By Sarah McKay, Ph.D I’ve been writing this brain health blog since April, and very quickly it has become one of my life’s great passions—my “north star.” I wake up every morning buzzing with excitement and feeling so blessed I’m doing what I love. Besides trying my hardest to be the best Mum and wife I can be, my passion…
If you’re over 40, you’re not going to like this (and if you’re not yet 40, get ready for a reality check): Early in your fifth decade, researchers believe, your cognitive brain performance peaks. From there, it’s a downhill slide for the remaining years of your life. The good news is that the brain is highly adaptable; it responds to…
The most inscrutable, looming, and painfully urgent question presented by life is what, if anything, might occur at its conclusion. We awaken at birth with no memory of where we came from, twist and wind through the drama of our existence, and eventually exit this stage, receding back into the unknown. If anything, death is a place of no return,…
Reality has stiff competition these days. Wild fantasies are coming “true” right before our eyes via “virtual reality” or VR: the use of high-tech simulations that allow us to interact with environments and situations that seem incredibly authentic but aren’t really there. VR is claiming more territory in our perceptual landscape, thanks to simulated discussion groups (Usenet, Chat, ICQ), virtual…
Last year my friend Sarah got pregnant and immediately kicked into mother mode. She switched to only organic products, researched natural childbirth, began training with a hypno-birth program, and started a regimen of vitamin supplements to ensure the baby’s physical, mental, and intellectual health. This kid was going to have the best possible head start. After 10 weeks, when her…
Must all learning be difficult, a series of miserably rote chores performed by schoolchildren trapped at their desks? Or can mastering multiplication, reading, science, and writing be a romp through the playgrounds of the mind? While most students would prefer that school be as easy as possible, the truth is that the deepest human understanding—the stuff that sticks with us…
Creativity is one of the most mysterious human qualities. Seemingly effortless for a rare few, it can be elusive for the majority. While the most extensive training in the world can’t turn an average Joe into Paul McCartney, these simple techniques can help edge the creative muse closer. 1. Limit your options. Studies show that restricting one’s choices can more…
In The Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton, Ph.D., asserts that the subconscious mind can process approximately 20 million bits of information per second, while the conscious mind processes only about 40,000 bits in the same time frame. With so much input vying for your attention, how does your brain choose where to place your awareness? Researchers in the psychology department…
By Douglas LaBier, Ph.D. In a previous post I described new research showing that a sense of purpose in life is linked with greater longevity. That’s just one of an increasing number of studies that add to the recognition that we are biological-psychological-spiritual-social beings. All dimensions—internal and external—interact with each other and shape our total experience of life: our overall health, level…
