How To Determine if You Suffer From ADHD
By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D. At some point in your life, you may have struggled to pay attention in class or a meeting. Maybe even done something that seems impulsive like running across the street without looking. However, while this may be a rare occurrence for you, it’s something that about 6.1 million children in the United States with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) deal with daily. This disorder can interfere with all facets of life including social environments to school and work, which is why it’s important that we bring attention to ADHD during October, ADHD Awareness Month.What is ADHD?ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts the part of the brain that helps us focus, plan, and execute tasks. It tends to affect school-aged children and those who suffer with ADHD are known to experience developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. That can look like struggling with time management, keeping things organized, missing important details, exaggerated emotions, struggling to control impulses and in general being hyperactive.Because ADHD has a lot of impact on the focus part of the brain, The American Psychiatric Association has identified three types that have different treatment approaches based on symptoms.ADHD TypesIn order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD, they should have six or more symptoms of the disorder present. We’ve laid out the symptoms for each type below.Inattentive Type Struggles to pay attention to detail Makes careless mistakes Doesn’t listen to someone speaking Is easily distracted Loses things and is forgetful Forgetful in daily activities Avoids tasks that involve making an effort Struggles to stay organized Can’t follow through with instructions Hyperactive/Impulsive Type Talks too much or excessively Talks out of turn (blurting out) Interrupts others Struggles with waiting or taking turns Running or climbing at inappropriate times Acts as if they’re driven by a motor (always on the go) Fidgets and squirms Can’t sit still and needs to get up once seated Combined TypeAs stated above, this individual would have symptoms and meet the criteria from both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive types.Treatment PlanOnce an ADHD type has been identified, it’s important to understand that ADHD currently doesn’t have a cure but a workable comprehensive approach that includes, medication, skills training, counseling, behavior therapy, educational support and most importantly – parent training.Parent training can encompass helping your child with creating a routine that they follow from wake to bedtime each day, an organized and planned schedule, managing distractions such as TV and background noise, limiting choices in order to help them feel less overwhelmed, reward charts to track positive behaviors and in general providing a healthy lifestyle including physical activity, nutritious foods and sufficient sleep.While it’s known to affect children, symptoms of ADHD can be carried into adulthood in more than three-quarters of cases. Treatment for adults tends to involve medication in the form of stimulants and psychological counseling.If you’re looking for a more natural approach to help you focus and have your ADHD under control, consider trying our natural brain performance enhancer, Focus More. It helps improve brain power and cognitive ability especially if you struggle from lack of attention, focus, or brain fog.
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Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Everything You Need to Know
By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D. The thought of aging can be scary for a lot of people, especially when it comes to your brain and memory. Our brains are powerful yet sensitive organs that even the slightest change can cause a new ailment to appear – such as dementia. At some point in your life, you probably have known someone who suffers from some form of dementia and have seen firsthand how it can affect even the brightest individual.Sadly, more than 55 million people are living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, so it’s important to be aware of the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and how you can potentially combat this cruel disease.June is “Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month” which is why we want to share this guide with you.Dementia vs Alzheimer’sYou have probably heard the terms, dementia, and Alzheimer’s, tossed around when describing an elderly loved-one who may have trouble remembering various details or seems confused. So, what’s the difference between the two?Well, first, it’s important to know that dementia isn’t a single disease. It’s an umbrella term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. There are multiple forms of dementia that include Alzheimer’s, Vascular, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal and Huntington’s Disease. In some cases, someone can also suffer from “mixed dementia,” which is the symptoms of dementia from more than one cause.These various forms of dementia are caused by abnormal brain changes and brain damage that results in declined thinking skills and cognitive abilities that can impact someone’s life and ability to function independently.As far as Alzheimer’s disease goes, high levels of specific proteins inside and outside of brain cells make it hard for them to stay healthy and communicate with one another. In the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, is typically where brain cells are often first known to be damaged. Therefore, memory loss tends to be one of the earliest symptoms.What Are the Risk Factors?If Alzheimer’s disease can come as a result of brain damage and not necessarily just getting older, how do you know if you’re at risk?Well, first off, we hate to say it, but age is still a factor. Most people are more at risk after the age of 65. In fact 80 percent of those living with Alzheimer’s disease are 75 years and older, but it’s important to know that age isn’t completely a deciding factor.You’re also more likely to be at risk if you have family history associated with the disease, are female, have had a head injury, experience high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.Warning Signs of Alzheimer’sNow that you’re aware that Alzheimer’s causes a slow decline in the memory and thinking skills, how can you look out for the warning signs? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, these are the warning sings to look out for if you’re concerned.Memory LossAs we discussed above, memory loss that affects daily life tends to be the first warning sign. That tends to look like forgetting simple information such as important dates and events, repeating the same questions frequently and needing more support to handle relatively easy tasks.Problem SolvingProblem solving can become a problem when the individual experiencing a cognitive delay can no longer follow a plan or solve basic problems, like budgeting their finances. It may be a sign of Alzheimer’s when they are no longer able to concentrate for long periods and can’t complete a task after reading directions.General ConfusionYes, as we get older, confusion can happen, but when is it a problem? With Alzheimer’s, it’s concerning if a person becomes confused on how they may have arrived to a certain place, or are confused by the time of year, etc.Language ProblemsIf someone is developing Alzheimer’s, they may have trouble becoming engaged in a conversation. You might notice that they begin to ramble, struggle with basic vocabulary, or have a hard time remembering the name of a common object or family member.Misplacing ObjectsAs the memory declines, so does the ability to recall where you may have placed a common household object. A warning sign typically is when the individual has set an object down and can’t go back through their memory on how to trace it. This can sometimes result in the individual making accusations of theft as the disease progresses.Poor Decision MakingYou may notice that someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s begins to make poor judgement calls, such as neglecting to clean themselves and their house, leaves out groceries that need to be refrigerated, etc.Personality ChangesAnd sadly, personality changes. Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s may begin to act confused, paranoid, suspicious and anxious. Especially when they are pulled away from their comfort zone.(Note: If you have noticed any of the above in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to notify your doctor as soon as possible.)How To Fight ItUnfortunately, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are treatments that can change the disease’s progression and that treat symptoms. Therefore, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as you notice something cognitively “off.”However, it doesn’t hurt to start working to stay mentally and socially active now to keep your brain working. By taking care of and challenging our brain and memory, you can potentially slow the rate of dementia.Family And SupportNothing is harder than watching a family member become something besides what they once were prior to Alzheimer’s decline. Many family members find themselves grieving and mourning, which is completely okay. If you do find yourself in this situation, be sure to take care of yourself while being there for your loved-one. There are many support groups to help through this difficult time.If you believe that a loved-one is showing symptoms, do your research before approaching them. Make sure that you have eliminated any other possible health conditions that can cause memory loss.If you have narrowed down that the confusion is coming from Alzheimer’s, try to approach it in a loving manner and find a place to address it where the individual feels comfortable. Also, think about offering to go to the doctor with them as another form of support.Alzheimer’s and dementia are very difficult to cope with for everyone involved, so know that you’re not alone. For more information on Alzheimer’s and how to cope, click here.
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All About Memory: A Breakdown Of How Humans Store Information
By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D. Our brains are a powerful organ that most of don’t take the time to comprehend. It controls pretty much every component that regulates our body, motor skills, emotions, thoughts, and our memory. While each are all equally important, can you imagine what it would be like to not recall important events and experiences in your life or tasks your learned that help you achieve your goals?Memory is “the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained,” and it’s what connects us to every person and event in our lives. That said, how does our memory work?FOUR TYPES OF MEMORYThe human memory has four components: sensory, working, short-term and long-term memory. All of which help us recall tidbits of various information.Short-Term MemoryHave you ever had someone give you an account number or phone number while you’re searching for a pen to write it down? The ability to quickly recall those string of numbers in a matter of seconds is an indication of your short-term memory at work. Typically, those type of memories will disappear after about 30 seconds.Long-Term MemoryYour long-term memory is a bit more complex than short-term in the sense that there are subcategories of memorization divided into implicit and explicit memory. For example, when you’re able to recall memories of events, autobiographical facts like an election or personal facts about another person, it’s part of your explicit long-term memory.Implicit memories are memories that we don’t consciously think about doing. When we learn to do a task such as driving or walking, we initially learn it, but eventually, it’s something that we are just programmed to do. If you can recall something longer than 30 seconds, it’s a good chance it will be stored into your long-term memory.Sensory MemoryEveryday our senses are experiencing news smells, visuals, textures, sounds, etc. So much so that we don’t pay attention, and the memory is gone within seconds. However, if a sense has a hold on you and you process it, that’s when it can move from a short-term memory to long-term. This is an example of why a song or smell might bring you back to a place and time.Yet, for the most part, our sensory memories are short, and we quickly forget the sounds and smells from the day.Working Memory Working memory and short-term memory are very similar, however your working memory requires you to remember more details in a current working task.For example, if you are reading instructions to build a desk, your working memory allows you to remember the steps you completed prior to the nail you’re hammering into the wood.CHILDREN AND MEMORYNow that you understand how our brain categorizes memories, it’s important to know how our brains and memories develop. So, when do we have our first memories that we can recall?Children begin to form explicit memories around the age of 2. They can remember that you had pizza Friday night, but the excitement that they get passing a Pizza Hut (implicit memory) might take a few years to register.Researchers have found that around the age of 3, is when explicit memories begin to become more frequent and detailed like your memories. At around age 7, their memories should be similar to yours in what they can recall.OLD AGE AND MEMORYMany of us fear getting older and becoming forgetful. Our experiences are near and dear to our hearts, and most of us don’t want to lose happy memories from our youth. So, what happens to memory as we age? As we grow old, it’s normal for it to take time to recall a name or fact and have moments of forgetfulness. No matter your age, your brain is still capable of preserving memory functions such as performing everyday tasks, recalling events from years ago, and general knowledge.On the flip side, age does impact our ability to learn new information and can take longer to be able for you to recall the new information you may have recently learned. Does that mean you’re on your way to experiencing a serious brain disease? Not necessarily.Yes, it’s natural for most of us to worry about the potential of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia, but keep in mind that it’s not inevitable. Researchers have found that individuals in their 70s perform just as well on cognitive exams as those in their 20s.If forgetfulness is classified as normal, when should you worry? It’s one thing to forget your keys at home, but when you forget what keys are used for is when you might feel concern. Signs of Dementia is not a part of normal aging and should be a sign it’s time to see a professional.HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE MEMORY? With all of that said, is it possible to improve our memory and delay forgetfulness? Well, it doesn’t hurt to try as our brains are capable to adapting and change. There are many tips on how you can improve your memory that include, exercising not only your body, but your brain with activities such as crossword puzzles, chess, learning a new language or instrument, etc.Eating a healthy brain-boosting diet, such as foods with omega-3s and avoiding alcohol that can cause confusion and memory loss. Getting enough sleep at night so that your brain has time to consolidate memories from the day and keeping your mental health in a good spot by socializing.There are also natural remedies to help you recall information if you are experiencing brain fog and issues with your focus such as our natural brain boost, Focus More. It helps improve brain power by increasing your focus, enhancing positivity, creativity, and motivation all while reducing cognitive decline.And while there are certainly no quick fixes to improve our memory, living a healthy lifestyle and improving your ability to recall information can go a long way.
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6 Tips to Improve Your Memory and Boost Your Brain
By Peter Klapper Ph.D. As we age, many feel like our brains might not be as sharp as they used to be, however, you’d be surprised to know the human brain can adapt and change.This process is called neuroplasticity which allows your brain to form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways. Basically, this gives you the opportunity to continue to learn new information, train your brain and improve your memory. If that’s something that interests you, check out these “6 Tips to Improve Your Memory and Boost Your Brain.”Eat A Healthy DietHave you heard of the term brain food? It shouldn’t come as a shock that the foods you put into your body can affect your overall health.Foods you should eat to support brain health are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat protein sources, such as fish, beans, and skinless poultry. Also, don’t skip out on your omega-3s which are great for brain health. Fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, and halibut are a rich source of omega 3, so it’s smart to include them in your diet.Also, if you’re trying to improve your memory, be mindful of how much alcohol you consume because of the fact that too much causes confusion and memory loss.ExerciseWhen you are active, blood flow increases throughout your body (including your brain) that can keep your memory sharp. The endorphins you get from working out are a great mood boost but also are helpful for you to feel mentally sharps for tasks at hand. Plus, physical activity also stimulates the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline.Brain Activities Just like your body needs exercise to stay healthy, the same goes for your brain. And when you exercise your brain, it gives you the ability to think more quickly on your feet and recall information in moments of conversation.Simple brain activities can consist of routinely doing a crossword puzzle, learning a musical instrument, playing a critical thinking game such as chess, learning a new language, memorizing number patterns such as a phone number, and by driving a new route home. Anytime you challenge your brain to retain new information, you’re giving it a good workout.Socialize Did you know that by socializing with your peers is good for your brain? Humans are social creatures and having stimulating conversation with friends is a great way to exercise your brain and improve your memory. Socializing also helps ward off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to memory loss.SleepEvery night you hit the hay is when your brain gets to work. When you’re asleep, your brain consolidates your memories from the day so you can recall them down the road. If you’re not getting the recommended sleep for adults, seven to nine hours, it could effect on your ability to recall information. Need help sleeping? Try our natural sleep aid.Try Our Natural Brain BoosterIf you have tried the above and still feel like you could use an extra boost to improve your memory or focus, think about using a natural performance enhancer.Our natural brain boost product, Focus More, helps improve brain power by increasing your focus, enhancing positivity, creativity and motivation all while reducing cognitive decline. Therefore, it helps reduce brain fog and symptoms related to an inability to pay attention.
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Is it ADHD, Anxiety, or Both?
Close to 50 percent of adults with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Sometimes the anxiety is a result of living with ADHD and worrying about the toll that your symptoms can take on you day-to-day. Other times, anxiety can exist independently of your ADHD and its symptoms.
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5 Tips To Simplify And Create Less Stress In Your Life
Did you know that the first week of every August is “National Simplify Your Life Week?” It’s a time for you to focus on the areas in your life that could use a little decluttering mentally and physically. However, this practice of removing clutter from your life can be done at any time - not just August.
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Do You Have Difficulty Paying Attention?
By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D.When an imbalance occurs in the mind-brain connection, the result is the affected person has difficulty paying attention. Focusing at school, work, or simply on common tasks becomes a challenge. A modern and commonly referenced term for this condition is attention deficit disorder or ADD.Treatment options vary from meditation to plant medicine to pharmaceuticals. It is up to the individual to determine which treatment option best suits their lifestyle, but the objective should always be to bring balance back to life. Enhancing brain function can be a good conduit to achieving this objective.To ease symptoms from attention deficit, I have found plant medicine to be highly effective, safe, and non-addictive. The objective, to reverse symptoms entirely, is feasible and results can sometimes be remarkable.Importantly, when seeking a positive therapeutic result, the purer the quality of medicinal plants the better the outcome. Certified organic treatments are optimum as this represents that proof positive harmful chemicals have not been used in cultivation. This is the gold standard and helps heal the world.
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