Brain Wellness - the Podcast

07/26/2024

It’s a beautiful day for a new podcast episode! Episode 93 is now available!

Anna Charles joins me from across the pond to talk about how alcohol can truly be holding us back from being successful in our lives. A daily drink becomes a habit, and it has more effect on our lives than we may think. You don’t have to be an alcoholic to decide to cut back or quit. We discuss obstacles that may make it difficult to cut back and how to overcome these obstacles.

Tune in to hear the full interview now!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

90 Days Later with Anna Charles

07/26/2024

Are you local in MN and listen to AM950 Radio? I just realized I forgot to post that Recharging the Human Battery with Dr Sinicropi (and me as co-host) is on the air on Saturdays!!

Check the link for the first few episodes that have already aired!

Dr. Stefano Sinicropi is an orthopedic spine surgeon and wellness evangelist. He’s the host of Recharging the Human Battery. Each week Dr. Sinicropi and his guests will delve into various health topics ranging from medicine to nutrition to exercise, emerging technologies and even some “way out t...

07/24/2024

Back in the podcast studio recording another episode today!

I’m always looking for more guests and topics - do you have suggestions of who I should interview and what we should talk about? Let me know your thoughts!

07/22/2024

Far too often in today’s society, we feel pushed to constantly DO things. I heard someone a while back say “we are not human doings, we are human beings” and that resonated with me. Then recently I heard it a step farther that “we are human becomings rather than human beings” because we are always a work in progress and working on becoming our best selves.

That said, we don’t all follow this very well. Most of still are indoctrinated that we need to go, go, go, and there’s no time to stop and take care of ourselves.

Unfortunately, if we constantly go, go, go, and ignore the signs our body is trying to give us, it will force us to take a hard stop. Illness often comes from ignoring our health and ignoring signs that we need to slow down.

It’s ok to just be and not always do. Our bodies need rest! Can you be ok with just being?

07/19/2024

Happy Friday - it’s new podcast episode day! Episode 92 is now available!

Autumn Starks is a therapist who tried something out of her comfort zone and discovered a new passion. While learning about therapeutic options, she had her own life changing experience with ketamine and learned the true power of this type of therapy. We had a fascinating conversation about who would benefit from this type of therapy, what therapy can look like, and how people can learn more about it.

Tune in to hear the full interview now!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

Starks Therapy Group

07/15/2024

As I find myself hospitalized for an acute illness likely triggered by my previously diagnosed autoimmune disease, I felt today was a good day to remind you to not take your health for granted.

Whether you are a model of health or living with chronic illness and disease, you have choices in how you manage your health. You can choose to let the traditional medical model “treat” all of your ailments as they pop up, or you can manage your lifestyle so that you minimize your acute health needs.

I was diagnosed with autoimmune disease back in 2019, but in hindsight it likely started nearly 20 years prior and didn’t get accurately diagnosed for decades. I have worked hard to eat clean, exercise regularly, and take all the supplements recommended to keep me in working order. I have side effects to most prescription medications and essentially was “fired” from my rheumatologist a couple of years ago because she had nothing else to offer me after trying all the anti-rheumatic medications out there. I have managed my autoimmune disease with very few flares since that time with diet and exercise and my supplements.

My TBI last year threw my system off and I’ve honestly been waiting for the other shoe to drop as stress is a common trigger for autoimmune flares. That’s one thing I only have so much control over in my life. But it CAN be controlled to some extent.

I share this because there is so much we all can do to minimize the acute healthcare needs - it’s the same reason we take our cars in for regular maintenance so they don’t have major issues that cost a fortune. What are you doing to minimize those acute illnesses? Are you choosing a lifestyle that keeps you as functional as you can be?

07/12/2024

🔊 ANNOUNCING!! 🔊

I’ve been trying to find the *right* moment and the *right* way to make this announcement - the sun is shining and it’s been a good week, so here’s the perfect moment! 🌟

After many months of work putting this together and support from some amazing friends to review and encourage, I’m once again published!

Having been a neurology nurse practitioner for over a decade, I thought I knew so much about concussion/TBI care, but having been on the patient side of the equation for now over a year, I have learned so much more! It’s so hard to understand what people really go through until you experience things yourself, but my hope is that this book can give some insight to families/caregivers as to what it feels like to experience a brain injury, and offers hope and a sense of community to those who have lived this experience. ❤️

Currently you can find paperback and ebook on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online - the audiobook is in progress! Links in the comments if you’re interested in a copy, and stay tuned for upcoming book signing events!

07/12/2024

It’s a beautiful day for a new podcast episode! Episode 91 is now available!

Lainne Love shares how she took the long way around in life to find her true purpose and now helps others try to get there with less work. We talked about knowing when to keep pushing toward a goal vs when to move on, and realizing that every experience we have plays a role in our bigger mission. This is the perfect conversation for anyone trying to decide if they’re on the right path in life!

Tune in to hear the full interview now!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

Lainne - Self-Mastery Specialist

07/11/2024

Excited for my upcoming announcement??
How would you like to see the full notice - should I go LIVE??

Comment your thoughts below!

07/09/2024

In today’s world, we tend to push ourselves harder and harder, not taking time to notice signals our body gives us. Many of us have forgotten what it means to listen to our bodies and give our bodies what they need because of this.

Our vehicles have “check engine” lights that come on when something is wrong with the vehicle, and if we ignore the light something majorly wrong can happen with the vehicle, and the repairs cost significantly more than they likely would have had we done something when that light first came on.

Our body gives us “check engine” lights, too, but we need to be paying attention. We need to know our bodies better than anyone.

Do you ever have those moments when something just ‘doesn’t feel right’? Maybe you ignore it thinking it will go away on its own, but it often doesn’t, or goes away just to come back later. When we ignore the signals or don’t pay attention, our bodies find ways to slow us down. Usually it comes in the form of a major health scare - because we clearly needed a bigger sign that something needed to give.

How well do you know yourself? Do you recognize your own check engine lights?

07/06/2024

I did a thing…and my copyright letter just came…official announcement coming soon!

07/05/2024

A new month - a new podcast episode! Episode 90 is now available!

Dan Rigby is a high school teacher and coach who has watched his students struggle and came up with a plan to help them. We discussed how his Win The Day Planner grew, some of the struggles facing teenagers these days, and how we as adults can help support them. Dan’s approach is something j would love to see in every high school teacher and coach!

Listen for the full interview now!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

Win the Day Planner for Student Athletes

07/02/2024

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

You never know what kind of 💩 someone is going through, and sometimes we all just need an opportunity to get things off our chest. I’m not saying be a punching bag for anyone to rant at, just suggesting that you can create a safe space so that someone can share their worries and still feel loved and valued.

All too often, we see someone in passing and say, “Hi, how are you?” But we don’t actually stop to hear the answer. And all too often we just reply with, “I’m fine, thanks” and may or may not ask how they are in return. Have you ever heard the acronyms for FINE? Freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. Or Feelings In Need of Expression, is another. We say we are fine, but we’re really not. Why? Because we don’t want to give the real answer or we don’t think the other person really wants to hear. When I can tell the other person is genuinely asking and wants an honest answer, I cherish that moment and give that honest answer. I also love giving others the opportunity to do the same.

We all need to be heard. Start creating those safe spaces, if you haven’t already.

06/28/2024

Rounding out Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month with a new podcast episode! Episode 89 is now available!

Jeremy Roadruck shares how he changed his scarred past through mastering Kung Fu and finding himself. We discussed some of the roadblocks that all people have when it comes to moving forward in life, and honed in specifically on the masculine energy and how best to break through the B.S. in life that holds us back. Jeremy describes what exactly B.S. is touches on how we men can start to be vulnerable without being “vulnerable”. So many good nuggets that we may have to do this again to dig deeper!

Listen for the full interview now!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

06/25/2024

In today’s digital age, we need to remember to make real connections with people. Yes, I’m thankful that we have social media to connect with people across oceans, but we need to do more than just text each other. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting people from all over the world with my podcast, and while we’re on two different ends of the zoom call, we’re facing each other and we have each other’s undivided attention.

Social connections are important for our brain health - connecting with others and discussing their families or general lives requires us to remember details about them in order to keep up communications. This sparks connections in our memory that keep our active memory working. Texting doesn’t have that same effect.

A couple weeks ago after a baseball game, my teenage son ran into a friend from school. Both our family and the other boy’s family chuckled because the two of them awkwardly stared at each other and didn’t talk. My son later said he had his contact info and could text him anytime. But he missed out on this important opportunity to connect with someone IRL (in real life, for those like me who had know idea what this stood for until recently).

Never miss an opportunity to connect with someone face to face, even if it’s just on a video call - your brain will thank you for it!

06/21/2024

It’s a wonderful day for a new podcast episode! Episode 88 is now available!

Margaret Wallis-Duffy is a force to be reckoned with in the wellness community. After decades of caring for patients in her own private clinic, she headed up Preventive Health Awareness Month in Canada and continues the Movement to spread awareness for the importance of preventive health and integrative health. We touched on so many topics in this interview, including not only preventive health, but also the importance of traditional and complementary medicine working together to benefit the patient, and we started digging into some of the tools that can be used as part of the wellness toolbox to help our patients heal.

This interview marks the first of many conversations to come as Margaret and I collaborate to improve brain health in Canada and the United States and beyond.

Listen for the full story! This may also be one of those episodes you want to watch on YouTube, to see the discussion and explanation of how to use the dolphin Neurostim device!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp

Become the CEO of Your Health

06/18/2024

‘Use your words’ is a phrase I have used a lot when talking with my kids as they were growing, but it works for adults too. All too often we assume people know what we’re thinking or feeling, and we don’t say the things we need to.

Often we get stuck in our heads because we worry about how others will receive our requests, or we worry about sounding ‘needy’ or some other thing. We may not know how to put our request to words appropriately or think if others can’t figure it out, we don’t deserve it anyway.

In my healing journey, I had to learn to ask for help and say what I needed. I couldn’t assume others understood what I needed. I especially couldn’t assume this because I tried to make myself look strong for so long that others didn’t realize I even needed help.

For Father’s Day yesterday, I could have come up with many ideas on how to make the day special for my husband, but I may have missed the target (pun intended, as we ended up doing some target practice). But instead I let him offer up his wishes for the day and we followed his lead. It was a fun day and he thoroughly enjoyed it. On the flip side, a couple of months ago for his birthday, I thought I knew best and ended up ruining his plans for the day. Did we end up having a good time in the end? Sure. But he had so many other things he would have rather done.

No matter how big or small the thought may be, we need to speak up and make others aware of our desires or questions or whatever the case may be. Life is too short to make assumptions, and as we likely learned when we were younger, when we assume something, we only make an ass out of u and me…

06/14/2024

Guess what day it is - new podcast episode day! Episode 87 is now available!

Dr. Kevin Smith, an Ear Nose and Throat doctor, shares how he started noticing that his nose surgery was curing patients of their debilitating migraines. He got curious and started digging more into the why, he started making connections, and now is on a mission to teach other ENT surgeons about this revolutionary treatment for migraine imposters. Listen for the full story!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp
(Might I suggest Spotify or Apple 😉)

Smith Center

06/10/2024

As I provider, I saw both ends of the spectrum with patients being a part of their care team. Some came in and blindly listened to what they were told and others came in with notes from their online searches and put providers on the defensive.

When you see a provider and leave without feeling like you were heard, it’s not helpful. On the flip side, you have to be cautious where you’re “googling” to find your information and this can take away from your visit with your provider.

The ideal is somewhere in the middle. YOU are the most vital part of your own care team - there wouldn’t be a team necessary if you didn’t need care. No, you don’t have to go to school to learn about medical issues and procedures to take part in these conversations. There are reputable sources to find information about what you are experiencing - places like PubMed or Mayo Clinic, rather than Reddit, or sorry to say, even WebMD. If you’re not careful, your searches will tell you that you have cancer and are dying, even if you just have a sprained ankle.

That said, if you don’t feel heard at your appointment, likely you weren’t. If you feel in your gut that what you were told (or not told as the case may be) isn’t right, keep looking. Get second opinions. Ask questions in different ways. The provider you saw is likely not an expert in every detail of what you need. Having worked in neurology for years, I can tell you there were areas of neurology that I wasn’t as knowledgeable about as others - we all have our areas of expertise. Within neurology, for example, there are folks who specialize specifically in headache, or seizures, or movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, or stroke. When they specialize, they become really good in that area, and ok in the others. I wasn’t an expert in concussion/TBI care, but I sure am getting there with all my personal experience now!

And if you can’t advocate for yourself on this way? Enlist the help of a close friend or family member to attend appointments with you to advocate on your behalf. You deserve it.

06/07/2024

It’s a beautiful day for a new podcast episode! Episode 86 is now available!

Jennifer Soames shares her story of not just one brain injury, but two, in a very short period of time. We took a deep dive into the idea of being strong. We talked about what strength means and why it’s exasperating being told “you’re strong, you’ll be fine” when you don’t feel well.

Check out the full episode for more information!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp
(Might I suggest Spotify or Apple 😉)

Head of Hope

06/06/2024

I am honored to have been interviewed on Living The Next Chapter podcast, sharing my TBI story and promoting my upcoming book…and there’s a big announcement in the works!

Dave is a great interviewer and I’m always grateful for opportunities to share my story - going from provider to patient in neurology is quite the unique perspective!

Use this link to find the episode on your favorite podcast site:

https://episodes.fm/1607392975/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xNDg1OTIwNA==

06/01/2024

Life is a balancing act, like this stack of rocks my kids helped me make when we went to the Grand Canyon years ago.

We cannot do all the things all the time, especially when trying to recover from a trauma. Some things have to give in order to get other things done.

As providers - physicians, PAs, NPs - we stress the importance of all of the things we should be doing, but we don’t often dig deep into any of those areas (often due to time constraints), but we list off all the things someone SHOULD be doing.

In my TBI recovery, I’ve been told by many of my providers and therapists all of the things I should be doing…go to PT/OT/Speech appointments, do my home exercises from all of them regularly, get enough sleep, meditate, eat “right” (though none of them agree what this actually means), rest but also get regular exercise, keep a journal, and probably other things I’m forgetting. Then in my personal life I have to try to get chores done at home, take care of the kids, figure out meals for the family, try to maintain the finances (or lack thereof), and try to do the little bit of work I can tolerate.

There aren’t enough hours in the day, and there’s not enough stamina to go around. If I work out regularly, I don’t have the bandwidth to get things done around the house. If I work more hours, I don’t have the bandwidth to exercise and get things done around the house. I’ve been pushing my limits to see what I can do, and hitting my wall more regularly and harder than I have for a while.

As a provider, I never realized how hard this would all be for my patients. I now know better, and I hope to convey this to my colleagues. Healing takes a lot of bandwidth, so the balancing act requires other things to take a break.

05/31/2024

What better to do on a rainy day than listen to a new podcast episode! Episode 85 is now available!

Katy Parker describes how 2020 changed her life, not because of Covid. While walking home from work, she was hit by a van. She suffered from multiple spinal fractures, what sounds like a TBI that still hasn’t been diagnosed, and severe PTSD. Katy shares her story of identifying the PTSD, how she never stopped smiling, and how she now helps others have a voice to share their PTSD/trauma stories.

Check out the full episode for more information!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp
(Might I suggest Spotify or Apple 😉)

Journeyofsmiley

05/28/2024

Document your life. Take pictures, take notes, keep a journal. Discuss life events with family and friends.

Why? Because it helps you remember. When we learn things for school or a new job, we remember about 10% of what we hear, 20% of what we read, 50% if we learn in multiple modes, and 80% when we actively do things.

Therefore, when we hear or read something and take notes, we have a better chance of remembering. That’s why our teachers encourage us to take notes on things we learn.

Since my brain injury, I struggle to remember things. I have learned to take pictures so I can remember getting together with people or going places. I learned to keep a spreadsheet documenting important phone calls, appointments, messages from providers regarding my health, etc. if I don’t document it, I don’t remember it. In nursing school, we were taught that if we didn’t document something it didn’t happen. That stands true for my life now - if I don’t document it, I don’t remember it happening.

You never know when something might happen to you that prevents you from remembering things as well, and you’ll likely thank yourself for those pictures and notes you took along the way.

05/24/2024

Happy Friday! Episode 84 is now available!

Risa August had done multiple Ironman competitions and started struggling with her weight and energy. She looked for answers but kept being told her blood work was all “normal”. She didn’t feel “normal” so kept advocating for herself and finally got a diagnosis: pituitary tumor. In this episode she shares her journey to the diagnosis and what has happened since, including an 1800 mile bike ride.

Check out the full episode for more information!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp
(Might I suggest Spotify or Apple 😉)

Risa Unleashed

05/20/2024

All my life I have been afraid of heights. Yes I still climbed trees when I was a kid, but I couldn’t look down. I can’t step to the edge of the Grand Canyon and look down because I feel like I’ll pass out in doing so. There’s no way I would jump out of a perfectly good airplane, while I know several people who have gone skydiving and would do it again in a heartbeat.

A few years ago I decided I wanted to face a fear, and while I didn’t jump out of a plane, I went to an indoor skydiving place and shook like a leaf until my first turn in the tube. The next turn I was just excited and ready to go. I’m considering doing a ropes course with the family this year, and my kids were all amazed that I would even consider it!

You never know if you’ll enjoy something until you enjoy it, but sometimes it requires stepping outside of your comfort zone in order to try something. We get comfortable doing the things we’ve always done, but trying something new can be anxiety-provoking or at least nervousness-inducing.

Rather than thinking of it as literally stepping outside of your comfort zone, though, I’d challenge you to call it “expanding” your comfort zone. You are expanding your experiences to add something new. If you think of it this way, maybe trying something new won’t seem as scary. And you never know, you may absolutely love this new activity (or food, or whatever it is you’re trying).

05/17/2024

It’s new episode day! Episode 83 is now available!

Manohar Grandhi shares his journey with insomnia. Like most people, he hoped for a quick fix and tried one thing after another, not taking time to see if it would actually work. He learned that it takes time to build a habit, and when he finally stuck with something, it changed his sleepless nights.

Check out the full episode for more information!

Find the episode on your favorite platform at https://bio.link/brainwellnessnp
(Might I suggest Spotify or Apple 😉)

Manohar Grandhi: Author Page

05/16/2024

I’ve been posting periodically about the red light & laser therapy that I’ve been doing as part of my TBI recovery, and the fact that I now work at the clinic part time providing these same treatments to others who need it.

What do we do at HyperCharge Clinic? PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field mat), structured water, red light bed, EWOT (exercise with oxygen therapy), and laser therapy (more specifically transcranial laser for me). What do all these things do? Help improve you down to the cellular level, improving the health of your mitochondria (literally our human batteries). The goal is to help you look, feel, and perform better.

These images are from QEEG (qualitative electroencephalogram) studies I’ve had. The one on the left is from back in August of 2023, 4 months after my accident. The one on the right is from this week, 13 months after the accident. All of that light blue indicates low levels of beta activity, which used to be global but now has distinct areas of low activity. What exactly does this correlate with? Low levels of beta are associated with attention problems, cognitive deficits, and decreased mitochondrial function, all of which have been huge issues for me.

Doing the therapies at HyperCharge these last 7 months has improved my mitochondrial health (as promised) and improved my cognitive deficits. I’m not quite back to normal and there are still deficits noted in other areas of my brain function, but I’m getting closer every day.

What am I doing with this new QEEG information? Starting neurofeedback, trying to retrain my brain and further heal my brain so I can get back to the life I desire. I will keep you posted on how I’m doing!

HyperCharge Clinics MN Brain Solutions