Improve Brain Function

What is it that keeps us from being the best we can be? What is it that is blocking us from being more creative and achieving success in our personal, academic and professional goals?
Most often, its poor brain integration. In general we may be a good student, athlete or business person, but then wham! when stress is triggered, such as feelings of doubt that we have what it takes to score high on a test, or kick a goal or seal a business deal, then our brain integration breaks down and we lose focus, blank out or literally ‘drop the ball’.

Its now well known that each hemisphere of the brain has distinct functions; the left hemisphere (for most people) is our logical, analytical side of the brain whilst our right hemisphere (for most people) is our intuitive, creative side of the brain. One side will tend to be more dominant than the other, just like one ear, eye, hand and foot is also more dominant than the other. However for optimal brain function, both hemispheres need to integrate their individual genius to tackle any task to the best of our ability, because whole brain processing leads to a higher level of thinking and understanding and the task at hand is achieved more easily and efficiently. However, when stress comes into play, the vital communication between the two brain hemispheres is thwarted because, as a stress-response, our most dominant brain hemisphere will seek to process the task at hand from its own limited resources. Without valuable input from the other brain hemisphere the person struggles to find the most efficient path to process the task, especially if their dominant ear and eye are not in communication with their dominant brain hemisphere.

Its like the difference between water running down a hill unimpeded, or running down a hill strewn with obstacles. Running water always takes the most direct possible route. Your brain too, will always take the most direct possible route to reach its goal. When the two brain hemispheres are communicating smoothly the goal is reached efficiently, just like unimpeded water will run directly down the hill efficiently. But if the running water flow is blocked, then the water will find the next most direct route. If that route meets another obstacle, the water will move towards the next most direct line. Each new obstacle gives the water a longer, more arduous journey down the hill, and too many obstacles means that the water might be absorbed before it even gets to its goal-destination. Similarly, if we are only using our dominant brain hemisphere we face more obstacles to efficiency and the activity at hand is harder and takes longer to accomplish and may become so subconsciously or consciously stressful for us that we become frustrated and may even choose to give up trying to do the task altogether (much like the water that is absorbed before it reaches its destination!) Worse still, we can start to believe that we are not clever enough to do the activity and this can seriously affect our self-esteem and ability to reach for, and attain, our goals.

So how do we ensure continual, smooth communication between our two brain hemispheres? We need to be aware of what triggers the stress-response in us and remove or reduce its source, or re-educate our brains so as not to be triggered by them. Stress is not simply emotional, it can also be structural (injury and pain), biochemical (nutritional deficiencies, preservatives and toxins) environmental (fluorescent lighting, plastics and pesticides) and behavioural (inadequate sleep, perfectionism and procrastination, etc.). Kinesiology is a new health modality that addresses all these aspects to ascertain what stresses and blocks the flow of communication between the two hemispheres of the brain and seeks to ‘de-fuse’ the stress to allow optimal, efficient brain function. If you sense you are blocked in performing to the best of your ability and attaining personal, academic or professional success then consider consulting a kinesiologist to help de-fuse your stress and release these blockages.