Elevating Holiday Joy: Overcoming Seasonal Blues and Stress

As the holiday season draws near, many of us look forward to a season celebrating family, friends, and fellowship. As uplifting as the winter holidays can be, they can also bring stress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. 

It’s tempting to write these feelings off as the “holiday blues,” but mental health concerns are very real, and can manifest either as temporary challenges or chronic conditions. In fact, you or someone you love has very likely struggled with mood disorders or other mental health challenges recently. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 20% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some form of mental illness in the last year. 

The Connection Between Brain Health and Mental Illness

While any of us can experience a mental health disorder, certain people are more susceptible. These include people experiencing stress such as the death of a loved one or decline in personal health, as well as those with a family history of mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, or a personal history of abuse or neglect. Also at risk are people who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion, especially if the brain injury affects areas of the brain that regulate behavior and emotion. 

At Aviv Clinics, our clients are often surprised when we inform them that their depression, anxiety, or other psychological challenges may be the result of a TBI or concussion, even if the initial injury happened decades ago. 

Most of us understand that brain injury can result in physical and cognitive impairments. However, there is less awareness of the mental health issues that can also result from a brain injury. These mental health implications can also have a significant negative impact on the quality of life for a concussion or TBI survivor.

Emotional Changes After a Brain Injury

Behavioral and emotional symptoms that can emerge after a concussion or TBI include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Change in sleep patterns (too much or too little)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.

Just how common are mental health disorders following a mild head injury? One study published in JAMA Psychiatry revealed that one in five individuals may experience mental health symptoms up to six months after a concussion.

Another study published in Frontiers in Neurology found that people who have sustained a TBI are three times more likely to experience depression compared to those without a history of brain injury, and that the risk remains decades beyond the initial brain injury.

Hope for Those Struggling with Psychological Challenges

Innovative therapeutic medical programs that include the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) are showing that the behavioral and emotional symptoms of brain injuries can be alleviated. A large body of research shows the effectiveness of HBOT for improving brain function and quality of life. In these studies, patients receiving HBOT showed significant improvement in mental health, decreased depression, decreased pain and improvement in other disorders associated with mental health conditions, and overall quality of life. These studies used a unique, evidenced-based HBOT treatment protocol that encourages damaged tissues to regenerate and heal faster, improving chronic impairments in patients with concussions and TBIs, even in brain injuries that are many years old. 

My colleagues at Aviv Clinics are proud to be leading the way with a science-based and research-backed medical program designed to help concussion and TBI patients aged 13 and older improve their mental and physical abilities. We are one of the few clinics in the world using the exact protocol that researchers proved effective to treat TBI and concussion. 

Managing Mental Health During the Holidays 

The holidays can certainly be stressful for all of us, but they don’t have to be.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers these tips for those struggling with seasonal depression or holiday anxiety:

• Stick to normal routines as much as possible
• Get plenty of sleep
• Take time for yourself, but don’t isolate yourself
• Eat and drink in moderation
• Get some exercise
• Simplify holiday tasks with a to-do list
• Set reasonable expectations and goals for holiday activities
• Set a holiday budget and don’t overextend yourself financially
• Listen to music and find ways to relax

If you or a loved one suffer from chronic behavioral challenges that you think may be related to a past concussion or other brain injury, consider contacting Aviv Clinics to find out how we can help. Physician consultations are complimentary and are available live or virtually.

 

 

 

 

How to Improve Working Memory and Mental Performance as You Age

As we age, it’s natural for our cognitive abilities to shift. One of the most noticeable areas is in our working memory.

Working memory enables us to carry out complex cognitive tasks. However, its limited capacity means we can only hold a certain amount of information at any given moment. 

The good news is we can adopt various strategies and techniques to enhance our working memory and maintain optimal mental performance as we age.

Let’s explore effective methods on how to improve working memory, boost cognitive abilities, and stay sharp. While we cannot control time and aging, we can control the daily habits and activities we decide to pursue.

The medical team at Aviv Clinics is here to get you on track for the journey. Join us for the ride.

What Is Working Memory? 

Working memory is a cognitive system that allows us to temporarily hold and manipulate information while performing mental tasks. It plays a crucial role in various cognitive processes, including: 

• Reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Language comprehension
• Learning
• Decision-making

Working memory is often seen as the “workspace” of the brain, where information is actively processed and manipulated.

You can think of it as a “sticky note” — your brain holds new information in place so that it can link those details to other information. 

4 Main Components of Working Memory

Working memory has four key components:

1. Central Executive

The central executive is the control center of working memory. 

Central executive: 

• Allocates attention to different tasks
• Coordinates the interaction between the various components
• Decides how to process and manipulate incoming information
• Plays a critical role in directing attention and managing cognitive resources

Example: You are going for a morning run when your phone rings. You engage in the conversation; the central executive helps you focus on the road ahead more than the conversation. 

2. Phonological Loop

The phonological loop is responsible for processing and temporarily storing auditory and verbal information. It is divided into two subcomponents: 

• The phonological store (where sounds and speech-based information are held for a few seconds) 
• The articulatory rehearsal process (which silently rehearses verbal information to prevent it from decaying).

Example:  Continuously repeating an address or phone number aloud to help you remember the information. 

3. Visuospatial Sketchpad

The visuospatial sketchpad handles visual and spatial information. It allows us to: 

• Mentally visualize objects, scenes, and spatial relationships
• Solve visual and spatial problems, supporting activities like mental imagery and navigation

Example: When you are walking around in the dark, your visuospatial sketchpad pulls up a visual image of your home. This helps you avoid bumping into the table. 

4. Episodic Buffer

The episodic buffer is a relatively new addition to the working memory model. It serves as a temporary storage system that integrates information from different sources, combining visual, auditory, and spatial information. 

The episodic buffer links working memory with long-term memory. This facilitates a cohesive mental representation of events or experiences.

Example: The episodic buffer can also help you associate specific buildings with locations, which helps you remember a route. 

What Happens to Your Working Memory as You Age? 

As we age, the brain undergoes structural and functional changes that can affect working memory processes:

• The prefrontal cortex, responsible for working memory, experiences a decline in volume and connectivity.

• Neurotransmitter systems essential for working memory, such as dopamine (a chemical messenger that allows you to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation), may decrease with age.

• Oxidative stress and cellular damage can impair neuronal function (the ability to carry information between brain cells).

• Vascular system shifts can limit the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain regions involved in working memory.

12 Cognitive Exercises to Enhance and Preserve Your Working Memory

Cognitive exercises specifically designed to target and preserve working memory can be valuable in enhancing your mental performance. 

Here are 12 effective exercises you can try:

• N-Back Training: N-Back is a popular working memory exercise where you recall a sequence of stimuli. Start with a 2-back task, where you identify if the current stimulus matches the one presented two steps back in the sequence. As you improve, increase the difficulty to 3-back, 4-back, and so on.

• Dual N-Back: This exercise combines the N-Back task with a second task, such as tracking visual or auditory patterns while remembering the sequence of stimuli.

• Digit Span Test: Listen to a series of digits and try to repeat them in the correct order. Increase the length of the digit sequence as you improve.

• Letter-Number Sequencing: Given a mixed sequence of letters and numbers, repeat the numbers in ascending order and then the letters in alphabetical order.

• Spatial Memory Games: Play memory games that involve remembering the location of objects on a grid or in a scene.

• Card Pairs Game: Play a classic card matching game where you need to remember the positions of cards and match pairs.

• Sudoku: Solve Sudoku puzzles to challenge your working memory and concentration.

•  Chess or Strategy Games: Engage in chess or other strategy games that require you to plan ahead and remember previous moves. 

• Dual Tasking: Combine different tasks, such as listening to an audiobook while doing household chores. This exercise challenges your ability to multitask while still retaining important information.

• Recite Backwards: Try to recite strings of numbers or letters backward. This exercise requires active manipulation of information in your working memory.

• Memory Palace Technique: Practice the memory palace technique, also known as the method of loci, to remember lists of items by associating them with specific locations in your mind.

• Verbal Memory Exercises: Read a paragraph or a short passage and then try to recall the key points or details without looking back.

Remember to start with exercises that match your current skill level and gradually increase the difficulty as you progress. Consistency is essential, so incorporate these exercises into your daily or weekly routine. 

Unique Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Protocol can Improve Memory Function

In addition to diet, quality sleep, and physical and cognitive exercises, scientific research shows that a specific hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol can improve memory function. 

Participants in the study who received the HBOT process, which involved fluctuating oxygen levels according to evidence-backed research, exhibited: 

• Better learning curves 
• Higher memory resilience

Learn about the unique HBOT protocol

Clarissa Defeats Memory Decline with Aviv Clinics

Rodeo roping and penning  champion Clarissa Rainey sustained multiple concussions on horseback, then received an additional concussion in a car accident. She experienced memory loss, which made navigating the ins and outs of her career challenging. For example, tracking the numbers on her horses was difficult. As a real estate agent, she struggled to remember house numbers and addresses, which made her frustrated when doing her job.

Fortunately, she was introduced to Aviv Clinics. Learn about her story. 

Take Proactive Measures for Brain Performance

As we age, it is crucial to prioritize the health of our working memory and cognitive abilities. While biological changes can affect working memory, the brain retains plasticity. Proactive measures can be taken to improve and maintain working memory and overall cognitive function. 

Learn more about enhancing your performance with Aviv Clinics.

 

 

Rising Temperatures and Brain Health:
10 Ways to Stay Safe in the Heat

Hardly a day passes without a worrying story on the news about wildfires, droughts, or mercury-busting temperatures affecting people across the globe on an unprecedented scale. 

While most of us are aware of the summer risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and skin cancer, brain health often goes unnoticed as a negative side effect of our warming planet. Heat exposure can devastate the human brain and have potentially damaging long-term effects.

It is crucial to understand the effects of hot weather on the body and know how to protect oneself during the peak summer months. This article will explore some practical tips to help you stay safe in the heat.

Effects of Heat Waves    

In a heat wave, the brain changes because of the higher temperatures. Recent studies have shown that our globally rising temperatures can lead to cognitive impairments such as difficulties in decision-making and memory.

Hyperthermia, or heat sickness, can cause a range of symptoms including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, migraines, seizures, stroke, and even certain forms of dementia. And as temperatures continue to rise, so does the incidence of hyperthermia. Older adults may be particularly susceptible to its detrimental effects.

Dehydration and heat-related conditions can disrupt the blood flow that supplies essential nutrition and oxygen to our brains.

Furthermore, the inflammation caused by heat stress can contribute to cognitive decline, increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, and worsen mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

Extreme Heat Exposure   

With global temperatures increasing in recent years, avoiding extreme heat exposure and keeping cool during summer is more vital than ever. Taking the correct precautions, especially during unusually hot periods or heat waves, will reduce the risk of heat-related conditions including migraines, seizures, stroke, and some forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Following some essential but simple tips can protect brain health during hot spells and heat waves:  

10 Ways to Stay Safe in the Heat

1. Stay Hydrated – As temperatures soar, keeping your body hydrated is crucial. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Opt for water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables to replenish electrolytes and prevent dehydration.
2. Dress Right – Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing made from breathable materials to stay cool in hot weather. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection.
3. Find the Shade – When the heat becomes intense, find shade to take a break from direct sunlight. Whether outdoors or indoors, staying in the shade helps lower your body temperature and reduces the risk of heat-related illnesses. Even carrying an umbrella on a sunny day can help beat the heat.
4. Take it Easy Outdoors – During peak heat hours, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., try to avoid strenuous outdoor activities. If you need to exercise or work outside, do so during the cooler morning or evening hours when the sun is less harsh than mid-day.
5. Cool Down Effectively – Use cooling methods like cool showers, damp towels, or fans to lower your body temperature. If you can’t cool down in an air-conditioned area, at least ensure you have a well-ventilated space to prevent overheating.
6. Eat Healthy – Boost your brain’s function by eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins, like the foods found in the MIND diet.
   Foods rich in nutrients support brain health and may even prevent age-related cognitive decline.
7. Brain Exercise – Stimulate your brain regularly with puzzles, games, or activities that require critical thinking and problem-solving. It’s important to keep your mind active to maintain cognitive function, especially during extreme heat.
8. Be Prepared – Prepare for upcoming heat waves by keeping an eye on weather forecasts and heat advisories. You should take precautions and protect your brain health in extreme temperatures by planning ahead.
9. Screen Time – Too much exposure to electronic devices like smartphones and computers isn’t good during extreme heat. Mental fatigue from excessive screen time may be exacerbated by heat and the effects of excessive screen time on your body.
10. Sleep Well – Healthy brains require restful sleep. Create a cool and comfortable sleeping environment to ensure you get enough quality sleep during hot nights (and during the days if you are a napper).

Rising Temperatures and Brain Health

While everyone is aware of the potential consequences of rising temperatures on our ecosystem, many of us don’t recognize the impact extreme heat can have on our brain health. Understanding the risks associated with extreme heat and climate change is not only vital for preserving our planet but also for safeguarding our own overall health, including our brain health.

Aviv’s unique medical program combines hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) with cognitive training, fitness training, and nutrition coaching to help improve the quality of life for people interested in healthy aging and those wanting to keep their brains sharp for as long as possible. 

Contact Aviv Clinic to learn more about the Aviv Medical Program and how it can help improve your cognitive and physical performance.

Senior Moments: How to Counteract Age-Related Cognitive Decline

No matter our age, we’ve all had them. Many of us even good-naturedly rib each other about occasional lapses in memory or focus. 

Next Saturday, July 22, is World Brain Day, established to promote the importance of brain health.

Our brains are exceptionally complex and manage everything we experience in life: our actions and reactions, senses, emotions, and how we process the world around us.

Over our lifetimes, our brains change more than any other organ in our body. As we reach our golden years, however, our brains change rapidly and many of us notice negative changes in cognitive skills like memory, attention, and our ability to learn.

Why do these changes occur?

Many factors contribute to brain health, but there are three significant factors I’d like to discuss that can lead to those annoying “senior moments.”

First, our brains begin shrinking long before we reach senior status. Brain volume begins decreasing in our 40s, primarily in the frontal lobe and hippocampus. These areas of our brain are essential for our memories, as well as attention, learning, problem-solving, and even our personalities.

Second, as we age, our bodies become less efficient at dispersing oxygen. While our brains may only account for about 2% of our total body mass, they need about 20% of the oxygen-rich blood pumping through us. As we grow older, our blood vessels can narrow, weaken, or become blocked, limiting blood and oxygen flow and hindering our brain cells’ ability to function.

Finally, the white matter in our brains deteriorates over time. These bundles of nerve fibers pass impulses and information between the different areas of our brains. White matter atrophy slows these lines of communication, impacting how quickly we process information.

Can changes to the brain be stopped?

Some brain atrophy is inevitable. Fortunately, there are many ways to slow the progression of these changes and improve our brain health, no matter our age.

First, take measures to control chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which all have been linked to cognitive decline. Taking medications as directed, reducing alcohol intake, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly will both manage these conditions and improve your brain health. And of course, if you smoke, quit now.

Speaking of diet and exercise, both have significant impacts on brain function. The MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay) is designed to defer the onset of cognitive decline. This diet is high in omega-3 fatty acids to strengthen brain cell structure, flavonoids for improving blood flow, and antioxidants to reduce the buildup of plaques. Brain foods on this plan also include berries, nuts, olive oil, whole grains and beans.

You might think that exercise is only beneficial for our muscles, bones, and heart, but it’s also essential for brain health.

Cardiovascular exercise gets our blood pumping, feeding our brains with oxygen-rich blood.

Weight and resistance training has been found to prevent hippocampus shrinkage, improving memory and executive function. Both should be part of your exercise routine at least three days a week.

Staying mentally and socially active can also slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline. Learning new skills, playing games like crosswords or sudoku, and spending time with others all help keep our brains active and alert.

Finally, oxygen and blood flow can also be improved through interventions like the Aviv Medical Program, a holistic treatment program that includes nutrition coaching, cognitive exercises, physical training, and a unique hyperbaric oxygen protocol designed for optimizing brain performance.

At Aviv Clinics at the Center for Advanced Healthcare at Brownwood, we specialize in treating age-related conditions. To discover more tips from our clinical team, we invite you to visit one of our event – click here for the full list of events.  Or you can contact the clinic and schedule a consultation with one of our physicians.

One of the healthiest agers I know is Dr. Joseph Maroon. At 83 years young, Dr. Maroon is team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers and vice chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He’s also an eight-time Ironman triathlon finisher and an Aviv Clinics alumnus. 

Watch Dr. Maroon’s story:

 

 

How the Link Between Exercise and Brain Health Can Boost Cognitive Function

The science is pretty clear: exercising and maintaining good health are some of the best things you can do to keep the body at peak performance. But there are more than a few options out there when it comes to exercising. 

Exercise and brain health are closely linked. Researchers have found that regular physical activity can “delay the effects of both physiological aging and pathological neurodegeneration on brain health.” 

To take advantage of the interplay between brain health and exercise, it’s important to understand how exercise is good for the brain—and why. Are some forms of exercise better than others when it comes to the brain? Are there right—or wrong—ways to exercise when maximizing brain power? And how does exercise affect the aging brain? 

The answers to these questions can help unlock the power of exercise for brain health.

How Cognitive Abilities Change with Age

As we age, a slight level of cognitive decline is inevitable due to the normal aging process. Issues with memory and slower thinking are to be expected. But older adults are also increasingly at risk for mild cognitive impairment, including “conceptual reasoning, memory, and processing speed,” as well as dementia, which includes conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. 

While some of the risk factors for these conditions are out of your control, such as age, genetics, and family history, your overall health plays a role, too. In the event of an unexpected incident, such as a stroke, your general health and wellness become focal points for your recovery.

The more proactive you are with your health, no matter your risk factors or circumstances, the greater your investment in your long-term health potential. Basically, staying healthy and active can help protect your brain.

How Is Exercise Good for the Brain as We Age?

Healthy habits, including a nourishing diet and regular physical activity, are critical players in the healthy aging process. Emerging research discovered that exercise is linked to “improved cognitive performance in older adults with and without cognitive impairment.”

These results are promising for anyone concerned about maintaining cognitive and brain health as they age, especially considering the aforementioned risk factors beyond their control. This occurs primarily because exercise impacts the brain on both a short- and long-term basis—with measurable benefits occurring in both instances. 

How Are Exercise and Brain Health Linked?

Anytime you exercise, you’re pumping more blood to your brain tissues. Increased blood flow means more oxygen and other nutrients vital for the brain’s functioning. 

In response, the brain also cranks out some helpful molecules, many of which “improve cognitive processes and memory.”

Here are just a few benefits of exercise for the brain:

• Neurotransmitters (NTs) like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are released, improving mood, motivation, focus, attention, and learning.
• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) helps your brain repair and rebuild, creating new neurons and connections.
• Hormones work with BDNF and can boost your mood and mental clarity.
• Endorphins and other molecules are released, helping relieve pain.
• Increased blood flow delivers nutrients and carries away waste products.
• The hippocampus increases in volume.

Two areas of the brain are particularly important when it comes to cognitive decline: the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). These areas are the most susceptible to cognitive degeneration or impairment.

1. Hippocampus

The hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning, is affected by exercise in a few ways. Studies show that with aerobic exercise, brain matter shows “an increase in volume of the left and right hippocampus,” an area that often declines in volume as we age. The hippocampal decline also occurs significantly with Alzheimer’s disease, which can be “reduced by 25%” for those with the condition. The hippocampus is also where much neurogenesis (creating new brain cells) occurs—at least if you exercise enough!

2. Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

The other area benefiting directly from exercise is the prefrontal cortex or PFC—the brain’s “CEO,” responsible for most of our executive functions, including decision-making, attention, problem-solving, and goal-setting. Studies show that older adults, in particular, can benefit from exercise due to increased “executive functions mediated by the PFC.”

A Holistic Approach to Exercise and Brain Health

Exercise benefits brain health significantly because it involves so many bodily processes simultaneously.

Exercise, for both your body and mind, is a powerful practice that can help build confidence, aid in recovery, and even help to stimulate processes “related to cell survival and neuroplasticity” (the brain’s ability to change and adapt). 

Aviv Clinics clients receiving the innovative Aviv Medical Program optimize their brain health. Their personalized treatment plan can combine cognitive exercises and physical training, nutritional coaching, and Aviv’s unique research-backed  hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol. As part of the program, clients perform dual-task exercises on the cutting-edge h/p/cosmos medical treadmill at the clinic. The combination of physical and cognitive effort maximizes the benefits of the treatment protocol which include: improved memory, attention, focus, information processing and mental clarity.

 

Lifestyle Matters

Our brains haven’t changed much in the last 50,000 years or so, but our lifestyle certainly has.

In the days of our nomadic, hunter-gatherer ancestors, life was a little more physically demanding—our bodies are designed to move and be active. Sitting, it seems, could be making us sick.

According to LifeSpan Fitness, the average American these days sits for “11 hours a day,” and an estimated 20% of all deaths over age 35 can be attributed to a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of exercise, poor diet, and use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs are often a starting point. Falling into this sedentary lifestyle can quickly lead to a downward spiral.

What’s the Best Kind of Exercise?

Rest assured, as long as you’re moving your body regularly, you’ll likely see benefits. While all types of exercise have advantages, most studies favor those that elevate your heart rate and maintain it for a time. 

Getting oxygen-rich blood pumping to the brain seems to be the best way to reap the benefits of exercise. Therefore, aerobic exercise (or cardio) and weight training are excellent starting places. 

Moderate Intensity

The “prescription” for most older adults is to aim to exercise at a moderate intensity for 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times per week. An easy way to keep track of your progress is with a fitness tracker. Find out if a fitness tracker is right for you.

You can measure moderate intensity by keeping your heart going at the optimal rate, in this case, 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. To determine your max heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, a 70-year-old woman’s maximum heart rate would be 150. That means that to exercise at the right intensity, she should maintain a heart rate between 105-120.

You should warm up and cool down for aerobic exercise but don’t count that as part of your total. The 30-45 minutes (as prescribed) should all be while your heart rate is at the target rate.

Strength Training

Strength training can also be incredibly beneficial. Sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass as you get older, and osteoporosis, a reduction in bone mass over time, are increasingly common in older adults. Muscle-building exercises can help you retain this muscle mass and build strength in both areas of the body. 

To get started, stick to a simple program that activates as many muscle groups as possible throughout the week. With strength training, it’s important to choose activities that are not too easy nor too complex and to give yourself at least one day of rest between sessions. 

Avoid injuries by focusing on excellent form, whether lifting weights or performing body weight exercises. Always give yourself time to warm up your muscles with five to ten minutes of heart-pumping cardio or warm up sets before diving into any challenging reps or sets.

6 Tips for Getting Started

If you’re like many (if not most) adults, you might be leaning more toward the sedentary end of the activity scale as you grow older. The exercise prescription above is an ideal goal, and it’s used primarily because that’s what they did in studies showing the best outcomes for cognitive health. 

However, other studies showed that lower-intensity activities like walking “roughly 6-9 miles per week” and yoga could be beneficial, too.

Even if you’re aiming for that peak exercise intensity, there are many ways to make exercising for brain health fun, easier, and less stressful.

1. Find Movement That You Love

Exercise is about movement, so find a way to move your body that you enjoy. If that’s running laps, great. If you love to dance, then dance! And there are always sports and leisure activities—gardening, golfing, and bowling are excellent ways to move. Even window shopping or hula hooping can count as exercise. Need more ideas? Try any of these non-boring exercises!

Finding enjoyable movement can also help change your perspective and shift away from goals like weight loss that may feel like a chore. Focus on how exercise makes you feel and the enjoyment you get from moving.

2. Slowly Build Stamina

If you’re already pretty active, or you’ve exercised a lot in the past, it will probably be easier for you to start. If you’re not as active as you could be, that’s okay, too. It’s never too late to begin a new exercise practice. Start small and build from there.

You’re more likely to stick with it if you’re realistic about your goals and abilities.

3. Examine Barriers to Habit

Building any habit takes time and planning. Give yourself the best chance at success by looking at exercise through a positive lens. For example:

• If it’s challenging to find time in your schedule, start with shorter movement durations whenever you can. 
• If you dislike the gym, identify ways to stay active by doing things you enjoy, whether being outside, working out with friends, participating in low-impact activities, or exercising right at home.

The best plan accounts for daily routine hiccups that could potentially throw your goals off course. By remaining connected to the positive benefits you get right after you engage in physical activity, such as an improved mood, a sense of accomplishment, or a boost of energy, it’s easier to stay on track even when life gets chaotic. 

Remember that every day is a new day, and you can always switch things up or make adjustments as you go without throwing in the towel altogether. Slow and steady progress is more sustainable. 

4. Work with Your Schedule

Depending on your exercise goals and your current level of physical activity, it’s a good idea to examine how you can build exercise into your routine naturally. From there, you can make goals to build around the momentum you’ve gained with every small step. 

When you start to make goals, the SMART goal-setting method can make it easy to visualize where you’d like to go with your exercise routine.

SMART goals are:

• Specific: Break down precisely what you want to achieve. Rather than make a goal to simply walk more, aim for a specific number of steps or a weekly distance threshold you wish to reach.
• Measurable: Find a way to track your goal with metrics. You might use a pedometer to count your steps or a designated app to count the miles you’ve walked.
• Attainable: It’s enticing to think big. Still, you’re more likely to stick to a movement goal if it feels like an achievable first step. Your plan should push your limits just enough to be effective but not too challenging that you feel discouraged. 
• Relevant: Consider the benefits you’d like to gain from your goal. If building muscle is your intention, physical activity focusing on endurance training rather than strength training may make progress slower than if you focus on muscle-building exercises. 
• Time-bound: Without putting unreasonable pressure on your results, choose a time frame within which you would like to achieve your goal. This can be a particular date or a certain duration. Scheduling can help you take actionable steps every day. 

5. Add It Up

Ultimately, it’s about moving more and being more active. There are many ways to sneak in more exercise and break up the sedentary periods. For example, if you sit a lot, you can try setting a timer to get up and walk around every hour. Or start counting your steps and aim to increase them daily.

Many traditional ways to get more activity are still great, like taking the stairs, parking farther away, playing with kids, or doing housework and cleaning. Make it a goal to find a new way to squeeze in some daily activity.

6. Results Take Time—Be Patient

So how long does it take before exercising starts to pay off? While you may feel many exercise benefits immediately afterward, like improvements in mood and energy, lasting results will take longer. Plan on giving it at least six months to assess your brain’s progress.

Regarding cognitive abilities, measuring and assessing can be challenging. You may not notice a substantial increase in cognitive ability. As some cognitive decline will occur due to normal aging, it’s often about slowing it down rather than a full reversal. It’s also common for family and friends to notice a change before you do.

The Bottom Line on Exercise and Brain Health

Find movement that you enjoy, and you’ll have a much easier time making time to exercise. No matter what shape you’re in or what activities you enjoy, you can find a way to optimize both your physical and cognitive health.

Aviv Clinics delivers a highly effective, science-based treatment program to enhance brain performance and improve the cognitive and physical symptoms of conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, fibromyalgia, Lyme, and dementia. Our intensive protocol uses Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, physical training, and nutrition management for better brain health. The medical program closely tracks clients’ progress before, during, and after the treatment protocol, using customized tablets and other technology. Based on over a decade of research and development, the Aviv Medical Program is holistic and customized to your needs.

 

15 Healthy Ways to Handle Stress

Stressed about stress? It may be affecting your brain.

Avoiding stress feels impossible. Humans will inevitably face challenges.

From pandemics to parenting, life has real hurdles to deal with that aren’t going away anytime soon. The good news is that managing stress has less to do with avoiding the things that are stressing us out and a lot more to do with how we deal with it.

When we have healthy ways to handle stress, life’s unavoidable stressors may feel less challenging.

What Is Stress?

Stress is our body’s automatic response to what it perceives as a threat. When we encounter potential stressors, the body releases a hormone called cortisol that quickly travels throughout the body and prepares us to fight, flee, or freeze in the face of whatever stressor is threatening us.

Generally, that’s a very good thing. The system evolved over tens of thousands of years to protect you from threats and keep you alive, whether you’re being chased by a sabertooth tiger, running away from an avalanche, or about to be clubbed on the head by an enemy.

The only problem? While humans have made huge advancements in society and technology in the last 40 or 50 thousand years, that’s just a blink of the eye in terms of our biology. Our brains are operating on outdated software that doesn’t understand how threats to our survival have changed. An argument with a spouse or a looming work deadline isn’t actually going to threaten our survival, but our instinctual brains don’t know that.

Sometimes we need to engage the higher parts of our brain to understand that making a difficult phone call won’t kill us. It only feels that way, and it’s okay to shut down the alert system. The problems start when we’re not able to turn off our internal alarms.

How Does Stress Affect the Body?

Stress can have both immediate and long-term effects on the body. In the short term, you may experience signs like shortness of breath, insomnia, digestive issues, brain fog, and more. There are many ways stress can affect the body in the short term.

How Does Stress Affect the Brain?

As the cortisol hormone surges throughout the body, it affects many different areas. Most of the cells in our body have cortisol receptors, but the brain is particularly packed with them. Stress primarily affects three key areas of the brain:

• The amygdala: controls your fear response and could make you feel constantly on edge
• The hippocampus: affects memory and learning, potentially clouding your thinking
• The prefrontal cortex: the command center of the brain, used for problem-solving and regulating emotions

The effects of stress are so pronounced that they can be seen in brain scans. As your brain responds to stress signals, elevated cortisol levels can impact your cognition. This may make it more challenging to determine how to handle stress and cope with everyday situations.

What’s Going on During a Stress Response?

Once your body turns on the cortisol, several systems essentially go into “emergency mode.” Let’s say you’re hiking, and out pops a big bear. Immediately, cortisol floods the body, reallocating resources as needed to prepare you to fight, flee, or freeze. Utilizing your nervous system, cardiovascular system, metabolism, and more, cortisol helps to supply oxygen and nutrients to areas in need, suppresses the immune system, and modulates things like appetite and satiety, attention, mood, arousal, and vigilance.

However, cortisol conveniently works as a negative feedback loop, meaning that it effectively shuts itself off when levels reach a certain point. Under ideal circumstances, your physical response to stress should reduce or stop once the threat or stressor is removed.

This means that the physiological systems in the body that work together to respond to stress have two jobs:

• to prepare the body to meet the stressor
• to return to normal conditions when the threat is gone.

If it fails to do either of those correctly, the body can be subjected to excessive stress that could have long-term effects on the brain and body.

A landmark study in the 1990s by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was done to look at the long-term health effects of adverse childhood events (ACEs). Examples of ACEs were experiencing or witnessing abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, having a loved one die by suicide, or having family members with mental health or substance abuse problems.

The study found that the number of ACEs one accumulated throughout early life directly corresponded to risk factors for a number of what are now typically referred to as stress-related diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, and depression.

Stress Can Be Good

Stress in itself isn’t inherently bad. It mostly represents a heightened state of alertness brought on by the response to stimuli, which can be negative or positive. Stress is “your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action.”

Test anxiety, for example, can improve performance in the right “dose.” If one has so much anxiety that they’re vomiting on their test, their performance will suffer. On the other hand, someone with zero stress about the test may neglect to study at all. But just the right amount of anxiety can prompt us to act.

In this way, stress can motivate us to do something about a situation we want to change.

Change, as it happens, is one of the biggest causes of stress that often goes overlooked, especially when it’s a positive change.

Imagine you just got a big promotion at work—you landed your dream job, which means a move to another state. Your long-term partner decides to go with you and thinks you should get married, so you start looking for houses. Life couldn’t be better, right? So why are you suddenly getting panic attacks?

Any significant change to your routine is inherently stressful, even if it’s exciting. New jobs, big moves, and major life events like weddings and babies may be full of joy, but they still put stress on the body. That means that managing stress means managing all of its forms.

How Can You Treat Stress?

Stress itself may not cause as many health issues as previously thought. Instead, how you react to stress may have a significant impact. While some responses are considered adaptive and have positive outcomes, sometimes we may think we’re handling stress well when it only seems that way. 

According to this paper on stress, “what we consider to be an adaptive short-term response may subsequently provoke long-term pathophysiological consequences.”

We all respond to stress in different ways and have varying tolerance levels for stress. The same stimulus can provoke various reactions–what angers some people may cause sadness in others; a stressor that provokes despair from one may inspire perseverance and courage in others.

When it comes to stressful events, how you choose to think about them can impact your health. If you see a potentially stressful event as a negative situation with no possible positive outcome, you may suffer more adverse health effects than if you view the situation as a challenge or opportunity to learn and grow. Thought really can affect your health.

In a study done by Harvard and UCSF, researchers sought to prove the idea of “mind over matter”; that reframing how one thinks about a situation can actually change one’s physiological response to stress.

In this experiment, three groups were exposed to a stressful situation and monitored before and after to judge how well they responded physically to the stress. Before the task, each group was prepared according to the experimental condition:

• One group read information explaining that stress is a natural, adaptive, and harmless response to potential threats and that stress can actually improve performance or response to the stress. It was emphasized that while stress was “functional and adaptive,” it was still stress.
• Another group read information stating the benefits of ignoring or distracting oneself from a stressful situation, effectively instructing them to suppress the anxiety.
• A third control group was given no instruction. 

Not surprisingly, the first group showed better outcomes in terms of cardiac and vascular function.

A massive related study of almost 30,000 people confirms this data.

Your perception of how stress affects you can affect your health. 

The best health outcomes were observed in those people who did encounter stress but did not consider stress to be harmful. The outcomes were even better for people with no stress at all. Conversely, those who encountered stress and did worry about stress affecting their health showed a 43% increased risk of premature death.

Preventing and Managing Stress

Although we can’t avoid many of the slings and arrows life hurls at us, we can cultivate the conditions that help us mitigate stressful situations. One of the best and still often overlooked strategies is maintaining good self-care. If we’re optimized physically, mentally, and emotionally, we put ourselves on a much better footing for dealing with challenges.

Self-care and stress have an interesting dynamic. Isn’t it strange that when we are under stress and need self-care the most, it seems to become the lowest priority? Imagine you have a ton of work to do, all before the weekend, and I suggest that getting more sleep could help you be productive. “Get more sleep? I can’t do that! Look at all the things I have to do!”

Real self-care is not wine and Netflix binges (even if they are fun in the short term). Proper self-care means actively doing what you need to do to maintain a happy, healthy life: watching your diet (because the gut and brain are closely linked), getting enough physical activity, and simply paying your bills on time. It’s all of the less-than-fun responsibilities that come along with being a functional adult.

So how do you manage to do all those self-care life chores without sacrificing productivity or recreation? It’s all about balance.

Try this counterintuitive trick to combat stress and too-much-to-do syndrome:

Slow…down…everything…that…you…do.

Take a day or even a few hours and commit to doing everything slower by 20%. Work 20% slower. Walk 20% slower. Read 20% slower. Talk slower, breathe slower, think slower. Meditation is a great way to slow down and focus your mind also.

You’ll likely end up accomplishing more and enjoying yourself more in the process.

 

15 Ways You Can Combat Stress

Ward off the physical and psychological impact of stressful situations by incorporating these 15 healthy ways to handle stress.

Mind-Body Techniques

1. Meditation – A 2020 study on the impact of meditation on anxiety and stress demonstrated that even “five to twelve minutes of daily mindfulness meditation is associated with decreased stress.” Guided meditations are available on various apps, podcasts, and mindfulness websites to help you get started.
2. Yoga – Yoga has been proven to have “a moderating effect on the nervous system, the hormonal emissions, physiological factors, and regulation of nerve impulses,” which can reduce stress and anxiety. A consistent Hatha yoga practice, in particular, effectively reduces stress.
3. Deep breathing – According to Harvard Health, taking focused, mindful breaths “encourages full oxygen exchange,” which can promote calm, relaxed feelings in your mind and body. Concentrated breathing for at least ten minutes daily can help you to detach from stressful thoughts and sensations.
4. Progressive muscle relaxation – Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) involves activating and then relaxing your muscles individually. The goal is to mindfully release any physical tension that may interfere with feelings of well-being. Find a quiet place, start with your toes, and work up your body to find relaxation.

Exercise

1. Cardiovascular exercise – Participants in a study on the relationship between heart-pumping exercise and the stress response showed “significantly reduced stress reactivity” after 12 weeks of endurance training. Increase your heart rate through swimming, running, cardio classes, or cycling.
2. Strength training – Research has shown a positive correlation between resistance training and “improvements in mental health, including increased cognition, mood, and general quality of life.” This is because repeated muscle activity releases feel-good endorphins that help boost feelings of well-being and reduce the sensations of stress.
3. Outdoor activities – According to Stress Reduction Theory, exposure to nature can help you recover from physiological stress and mental fatigue. Breaking a sweat while outside can help enhance feelings of well-being with the natural mood-boosting hormones that come with physical activity.
4. Mind-body exercises – Mind-body exercises, like Tai Chi, combine mental focus with physical activity. This combination can make a significant difference in the way you experience stressful feelings. Other mind-body activities include stretching, qigong, Pilates, and even hobbies with light physical movement, like gardening.

Lifestyle Changes

1. Healthy eating habits – In times of stress, many people turn to food as a coping mechanism. Rather than overindulge in unhealthy foods, practice healthy eating habits. Plan to eat three healthy meals daily and stick to nourishing foods unlikely to exacerbate feelings of sluggishness, irritability, or anxiety.
2. Adequate sleep – Sleep and stress often exist in a feedback loop, where stress-related insomnia can become a chronic problem that perpetuates problems with each. Poor sleep habits are “associated with higher blood pressure and cortisol level during psychosocial stress.” Implement excellent sleep hygiene habits and aim to get at least seven hours of sleep per night to support your system.
3. Time management – A balanced schedule is crucial to help relieve the mental load that contributes to feelings of stress. Think about how to handle stress daily. Try careful pre-planning and time management with each of your work, home, and social activities. Divide your schedule as evenly as possible between the tasks that matter most to you, always leaving time for leisure in your agenda as well.
4. Social support – When stress starts to feel overwhelming, it can be hard to ask for help. In this case, a strong support network is essential. Look for ways to find support for everyday stressors weighing on you, such as support groups or mental health programs.

Professional Help

1. Therapy – Friends and family can be excellent sources of support. Still, sometimes it’s helpful to find a neutral third-party trained in therapeutic stress management. These professionals can create an understanding, unbiased environment to help you vent stressful feelings and practice healthy ways to handle stress by learning new coping skills.
2. Counseling – Specialized stress-focused counseling can help you address the connection between your stress response and your thoughts and behaviors. Counseling can be done individually, but you can also find couples and family counselors for group support.
3. Medication – There’s no medication for stress, but there are medications that can help to manage the signs and symptoms of chronic stress and anxiety. Talk to your doctor if the stress has become challenging to manage on your own to see if medication is right for you.

The Bottom Line

The way we deal with stress matters. Stressing about stress becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; the more you worry about stress affecting your health, the more it can affect your health. Seeing stress for what it really is—an adaptive response that evolved to protect you from threats to your well-being—and practicing proper self-care can ultimately lead to better long-term health.

The Aviv Medical Program takes a holistic approach that can combine hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cognitive exercises, physical training, and nutrition coaching, to achieve optimal results. Based on over a decade of research and development, the intensive treatment protocol is customized to your needs. The Aviv Clinics in central Florida is the only center in the United States to offer this program.

 

Cognitive and Physical Decline Don’t Have to Be an Inevitability of Aging

The aging process can be overwhelming for many of us, and it’s normal to feel a little down when we think about all the changes that come with it. However, it’s important to retain perspective and keep in mind that aging is a natural part of life and not something to feel sad about. 

In recent years, remarkable advances in age-related technologies have made it possible to improve physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being as we age. The fact that the number of older adults is expected to double to 1.6 billion within 30 years is encouraging news, especially for seniors, according to a report by the McKinsey Health Institute. However, even though life expectancy has increased massively since the 1960s, the McKinsey report highlights that many people will spend many of those extra years in a state of relatively poor health. 

Thankfully, advancements in medicine are helping to redefine both lifespan and healthspan.

Healthspan is the number of years that we live an active, healthy, illness-free life. This is the thing that most of us are concerned with as we strive to live our lives fully and with as few health issues as possible. 

Remember, aging is a natural part of life, but by adopting positive habits and healthy daily routines, we can all enjoy a high quality of life, even as we enter those senior years. Taking care of ourselves, sleeping right, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly are all key when it comes to enhancing healthspan and delaying cognitive decline.

Elevate Body & Mind: 8 Simple Ways How to Improve Brain Function

1. Eat right

Making smart food choices by incorporating a variety of nutritious foods is foundational to healthy aging. A diet high in fiber and low in saturated fat that incorporates fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish will help provide the nutrition needed to lower the risk of developing age-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. To get enough protein throughout the day and maintain muscle, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) recommends adding seafood, dairy, or fortified soy products along with beans, peas, and lentils to meals.

The NIA also advises seniors to drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stay hydrated and aid in the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. 

2. Get moving

Physical activity is important for keeping muscles, bones and joints healthy and increasing flexibility.

As we age, we lose muscle mass. According to the NIA’s Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), muscle mass and strength typically increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. The BLSA found that after that, “muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.”

Regular exercise can help older adults increase muscle strength, maintain a healthy weight and improve mobility and balance which can help avoid chronic health problems and reduce the risk of falls. The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older do at least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running. At least two days a week of activities that strengthen muscles, working all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) is also recommended. Good forms of muscle strengthening exercises for seniors include water aerobics, resistance band workouts and body weight workouts. 

3. Manage stress

Managing your stress levels is also critical to healthy aging. That’s because high levels of stress releases hormones like cortisol, which can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, as well as induce sleep problems and memory and concentration impairment.

Adopting stress-reducing habits such as reading a book, doing yoga or tai-chi or mindful meditation can mitigate stress and promote healthy relaxation.

4. Get good sleep

Good sleep is vital for helping adults live longer and stay healthy. Some of the impacts of poor sleep include a decrease in attention and concentration and lack of energy. Research also found that poor sleep is associated with greater Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in cognitively healthy adults at risk for the disease. 

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that people 65 years and older get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Older adults can get better sleep by avoiding large meals before bed, having a sleep routine (going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning), keeping the bedroom dark (turning off the TV and all electronic devices), and practicing a relaxing pre-sleep routine.

Getting sufficient sleep helps the brain, and body recover from the day’s exertions and reduces the risk of developing disorders and diseases such as obesity, dementia, heart disease, and stroke.

5. Invest in Social Engagement

Social interaction has been proven time and again to have a significant influence on physical and cognitive health, particularly in older adults. Numerous studies have shown that there are many ways in which being socially active improves and, in some cases, reverses physical and cognitive decline. Having a good social life means keeping the brain sharp and active, also aiding in concentration, focus, and memory recall.

Social interaction is physically influential as it reduces stress, alleviates loneliness, and promotes healthy habits that are good for the future, especially in health agers. However, social interaction is much more than keeping good habits and meeting friends. Having the right social schedule often leads to more regular exercise, support for medical appointments, and more. 

Cognitively speaking, active social lives offer much-needed mental stimulation, which can, in many cases, result in new neural connections being built. Regular conversations about various topics are vital to keeping the aging mind sharp and performing optimally. Healthy social interaction is also vital to hinder or reverse depression and anxiety. People who are lonely and perhaps don’t have enough family support benefit greatly from meeting friends regularly, helping to keep body and minds in check.

 

6. Keep the mind active

Just as physical exercise is important as we age, so too is keeping the mind active. In fact, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that the benefits of cognitive training for older adults can last as long as 10 years. The training, aimed at boosting older adults’ skills in memory, reasoning and speed of processing, slowed their cognitive decline and helped study participants maintain functioning in daily living tasks for over a decade.

There are many activities that can help keep the mind sharp including reading, playing cards, doing crosswords puzzles, and playing Sudoku and chess. These brain games provide the benefit of stimulating different cognitive functions, such as executive function and information processing speed.

7. Embrace technology and stay connected

Technological advances are transforming the way people age, and can help prevent or even delay cognitive and physical decline. Such innovations are helping aging communities to stay connected and enjoy life fully, even in their golden years. Technological innovations like telemedicine, cognitive and exercise training apps have the potential to transform the aging process and enhance quality of life significantly. 

Telemedicine and remote monitoring uses modern telecommunications technologies to support the delivery of all kinds of medical, diagnostic, and treatment-related services. It gives older individuals more options to manage complex conditions, access care when they need it, and reduce the burden on their caregivers.

Cognitive Training Apps are highly convenient as people can access them from their computer, tablet or mobile phones, and results or updates can be shared instantly with healthcare professionals. Programs can be tweaked and amended to meet the ongoing needs of the individual, offering maximum flexibility and immediate optimization.

Read more about brain games and how they can improve cognitive performance. or enhance your reading with examples of helpful devices and apps for stroke patients.

8. Treating aging as a reversible disease

For years, there has been a misconception that declining mental and physical performance are a normal part of the aging process. Aviv Clinics holistic mind-body medical program is blowing that myth out of the water. 

A new approach to reversing the aging process, the Aviv Medical Program with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) at its core, treats aging as a disease to help people live healthier, happier and more productive lives for more years.

Aviv’s comprehensive medical program is an immersive and highly personalized program that can combine HBOT sessions, cognitive and physical training, and nutritional and lifestyle coaching to leverage the body’s regenerative abilities. In-depth assessments, analytics and a full physiologic evaluation result in a comprehensive plan that is customized to each person’s health improvement goals. 

As we age, our bodies become less efficient in being able to channel oxygen to generate the necessary energy to recover from injury and illness. Boosting the body’s oxygen concentration levels helps improve performance, memory, attention span, focus and other brain-related executive functions, as well as regenerating body tissue, helping healthy aging adults live their best life at any age.

Comedian George Burns once said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” Advances in medical science, including hyperbaric medicine, have made that statement truer than ever. At Aviv, we treat aging as a reversible condition, not an inevitability.

Contact us today to find out more about how our multidisciplinary treatment program can help you turn back the clock and get the most out of your golden years. 

Healthy Aging with Aviv Clinics, watch Dr. Mo on Bloom:

Signs and Symptoms of Cognitive Decline

The term “cognitive decline” encompasses a wide spectrum of neurological statuses.

For example, on one end lives mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that can become more commonplace as we age. Individuals living with this early stage of memory or cognitive ability loss may experience an increased risk of developing a more severe condition—such as the many forms of dementia. But others who express symptoms of MCI may never decline further. Some even see improvements in their cognitive health.

What are the Indications of MCI?

Symptoms of MCI often include:

1. 1. Increased forgetfulness. You may take longer to recall someone’s name, miss an important date such as a close friend’s birthday, or blank on a scheduled appointment.
   2. Interrupted train of thought. This often occurs during conversations or when engaging with entertainment (movies, television, books). You may find yourself rereading the same paragraph two, three, or more times.
   3. Decision-making stress. Becoming overwhelmed at the thought of making a decision, whether major or insignificant in nature, can be an indication of MCI.
   4. Confusion in the day-to-day. Many people with MCI start to feel uncertain about “next steps” or understanding instructions.
   5. Trouble navigating familiar environments. Getting lost on a familiar or frequently traveled route might indicate MCI is present.
   6. Impulsivity. Acting without thinking things through or expressing poor judgment in certain situations may also be a sign of MCI
   7. Mental health challenges. Individuals with MCI may present with depression, anxiety, apathy, irritability, or aggression.

A Word About Subjective Cognitive Decline

A person’s family members or friends might be the first to pick up on these symptoms, but in many cases individuals themselves recognize something isn’t quite right with their cognitive capacity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines subjective cognitive decline as self-reported confusion or memory issues that have been occurring more frequently or getting worse over the span of a year.

The CDC also notes:

• • Overall, the prevalence of Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) is 11.1% among Americans (1 in 9 individuals).
  • Prevalence is lower among individuals with more years of formal education.
  • Nearly 30% of adults with SCD live alone.
  • More than two-thirds (66.2%) of adults with SCD have two or more chronic diseases.
  • 6% of adults with SCD experienced functional difficulties while performing day-to-day activities or chores.

Given this data, the CDC states SCD is a “growing public health issue.”

Signs and Symptoms of More Severe Cognitive Decline

While MCI may stabilize or improve with intervention, symptoms of MCI could also be the beginning of more severe cognitive decline to come. Many signs of worsening cognitive decline mimic those of MCI—just at more intense levels.

• • Confusion becomes much more pronounced. Some people begin to lose track of time or are unsure what day/date it is.
  • Making decisions becomes even more difficult, which can lead to frustration and anger towards others.
  • Memory loss deepens, with many more instances of forgetting names, dates, places, and events.
  • Individuals may be found wandering for unknown reasons, or placing items in odd locations (e.g. car keys in the freezer).
  • People tend to have trouble conversing, possibly due to diminished concentration and train of thought.

 

These factors may contribute to increased social withdrawal. Many people with cognitive decline or dementia understand they’re developing characteristics they may be embarrassed about, or that others find undesirable, and withdraw from others as a result. In other instances, depression or anxiety may keep them from interacting with others like they used to.

Unfortunately, social isolation leads to an entirely new set of concerns. Isolated individuals are more at risk for poor health outcomes, self-neglect, and fall-related injuries.

Lesser-Known Signs of Cognitive Decline

When thinking about cognitive decline and dementia, people are often aware of the above symptoms (memory, confusion, etc.). But some lesser-known signs of cognitive decline include:

• • Changes in sense of smell. A study published in the journal Neurology found that people who could no longer tell the difference between two very opposite odors (e.g. lemons and gasoline) may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Trouble with the law. If dementia is impacting areas of the brain that control judgment, self-control, violence, and sexual behavior, individuals may find themselves in criminal situations, such as theft, trespassing, or even assault.
  • Altered sleep patterns. Many people with dementia develop sleep issues such as insomnia, hypersomnia (sleeping too much), or sleeping during the day. This may be due to changes in the body’s circadian rhythm.
  • Changes in walking. Slower walking or changes in stride length/gait might indicate dementia-related shifts in the brain.

Your Cognitive Health Matters: Stay Proactive with Aviv Clinics

Every decision we make each day impacts our cognitive well-being, and staying proactive is one of those decisions.

If you want to be proactive, you can restore cognitive function with the Aviv Medical Program, which is founded on decades of research that enhances performance and brings relief to our clients.

With our unique protocol and cognitive training, the Aviv Medical Program targets the main cognitive domains known to decline during aging, including:

• Memory
• Attention
• Speed of information processing
• Multitasking
• Executive skills

We assess your cognition at the beginning of the program and again at the end to accurately measure your improvements.

Start today with Aviv Clinics.

Using HBOT to Address TBI and Concussion

Head injuries are much more common than one might think. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an estimated 1.7 million Americans sustain a TBI each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there were over 64,000 TBI-related deaths in 2020, which equates to more than 175 brain injury-related deaths every day.

Those most affected include adolescents aged 15-19 and adults older than 65. Among seniors, falls are the most common cause of TBIs—a pervasive problem that can be mitigated with a few key strategies.

Yet, despite how pervasive TBIs are, many people don’t realize when they’re experiencing the “traumatic” incident. At one time, a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which many know simply as a concussion, was actually thought to be a benign event. With much research, experts now know that even small, repeated injuries to the brain can have significant effects. These injuries can contribute to adverse neuropsychological outcomes—both acutely and long-term.

For example, in the moment, a concussion might cause dizziness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and vomiting. But over time, that same injury or repeated injuries may contribute to ongoing symptoms, such as chronic headaches, trouble concentrating or thinking clearly, memory problems, poor sleep, depression, anxiety, and irritability. Some people may not even connect an injury that happened years ago with their current symptoms, which can make it difficult to properly diagnose a TBI or post-concussion syndrome.

Unfortunately, the incidence of TBI and concussion persists. Per the Brain Injury Association of America, cumulative evidence shows that an estimated 5.3 million men, women, and children are living with a permanent TBI-related disability in the U.S. today.

Yet, does it have to be “permanent”?

 

 

HBOT’s Role in Relieving TBI Symptoms

Dedicated research into brain healing reveals a therapy that produces positive results in cases of TBI and post-concussion syndrome. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has historically been accepted as an effective treatment for medical issues like wound healing, severe infections, and decompression sickness. For some time, HBOT had not been explored much beyond those applications.

However, research in the last two decades reveals that HBOT, in combination with certain cognitive, nutritional, and physiological protocols, is able to repair areas of the brain that have been damaged due to TBI and concussion, as well as stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and other neurological conditions.

What Results Can Individuals Expect?

To understand how HBOT works to address TBI and post-concussion damage, it’s important to know what changes occur in the brain during those injuries. Structural damage indicates a physical impact on the brain, such as bleeding. Metabolic damage is present when the brain’s cells are affected.

Traditional scans like CT and MRI may not be able to detect metabolic damage, especially if an injury occurred years ago. More advanced scans—like functional MRI and SPECT—are better able to identify areas of the brain that may be producing chronic post-concussion symptoms.

Applying HBOT and the unique protocols of the Aviv Medical Program yields multiple changes in the brain:

• New blood vessel formation (angiogenesis)
• New and stronger neural connections
• Stem cell production

These neural, vascular, and cellular changes contribute to cognitive improvements in memory, executive function, attention, processing speed, and spatial memory. Individuals with brain-based motor skill challenges also benefit from this comprehensive therapy.

Elements of the Aviv Medical Program also include cognitive therapy, strength and physical training, and nutritional coaching. The physiological and nutritional aspects of Aviv Clinics’ customized protocol elicit enhancements such as greater aerobic fitness, higher energy levels, improved sleep, and reduced pain. Overall, individuals report a significant improvement in their quality of life after completing the program

Bottom Line

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, fallen off a horse, or had “your bell rung” playing sports, you may have experienced a brain injury that could still be impacting your health. The Aviv Medical Program can help ease your symptoms.

If you or a loved one suspects a TBI or concussion has left lingering symptoms, contact us to learn more about how investing 90 days into treatment could change the rest of your life.

Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receive approximately 30,000 official reports of Lyme disease annually, but recent CDC estimates suggest that approximately 476,000 individuals develop Lyme disease each year in the U.S. It’s imperative that people recognize the early signs and symptoms to avoid long-term effects, which can be debilitating.

 

 

What Causes Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a relatively modern affliction. It was first identified in the U.S. in 1975, in the town of Lyme, Connecticut. Since its discovery, scientists have performed numerous studies to understand the disease better, how it’s transmitted, and its biological impact on the human body.

Lyme is most commonly spread by deer ticks primarily found in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and Northwest. Deer ticks are also known as black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, or Ixodes pacificus. These ticks are very small, making them troublesome to see. Some are as tiny as a poppy seed.

These ticks carry the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is a spirochete—a highly invasive bacterium. Bacteria quickly move through the skin and break into and out of blood vessels. The Lyme bacteria can even cross the blood-brain barrier. These bacteria are also difficult to kill—especially if left untreated in the very early stages of the infection.

Lyme Disease in Three Stages

There are three main stages of Lyme disease, and each has its own signs and symptoms. Initially, Lyme can manifest itself as a rash known as erythema migrans (EM). The rash expands over time, after the tick bite, sometimes reaching12 inches or more across. It may feel warm to the touch but is rarely painful or itchy. Sometimes, the rash clears in the middle and resembles a bullseye. However, not everyone who is infected exhibits this bullseye indication. Acute signs like EM are key in identifying Lyme because it’s estimated that only about 17% of people recall being bitten by a tick. 

Timing is crucial in this acute stage of infection, regardless of whether the individual develops a rash. When a person can identify a tick bite, clean the site right away with antibacterial soap and water, and notify their primary care provider, they may be able to cure the infection in 10-12 days.

Lyme progresses to the subacute stage when an infection goes unnoticed and thus untreated. Individuals may experience flu-like symptoms such as headaches, fever, and chills.

As time goes on, symptoms worsen into joint pain, swelling and other bodily aches, similar to arthritis. By this stage, people are in the “danger zone” of chronic Lyme disease. 

Lyme can cause cardiac dysrhythmias, a condition in which the heart is not beating correctly. Cardiac dysrhythmia can eventually cause the heart to fail. Some Lyme patients may need a pacemaker to regulate their heart’s rhythm. 

Because the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, crosses the blood-brain barrier, neurological symptoms may result, such as: 

• Confusion
• Brain fog
• Facial paralysis or drooping
• Severe head pain
• Visual disturbances
• Neck stiffness
• Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones 
• Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
• Nerve pain
• Numbness, tingling, or shooting pain in the hands or feet

Some individuals even report having an “out of body” experience, feeling they are in one place when they’re not, similar to a hallucination.

Testing for Lyme Disease

Chronic Lyme is difficult to identify and adequately treat because no definitive diagnostic test exists. Most Lyme disease tests are designed to detect antibodies created as the body responds to the infection. But antibodies can take several weeks to develop, meaning that patients may test negative in the early stages of infection.

Specific immunological markers may reveal reason for concern via blood testing, but these markers also might indicate other types of infections—including other tick-borne diseases, viral, bacterial, or autoimmune diseases—all of which can result in false positive test results.

The most effective way to uncover Lyme is through a solid, thorough history, clinical examination, and a Lyme questionnaire. 

Treating Lyme Disease

Traditional treatment for Lyme disease includes antibiotics, antiviral, and antifungal protocols. Treatment is challenging because spirochetes are extremely intelligent. Many bacteria contain plasmids, which are small, circular DNA molecules that can make bacteria resistant to antibiotic treatment. With Lyme, this process becomes heightened. Research has shown that the Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi species presents the most complex plasmid structure among known bacteria.

Spirochetes are so smart and fast that they communicate with other spirochetes, telling them to change various factors such as pH or temperature or generate a new plasmid that will ultimately resist the treatment. 

When one antibiotic treatment doesn’t work, physicians may try as many as 20-30 different types. Unfortunately, this can perpetuate the resistance and induce long-lasting molecular changes to the body’s microbiome. The immediate physiological effects plague patients daily, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease has been associated with serious, sometimes deadly, complications. 

Despite all these efforts, the spirochetes survive. Autopsy evidence reveals that spirochetes keep growing persistently, even after 15 years of antibiotic treatment. Given all the evidence, prescriptions may aid in alleviating some of the accompanying symptoms of Lyme, such as pain, depression, anxiety, and poor sleep, but they simply do not work effectively to eliminate the infection itself.

If Traditional Treatments Don’t Work, What Can Be Done?

Multiple research studies have shown the positive benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in treating Lyme disease and its symptoms. The science behind this approach involves how spirochetes respond when exposed to oxygen: they die.

Individuals living with chronic Lyme disease who have undergone HBOT treatments and the Aviv Medical Program protocols report relief from symptoms like digestive distress, brain fog, joint pain, and overwhelming fatigue. Many have been able to return to the active lifestyle they have been missing for years. 

HBOT and the accompanying protocols of the Aviv Medical Program will be increasingly valuable in the coming years. Lyme is projected to become a severe epidemic in the next decade—particularly in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and Northwest. 

If you or a loved one suspects chronic Lyme disease is at the root of troubling health issues, contact us to learn more about the Aviv Medical Program and its role in providing relief for Lyme patients.