It is important to protect and support our cognitive function. Between migraines, trauma responses, and memory loss chronic cognitive pain can be debilitating. There are therapies that support our brains to heal and lessen pain. These supportive measures can improve the quality of life and reduce the severity of many of these symptoms and more.
The building blocks for healthy cognitive function include exercising your mind, moving your body, and getting adequate sleep. Dance has been linked to an increase in gray matter in the brain! Alongside movement, providing your body with the integral vitamins and minerals through a diet rich in whole foods is important to maintaining a healthy brain. Finally, decreasing anxiety and increasing sleep to 7-8 consecutive hours a night is crucial to improve your cognitive function.
Alternative therapies should come alongside these goals and support each of these key steps for a healthy brain. These specific wellness therapies have been proven to support a healthy brain:
- Exercise with Oxygen Therapy
- Near/Far Infrared Light Therapy
- IV Therapy
- Circulation Restoration Therapy
- Neuroptimal Neurofeedback
- Acupuncture
Each of these therapies works to increase blood flow to the brain, increase the delivery of vital nutrients to support the best function, and gently retrain the brain to work more efficiently.
Let’s discuss how each of these therapies works and whom they benefit.
The LiveO2 is a machine and mask that deliver high concentrations of oxygen to the user while they exert themselves. The exertion is usually a stationary bike, but those unable to pedal are guided through gentle movements and stretches to enjoy the same benefits.
When the goal of a session is cognitive health, the training focuses on creating a low oxygenated state in the body and then flooding the body with oxygen. This forces an increase in oxygenation throughout the body that cannot be found in any other therapy. Benefits include increased cognitive function, and aids in oxygenating the liver and the kidneys. For those unable to exercise on a stationary bike, our trainers can assist in creating a gentle stretch routine to utilize while they build up stamina.
This therapy is our go-to for whole-body healing. Sessions can occur as often as daily. At a minimum, we recommend once a week to see the best results.
Near/Far Infrared Light Therapy
Specific wavelengths of near/far infrared light penetrate the skin and increase energy production at a cellular level. This includes an increasing production within the body of Vitamin D and melanin. This increase in production is linked to a healthy brain.
From the Mito-Red Blog, Neurological Effects of Red Light Therapy. They share the science and recent studies that have proven the effects Near/Far Infrared Light has on the brain. This therapy has been found to be beneficial for recovering from traumatic events, degenerative diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders. It is FDA-approved, pain-free, inexpensive, and easy. All you have to do is soak up the light!
This therapy only takes 15 minutes and also supports sleep cycles, skin health, and so much more. Sessions can occur daily. At a minimum, we recommend once a week to see the best results.
Circulation Restoration Therapy
The BEMER is a circulation restoration therapy medical device. This therapy uses electromagnetic frequency to increase blood flow and circulation within the body. Within eight minutes of use, oxygenation within the blood is up by 30% or more. This increase of oxygen-rich blood increases cognitive function and delivery of key nutrients to the brain. This therapy also helps to balance sleep cycles allowing for longer stretches of consecutive sleep.
This therapy can range between 10-20 minutes and is an excellent therapy for most as it is gentle and unobtrusive. Sessions can occur daily. At a minimum, we recommend once a week to see the best results.
Neuroptimal Neurofeedback
Neurotherapy is gentle brain training that is going on 4 million therapeutic sessions. During a session, diodes are connected to your scalp and ears. Headphones are placed over your ears and you listen to calming music. The diodes monitor your brain patterns and the Neuroptimal Neurofeedback program tracks the brain patterns and reflects back to the brain its own patterns. This allows the brain to make changes from states of anxiety and depression to those of calm. It is a form of counseling without speaking a word.
Nina Barrow provides this therapy at Wellspring Vitality. Her calming presence and gentle guidance through the process are a welcome addition to this non-invasive therapy. We recommend this therapy once a week for those looking to increase their cognitive function. Nina shares about this therapy best and we recommend reading more about Neuroptimal Neurofeedback on her website – https://www.northforkneurofeedback.com/
The ancient healing practice of acupuncture is proven to aid migraines and even seems to be a promising treatment to improve cognitive function after a minor stroke. According to energy fields and acupressure points, thin needles are inserted into the body to stimulate blood flow.
Dr. Turrey offers acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at Wellspring. His expertise is welcomed and an appointment is useful for supporting your brain health.
These are just a few alternative therapies that are effective for cognitive health. Our expert team can assist you in making a plan to tackle your specific pain. Give us a call at (970) 872-9355 to get started. When you do, ask about the Vitality Orientation, it is a free educational tour where we can begin creating a course of action that fits your unique needs.
Keep in mind, that we recommend confirming with your doctor before engaging in these alternative therapies to be certain this is a good option for you.
