Improving brain health doesn’t need to be complicated. Two local health practitioners, Michele Durham, owner of Access Holistic Healing & Hypnosis, in Naples, and Deb Martin, co-owner of Lotus Blossom Clinic, in Fort Myers, suggest that it can be as simple as downloading an app to a smartphone and shopping in the right aisles of the grocery store. 

BrainTap

In client sessions, Durham uses BrainTap’s neuro-algorithms that produce brainwave entrainment—the synchronization of brainwaves to a specialized sound—with no user effort. “Different than meditation, which can put the brain in an alpha state, the technology of BrainTap provides clients with a complete spectrum of brainwave activity with calming and rejuvenating effects in 10 to 20 minutes. This serves to balance the nervous system and inoculate individuals against everyday life stressors,” says Durham.  

Each BrainTap session is encoded differently to ensure maximum neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, resulting in a flexible and resilient brain. The science behind this brainwave entrainment technology relies on four key elements—binaural beats (two different tones, separated in frequency by only a few Hertz, one in each ear), guided visualization, 10-cycle holographic music (sonic technology that produces a 360-degree sound environment), isochronic tones (equal intensity pulses of sound separated by an interval of silence), and gentle light pulses in the headset that travel through the retina and ear meridians, sending direct signals to the brain. 

Many programs offering calm and soothing music or guided meditations do not restore the natural balance of the brain. BrainTap, available as an app on smartphones, is backed by neuroscience and research, and involves optimizing the potential of the brain.  

“BrainTap changed Durham’s life. “I don’t worry, overthink things and stress as much,” says Durham, who sometimes uses a BrainTap headset like the one she offers her clients in office sessions. At home I listen to BrainTap via the app. I particularly like the theta sessions, which quickly get me into a meditative state with results that are the equivalent of taking a delicious afternoon nap. BrainTap programs have also helped to diminish my negative behavior patterns and replace them with more positive ones. My clients report that BrainTap programs help them maintain focus, concentrate better, enhance memory and recall, write more creatively and build a more resilient mind and body,” advises the veteran business owner. 

Focus on Tasty Gateway Brain Foods

“While there are unhealthy gateway foods that can send us down the slippery slope of ‘bet you can’t eat just one’ on a binging sled, there are healthy and delicious gateway foods such as raw cacao, recognized as a superfood for the brain. Whether in the form of powder or nibs, this delicious form of raw chocolate produces feelgood chemicals in the brain such as serotonin and tryptophan, as well as endorphins such as anandamide (aka the bliss chemical) that are generally produced by exercise. Other associated results from eating raw cacao are the production of the “love chemical” phenethylamine, dopamine and tryptophan. Raw cacao is rich in a phytonutrient known as a flavonol. Flavonols have been shown in numerous studies to improve blood flow to the brain, which results in more oxygen and significant improvements in mental focus and attention span,” explains Martin. 

Another tasty brain food is the wild blueberry. Research has demonstrated that wild blueberries that contain polyphenols, have significant positive effects on memory, response times, concentration and mood. They improve cardiovascular function and reduce inflammation. Nature’s tasty little tidbits can be consumed in many different ways, including in smoothies, mini muffins, chia pudding and energy bars.

The foods we eat have a significant impact on the structure and health of the brain. Eating a brain-boosting diet supports the function of this energy-intensive organ, which uses approximately 20 percent of the body’s calories. “My husband David, a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Oriental medicine, and I offer information on Food as Medicine in our virtual Spoonful Experiences Telesummit, archived on our Lotus Blossom Clinic Facebook page,” advises Martin.

Access Holistic Healing & Hypnosis, 9853 Tamiami Tr. N., Ste. 215, Naples. Call 239-776-2211. Visit AccessHolisticHealing.com