Myth: I have vertigo so my balance won't ever get better

Vertigo is an inner ear disorder that is characterized by bouts of paralyzing dizziness, nausea, fatigue and of course, the anxiety and depression due to these unpredictability of life altering episodes.   Some vertigo is situational and disappears while other types of vertigo can last a lifetime.  Needless to say falls are a major concern for people who suffer from vertigo due to inner ear dysfunction.

Train Vestibular Input for Better Output with Coach Kelly

There are other types of inner ear disorders that have the same impact; dizziness, the loss of daily functional ability and falls.  My aunt Betty was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease had to quit line dancing; her favorite activity for forty years.

Although she was able to manage some of the symptoms with medication, her inner ear disorder affected all other areas of her life which negatively impacted her quality of life.

While inner ear disorders can be life altering, there are ways to train the vestibular system for better balance and reduction of the  many symptoms that accompany inner ear dysfunction.

Unfortunately when someone experiences dizziness or loss of balance due to head movement, they subconsciously begin to change body position and behavior to restrict head movement.  Smart brain, huh?  Two classic representations of a person living with inner ear disorder are: 1) Bobblehead or 2) Stiff walking.

Bobble head means the head moves all over the place when walking.   This is done subconsciously because one of the brain's reflexive pathways isn't working.  The other extreme is the stiff walker.  This is also done subconscious to prevent any natural movement of the head that occurs when walking because another reflexive pathway isn't working correctly.  

Here's the best news:  you can retrain your vestibular system and begin to regain control of your life.  I train the vision, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems for better sensory input and less sensory mismatch.  The result is your brain feels "safe" and can better predict what's going on now and what to expect.

Your frontal lobe or human self can tell yourself exactly what's going on but the part of the brain responsible for movement and vestibular integration doesn't communicate like that; it needs consistent, strong inputs for better movement or as I like to say, "all cylinders firing".

Now that I'm a Z-Health neuro-performance coach and balance expert who specializes in vision, vestibular and proprioceptive inputs to the brain, I wish I could have helped my Aunt Betty manage her meniere's disease for better daily function and maybe even get back on the dance floor.  I couldn't help but I'm here to help you.  

Can I cure you?  No.  That's up to you.  I give you the tools and you do the work.
 
I make NO PROMISES OR GUARANTEES but I can offer new brain-based training methods that have been shown to work.  If you've tried everything and nothing has worked, it's time to try something else.  I offer neuro-scientifically proven, holistic neural training to optimize daily performance.

Training Packages available   Skype/Facebook Live sessions.
Please contact me for more information:  info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Stroke Survivor Support Group Guest Speaker

As a public speaker and health educator,  I've been active in Sacramento and Yolo county communities presenting my dynamic ABCs of Balance workshop and promoting two upcoming Brains and Balance classes; one at the Woodland Community and Senior Center and the other at the Fair Oaks United Methodist Church.

Stroke Survivor Support Group Presentation with Coach Kelly

I love educating people about the power of neuroplasticity and empowering individuals to take action if they want to change their circumstances.  As a Z-Health Neuro-Performance Coach and Brain Exercise Therapist, I am trained to activate areas of the brain that directly impact balance, movement, posture and pain levels.

Last week I finally met Tom Hoag; registered nurse and Stroke Survivor Support Group facilitator for Dignity Health's Neurological Institute.  I say finally because a student of recent Brains and Balance class also attends the Stroke Survivor Support Group in Woodland.  This student is one of the most improved and brain exercise has changed his life so much that he wanted me to speak at an upcoming support group meeting.

The stars aligned and I met Tom at the Woodland Senior Resource Fair.  After laughter and discussion, it's confirmed; I will be the guest speaker at Tom's two stroke survivor support group meetings in June:

1. Mercy San Juan Carmichael:  Wednesday June 13th. 11-Noon.  6501 Coyle Avenue  Carmichael.
2. Woodland Community & Senior Center:  Monday, June 18th.  1-2pm.  2001 East Street  Woodland.

These support groups are open to the public and free of charge.  If you have had a stroke and want to learn how to improve your current functionality, please join us.

I have been working with four stroke survivors on a private training basis and the results are amazing!  They have regained sight, movement, balance and feeling where they thought was impossible.  Precise training gets precise results.

I am so excited about meeting and educating these stroke survivor support groups about the regenerative power of the brain and that with precise training, they can get precise results.

I hope to see you in June.

Pain Is Your Brain's Way of Saying Stop

Nothing will stop you from doing the things you love quicker than pain.  In fact, pain has been identified as the biggest obstacle to any behavior change.  For example, no matter how much you want to start exercising, if your knee hurts with every step, you cannot and will not exercise.

In order to understand pain, you must know how the brain works.  The brain is divided into two sections, the "old" brain located in the 'back' of the brain and the "new" brain, located in the front.  The only thing "old" brain is concerned about is your safety.  Is this movement safe?  Is this situation a threat to my safety?

The old brain determines if something is safe through input data from billions of sensory receptors and prior experiences in similar situations.  The old brain is only concerned about survival.  If the old brain does not feel safe, the brain elicits an output; something that will stop you from current behavior so you remain safe and are not killed.   Pain is a protective output of the brain to force a change for your safety.

Please understand that I am in no way diminishing any pain that you feel but rather, I hope to explain pain in such a way that gives you hope; a way out of the misery of dull aching and constant pain.  

Neuroplasticity proves that a person can "train" the input systems and train the interpretation of data to improve prediction and thus improve performance while reducing pain.  The more safe your brain feels, the better your movement and the less your pain.

In a prior blog,  I explained that the nervous system is a loop of input, interpretation/decision, and output.  This constant feedback process determines how we move through life.  Our sensory systems provide data about the environment and the brain (aka, cerebellum) monitors how the body is interacting within the environment.  Based on input data and prior experiences, the brain initiates a motor response.  The quality of the response is determined by the quality of the inputs, speed of interpretation and accuracy and timing of motor response.

If all systems say "safe", movement is smooth, fluid and pain-free.  If prior experiences in same situation were 'safe', movement will be strong.  Conversely, if the brain does not feel safe, the brain's  output is going to be PAIN, nausea, poor movement, decreased strength or flexibility or even a loss of balance; anything to get you to stop what you're doing.

How do you make your "old" brain feel safe?  You practice drills that improve predictive capability. In other words, you practice the Brains and Balance class drills regularly with accuracy and coordination.

The pain theory is outdated.  Listen to your body.  Train your brain.  Don't fall down.
The better the input, the better the output!

The Fall Prevention Lady, aka, Your Neuro-Performance Coach!