspiration. And while we're waiting, we may never start working on what we might someday create.

With all this in mind, it is important to know that you have the ability to train your brain to be more creative. Right brain stimulation can increase the brain’s ability to take in all this information and see it in a new light. Enhance your more creative side today. Call BrainAdvantage for more information.

ADHD- Better Learning Without Drugs!

Does this sound like you or your child?

If your kids started school a few months ago with focus and attention issues, guess what? They'll probably still have the same issues as they go into the second half of this school year!

Prescription drugs are one quick answer - just pop a pill. And in some cases, the drugs work pretty well - for awhile. But these drugs are classified by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration as a Class II narcotic - in the same class with cocaine and methamphetamine. The commonly prescribed drugs carry a "black box" warning, the most serious medication warning required by the FDA. These drugs have been linked to cardiovascular problems and sudden death. The more common side effects can be so devastating or unpleasant that many kids just don't want to take them.

What kind of intervention can help your kids without severely affecting their body chemistry or personality? ADHD is more than just hyperactivity. Root causes may include brain processing abnormalities, problems with the entire listening/hearing system, food or environmental allergies, metabolic insufficiencies, and heavy metal toxicity.

The best, safest, and least intrusive alternative is a combination of efforts to improve both mental functioning and metabolic deficiencies. Children with ADHD symptoms can be helped by as few as 30 sessions of the BrainAdvantage™ training system. It measures brain oxygenation in key areas. The harder the brain cells work, just like muscle cells, the more they demand oxygen.

Neurofeedback can create new pathways with more oxygen and neurotransmitters for better brain function. When combined with specialized sensory processing training, visual skills training, and neuromotor skills training, the brain is restored to a calm and focused state. These techniques can reduce anxiety, increase alertness, and reduce ADHD symptoms. Some of the devices are designed for home use so the whole family can benefit.

It pays to assess diet and environmental toxicities, too. Some children have turned around just by removing specific foods to which they are sensitive and adding omega-3 fish oils to correct a fatty acid deficiency. Others get a big boost with chelation to remove metals which are silently warehoused in brain and bones and gum up the works.

If you yourself have trouble concentrating, remember ADHD is often inherited. ADHD kids often come from ADHD families. It's very possible that you share some of the same environmental or genetic factors that affect your child. You may also benefit from working to clear out the clutter in your head and the clutter lurking in your body.

Call or write BrainAdvantage now for a free consultation and more information.

Healing Your Heart, Healing Your Brain

Today more and more people are suffering from the ravages of stress, poor diet and the environment. Consequently we are not only seeing more heart- related illnesses like congestive heart failure, coronary blockage and angina, but brain issues as well. The numbers of those suffering with cognitive impairment, memory loss and dementia have skyrocketed.

Now there is a non-invasive cure for these issues. ECP (aka EECP) (external counter pulsation) is a non invasive treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD).
ECP improves blood flow to the peripheral arterial system to create a natural "work around" for blocked arteries and those not supplying sufficient blood flow to the heart. It is an outpatient procedure during which cuffs are wrapped around the patient’s calves, thighs and buttocks that inflate and deflate in sync with the patient’s heart beat. The pressure pushes blood and oxygen up into the body to act as a second heart.
But the blood and oxygen doesn't just stop at the heart. We have found through clinical research that the blood and oxygen is increased in all organs, even the brain. In fact, we have seen an increase of 35% more oxygen into the brain when using this technique.
For our dementia, brain injured and stroke patients, the increased oxygen to the brain along with our training makes recovery faster, easier and safer than other methods.
Our ECP patients have seen normalized blood pressure, reduction or elimination of chronic chest pain, more stamina, increased sensation in paralyzed limbs from stroke, and even better none density.

For more information call BrainAdvantage today!

Treating Sports Concussion, "Traumatic Brain Injury"

Did Lou Gehrig really have Lou Gehrig's disease? A new study suggests that repeated hits to the head from playing sports can cause a motor-neuron disorder with symptoms that mimic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS as Lou Gehrig's disease is also called. Both conditions include weakness or numbness in the limbs, uncontrollable muscle twitching, and gradual loss of movement.

Researchers examined the brains

You don't have to play football to get a sports concussion.
Literally any sport is at risk!

and spinal cords of 12 deceased athletes thought to have died of ALS who all had a history of multiple head injuries. The researchers found that the athletes may actually have had chronic traumatic encephalomyopathy, a degenerative brain condition linked to head trauma. Two distinct proteins distinguish this condition from ALS, according to findings published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.

A recent report in Pediatrics found that from 1997 to 2007, the number of emergency room visits for concussions in 8- to 19-year-olds at least doubled. Young athletes are particularly susceptible to long-term brain damage because their brains are still developing. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 50,000 adults and 2,680 children die of these kinds of traumatic brain injuries each year.

Sometimes the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not appear until days or weeks later. After all, you don't have to be knocked unconscious to sustain a concussion. Symptoms that range from sleepiness and dizziness to changes in mood and difficulty in making decisions are signs of concussion. All brain injuries can disrupt connections in the neural circuitry, which can create abnormal brain activity.

Counseling is difficult because patients can’t track everything that’s being said; they don’t remember conversations. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries can trigger epilepsy and increase the risk for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age.

The damaged areas are unlikely to repair themselves on their own. Unlike in Lou Gehrig’s day, we now know that brand new pathways can be created to take the place of those damaged with brain training. However, head injury, and other forms of brain dysfunction, often mean there is a slowing of activity in the brain’s frontal lobes. That is the area in charge of executive function: planning ahead, decision-making, judgment, language, and other important cognitive functions. 

EEG neurofeedback is typically less effective as it can't be used directly on frontal lobes because of noise in the signal. That's why we use HEG neurofeedback as part of out integrative system of therapies, which uses near infrared light to measure activity in the frontal lobes by measuring the oxygenation in the blood. A person then can learn how to use computer-assisted biofeedback exercises to actually increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. As oxygenation increases, new neural connections are made all over the brain and brainstem. HEG can be extremely effective, and often in half of the time of older EEG systems (the kind with sticky electrodes).

This kind of non-drug program can bring order from chaos in the brain. The effects are long-lasting. Call BrainAdvantage today for more information.

Holiday Depression Got you Down?

the holidays are a time for peace, joy and love. but for some, the holidays can be extremely stressful. After all, During the holiday season, we all deal with a variety of assaults to our body and brain.

Holiday depression get you down?

Its that time of the year when days are getting shorter, and nights are getting longer which for many brings some depression. To make things worse, we are being bombarded with the bright lights, decorations and ongoing advertisements of the holiday season. Work schedules, home schedules and sleep schedules are changed. We are eating sweet holiday treats loaded with sugar that creates huge energy swings.

The expectation of gift giving also hits all our emotional buttons producing financial and even more emotional stress.
The holidays also remind us of people who are no longer in our lives. That cumulative grief can be very taxing and make us feel isolated. Finally, many family gatherings involve difficult relationships. Rather than feeling safe and nurtured, many feel anxious when they go home for the holidays.

And yet… people expect others to feel cheerful during the holiday season. It’s no wonder that, for so many, this time of year is not a season of peace. Rather it is a time of heightened personal and family crisis.

So what can you do to relieve the stress and depression of the season?
It is possible to recognize the issues and begin giving some real, lasting, and valuable gifts this year.
During the month of December, when signing up for Full Program, a $500.00 discount.

For Yourself : An investment in your health and wellness through a Full Evaluation of your own brain health
For a Loved One : A consultation to learn about things that could nourish both brain and body
For all Your Friends : A BrainAdvantage Gift Certificate for a free Brain Consultation and a supportive nudge to take brain health seriously
These are practical actions you can take to invest in the health of all your loved ones, beginning with yourself. In 2013 perhaps you could honestly say you feel centered and confident, able to find and cultivate real peace in the midst of the holidays. That kind of life change is not a dream, but a very real possibility. The question is simply whether you are ready. Are you done with “crisis mode” and ready to take the steps to begin living differently?

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, MAKE ONE SMALL BUT LIFE-CHANGING SHIFT: FACE THE Issues AND LAY HOLD OF IT.
Acknowledge the reality of the emotional state of your life and the lives of those around you. And take steps to feel healthier, younger and in control of your life!

At BrainAdvantage more than 85 percent of our patients report improved quality of life scores after only 30 sessions, less than 2 months.
BrainAdvantage provides important services to help.

Comprehensive NeuroAssessment understanding every aspect of your neurological function, visual, auditory processing and neuromotor skills.
A Dietary overview to discover how simple food choices could transform the function of your brain and your mood

HOLIDAY PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
At BrainAdvantage we believe that good brain health should be accessible to everyone. With that in mind, we do provide zero interest financing. We also help to determine if your insurance companies will reimburse for the procedures.

Keep in mind that there is a high cost to not treating a mental health condition. In fact, untreated or poorly treated mental health and brain health issues can result in larger costs as seen below.

Ignoring Treatment Can Cost You
Ongoing costs of ineffective medications or therapy attempts
Psychiatric hospital stays—$2,000/day
Residential treatment costs—$100,000 per year for troubled teens
28-day drug treatment—$20-80,000 per month
Indirect costs such as underachievement at work or in school, legal problems, and marital problems.
The care you receive is an incredible investment in you and your loved ones’ well-being. Don’t let finances become an excuse to procrastinate on receiving the best care. We will help you find the best and most affordable option to receive and pay for the care that can truly transform your life.


NEW CLIENT SERVICES

Full PROGRAM – $5,800.00
Everything you meed for significant improvement of your symptoms, guaranteed! Includes all our comprehensive assessments ( one every 10 sessions) one customized training plan and 30 sessions, technologies for you to keep for ongoing maintenance.
One-Hour medical Consultation – $500.00

HOLIDAY Half-Hour Consultation – FREE
Includes overview of history and symptoms plus brain function evaluation.

Stephanie Reese, PhD
BrainAdvantage,LLC

Help Your Child Learn Better

Help your child learn easily.

Many children come to us with learning, attention, or special needs challenges. Often they have: A short attention span, difficulty following directions, visual or auditory distractibility, hyperactivity or lack of concentration. When they attempt to learn to read they may struggle with phonics, forget sight words easily, reverse letters, or have difficulty moving from word to word without losing their place. If they can read they may have difficulty understanding what they have read. They may experience headaches and their eyes may water or burn. Spelling is often challenging. In math they may easily forget the “facts”, forget how to do computation, and struggle with word problems, math logic and concepts. Their speech may be difficult to understand. They may have sloppy handwriting or difficulty learning to print or to write, possibly forgetting how to make their letters. In addition they may appear to be uncoordinated.

Some children come to us with additional struggles. Many are children in special classes or therapy programs. They have tactile or sensory dysfunction which may appear as poor behavior or impulsivness, inability to feel pressure or pain appropriately, extreme ticklishness, irritation from clothing, inability to distinguish temperatures, inability to tolerate hats, hair combing or hair washing. They may be extremely picky eaters, eating only a narrow variety of foods. They may have flat tonality in the voice, hypersensitivity to sound, undeveloped depth perception, difficulty making or maintaining eye contact. Their eyes may not track well and their eyes may turn in or wander. Behaviorally they may have good and bad days, cyclic behavior, extreme hyperactivity, rigid attitudes, and aggressive or destructive behavior. For some speech and language may be absent, limited, or very difficult. Some of these children find holding a pencil to be very unpleasant and difficult to manage, pencils may break from too much pressure, in other cases writing may be too light. Some of the children have difficulty moving their bodies, learning to crawl, creep, walk, run, jump, hop, or skip.

Depending on their symptoms, these children may have a professional diagnosis such as learning disabled, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexic, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or simply slow learner. Some are said to have an auditory or visual processing disorder or a problem with short or long term memory. Children with more severe difficulties may be diagnosed as brain injured, PDD, ASD, autistic, developmentally delayed, MMR, CAPD. Some are “labeled” with a language disorder or sensory dysfunction.

”Labels”

Sometimes these “labels” are even more destructive because they “label” the child with limited expectations as to what they can accomplish. These expectations may be based on old information or just wrong. Sadly, these “labels” can mislead parents and educators and even the child into believing they are broken or bad.
It is important to remember that most diagnoses are behavioral, based on situational observations as in a classroom. It is important that there is a very fine line for example, between “gifted” and “ADHD”. Furthermore, these observations are not static. With training even stubborn seemingly impossible symptoms can improve or be eliminated.

Organizing the Brain

We know that the brain and nervous system can become more organized, eliminating the original symptoms and helping the individual move on to a greater possibilities. When an area of the brain has been injured it is possible that other areas of the brain can take over the function of the injured area, plasticity.

We know that function is the main issue. For example, as stimulation is applied with optimum intensity, frequency, and duration, changes occur in the brain of the child receiving that stimulation. Physical connections and pathways for information processing actually develop which enable the brain to be better organized. As the brain becomes more organized due to plasticity, structure and chemistry also change. Children who have had symptoms such as hyperactivity, due to dysfunctional brain chemistry, experience a reduction of those symptoms as brain chemistry changes without medication!

The Results
When a child uses our program with sufficient consistency, intensity, frequency and duration much progress can be made. In fact, many of the symptoms the child originally displayed may be totally eliminated.

Some of the results we see include, but are not limited to: Non readers learning to read, distractibility changing to focus, sensory dysfunction becoming more typical, social behavior improving, painfully hypersensitive hearing changing to normal hearing, formerly picky eaters eating a variety of foods, phobias being overcome, emotionally and over sensitivity becoming typical, bedwetting eliminated, children able to retain math facts and do computation, improved reading comprehension, improved coordination, non writers learning to write, letter and number recognition becoming possible, children learning to walk and run, and those without language learning to speak. We provide neurodevelopmental and educational tools, by which your child can control the root causes that limit their potential for the rest of their lives.

Call us today to help your child reach their highest potential.