The newest addition to Total Health Systems is Dr. Stephen Cain DC. He has advanced training in Functional Neurology and has headed the nonprofit organization ‘Whole Brain Health Initiative’ for 3 years. Here is one of his most important articles on brain health.
What would your life be like if you made improving your brain a habit? Undoubtedly, life would be better and 
here’s some reasons why:
- You can remember more (in work and your personal life)
- You can make quick and well calculated decisions
- You can accomplish more throughout your days
After leading brain health programs for years now, I’ve come to realize there are 4 essential questions we need to ask ourselves in order to make meaningful and sustained results. Each question gets tougher to answer than the previous question. They are:
- Can you make meaningful improvements to your brain?
- Why would these improvements be worth you investing your time, energy, and/or money?
- What changes will provide the greatest benefits to your brain?
- How do you best approach making these changes sustainable?
Can you make meaningful improvements? If you don’t believe something is possible, you’re probably not going to attempt it, let alone stick with it. Many people have limiting beliefs about their genetics, their resources, and their will power. The truth is, that for 99% of us, we can make meaningful improvements. Very few of us are genetically doomed for an unfortunate fate. Furthermore, very few of us are utilizing the resources we do have efficiently. Believing in your own capacity for improvement is an extremely important component of your health. This is why Harvard has it top 3 in their list of “7-ways-to-keep-your-memory-sharp-at-any-age.”
Why will making these improvements be worth investing your time, energy, and/or money? Once you believe that you can make changes, it’s time to contemplate what motivates you intrinsically. What brain improvements excite you the most? Is it improved focus? Better memory? Enhanced problem solving skills? Avoiding dementia? Learning a new language more readily? When you can see these improvements very distinctly in your mind’s eye you will be much more driven to take action. Emotion is at the seed of every action we take. The better we internalize our “why” the better primed we are to make sustained progress.
What changes will provide the greatest benefit to your brain? We all know plenty of things that are good for the brain. Over the last several years of asking large groups, “What’s good for the brain?” I always get plenty of accurate responses: exercise, blueberries, yoga, olive oil, crossword puzzles. The list could go on forever. However, when I ask the follow up question, “Of all the brain boosters you just mentioned, which ones are going to provide you (as an individual) the greatest benefits?” responses come to a screeching halt. This is where people get lost. In the sea of endless opportunities for brain enhancement, very few programs help people prioritize their specific needs. This take a lot of reflection and education accurately do. You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Cain at the St. Clair office to help accelerate this understanding.
How do you best approach making these changes sustainable? This is the toughest question of all. Once you’ve figured out what it is that will best benefit your brain, it will most likely be something you already knew you should be doing. Why aren’t you making these changes? 75% of people support when it comes to making lifestyle changes. Hiring a health coach, asking for support from friends and family and finding ways to make the new change as enjoyable as possible are all very beneficial ways to approach making the changes sustainable.
If you have any other questions about brain health feel free to reach out to Dr. Cain at Total Health Systems, St. Clair Shores office: 586.772.8560
