Emotional Ease

You can feel better by changing your brain, and it’s easier than you think. Your feelings and your brain are ‘joined at the hip.’ When you change one, you change the other.

Your feelings and emotions live in a primitive area in the middle of your brain called the limbic system, and functional neurology can bring balance and ease to this part of your brain. The emotional, limbic parts of your brain develop early in life, much earlier that the verbal thinking areas, and they are hugely important for your well-being and success in life. Your emotions provide the motivation for your actions and they provide a filter for how you view the world.

Functional neurologists take advantage of your brain’s ability to change, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. They help you create the conditions in your brain to have clear thinking, easy stable emotions, and the ability to handle more stress.

A functional neurologist is likely to recommend specific changes in your diet and physical exercise, non-thinking brain exercises, and sensory stimulation like BrainTime® and brain-friendly physical treatment to activate the pathways in your brain that support resilience and emotional well-being. You get the best results with a multi-pronged approach. Here is a brief introduction to some of the important factors.

Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that carry messages in your brain, and they are continually being made and then reabsorbed or broken down. The process of making and recycling neurotransmitters requires vitamins and minerals, and if you don’t have enough, your brain doesn’t work as well. This can cause emotional imbalance and lack of resilience. A functional neurologist will help you determine the vitamins and minerals that are most helpful for you.

Scientists are also discovering how your gut affects your brain. Unhealthy organisms in your intestines can make and release chemicals that are stressful for your brain, a condition sometimes known as GAPS or Gut and Psychology Syndrome. Diet and digestion are therefore very important considerations for anxiety and depression, and a functional neurologist can advise specific dietary choices to feel better emotionally.

The two sides of the brain have different but complimentary functions that can effect emotional function; the left side is more active during exploratory, “approach” types of behavior, and the right side is more active during cautious, “checking out the scene” types of behavior. Both types of behavior—pushing forward and hanging back—are important, but if one predominates it can cause problems.

Functional neurologists are trained to evaluate the side-to-side differences in brain function in order to design treatment plans that will support an optimal balance between these behaviors. Treatment includes non-thinking brain exercises, sensory stimulation like BrainTime® and brain-friendly physical treatment to activate the pathways in your brain that will help you feel better.

You can learn more about functional neurology and drug-free solutions for a variety of health issues in the other articles and videos on this web site.

You can also call to set up a consultation and get started with a treatment program to feel better fast.