Requirements for Brain Change to Occur

The science of neuroplasticity proves the ability of the brain to change; to develop new neural pathways that increase efficiency and optimize performance of brain and body.  Activating areas of decreased brain function can decrease pain, improve vision, improve memory and cure chronic movement problems.  Knowing that the brain has the capability to change is exciting; it means that we can gain control of our body and mind.

While change is possible, there are certain conditions that must be met in order for any neural change to become permanent.  What is necessary for brain change to occur?  What is the ideal environment for neural changes to happen?

First, a trained applied functional neuroanatomy professional must test brain function and identify areas of weakness.  Once identified, your qualified trainer will implement specific drills and record how your brain reacts to specific activations.

In order for the changes brought about through specific activation and/or inhibition, the following conditions must be met:

1.  Pay attention to what you're doing; be present.  This is the most important thing for you as a client; when training the brain you must pay attention to the drill you're doing.  We all have times when lifting weights or exercising in general that we drift off into random thoughts.  Once we've learned "how" to do an exercise,  we often slip into "autopilot" mode and go through the motions without mentally thinking about what we're doing.  

This lack of focus will not cause neuroplasticity to happen.  When trying to form new thinking and movement patterns, you need to concentrate and be present in the moment.  This is not 'autopilot' mode; once that occurs, bad habits sneak back in and no significant change occurs.

2. Short Frequent Sessions:  Length of practice time matters.  Intensity of practice matters.  Frequency of practice sessions matter.  The general rule of thumb to practice is 5 minutes four times a day, seven days a week.  So if you want to improve your vision, you will practice specific vision drills for 5 minutes four times throughout the day.  

3.  Practice. Just do it.  You know what you need to do.  You know how to do it.  But you don't do it.  Why?  Just start with one thing.  Just move the eyes.  If you're depressed, do the recommended eye drills proven to activate pain inhibitors and stimulate positive, feel good chemical changes in the bloodstream.  Once you start moving, the juices begin to flow.  This is not strenuous but subtle.  

4.  Believe that change is possible.  Fundamentally, you gotta believe that you have the power to control your mind and change the patterns that aren't working.   To make the changes permanent, believe you can do this; you change the way you think, the way you balance, the way you see and the way you feel.

Development of Balance System as a Child and Fall Prevention as an Adult

As "The Fall Prevention Lady", a Balance and Mobility Specialist who teaches older adults how to improve balance and prevent falls, the vestibular, or inner ear equilibrium, system fascinates me.  The more I learn, the more I want to help people learn how to maintain upright position and improve daily balance.

Balance is ongoing communication between the brain and the body and  the first neural system to develop in the embryo; even an unborn fetus needs to know which end is up! ⬆⬆  Your vestibular system and reflexive balance skills continue to develop during the first five years of growth and your “reflexive” stability is proportionate to the amount of movement you did or did not do as a child. 

Think about your youth; did you play, jump up and down, spin on a merry-go round, do gymnastics or some type of flipping and flopping, rolling and tumbling on the ground?   I remember doing cartwheels, front and back bendovers, walkovers, and handsprings in the grass with my friends.  

I also clearly remember by mom, old to us then but only in her late 20s, walking outside to check on us and doing three to four back handsprings in a row when asked!  No stretching, no warm-up; she’d walk out and flip flop backwards as long as the yard allowed! 

I thank God I grew up in a time when kids played outside, tumbled, rolled, played on swing sets, ran up and down hills, jumped on trampolines and swam in lakes.  I didn’t know it at the time but I was developing my inner ear balance system and the ability to react timely and efficiently to life’s imbalances. 

Kelly Ward, aka
The Fall Prevention Lady

Of course I fell down but I was a kid and falling wasn’t a big deal; it was expected! That what kids do.  I felt dirt on my feet, the grass between my toes, the heat from sidewalks and the cold from ice and snow.  I smelled mom’s cooking, I smelled the neighbor’s cooking.  I smelled country air. 

I stimulated my sensory systems, which activated different parts of the brain which resulted in healthy neural development.  Being active as a child, I stimulated my vestibular system regularly and as a result, my balance and sports skills were exceptional.  

I went on to become a three-sport Varsity athlete (field hockey, basketball and lacrosse) and earn a full basketball scholarship.  Today, my balance is better than ever because I am “The Fall Prevention Lady” and I practice balance drills regularly!

My question to you, “what was your childhood like”?  Did you play outside?  Did you play inside?  Were you active or sedentary?  If you read a lot and did not get much physical activity, your “balance system” may not have received much activation.  Poor activation results in decreased brain function due to weak input signals.

Does that mean it’s over for you?  Does that mean you have to accept it and deal with it?

NO and NO!  It’s never too late to improve your balance.  There are very specific drills you can do, at your own pace, to train your balance and improve stability.  

I offer Skype (online) training sessions and private sessions within a 45-mile radius of Fair Oaks California.  I also offer partner and small group training and Brains and Balance Training classes.  

You don't have to accept and live with a disorder; you can train your brain to improve balance, vision and movement.  Movement is life.  Time to start living!

Feed Your Brain If You Want To Improve Balance

The feeding pattern of the brain is remarkable and it is my hope that once you understand what the brain needs to function and how the fuel is distributed to your body for use that you will be able to make more brain-smart choices.

As I progress in my neuroscience studies and neural re-education techniques,  I have had to open my mind to concepts that go against the mainstream; concepts that have been driven into my head as "bad".  In the process, I have learned that a majority of nutrition and movement news is fake news.  This is in no way political but factual due to the ten-year phenomena.

The ten-year phenomenon is that current lab discoveries are ten years ahead of public knowledge.  In other words, it takes ten years for today's scientific findings to trickle down from the lab into the general public knowledge.

Rest assured that the neuroscience information that I am providing is scientific and research-based.  In order for your local doctor to teach these methods would require him/her to return to school and put in time and effort.  We know that's not going to happen.

Let me explain what your brain needs for survival;
1.  Fuel
2.  Activation

Feed your brain glucose and oxygen for daily survival.  Eat and breathe.  Sounds easy enough but thanks to all the conflicting and ever-changing nutrition news, who knows what to eat.

1.  Eat:  Neuroscientists know when it comes to the brain!  Eat glucose.  Sugar is good for you.  Now I'm not telling you to go on a Sugar Binge but I am telling you that oranges and orange juice are good for you.  Your brain needs fruits and fruit juices.

I'm NOT a nutritionist but I have been informed by a nutritional scientist who is also a neuroscientist DO NOT eat polyunsaturated fatty acids.  No nut oils or butters.  Limit nuts and grains.  Chocolate is good. Coffee is good.  Be smart.  Eat like an adult.

2.  Breathe.  Deep belly breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing.  Exhalation-based breathing. Deep breath holds.  I am going for the next Z-Health certification, T-Phase.  This is four days of neurologically based breathing patterns.  I will keep you updated in an upcoming blog.

3.  Activation.  Think "Use it or Lose it" of the brain.  Activate your neurons or lose neurons.  Stimulate nearby neurons and they all begin to communicate.  Close gaps of dysfunctional neurons with stronger stimulus and the whole brain lights up.

Fuel and Activation for Better Balance, Improved Vision and Less Pain.
Eat for control of your mind and body.

Posture begins in Lengthened Spine

Studying Z-Health functional applied neurology, I have learned more about balance and the brain than I had ever imagined.  The brain determines not only how we move through life but also how we see, balance and think.  This information is so good, I have to share tidbits that will help you move better, balance better and see better.

Today I am going to talk to you about posture. Posture is a reflex and posture is controlled up to seventy (70) percent by your vision!  Wow, think about those two statements for a minute.  Posture is reflexive. And posture is driven by your vision.

The Fall Prevention Lady's Lengthened Spine Demo

First, posture is a reflex.  For those people (and I used to train people this way) who throw your shoulders back, stretch chest muscles, strengthen neck flexors, hold your head level and even get massages to reduce tension in upper back, you know that the minute you walk out of the training session, your posture goes back to the way it was when you walked in.

That's because posture is reflexive.  In other words, your brain is focused on a level horizon and despite life circumstances (accidents, bumps and bruises) and occupational hazards (poor posture from a desk job), your brain is going to keep the horizon level for balance purposes.

As a result, your head will tilt, bend and turn to keep vision level.  The body will adapt physically to whatever is necessary to keep the horizon level.  If you slouch your shoulders and stick your neck out all day to keep the computer screen level, then your body will adapt to forward head, shoulders slouched and whatever is necessary to keep the horizon level.

The scientific phenomena known as the SAID principle states that your body gets good at whatever you do, however you do it.  If you look at the floor while practicing your drills, you will get really good at doing drills while looking at the floor.  Look up and your balance won't be good.  Cracks me up when I see people wasting money on 'balance manuals' that demonstrate people staring at the floor while doing the drills.

If you want to improve your posture, your balance and your vision, I suggest that you get into lengthened spine.  I start all of my classes discussing how people are carrying their head on their shoulders.  The average skull weighs between 8-12 pounds.  When perfectly aligned, your vertebrae are aligned and the spinal cord is lengthened.  When the head is jutted forward, the neck muscles have extra strain and weight of the skull.

Let me explain how to attain lengthened spine since how you carry your head directly impacts your vision, balance, posture and strength.

Lengthened spine: Sit or stand tall; both feet on the floor facing forward, top of the back of your head extended up toward ceiling, chin level and tucked back.  Here's the kicker, tilt your front teeth SLIGHTLY down toward collar bone.   NOT EXCESSIVELY but down where you see a level horizon.   Keep your chin tucked back and yes, you now have a double chin but you're in lengthened spine!!!!

Every time you so much as think about your posture, get into lengthened spine and keep your eyes on a vertical target in front of you at eye level.  Practice lengthened spine for every vision drill and try to maintain lengthened spine during balance challenges and all dynamic joint movement drills.

Posture begins with your eyes and is a reflex to life's imbalances.  In my classes, I teach vision drills, balance drills and movement drills designed to activate the parts of your brain that crave activation in order to move well, balance well and see well.

It all starts in lengthened spine; shoulders are down, chest is lifted, pretend you have a string on the back of your head lifting toward the ceiling, your chin is slightly down, and your eyes are focused on a vertical target at eye level....NOT AT THE FLOOR.

Do this exercise throughout the day. Anytime your even think about your posture, immediately get into lengthened spine.  Your spine and your posture will thank you.  So will your brain.

Cerebellum: Home of Accuracy, Balance and Coordination

How’s YOUR Balance or Neurologically Speaking, How's Your Cerebellum?

The other day in my Brains and Balance class, I talked briefly about the cerebellum because the cerebellum is a vital part of the nervous system necessary for accuracy, balance and coordination; things we all need to get through this life gracefully or at least remain on our feet!

The cerebellum, also referred to as the “little brain”, is the brain’s integration center.  The cerebellum is involved in all movement; it responds to the cortical signal for movement, relays that message to the appropriate body parts and then gets feedback from the skin, joint and muscle receptors about the accuracy and coordination of the ongoing movement.

If the movement is poor, the cerebellum corrects the inaccuracies in order to produce coordinated, balanced movement.  

Movement is a dance between the sensory and motor systems and the cerebellum is a key player in the activation and inhibition of muscles.  Good balance, accuracy and coordination requires a healthy, well-functioning cerebellum.

In order for the cerebellum to be healthy, it must get consistent, timely input from our eyes, inner ear, skin/joint/muscle receptors as well as other parts of the brain.  Simply said, the better the input, the better the output.

Minimal to weak input signals result in no movement or ratchety and uncoordinated movements.    Poor input equals poor movement.  If the sensory inputs the brain don’t get activated on a regular basis, the input signals become weak and defective.  Your brain doesn’t trust weak and dysfunctional signals.  In other words, use it or lose it. 

Think about walking in the dark with little to no visual input; movement is slow, uncertain because the vision inputs are unreliable.  A cerebellum that isn’t activated regularly becomes dysfunctional and the consequences are evident; either in your balance, stability, coordination or all of the above.

In class we did some quick cerebellum tests.  First we did rapid toe taps.  Was the left as quick and timely as the right?  Then we did rapid hand rotations on the opposite palm.  Fingers and thumb straight and clasped together, we hit the back of the hand then flipped over to hit the palm of the hand against the open, flat palm of the other as fast as possible for 5-10 seconds.

Some inaccuracies in coordination and rhythm were immediate while others showed up after about 3-5 seconds.  For a few, this didn’t seem to be too difficult, at least for one hand!  That is completely "normal" finding however I suggest that you get your cerebellum activated! 

How do you train your cerebellum?  There are lots of ways but to keep things simple, to improve cerebellar function, train the inputs and practice circles and figure 8s. Accuracy, balance and coordination.  Activate your little brain to improve balance, accuracy and coordination.

Your Brains and Balance Coach~
Kelly
The Fall Prevention Lady

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