Helix Health

The Brain, Memory And Concentration

Few things is as important as the functions performed by the nervous system. How we feel, what we think, our perception of the world, our behaviour and actions all stem from the nervous system. The brain is seen as the seat of consciousness and our personality is shaped by our emotions, thoughts, beliefs and memories. How do we remember, how do we forget? How do we make sense of the world around us? How do we see or hear? How do we respond to what we see and hear? The nervous system - the brain, spinal cord and nerves of the body - is crucial for life and enables us to feel, think, sense and move.

Neurological dysfunction can be subtle, may seem innocuous and not worth mentioning to the patient and when mentioned, is often not taken seriously by medical professionals. Forgetfulness, irritability, mood swings and poor concentration is generally viewed as 'normal' or 'benign' symptoms and the full impact on daily functioning can easily be overlooked. However, the sooner mild cognitive symptoms are addressed, the better.

Problems within the nervous system affects our emotions, thoughts and behaviour and tend to worsen over time. Neurological dysfunction is similar to mental fatigue, i.e. 'brain fog' and can occur in the presence or absence of physical fatigue.

Cognitive Symptoms

• Difficulty with sequencing, multi-processing and multi-tasking, adaptation, problem solving, dealing with large amounts of information (information overload),
• Difficulty learning new skills, following instructions and reading maps
• Memory problems: loosing one's train of thought, forgetfulness and frequently misplacing things
• Poor stress tolerance; feeling overwhelmed and confused
• Short attention span, distractibility
• Poor sense of time, time either flies by or seems to be standing still
• Visual-perceptual difficulties
• Spatial orientation problems
• Poor concentration and short term memory

Emotional And Mood-related Symptoms

• Anxiety, manifesting as generalised anxiety, panic attacks or phobias
• Depression, lack of motivation or despondency and difficulty making decisions
• Feelings of disorientation and/or dissociation
• Confusion, at times resembling delirium
• Paranoia, delusions or hallucinations
• Frequent mood swings
• Cycles of hyperactivity followed by excessive fatigue
• Low self esteem: insecurity/dependency, need to 'control' or 'manipulate' people or events
• Anger outbursts, difficulty accepting criticism

Neurological Symptoms

• Frontal headaches
• Dizziness and nausea
• Poor balance, poor manual dexterity
• Poor coordination, problems with hand-eye or hand-foot coordination
• Sensory hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity to textures, sounds, light, smells and tastes)
• Motion sickness
• Learning difficulties
• Speech and articulation problems

Muscular Symptoms

• Muscle pain
• Muscle cramps
• Stiff, jerky movements and clumsiness
• Poor muscle tone with a tendency to slump when sitting
• Discomfort sitting in one position

Poor concentration, memory loss and other symptoms mentioned can be a sign of serious illnesses and it is vital to first and foremost see your health care professional for a medical diagnosis. A complementary evaluation and treatment can be very helpful regardless of medical outcome, but our complementary diagnosis does not screen for any medical conditions.

The aim of a complementary neurological evaluation is to determine whether your nervous system is functioning within its normal parameters for you. The following techniques are used:

• Medical History
• Symptom Analysis
• Muscle Testing and Therapy Localisation
• Brain Profile
• Ocular Lock
• Reflex Testing
• Laboratory tests: heavy metal toxicity, homocysteine levels, nutritional deficiencies

Orthomolecular Medicine

Nutrients, like amino acids, glucose, vitamins, minerals and essential fats constantly help to build and rebuild the brain and nervous system and keeps neurological processes functioning smoothly. An adequate supply of these nutrients are vital to neurological functioning and a shortage in just one can create a cascade of problems. The most prominent of these nutrients are:

• B-complex vitamins: Niacin / niacinamide/pantothenic acid / B6/B12/folic acid
• Fatty acids, like omega 3 and omega 6
• Choline (phospatidyl-choline or lecithin)
• Phosphatidyl serine (PS)
• DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), which passes blood-brain barrier, and is converted to choline and acetylcholine
• Pyroglutamate (nootropics) - important for communication between left & right frontal hemispheres
• Water
• Glucose

Manual Therapy

The brain and nervous system is responsible for how the body moves and in turn, the body can affect the functioning of the nervous system. Neurological Development occurs around and through movement and Neurodevelopmental Delay can be corrected later in life through the use of movement. The craniosacral system encloses the brain and spinal cord and any physical dysfunction within the craniosacral mechanism can lead to neurological dysfunction. Neurological dysfunction can lead to gait disturbances, and foot dysfunction to faulty afferent nervous input. Correcting physiological problems linked to neurological impairment is vital. Manual techniques used include:

• Cross patterning
• Homolateral patterning
• Craniosacral Therapy
• Foot dysfunction
• Gait dysfunction
• Equilibrium Synchronization

Energy Psychology

The closest physiological connection that exists with the ethereal energy / meridian system is its link to the nervous system. Acupuncture points largely correspond with the location of nerve bundles, acupoint tapping is sweeping the psychological world with success in the field of phobias and trauma work, Bach Flower Remedies are used all over the world and Reiki is one of the largest complementary therapies in practice and still growing rapidly. Emotions originate from the nervous system and energy techniques are ground breaking in their almost instant success over emotional problems. Energy Techniques used include:

• Acupoint tapping
• Psychological Reversal
• Emotional stress release
• Bach flower remedies
• Reiki-Seichem
• Meridian Therapy, including K27 stimulation, Nasal Tap, Auxiliary K27, GV-CV connection

Systemic Connections

Neurological Dysfunction is not necessarily due to a problem within the nervous system. Dysfunctions elsewhere in the body can have an impact on neurological function and produce neurological symptoms. Secondary causes of neurological dysfunction include:

• Respiratory Dysfunction: Decreased oxygen supply
• Hormonal Imbalances: Neuro-endocrine connection
• Digestive Health: Allergies, Food Intolerances, Malabsorption, Gut Infections
• Heart Health: Cardiovascular Dysfunction, Inappropriate vasodilation or vasoconstriction
• Musculoskeletal Dysfunction: poor posture, muscle tension, skeletal misalignment
• Detoxification Potential: Toxicity, liver congestion, oestrogen dominance