Episode 17: The Neuroscience of Chronic Pain
Dr. Alissa Wolfe is a doctor of physical therapy and chronic pain specialist who got out of the clinical setting to better help people with chronic pain.
She helps people beat it by retraining the nervous system with strategies based on neuroscience .
In this week’s episode of Brain Health Matters, Dr. Alissa Wolfe, a chronic pain specialist, shared some important insights into the ways our brain and central nervous system are impacted by chronic pain. She also shared practical tips on ways you can utilize neuroscience to alleviate your suffering.
Some highlights of the show:
2:47: What is actually going on in the brain when you suffer chronic pain.
6:30 The changes that occur in the spinal cord with long-standing pain
8:41 Impacts on digestion and reproduction
11:34 How chronic stress feeds chronic pain
1719 The changes that can happen in the brain
18:21 Smudging
19:35 Pain signatures in the brain are different for everyone
21:35 Why pushing through the pain is not necessarily a good idea.
There are many things you can do to help improve your brain function – and many of them can be done immediately with no big learning curve! CLICK HERE to claim the FIVE KEY THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW – It is Kate’s gift to you to help you get on the healthy brain train!
To continue learning from brain health experts, be sure to Subscribe to the Brain Heath Matters podcast to be the first to have access to new episodes. Next week – how your dental health can have a huge impact on your brain.
Get your free pain self-assessment from Alissa HERE.
Connect with Alissa on social media at Pain Crusader
Learn about Alissa’s Chronic Pain Breakup Method
Episode 16: Your Brain on Toxins
Once you realize the devastating effects toxins of any kind can have on your brain, it’s easy to see why it’s so important to be aware of everything you put in and on your body and in your home.
Amen University Curriculum Director and Functional Medicine Coach Fallon Jordan shared with Kate Kunkel how a toxic brain looks, how mold, artificial scents, antiperspirants and household cleaners can wreak havoc on your overall health, your personality, and your brain.
Some highlights of the show:
1:53 How scans determine if the neurological or psychological issues you’re having could be from toxic exposure
3:33 Simple steps to get the detox ball rolling
4:20 The Think Dirty App https://thinkdirtyapp.com/
5:33 Toxic dangers of over-the-county medications, sleep medications and more
9:45 Mold – a hidden and persistent danger
12:37 Herpes Simplex is much more than a nuisance
14:50 Personality changes from mold exposure
15:58 Innovative ways to release trauma
18:38 Screening for toxic exposure
19:54 Toxins in our everyday products
Learn more about Fallon HERE
The Moldy movie
The candle manufacturer Fallon mentioned is Simply Latina on Instagram
Join our Facebook group for ongoing information, support, recipes, and more.
Episode 15: The Healing Power of Animals for Mental and Physical Health
Taylor Chastain Griffin joined Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters to explore the many ways that animals can help us improve body, mind, and spirit. Taylor is Executive Director of the Association for Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals. With her doctorate in research psychology focusing on the human-animal bond, Taylor is passionate about bolstering pet therapy with empirical investigation. Taylor is also a dog trainer and a registered handler with Pet Partners. Taylor is based in Georgia where her family includes 9 dogs and 3 cats.
Some of the highlights of the show:
3:09 What Animal-related engagement can tell us about ourselves
6:26 How animal-assisted therapy can help stave off dementia
8:26 Kittens can change your life!
12:13 Once someone is already suffering cognitive decline, animal-therapy can be a Godsend
15:20 Live-in therapy animals for assisted living and nursing homes
17:29 Improving children’s mental health
18:45 A vision of a beautiful world with animal therapy in schools
20:52 You can get involved! The organizations Taylor mentioned are: Pet Partners and AAAIP:
Join us for connection, information, and support in building a better brain and a healthier future in our Facebook group
Episode 14: Your Brain Needs You to dump the sugar.
Let us count the ways that sugar can disrupt your health and your brain. In a study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s, 1000 seniors who were studied. Those with the highest intake of carbos and processed foods and sugars were 89% more likely to have cognitive decline. The more sugar they ate, the higher their likelihood of developing dementia. Those who ate the lowest amount of sugar and highest amount of healthy fats had a REDUCTION in likelihood of developing dementia.
That’s why I invited Registered Dietician Becky Bell to join me on Brain Health Matters in a highly enlightening conversation that demonstrated how insulin resistance and sugar addiction can cause problems with your body and your mental facilities. Here are a few snippets of what you’ll learn:
7:30 – How sugar spikes mess with your insulin levels
8:34 – How insulin resistance develops
10:58 – Tips for getting rid of sugar from your diet and your life1
12:09 – What about fruit?
13:45 – Sneaky sources of sugar
18:07 – The effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners on the gut microbiome
20:12 – Going cold turkey
24:04 – Stress and blood sugar Connect with Becky Bell on Instagram at Rooted.Dieticians
Becky’s website is RootedNutritionTherapies.com
Kate Kunkel is an Amen Licensed Brain Trainer and Certified Brain Health Professional, sound therapist, and vegan nutritionist. She coaches midlife and older clients to improve brain function that is compromised due to head trauma, diabetes, obesity, or early cognitive decline. We are not stuck with the brains we have, and Kate helps you make yours the best that it can be. With this podcast and a series of courses, programs, and books, Kate shares proven techniques and tools to help you create a healthier, more vibrant future free of worries about dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases. You can listen to the episode on your favorite podcast service or Buzzsprout HERE.
Learn much more about using music for a healthier brain with Kate’s book: Don’t Let the Memories Fade
To become part of a community that helps you stay on track and committed to nurturing a healthier brain, join the Boost Your Brain and Prevent Dementia Facebook Group HERE
Episode 13: The Effects of Technology on Mental and Brain Health
Dr. Larry Rosen is Past Chair and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is a research psychologist with specialties in generational differences, parenting, child and adolescent development, and educational psychology, and is recognized as an international expert in the Psychology of Technology. He is co-author with Adam Gazzaley of “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World
In this candid interview with Kate Kunkel, Dr. Rosen explains what obsession with devices does to our brains, and how anxiety and other mental health issues can be exacerbated with overuse.
Plus – what effect does technology have on developing brains and how can we use it without losing our ability to communicate and make good decisions? Some highlights from this show;
2:32 What happens in the brains of kids who use technology to excess
4:42 Parents need to set limits on technology
7:44 Is multitasking possible or is it task switching? And what does that do to the brain?
12:11 Did technology make things easier – or not?
18:34 Why we make poor decisions when we are young
27:37 Suggestions on ways to live kindly with technology
Learn more about Dr. Rosen’s work at: http://drlarryrosen.com/
Kate Kunkel is an Amen Licensed Brain Trainer, sound therapist, and vegan nutritionist. She coaches midlife and older clients to improve brain function that is compromised due to head trauma, diabetes, obesity, or early cognitive decline. We are not stuck with the brains we have, and Kate helps you make yours the best that it can be. With this podcast and a series of courses, programs, and books, Kate shares proven techniques and tools to help you create a healthier, more vibrant future free of worries about dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases. Learn much more about using music for a healthier brain with Kate’s book: Don’t Let the Memories Fade
To become part of a community that helps you stay on track and committed to nurturing a healthier brain, join the Boost Your Brain and Prevent Dementia Facebook Group HERE.
If you prefer to watch this episode on video, this, and all Brain Health Matters episodes are available on BrainHealthMatters.Today/videos/)
Episode 12: Tracing the Connection between Sleep, Your Gut and a Healthier Brain
In this episode, Kate interviews Ariel Jarvis, a Natural Health Practitioner located in British Columbia, Canada. Ariel’s passion to help people has led her to persist through the education required to discover the most effective ways to see life-changing results with natural health options. Her specialty is in cellular rehabilitation & gut health. She also has a passion for the deaf and is one of very few health care workers fluent in ASL and committed to making a difference in that community! Today, we’re talking about sleep, gut health and… water. When you hear this episode, you’ll be thinking a lot about the quality and quantity of the water you drink each day!
2:40 Understanding the cycles of sleep and how long it takes to clean out the detritus of living
4:09 What happens if you don’t get restorative sleep?
5:29 The Four Pillars of Health to produce a healthy ecosystem – Water, Sleep, Food and Herbs are Medicine, Exercise and Stress Management
6:26 What is structured water?
10:09 Sleep hygiene and parasites
20:30 Feeding the neurotransmitters in the brain
22:36 The one thing you must do to have a healthy brain
Connect with Ariel on her website at https://vitalitywc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitality_wellness_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vitalityHW/
Kate Kunkel is an Amen Licensed Brain Trainer, sound therapist and vegan nutritionist. She coaches midlife and older clients to improve brain function that is compromised due to head trauma, diabetes, obesity, or early cognitive decline. We are not stuck with the brains we have, and Kate helps you make yours the best that it can be. With this podcast and a series of courses, programs, and books, Kate shares proven techniques and tools to help you create a healthier, more vibrant future free of worries about dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases.
Claim your gift of Five Key Things You Can Do Right Now. It’s Kate’s guide to get you started on improving your brain, without radical dietary changes. You can do this!
Connect with Kate: website: https://brainhealthmatters.today
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrainHealthMattersToday Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dementiapreventionspecialist/
Episode 11: Helping our Children Develop Healthier Brains
Allison Davies is a music for the brain specialist who creates online resources for parents and educators. She works with schools to deliver professional development around the topics of childhood brain development and the use of music to support brain function and reduce anxiety for children and their parents. As a person with autism herself, Allison understands the challenges of being neurodivergent, and does powerful work to help parents work with their children to embrace and appreciate differences while working to enhance cognitive development. Highpoints of her interview with Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters:
At 4:48 – what happens to our brains when we listen to or even THINK about music
At 6:07 – why Allison considers neurologic music therapy the “atheism” of music therapy
At 7:48 – how working to change society’s interpretation of cognitive health is the way to lessen trauma and nurture children to develop healthier brains no matter their neurological state
At 12:32 – using music as a tool to make the brain feel safe Contact Allison at https://www.allisondavies.com.au/ Allison is also available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/allisondavies.com.au/ and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/allisondavies_musicandthebrain/
Learn much more about using music for a healthier brain with Kate’s latest book, “The Musical Brain” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Q2FTWB9
Episode 10: Is ShameGuilt Destroying Your Brain?
Lois Hollis suffered years of physical abuse and emotional trauma, which consequently left her with debilitating pain, crippling migraines and severe anxiety and depression. But a chance encounter led her to unlocking the prison of her past. Understanding that one emotion was holding her captive allowed Lois to be free of her past.
As Lois said: “Shameguilt has only one defect: It dissolves in Detection.”
Once you understand it and pull back the curtain on shameguilt, you can also become healthier and happier.
Learn more about Lois here: https://www.loishollis.com/ Lois’s film is https://www.imgoodfilm.com/
For many fun and easy ways to help you overcome trauma and improve your own health and your brain, get The Musical Brain and Improve Memory, Sharpen Focus, and Master Your Mind with the Healing Power of Music.
Episode 9: Good Vibrations !
Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations. (Gotcha singing?) We are all vibrating all of the time. Everything is in a state of vibration all of the time. When something with a negative vibration intersects with our vibration, we feel bad. That can be anger, fear, hate…. those emotions emit a vibration just as much as a jet engine over our head or a boom box disrupting a quiet morning on the beach. (I speak from experience here.) On the other hand, positive feelings like joy, appreciation, and passion vibrate at high frequencies. These high frequency vibrations make us feel good, and that’s why we call them “good vibrations”. We can also create these good vibrations with music, and it doesn’t mean you have to be “good” at creating music. Just be yourself. Today, on Brain Health Matters, with special guest Diane Annie Mathias, you’ll learn how to capture and utilize the vibration-raising power of music and sound and silence to become healthier and happier. With respect to silence, Annie says, “Being a part of the whole, in the silence, is a powerful place to be.” This is one of the most powerful and beautiful episodes we’ve ever done on Brain Health Matters. Be sure to join us. Join Annie in one of her groups or watch one of her videos by going to her website at: https://uncoveringwonder.org/ To learn more about the many other ways you can utilize music to heal body, mind and spirit (and your brain), purchase The Musical Brain, Kate Kunkel’s newest book. It is available on Amazon everywhere. https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Brain-Improve-Sharpen-Healing-ebook/dp/B09Q2FTWB9
Episode 8: Music and Frequencies for a Healthier Brain
Have you ever heard of The Resurrection Code? Once you learn what it is, you’ll be incorporating it into your life as Del Hungerford has!
And… what if your music was based on a frequency that is more in tune with your body and the earth than the 440 hz. that we’re most familiar with?
Del Hungerford is a professional clarinetist and music educator, but beyond her amazing classical music training and knowledge, Del is an intuitive and creative composer whose music is used for healing, meditation and much more.
In this episode of Brain Health Matters, Del shares the value of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for helping people deal with trauma including PTSD. If you know anyone suffering from any form of trauma, this is an important show.
PLUS – Have you ever wondered why some music feels more comforting to you than some other music? Beyond the tune is the intention and the tone.
Learn more about Del and claim your free song and scavenger hunt at https://www.healingfrequenciesmusic.com/
Visit Kate’s website at Brain Health Matters to get more tips and tools to improve body, mind, and spirit for a healthier brain.
Coming up next week: A beautiful soul and talented creative, Diane Annie Mathias, who will be sharing the transformative power of drumming, didgeridoos and Native American flutes.
You’ll find The Musical Brain at https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Brain-Inspiring-Healthier-Healthy-ebook/dp/B09Q2FTWB9
When you purchase The Musical Brain between now and April 10th, 2022, you can also receive free admission to ReSet Your MindSet, a powerful online retreat to help you deal with anxiety, depression and worry in a beautiful way. Get the details here: https://harplady.lpages.co/reset-gift-with-musical-brain/
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Episode 7: Harps and Healing Music for a Better Brain with Tami Briggs
Join host Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters for a heartfelt discussion with healing harpist Tami Briggs. Be sure to catch each new episode of Brain Health Matters by subscribing to this channel or to Brain Health Matters on your favorite podcast service. In this powerful and heart-warming episode, you’ll learn how playing a musical instrument improves the functioning of the brain and increases the size and strength of the corpus callosum. The healing power of the harp and music extends to the end of life as well, and hospice patients can also benefit from this powerful modality. Harpists – Tami is inviting you to join her Healing Harps for Global Peace and Unity. Learn more Here: https://musicalreflections.com/healing-harps-for-global-peace-and-unity/ Visit Tami’s website at https://musicalreflections.com/ To learn many more ways to use music to build a healthier brain and a more robust memory, read The Musical Brain, on Amazon everywhere. https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Brain-Inspiring-Healthier-Healthy-ebook/dp/B09Q2FTWB9 Join Kate for her upcoming program, Tune Up Your Brain. Five weeks to enjoy music, art, mindfulness and more to improve your memory, banish brain fog, and reduce stress. https://brainhealthmatters.today/tune-up-your-brain/
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Episode 6: The Brain-Boosting Power of Music
Music teacher and coach Emma Nottage joined Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters in a wide-ranging discussion about the power of music to enhance mental abilities and health while also improving brain function.
Whether it is through listening, dancing to, or playing music, the importance of this, like all arts, cannot be overstated.
For more ways to use music for a better brain, be sure to get Kate Kunkel’s newest book, ‘The Musical Brain’ available on Amazon everywhere.
And to be sure you get all the latest Brain Health Matters episodes as soon as they’re available, subscribe to this channel You Tube, or tap into the show on your favorite podcast.
Episode 5: Deal with Trauma in a Healthy Way for a Healthy Brain
In this heartfelt and honest interview, Author and coach Carol Holland March shares with Host Kate Kunkel how she overcame the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. You will learn how you, too, can survive and thrive by understanding what trauma means to the physical functioning of your brain and how to tap into spirit and your own inner knowing to heal. Learn more about Carol at: http://www.carolhollandmarch.com/ Find Carol’s memoir here: https://www.amazon.com/When-Spirit-Wh…
To learn how to enhance your brain for healthier, more vibrant future, find Kate’s best-selling book, Don’t Let the Memories Fade here: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Let-Memor… For an audio-only version of this interview, download the podcast at your favorite platform.
Episode 4: Laugh Your Way to a Healthier Brain
You’re going to be so glad you’ve joined us on Brain Health Matters for this episode, because we did some laughing! You’ll love learning a simple, joyful way to get that belly laugh started, and how laughter can help you deal with the many stressors in our lives. Dave Berman
is a laughter coach and the creator of Laughnosis, a blend between laughter and hypnosis. Dave is also host of the Laughter Gym. Learn more about Dave at his website. https://davebermancoaching.com Be sure to subscribe to this channel for ongoing interviews with experts in their field so that you can learn the most effective and enjoyable ways to boost your brain and prevent dementia. Learn more about Kate’s work at: https://brainhealthmatters.today
Episode 3: Deal with Your Emotions in a Healthy Way for a Healthy Brain
You may think you have it all “under control”, but what does your body think? And how about your brain? Marina Yanay-Triner is the compassionate somatic coach and she joined Brain Health Matters coach Kate Kunkel to share why it is so important to acknowledge and work with your emotions. When you do this, you can experience more joy and aliveness – essential for good brain health! Connect with Marina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marina.y.t/ For more episodes of Brain Health Matters, visit https://katekunkel.com. To learn more about the risks of developing dementia due to chronic illnesses in middle age, check out this story: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/arti…
Episode 2: Boost Your Energy for a Heathier Heart and Brain
Movement specialist and Holistic Health Coach Holly Wade joins Brain Health Coach Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters to share the power of dance to overcome chronic disease AND to improve heart Movement specialist and Holistic Health Coach Holly Wade joins Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters to share the power of dance to overcome chronic disease AND to improve heart and brain health. Connect with Holly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holly.wade.35 Learn more powerful tips to defeat auto immune disease, brain fog and memory loss with Kate at https://katekunkel.com Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to this channel to be notified when the next important brain health episode is posted. #BodyGroove #Dance #BrainHealth.
Episode 1: Build a Better Heart for a Better Brain
Your brain is only 2% of your body weight, but consumes 20% of its energy. Where does that energy come from? HINT: Not just food. Join Kate Kunkel as she learns from Sue Lyndes of Wellness Clusters the many ways we can improve energy for a healthier heart and a better brain. Learn more about Sue and Wellness Clusters here: www.wellnessclusters.com Learn how food, exercise, companionship and constant engagement can improve your brain here: https://KateKunkel.com For the Eight Weeks to a Better Brain Program to help you improve your brain and create a more vibrant, healthier future, read Don’t Let the Memories Fade.
Pre Season Episode 4: A Unique Approach to Addressing Trauma for a Healthier Brain
Keylee Miracle takes a neurointuitive approach to addressing trauma, which makes it possible to heal and improve the brain. She says that, though it might not be your “fault”, healing IS your responsibility that requires addressing and resolving inner conflict.
Keylee’s approach uses hypnotherapy and mind mapping in concert with intuitive practice,. She joins Kate Kunkel on this 2021 edition of Brain Health Matters for a candid discussion about the ways psychological, physical, and ancestral trauma can increase your risk for developing mental health issues AND dementia.
Some highlights of this week’s program:
09:24 How ancestral and unaddressed suppression of women can impact our brains
12:33 Are our reactions to trauma among the epigenetic factors that impact the likelihood of developing dementia?
14:05 A gift from Keylee: Option C webinar https://sso.teachable.com/secure/946621/identity/sign_up
15:30: How to deal with hypervigilance
Keylee Miracle’s Website: www.keyleemiracle.com
Learn many more powerful ways to improve your brain at https://brainhealthmatters.today
You can also watch this pre-season episode on YouTube HERE
Pre Season Episode 3: Can Going Gluten-Free Lead to a Healthier Brain?
If you find yourself suffering from swollen joints, digestive issues, brain fog, or memory lapses, you may be suffering from gluten intolerance. Jennifer Marcks, knows all about it. She suffered from gluten intolerance but has overcome the pain to create a gluten-free lifestyle. She has made it her mission in life to help other individuals and families embrace and enjoy the gluten-free life for better health.
In this episode you’ll learn how to recognize if you are gluten-intolerant. You’ll also learn some fabulous hacks to make the switch to this brain-healthy lifestyle both easy and delicious.
Claim Jennifer’s Gluten Free Moms’ Starter Guide here: https://glutenfree-marcks-the-spot.mykajabi.com/GF-mom-starter-guide
To learn more about how a gluten-free lifestyle fits into a brain-healthy lifestyle, read Don’t Let the Memories Fade. You’ll also find many gluten free, vegan recipes at https://katekunkel.com/vegan-recipes
You can also watch this pre-season episode on YouTube HERE
Pre-Season Episode 2: Strength and Stamina with Whole Plant Foods
In this week’s show, vegan bodybuilder Geoff Palmer shares his years of experience so we can understand how to be stronger and healthier with a whole foods, vegan diet.
In a special bonus segment, Geoff and Kate chatted about Alzheimer’s disease specifically. What he shares is somewhat shocking information about the formation of the plaques and tangles that cause Alzheimer’s disease, and how a common nutrient disrupts the negative cognitive effects. (at 32:17)
For more information, check out these links: Study: “Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study Link: https://n.neurology.org/content/90/3/e214 Study: Link between Alzheimer’s disease and gut microbiota is confirmed” Link: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/644207 Connect with Geoff Palmer: Website: https://cleanmachineonline.com/ For the discount Geoff offered, insert coupon code PlantFitness
Learn more about brain health with a whole foods, vegan diet in
The Vegan Brain by Kate Kunkel, available on Amazon everywhere https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PHQ24RX
Connect with Kate Kunkel: https://katekunkel.com
Pre-Season Episode 1: DeClutter Your Mind
Decluttering your space is a powerful tool to decluttering your mind and making your brain healthier.
The Intentional Organizer, Jessica Hritz Morrick, joined Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters to share specific steps to clean up your space. Jessica described how important it is to choose just one spot or one small space at a time to declutter and shared her navigational system to get a more organized space and life. Claim Jessica’s gift PDF, ‘The Top Three Tips To Jumpstart Your Decluttering’ by writing to Jessica@Jessicahritzmorrick.com
Book a consultation at https://jessicahritzmorrick.com/
Visit Kate’s website at https://brainhealthmatters.com to get more tips and tools to improve body, mind, and spirit for a healthier brain. You’ll find The Musical Brain at https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Brain-Inspiring-Healthier-Healthy-ebook/dp/B09Q2FTWB9