Researchers discover source of imagination in human brain

National Monitor, Lance Tillson 

According to a news release from Dartmouth College, researchers have discovered the source of imagination in the human brain. Their research answers several longstanding scientific questions: what gives people the ability to make beautiful art, construct novel tools and achieve other extremely distinct actions.

The researchers think that imagination comes from a sweeping neural network, known as the brain’s “mental workspace,” that deliberately shapes images, symbols, idea and theories and provides humans with the mental focus required to determine intricate problems and produce novel ideas.

“Our findings move us closer to understanding how the organization of our brains sets us apart from other species and provides such a rich internal playground for us to think freely and creatively,” notes lead author Alex Schlegel , a graduate student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, in a statement. “Understanding these differences will give us insight into where human creativity comes from and possibly allow us to recreate those same creative processes in machines.”

Researchers believe that human imagination demands a sweeping neural network in the brain, but proof for this “mental workspace” has been hard to generate with methods that primarily look at brain activity in isolation. The researchers welcomed the obstacles by trying to determine how the brain lets humans mold mental imagery. For example, thinking of a horse with the head of a human, an ostensibly easy job but one that means the brain has to form a completely novel image and have it materialize in our mind’s eye.

The researchers asked 15 participants to think about precise abstract visual figures and then to mentally blend them into novel more intricate forms or to mentally disassemble them into their separate parts. They determined the 15 participants’ brain activity with functional MRI and discovered a cortical and subcortical network over a significant section of the brain was answerable for their imagery moldings. The network looks a lot like the “mental workspace” that researchers have suspected might be responsible for a lot of human conscious experience, as well as the malleable cerebral capacities that humans have developed.

The study’s findings are described in greater detail in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

What Makes Intelligence?

 

Have you ever said that about someone and, if so, what gave you that impression? There were clues, naturally. Maybe you listened to that person talk on lots of different topics with ease. Perhaps you've observed that she's particularly good at some talent or skill.

IQ stands for Intelligence Quotient, and it's measured by a number of tests. But more than a numerical score, what it looks like in real life is the ability to function and respond appropriately in any given moment. In other words, intelligence can typically be seen, translating into things like actions, choices, decisions and even achievements in everyday life.

What makes intelligence? It's actually a composite of many different things.

One component is knowledge. When you set out to solve a problem or function in a social setting, you're taking information you've learned in the past (whether it's the boiling point of water, someone's name, or which fork to use to eat your salad) and applying it to your current situation. So intelligence requires knowledge.

The other thing you need for intelligence is cognitive skills. What mental skills do you bring to a problem or situation? Do you have really good logic and reasoning? Can you focus on a task for a long time? Do you see the big picture really well, or are you more likely to see details at a fine resolution? Do you have a strong working memory? Can you remember and follow directions exceedingly well? It's one thing to have knowledge, but sharp mental skills are critical if you want to remember, reorganize and apply that knowledge to specific tasks, problems or situations.

Information and sharper mental skills. Want a smart combination? Pursue both.

By Dr. Layne Kalbfleisch, Neuroscientist

ADHD in San Clemente

Come to our ADHD Workshop in San Clemente

Better Balance Easy exercises to improve stability and prevent falls

You've heard about how disastrous Broken hips can be for independence and long-term health. Fortunately, many can be prevented — more than 90% of broken hips occur because of falls.

One of the best ways to prevent falls is to maintain a sound, responsive, and enduring sense of balance.

BrainAdvantage  take you through a series of workouts and exercises that will increase your stability, confidence, and self-reliance.

Our goal is to help you keep yourself from a potentially devastating fall. If you want to protect yourself from instability, if you want to continue to enjoy the independence and peace of mind that sound balance gives you, take the first step now. Call BrainAdvantage today.

Brain stimulation at any age may slow memory decline

Leigh Taylor, The Cincinnati Enquirer, via AP
Reading now may protect your memory later in life, a new study suggests.

by Cathy Payne, USA TODAY

It's never too early to start protecting your brain power, a new study suggests.

Reading, writing and participating in other brain-stimulating activities at any age may protect your memory later in life, according to the research. The study, which tracked 294 individuals, is published online in the July 3 issue of Neurology.

"Our study suggests that exercising your brain by taking part in activities such as these across a person's lifetime, from childhood through old age, is important for brain health in old age," said the study's lead author, Robert Wilson.

After adjusting for signs of brain disease, higher levels of cognitive activity across the life span were associated with slower cognitive decline, the study found. Mental activity explained about 14% of the differences between people in how much their memory and thinking skills declined.

The finding supports the hypothesis of cognitive reserve, which describes the brain's ability to cope with disease or damage. According to the hypothesis, mental activity helps delay the cognitive consequences of disease.

Neuroimaging research suggests that cognitive activity can lead to changes in brain structure and function that may enhance cognitive reserve.

"An intellectually stimulating lifestyle helps to contribute to cognitive reserve and allows you to tolerate these age-related brain pathologies better than someone who has had a less cognitively active lifestyle," says Wilson, a neuropsychologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

He recommends that people have cognitively stimulating hobbies that they enjoy, such as photography and quilting.

Intellectually stimulating activities involve processing and using information. Examples are reading a book and then predicting what will happen next, as well as watching a movie and then comparing it with other films, says Judy Willis, a neurologist based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Willis says doing a variety of cognitive activities appears to be more protective of the cognitive reserve than focusing on one thing, even something like playing chess. "More research is needed to look at how much time should be devoted to an activity or learning a skill and how often it should be revisited," she adds.

Willis, who was not involved in the study, agrees that the activities should be motivated by pleasure. "Forcing yourself to do something takes a lot of mental effort," she adds. "If you try something and don't like it, try something else."

How to Cope With Spouse With Anxiety and/or Depression

Now there's help for those coping with
a spouse who has depression and anxiety.

Anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand and is very common for an individual to be diagnosed with both. For those who have a spouse who is suffering from one or both of these issues, life can be difficult. Many times those who are affected have a hard time holding together relationships and jobs. They get so wrapped up in their own feelings, they are unable to look outside themselves and see the world and people around them.

People with depression have the perspective that everything is negative, and that there is little hope for improvement. People with anxiety think negatively about specific situations, and can see at least some positives some of the time.

People with depression see the future as hopeless, and largely out of their control. People with anxiety generally see some hope for the future, but feel anxiety about how to accomplish what they need to do to achieve that improvement.

People with depression see their shortcomings as evidence that they are “bad,” or “defective,” or “broken.” People with anxiety also have negative views of their mistakes, but feel that they can be overcome, even if they are not sure how.

People with depression avoid routine tasks because they take too much energy, are too overwhelming, or because they believe doing them is not going to make a difference anyway. People with anxiety avoid specific tasks that make them anxious because of their fear of failure or being unable to cope or being ridiculed if they do it wrong.

People with depression expect failure, and often give up without even trying. For example, if a depressed person wakes up in the morning and feels tired, she may say, “I won’t be able to do anything today….it’s not even worth trying….I might as well stay in bed all day.” People with anxiety take the view that yes, the day may be challenging, but it hasn’t happened yet. Bad things could happen, such as messing up a presentation at work, and that does provoke anxiety, but it might not necessarily stop the anxious person from trying.

The automatic thoughts of a depressed person focus on overall sadness and loss, such as, “I’ll never be as capable as I once was,” or “It’ll never get better.” The automatic thoughts of an anxious person are more specific to performance, such as “I won’t know what to say when I talk to him,” or “I won’t have enough time to do a good job.”

It is important to know that there is help for people who are anxious and depressed that don’t include brain-altering drugs. These people can be trained to take control of their own brains and change their thinking and their behavior without drugs.

Click here to find out more about depression and anxiety.

Remember...Workshops start this Thursday!

Can Lumosity Cure All Brain Issues?

Brain training is more than games.

We’re seeing lots of television advertising these days on how you can create perfect brain function just by using software games such as Lumosity. The facts are that if all you need is a little boost to your thinking skills, these programs might be just the ticket for you. But if there are other issues masking as brain issues, these programs won’t cure the underlying cause. How can you tell? Most people have a pretty good idea if their memory loss is more than just a few forgotten names or if they have difficulty with sound discrimination in a crowded room or being over-sensitive to sound and/or light. Even if your not sure, having a thorough assessment is essential. Looking at processing issues (how well your brain interprets the information coming in from your ears and eyes, and areas of the brain with abnormal function can give us information about what training will actually work on the root issues.

Call 714-269-7990 or 949-276-8704 or come in today for afull assessment to see just how your brain can be working to its full potential.

BrainAdvantage is offering 20% off all testing for the summer. Just mention it at the time of service.

Neurofeedback and ADHD

The Executive Brain is in the frontal lobes.

Many people ask us why we use HEG neurofeedback instead of the more the traditional EEG neurofeedback. Our answers are simple.

Faster results: 
HEG vs EEG neurofeedback in continuous performance tests: HEG showed a 1 point gain per session, compared to a 1/2 point gain per session of EEG neurofeedback on the TOVA test (Test of Variable Attention). This means HEG works in half the time.

Ease of training the frontal lobes of the brain: 

EEG neurofeedback is not typically used on frontal lobes because of eye blinks or facial movement which cause distortion in the signal. Therefore EEG training must be done on other parts of the scalp away from the areas that most need training. HEG can be used directly on the areas where training is most needed, the frontal lobes, without sticky electrodes. HEG uses a simple headband with lights that can be tolerated even by autistic children.

Importance of Frontal Cortex:
The frontal cortex (frontal lobes) is often called “The Executive Brain” for good reason. It is the control center and has neuronal connections to, and exerts some control over, all other parts of the brain.

Sensory input gets filtered in the frontal cortex to determine what is important to pay attention to (or not).

Sequential processing, including using language and executing tasks in proper order, takes place in the frontal cortex. Increased blood supply helps the brain accomplish these tasks.

The frontal cortex is in charge of inhibiting impulses, when appropriate. If the frontal cortex is not functioning well, a person will show increased impulsive behaviors.

The frontal cortex is important in the function of working memory. Working memory is important for reading comprehension and carrying out tasks.

Low frontal cortex blood flow affects:
Frontal cortex hypoperfusion (low blood supply) has been shown to be a factor in Autism, ADD / ADHD, memory loss, depression, schizophrenia and more.

For more information about how we can help you, call 714-269-7990 or click here for more information.

Thyroid and Your Brain

Thyroid imbalance might be the true

Thyroid hormones are essential for brain maturation, and for brain function throughout life. In adults, thyroid disease can lead to a variety of brain disorders. Hypothyroidism (or low thyroid) for example, can cause lethargy, poor reflexes and motor coordination and is often associated with memory impairment. Hypothyroidism is also associated with bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and loss of cognitive functions, especially in the elderly.

On the other hand, Hyperthyroidism (or too much thyroid) causes anxiety, irritability, and increased reflex action. Both, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can lead to mood disorders, dementia, confusion, and personality changes. Most of these disorders are usually reversible with proper treatment. Call BrainAdvantage at 949-276-8704 or 714-269-7990 or click here today to find out more information.

Remember! Brain Workshops from BrainAdvantage Starts This Thursday!

Come see how you can improve your brain and your life!

Back by popular demand, BrainAdvantage will be giving its Brain Workshops at The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley on Thursday evenings. Come and learn about your brain and what to do about ADHD, Memory Loss, Depression, Anxiety and more. We are offering these workshops on a donation basis so all can come. Free yourself from those things holding you back from being your best!
Call 949-276-8704 or 949-240-6463 for more information.

Adult ADHD Affects Relationships

Adult ADHD can affect relationships.

Having attention deficit disorder as an adult can dramatically affect relationships. Research has shown that a person with ADHD may be almost twice as likely to get divorced, and relationships with just one or both people with the disorder often become dysfunctional.

While ADHD can ruin relationships, the good news is that both partners are not powerless. The first step, of course, is to identify the ADHD symptoms, as more than half of adults who have ADHD don’t realize they have it. When you don’t know that a particular behavior is a symptom, you may misinterpret it as your partner’s true feelings for you.

ADHD symptoms alone don’t necessarily cause problems. It’s the response to the symptom from the partner that’s at issue. For instance, distractibility itself isn’t a problem. How the non-ADHD partner reacts to the distractibility can spark a negative cycle: The ADHD partner doesn’t pay attention to their spouse; the non-ADHD partner feels ignored and responds with anger and frustration; in turn, the ADHD partner responds in kind.

If the ADHD partner has trouble being reliable, many times the other person will try and cover-up or take over responsibilities for them. With good intentions, the non-ADHD partner tries to make the relationship easier. And not surprisingly, the more responsibilities the partner has, the more stressed and overwhelmed — and resentful — they become. Over time, they take on the role of parent, and the ADHD partner becomes the child. While the ADHD partner may be willing to help out, symptoms, such as forgetfulness and distractibility, get in the way.

Luckily there is a solution. Non-drug, non-invasive means to correct the function helps the ADHD person organize, focus and stay on task allowing them to make correct choices for their relationships and life. Call 714-269-7990 to see how BrainAdvantage can change ADHD symptoms for ever.

ADHD and Poor Sleep

ADHD can have a link to poor sleep.

Does your child with ADHD sleep well, or do they toss and turn all night long?

Not every child with ADHD has sleep problems, but it can happen. In one study, about half the parents said their child with ADHD had difficulty sleeping. Parents reported that their child felt tired when they woke up, had nightmares, or had other sleep problems such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Another study involving children with ADHD found the children had less refreshing sleep, difficulty getting up, and more daytime sleepiness.

Is snoring related to ADHD?

Large tonsils and adenoids can partially block the airway at night. This can cause snoring and poor sleep.

That, in turn, may lead to attention problems the next day. In one study of 5- to 7-year-olds, snoring was more common among children with mild ADHD than in the other children. In another study, kids who snored were almost twice as likely as their peers to have ADHD. However, that doesn't prove that snoring caused ADHD.

Children who snore tend to score worse on tests of attention, language abilities, and overall intelligence. These children may have sleep apnea. 

Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea have brief episodes when they stop breathing, though they don't know it. These episodes can happen frequently throughout the night.

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the most common causes of sleep apnea in children. But obesity and chronic allergies can also be a cause.

As with adults, children with sleep apnea will be tired during the day. They may have problems concentrating and might have other symptoms related to lack of sleep. For instance, they may be irritable.

Sleep apnea in children is treatable. Your pediatrician or an ear, nose, and throat specialist can determine whether your child's tonsils are enlarged enough to possibly block the airway and cause sleep apnea.

To confirm the diagnosis, the child may get a sleep study that's done in a special laboratory. Not every child with enlarged tonsils or with loud snoring has sleep apnea.

Surgery is the treatment of choice for kids with enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Other treatments are available for those with restricted nighttime breathing due to allergies or other causes.

New Treatments for ADHD and Autism

The basal Ganglia is thought to be affected by Strep.

New research has shown a link between strep infections and ADHD, autism and other brain-related issues. Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus, also known as PANDAS, is a condition that leads to autoimmune-mediated inflammation of the brain, and usually occurs after several bouts of Strep throat, but may manifest even if the parent cannot recall a history of Streptococcal infection in their child.

PANDAS attacks a part of the brain known as the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia links the cerebral cortex (involved in rational, calm behavior) with the primitive areas of the brain (involved in fear, anger, and uncontrolled emotion). When the basal ganglia is disrupted by the brain inflammation, serious changes in behavior and though processes can occur.

Symptoms and Signs often associated with PANDAS

· Tic disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

· Onset of symptoms between the ages of 3 and start of puberty

· Episodic course of symptom severity (dramatic ups and downs in the child’s behaviour)

· Associated with a group A beta hemolytic strep infection (positive throat culture for Strep or history of Scarlet Fever

· Neurological abnormalities such as hyperactivity or choreiform movements

*The above diagnostic criteria for PANDAS are specified by the National Institute of Mental Health

· ADHD symptoms such as inattention and hyperactivity

· Separation anxiety

· Mood changes which may include irritability, anger, fear or sadness

· Sleep disturbance

· Bed wetting or increased urinary frequency during the day

· Fine/gross motor changes (Changes in handwriting, unusual or repetitive movements)

· Joint pain

To diagnose a current or recent Streptococcal infection the following tests are available:

· A throat swab (rapid Strep test or throat swab culture) can identify a current case of Strep throat

· An ASO titre (antistrepolysin titre) shows an elevation in antibodies to Strep 3-6 weeks after infection

· An AntiDNAase-B titre (antistreptococcal DNAase B titre) shows an elevation in antibodies to Strep 6-8 weeks after infection

A positive result in any of these tests does not diagnose PANDAS, it just gives more information about whether the child has had a recent exposure to Strep. In addition, low Strep titres do not rule out PANDAS. If symptoms of PANDAS occur suddenly, it is useful to have the above Strep titres tested to see if a recent Strep infection could be related.

Beyond this point, further testing for food allergies/sensitivities, as well as levels of immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgM) can be done to assess for additional burden on the immune system that is contributing to the child’s susceptibility to PANDAS.

Treatments for PANDAS may include oral antibiotics to eradicate a Streptococcal infection, and prophylactic antibiotics to prevent recurrence. Oral prednisone is also used as a potent anti-inflammatory to relieve inflammation of the brain and prevent damage. Another therapy known as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is being investigated.

Complementary treatments support the use of antibiotics with probiotics (non-Streptococcal strains), and natural therapies to downregulate inflammation and support the brain, such as curcumin, EPA and DHA. Vitamins and minerals to support immune function (vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc, and selenium) should be administered intravenously. Intravenous glutathione, a potent antioxidant, can be used to protect the brain from being damaged from inflammation.

Investigation should be done to rule out or treat other non-Streptococcal infections that may be present such as Candida (yeast), parasites, viruses (EBV, CMV, HSV), Lyme disease, or pathogenic bacterial overgrowth. Food allergy and food sensitivity testing can be done, and foods should be eliminated from the diet that may be placing additional burden on the child’s immune system.

Lifestyle modifications are also important. Children with recurrent Strep infections may be constantly re-inoculated with the Strep bacteria through an asymptomatic family member. Some people are carriers of Streptococcus, and special care must be taken to prevent spread from carriers to the susceptible child. A child may also be re-exposed to Strep through skin infection (impetigo), urinary tract infection or ear infection. Immune system support to prevent recurrence of these conditions is important in long-term management of PANDAS. The tonsils and adenoids may harbor Streptococcal bacteria and some evidence suggests tonsil and adenoid removal in cases of PANDAS; however, careful consideration of the role of the tonsils and adenoids in fighting infection should be made before making this decision.

How to Help ADHD Without Drugs

ADHD can be hard on all of us!

How do we change ADHD behavior without drugs? The pieces of the puzzle necessitate a holistic approach. The body simply acts on the information it's given; if a child is sensitive to gluten, the body is going to react. Many children with ADHD have diets full of hybridized wheat, genetically modified corn and sugar, synthetic sugars, and chemical additives. Some specific foods can cause a child to become agitated, to space out, or to become violent. Well-behaved children suddenly start to bite their mothers, hit their siblings, wander around in a daze – all when they are tested for specific foods. Sometimes what sets the children off are not foods, but rather coloring, additives, and preservatives. Red dye is a big culprit, for example. The symptoms are readily reversible, when the appropriate homeopathic dilution of the substance is administered, and the effects are reproducible. Some children have turned around just by removing specific foods to which they are sensitive and adding omega-3 fatty acids to correct a deficiency.

Other children get a big boost with chelation to remove metals that are silently warehoused in brain and bones and gum up the works. Children with elevated body burdens of lead are more easily distracted, less organized, and more prone to aggressive behavior than children without this burden. The average American infant is born with more than 200 synthetic chemicals in its body.4 A study from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center confirmed a suspected link between prenatal tobacco exposure and ADHD, and demonstrates that the greater the level of blood lead, the greater the risk of ADHD.

Many children and adults with ADHD have leaky gut syndrome, meaning that their intestines are so damaged that they cannot process what they eat, and so become malnourished.

A starving brain has an extremely difficult time simply functioning, much less learning anything. We often think of the brain as a computer that just has to be plugged into an electric outlet in order to work perfectly. However, if the software is deficient or corrupted, the computer does not run its programs very well. Similarly, the brain functions through electrical impulses and specific pathways. However, in order to generate those impulses, it requires many nutrients – proteins to supply the amino acids needed for manufacture of neurotransmitters and other messengers, glucose to supply the energy needed for the manufacturing process, lots of vitamins and minerals to serve as cofactors, or assistants, in the manufacturing process. … The pathways have to be correctly developed, and able to handle the flow of information. If any of these components are missing or deficient, then the brain can no longer process information at top speed. It slows down, or gets the messages garbled.

What is in the child’s environment? Sometimes a child will react to mold in the classroom, or have a bad day every time the grass is cut because of allergies to the grass. Some children react to pesticides or to chemical air “fresheners.”

Parasitic infections are common with ADHD and autism; remedies can correct that. Sleep deprivation is another piece of the puzzle that can be addressed through both behavioral and nutritional means, sometimes with specific supplements.

David Granet, PhD, director of pediatric ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, reviewed 1700 records of children diagnosed with ADHD. He discovered that, of those who had taken eye exams, 16% had convergence insufficiency, an eye disorder that makes focusing on nearby targets difficult. This is three times the number of non-ADHD children. More research is needed to determine if a brain impairment is causing both ADHD and the eye disorder, or if the eye disorder manifests the same symptoms as ADHD and causes misdiagnosis. That's why we do an eye exam using infrared glasses that look at tracking and convergence, or how your eyes work together!

Call us at 714-269-7990 today to see how we can help you!

Drugging Our Children

Side effects of ADHD drugs

In some classrooms, 100% of students are on medication for some form of learning or attentional disorder.

Prescription drugs are a quick answer, right? – just pop a pill in hopes of re-balancing brain chemistry. But these drugs are classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as Class II narcotics – in the same class with cocaine and methamphetamine. Ritalin is an amphetamine. In street lingo, it's called "speed." Schedule II includes only those legal drugs with the very highest potential for addiction and abuse. They carry a "black box" warning, the most serious medication warning required by the FDA. The situation gives rise to the interesting irony that selling speed to children is a felony, but feeding speed to children with a prescription is called "treatment."

These drugs have been linked to cardiovascular problems and sudden death. The more common side effects can be so devastating or unpleasant that many children just don't want to take them. A recent study by National Institute of Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Maryland, showed that individuals who did poorly on cognitive tasks actually did substantially worse when using Ritalin or Concerta. This is a significant finding, because methylphenidate is commonly prescribed for those who do poorly on tasks.

Peter Breggin, a medical doctor and Harvard-trained psychiatrist, wrote:
The “therapeutic” effects of stimulants are a direct expression of their toxicity. Animal and human research indicates that these drugs often suppress spontaneous and social behaviors (making the psycho stimulants) seemingly useful for controlling the behavior of children, especially in highly structured environments that do not attend to their genuine needs.2
According to California neurologist Dr. Fred Baughman:

The single, biggest heath care fraud in U.S. history – the representation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to be an actual disease, and the drugging of millions of entirely normal American children as “treatment,” is spreading like a plague – still. Once children are labeled with ADHD, they are no longer treated as normal. Once methylphenidate hydrochloride, or any psychiatric drug, courses through their brain and body, they are, for the first time, physically, neurologically, and biologically abnormal.3

Do children with ADHD and/or LD actually have a disease treatable with drugs? What kind of intervention can help kids without severely affecting their body chemistry or personality?

ADHD, for example, 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.

Come and find out what the real issues are before choosing to drug an ADHD individual! 

We are offering our $495.00 full brain function assessment at $295.00. Come see how we can help. Call 494-276-8704 or 714-269-7990 today!

Maximum Performance for Athletes

Improving your brain function can be all it takes to be number 1!

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 at 949-276-8704 for a free consultation and take that first step to helping your athlete succeed.

Better Concentration, Memory and More

Have you ever wished that you were smarter, have better concentration, remember important details and solve complex problems in the blink of an eye? Is fading memory or mental fatigue sabotaging your work performance, personal relationships, or independence? The latest scientific research reveals that we can change how our brains work just by training it.

Train your brain to control your brain rather than the other way around!

Research has revealed that many dynamic leaders, scholars and most intelligent people all share similar brainwave frequencies and display distinct peak brain states while engaged in mental tasks. Years of research also has shown that brainwaves not only provide insight into an individual’s mind and body, but they can be stimulated to actually change that person’s current state. By causing the brain to produce or decrease specific types of brainwave frequencies, it is possible to bring about a large variety of mental states and emotional reactions.

This is a fast an easy task with BrainAdvantage’s entrainment therapy. It can improve depression, anxiety, memory loss and cognitive function. Brain training is more than just neurofeedback. Make sure your program is an integrated model of several types of therapy customized to your needs. Call 714-269-7990 now to see how we can help you.

Adult ADHD: It’s a real problem

The image depicts the difference between a normal and ADHD brain. You can see that ADHD brains typically have very high activity in the frontal lobe making it difficult to think, calm down and focus.

Until recently, it was believed that children outgrew ADHD in adolescence. However, it is now known that ADHD symptoms can continue into adulthood. In fact, ADHD does not develop spontaneously in adults. If you have ADHD as an adult then you had ADHD symptoms as a child even if they went undiagnosed. It is just much more difficult to identify them as adults because they usually turn to self-medication to ease the symptoms. During childhood, the condition is more common in boys than girls, but this ratio appears to even out by adulthood. Adults with ADHD may be chronically late to work or important events. They may be disorganized, restless, and have difficulty relaxing. Some people with ADHD have trouble concentrating while reading. Mood swings, low self-esteem, and poor anger management are also common problems. Many times adults self-medicate to decrease these symptoms with caffeine, alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. Although individuals with ADHD can be very successful in life, if the disorder goes undiagnosed or untreated, they may struggle at work and in relationships, and have chronic emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression.

The good news is there is a solution. BrainAdvantage can change the way the brain functions and reacts to situations giving the ADHD person the ability to think through problems and cope with life’s challenges much more effectively without medication. Call us today at 949-276-8704 to see how we can help!

American Medicine Can Kill You

Sometimes traditional medicine docs  can be hard to understand. Make sure you ask questions and get all the answers you need to make an informed decision. 

We've talked about the problems with allopathic medicine in this post before. When medicine is reduced from healthcare to "the business of medicine" and treating symptoms instead of root issues you can suffer. With this in mind the latest news is a new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that finds that hospitals often make a large profit when surgery goes wrong.

A medical error can cause a three day hospital stay to become a two week stay, which can result in an additional $39,000 in profit for the hospital if the patient has private insurance.

It's a good idea to be your own advocate if you have issues. Make sure you research your particular issue,  the consequences of any invasive procedure or medication and what will attack the root cause, not just a symptom.

With brain issues it can be even more difficult. Make informed decisions.

For help with brain function assessments call us. We use non-invasive tools that will give you a clear picture of the issues. Call 714-269-7990 or 949-276-8704 today!

How to Change Your Life

Illnesses can change how a brain functions. The images above shows changes in brain function with each type of dysfunction.  Red indicates too much activity and blue too low.

Chronic illness is an issue that is becoming more and more commonplace in our society. The growing concern over the economy, loss of jobs and money has affected us all in one way or another. Our thoughts can actually influence how we feel. Illnesses such as depression, anxiety, even memory loss and the ability to focus can be exacerbated by negative thoughts and our reaction to stress. When we don’t feel well or are depressed we generally ruminate on the negatives in our lives such as I don’t feel good or I’m never going to feel good, everything is bad. In fact, those thoughts could be the very root of our problem. According to the National Science Foundation the average person has between twelve and fifty thousand thoughts per day. If our state of mind is predominantly negative, imagine how many negative thoughts we are generating daily—thousands upon thousands. That is precisely the issue with depression.

But how can thoughts make us physically ill? The answer might lie in the fact that humans mistakenly see thoughts as privileged communication, occupying a rarefied space, immune to mood and feelings, and so represent some incontrovertible truth. Therefore the negative thoughts we allow ourselves to think seem harmless. We are unaware that the despair and hopelessness we feel is actually coming from our negative thoughts. If left unchecked, our negative thoughts can actually cause physical changes, such as negative eating and sleeping patterns or even psychotic changes such as hallucinations and delusions. To make matters worse, we generate negative thoughts so automatically we are unaware they are happening. Negative thinking is one of the strongest habit patterns. We know that mediation and prayer are very strong tools to change these habits. But for many, deep mediation is a very difficult thing to learn and practice on a daily basis.

In our programs we will show you safe and easy tools to help you be more effective at changing habits and brain function. We can help your brain relax and let go of stress, mind chatter and distressing thoughts to allow you to relax into deeper meditative states. We use biofeedback for the brain to help stimulate areas of the brain which have lost function to improve memory and cognitive thinking skills. We change how the brain processes visual and auditory information to help interpret what you hear and see more accurately, change motor function and brain and body communication to help improve coordination and balance. We even can change how your eyes work together to allow you better depth-of-field, clearer vision and hand-eye coordination.

The brain is changing constantly throughout our lives. New brain cells and connections are created when we learn something new, just as connections that are no longer being used for things such as old habits, are pruned away. We will show you how to change your brain so you will function optimally and improve your daily life. Just call 949-276-8704 or 714-269-7990 today or click on link for more information.

Sleep Better

At least 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders, and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleep problems. Neurotherapy is a powerful tool for regulating sleep. Health professionals around the world report significant improvement in a large percentage of their clients using neurotherapy to treat chronic long-term sleep problems. It is important to note that neurotherapy is not just neurofeedback, other modalities have also been shown to be very effective.

What are the most commonly reported sleep issues that improve with neurotherapy training?

• Insomnia - difficulty falling asleep; difficulty maintaining sleep during the night - over arousal 
• Difficulty waking from sleep - under arousal 
• Difficulty getting to bed - over arousal 
• Not feeling rested after sleep - under arousal 
• Sleeping too long (over 10 hours) - under arousal 
• Physically restless sleep - over arousal 
• Nightmares - over arousal 
• Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) - unstable arousal 
• Sleepwalking - unstable arousal 
• Restless leg syndrome - leg discomfort or sleep causing movement and arousal - over arousal 
• Bruxism - teeth grinding during sleep - over arousal 
• Sleep terrors - abrupt arousal with intense fear, difficult to awaken, no dream recall or memory of event - unstable arousal 
• Narcolepsy - unstable arousal 

Neurotherapy regulates sleep by training the brain to regulate itself in terms of over arousal, under arousal and unstable arousal. The arousal levels are indicated after each commonly reported sleep issue.

Neurotherapy often helps these problems as it improves brain regulation. These are common reports: A 75 year-old reported that she "...slept like a baby for the first time in 25 years" after neurotherapy. Parents of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often say it's easier to get their kids to sleep. Depressed clients remark they have a much easier time getting going in the morning.

The role of the brain and sleep

The brain regulates sleep. Neuroscience has established the role of neuromodulator systems in the brainstem that play a role in maintaining awake states - and conversely, help the brain sleep.

Training the brain using neurotherapy - to decrease or increase low brainwave activity, or to increase specific activation patterns - appears to help the brain normalize sleep. Based on reports from a large number of licensed health professionals, the evidence shows that training the brain impacts sleep regulatory mechanisms and people sleep better.

Click here to contact BrainAdvantage today to see if we can help you sleep better.

GMO and Your Health

What do you need to know about GMO foods and your health?

Everyone who has read our book knows we are against GMO foods. Now new information is coming out which is even more scary. Monsanto's pipeline of upcoming genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) includes several new varieties specifically engineered with "stacked traits," which means they contain multiple genetic modifications and built-in resistance traits as opposed to just one. And a new study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology has found that these new multi-trait GMOs appear to be exponentially more harmful to humans than single-trait GMOs because of their synergistic toxicity.

researchers from the University of Caen in France have found that the Cry1Ab protein, a Bt toxin destroys human cells at levels of 100 parts per million (ppm) dilution and higher when consumed by itself.

Additionally, glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide formula, induces human cell death at exposures as low as 50 ppm, At a dilution of 57.5 ppm, Roundup effectively kills 50 percent of human cells, which clearly illustrates its severe toxicity.

This important finding confirms the findings of numerous other reports conducted in recent days concerning Roundup's toxicity in humans, including the fact that this widely-used chemical causes birth defects, cancer, and death. But the real kicker in the new research is the even highercombined toxicity from exposure to both Roundup and Bt toxin. In their conclusion, researchers noted that "modified Bt toxins are not inert on nontarget human cells, and that they can present combined side-effects with other residues of pesticides specific to GM plants"



So much for Monsanto's claim that Bt toxin, Roundup, and various other chemically-engineered traits are perfectly harmless. Monsanto actually claims on its website that human testing of GMOs is unnecessary because they are no different than conventional and natural crop varieties -- and regulatory authorities have never taken the agri-giant to task on actually proving this baseless claim, which flies in the face of independent science (http://www.naturalnews.com).

Here’s what research has found:



1) GMOs disrupt digestion. Purveyors of GMOs claim that the human body is unable to tell the difference between GMOs and natural food. But a 2004 study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology tells a different story, having found that transgenic plant DNA actually persists in the human gastrointestinal tract upon consumption. According to this important study, which is the closest thing to a human clinical trial that has ever been conducted with GMOs, genetic material from GMOs actually transfers into the DNA of living bacteria in the gut, where it reproduces indefinitely. (http://www.anh-usa.org)

2) GMOs cause cancer. The most recent study to identify a link between GMO consumption and the formation of cancer, the so-called Seralini Study provides solid evidence showing that GMOs are processed by mammals far differently than natural foods. According to this study's findings, rats fed a lifetime of GMOs sprayed with the toxic Roundup (glyphosate) herbicide developed serious tumors that took over their entire bodies. An earlier study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences arrived at similar results, with the addition of organ failure as a symptom of GMO consumption. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

3) GMOs increase herbicide use. Contrary to industry claims, GMOs have not reduced the need for chemical inputs, but rather greatly expanded it. According to a comprehensive, 16-year review of chemical use in conjunction with the advent of GMOs in 1996, researchers from Washington State University's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources found that herbicide use has increased by an astounding 527 millions pounds since GMOs were first introduced. To make matters worse, Roundup, the chemical of choice for many GMOs, has been found to persist in soils, waterways, and other environmental nooks and crannies, and sometimes it even ends up contaminating water supplies. ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com)

4) GMOs damage native species. A major point of contention with GMOs is that they can very easily pass their traits onto non-GMO, organic, and native crops and other plants, effectively destroying their very integrity permanently. Hundreds of farmers have actually been sued by Monsanto and other GMO giants over the years after their crops were inadvertently contaminated by GMOs. GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies. (http://www.naturalnews.com/035511_insecticide_bees_collapse.html)

5) GMOs pollute the environment. Mainstream scientists and industry spokespersons often gloat about the supposed environmental benefits of GMOs. But the truth of the matter is that GMOs and the chemicals used to grow them are a major source of environmental pollution. A 2011 study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that the Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) bacteria engineered into Monsanto's GM corn can now be found in hundreds of streams and waterways throughout the U.S. Midwest. Another study published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry revealed that Roundup herbicide is also present in many waterways and groundwater sources throughout America as well. (http://naturalsociety.com)

6) GMOs deplete soil minerals, destroy beneficial bacteria. The presence of Roundup, Bt bacteria, and other GMO byproducts in our water and soil would only be half as bad if these toxins merely persisted as innocuous pollutants. But studies have shown that these chemicals actually degrade and deplete soils of vital minerals and beneficial bacteria, both of which protect crops from pests, viruses, and other threatening elements. Glyphosate, the active component in Roundup, also does not biodegrade, which means it is continually accumulating in the environment without restraint, perpetually altering soil composition and contaminating natural resources. (http://www.psrast.org/soilecolart.htm)

7) GMOs spawn crop-destroying 'superweeds,' 'superbugs.' The basic premise behind how GMOs work portends that artificially engineering crops with resistance to certain chemicals and exposures that would otherwise harm or kill them can improve yields and protect the environment. And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin. As a result, pestilence and disease is on the rise due to GMOs, which spells eventual disaster for the food supply. (http://grist.org)

Use Your Brain For Business!

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 businesspeople 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

• your bain in business and life! 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!

For more information call 949-276-8704 today for a free consultation!!

Asperger's, Anger and Relationships

Not all Aspies are alike. Many have wonderful relationships and family life.

Not all Aspies ( or those with Asperger Syndrome) are alike. Adults with Asperger syndrome may experience a range of problems, including difficulties in negotiating friendships and relationships, and finding a suitable job. Training and experience can help to build coping skills.

A person with Asperger syndrome may have trouble understanding the emotions of other people, and the subtle messages sent by facial expression, eye contact and body language are often missed or misinterpreted. Because of this, people with Asperger syndrome might be mistakenly perceived as being egotistical, selfish or uncaring.

These are unfair labels because the person concerned is neurologically unable to understand other people’s emotional states. People with Asperger syndrome are usually shocked, upset and remorseful when told their actions were hurtful or inappropriate.

People with Asperger syndrome can sometimes appear to have an ‘inappropriate’, ‘immature’ or ‘delayed’ understanding of sexual codes of conduct. This can sometimes result in sexually inappropriate behavior. For example, a 20-year-old with Asperger syndrome may display behaviors which befit a teenager.

Even individuals who are high achieving and academically or vocationally successful can have trouble negotiating the ‘hidden rules’ of courtship.

For more information contact BrainAdvantage.

Girls and Concussion

Fatal brain injuries in high school sports outside football are exceedingly rare, but post-concussion syndrome  in which dizziness, lethargy and the inability to concentrate can cost teenagers weeks or months of school is a growing concern. AND it was just as common among girls as boys and even more misunderstood.

Can injury or concussion can happen even if you DON'T lose consciousness.

In general the medical profession does not do a very good job in recognizing that female athletes sustain concussions at an equal or even higher rate as males. Therefore, looking for concussions in women is not pursued with the same diligence, and it’s setting girls up problems.

According to a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training, football has the highest rate of concussions in high school sports, with 47 such injuries per 100,000 player games or practices. Girls soccer was second highest with 36 per 100,000, followed by boys soccer and girls basketball.

Most soccer concussions are caused by hard falls to the ground or collisions with other players. Heading the ball is not a primary cause, studies have determined, because the impact is not of sufficient force to send the brain crashing into the skull.

Girls are just as competitive as boys, and they’ll push through concussions just like boys . For every one girl who ends up getting treated, there are four or five who keep playing because they don’t want to admit they’re hurt. It’s easier not to do anything. The results of this will show up later in life making brain function an issue in later years.

Aging and Poor Sleep

As we get older impaired brain function can can poor sleep.

Aging brains show a weakening in brain waves associated with deep sleep (right) compared with younger adults (left), with consequent memory impairments.

Deterioration of a specific brain region impairs sleep quality as people age, leading to poorer memory retention, according to research published today in Nature Neuroscience.

Aging is associated with the gradual loss of brain cells, sleep disturbances and declining memory function, but how these factors are related to each other has been unclear.

Neuroscientist Bryce Mander at the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues recruited 33 healthy adults — 18 around the age of 20, and 15 ranging from late sixties to late seventies — all with normal mental function, and asked them to memorize a list of word pairs.

The participants were asked to recall some of the word pairs ten minutes later, then left to sleep overnight while the researchers recorded the electrical activity of their brains. The next morning, volunteers were asked to recall selected words from the list again while having their brains scanned.

In keeping with earlier studies, the older adults performed less well than the younger ones on the memory test, and showed significant reductions in the slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

Call BrainAdvantage today and see how we can help you sleep and think better!

Ian Percy Workshop! This Saturday. Find Creative Solutions for Your Business and Your Life!!

BrainAdvantage and The Center for Spiitual Living Capistrano Valley Invite you to network and

make your business more profitable this year!

Called “one of the top 21 speakers for the 21st century” is coming to the

Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley in San Clemente to show you how to:

Ian Percy

• Focus on what is possible instead of old-style reactive problem-solving;
• Release the incredible energy hidden throughout your organization; and
• Realign that energy toward your highest possibilities.

Albert Einstein said that everything is energy. But for 400 years, individuals and companies

have been locked into Newtonian thinking that ignores this truth. It’s taken us about as far as it

can and now all our institutions must change the way they function in order to reach new levels

of purpose, passion, performance...and profitability.

In this remarkable and thoroughly enjoyable two-hour session, you will hear from one of the

most dynamic and thoughtful speakers of our time. Ian Percy, who has the rare honor of being

inducted into both the US and Canadian Speaker Halls of Fame, has challenged and inspired

corporations in numerous industries around the world. These corporations, including Microsoft,

Ford Motor Company, Levi Strauss, US Bank, Xerox, and many more have paid him thousands

of dollars to help them bring more creativity and profitability into their business. Now you have

the rare opportunity to hear his important message to help your business and your life .

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to network with other businesspeople in the area and gain a

new perspective on taking your life and organization into 2013 with energetic success!

Where: The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley

1201 Puerta Del Sol

San Clemente, CA 92673

When: Saturday, January 26, 2013

Time: 1:001:30 pm Network with other attendees

1:303:30 pm Program

Cost: $25.00 per person

RSVP: Pattie Mercado at 949.240.6463

Space is limited! Call Today!

Child care is available– Please call to include your child.

and

Einstein, Energy & Creative Change

Using universal principles in your life and organization

What is the difference between right and left brain?

Most people have heard, "Oh, I'm right-brained or left-brained", but what does that really mean? The truth is we use both sides of our brains even though sometimes we have dominant characteristics. If you want a really easy-to-understand description of how your brain works, take a look at Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's TED talk. It's only 15 or so minutes and it will give you a new understanding f the differences between right and left brain function.

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, A Stroke of Insight.

Click here to view to view her talk.

Foods to Lower Stress

Feeling a little frazzled? Whether it's a cup of warm milk, a slice of avocado, or a piece of dark chocolate, certain foods can help reduce stress — and the snacks on this list are good for you, too.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have been found to increase levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that can boost mood and reduce stress. Once serotonin levels are increased, people under stress experience improved cognitive function, meaning they can concentrate and work better. Many of us know that the comforting effect of carbohydrates in the diet that can reduce stress — savoring that comfort food of a bowl of pasta or macaroni and cheese feels soothing and can help you to relax. Just make sure to choose healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and whole-grains for better nutrition, and limit fat-laden, calorie-dense toppings.

Indulge in Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate in the diet can reduce stress in two ways — its chemical impact and its emotional impact. Chocolate feels like such an indulgence that it can be a real treat to simply savor a piece of it, and that feeling alone can help to reduce stress. Dark chocolate, which is also rich in antioxidants, can also help to reduce stress by lowering levels of stress hormones in the body, according to a Swiss study in which participants ate about 1.5 ounces per day for two weeks. Just avoid excess calories in your diet by not overindulging in too much of that luscious chocolate.

Avocados
Avocados are not only delicious mashed into guacamole or sliced onto a salad — they're also packed with omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy essential acids are known to reduce stress and anxiety, boost concentration, and improve mood, in addition to the benefit of helping to reduce stress.

Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent way to use diet and nutrition to reduce stress because they also offer a major benefit to cardiovascular health. Omega-3 fatty acids and fatty fish have also been found to ease depression, because the chemicals improve communication between nerve cells. Fatty fish include tuna, halibut, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and lake trout.


Warm Milk
A centuries-old home remedy for getting a better night’s sleep, warm milk helps because it has a relaxing effect on the body. Calcium-rich foods are an essential part of a healthy diet for bone health, but they also help with stress reduction. Milk and other dairy foods with calcium and added vitamin D can help muscles relax and stabilize mood — one study even found that they can also ease symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.


Grab a Handful of Nuts
Nuts are full of vitamins, including B vitamins, and healthy fatty acids as well. B vitamins are an important part of a healthy diet and can help to reduce stress. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts can even help lower blood pressure levels. According to one study, pistachios in particular were found to have a role in reducing stress levels. Just remember to limit servings to just a handful a day to avoid excess calories.

Vitamin C
Some studies have found that high levels of vitamin C help ease stress levels. One double-blind study reported on the value of taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C in a slow-release formula to reduce stress and levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol. Another study looked at the stress reduction effects of taking a supplement containing 1,000 mg of C, plus B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. Eating citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, and strawberries is a good start, but you would need a supplement to reach such high levels of these nutrients.

Make Your Life and Business More Profitable!

Ian Percy, international speaker who helps corporations and individuals transform their business and life! 

"Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics." Albert Einstein

We are proud to announce Ian Percy, one of the top 21 speakers for the 21st century, will be coming to Southern California on January 26, 2013 to give a one-time presentation for entrepreneurs and individuals who are looking for new creative ideas to increase creativity, business and revenue.

Ian Percy challenges and inspires corporate and association audiences in numerous industries around the world to Focus on the Possibilities.He has the rare honor of induction into both the US and Canadian Speaker Halls of Fame. Ian's written seven books, challenging how we define "leadership" as well as taking a huge swipe at the typical approach to corporate vision.

An organizational psychologist, Ian is the creator of The Infinite Possibilities Initiative, a process that applies proven principles from quantum and energetic science to system-wide transformation. "Everything that will ever be possible is already possible!" he says. "On some level we all know we're meant for greater things, we just don't quite know how to move the whole organization out of fear and into freedom in order to get them." And that's where Ian's magic comes in. He will show you how to do exactly that.

Ian helps organizations transform by reaching for their highest possibilities - in technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, education, professional services, healthcare and finance. He's authored seven books including the breakthrough book on leadership titled Going Deep, and The Profitable Power of Purpose that challenges the typical corporate vision. His latest book Make Your Life a Masterpiece is a full color modern adaptation of James Allen's "As a Man Thinketh."

Don't miss this rare opportunity for Ian to share new ways to improve your creativity in business and life!

Saturday January 26, 1 - 3:30 p.m.
Cost: Love Offering
Child care available - contact Rev. Pattie Mercado-949.240.6463

Place: The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley 1201 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 100 (First Floor)
San Clemente, CA 92673
Contact BrainAdvantage for more information!

I Resolve…to Help My Brain!

Resolve to make your brain better in 2013!

It’s that time of year again.

Guilt-ridden from overindulgence during the holidays, we’re eager to make New Year’s resolutions. The most common resolution everyone seems to make is to get in better physical shape.

But what about your brain? Doesn’t it deserve a resolution or two? After all, your brain works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

So…here are my 10 New Year’s Resolutions for “Pumping Up” your Brain:

1. Learn to breathe. Breathing is one of the single most important things you do. It feeds your brain and body with oxygen. Learn how to do it right.

2. Eat right. Remember the food you eat feeds your brain. Make sure that you don’t feed it chemicals, preservatives or empty calories.

3. Exercise your body. Research has shown that physical activity truly helps keep your brain fit as well. Couch potatoes tend to lose their mental faculties earlier than gym rats! (Reference exercise suggestions such as walking, aerobic exercises and strength-training, etc.)

4. Learn more about your brain. Learn what makes your brain tick. (Suggestions on how to do it.)

5. Learn more about your body. Make an appointment to check for allergies, nutritional issues, and any other problems that might get in the way of reaching your goals.

6. Take on a new mental challenge. Learn a language, play a new game—just make sure that it’s a new experience. Playing the same game over and over doesn’t Challenge your brain. Your brain thrives on novelty. In fact, novel and challenging activity which helps your brain to create new brain cells and connections—and makes you smarter!

7. Rewrite your goals everyday and Visualize yourself in a better state: your body and life will follow. Old habits and old thinking won’t help you with new resolutions.

8. Change your environment to help you with your goals. Throw out all the fudge left over from the holidays and make it easier to make healthy choices.

9. Find a good neurotherapy center to help you tune up and improve the brain you have. It might be the best investment you can make in yourself and your overall quality of life.

10. Be kind to yourself.

Contact BrainAdvantage today to improve your brain for the new year!