Helping My Brain Stay “Kwik”

Was it brain nutrients or brain protection that was rolling on the floor?

Recently, I was trying to recall what I learned from one of Jim Kwik’s videos posted in October 2013. The video gave insight on 10 ways to help keep the mind sharp and focused.  I clicked on the video link I had posted on my blog, but the site had expired.  Of course, I could always sign up for one of Jim Kwik’s courses and pay the big  bucks, but I am all about inexpensive learning (preferably free!).  So in an effort to relearn what I learned, here are my “notes” from memory!

In the beginning of the video, Jim was talking to his audience while driving.  When he parked his car he ended up at an office building.   (I was multitasking at the time and didn’t have time to sit still, close my eyes while I listened, or take notes).

Jim proceeded to use an ancient Greek memorization process that links words/ideas to rooms/places to help his listeners memorize 10 key items for brain health.

First Jim parked his car and said to visual a whole buffet of food in the parking lot. This represented DIET.

Next he asked listeners to picture themselves going over a bridge and this represented the act of squashing A.N.Ts or AUTOMATIC NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.

After this he said to picture going up in an elevator as a way of introducing the concept of EXERCISE.

Once out of the elevator, you picture pills rolling around on the floor and this represented BRAIN NUTRIENTS.

Then you open the custodial closet and inside it are your POSITIVE PEERS.

Next you walk to the receptionist’s desk and the receptionist is cleaning her work station. This represented a CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.

Behind the receptionist, you see fish in a tank and they are sleeping (SLEEP).

Next you put on a helmet and try to crash through a conference room door.  Hence, BRAIN PROTECTION.

In the conference room, someone is writing on a white board. This scene represented NEW LEARNING.

Lastly, someone was working on a bonsai tree in the corner of the room and this stood for STRESS MANAGEMENT.

Here’s the summary of the 10 keys to brain health from Jim Kwik’s video:

1. Diet

2. Squashing Automatic Negative Thoughts (A.N.Ts).

3. Exercise

4. Brain Nutrients

5. Positive Peers

6. Clean Environment

7.  Sleep

8.  Brain Protection

9. New Learning

10. Stress Management

I’ve sure you’ve heard most of these listed as essential to your brain health at some point.  Why not use the Greek’s “Method of Loci” to help you remember them?

How’d I do, Jim? Was I “Kwik” enough?

By: Tina Davidson

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Grain and the Brain- Controversy

Is grain detrimental to brain health? Does the consumption of carbs cause Alzheimer’s Disease?

It seems that according to Dr. David Perlmutter’s book, “Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar– Your Brain’s Silent Killers,” the answers are “Yes!” and “Yes!” (I have not read the book yet!)

Interesting stuff? Yes! A controversial topic? For sure!

When I read an email from Sean Croxton of Undergroundwellness.com that he was going to interview Dr. Perlmutter about his new book on blogtalk radio, I tuned in for the replay.   http://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2013/10/23/grain-brain-with-dr-david-perlmutter?inf_contact_key=20614f894b09316fa64357f76f6752adbc13f3c5aa7899b6c47a6973bf234c46

I listened in for 80+ minutes! It was quite a long interview. Sean took a few audience questions and I took a ton of notes (thanks, Jim Kwik for the note-taking tips!).

Dr. Perlmutter, neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, recently appeared Monday, October 21, on the Dr. Oz Show, and his book made the New York Times Best-Seller List.

So.. with all the hype, what’s the truth here?

Before my pastor, Jack, starts a sermon he usually says something along the lines,”Don’t believe me just because I say it is true. Test the Scriptures. Let them have the final say.”

Well, what is our “biblical” standard in terms of nutrition?  How do we test the claims in Dr. Permutter’s book and what about the other diets out there like Vegan, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Paleo, etc.? Do you do your research or are you blindly moving from one diet camp to the next?

I have friends on gluten-free diets, who do not have Celiac disease, and they report remarkable changes in their overall health after stopping wheat.  It seems Dr. Perlmutter’s patients benefit from his recommendations and I applaud Dr. Perlmutter’s work as a neurologist and nutritionist.  However, I need to further investigate some of his advice.

I also applaud the work of Julie Matthews, the author of “Nourishing Hope.”   Here’s what her website says about a gluten-free diet and nutrition in regards to autism:

“Significant scientific research and overwhelming experiential data indicate a link between autism symptoms and diet. As reported by Autism Research Institute (ARI) in a survey of thousands of parents; The Gluten- (wheat) and Casein- (dairy) free (GFCF) diet has a 69% improvement rating, and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) has a 71% improvement rating.  That is, most parents who diligently apply diet and nutrition intervention report positive affect on behavior, cognition, general health, or well being.  In research funded by Autism Speaks, 85% of parents reported improvement with autism diets. This is affirmed when networking with other parents on our Facebook group: Nourishing Hope for Autism Diet Community, or in many other online support forums for those following autism diets.” http://nourishinghope.com/diet-for-autism/  

We can’t ignore the fact that people are experiencing improved cognition when they get rid of wheat in their diet.

There is research out there linking your gut health to your brain.  Chris Kresser, Beyond Paleo, has some intriguing things to say about the gut-brain axis in a podcast on his site (you can read the full text as well). http://chriskresser.com/rhr-the-gut-as-the-second-brain-group-b-strep-during-pregnancy-and-unwanted-synthroid-side-effects 

Chris’ site also contains good information on cultures that flourish on properly prepared grains.

And, lastly, let’s not forget the about the effects of dyes, chemicals, and preservatives in our food.  These also affect behavior and brain health in sensitive individuals. Check out my favorite pioneer in environmental medicine and allergies, Dr. Doris Rapp. http://www.drrapp.com/  

I would love to have lunch with Dr. Rapp and talk about this topic. I’m not sure if she would eat wheat, but I’m sure she would have some good input on grain and your brain!

Bee-Friendly

Would you eat blue or green honey?

Around this time last year, bees made the news for making colored honey, if you can call it that, in France because they were eating processed sugar from containers left outside a chocolate processing waste plant instead of wildflowers.

Colorful? Yes! Healthy? Probably not.  The beekeepers were not allowed to sell it.
Here’s the link if you want to see pictures of the colored “honey”: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/pictures/121011-blue-honey-honeybees-animals-science/. I wonder if there have been any more colorful hives since or if the bees have been kept out of those tempting containers?

I just listened to the TedTalk by Marla Spivak: Why Bees are Disappearing?. (Thanks to LadyK, http://ladyk649.wordpress.com, for the link.)  Bees are basically being disoriented and/or killed by insectides (major culprit: Neonicontinoids!).  Check out the Tedtalk if you want to know more: http://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearing.html.

As Jim Kwik mentioned in his first video (see previous post “Be Kwik About It”), a clean environment is a must for optimal brain health.  Some brains function better with an organized desk (yes, that is important!) but we all need clean water and pesticide free food to thrive– just like bees need a clean environment for their brain health!

So, what can we do? Bees will thrive when we plant bee-friendly flowers, like wildflowers, and rid our garden of pesticides.

Save a bee and spread the love! Your brain will be happy you did!

Jim Kwik’s Video #4- Tips to Unlease Your Superhero Mind

I wasn’t completely “present” as Jim suggested when watching his last video. Instead, I was ironing fabric and working on a sewing project (multitasking!), so I had to go back and watch it again. Here are my final notes on Jim Kwik’s last video  (http://kwiklearning.com/mini/videos/):

The art of memory is F.A.S.T!

F- Forget. Focus on the task at hand and be present.

A- Active. Show up and play full out.

S- State dependent. All learning is state dependent. Take deep breaths and move.

T- Take notes.

Jim’s tips for taking notes:

First draw a line down the page.  One the left side of the paper write “Capture” and on right side of the paper write “Create.” On the Capture side you analyze information and on the Create side you use your creativity in how you will use the information (use symbols).

One-third of your brain performance is biological. That means, two-thirds is in your control.

Check out the book, “Use Your brain to Change Your Age!”, by Daniel G. Amen M.D.

Stay hydrated! Your body and brain need water. Don’t forget to breathe and stay present.

Use GPS to accomplish your goals!

G- Goal (Share your goal. How is learning going to help you accomplish your goal? What do you want?)

P- Purpose (Why do you want this?)

S- Strategy (How you will you accomplish your goal?)

Make a bucket list and then use a M.A.P (Mental Action Plan!).

You have to be motivated and be teachable for success.

Elements in your M.A.P should R.A.I.S.E.!

R- Role Model. Watch a genius and model them.

A- Accountability. Many people have a dream and don’t have a time-frame or someone to hold them accountable in achieving it.

I- Immersion. Put in your 10,000 hours of effort.

S- Space Repetition. You want to immerse yourself in the information and spread it out by following-up on the information every couple days. Interval training.

E- Engagement. Get involved and give it your all.

According to Jim Kwik, your brain doesn’t come with an owner’s manual and it isn’t always user-friendly.  Slow down and make your M.A.P., so you can remember the things that are most important to you!

Music is important to me. Check out the St. Louis Orchestra video, http://www.stlsymphony.org/,  “The St. Louis Symphony Story.” (The best friend I mentioned in my previous post, “Your Brain will Love the London Symphony Orchestra,” has a small appearance in the video.)

Follow your dreams! See what happens when you put yourself in the equation! You just might accomplish great things!

Creating Neural Pathways with the Montessori Method

I found a great site, Montessori for Everyone, and I was especially interested in the blog post titled, “The Neurology of Montessori.”

Just as Jim Kwik mentions in his Kwik Learning mini-series, http://kwiklearning.com/mini/videos, Montessori for Everyone’s post also attributes optimized learning to a hand-to-brain connection (read full post here http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/the-neurology-of-montessori.html).

Jim Kwik talked about the importance of adults taking notes when listening/learning (Video 4) and using your finger under a reading line to boost your reading speed (Video 3).

Children in a Montessori classroom use their hands to manipulate objects, such as small wood letters for reading, and beads for math.  Students’ brains soak up what they are learning by repetition.  Also, their mirror neurons are taking in what others are doing and learning by example.  (If you aren’t familiar with mirror neurons yet, I will fill you in on that fascinating topic in a future post.)

Perhaps you have a child, friend, cousin, niece, etc. who would benefit from a Montessori education? Or perhaps it is time you tried this approach to learning?

It is never too late to learn. We know this thanks to the science of neuroplasticity!

E.D. Alphabet
Age 5

Brain Overload

Ever feel like your brain can’t handle any more new information?

I’m feeling like that after watching 4 Jim Kwik videos over the last couple of days. (Check them out if you haven’t yet- http://kwiklearning.com/).

I will share my notes on the last two videos soon, but for now I need to sleep on it.  Remember your brain needs lots of sleep to be able to function well!

“Scientific evidence tells us that actually sleeping on our problems is an efficient way to solve them. During sleep our brain’s memory centers are busy working to consolidate recall for more effective memory when we’re awake. Getting a good night’s sleep is an important way to improve your memory ability and reduce chronic inflammation” (Gary Small, M.D., and Gigi Vorgan’s book, “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program,” Pg. 143).

Sweet problem solving! I mean… sweet dreams!

Be Kwik About it Video #2!

Do you have trouble remembering names? Do you have 27 minutes that you can invest to help you learn how to remember? If you have the time, stop reading my blog and click on the link to Jim Kwik’s second video.  However, if you don’t have 27 minutes to watch a video on remembering names, then let me break it down for you.

Remember Be SUAVE!

S: Say the person’s name after they say it, so you hear it twice (once from them and once from you) to ensure you heard it correctly. Example:

• Tina: Hi, I’m Tina.

• Jim:  Hi, Tina. Nice to meet you!

U:  Use their name intelligently in the conversation about 3 or 4 times.  Don’t overly say the name. Use it in the context of the conversation.    

• Jim: Can I get you a drink, Tina?

A: Ask the person about themselves. Example:

• Jim: Tina, were you named after someone in your family? Is it short for Christina?

V: Visualize the name.  Think in pictures. TIP= Turn Into Pictures. Example:

• Jim rhymes Tina with ballerina. He decides to imagine Tina as a ballerina on her toes.

E: End the conversation by saying the person’s name.

• Jim: “Tina, it was wonderful to meet you. Have a nice day!”

 

You have 6 seconds to do something with a person’s name when you meet them or it will be GONE from your memory.

Be SUAVE and you’ll be the hit of the party!

Here’s the link to Jim’s video. Watch it, learn it, share it.

http://kwiklearning.com/mini/videos/?inf_contact_key=74fd48b8f5ac37d1526c1f29fe8a26201cc779fe0da37109bcc3756a2262b6ec#_

Be Kwik About it!

Today I watched Jim Kwik’s first video in his mini-series on tips to improve memory and reading speed. In the first video I learned 10 keys to help my mind stay sharp and focused using an ancient memory technique.

I liked that no ants were actually harmed in his video! You will just have to check it out for yourself if you want to learn more!

http://kwiklearning.com/mini/vwo3/#free