Fear is fun. The experience of fright in a safe environment - a Halloween haunted house or movie theater – elicits excitement followed by a critical release of primal emotion. But what if catharsis never materializes? What if one were permanently locked in a state of adrenal fight or flight? For PTSD sufferers, this constant state of alert is their life. Like a mousetrap, terror enters the brain but cannot find an exit. Life with...
Migraines are more than just a headache -- they are a global health issue. 30 million people are directly affected and migraines cost employers $13 billion every year in lost worker productivity. That's more than diabetes and asthma combined. For many sufferers, attacks are completely debilitating and can last as long as 72 hours. Unfortunately, the Migraine Research Foundation estimates that the majority of migrainers never seek medical treatment. That may be because the medications involved can cause side-effects worse then...
It only seems appropriate to close out Insomnia Awareness Month by interviewing neuroscientist and certified sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Edward O'Malley of Fairfield, Connecticut. He has utilized NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback as a cornerstone of his practice for many years now. Basically, Dr. O'Malley is so good at his job that he puts people to sleep; and that's a good thing. The vast majority of clients who darken his doors are staring at the ceiling most of the night. (more…)
Love kills. Science confirms this is actually true. It’s strange and ironic that February – the month of Valentine’s Day – is also Heart Health month. Intentions on Valentine’s Day are very positive: it’s our yearly reminder to reaffirm our commitment and appreciation for those we love. But in reality, Valentine’s can create serious emotional - even physical - complications. For one thing, expectation on the day is overwhelming – it’s the Christmas of relationships. (more…)
What is neurofeedback? Like exactly. Go ahead, log into Netflix. See there the rows of recommendations? That’s not magic: that’s an algorithm. Netflix “remembers” whatyou watched, how you rated past films, then correlates that data against your viewing habits. A blink-of-an-eye search of the media database then produces “recommendations” based on your preferences. That’s why documentaries about hermetic hoarders never pop up on your screen - Netflix knows you’re not into that (who is?). So...
It used to be called shell shock, a form of it anyway. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Back in the day, some people took it seriously. But sometimes they wrote you off, said, “it’s all in your mind,” gave you a stiff drink, recommended long rambles in the country. Well, PTSD is in your mind, but you can’t just get over it by wandering. We know better now how PTSD affects you, how it re-tunes the brain....
The following article was first published by NorthCarolinaHealthNews.org and featured NeurOptimal® trainer Martha Delafield of Chapel Hill, NC. "For people with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders, a new treatment regimen is showing promise." (more…)
Six reasons you MUST bring along your NeurOptimal® neurofeedback personal trainer when traveling this Summer. Even if you're packing a MacBook Pro, iPad, iPad Mini and all your smart phones - tote it! You will thank me. (more…)
Come summer, cake is not your friend. For months you’ve been avoiding that rum-spiced coconut gelato cake someone keeps posting on Facebook. You gain weight just looking at it. Then, just as you’re about to give in and raid the local gourmand patisserie, you stop and remember: warm, body-bearing weather is coming. While that crème fraiche looks great on a top of berries, it won’t look so good on top of your thighs. Ugh. (more…)
The United States spends $1.7 billion on primary and secondary school testing per year. That’s more than the annual GDP of entire countries like Samoa and Antigua. How did that happen? “No Child Left Behind”, the Bush II administration’s valentine to American education, recently made annual standardized testing for reading and math mandatory from second through twelfth grade. And the stakes are enormous. Schools must make public the annual report cards of their students’ testing results....
