ADHD and Bipolar Disorder Research

May lead to better diagnosis and treatment

Researchers distinguish between ADHD and Pediatric Bipolar Disorder using fMRI brain imaging at the brain network level.  This research from the University of Illinois at Chicago may lead to better diagnosis and treatment.  Dr. Mani Pavuluri and John Sweeney co-authored the study.

NOTE:  Go back through this Body Brain Boogie blog and find articles showing natural (non-drug) ways to treat these neurological deficits.

Brighter Children through Music (2 videos)

Marvel over music’s power

 

Madeline Frank has amassed dozens of articles citing music’s influence over effective teaching and learning, mental health, and motivation.  Start by watching two amazing children entertain us with their musical gifts.  Six years old Viljami Morander and the Ukulele boy, both are precious.  When you finish smiling, take time enjoying Madeline’s collection of research-based music articles.  Insist your school offers music to every child and teen!  Music is essential for total brain development!

Finland’s education success (video)

 

Less is more – free from politicians

 Children don’t start proper school until age seven.  By that time they are itching to start classes.  (Note: They are more developmentally ready to learn reading having a more mature visual system that can focus and track.  I wish NBC News would have reported that last night as they featured the world’s most successful educational system.) Watch this video showing the relaxed school atmosphere.  

Take your shoes off and watch how learning is more like a team game… without winners and losers.  Trust is important – students head off unaccompanied during their PE cross-country skiing.  Listen to the music, and enjoy a moment in Finland.  Better yet, move to the music and feel the joy!

Essence of Wellness Put to Movement (fun video)

Jeff Haebig, BBBP

Mimic the Wellness Gestures

Capture the spirit of Wellness Promotion led by Jeff Haebig, BBBP, Body Brain Boogie Person, and the participants at the International Wellness Coordinators conference.  Feel the passion… follow along!

Take the True Age Test (free)

Perform physical feats -- Answer questions

Barry Stein, President at Get Fit for Life, LLC, offers an interesting self-test helping you determine your wellness age.  This fun test is free and takes only a few minutes.  Check out the many articles, links, blogs and discussions on.MyTrueAge.com.  I like the free download materials, including a coloring book, teaching kids Healthy Habits.

Baby Boomer Fitness (fun video)

Born to Be Wild!  
Bored, Tubby, Mild!

"Get your Motrin ready - Head out on a treadmill.”  Xharska’s cartoon video of baby boomers singing a twisted version of Steppenwolf’s hit “Born to Be Wild” rocks!  The fun lyrics hit lightheartedly on the perils of aging. 

Child-driven Education (video)

Real-life experiments show how children learn best

Alternative Education Resource Organization, AERO Blog posts videos, articles, tweets and blogs showing the most effective ways children learn.  Watch Sugata Mitra’s entertaining video posted on AERO showing how children in remote and impoverished settings excel through self-discovery.  Spend time on the AERO blog, better yet, attend AERO’s annual conference – it involves the whole family!

Wellspring – Go to the Source

The Webs most comprehensive collection of wellness writings

 

John W. Travis and Meryn G. Callander offer an all-inclusive array of wellness articles focusing on personal, child/family, and global wellness.  You will be amazed by what has been amassed!  Then again, those of us who know John, are not surprised.  He was the pioneering doctor who first brought wellness to public awareness.  Spend time on this inspiring website .

 

Sleep and Learning

                             Good Sleep – the Most Important School Supply

Sweet Dreams

Newswise cites Jodi Mindell’s article regarding sleep and learning.  WikiHow describes 12 steps to Sleep Better, 8 of which use natural, non-drug approaches.  Many other sleep articles are listed.  Enjoy The Lion Sleeps Tonight video, better yet sing along and move.  Expressing joy and movement throughout the day will help create nighttime comfort.  

Dirty Dancing and Wellness (video)

   Capture the essence of wellness – dancing!

Move your body – right now! Fuel your body-brain with oxygen and energy boosting hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters… Stand if you can… and dance! Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey will lead the way. Time of My Life from the movie Dirty Dancing is worth seeing again and dancing too!

Low Grades Linked to Dopamine Genes

Enhance Dopamine Naturally – Will this Remedy ADHD?

Newswise reports research showing genetic causes lower dopamine that can result in ADHD, depressive disorders, poor memory, etc.  Why not use natural, non drug remedies, boosting dopamine with certain foods, exercise, sleep and more, according to LiveStrong.com?  Alexis Writing contributing to eHow.com reinforces the natural approach.  See the related articles and videos.  Once again exercise prevails.  Does this suggest natural remedies for ADHD?  Good question; ask your doctor if already taking drugs to be safe.  Important.

Exercise and Improved Learning (video)

Brain science produces results!   Exercise is essential!

Dr. John Ratey, author of SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, speaking to Steven Palkin on The Agenda TV program cites research and positive results of exercise on enhanced learning and effective remedy for attention deficit, aggression, mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. For a more complete discussion, listen to Dr. Ratey’s talk at Authors at Google.

Get Milk?

                    
                 Cow’s Milk:  A Natural Choice?

Toronto Vegetarian Association posted an article questioning the effect of milk on our health.  Lactose Intolerance, allergies, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, diabetes in children are a few concerns addressed, as well as the effect of saturated fat on atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke.  Soy milk is proclaimed to be a healthy alternative.

Dancing Helps Parkinson’s Patients (video)

Mood and movement is enhanced!

Madeline Frank’s monthly musical newsletter featured an article by Janet Tu, in the Seattle Times citing ways dancing helps Parkinson’s patients. A video shows the Dance for Parkinson’s Project in Seattle sponsored by Evergreen Hospital. Body-brain networks are exercised and improved. Joy, creative expression and socializing resulting from the dance class is an “antidote to the depression and isolation that can come with Parkinson’s.”

Eat, Eat, Eat! (fun video)

Bowser and Blue

‘Being fat is where it’s at’… rap!

Bowser and Blue make light of a heavy health problem, singing about instant gratification ‘eating’ colliding with long-term wellness goals.    “Being fat is where it’s at… I want twice the sugar and all the fat.”  “Don’t talk to me about weight loss… give me some more chocolate sauce.”

One way to tap, tap, tap into the gravity of our national obesity epidemic is through rap.    When you get done laughing look at the disturbing picture comparing a 250 pound woman to a 120 pound woman, posted by ShareitFitness.com a comprehensive fitness blog.

WebMD Symptom Checker

Narrow down your physical condition

WebMD website provides an educational tool allowing you to narrow down the possible condition you may be experiencing associated with the symptoms you describe.  The SymptomChecker is free and easy to manage.

Brain Injury News!

Visit the Brain Injury Blog for latest research!

Michael Kaplen offers frequent posts on his Brain Injury News and Information blog. This is a reliable source of information regarding brain injury, head injury, concussion, coma, traumatic epilepsy, and other brain trauma thanks to Michael’s diligence.

Learning Revolution Evolves

Time to Accelerate Learning

Dr. Jeannette Vos

Jeannette Vos has revised her previous best selling The Learning Revolution book which set the standard for Accelerated Learning, the art and science of teaching and learning with the body brain fully involved.

View  videos on her website to grasp the unlimited learning potential we all have.

SMART Approach to Learning

Research-based program delivers!

S.M.A.R.T. programs Stimulate Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training. The program provides multi-sensory stimulation which strengthens the visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, and vestibular systems involved in learning. Since reading, writing, spelling, sitting still, following directions, and other basic skills involved in academics require body-brain mastery, SMART provides a systematic, highly researched approach to help all children, especially those who are hardest to reach.

Foursquare for Exercising

Fun applications inspire fitness

Alan Danzis has developed Foursquare, a mobile application people can use to inspire themselves to live healthy.  Fitness made ‘fun’ moves people painlessly.  Here’s a Body-Brain-Boogie badge for Alan, finding creative ways of keeping people on their toes!  Jeff

Brain Science Podcasts

Everything we know about the brain!

Dr. Ginger Campbell on her website BrainSciencePodcast.com hosts over sixty free podcasts related to the brain and how it regulates our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, memory, motivation, and everything else about our lives.  Start with episode one and move through the sequence of pod casts until you learn the basics. This is a phenomenal resource thanks to Dr. Campbell.

Diagnosing Alzheimers

Take a Tour of the Brain!

Liz Bennett writing for the Health Leader, an online wellness magazine provided by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, briefly describes Alzheimer’s Disease and provides links to an article ‘Seven Questions’ and link to a terrific ‘Brain Tour provided by the Alzheimer's Association.

Be sure to check out the Health Topics A - Z offered on the Health Leader website.

Past and Present Wellness Models

Seven Wellness Diagrams

Don Ardell’s weekly report to the world displays diagrams and brief explanations used over the years defining wellness, still a vague term for many people. Don’s book High Level: Wellness: An Alternative to Doctors, Drugs and Disease, launched the wellness movement which has evolved for over 30 years.

Colon is a Mighty Big River (fun video)

Colonoscopy explained musically

Bowser and Blue sing a tribute to the colon and the colonoscopy. Enjoy this fun instructional, finger-snapping, toe-tapping video.

Then, hold on to your seat... Bowser and Blue's Colo-rectal Surgeon song is funny from beginning to end.

Worksite Wellness Programs

Now is the time!

Health Care Reform legislation passed by congress is paving the way for more workplaces to offer comprehensive wellness promotion programs for employees and their families.

Here are a variety of blogs and websites addressing wellness programs, resources, health promotion, more resources, and more.

Stress Gets Under Our Skin

Mindbody Affected by Excess Stress

Newswise reports research from UCLA identifying the neurocognitive pathways that might be involved in inflammatory responses to acute social stress.

Lead author George Slavich noted, "frequent or chronic activation of the system may increase risk for a variety of disorders, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and even depression.

"Although the issue is complex, one solution is not to treat negative thoughts as facts." suggested Slavich. "If you think you're being socially rejected, ask yourself, what's the evidence? If there is no evidence, then revise your belief. If you were right, then make sure you're not catastrophizing or making the worse out of the situation."

Touch Your Heart with Music (videos)

Sing Along -- Elevate Your Love

Wellness is expressing sad and lonely emotions in ways that stir the heart, creating hope. Here are three songs to help you reflect on people you have lost. Bring them back into your heart with songs by the Kelly Family… the Platters… and who else, the Righteous Brothers. Feel the love.

BREATHE

Breathe To a Calmer Workplace

The International Workplace blog transforms work one conversation at a time. Many exceptional wellness articles are presented. The article on breathing is comprehensive with exercises to follow.

Waking Up is Hard to Do (fun video)

Tribute to Anesthesia (a real gas!)

Let’s give it up for people who successfully put us down, keeping us alive and well during surgery.

Let’s give them a hand for holding our lives in their hands.

Stop Diabetes at the Worksite (webinar)

A Look at What Works

Rebecca Smith and Steven Aldana from WellSteps lead this webinar describing the causes and significance of diabetes. Ninety-one percent of diabetes is caused by poor lifestyles. Inadequate exercise and diet are main causes.

Described is "One of the best worksite Diabetes programs ever," according to WellSteps, the program creator. Classes were offered dealing with portion control, aerobic exercise, stress management, nutrition pyramid, reading food labels, strength training, behavior change, and good and bad fats. Hear what else was done to assure program success. Statistics showing the scope of Diabetes as a global health crisis are dramatically shown. The graphics are compelling.