Change Your Brain Every Day

Things had been on a downward swing for MMA fighter Justin Wren, but then his desperation and faith provided him with the most unexpected of visions. Where that vision would ultimately lead him, no one could have predicted. In the second episode of a series with "Fight for the Forgotten" author Justin Wren, Dr. Daniel Amen and Wren discuss the remarkable circumstances that answered an entire culture's prayers.

When MMA fighter-turned social activist Justin Wren was bullied by his classmates, he struggled to find a reason for living. He eventually found that wrestling and mixed martial arts gave him an outlet for his frustrations, but something was still missing. In the first episode of a series with the "Fight for the Forgotten" author, Justin describes what happened when he made the shift from fighting people to fighting FOR people.

According to Dr. John Townsend, the key to growth, whether it be for large companies or for a single individual, is the need to need. What this means is that we need to have others that we rely upon, that we need in order to achieve success. In the final episode with Dr. Townsend, he shares with Daniel and Tana Amen some of the ways that needing other people (certain types of other people!) can bring us closer to our goals.

Setbacks are a normal part of life. No one goes through life without having some setbacks to respond to from time to time. But it's how we respond to these moments that make us who we are. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel and Tana Amen are once again joined by Dr. John Townsend for a discussion on how you can utilize the help of others to get back up when you fall, and how to appropriately take responsibility for your contributions, in both good times and bad.

Studies have shown that people who lack in good friends and mentors in their life tend to struggle more both emotionally and physically. But if you don't have anyone on your side, how can you bring people in? In the second episode of a series on "relational nutrients," Dr. John Townsend discusses a recruitment process you can use to filter the types of people that are going to be most beneficial in your life to help you move forward.

In some ways, people are like the foods you eat. Some of them are rich in nutrients, while others simply drain you of your health. In this first episode of a series with "People Fuel" author Dr. John Townsend, he and the Amens discuss how the people around you affect your life, and how you can use Dr. Townsend's "relational nutrients" grid to define the deficiencies in your "people fuel diet" and then find ways to supplement.

Jim Karol, author of "Ultimate Memory Magic," has developed the ultimate tool to help you remember huge lists and other large numbers of items. It's called the mental matrix, and it just might blow your mind. In the final episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast series with Jim, he describes what the mental matrix is, and how you can use his (or your own!) to turn your brain into a well-oiled memory machine.

Did you know that by improving your memory, you also improve your overall health? So if your memory is bad now, it's important to get it functioning at optimum levels. Fortunately, there are some easy tools you can use to start improving your memory right now. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are again joined by memory master Jim Karol to discuss some of Jim's most effective tricks to radically improve your memory today.

"Ultimate Memory Magic" author Jim Karol has spent years refining his technique to help him achieve near-superhuman memory. But you don't need to have a superbrain to drastically improve your own memory. In the second episode of a series with Jim, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the practical tips you can introduce into your life today to help you begin to remember things more clearly and easily.

When Jim Karol got laid off from his job at a steel mill in Allentown, PA, his prospects looked grim. When his doctor told him he also had a dangerously enlarged heart, Jim knew it was time to turn his life around. However, nobody could have predicted what happened next. In the first episode of a podcast series with author and memory expert Jim Karol, Dr. Daniel Amen, Tana Amen, and Jim recount the fascinating story of Jim's redemption.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen address some listener questions and dole out helpful advice. This week's topics include clean products for personal and household use, sedation vs. general anesthesia during surgery, workout tips, intermittent fasting to lose weight, and eating clean while away from home. If you'd like your question answered on the Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, you can submit your questions at brainwarriorswaypodcast.com

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen weigh in on brain-related current events. This week's "Brain in the News" items feature a link between the supplement ashwagandha and improved sleep and stress, two types of medication that are linked to dementia, a 9 year-old arsonist charged with first degree murder, a startling childhood obesity prediction, and a correlation of ADD/ADHD in teen moms.

When Tana Amen was suffering from depression, she had no idea it was caused by her thyroid medication. She started taking antidepressant medication, and the effect it had on her was completely unexpected. In the second episode of a series on antidepressants, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana describe how some antidepressant medications can give your entire personality an overhaul, and how it may not always be a positive change.

For some people, the choice to take antidepressants leads to a happier, healthier quality of life. For others, it only makes things worse. Therefore it's crucial to understand the benefits and drawbacks of choosing this route of treatment. In the first episode of a series on antidepressants, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen arm you with the information you need to decide if antidepressants are the right choice for you or your loved one.

In this final episode of a series with 'Thriving as an Empath' author Dr. Judith Orloff, she and the Amens discuss the phenomenon of the mirror neuron system, and how it can create either empathy or narcissism in individuals. Orloff then explains how knowledge of this system can help parents guide their children to experiencing more empathy for others, and how that can lead to happier relationships in their future.

In this final episode of a series with 'Thriving as an Empath' author Dr. Judith Orloff, she and the Amens discuss the phenomenon of the mirror neuron system, and how it can create either empathy or narcissism in individuals. Orloff then explains how knowledge of this system can help parents guide their children to experiencing more empathy for others, and how that can lead to happier relationships in their future.

Have you ever felt like you have an uncanny ability to make judgements about people that turn out to be correct? There may be more than simple guessing involved. In the third episode of a series on empaths, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are again joined by bestselling author Dr. Judith Orloff for a detailed discussion on the crucial differences between someone who is an empath, and someone who merely feels empathy for others.

When a person is described as "sensitive", the label usually carries with it negative connotations. But as Dr. Judith Orloff suggests, there are plenty of advantages to a sensitive nature, and this disposition should be encouraged and nurtured rather than suppressed. In the second episode of a series with the 'Thriving as an Empath' author, she and the Amens discuss tips for people to use their sensitive nature as an advantage.

A small contingent of our population claims to be able to physically experience the emotional energy of other people. Sound crazy? Well there may be an actual science behind this. In the first episode of a series with Dr. Judith Orloff, the bestselling author of 'Thriving as an Empath', Dr. Daniel Amen, Tana Amen, and Orloff shed some light on this mysterious ability.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are here to answer your questions. This week's installment includes information on the ApoE4 gene and Alzheimer's risk, combining supplements and medication, and the health ramifications of coffee. If you'd like your question answered on the Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, you can submit your questions at brainwarriorswaypodcast.com.

It's time for "Brain in the News," our weekly brain health news roundup, where Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen go over all the latest news in brain health from the Amen angle. This week's stories include recent findings of cancer risk in tap water, a spike in suicides in the military, usage of St. John's Wort to help treat symptoms of menopause, and a fascinating scientific claim that human skulls are evolving in a way that could ultimately be detrimental to our health.

In the second episode of a series on healing with oxygen, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen take you under the hood to see exactly how hyperbaric oxygen treatment works, and why it can be effective when other treatment types have been less successful. Daniel and Tana also break down the many circumstances in which hyperbaric oxygen can be efficiently used, ranging from reducing simple inflammation to saving someone's life.

When Dr. Daniel Amen was working on the largest ever NFL study on the brains of active and retired players, one of the biggest takeaways was how the subjects' brains reacted to hyperbaric oxygen treatment. In short, they got much better. In this first episode of a series on healing with oxygen, the Amens discuss the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and Tana shares her recent first-hand account of how it helped her recover from a surgery.

Q&A time! This episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast features Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen answering some of your questions. Topics covered in this episode include the health benefits and risks of drinking milk, and what you can do to avoid a midday crash. If you'd like your own question answered on the show, please visit brainwarriorswaypodcast.com for instructions on how to submit.

It's time for more Brain in the News! In this episode, the Amens contribute to the discussion of the brain health topics in the recent news cycle. This episode features a study on the world's biggest consumers of antidepressants, a study on ashwagandha and schizophrenia, QEEG for concussions in junior hockey players, a teen who went blind from a bad diet, and a study on how eating fish can make you live longer.

In this second episode of a series on toxic products, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen give you tips to give the personal product supply in your bathroom a makeover. Learn the 10 ways that toxic products disrupt your health, as well as the most effective and easy way to make the gradual shift towards a healthier bathroom, and a healthier life.

An oft overlooked fact about personal products (makeup, hair & skin care, etc.) is that what you put on your skin goes into your body and affects it. Therefore, you could be poisoning yourself every day and not even know it. In the first episode of a series on toxic products, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe how easy it is to be tricked by product marketing, as well as the simple way to see exactly how healthy the products you use are to you, so you can throw them out!

It's time for another Q&A! In this episode, the Amens dip into the mailbag to answer some of your questions. This episode features information and tips on automatic negative thoughts, brain injuries, Omega 3 benefits, and dealing with impulse control. If you'd like your own question answered on the podcast, visit brainwarriorswaypodcast.com and follow the instructions on how to submit.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen look at some of the current news stories involving the brain. This installment includes an in-depth look at cyberbullying. Dr. Amen and Tana give you some of the characteristics to look for in your own child's life, as well as tips for effective ways to approach the subject to make them feel safe and supported.

The recent epidemic of deaths and illnesses from e-cigarettes has made it clear that vaping poses a very real health hazard for teens and adults alike. But how can you quit this unhealthy habit? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss some of the brain-based strategies you can use to get yourself off of e-cigarettes for good.

With the recent headlines of illnesses and deaths attributed to vaping and the CEO of Juul promptly resigning, the nation's attention is focused on e-cigarettes. So what is vaping? And what exactly is the threat it poses to our youth? In the first episode of a series on vaping, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe the physiological issues associated with e-cigarettes, and why their marketing campaigns have become so problematic.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen answer some listener questions. They give info and advice and such topics as putting the brain in a healing environment, brain tips for salesmen and entrepreneurs, and fighting the social media blues. If you would like the Amens to answer your question, visit brainwarriorswaypodcast.com.

In this episode, The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast introduces a new segment called "The Brain in the News," where Daniel and Tana Amen review some of the latest news in neuroscience and weigh in with the Brain Warrior perspective. This episode features such hot topics as problems with the vegan diet, blood tests for PTSD, marijuana use during pregnancy, and antidepressant effects in the gut.

In the previous episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discussed the brain functions involved in judgement, particularly from a negative point of view. However, there are many instances in which judgement is crucial, whether in social situations or for safety reasons. But should you always listen to your gut? Learn the difference between judgement for discernment or discrimination, and positive thinking vs. accurate thinking.

Research using brain scans has shown us that people with extreme views tend to share similar aspects of brain function. In this first episode of a series on judgement, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe how the brain's frontal lobes play a huge role in determining where people may fall on the political spectrum, and how they may even help explain the existence of such negative social phenomena as racism and mob mentality.

Many of the neurological issues prevalent in our society are the result of a conscious effort of the food industry to confuse and conflate the differences between pleasure and happiness. So what exactly does this mean? In the last episode of a series with "The Hacking of the American Mind" author Robert Lustig, Dr. Amen and Lustig describe how the crucial differences between dopamine and serotonin are disrupting our health.

Fruit juice has long been considered a healthier alternative to soft drinks like Pepsi and Sprite, but unfortunately this is far from accurate. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen is again joined by "Fat Chance" author Robert Lustig for a discussion on why fruit is good for your body while fruit juice is not, and why we need to shift our focus to protecting the liver and feeding the gut.

Back in 1955, President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack, prompting a nationwide inquiry as to what was causing cardiovascular disease. The two camps of thinking centered around either fat or sugar as the culprit. Fat won out and was subsequently demonized. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, author Robert Lustig and Dr. Daniel Amen explain why this was the wrong decision, and the eventual fallout that resulted from this misconception.

In Robert Lustig's early work as a pediatric endocrinologist, he began studying the effect certain molecules had on the body's organs. What he found was a stunning connection between fructose and liver function, which helps explain the reason for today's obesity epidemic. In the first episode of a series with the author of "Fat Chance," Dr. Daniel Amen and Lustig discuss how and why fructose is making people fat.

Throughout their careers, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Nancy Bohl-Penrod have seen first-hand the importance of peer support to the healing process. In this last episode in a series on first responders and the brain, Dr. Amen and Dr. Bohl-Penrod share some of their personal stories of how EMDR turned other people's lives around.

Our first responders often operate in the most toxic environments, but, until recently, little or no effort has been made to keep those toxins contained. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Nancy Bohl-Penrod discuss the lessons learned by the first responder community after 9/11 and the steps that are being taken to improve conditions.

First responders are or on the frontline of the war for our health, and, as a result, they can often suffer in silence. After all, who is going to help the helpers? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Nancy Bohl-Penrod discuss the symptoms most often seen, the factors that are causing them, and the best, most effective ways of getting these heroes the help they deserve.

Dr. Amen is joined by Dr. Nancy Bohl-Penrod to discuss her work as the Director of The Counseling Team International. They talk about Dr. Bohl-Penrod's husband's struggles as a police officer and how that led her to the work she does, as well as the stigma around seeking help as a first responder.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen dive into some of our listener questions to give you the answers you need to get your brain and body right. This episode tackles such topics as brain types, help for focus, and taking supplements before and after general anesthesia for a surgery. If you'd like Daniel and Tana to answer your question in an episode, be sure to visit brainwarriorswaypodcast.com to submit.

While the incidence of cancer has been experiencing a decline, the incidence of mental illness continues to trend upward. Why is this? In the third episode of a series based on Dr. Daniel Amen's recently filmed PBS special "Change Your Brain, Heal Your Mind", Dr. Amen outlines the 6 steps to ending mental illness, and how to take these steps to help you or your loved one get on the right track.

In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen continue to discuss some of the concepts from Dr. Amen's upcoming PBS special, "Change Your Brain, Heal Your Mind." Dr. Amen introduces the concept of the evil ruler and the good ruler to look at some of the strategies our society uses to create either health or illness, and how you can adopt the strategies that help you, rather than hurt you.

Mental Illness affects us all, and the rate of mental illness continues to skyrocket despite the widespread use of prescription medications. But as Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen illustrate, we're on the cusp of a revolution in psychiatry that will change mental health care forever. In this first episode of a series based on Dr. Amen's upcoming PBS special, the Amens describe the reason for this exciting new revolution, and how it's likely to play out.

Our society has developed a habit of using different terms to delineate between the organ that occupies our heads, and the collection of thoughts we experience moment to moment. But are these really separate entities, or are they manifestations of the same thing? In the last episode in a series with author and psychotherapist Dr. Earl Henslin, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen explain why it's crucial for us to understand that the way we think about the organ between our ears shapes how we take care of it.

Dr. Earl Henslin, author, psychotherapist, and board member of The End Mental Illness Now Foundation, found himself on the other side of the desk when he brought his own mother in to scan her brain. She had often been angry and detached, and both Dr. Henslin and Dr. Amen were horrified to see her scans showed signs of early dementia. What happened next changed not only her life, but the lives of those closest to her. In this episode, Dr. Earl Henslin tells the story of his mother's transformation.

Thirty years of brain SPECT imaging has clearly shown us that disfunction in different parts of the brain require different types of treatment. One of the most often affected areas is the brain's frontal lobes, which are responsible for things like forethought, judgement, and impulse control. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Dr. Earl Henslin for a discussion on how to identify if you have frontal lobe problems (and other common areas of the brain), and what you can do to treat them.