HOW TO SURVIVE THE “AGE OF THE BRAIN” WITH YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH IN-TACT
By Dr. Ben Lerner
Leaders in the mental health community called roughly the last two decades, “The Age of the Brain.” This erupted in an onslaught of drugs to manipulate the brain in an effort to create mental health. I believe the results speak for themselves.
We’re not simply our brain programming. We have a soul; the mind, will, and emotions. The soul is where experiencing happens. While the brain is like the soil for the tree, if we want mentally and emotionally healthy people; we have to learn to heal the soul in the age of the brain. That is why God is concerned about our souls.
In our fast food, fast paced, fast-tech world, and instant drug-relief world; what can we do about our mental health?
The size, weight, number of synapses, connections, shape, effectiveness, and well-being of our brain is hard to describe. Yet, while vastly complex, we do know that health brains and minds are not something you’re simple simply born with, but something that’s created or developed after birth - on.
A well-known process called neuroplasticity is at play meaning that our brain’s neurological tissues are like formable plastic; constantly being molded, grown, and developed from throughout a lifetime. This fact leaves us with roughly one of two scenarios:
BRAIN-LIGHT: You can develop a small, light, inefficient brain for the short-term. OR
FULL BRAIN: You can build a big, heavy, super-effective for the long-term brain.
The power of neuroplasticity even goes for the elderly concerned with or suffering from dementia and even nearing Alzheimer’s. There’s always something that can be done to change or improve brain function – for better or worse.
In the war between Nature and Nurture, the Nurture side has been winning more and more battles. Genetics due play a role in creating a risk or pre-disposition to problems like mental health or cognitive decline. On the contrary, the fact is that genetics don’t ultimately determine outcomes; Epigenetics do.
The physical, mental, and emotional environment or lifestyle we’re exposed to epigenetically has more to say about how smart, happy, healthy, how well we’ll manage stress, and our ability to remain sharp and productive into our twilight years then our then DNA handed down from our grandparents.
Change what you do with their brain and you change the brain physically, functionally, emotionally and impact the future one way or another.
KEYS TO BUILDING A FULL BRAIN: Chiropractic care has been shown to improve both the flow and metabolism of nutrients to the brain as well as improve brain function at the motor, emotional, and cognitive levels. A diet low in refined carbohydrates with adequate nutrients, extreme caution in the use of medication, adult companionship, the stimulation of active play, toys, books, and games, limiting toxic foods and drinks. PARENTS: Talk, listen, pay attention, show them how to work through problems. EXPERIENCE AND ADVENTURE -music, dance, walks in nature, caring for pets, and reading stories.
Brain development is also closely tied to motor systems and spinal health. Sometimes recess, playing kickball, climbing on the jungle gym, or a trip to the chiropractor does more for intellectual development than another page of math or history. It should be noted that a well-functioning spine, music, dance, and creative play should not be cut in lieu of yet another physics calculation.
FINALLY; A person’s ability to detoxify, methylate and their levels of key nutrients are irreducible minimums when it comes to good mental health.
As is easily surmised from what is required for a healthy, heavy brain; the current culture and most popular lifestyle are hard at work at building Brain-light. Only we can change the future.
Have fun saving the world
Dr. Ben