Category: Brian Abnormalities

Which Brain Cells Require Stimulation to Support Memory?

Neurons in the Brain

We previously discussed the top foods are for brain health, but some supplements have been studied to be healthy for your brain as well. With all the advertising about this subject, let’s take a look at what ingredients are nutrients act as the real stimulants for your brain cells.

Hippocampus

Temporal Lobe - Hippocampus collage
Temporal Lobe – Hippocampus. iStock

Before we delve into brain cells, it is important to note which part of the brain has the most influence on cognitive functionality: the hippocampus. Located in the medial temporal lobe, it is associated with learning and memory functions.  

The Cells

While there isn’t a single type of cell responsible for memory, several cell types play crucial roles:

Neurons

Active neuron cell function
iStock

Neurons are the primary cells in the brain responsible for transmitting and processing information. Certain types of neurons, particularly those involved in long-term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic plasticity, are crucial in memory. These neurons form connections (synapses) with other neurons, and the strength and efficiency of these connections are believed to underlie memory formation.

Glial Cells

Glial cells, the unsung heroes of the brain, including astrocytes and microglia, are not just support staff for neurons. As recent research suggests, they also have active roles in synaptic transmission and plasticity, which are the building blocks of memory formation.

Neurotransmitters

Several neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin, modulate synaptic transmission. In layman’s terms, this means that they control the communication between neurons at the synapse, which is the gap between two nerve cells where neurotransmitters are released and received. 

This is the fundamental process underlying memory formation.

Neurogenesis

Contrary to the long-held belief that neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons, is a one-time event in the brain’s development, recent evidence suggests it’s a lifelong process in certain brain regions, including the hippocampus. These fresh neurons are believed to contribute to specific memory processes, adding a fascinating layer to our understanding of memory formation.

Stimulating specific brain regions or cell types through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or optogenetics can modulate neural activity and potentially enhance memory formation. However, the precise mechanisms underlying memory formation are still an active research area.

Cognitive Function Enhances

Now that we’ve grasped the functions of cells in the brain, let’s delve into some substances that bolster these cells, ensuring their vitality and health. While this compilation isn’t exhaustive, it serves as a starting point for identifying key components in brain-enhancing supplements, commonly referred to as nootropics.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

DHA is food for your brain cells. It’s a healthy fat that keeps the cells strong and flexible, similar to how eating veggies helps your body remain healthy. When you have enough DHA in your diet, it supports the health of all kinds of brain cells, assisting them to communicate better and work more efficiently. This can lead to improved memory, learning, and overall brain function.

DHA is part of the omega-3 fatty acid family and consequently, it helps keep the cell receptors healthy. Cell receptors are located on the surface of cells or inside the cell. They serve as “sensors” that can recognize and bind to the neurotransmitters; in other words, they help enhance the singling process of the neurons. And as an FYI, you can also help your cell receptors by eating fish, especially salmon. 

Choline

No, you don’t need to get it from a swimming pool, but you can get it in a supplement. Research has found that choline supplementation may have cognitive benefits, particularly in memory and attention. It is believed to enhance cognitive performance in adults and may reduce the risk of cognitive decline with aging.

Huperzine A

This is a natural compound derived from the Chinese club moss plant, Huperzia serrata. It works on neurotransmitters, specifically, it keeps acetylcholine alive and well by prohibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase from breaking it down. By inhibiting this enzyme, Huperzine A can increase the levels of acetylcholine; thus, it maintains neural transmission, which is important for memory, learning, and overall cognitive function. 
Huperzine A has been studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Some research suggests that it may improve memory and cognitive function in individuals with these conditions.

It is important to note that while Huperzine A shows promise as a cognitive enhancer, more research is needed to understand its effects and potential long-term benefits and risks fully. Like other nootropics, it should be used with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

B Vitamins

B vitamins, particularly B6, B12, and folic acid (B9), play a crucial role in brain function. They help the body convert food into energy for cells, including brain cells and are important for the production of neurotransmitters that regulate mood, memory, and focus. 

Summary

While the field of nootropics continues to evolve, it is evident that certain ingredients hold promise in supporting memory, focus, and overall cognitive well-being. However, further research and regulation are imperative to ensure safety, efficacy, and ethical use for some of them.


Here we gave a summary of some of the components of the brain and some potential brain enhancing ingredients. As we navigate this exciting frontier further it is essential to approach brain enhancement with a balanced perspective, acknowledging both the possibilities and limitations of these ingredients in enhancing our cognitive abilities.

What Happens When Fear Goes Too Far? The Science Behind a Panic Attack!

The Adrellian Factor

Fearful man with hands on his face
Photo by MART PRODUCTION Pexels

Ever jump when you hear a sudden loud noise? This is the fight or flight response that your body takes to a potential danger that you are confronted with. Moreover, fear would be an extension of the loud noise reaction and would be much more intense. The mind interprets the situation as a danger, reacts appropriately, and takes the necessary biological and psychological precautions to alleviate this fear.

What’s Happening Physically?

When the body senses danger, the sympathetic nervous system is activated. This releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol and as a result, your body’s heart rate and blood pressure are increased, as well as possibly a pounding headache and sweating.

Man grabbing his chest
GraphicStock

As your heart beats faster and harder, known as palpitations you may feel, faint and get a sharp pain in your chest.

You may even feel like you are having a heart attack, which could be possible, depending upon your personal physical and psychological conditions. In this case, you may want to contact medical professionals, especially if the condition persists.

As these systems continue, your body can experience a “nervous stomach”.  The muscles in the stomach wall contract, which can cause nausea and vomiting. In addition to the physical symptoms, the mind also becomes “paralyzed”. This is when your cognitive process becomes disrupted. People may also feel an experience of detachment. The thoughts are racing and a person may feel as if their body isn’t their own.

Not everyone will feel every symptom during a panic attack, but if a fearful condition confronts you, there is no doubt you will experience a good variety of these.

Let’s break these symptoms down.

What’s Happening Mentally?

Woman showing signs of headach or stress
Photo: Graphicstock

Some typical thoughts during a panic attack are “What if this happens again?” “What if I can’t do this?” or “I’m a failure”, among many other thoughts of worry. These emotions arise in a part of the brain called the amygdala which contains almond-shaped cells that are located near the bottom of the brain.

The amygdala contains your memories and with those memories, connections to certain emotions exist. They can be happy, sad, scared, or any other emotion you had during that memory and are called emotional remembrances. The amygdala is a part of the limbic system, the portion of the brain which is responsible for your emotional and behavioral responses.

Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety

    • Understand The Cause – The cause of your anxiety could be biological, psychological, or social. If it’s biological, you can take medication. The cause may be psychological, in which case you can learn how to overcome anxiety. The cause may also be social. In this case, you may need to change your social habits.
    • Identify The Trigger – In a panic attack, the mind interprets harmless situations as potentially catastrophic. Take some deep breaths and try to think about the situation in an organized fashion step by step. If you can break down why the situation is happening, you will have a better chance of confronting and dealing with it.

Conclusion

Panic attacks can be anxiety disorders. They affect 15-30% of the population. When you get an attack, your body reacts with the fight or flight response. This can cause a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, and possibly other conditions such as sweating.

The amygdala in your brain is where the response originates and is where the adrenaline and cortisol hormones are released.

You may be able to control these attacks, especially if you have an anxiety order condition. About half of the people with anxiety disorders don’t seek help. They assume that they’ll overcome their anxiety on their own. However, it may take months, years, or a lifetime for things to get better. It’s important to seek help as soon as possible. It’s more likely that the symptoms will be mild if they’re treated early. If untreated, an anxiety disorder can get worse, causing depression, abuse of drugs or alcohol, and even suicide. If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, talk to your doctor. Together, you can find a treatment that works for you.

Taking Back Power from Intrusive Thoughts in OCD

A girl covering her face with her hand

All of us get irrational thoughts that run through our minds but are quickly forgotten, but for some, these thoughts don’t go away and continue to haunt the person. And once these unrealistic scenarios take hold, your stress levels can increase, resulting in other negative events attributed to this obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). And subsequently, if not treated, you can end up in a full blown panic.

Under normal circumstances, a bad thought may be from an event, but as time goes by, the person calms down and tries to manage it in a logical manner; however, there are people who remain obsessed for a longer period of time and feel hopeless even if there may be a resolution down the road. This irrational behavior is usually associated with abnormalities in the brain that exacerbates the situation; subsequently, prolonging worry and resulting in a hyper-emotional state of concern. 

If these episodes are continuous, a doctor’s care would be required and appropriate mediation considered. Such is the case with bi-polar people where continuous negative thoughts overwhelm their rational state of mind, making them unable to think clearly.

As their OCD continues, the obsessive worry amplifies to the point where they can exhibit loud, aggressive and irrational outbursts (mania); sometimes in the form of violence. But it may not stop there. The obsession can lead to high energy moods and can result in unrelated actions not associated with their initial triggered event; such as excessive spending, inordinate continous cleaning or other forms of obsessive behavior.

What starts as a regular morning can quickly devolve into harrowing dawn where a person begins ruminating over things that may not even be real. If you are a formally diagnosed OC person, then you must already know how the thought pattern works in OCD. But if you aren’t diagnosed yet, then you might not even realize that what you have is not normal and needs to be dealt with as early as possible.

In obsessive thinking, a person could be sitting idle or watching something, and out of nowhere, a negative thought such as ‘what if I killed my mom?’ would rear its head and take over the person’s mind. They would not be able to break free from the negative thought cycle and would start believing that they are capable of hurting their mom. From outside the OCD realm, a healthy minded person would think that intrusive thoughts are not real; they are only a creation of the mind, so why can’t a person just stop thinking about them?

Well, that’s precisely the pervasive nature of intrusive/obsessive thinking. The mind of a person with OCD fails to pick up on the invalidity of negative thought and ends up replaying it again and again. However, sometimes a person might be able to realize that an idea is entirely out of the realm of possibility, but they are still harassed by it. It happens because the prefix of ‘what if’ is too powerful for people who get intrusive thoughts, and as a result, they fail to dismiss even the most far-fetched ideas.  

Even though the hold of intrusive thoughts over a person’s life seems unrelenting, by following a few strategies, a person can develop the ability to counsel themselves when there is an onslaught of intrusive thoughts.

Here are a few strategies that an OC person can employ to take back control from obsessive thinking.

Record and Identify a Pattern

On the surface, an obsessive thought seems to show up without a trigger, but typically there is an underlying anxiety or fear that fuels it. That is, you may not realize that you have a deep-rooted fear or concern regarding an aspect of your life that can trigger your thoughts. Let’s consider an example to understand the pattern of obsessive thoughts better.

You are sitting one day, and it seems like a regular day, but then you are hit with a terrible thought that you may hurt your best friend. Now there is no apparent reason for you to think this way, but once the idea appears, that’s all you can think about. Instead of thinking about the intrusive thought, try to dig a little deeper and figure out what rational or irrational fear do you have that could possibly be fueling this thought. Many times when a person fears hurting their loved ones, it’s because they are afraid of losing them. You might find this concept hard to believe, but if you break down the thought pattern related to the idea of hurting a loved one, you’ll find the correlation between the thought and the fear of losing someone close to you.

The fear of losing a friend or family member can manifest as a negative thought, such as ‘what if I hurt my friend?’ When you are afraid of losing some you love, the worst-case scenario would be that you actually lose them. In OCD, a patient’s mind can trick them into thinking about their fears indirectly while making the thought even more dreadful than the actual concern.

Accept your Thoughts

The idea of accepting intrusive thoughts may seem counterintuitive, but it can help a person relax to a considerable extent. As Deepak Chopra says, ‘Thoughts are just fleeting mental images, they have no real consequences until you make them important.’

Since thoughts are just virtual segments of once imagination, accepting them can make them less intense. That is, your acceptance or repudiation isn’t going to make your thoughts any more or less real. They are not going to become a reality, so if you accept them instead of getting worked up about them, you can relax the mind.

When you tell your mind that you believe it, it will stop torturing you with horrifying images and ideas. TO better understand this concept think about how you tease a friend but then stop doing so when they stop getting riled up. You only tease a friend till they give you a reaction, the moment they stop reacting you stop provoking them. Similarly, when the thoughts in your brain fail to elicit a response from you, they will lose their power.

Explore Meditation

Intrusive thoughts alone are unsettling, but combined with negative emotions that they generate, they become even more distressing. While you try to take control over your thought process by recording and accepting your thoughts, start meditating to manage the emotions which come with obsessive thoughts. Meditating is excellent at calming down the mind and keeping negative emotions at bay. With that said, you cannot expect miracles to happen with just one round of meditation. Make sure you make meditation a part of your daily life if you want to see results.

Every day make time for yourself, sit alone, and focus on your breathing while relaxing music plays in the background. You might require some time to get into the groove of meditation, but slowly you’ll get the hang of it. Just make sure that you remain consistent and practice meditation regularly.

The Takeaway

Obsessive thoughts can be debilitating. Professional guidance can be helpful, but a sufferer has to do most of the heavy lifting themselves, so they should start challenging their ideas on their own right away. The sooner a person starts tackling their thoughts, the faster they’ll be able to break the cycle of negative thoughts.

Distinguishing Between Depression and Sadness

A girl standing with a book alone in the woods


Continuing our series on depression, we will focus on sadness and discuss how the two are related. According to the reports by the American Association for Anxiety Disorders. Depression is a debilitating condition and can alter the quality of life of anyone who suffers from it, but how does this relate to depression?. A person may exhibit many symptoms, including anxiety, sadness, higher irritability, etc. Even though sadness can be part of depression, people often confuse the two terms and use them interchangeably.

So, What is the Difference?

It is a feeling, an emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. However, depression is a medical condition that is characterized by sadness and multiple other symptoms. People need to understand that the two phenomena are fundamentally different to seek help when needed. 

In simple terms, depression and sadness are not synonymous; one is a mental disorder while the other is a naturally occurring feeling. A chemical imbalance causes depression in the brain, and a traumatic or painful incident can trigger sadness. Sadness can fizzle out, but depression doesn’t. No matter how pervasive the sadness feels in the wake of a tragic accident, it will dissolve after some time. However, it is important to note that any traumatic event can be the triggering factor for depression, with sorrow as one of its symptoms.

Positive things can be done to manage both sadness and depression, for instance, if a person has a horrible boss and it induces sorrow in them, thinking about a day out with friends or going away for a day or two could bring relief to the sufferer. This method can help reduce anxiety, whether if it is just sadness or you are going through a depressive episode. 

However, severe depression may need more positive inducing factors. And that’s a main difference between sadness and depression.

 Sadness Symptoms

Sadness can, at times, be all-encompassing, as if it has taken over a person’s life. And that’s natural. When people are hurt or faced with unpleasant circumstances, they can feel bad about it, but when those circumstances start disappearing or settling, people start feeling better. Even in times of extreme sadness or temporary depression, people can smile about things that make them happy. 

Depression Symptoms

Depression is an abnormal state of being. It is physiological, which affects a person’s mood, behavior, thought processes, perceptions, and even appetite. It’s a psychological disorder that colors every aspect of a patient’s life. Here are some of the most common symptoms of depression.

Upset woman in front of computer

    • Feeling of despair
    • Sadness
    • Feeling of discouragement
    • A loss of interest in once enjoyable activities
    • An overpowering lack of motivation
    • Receding self-esteem
    • Feelings of self-doubt

A person suffering from depression likes to stay isolated and doesn’t want to take part in social activities, such as hanging out with friends or spending time with family.

If these symptoms last for more than two weeks, then a person may be diagnosed with major depressive disorder, commonly known as depression.

Some common signs of MDD are:

    • Low levels of energy, lethargy
    • Insomnia or disturbed sleeping patterns
    • Continuous depressed mood for days
    • Loss of interest in activities
    • Loss of appetite, weight loss
    • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive levels of guilt
    • Inability to make decisions and concentrate
    • Suicidal thoughts
    • Recurrent episodes of uncontrollable crying

Anybody who experiences any 5 of the mentioned symptoms is most likely suffering from depression. However, to make a formal diagnosis, the doctor must link all the signs to depression and not to a different underlying mental condition like substance abuse.

Depression hampers a person’s ability to get through the day. If you have depression, then you must often find yourself struggling to get out of bed in the morning.

Biology of Depression

The nerve cells, known as neurons, communicate with one another within the nervous system via a chemical known as a neurotransmitter. When there is a discrepancy in the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, the brain experiences a chemical imbalance.

In the case of depression, the brain encounters a lack of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for communicating the feelings of happiness and ecstasy. The brain senses or registers the feeling of joy in the presence of serotonin; otherwise, it doesn’t recognize the feeling. When there is a shortage of serotonin in the brain, a person experiences symptoms of depression. And those symptoms can only be treated with a proper treatment plan. 

Treatment of Depression

If a person experiences symptoms of depression for more than two weeks, then they should seek professional help, because, unlike sadness, depression doesn’t go away without a proper treatment plan.

The most common treatment routes prescribed by psychiatrists are

Medication

To balance out the chemical imbalance in the brain during an episode of depression, doctors use drugs in patients with depression. The most common type of antidepressant medicine given to treat depression is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs increase the level of serotonin in the brain, which leads to mood enhancement and remission of the symptoms of depression.

SSRIs do help people with depression, but they can also have some adverse side effects. In some cases, they can aggravate the symptoms of depression and may even lead to the ideation of suicide in younger people.

Due to the adverse side effects of these medications, they come with black box warnings to ensure people know about the impact before consuming the medicine.

Psychotherapy and Counseling

Psychotherapy is talking with a trained professional who helps a patient tackle their symptoms of depression. Depression patients can take therapy with or without medication.

Woman holding hands with others

A therapist helps people with depression in identifying their trigger points and comes up with coping mechanisms for those trigger factors.

In extreme cases, where a patient attempts suicide or harms themselves, psychotherapists are crucial to calm such patients down and help them deal with their severe symptoms.

Conclusion

Sadness and depression are two separate things. Both can occur independently of each other; however, depression needs proper treatment, while sadness can go away on its own.

For an in-depth overview, visit our Complete Guide to Depression and Anxiety.

How Stress Affects the Human Body?

In our previous article on anxiety and stress, we discussed the many ways you can work to alleviate or at the very least, reduce your anxiety. Now, let us discuss how stress affects you and what it can to do to your body, should it prolong. It is our hope that having this basic understanding of stress and anxiety will help you build on eliminating it.

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress

This human body’s response to environmental factors has many benefits. It helps us to keep going, face challenges, and overcome danger. This is due to the body’s built-in “fight or flight” which we react to when we are confronted with potential danger.

While occasional triggering of the fight or flight response has positive effects, prolonged engagement of this state can lead to a condition called chronic stress and it happens when a person goes through a series of prolonged challenges without any relief.

This condition is dangerous because the body’s fight or flight response is active all the time, which can subsequently disturb our system’s internal balance and can lead to wear and tear in the body – both emotional and physical. 

Effects of Stress on the Body

Man displaying frustration in front of a desk

Chronic stress is not something to ignore. As this disorder prolongs, more damage can occur in your body, both physically and mentally. According to the American Psychological Association, the following transformations can occur: 

Changes the Function of the Nervous System

This is because chronic stress alters the brain’s neurons by causing too much cortisol to be created. Cortisol exists naturally in the brain, but too much of it can disrupt the synapses (the electrical connections) between neurons and as a result, cognitive processing can be inhibited.

In other words, an abnormal abundance of cortisol can cause degradation of memory since the connections (of the synapses) equate to the transfer of information and if those connections are broken, so is the transfer of information.

Neurons in the Brain
Synapses in the brain connect with each other allowing information to build. Too much cortisol can disrupt this transfer of knowledge and memory.

The effects of chronic stress are obvious when a person experiences difficulty in retaining and processing information (although there could be other factors involved as well). This can subsequently result in decision issues as well. 

Chronic Pain 

man-suffering-from-neck-pain-isolated-on-white-background

Anxiety can cause the muscles to be in a state of alertness, which is due to our fight or flight condition. While this helps us to become more active in stressful conditions, it can lead to chronic (persisting) pain in the long run.

This is because chronic stress causes tension in the body. If the muscles continue to be in this state for too long, it can lead to stiffness, particularly in the areas of the neck, shoulders and head. Sometimes pain can be felt in the chest, but chest pains can be a sign of something even more significant and should not be taken lightly. People experiencing muscle pain from stress are also prone to migraines and stress-related headaches.  

Cardiovascular Diseases 

When in this fight or flight condition, the heart and the blood vessels work harder to provide more oxygen to the body, in turn producing stress hormones. This exposes your body to unhealthy, elevated levels of adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine, which increases heart rate and blood pressure, and happens so that the body can make quicker decisions in case of danger.

If the condition becomes chronic, the heart and blood vessels need to work even harder on a continuous basis; subsequently, the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases increases.  Additionally, the constant presence of stress hormones in the blood can enhance the production of cholesterol. 

Secondary effects of stress-related heart disease could result from overeating, lack of exercise and the potential to drink and smoke more.

Affects the Respiratory and Digestive Systems

The respiratory system in the human body supplies oxygen to all parts of the body. In case of stress, the heart rate increases which, in turn, pushes the lungs to supply oxygenated blood to the body. This causes shortness of breath and rapid breathing. For people who do not have any respiratory condition, shortness of breath may not be a problem but it can be a serious concern for someone who has asthma or some other respiratory condition. Research also suggests that chronic stress can trigger respiratory conditions like asthma. This is because of a continuously overworked respiratory system. 

Stress is also closely linked with the digestive system. It not only gives you “butterflies” but can influence the overall health of your entire digestive system. Since stress increases metabolic activity, the processes taking place in your digestive system also speed up. As a result, it can lead to many conditions that are associated with improper digestion. This includes acid reflux, vomiting, nausea, and inconsistent bowel movements. 

Conclusion 

While some amount of stress is important to keep you going, too much can have detrimental effects on the human body. There is an abundance of ways to control stress, but in a nutshell, make sure you eat the proper stress-reducing foods, get a good seven-eight hours of sleep, exercise regularly and seek medical attention if necessary.


Bipolar Disorder – Much More than Just Mood Swings

One could say that people exhibiting bipolar disorder are the most emotional people in the world; although possibly true, this would be a rather simplistic way of describing it, but it would definitely give a good illustration of how those who have this disorder react.

When you see someone with quick and extreme mood changes, it may be more than just regular emotional swings. Although not always, a person exhibiting episodes of drastic mood changes may actually be suffering from bipolar disorder, which is a mental illness that affects around 60 million people all over the world, according to the World Health Organization.

What is Bipolar Disorder and How is It Different from Regular Mood Swings?

It is normal to experience mood changes in everyday life – there are days when you feel happy and content, and there are times when you can’t help feeling down or maybe even depressed. One cause for this depression could be excessive worry. However, other times, you may be hyper and illogical. If the mood changes are too drastic and start to affect your daily life, there could be an underlying problem. Drastic and severe mood changes with depressive and manic episodes are the key symptoms of bipolar disorder.

This is a disease that affects the brain, and as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health, as an illness that is characterized by dramatic changes in one’s mood, activity levels, and energy. The highs and lows are so severe that they interfere with the patient’s everyday life and often make it difficult (or impossible) to even carry out everyday tasks, not to mention the impact it has on that person’s friends and loved ones. The mood swings can last for prolonged periods, which then cause psychological distress.

The disease is also called manic-depressive disorder, which was a term used more often in the mid-20th century, reflecting the two extreme states of mood swings. Mania, or the high, is characterized by hyperactivity, grandiosity, and euphoria, whereas the depressive state makes the person feel hopeless and lethargic. During the depressive stage, the patient loses interest in everything and becomes pessimistic.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Unfortunately, no test can tell if a person is suffering from bipolar disorder. This makes the diagnosis quite difficult. The evaluation generally includes the following:

  • Physical Exam and Lab Tests – Since there is no test for bipolar disorder, doctors have to perform different types of tests, like body scans and blood tests, and a physical exam to rule out any physical medical condition that may be causing the symptoms.
  • Mood Charting – The doctor may ask you or a family member to keep an eye on (and maintain a record of) your mood swings, sleep patterns, and other behavioral factors daily.
  • Psychiatric Assessment – The diagnosis of bipolar disorder is often not made without the involvement of a psychiatrist. A person exhibiting some symptoms of the disease is often referred for a psychiatric assessment. This includes a number of things, like filling out a questionnaire or self-assessment form and consultation sessions with the psychiatrist during which the doctor will talk about your feelings, behaviors, and thoughts. The psychiatrist may also need to talk to a family member or a close friend regarding the symptoms a person is showing to reach a decision.  Usually, the psychiatrist can determine if the person is bipolar after just a few visits.

While the diagnosis is not solely made on the basis of symptoms, it can definitely help to reach a conclusion. According to experts, a person suffering from bipolar disorder generally shows at least three symptoms of mania and hypomania (a less severe stage of mania) and at least five symptoms of severe depression.

A manic or hypomanic episode is characterized by the following signs and symptoms:

  • Increased energy, activity, or agitation
  • Acting abnormally jumpy, or upbeat (hyper)
  • Talking much more than usual
  • Distractibility
  • Decreased sleep
  • Racing thoughts
  • Making poor decisions, for example, bad financial decisions, going on shopping sprees, etc.
  • Euphoria is characterized by exaggerated self-confidence and a sense of well-being

Some of the most common symptoms a bipolar person shows during a severe depressive episode include:

  • Feeling extremely sad, hopeless, and empty
  • An increase or decrease in appetite
  • Significant weight gain or weight loss without any apparent reason
  • Feeling restless
  • Sleeping too much (hypersomnia) or too little (insomnia)
  • A constant feeling of fatigue
  • Low energy and slowed behavior
  • Reduced concentration and ability to think
  • Indecisiveness
  • Losing interest in everything
  • Feeling guilty or worthless
  • Suicidal thoughts and attempts

Depending on the type of bipolar disorder and its severity, some patients may also experience and exhibit anxiety, psychosis, ADHD, or substance abuse. The initial signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder often first appear during teenage years. However, the mental condition can also affect children.

Unlike the common perception, it is possible to live a normal life even when you are diagnosed with this disease, and even better news is that there are many medications available to help the individual maintain a normal lifestyle. Therefore, consult a doctor if you or a loved one is experiencing any of the symptoms – it may be more than just mood swings.

Lastly, we all need to be a little more empathetic towards people suffering from mental illnesses. They may not appear as severe as diseases that affect our body, but they are equally (and maybe more) traumatic and painful. Instead of labeling anyone as psychotic, try and help them in some way –they may be suffering from a mental condition and may not be aware of it themselves.   

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – One of the Most Misunderstood Mental Disorders – CDP

Solider with hands on his faceJune 27th is National PTSD awareness day. While there is still a general lack of understanding of mental illnesses, PTSD is one of the most misunderstood mental disorders. Despite the availability of modern research findings, there are still many unfounded beliefs associated with PTSD.

Some of the commonly held myths are:

    • Only soldiers and war veterans can suffer from PTSD
    • PTSD is a sign of weakness
    • There are no treatments for PTSD
    • People who have PTSD are dangerous
    • Every person who experiences trauma develops PTSD

What is PTSD Then?

The American Psychiatric Association defines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as “a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, it could be war, a terrorist act, serious incident, natural disaster, and sexual or violent personal assaults, like rape.”

The mental disorder is mainly characterized by extreme fear and anxiety that is often uncontrollable.

In the field of medical science, it is an established fact that anyone who has witnessed or experienced an event that negatively affected their physical and emotional well being or posed a threat to their lives can develop PTSD. Simply put, any incident that induces extreme learned fear can cause post-traumatic stress disorder.

Although it is common for anyone to experience anxiety and emotional issues after going through a trauma, the intensity of the symptoms reduces with time. But people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are unable to recover from the trauma, and the severity of their symptoms does not reduce with time.

Research has shown that women, children, and disabled people are more likely to develop the disorder.

Factors That Can Increase the Risk for Developing PTSD

While it is impossible to accurately predict if a person is likely to develop PTSD, there are a few factors that researchers believe can increase the risk of developing it. They include:

    • Loss of a loved one
    • Serious injury or harm, either to yourself or to a loved one
    • Isolation or separation
    • Displacement from home or being away from the family as a result of some incident 

New Scientific Discoveries 

It was long believed that war-related PTSD depends on how well a soldier copes psychologically with the constant threat and exposure to violence. A research study published in the Academy of Management Journal in 2016 regarded the view as incomplete and representing only half the story.

As stated on the University of Cambridge website, researchers found that the context through which a person experiences a war may play an equally important role in determining why wars affect people differently; such as, their cultural, organizational, and professional background.

According to Mark de Rond, one of the two researchers who conducted the study, “this understanding of the connection between PTSD and the context of those who suffer from it could change the way mental health experts analyze, prevent and manage psychological injury from warfare.”

Some Common Signs and Symptoms of PTSD

A person suffering from this condition usually experiences and/or exhibits a combination of the following symptoms:

    • Extreme fear or phobia
    • Depression
    • Insomnia
    • Hypervigilance
    • Detachment
    • Flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and nightmares
    • Severe anxiety
    • Irritability
    • Anger issues
    • Inability to concentrate
    • Self-destructive behaviors
    • Lack or loss of appetite
    • Substance abuse

The severity of these symptoms can vary from person to person.

Diagnosis of PTSD

PTSD statistics
PTSD Depression chart Wikipedia
Only a trained healthcare professional can diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder. This is due to the fact that many patients do not experience or exhibit most of the symptoms associated with the disease.

What makes it even more difficult is the fact that many people experience anxiety that is generalized and not associated with PTSD. This is why it is highly recommended to consult a trained and experienced professional for diagnosis and avoid taking any medications on your own.

How is PTSD Treated?

According to PTSD United, about 70% of adults in the U.S. reported having experienced traumatic events at least once in their lives. Out of this, 20% developed PTSD.  The website also stated that around 8% of Americans suffer from PTSD at any given time.

Like all other mental illnesses, many conventional treatments are available for it. However, they may not work for everyone. Patients who do not find relief from conventional medicines find it very difficult to deal with the disease, and they sometimes end up harming themselves; there are some cases where patients even committed suicide or committed harm to others.  

Due to the inefficacy of first-line medications (for some patients) and serious negative consequences, researchers have been continuously trying to find alternative treatments for PTSD.  

Can Cannabis be an Alternative Treatment for PTSD?

According to research published in Molecular Psychiatry, certain compounds that are present in cannabis can provide some relief to patients of PTSD.  

There are many other studies that have led scientists to consider that cannabis may offer help in managing the disease by providing symptomatic relief. However, the research is still in its preliminary stages and there is a long way to go before the drug can be approved as a treatment for PTSD.

How Can Cannabis Help with PTSD?

According to the research, cannabis can provide symptomatic relief by removing associations to painful memories. This can help patients who experience flashbacks whenever they see or hear something that is somehow associated with the event that initiated the disease.

A study was conducted to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that initiate the development of PTSD. It was found that people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder have a deficiency of anandamide. Anandamide is an endogenous (not attributable to any external or environmental factor) cannabinoid compound that triggers certain brain receptors that are called CB-1. These receptors are responsible for mediating many psychological functions.

When they are normally functioning, they help people overcome traumatic incidents by deactivating the bad memories.  The research also found out that cannabinoids may help remove the deficiency of endocannabinoids that contribute to PTSD. However, the drug may cause many side effects. Hence, it should not be used unless prescribed by a registered healthcare practitioner.

How You Can Help When a Loved One has Alzheimer’s Disease

Woman Taking Care of an Elderly ManAlzheimer’s disease is an aggressive neurological disorder that slowly breaks down brain cells and inhibits bodily function. The main problem materializes when a person starts to forget things as their brain cells gradually die.

For loved ones, it can be very difficult to see how Alzheimer’s is takes away the independence of the person who has acquired it. It can also get frustrating, especially when the individual is unable to communicate their wants and needs. There are a lot of myths about Alzheimer’s, so we are going to provide the proper procedures to follow as if you find yourself in a position to assist someone who has acquired this debilitating disease.  

Read Up about It

A good way to help is by doing your research regarding Alzheimer’s disease. This can allow you to understand what you should expect and how you can prepare. In many cases, there are common misconceptions about the condition as well that might mar your plans. Always do your research and ensure that you are educated about the condition. This will mean that as your loved one’s condition worsens, you can still do all in your means to make them comfortable.

Similarly, not all forms of Alzheimer’s cause dementia. Dementia only occurs when Alzheimer’s has progressed to a serious stage. The main goal here for you is to understand the condition so that you can offer better support to your loved ones. If you don’t understand it, you cannot help them in a greater capacity, as they need.

  • Healthy Exercises

Just because someone has Alzheimer’s does not mean that they have to stop doing the activities that they’ve enjoyed. In fact, it is actually encouraged that they indulge in activities that can keep their brain healthier for longer time. From gardening and yard work yoga, jogging,  swimming or walking the dog can improve their mood as well as allow them to keep their cognitive thought processes working.

Remember to offer them healthy snacks and water when they are exercising. Also, continue to encourage and interact with them. Whenever possible, allow them to maintain their independence. Alzheimer’s can cause a person to rely heavily on a caretaker. Until that moment, allow them to retain their activities without your assistance. Be careful in some cases though, such as cooking or other activities where a danger may exist. Accidents can occur if the person forgets they are chopping vegetables or they put something in the oven and then forgot about it.

  • Have Realistic Expectations

Alzheimer’s can make a person rather moody and prone to mood swings so you should expect the unexpected. Keep in mind that these patients can fluctuate between good days and bad days. The good days might make you hopeful but things can definitely take a wrong turn with ease. For this reason, be realistic and take each moment as it comes. Also, keep in mind that the good days are not a sign that the disease is diminishing.  

As a degenerative condition, there are treatments available that can slow down the disease but there is no ultimate cure. If your loved one is taking medication for Alzheimer’s, understand that it won’t fix the condition; the medication will just allow them to enjoy their quality of life for longer. It also allows them to adjust to the condition. By understanding and accepting this factor, you can make sure that you have realistic expectations of how the condition will progress.

  • A Predictable Schedule and Routine

One of the major problems with Alzheimer’s is that it can cause confusion on a daily basis. By having a schedule and a routine that is predictable, you can make an Alzheimer’s patient’s life easier. Have meals consistently at the same time; schedule their bathroom breaks, their activities and bedtime. It might feel like looking after a toddler but it allows your loved one to have a set routine that they will not forget so easily.

The routine and monotony of daily life will also allow them to easily handle much of the anxiety and confusion that comes as their condition progresses. Remember to be patient and avoid deviating from the routine as much as possible. Any unexpected changes can trigger anxiety as they are not expecting the change. Moreover, without a consistent routine, it can be difficult for them to remember what they did during the day.

  • Don’t Argue

As they lose their memory, your loved ones will often forget something. They might often believe that they are living in the past or have forgotten that someone has passed away. Never try to argue with them because their failing memory means that they cannot remember what has actually happened. The best thing to do is to gently steer the conversation towards the truth.

If they still insist on something, tell them the truth firmly but avoid arguing. Getting angry for forgetting something will only add to their confusion which in turn, will end up making them angry at their inability to remember. Moreover, as the condition progresses, they will forget so you can’t fault them on this aspect.

  • Emotional Bonds

When a person has Alzheimer’s they can slowly lose their vocabulary as well as their ability to write. They might also forget what certain objects are called and will come up with words for them. An apple could become a red ball. It is very important to read between the lines. When someone with Alzheimer talks to you, you need to listen with your eyes, ears and your heart.

In many cases, the person might not remember an event but they still remember the emotions they felt. Capitalize on this aspect by developing and improving your emotional bonds with them. Listen to music, read out loud to them and try to paint. Moreover, always remember to hug them and let them know they are loved by your actions and your words.

Simple Ways to Tackle Stress and Depression – Part II

October 26, 2025 Update

A recent study by the Annals of Internal Medicine found that some antidepressant medications are associated with weight change. They found that many people had a modest change on average, but the risk differs significantly by drug and by person. The research supports awareness of weight as a potential side-effect; however, it doesn’t specify that everyone will gain significant weight, nor that weight gain is inevitable.

Did You Reach Your 10,000 Steps Today?

Graphicstock 052419 Woman on Treadmill Ah, the beauty of exercise! What can one say but only good things about this natural, physical full-body enhancement?

Workouts can stimulate just about every part of your body. But the organs that will love you most are your heart and your belly; however, don’t neglect what they can do for your brain, and this is where we will focus our discussion today.

Helping Your Brain with Exercise

Comparision image comparing anxiety and exercise
Comparison image comparing serotonin levels between anxiety and exercise

Anxiety reduces the production of cells in the hippocampus (the area where learning, memory, and emotion reside) by inhibiting the neurons from building new cells.

The solution is to increase the production of a chemical called serotonin. This chemical plays a crucial role in supporting your brain in growing new cells. When you have healthy serotonin levels, your hippocampus can create new neurons (a process called neurogenesis).

Exercise does this. It makes it easier for your brain to produce more serotonin. This is one reason why regular exercise can improve mood and reduce anxiety—it’s giving your brain more of the “feel-good” chemical it needs.

The Research Proves It

Studies have shown that exercising, specifically aerobic workouts for a minimum of 20 minutes, can promote healthy information processing and memory functions within the brain; thereby countering the decline in neuron loss that occurs when a person is under stress.

One person told us of her continuous anxiety. She would be stressed all day and had to take pills to sleep, but if there was one daily factor that gave her relief (at least for a while), it was exercise.

Feeling good after exercise is healthy and a valuable factor in stress reduction. In this article, we will not delve into the details of all the benefits of exercise, but our article on cancer and exercise is most informative. In short, it is a great natural way to keep your mind and body in shape. But remember, no pain, no gain. So put your all into it and watch your health steadily improve!

Can Learning Help Reduce Stress?

Let’s go back to the hippocampus. When two dendrites (the receiving ends of neurons) get close together, electrical messages are transmitted from one neuron to the other. This is done through the contact points between the dendrites, called the synapse.  When you learn something new, you are growing topic-specific dendrites to connect neurons to particular synapses or said in another way, you are growing more neurons that communicate with each other so that the new information is intact.

The Anatomy of a Neuron
The Anatomy of a Neuron
As you continue to learn new things, you are growing new neurons. This can help counter the negative effects in the brain when under anxiety (as mentioned in the exercise section above), but another positive factor is the ‘feel-good feeling you get after knowing you have learned something new, so, from a cognitive standpoint, the more learning you can achieve, the healthier your mind will be.

Get a Massage!

Massages have been known to promote relaxation and help alleviate anxiety. But they are not cheap. If you cannot find one that fits your budget, try getting a partner who can do it for you.  For many people, this can work wonders, even for those who are not in stressful situations. Here is a video on how you can do it right.

Medical Assistance

Now we are getting into the heavy stuff, but also the most successful when it comes to helping people get relief from stress. Seeking the advice of a medical professional is commonplace for people with anxiety and depression, and there is a correlation between the two, but we’ll focus on anxiety for now.

Therapy – A Positive First Step

One of the most common ailments that would cause someone to go to therapy is stress and the related problems that are associated with it. A counselor can help you manage your anxiety better than you are probably doing yourself. Having someone to talk to in privacy may be one of the most rewarding options for you, but for others, more assistance may be required; however, this would be a good start.

Medication

Pills on a tableAlways seek the advice of a medical professional before taking ANY medications.

Now we come to a path that many, many people pursue, and for good reason!

Prescription drugs can be a significant benefit in managing your anxiety, as well as the subsequent negative effects it has on your body, but caution is highly recommended!!

If you find yourself in constant anxiety, don’t go through it alone!

Popular Medications for Stress

There are so many drugs on the market, and more are being tested. Some medical scientists are even studying the use of psychedelic drugs to help manage depression and stress, but we will focus on the conventional drugs used to help anxiety here..  We will mention three meds here, but always speak to a doctor or certified practitioner, who are the only ones who can prescribe the appropriate medication for you!

Sertaline (Zoloft)

Sertraline is a common antidepressant pill that helps with depression, anxiety, OCD, and other mental health issues. It works by keeping more of the serotonin in your brain.

Note: Never just stop taking it cold turkey! You need to talk to your doctor first. Stopping suddenly can make you feel awful.

Lexapro

Another antidepressant that increases serotonin by preventing your brain from reabsorbing it too quickly, lexapro works differently than sertraline. For one thing, lexapro doesn’t involve dopamine, which helps with motivation and drive.  For some people, that makes all the difference, as Zoloft’s dual action might be hitting the right spot where Lexapro missed.

For both sertraline and Lexapro, you can think of them as plugging a drain so more serotonin stays in your system, but to find the right ingredient for your brain cell support, leave it up to your doctor to decide. Sometimes, testing out one or the other or a combination of antidepressants might be needed.

Trazodone

Not as popular as Sertarline in supporting serotonin, but it is worth mentioning here, even though it is much weaker in the serotonin process. Its main feature is to make you sleepy so that you can get a good night’s sleep. So if you are anxious, this medication can help you sleep well.

Bottom Line

Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about taking a serotonin-supporting antidepressant or if you have questions about how it’s working for you. You may be surprised how much better you could feel with the proper medication and respective dosage.

We hope this brief outline on some of the antidepressants and how they work. For complete details, consider going to drugs.com or the Mayo Clinic.

A Case Story

A 45-year-old man lost his father to heart failure. For eleven months, the man blamed himself for the notion that he could have done things better while his father was in ailing condition, not realizing that guilt is a common issue for someone to feel when they lose a loved one; however, most of the time, it is completely unwarranted. “Why didn’t I do it this way”? Or “I could have done this differently” are common thoughts a guilty person may encounter. For many people who suffer guilt after a loss, the fact is that nothing would have been any different, and as they say, “It is all in your head”. But in the mind of the person suffering from it, it was a die-hard reality.

The ongoing guilt and grief were causing this man to have episodes of depression, and when not in depression, he would suffer from serious anxiety attacks. The symptoms alternated. The two issues never occurred simultaneously. It wasn’t until he sought medical help that a prescription plan of lexapro and Colazapan was provided to him, and after a few months, his guilt began to dissipate to the point that one morning, when he woke up, he felt entirely free of this negative feeling.

What are the Details?

His brain wasn’t producing enough serotonin, which, if the chemical was increased it would help him to think more clearly. Since he was not taking any medications to help him, he viewed everything in a negative, distorted way. Once he started taking medication that resolved this chemical imbalance, his thinking straightened out. He thought processes balanced out, and he was able to finally see things as they really were—he had actually been a big help to his father, and it became clear how grateful his father was for it. Once he realized this, the guilt he’d been carrying disappeared, and so did his depression.

Referring to a popular expression, we can say that the man went from feeling that the glass was half-empty to the glass being half-full. In reality, this meant that he went from thinking negatively about how he could have done things better when aiding his father to thinking about all the great things he did for his dad.

If you plan to see your family doctor, you can visit them first, who might be able to recommend some limited amounts of prescription drugs that could help you cope with a bad situation, but for the long term, it would be best to seek the help of a therapist and/or a psychiatrist.

Therapists are great ‘listeners’ and can help you cope with your situation. Psychiatrists are medical professionals whose specialty is your mental health as opposed to your physical health. They will be able to diagnose your condition and prescribe the appropriate medications that could help you. Many people choose to see both a therapist and a psychiatrist. Helpguide.org is a great website for obtaining a lot of information on how to get the best therapy for your condition.

To go any deeper would be beyond the scope of this article, but we hope that these suggestions will help improve your state of mind toward the right direction to follow and live a more enjoyable and happier lifestyle.

Happy people jumping

Newly-Researched Factors that Might Increase the Risk of Dementia

Dementia Patient
Photo: Pixabay

Dementia is an umbrella term for all such instances where a person’s memory and ability of cognitive thinking get severely damaged.

The effect of dementia is so severe that it can interrupt or halt the everyday activities of an individual. Statistics regarding the prevalence and healthcare expenses of this mental concern demonstrate the graveness of the matter.

According to the World Alzheimer’s Report, worldwide healthcare expenses on the treatment of different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, will reach one trillion dollars this year. Statistics suggest that right now, around five million people are living with dementia in the US, and this number is projected to rocket to 14 million by 2050.

In the conventional healthcare domain, dementia is not considered a preventable medical condition. Therefore, most of the healthcare expenditure exhausted in this domain goes to researching the underlying reasons that lead to this disease and setting out its prevention measures.

Due to the greater prevalence of dementia among our senior citizenry, many people think of it as a pitfall and an unwanted consequence of aging. However, dementia can affect a person from any age group.

The fact that dementia is incurable makes it very vital to get oneself educated with all the factors that have been researched and studied for their role in increasing the chances of acquiring this mental illness in different forms.

Snoring

For many years, snoring was considered an annoying, involuntary habit of a sleeping individual. However, studies are now associating it with Alzheimer’s disease as well. 

According to a study published in the journal SLEEP, obstructive sleep apnea (a principal cause of snoring in many cases) is linked to slowed cognitive functions and increased risks of developing dementia.

The researchers have further substantiated this claim by analyzing the spinal fluid of the patients who participated in this case study. This analysis has shown that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea go through molecular changes in their spinal fluid, which might become a precursor for the development of dementia.

Thus, people suffering from excessive snoring and obstructive sleep apnea must focus on the treatment of their condition to limit the risks of dementia.

Diet Soda and Artificially-Sweetened Drinks

Use of soft drinks and other artificially processed drinks is detrimental to health in general. However, a research study from the previous year suggests that people with high use of such drinks become more vulnerable to acquiring dementia.

The study was conducted on more than 3,000 participants aged 45 and above who shared their lifestyle details to gauge the risk factors of getting this cognitive degenerative disease.

According to the study, people who have an increased average intake of diet sodas become two to three times more vulnerable to acquiring dementia. Even though the study is not conclusive, it shows that people who are already suffering from unhealthy physiological conditions and drinking diet sodas become more vulnerable to this mental health problem as well.

For that reason, our brain health needs to eat and live healthily.

Unhealthy Lifestyle and Behavior

Another interesting study has been conducted to identify the risk factors for dementia. A comprehensive piece of research suggests it might be possible that unhealthy lifestyles and behavioral choices prompt one-third of cases of dementia.

For instance, the study has pointed out that hearing loss at a young age, social seclusion, and lack of education after the 15-year stage can increase the chances of a person suffering from dementia in later years.

Fruits and Vegetables
Of course, eating a healthy portion of fruits and vegetables is highly recommended, as well as a good daily exercise routine.

All these mentioned conditions and situations have a strong connection with the brain. 

Calcium Supplements Can be Detrimental

Experts advise not to use nutritional supplements without any critical reason because scientific studies are constantly revealing the harmful side effects of these OTC drugs. A study that underlines the detrimental effects of calcium supplements has established its link with dementia.

According to the study, people suffering from cerebrovascular diseases and have ever suffered from stroke become vulnerable to dementia with the administration of calcium supplements.

The study doesn’t provide a direct cause and effect of this phenomenon. However, it can be deduced that calcium can affect blood supply to the brain by altering the stiffness or contraction of vessels.

So, people who are already suffering from brain diseases must consult their physician before the administration of any nutritional supplement.

Compromised Cardiovascular Health

The field of medical science has already established a connection between the health of the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system through different studies.

A research study, which was presented at the International Stroke Conference last year, suggested that health issues such as blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking, which affect the heart’s health, are also responsible for increasing the risk of dementia. So, it can be said that by keeping your heart healthy, you can simultaneously reduce the risk of dementia.

Less Amount of REM Sleep

REM (rapid eye movement) is a part of the sleep cycle highlighted by increased brain activity. Therefore, most of the dreaming sequences occur during REM sleep. Now, science tells us that this dreaming phase of sleep can also protect our brain from the torment of dementia. According to a research study from the last year, older people with less amount of REM sleep become more susceptible to acquiring dementia over an extended time period.

The study has only established a connection between reduced REM sleep and dementia instead of furnishing the binary of cause and effect. However, initial inferences of this study suggest that increased activity of the brain during sleep can help rejuvenate the neuropathways that become fragile with aging and can lead to the onset of dementia.

Cranial Injuries

Severe repetitive and non-repetitive head injuries can also be one of the risk factors for dementia. Studies have concluded that people who suffered from a serious head injury in the past are 60 percent more at the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

In Summary:

    • If you snore, find the cause. It might just be nothing (which is common) or may be the result of something that may need attention.
    • Soda tastes good, but for the most part, is not very healthy. Dring it sparingly if at all. 
    • Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Have daily fruits and vegetables and exercise regularly.
    • Be wary of calcium supplements.
    • Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours of good sleep.
    • If you acquire a head injury. Don’t manage it yourself. Seek treatment from a medical professional.
    • See your doctor on a regular basis.

It is always best to consult with your physician regarding this disease and any diseases in order to better prepare for your underlying health, now and in the future.