Neuroplasticity, the ability of your brain to change both physical form and function in response to its environment, has become a buzzword promising that you can “rewire” your brain to improve almost everything. While there is some truth in these…
Mental health in America was declining long before COVID-19 hit. A year later, it’s at an alarming low. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in August of 2020 that symptoms of anxiety had tripled and depression symptoms…
Your brain is wired to avoid discomfort — emotional or physical — in an effort to ensure your safety. Throughout evolution, this strong instinct helped our species survive. A part of our brain, the amygdala, learns from past painful and…
In the past, it was taught and accepted that the brain was the only organ in the human body that was “immune privileged” meaning it lacked any direct physical connection to the immune system. In 2015, one experiment at the…
Around most of the world, vaccinations are on the rise, COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining, and people are starting to resume life as normal, including cautiously traveling again. Before the global pandemic and accompanying travel restrictions, travel was an…
Observing a pianist at a recital – converting musical notations into precisely timed finger movements on a piano – can be a powerful emotional experience. As a researcher of neuroscience and a pianist myself, I understand that the mastering of…
If there was a free pill you could take daily that had the potential to help make you mentally and physically healthier and change your brain for the better, you’d probably take it, right? At least give it a try?…
It’s a relatively new scientific discovery that the bacteria living in your gut influence your overall health and according to a growing body of research, your mental health too. Your gut bacteria help build your immune system and influence many…
Every seven seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with dementia. A typical case that I often see in my practice is as follows: A 76-year-old woman has a two-year history of progressive worsening of short-term memory and cognitive decline. She…
Fasting was an evolutionarily advantageous trait for our ancestors. Humans whose brains and bodies could go without food for prolonged periods of time and still function well were more likely to survive and reproduce. Our Greek forefathers, including Plato, Hippocrates,…
Over recent decades, mindfulness has gone from an “out there” topic not taken seriously to become a mainstream scientifically-validated mental health practice. It’s now being utilized as a method of therapy, a tool to increase corporate well-being, and a way…
