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State of health for S. McCrea -- Big issue: early adrenal exhaustion.

Tale-tell sign: the pupil in eye does not react quickly enough to bright light or does not hold the smaller size (not enough adrenaline). remedies 1. get at least 7 hours sleep. 2. more vitamin 0 5000 units minimum drops 3. fish oil table spoon 4. continue C 3000 milligrams, alpha lipoic acid 5. continue b complex good for liver 6. get moderate exercise, continue walking, breathe deeply 7. special breathing exercise in for 4 counts through nose, hold for 5 counts, breathe out for 8 counts. Pursed lips 8. more b12 6000 micrograms will help with iron storage. 9. stay married to JK because she's good for me. 10. relax max in morning and evening. Empty stomach 11. NAC one time per day empty stomach N acetyl cysteine derivative of 1cysteine amino acid, good for capturing free radicals, precursor of GSH glutathione. GFSH is a principal defense against react oxygen species it helps detoxification of compounds. It can chelate heavy metals. 12. avoid wheat avoid corn one of the most common sensitivities is peanuts try almond butter avoid gluten, our bodies are used to wheat that was not hybridized, it was introduced 2000 years ago or more. The hybrid wheat, developed 50 years ago, is not compatible with many white people. 13. more water skin can steeple when you pinch the back of your hand if you don't get enough water. If possible have lemon water twice a day, the lemon will alkalize you 14. Relax max gives magnesium. You can get ionic fizz which adds magnesium. We want to calm the excitable neuro transmitters. Relax max calms down the connections. ' 15. DHEA, testosterone, all in the mid range. White blood cells are low normal 3.8 to 10 is desired, get more by getting more sleep. Thyroid is good, no aluminum Vitamin 0 is so essential I'm one of the healthiest patients he sees, because I'm coming in early, preventive medicine. JK adds: " ... except he is tri-polar" . I took time off work to see this guy, called a functional medicine expert (one of 25 in the usa) and paid $400 for the advice. You have this information now ... (based on phone call March 1, 2011

166 ' DANIEL

G. AMEN

MAGNIFICENT

MIND AT ANY AGE ( 167

tually changed the brain's function lar to medication. Changing brain. Give in to useless behaviors tinue them. Your moment-by-moment function.

in a positive way, working in a way simiand behaviors changes your and you are more likely to keep doing and you will be more likely to conactions program your brain's actual

toward your goals, but you must make them a part of your daily life. Your brain needs to see them every day. If you know that you want a kind, caring, loving relationship ful to your relationship. 3. Develop razor-sharp focus. Get rid of the things in your life that do atauthors, complained that he did not have time said she was sullen. Larissa with your spouse, then even when you are stressed or irritated you are likely to act in ways that are help-

your thoughts

them. Engage in more useful behaviors

It starts early in life. As I mentioned you give in to a temper tantrums tantrum,

earlier, when you allow a child to

whine to get their way, you actually teach the child's brain to whine. When you teach the child's brain to have more as a way to get what he or she wants. Giving in to bad behavior disThe brain is like a muscle, and the more one uses it, the Giving a child
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not fit your goals. One of my friends, Timothy, an entertainment to;ney who represents for his family. He had a three-year-old having more tantrums complained

daughter, Larissa, who adored

her father but had recently been acting up. Her mother during the day and appeared

inhibits behavior and weakens the PFC, as the child does not have to exercise any self-control. stronger clear, consistent, havior problems it gets. The brain, also like muscles, has memory. reasonable consequences enhances development

she wanted to see her daddy more, but he usually got

home after she went to bed. Timothy struggled with guilt but also felt the need to build his business. There were too many things happening at work that he felt he could not let go. Knowing that I was a child psychiatrist, he wondered if she had ADHD or another behavior problem. After hearing the story, I thought that she might just be missing to him. Then
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for negative behavior while reinin the PFC. So many beThe lack their whole lives.

forcing positive behaviors of effective parenting

in children are due to erratic or absent parenting. sets children up to have problems

Parents act as a child's PFC until his or her own PFC develops. Strengthening the brakes starts early. In a similar way, providing supervision, feedback, consequences, better at work. Of course, too much lessens productivity. Here are five things you can do to increase your brakes, PFC, and impulse control. supervision, employees with adequate helps them perform or micromanagement, and reinforcement

her daddy, like she said. I did the One- Page Miracle exercise with Timothy. Clearly, his wife and daughter were very important I asked him to be aware of all his activities at work for a week. Keeping detailed notes on his activities each day, he could tell he was wasting time: he walked to the coffee shop twice a day for drinks, three or four times a week he went to lunch with friends, and he constantly phone portant calls from colleagues who had questions about took their busi-

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,

l. Work on developing nutrition,


~..,..",....."

a great brain. Enhancing

brain function

makes

nesses. In defining his work goals, I asked him what were the most imthings for him to be doing at work. What were the tasks and activities that built and sustained his business? He wrote three thinj:
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everything in your life easier, including impulse control. Exercise, good) new learning, taking a multiple vitamin and fish oil supple...--. -

ment are all strategies lines, stop any behaviors negatively aff~the 2. Read your

to help overall brain health. Along the same such as excessive a~hol use, lat of sleep, that

Take great care of my current clients. Develop new clients. Spend 10 percent of my time in pro bono work.

I
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smoking, excessive TV, or video games. Also, treat any conditions PFC, such;s Miracle

ADHD, depression, or brain trauma'! every day. Ask yourself repeatedl~

I suggested that anything unrelated to these three goals he needed to let go. He understood the concept of total focus. He could bring his coffee to work (preferably decaf), he could limit lunch with friends to once a week, and he could allow his voice mail to screen calls from his nonpaying spending dramatically clients. Within a month, he was coming home earlier and more time with his wife and daughter. improved. Larissa's behavior Spend time on the things that matter.

One-Page

throughout

the day if your behavior is getting you what you want. D( or useless behaviors. Remember,
YOUfi

your words and deeds match your desires? This exercise helps develoj] clarity and decreases unwanted One-Page Miracle needs to be your goals and desires, not someone you to stay on track

else's. As such, they are most likely to motivate

168 I DANiEl

G. AMEN

MAGNIFICENT

MIND AT ANY AGE:

169

4. Know that saying no is okay. Too often, people feel anxious about saying to someone. Many people, like me if I am not careful, are people pleasers. It bothers us when someone is upset with us, so we work hard to please others. We do not want to upset anyone. Somehow We believe that their unhappiness reflects badl on us. One concept that has helped ~e person y III this area I actually learned from my friend Timothy in the above story. He taught me to think in terms of "short-term pain versus long-term pain." About the time I was helping him with Larissa, my oldest daughter asked me for another puppy. I had always had trouble saying no to her, but we had three other animals at home. When I discussed the situation with Timothy, he said, "Do you want short-term pain or long-term pain?" As he explained it, a puppy was potentially a fifteen-year decision, while saying no to Breanne was a disappointment that would likely last hours, days, or (worst-case scenario) weeks. It made so much sense, so the puppy found another home. The principle of s~ort-term pain versus long-term_gain has helped me in many areas of my life from weight loss to relationships. When I look at the ice cream and feel hungry, I ask myself, "Is the hunger I'm feeling now (short-term pain) worth courting obesity, a condition that runs in my family (long-term pain)?" At work, if I need to fire an employee who is not working out, I often think shortterm pain (the discomfort of letting someone go) versus long-term pain (the continuing hassles of having to deal with an ineffective employee). Whenever you find yourself in a quandary about what to do with an uncomfortable situation, just ask yourself, "Short-term versus long-term pain?"

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One of the biggest lessons I've learned recently is that when you don't know what to do, you should do nothing until you figure out what to.do because a lot of times you feel like you are pressed against the wall, and you've got to make a decision. You never have to do anything. Don't know what to do? Do nothing. I didn't want to say "No" because I didn't want people to think I'm not nice. And that, to me, has been the greatest lesson of my life: to recognize that I am solely responsible for it, and not trying to please other people, and not living my life to please other people, but doing what my heart says all the time.
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Use these fivetips to gain more control over your PFC and impulses; deyelopingtotal focus will get you much closer to your goals and overall happiness.

5. Learn the phrase "I need to think about it. If I want to do it, I will get back to you." So many of my patients have trouble saying no, and they impulsively say yes and end up taking on more than they can do, dis- , tracting them from their goals. Sometimes they take on so many things that they end up doing nothing. When you are not sure what to do, you do not necessarily have to tell people no. A better answer frequently is "I have to think about it." Or "I need to talk to my board (or staff 01: spouse)." Give yourself time to make decisions about time. Then ask yourself whether the new task or request fits the goals yOU have for your life. Two quotes from Oprah Winfrey can be helpful to drive this point home.

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