Effects of marijuana on the mindeffects of marijuana on the brain

Source: Image by Tumisu, pixabay. Paths to Brain Health “Dementia” may seem like a gloomy topic but preventing it can be satisfying and, at times, even fun. In my previous blog , I summarized the extensive research behind 12 lifestyle choices that can protect your brain.  In brief, these “Terrific Twelve” are: 1. Reduce alcohol consumption. 2. Avoid head injury . 3. Breathe clean air; stay in on polluted-air days. 4. Provide access to early- childhood education . 5. Correct mid-life hearing loss. 6. Monitor and reduce high blood pressure. 7. Maintain a healthy weight.  8. Quit smoking ; avoid inhaling second-hand smoke. 9. Find help for depression and anxiety . 10. Prevent social isolation by connecting with others. 11. Exercise and stay active. 12. Manage and/or reverse diabetes. These twelve lifestyle factors account for a whopping 40% of dementias. This blog will focus on an additional 10 surprising and pleasurable actions anyone can take to reduce … [Read more...] about 10 Odd and Fun Activities That Keep Your Brain Healthy

One day, long ago, a tobacco plant discovered humans and it has never relinquished its control over our brain. During the intervening millennia, we humans have tried to find novel uses for this plant in order to distract us from being a slave to its actions in our brain. Tobacco was once used to treat persistent headaches, colds, and abscesses or sores on the head. Tobacco enemas were used to treat flatulence, and even more surprising, the smoke was once inhaled deeply in order to lessen bad coughs. In 1560, Jean Nicot, (then the French Ambassador to Portugal), sent some tobacco to Catherine de Medici, who was then queen to Henry II of France; she reported that it helped treat her migraines. The plant initially was given the title of herbe sainte , or holy plant, and then later, was dubbed Herba Regina , the queen's herb. Nicot got the credit for the discovery and Von Linné named the genus Nicotiana in his honor. Despite all this royal glory, in the 1890s the U.S. pharmacopeia … [Read more...] about Nicotine and Your Brain

Pain is spiking during the pandemic. Source: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels Key Points: Health problems including headaches and back pain are on the rise. Negative emotions can exacerbate pain, so it's important to develop effective strategies to cope with stress and anxiety . As a pain expert, the question I get asked most is, “Do you treat physical pain or emotional pain?” My answer is always, “Yes!” If you’re experiencing pain during this time of stress and sheltering—headaches, migraine, low back pain—you’re not alone. Pain is commonly triggered, and amplified, by negative emotions like stress, anxiety, anger , and depression . And that’s no coincidence: It’s biology. Contrary to popular belief, emotions don’t just live in your head—they also come out in your body. Nervousness before a presentation creates "butterflies" in your stomach. Depression can make your limbs feel heavy, and make you walk and talk slowly. Fear makes your heart race, eyes widen, breath … [Read more...] about Why Your Body Hurts During the Pandemic

Source: Daniel Reche/Pexels In the last of the series on how you may be unintentionally discriminating against others (see previous posts on language , behaviours , and expectations ) sometimes we discriminate based on what we don't do. That is, our inaction leads to injustice or our biases blind us to see anything discriminating. Our brains were built to have bias . We would suffer from analysis paralysis if we had to consider all options every single time instead of making shortcuts in our brain. However, we need to be mindful of when our brains are taking shortcuts that we aren't intending to take. Here are some shortcuts to watch out for: Confirmation Bias . We are drawn to and don't critically examine information that is already in line with our beliefs. However, we are critical if it doesn't align to our beliefs. This also applies with who you choose to be friends with or work with. Fundamental Attribution Error . We overestimate the internal … [Read more...] about How You May Unintentionally Discriminate

Source: Caroline Veronez/Unsplash I used to think positive affirmations, such as I am brave , were a silly New-Age concept that amounted to little more than wishful, magical thinking . Then I became a cognitive psychologist, and I realized that your inner dialogue is a profoundly powerful force that ultimately determines the outcome of your life. What you say to yourself matters because it is the basis of your actions, and your actions create your life experiences. Your inner dialogue is also the foundation for your emotional experiences. You can either say things to yourself that create emotions that feel good or emotions that feel bad. You are the only one who can choose your inner dialogue. Research has demonstrated that positive affirmations can have a positive effect on a range of behaviors and responses, including decreasing stress , improving health-related behavior such as healthy eating and exercise, helping people to cope more effectively with perceived … [Read more...] about How to Create Positive Affirmations That Really Work