Can Your Brain Really Grow?
It wasn’t too long ago scientists believed the brain was fixed. The belief was that once your brain cells were formed, they were fixed and we started the long slow march towards aging and degeneration. I don’t know about you, but I am relieved this turned out not to be true! The even better news is that we have things within our power that can slow the rates of brain degeneration and lead to regeneration.
Exercise Your Brain
Every time we learn something new, especially if it’s difficult, our brain cells become more robust and form new connections. Just like lifting weights, the more we exercise certain brain pathways, the stronger they become. The exciting research and work of Rick Hanson, PhD applies these principles to doing the work of hardwiring more positive experiences in the brain. He has shown that focusing on and enhancing brief positive emotional experiences for 10-15 seconds at a time will over time rewire those pathways and help overcome our brains’ hardwired bias toward negativity. He estimates it takes between 1,000 and 10,000 of these brief experiences to show profound effects. (When I did the math, 15 seconds, 8 times per day.) What he is saying is that research shows you can hardwire your brain to increase happiness in just 1-2 months!
Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
The other brain chemical that everyone should know about is Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF is a growth hormone for brain cells. It helps the memory centers form new cells, helps form new connections between brain cells, and helps repair unhealthy brain cells. In a sample of 60 year olds, those with the most BDNF had the lowest rates of cognitive decline.
As you might expect, BDNF is important in other disorders involving the brain such as depression and healing after traumatic brain injury. The best news of all is you can boost your levels of BDNF in many different ways!
Some of the best (and most fun) ways include:
- Exercise
- Turmeric, Blueberries, Cocoa
- Fish Oil/DHA
- Cognitive stimulation
- Acting with intention, not mindlessly
I consciously work to find ways to boost BDNF in my patients and the good news is that many of the functional medicine interventions that generally make us healthier also boost BDNF. It’s an example of the wisdom of the body finding ways to balance and heal itself. We just have to allow the process to happen!
Today, I encourage you begin to change your brain by simply watching this TED talk by Dr. Rick Hanson. He’s a likable genius who will change the way you think!
