Tag Archives: brain

Exercise Improves Your Memory

, , , , , , , , , ,
Happy Monday Tribe!

Continuing on our brain topics, per usual, this week we are going to talk about the benefits of exercise.  Well, the benefits for your brain!!

A research study in February of this year came out with some exciting information on this topic!

In 2012, Harvard came out with a study that showed that a substance called “irisin ”  is produced during intense physical activity.  This is actually a hormone that converts white fat to brown fat which produces heat.  Based on this, new research has been conducted on the deeper roles of this hormone.

They founds several things throughout this exploration:

1. Post mortem tissue showed that irisin traveled to the hippocampus the region where we store our memories. (The  brain’s of Alzheimer’s patients shows a vast depletion of this hormone).

2. Researchers found that disabling irisin in the brain’s of mice, weakened their memory and synaptic function in the brain. Then increased levels, provided increased memory and synapses.

3.  The researchers found that mice after swimming for 60 minutes, five days a week, secreted detectable amounts or irisin, proving it’s linked to exercise!

4.  They went further and wanted to see in Alzheimer’s brains if irisin would change outcomes.  They injected into the “athletic” mice, beta amyloid proteins as the buildup is linked to developing alzheimers. They found that irisin is protective, and the neurons of the brain were not harmed when introduced to the plaques. They were then injected with a pharmaceutical that decreased the irisin, and they no longer had neuron protection.

The results: exercise induced irisn production protects against alzheimers and other forms of dementia. Pretty cool huh?

Well, we also already know prior to this study that exercise also promotes the release of something called brain derived neurotrophic factor. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neuronal survival and growth, serves as a neurotransmitter modulator, and participates in neuronal plasticity, which is essential for learning and memory.

——–

So, if you didn’t already need a bump in the hiney to get back into exercise let this be it!  If you have limitations in what you for exercise can do because of pain or limitations, thats where I come in! Mobility is key is having safe exercise.  But don’t just NOT exercise because of pain and limitations.  Figure out why those limitations are there!

OIL OF THE WEEK

ON the spotlight this week is Do Terra Basil.

In a recently published study (March 2016), Colombian researchers conducted a preliminary pre-clinical study examining the effects of ingesting linalool for three months. Memory was then assessed in several different tests. Ingested linalool was associated with improvements in learning, memory, and overall cognitive health.* Not surprisingly, ingesting linalool also improved measures of emotional health.

Linalool is the top component of many essential oils, including Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil, Cilantro, and Coriander. So next time you are exercising your brain, you may want to reach for one of these oils.

Mommy Brain, it exists and it’s a super power!

, , , , , , , ,

Happy Monday Tribe!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!.  Last week we talked about the importance of the tongue and it’s mobility effecting the brain.  If you missed it, don’t forget to catch the replay here:

https://www.drrachelhamel.com/blog-post/the-tongues-effect-on-your-brain/

______________________________________________________________________

This week we are going to be talking about MOMMY BRAIN.

First of all, it’s probably best to chat about what mommy brain is, and if it exists right?

Many women who are pregnant claim that they feel like there are lots of things happening in their brains that they don’t understand.  Their memories get foggy so it’s hard to carry on a conversation or remember whether or not they put the an ingredient in the recipe.

Some researchers say there is no such thing as mommy brain, but still there are others and many women that would say otherwise.  The American Psychological Association concluded that 50-80% of women reported decreased concentration and memory while being pregnant.

However, we have learned that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Some researchers are saying that these symptoms actually are changes in the brain that may end up making the woman smarter and better equipped to keep her child healthy and safe. WHAT?!
This flood of reproductive hormones may actually prepare the brain for demands of being a mother.
This makes her more sensitive and a more effective caregiver, less irritated by stress and more in tune with the needs of a newborn.

Another doctor says this is why mothers can hear the babies stir, while the fathers are fast asleep. Also, when the fetus moves inside the womb of the mother, it can raise her heart rate and skin conductivity, all signs of an emotional response.  Meaning the mother will be better able to bond with her infant even before its born!

The placenta is a sac like membrane that is created to help feed and nourish the growing baby from the mother.  But fetal cells can also enter the mother’s bloodstream through the same means.  This could influence the changing of the brain preparing her for the needs and love of the infant. 

What about the actual brain size?

They have found through MRI scans that a woman’s brain may physically shrink 3-5% during the third trimester of pregnancy! 
BUT, the shrinking is not just a loss of brain cells as we might think, it’s actual do to changes in cellular metabolism that happen.  Brain circuits are being restructured to prepare for more connections that will be needed.  And some areas of the brain even grow larger when others are smaller.

After about 6 months postpartum, the brain goes back to its original size (the body is so cool), but with a better circuit system.  Women who’ve never had children don’t have this, meaning they aren’t as resistant to stress or enhanced memory and cognition (stinks for me).

But to the mother going through that change, that’s where the fogginess comes from .  It’s like a construction zone.  But once the infant is born, and those changes start to become organized, the brain is actually MORE efficient and focused.  

——-

Here’s another interesting change in the brain.  When a woman is early in her pregnancy, her sense of smell changes right?  She’s more aware of odors.  This is because it is a protective mechanism.  It makes her more sensitive to the smell of food that may be bad for her and her child.  It also makes her actually like the smells given off by her baby, part of the bonding process guided by the brain.

Other areas of the brain also change and grow after motherhood.  The hypothalamus, PFC and amygdala, the motivation and reward centers grow.  This highly motivates the mother to care for her child and makes her feel that sense of reward with interactions from the child. These areas of the brain are also crucial for planning and foresight, something that’s needed to anticipate the child’s needs “maternal instinct”.

The brain fog can also come from the fact that the brain is changing priorities.  Mother’s have better memories about things related to their infant.  Its important for them to remember what is really important and needed for them to remember at that time.

In the workplace this could also be a benefit!  More efficient, perceptive, motivated and empathetic.  No wonder there are so many mom entrepreneurs, as we know a lot of trade jobs are actually going out and will go out in the coming years.

So that being said, it seems there IS such thing as a mommy brain.  But it actually happens for a reason as we’ve seen and actually makes them more of a SUPERHERO!, benefitting her for her entire life.  A little fogginess may results in a new level of focus and attention.

Since the need is GREAT for your brain during this time in particular, it’s important that your brain is healthy to be able to create these new circuits. 

This means women should think BEFORE going into pregnancy different, and take care of themselves differently as well as during and post partum.  The demand is high for brain use, this means more focus needs to be put on enhancing it.  Just like how I talk about in children the biggest growth of their brain is 0-2 years old so we need to make sure we allow it to grow most effectively.

How do I prepare, or what should I do to enhance my brain for mommy brain?

1.  Get cranial care.  If there’s pressure on the brain, it will be less likely to be able to process new information when it can’t even handle it’s current load. We said the hypothalamus, PFC and amygdala all grow, so we need to be able to give them that space to do so. Craniopathy care helps dramatically take the stress off the brain, decrease inflammation and allow WAY less fogginess.

2. Proper nutrition.  Since your using a LOT of brain power you need to feed the brain.  Lots of good fats are needed, and supplementation is critical.  Supplement with a high grade OMEGA supplement is always warranted pre during and post partum.(not all supplements are created equal remember, some could be TOXIC, so please consult me before taking if you haven’t already).  Additionally, looking at the exact vitamin and mineral needs are also important.  This requires specific testing, as a one size fits all prenatal vitamin just doesn’t cut it anymore.

3.  Exercise.  Exercise helps the brain make more NRF2.  This enhances the brain function, reduces stress, builds stamina.  Just don’t get exhausted or breathless as that depletes oxygen from you and baby. Lots of hydration.  Being pregnant isn’t an illness, you can still exercise and need to.  Just don’t overdue it.

4. Watch cell phone use.  Exposing fetuses to cell phone radiation does in fact affect their behavior as adults, and changes brain structure for both.

5. Get plenty of rest.  Can’t sleep?  Thats what I’m here for!  Cranial care helps tremendously with sleep, and taking away the aches and pains that come with a growing child.

If you neglect these practices, you might find that you may be more foggy, or not recuperate as quickly after baby.  Your brain can only do what it can do!  If you enhance it, think of how amazing it would be after?!

OIL OF THE WEEK

ON the spotlight this week is Balance!  Because what mom doesn’t need more of that?!

Created with the purpose of grounding emotions, doTERRA Balance is formulated with emotionally beneficial essential oils that work together to create a sense of calmness and well-being. doTERRA Balance essential oil blend has a variety of uses and benefits that can be obtained both aromatically and topically. When applied to the skin or diffused, doTERRA Balance can ease anxious feelings and create a soothing and calming environment—encouraging strong relaxation. The aroma of doTERRA Balance is sweet and woody and is the perfect fragrance for promoting feelings of balance and tranquility. Infused with Spruce, Ho Wood, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile, and Frankincense essential oils, doTERRA Balance is the perfect blend for stabilizing emotions.

doTERRA Balance Uses and Benefits

  1. Relaxing your body begins with the mind. Help your body relax by focusing on your emotions first. Use doTERRA Balance essential oil blend to help ground your emotions so that your whole body can feel completely at ease when you need it most. This emotionally balancing blend is a great oil to use during meditation or yoga practices.
  2. Start your day off right by putting a little doTERRA Balance into your step. After you wake up, apply one to two drops of doTERRA Balance to the bottom of your feet. This will help promote feelings of calmness and tranquility throughout the day. doTERRA Balance can also be applied to your feet throughout the day to help lessen feelings of stress.
  3. If a road trip is in your future, make sure to bring some doTERRA Balance. For those long hours of driving in a full car, diffusing doTERRA Balance will help create a calming and soothing environment. Once you experience the serene feelings of doTERRA Balance, you’ll wonder how you ever took long road trips without it.
  4. doTERRA Balance is one of the essential oils used in the AromaTouch® technique. doTERRA Balance essential oil blend is important to the AromaTouch experience because it helps produce emotional harmony and relaxation. Experience the enriching benefits of doTERRA Balance during an AromaTouch Hand Massage by either applying it to your own hands or having someone else perform the hand massage. The AromaTouch Hand Massage can also be performed on a grandparent to help them feel relaxed and calm.
  5. If you experience occasional feelings of anxiousness, apply doTERRA Balance to your wrists and neck. The topical application of doTERRA Balance essential oil blend will help ease anxious feelings when they arise.
  6. One of the main benefits of doTERRA Balance is its ability to evoke feelings of tranquility. When you feel overwhelmed emotionally, take a step back and give yourself the peace your mind needs. Diffuse doTERRA Balance or apply doTERRA Balance topically to create an environment of tranquility so that you can press forward feeling emotionally balanced and ready to take on the tasks ahead of you.
  7. Do you find yourself with little time to sit back and let your mind relax? For an emotionally grounding experience in a short amount of time, apply one or two drops of doTERRA Balance to your hands and cup them over your nose, breathing in deeply. The same results can be felt by simply uncapping the doTERRA Balance essential oil blend bottle and breathing deeply with the bottle of doTERRA Balance held a couple of inches from the nose.
  8. Before you go to bed, apply doTERRA Balance to the bottoms of your feet. This calming and soothing blend will encourage a restful night’s sleep.
  9. Promote a whole body relaxation by including doTERRA Balance in your bath. doTERRA Balance will help relax the body and provide a comforting and soothing experience. For those moments when you just need time to relax and recharge, add a couple drops of doTERRA Balance with some Epsom salts to your bath water. You will love how easily it evokes feelings of balance and tranquility.
  10. doTERRA Balance is a powerful blend of CPTG® oils designed to promote harmony in the mind and body and help balance emotions. When you have stressful events or meetings, make sure to use doTERRA Balance so that you can experience a sense of stability and relaxation during situations that are prone to anxious and stressful feelings.
  • Spruce Leaf
  • Ho Wood Leaf
  • Frankincense Resin
  • Blue Tansy Flower
  • Blue Chamomile Flower
  • Fractionated Coconut Oil

That is all for now,

 

Have a happy and healthy Week!!

Dr. Hamel

Brain Trauma… It’s not JUST Sports

, , , , ,

Happy Monday Everyone! Can you believe it’s March already?!  With a new month comes new topics!

I had the privilege this weekend of attending a GALA for a non profit about concussion and head trauma called the Mary Seau Foundation.  Hearing testimony after testimony of head trauma cases being left to basically just deteriorate, it was hard to listen to as a provider, knowing the care I possess,  could have changed the outcome.

But, it is truly organizations like this and education that can change the paradigm in many health conditions. 

Being the brain advocate that I am, and being the awesome people you are for reading this, please share these facts and the word, especially for our youth.

______

With brain/injury and trauma, there is a big misconception, that you have to be playing football, or in a major sport or even just hit your head to have a concussion or brain injury.  Many individuals I ask in my practice, usually shrug off an old concussion, hitting their head or previous car accident, as “not a major head trauma”.  Even further, birth in itself is a brain injury… think about it!  So, many symptoms we chase as adults arise from this time.

In reality, any blow to the head, whether it be a straight blow, a jolting of head movement, or just hitting your head on a bar at the playground is all form of trauma to the brain.  You see, the brain needs a veryyyyy balanced environment to be able to follow through with all the daily functions it has to do.  If that environment is not perfect, then symptoms and non optimal function precludes.

This is not just me speaking either…. Many research exists that what is called “mild traumatic brain injury”, occurs in everyday life, not just NFL. 

But first, let’s define a mild traumatic brain injury…..

The name is deceiving, because although labeled “mild” because the actual head is not cracked open, it in no way produces “mild symptoms”.  In fact, it can be debilitating for many individuals just having a mild whiplash injury from a car accident.

But, if we just look at sports, there are 1.6-3.8 million sports related concussions, 50% of those being unreported, with the incident rate increasing and 20% who lost consciousness did not see a physician or anyone for care. 

Who is the most prone?!

YOUTH.  

Ages 14-18 account for 50% of sports related concussions.  
-football
-wrestling
-girls soccer
-boys soccer
-girls basketball
-cheer (the most traumatic head injuries)

Girls are more susceptible than boys because of weaker neck musculature.

And what’s the WORST?  That youth is 3.5X more likely to get another if they have a history of one.  

A study was done with pop warner football, and found that for a team of 22 players that played for 6 games, and five practices, there were 480 head impacts, players had an average of 3.7 head impacts per game and 1.5 impacts per practice.  While 11 known concussions happened.  Study here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24529219

Scary right?  Many neurologists say that youth sports like this is literally child abuse, because their brains are still forming and the trauma can be irreversible.
We know that sports are great for team support, building character, ect.  But we ask you take a second look at what it is actually doing to children’s brains with this kind of impact.  

But again..

It’s not just sports.

A car accident for instance, where you might just have your head go back and forth a bit… You might get a little sore, but not big deal?
Well the brain is like a jello like substances, and a wave of energy goes through that is rocking back and forth.  It’s a spongy material that changes with energy passing through it.

So, even though the brain moves, the nerve cells will break when the brain hits the wall of the bones of the head.  The skull normally protects the brain, but when you get a coil and recoil, the skull now becomes a problem, and the brain hits it. 

This causes breaking to happen within the neurons of the brain.  It’s actual damage to those electrical pathways.
What happens when theirs damage?

Well, it depends on the extent, but for visual purposes I will use an anecdote that I heard this past weekend.  When you are using your cell phone and you go to an area with bad reception, it’s hard to really understand that person, they may cut in and out, ect.

The same can happen with the brain, when all the connections are not working great, that brain signal is not going to work effectively.  Which then LONG TERM, causes areas of the brain to really not function well at all.



….

The point here is to say, that no matter how MILD an impact may be to your head, it can have HUGE effects, especially in those of a growing brain. 

Symptoms associated with this disruption include:

– headache
-dizziness
-nausea
-balances problems
-fatigue
-loss of consciousness
-post traumatic amnesia
-difficulty concentrating
-memory problems
-irritability
-emotional lability
-depression
-difficulty sleeping
-sleeping more or less than usual
-drowsiness

Any of all of these can be active.  Mood is a huge one that can change through head injuries. (More on this topic next week as we compare PTSD and brain injuries)

So, I encourage you.  Ask yourself this:

Have you ever hit your head, maybe remember when you were little and did?  Had a traumatic birth as a child with head compression? Do you even know anything about your birth?  ASK!

Bumped your head on something?
Rattled your head back and forth a bit too quickly?

Do you clench your teeth?  (a sign of head trauma)?

If you answered yes, or if your child has then they have a form of brain injury!  Some are mild and can resolve, but to what extent we don’t know.  The research is just not there.

So I would say, don’t take any blow or non blow to the head LIGHTLY!  If you feel even a little off, come get craniopathy care!  This is why I’m a HUGE advocate for treating babies and children.  The sooner we can take that pressure off the brain the better.  Changing future outcomes, changing future lives…

 

 

 

The oil of the week this week is Frankincense.

Frankincense has been shown in research to help heal and negate the effects from brain injury.   This is because it is such a POWERFUL anti-inflammatory.  Take a drop on your tongue every 20 minutes after a head injury to help decrease the effects.

It is also great for any inflammatory condition, autoimmune and pain syndrome.

 

Insane in the Membrane.. Detoxing your Brain.

, , , , , ,
Happy Monday everyone!  And happy new year!  We chatted last week about the 4 detox pathways!  This week we continue onward talking about specific areas that are important to detox such as the brain!

We talked last week about the lymphatic system and it’s importance in keeping it flowing.  We have a similar system in our brain it’s called the glymphatic system, or the “brain drain”.

This system was only recently discovered in 2012. It’s uses the cell’s mitochondria (energy system) to remove cellular waste from the brain.  The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the brain is what is responsible for draining toxins from brain.  The brain has no lymphatic system, just the CSF fluid.

The kicker here, is this system is especially active during sleep!  That being said if you enhance the mitochondria’s ability during sleep, you will turbocharge this maintenance system and get more cleanup in less time.

In 2013 as well, researchers found that something called “autophagy” is required for healthy brain cell mitochondria.  This is a natural process called autophagy (literally “self-eating”), and it’s the bodies system of cleaning house: Your cells create membranes that hunt out scraps of dead, diseased, or worn-out cells; gobble them up; strip ’em for parts; and use the resulting molecules for energy or to make new cell parts.

It’s like an internal recycling program.  We get rid of faulty parts, stop growths, ect.  When the scientists monitored rat specimens who had difficulty with autophagy, they were fatter, sleepier, had higher cholesterol and impaired brains.

When the brain isn’t detoxing properly as well, it can literally make you feel “insane”, or not really yourself.  Toxins can easy get into the blood brain barrier through many means such as EMF’s, vaccines, and other medications.  But, a clogged lymphatic system in the brain, can just build up and create improper function for the brain, so it’s important to keep the FLOW!

How to increase autophagy to boost the cell’s mitochondrial function:

1. Exercise.  “Regular exercise is the most popular way that people unintentionally help their body to cleanse.”

2. Fasting.  Although I don’t usually recommend skipping meals, occasional fasting is actually beneficial. Practitioners usually forgo food for anywhere from 12 to 36 hours at a time, making sure to drink plenty of water. (You might also want to limit activity to gentle yoga or stretching.)

3. Lower your carb intake. Ketosis, is an increasingly popular diet among bodybuilders and anyone seeking a longer lifespan. The idea is to reduce carbohydrates to such low levels that the body has no choice but to use fat as a fuel source instead.

Ketosis is like an autophagy hack. You get a lot of the same metabolic changes and benefits of fasting without actually fasting.
Keto diets are super high fat (good fats): Between 60 and 70 percent of one’s overall calories should come from fat.  Protein makes up 20 to 30 percent of calories, while carbs are kept below 50 grams per day.

So, increasing good fats, moving and intermittent fasting improve this system.  But what about getting it flowing directly at its source?  What about actually changing it in the brain where it flows in and out of?

That’s right! 4. Cranial care!

Craniopathy care has been proven to increase the CSF flow in the brain and in the entire system.  When there is pressure on the brain from tension, this fluid cannot maintain its flow.

This means the CSF flow is hindered.  Therefore, the detox pathway is hindered.

Additionally, as I mentioned previously, this system is active entirely during your sleep.  So if your sleep is hindered, or you aren’t getting adequate deep sleep you won’t be detoxing your noggin and body very well.

Sleep can be helped in many ways.

1.  Getting cranial care!!
2.  Supplementation, including minerals and herbs
3. Exercise
4.  Reducing EMF exposure.  No tv or cell phones in the bed room.  Turn off your wifi in your home every night, and make sure there’s no light in your room.  Completely dark room allows your brain to produce melatonin.  EMF exposure actually calcifies the pituitary which releases melatonin.
5.  Essential Oils and CBD. Certain oils can be really helpful for creating calmness and allowing sleep to happen.
6. Micro Current Neurofeedback.  This helps calm the brain and can help tremendously with sleep and energy!

I also love getting lymphatic drainage massage in combination with my cranial care.  It works really well for detoxification in the head.  I love using electro lymphatic therapy, it’s the most effective I’ve found.  Another great detox is PEMF therapy!  Check it out for providers who carry them!

Sometimes symptoms such as sinus problems, headaches, fatigue, and other’s are just do to improper detoxing of the brain.

Oil of the WEEK.

On the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s Rosemary.

Rosemary is a great essential oil for detoxing!  It also helps reduce radiation from EMF’s which is protection and great for brain health!Rosemary Oil Product Description
Though it is famous for its applications in the culinary world, rosemary has uses that reach far beyond cook books or holiday meals. Rosemary oil is a versatile essential oil that proves useful in everyday life for things like promoting healthy-looking hair, creating a relaxing massage, cooking healthy meals, and more. It even supports healthy digestion.* Learn more about Rosemary essential oil and discover the diverse uses for this herbaceous, energizing doTERRA product.

Rosemary Oil Uses and Benefits

  1. The chemical makeup of Rosemary oil gives it renewing properties that can be both energizing and settling—particularly when you diffuse the oil. When you need to study for a big test, memorize your slides for a presentation at work, or just need to finish a project, diffusing Rosemary oil can be helpful. In the essential oil diffuser of your choice, consider diffusing Rosemary essential oil while studying to help maintain concentration. As the renewing, green aroma of Rosemary oil wafts through the room, you’ll be able to focus on the task at hand.
  2. Possibly the most common application for the rosemary plant is in cooking. Fortunately, Rosemary essential oil can be used as a substitute in your favorite rosemary-infused dishes. If you have a favorite recipe that calls for rosemary, you can easily add one to two drops of Rosemary essential oil to meats or traditional entrees in order to add flavor or to support healthy digestion.* Looking for a hearty Rosemary essential oil recipe? Try this Balsamic Rosemary Marinade to add instant flavor and excitement to any weeknight meal or backyard barbeque. Speaking of summer festivities, these Italian Summer Skewers with Rosemary Balsamic Reduction are the perfect sweet and savory addition to any outdoor get-together. Using mozzarella, salami, cantaloupe, brown sugar, and Rosemary essential oil, these skewers will be a hot item at your next summer bash.
  3. Rosemary essential oil can be taken internally to help reduce occasional fatigue and nervous tension.* You can add a few drops of Rosemary oil to a glass of water or to a doTERRA Veggie Capsule. Rosemary oil can also be taken internally if you are striving to support healthy internal organ function.*
  4. Trying to relax? Let the renewing properties of Rosemary essential oil soothe your body and soul at the end of a long day by creating a relaxing essential oil bath. Adding essential oils to a warm bath can promote a calming, relaxing environment that allows you to take a break—both mentally and physically. Combine Rosemary, Frankincense, and Epsom salt into your bath for a rejuvenating experience when you are in need of a little “me” time.
  5. Like many other essential oils, Rosemary oil can be helpful for promoting full, healthy-looking hair. When you want to promote an abundant-looking head of hair, consider using Rosemary oil when giving yourself a stimulating scalp massage. To improve the scalp massage even further, combine Melaleuca and Rosemary oil together.  Whether you are styling or grooming your lovely locks, it is always a good idea to use Rosemary oil for hair.

    When you want natural-looking beach waves, try this homemade Beach Wave Salt Spray that includes some of the best essential oils for hair—Rosemary, Lemon, Fractionated Coconut Oil, and doTERRA Healthy Hold Glaze. This concoction will give you effortless beach waves in just a few minutes, leaving your hair with the sweet, salty fragrance of the ocean. Want to make your own essential oil dry shampoo? This DIY dry shampoo tutorial brings together the sweet scents of Lavender, Rosemary, and Peppermint essential oil to keep your hair looking and smelling great when you don’t have time to wash it.

  6. Looking for more delicious Rosemary essential oil recipes? You can quickly turn traditional mashed potatoes into a flavor-filled side dish with a little help from doTERRA Rosemary essential oil. Whether you are a prepping for a holiday meal, or just want some comfort food, these Rosemary Mashed Potatoes will leave both your tastebuds and your tummy happy.

    Speaking of happy tummies, this essential oil recipe for Rosemary Zucchini Fettuccini has become a doTERRA favorite because of its healthy ingredients, powerful flavor, and beautiful presentation. Zucchini, butternut squash, and Rosemary oil make this a truly unique dish that will soon become a regular meal at your house.

  7. Because of its rejuvenating scent and renewing properties, Rosemary oil is often used for massage. Consider combining Rosemary oil with a carrier oil like doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil and applying it during massage. To create a soothing massage experience, you can also blend Rosemary oil with Wintergreen to cool and relax the skin. When you want a relaxing massage, mix Lavender with Rosemary oil for stress reduction.

 

Not only are blueberries yummy healthy snacks and very delicious in fruit salads, they are rich in antioxidants, which makes them the number one fruit to include in your diet if you want to boost memory and brain health. Blueberries are high in fiber and low in sugar, which means they are safe for diabetics. Scientists also believe that blueberries are able to help with restoring lost motor and cognitive functions. Wild blueberries are the HIGHEST in antioxidants.

A report that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported that those who drank blueberry juice every day for two months improved their memory significantly.

A study, which was presented at the meeting of the American Chemical Society, reported that berries might help prevent memory loss and mental decline by removing toxic proteins that damage nerves in the brain.

One study presented at the British Science Festival found that just one 200 grams blueberry smoothie increase the power of concentration as much as 20 percent during the day.

  • 1 Cup Coconut milk
  • 0.25 CupWild Blueberries
  • 1 tsp  Vanilla Escense
  • 1 tsp MCT oil
  • 1 Bone broth protein powder (optional)

 

That is all for now,

Wishing you a happy and healthy week

 

Dr. Rachel Hamel.

 

What does detoxing your brain look like?

, , , , , , ,
Happy Monday!  Last week we talked about the four pathways of elimination that need to be working efficiently for us everyday. If they aren’t, then we get inflammation and chronic conditions like hormone dysfunction, fatigue, skin conditions, ect.  I hope you are all enjoying this month, and as always, if you have topics you want more information on, let me know!

This week we will briefly talk about how your brain detoxes and why this is so important for our health.  As well as tips to increase it’s productivity so that we can optimize our brain function and detox pathways.

We talked last week about the lymphatic system and it’s importance in keeping it flowing.  We have a similar system in our brain it’s called the glymphatic system, or the “brain drain”.

This system was only recently discovered in 2012. It’s uses the cell’s mitochondria (energy system) to remove cellular waste from the brain.  The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the brain is what is responsible for draining toxins from brain.  The brain has no lymphatic system, just the CSF fluid.

The kicker here, is this system is especially active during sleep!  That being said if you enhance the mitochondria’s ability during sleep, you will turbocharge this maintenance system and get more cleanup in less time.

In 2013 as well, researchers found that something called “autophagy” is required for healthy brain cell mitochondria.  This is a natural process called autophagy (literally “self-eating”), and it’s the bodies system of cleaning house: Your cells create membranes that hunt out scraps of dead, diseased, or worn-out cells; gobble them up; strip ’em for parts; and use the resulting molecules for energy or to make new cell parts.

It’s like an internal recycling program.  We get rid of faulty parts, stop growths, ect.  When the scientists monitored rat specimens who had difficulty with autophagy, they were fatter, sleepier, had higher cholesterol and impaired brains.

How to increase autophagy to boost the cell’s mitochondrial function:

1. Exercise.  “Regular exercise is the most popular way that people unintentionally help their body to cleanse.”

2. Fasting.  Although I don’t usually recommend skipping meals, occasional fasting is actually beneficial. Practitioners usually forgo food for anywhere from 12 to 36 hours at a time, making sure to drink plenty of water. (You might also want to limit activity to gentle yoga or stretching.)

3. Lower your carb intake.Ketosis, is an increasingly popular diet among bodybuilders and anyone seeking a longer lifespan. The idea is to reduce carbohydrates to such low levels that the body has no choice but to use fat as a fuel source instead.

Ketosis is like an autophagy hack. You get a lot of the same metabolic changes and benefits of fasting without actually fasting.
Keto diets are super high fat (good fats): Between 60 and 70 percent of one’s overall calories should come from fat. (Lots of steak, bacon, and peanut butter shakes are a definite bonus for the keto crowd.) Protein makes up 20 to 30 percent of calories, while carbs are kept below 50 grams per day.

So, increasing good fats, moving and intermittent fasting improve this system.  But what about getting it flowing directly at its source?  What about actually changing it in the brain where it flows in and out of?

That’s right! Cranial care!

Craniopathy care has been proven to increase the CSF flow in the brain and in the entire system.  When there is pressure on the brain from the bones of the head, this fluid cannot maintain its flow.

This means the CSF flow is hindered.  Therefore, the detox pathway is hindered.

Additionally, as I mentioned previously, this system is active entirely during your sleep.  So if your sleep is hindered, or you aren’t getting adequate deep sleep you won’t be detoxing your noggin and body very well.

Sleep can be helped in many ways.

1.  Getting cranial care
2.  Supplementation, including minerals and herbs
3. Exercise
4.  Reducing EMF exposure.  No tv or cell phones in the bed room.  Turn off your wifi in your home every night, and make sure there’s no light in your room.  Completely dark room allows your brain to produce melatonin.  EMF exposure actually calcifies the pituitary which releases melatonin.
5.  Essential Oils and CBD. Certain oils can be really helpful for creating calmness and allowing sleep to happen.