Change Your Brain Every Day

In a series focused on head trauma and brain injury, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Busey. Gary describes the brain injury he suffered in 1988 from a horrific motorcycle accident, as well as how his life's challenges have given him a unique perspective and method of defining what means the most to him.

In a series focused on head trauma and brain injury, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Busey. Gary describes the brain injury he suffered in 1988 from a horrific motorcycle accident, as well as how his life's challenges have given him a unique perspective and method of defining what means the most to him.

Psychiatrists are often quick to diagnose symptoms of brain fog and fatigue as depression, prescribe antidepressant medications, and call it good. But in large number of instances, these symptoms actually have an entirely different cause: low thyroid. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss how your thyroid function can cause symptoms that masquerade as depression, and how you can find out if your thyroid may be to blame for your illnesses.

In our society we are often fed the message that motherhood should cause nothing but infinite joy and love, but if this is the case, why are do so many mothers suffer from depression? Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss how stress and brain chemistry can cause emotional imbalances.

We all know about the negative effects of heavy alcohol consumption, but is it true that there are health benefits for drinking just 1-2 glasses of wine a week? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen break down just exactly what alcohol does to your body and brain, and if light alcohol consumption really is a smart way to increase longevity.

E-cigarettes has become increasingly popular among today's teens. Companies like Juul are producing E-cigarettes that come in many flavors, and that are less harmful than cigarettes. But what are the drawbacks? In the last episode of a series with addiction specialist Dr. Jennifer Farrell, Dr. Daniel Amen dives into the subject of vaping to determine the effects it has on teens and adults alike.

There's no question that social media has changed modern society for better or worse. Some say that social media makes us more connected, but is this really true? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Amen is joined by addiction specialist Dr. Jennifer Farrell for a discussion on the physical effects social media has on the brain.

In a psychiatric discussion reminiscent of the age-old "chicken or the egg" debate, Dr. Jennifer Farrell and Dr. Daniel Amen explore the question of what comes first, substance abuse or mental health issues? It's no surprise that there is a direct correlation between the two, and addiction specialist Dr. Farrell describes common scenarios among patients, as well as some effective treatment strategies.

Having a major medical procedure is never fun. But going in prepared mentally and physically can make a world of difference. As Tana prepares to go in for a major surgery, she outline some of the preparations she has made to make recovery much easier.

Recent research suggests that being able to walk at just 3 miles an hour significantly raises the likelihood an 80-year old will live at least another ten years. Even for those much younger, making small adjustments in the way we get from point A to point B will result in substantial health benefits. Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen provide additional insight into the way we exercise.

We often look directly to traditional western medicine when it comes to treating our ailments, but sometimes these methods are not only the least cost-effective, but also the least efficient. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss some of the alternative therapies that may provide relief without resorting to medication or surgery.

When we give in to the Standard American Diet (SAD) of highly processed foods, we're contributing to the demise of more than just our health. In the fourth and final episode of a series with Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe the effects our food policy has on the environment and social systems we live in.

Once we know the types of foods that are actually healthy for us to eat, the next step is to figure out what that looks like in daily eating habits. In part 3 of a series with Dr. Mark Hyman, best-selling author of the new book Food: What the Heck Should I Eat, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen talk about what his diet looks like on a typical day.

If you're having trouble determining which foods are healthy for you and which are not, you're not alone. There are tons of conflicting ideas about the "correct" way to eat. In the second part of a series with Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen break down the misconceptions about exactly which foods are good for you.

With all the information and misinformation surrounding nutrition these days, it can be really confusing figuring out what to eat. In this first episode of a series with best-selling author Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen go behind the food controversies and tell you how to know exactly which foods really are healthy for you, and which ones just pretend to be.

Signs of ADD usually first occur at a very young age, but what if you start showing these signs later in life? Could ADD actually be caused by a physical incident such at a brain injury? In this episode, Dr. Daniel and Tana discuss a new study which reveals some surprising data.

When someone you love suffers from borderline personality disorder, it can cause chaos, trauma, and trust issues in your own life. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen give tips and advice for how to cope with these highly combustible relationships.

If you or someone you know experiences drastic mood swings, erratic behavior, or dramatic shifts in self-image, it may be a case of borderline personality disorder. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the 10 common signs of personality disorder.

In the third and final episode of a series with Genius Foods author Max Lugavere, Max shares some of his proven strategies for foods that will supercharge your brain.

Food is medicine, or it's poison. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Genius Foods author Max Lugavere shares his nutritional tips for detox, gut health, and brain health.

There's a critical link between the foods you eat and the way your brain functions. In this episode of the Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Max Lugavere, author of the new book Genius Foods. Max tells the story of how his mom's heartbreaking diagnosis set him on the path to learn and spread the message of eating right.

There are many reasons while some relationships thrive while others fail, but it's no question that untreated ADD can devastate families and intimacy among couples. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen break down exactly how ADD threatens relationships.

People with ADD tend to have a difficult time managing their everyday lives, but how do you know if you have it? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen reveal the 5 hallmark symptoms of ADD. If you know you have ADD, and more specifically if you know what type of ADD you have.

Why is it that certain people cause you to feel like you need to walk on eggshells around them? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen reveal a surprising cause for this type of behavior that has more to do with the physical function of the brain than pure psychology.

A recent study revealed that children who begin social media at age 10 are more likely to suffer from depression by the time they turn 15. So what exactly is it about social media that causes this depression? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe what the effects social media has on a child's psyche.

Did you know that your brain is about the consistency of soft butter, and that it's housed in a skull with sharp, bony ridges? There's no way around it: our brains are fragile and easily damaged. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the major risk factors for brain injury, as well as what to do if you've already had one.

Dr. Daniel Amen and colleagues recently published a study on patient outcomes and Depression in the Journal of Alzheimer's. In this episode, he and Tana share some of the study's findings, including some easy ways to help treat depression, and how certain treatments can backfire if you don't know your depression type.

Drug abuse and suicide amongst high school students has reached epidemic proportions in the last few years. Why is this? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the possible causes for all this tragedy occurring in today's youth.

He had always been a happy and sweet kid, so when nine-year-old Andrew suddenly attacked a girl on the baseball field for no apparent reason, something was clearly wrong. But no one, not even his mother, could have ever anticipated what would happen next. In this special episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen tell the amazing and heartwarming story of how young Andrew's life was changed forever.

Studies have shown that children of alcoholic parents exhibit the same brain types as soldiers who have been in war. What is it that causes these similarities? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss what exactly happens to the children of alcoholics.

In the final episode of a series with Prison Fellowship CEO, James Ackerman shares some of the life lessons he's learned from rehabilitating inmates and changing lives, such as understanding the context of criminals' lives.

Sometimes the most difficult challenges we face in life are centered around those who have wronged us in some way. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Prison Fellowship CEO James Ackerman for a discussion on some of the more extreme cases of forgiveness.

It's been estimated that a staggering 77% of inmates will be arrested for a new crime within five years of being released from prison. James Ackerman, CEO of Prison Fellowship, has found that through his program, the rate drops all the way down to 17%. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen speak with James about how his fellowship's 4 pillars help to turn people's lives around for good.

When you hold someone's hand, there is a surprising side effect in your brain waves. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe this phenomenon, and how it can either help or hurt your emotional state of being.

Perhaps the most human issue every person deals with is the question of how to deal with your own mortality. We may all be dying (although at different rates), but it can be said for all of us that how you live affects how you die. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss how your belief system can help you when it becomes your time to go.

We all know about the hormonal changes in women as they age, but we rarely discuss what happens in men as they hit their 40's and go through what some call "manopause." In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen describe what happens to male hormones as they age, and what you can do to drastically reduce the effects of these hormonal changes.

Chronic pain is a huge health issue for many people, but those who suffer are often unaware of what's really causing it. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen illuminate some of the more hidden causes, such as emotional trauma or inflammation, and then give treatment options.

It's a known fact that people who are lonely and socially isolated tend to have more problems with their mental health, but is it possible that connecting yourself to others socially can actually improve your physical health, as well. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss a recent study that provides a surprising answer.

A recent study shows that 20% of teenage girls have experienced major bouts with depression. But where do these feelings begin? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the role that anxiety plays in a child's upbringing.

With a staggering 23% of women taking an antidepressant medication, there's clearly a need for interventions. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the reasons why so many women struggle with depression.

Neither alcohol nor marijuana is good for you in larger doses, but when it comes to smaller amounts, which is actually worse for your health? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen weigh in on the effects that alcohol and marijuana can have on your brain and body.Neither alcohol nor marijuana is good for you in larger doses, but when it comes to smaller amounts, which is actually worse for your health? In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen weigh in on the effects that alcohol and marijuana can have on your brain and body.

A recent study has linked Acetaminophen (Tylenol) with autism in babies when taken during pregnancy. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss which pain relievers are the safest and have the least side effects, and which ones should be avoided.

We live in an era where seemingly random acts of violence occur at an ever-increasing pace. But why? What is it that pushes these disturbed individuals to commit such atrocities? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss which mental health factors may influence this type of behavior, as well as ways we can reduce the likelihood of incidence in our own children, or perhaps be better prepared should the worst occur.

We're taught as children that violence is never the answer, but is that really true? What about situations where self-defense is necessary to survive? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen weigh in on what to do when violence is necessary, and how being a Brain Warrior, and thus being armed, prepared, and aware, can help you should any such situation arise.

If you've been feeling down, you're not alone. In fact, there seems to be a growing epidemic of unhappiness in our society, but fortunately there are things you can do about it. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the role the 4 circles of influence play in depression.

In the third and final episode of a series with "Grain Brain" author Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss the brain-gut connection. Learn how your microbiome plays a crucial role in inflammation. Dr. Perlmutter also shares ways you can increase the health of your gut to keep your brain healthy as well.

Many pharmaceutical companies are getting out of Alzheimer's research because they aren't finding that "silver bullet" treatment to cure the disease. However, perhaps we should instead be looking for the "silver buckshot" treatment, because it is only by addressing many smaller areas of concern that you effectively reduce your risk for Alzheimer's Disease. In the second episode of a series with Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss some of these "silver buckshot" elements, such as exercise and monitoring your glycemic load.

There may not always be a simple medical solution for various brain dysfunctions. However, we have learned that there are things we can control, such as lifestyle choices, that have a major impact on our health. In this episode of The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are joined by Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the best-selling book "Grain Brain", for a discussion on how being informed about gluten sensitivities and the gut-brain connection can help you make better, healthier decisions.

In the third and final episode of a series with Dr. Wayne Jonas, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss how childhood trauma factors in to chronic conditions. As Dr. Jonas outlines in his new book, "How Healing Works," taking an integrative approach and a patient in the driver's seat mentality, you can find ways to heal yourself to enjoy the things that matter most.

For the first time in years, the human life expectancy recently went down instead of up. Many believe that the opioid crisis is to blame. In the second episode of a series with Dr. Wayne Jonas, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen discuss why removing opioid medications from the equation won't necessarily solve the problem.