Ep. 339: The Transformative Power of Mindfulness: An interview with Cory Muscara

Train Your Brain Podcast welcomes special guest Cory Muscara onto the show today to discuss mindfulness and mediation. Cory spent 6 months practicing meditation 14 hours a day as a Buddhist monk in South East Asia. Cory is the founder of The Long Island Center for Mindfulness. He is a teacher, speaker and coach, and he’s here with us today to spread the word about the power of mindfulness

Dr. Trayford and Cory Muscara begin discussing why we find it so difficult to sit quietly. For some of us, busy individuals and multi-taskers, it may be quite a shock to the system to sit still and do nothing, attempt to think nothing. As we do engage in mediation we will essentially experience the startling stillness of stepping off of an airport walking conveyor belt. The nervous system is not used to stopping.

Mediation practice should be accompanied by therapy in many cases, as tapping into mindfulness may revisit any form of trauma that may have been stored at the cellular level in the body. Continue reading

Ep. 281 – Dementia Biomarkers Part 1

Happy Monday to our Train Your Brain Podcast listeners! We are issuing a formal call out for your feedback. After we round the corner on 365 daily brain training tips and mark our 1-year anniversary we hope to continue and focus more on what listeners want to hear about. So, please leave a comment in the show notes or call us and leave us a voicemail at (828) 565-2494. Another great option is to email us at Train Your Brain Podcast (AT) Gmail (DOT) com.

Biomarkers for Dementia are very similar to those for concussions. They both relate to memory, attention and physical cues. We can observe things like balance, gait and sit to stand testing to tell how physically fit an individual is. We have long since established that being physically fit helps you to have a better brain. Increased mobility and increased fitness lead to increased cognitive function. Therefore poor balance can be a big indicator of Dementia. Please make sure that your loved ones see a physician if you suspect dementia biomarkers are becoming a concern. Thanks for tuning in!

For more information on Free Memory Improvement Webinars from Apex Brain Centers click here!

Thanks for listening and join us! For your own free copy of Dr. Trayford’s E-book visit Apex Brain Centers.com.

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 246 – Concussion Success Story: Dr. Patricia DeJoy

Good morning listeners! You are definitely in for a treat today as Dr. Trayford brings you a special interview with his guest Dr. Patricia DeJoy who shares her brain training success story after multiple concussions. Listen to her experience and you’ll hear about the confident, productive individual she was before her accidents and her journey to find that identity again. She had completely lost the ability to retain information that she had read. Even her handwriting was very indicative that something was not right. Dr. Trayford and his staff at APEX Brain Centers treated her concussions and she feels brand new again.

The tip for today, tip number 246 is to practice a figure 8 exercise with the arms and palms. Listen in and give it a try!

Thanks for listening and join us! For your own free copy of Dr. Trayford’s E-book visit Apex Brain Centers.com.

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 197 – Concussion Biomarkers

Good morning dear listeners! Happy Monday and welcome to Episode 197, an extended version of Train Your Brain Podcast. Today Dr. Trayford is talking about the Biomarkers of concussion and what you need to know about the symptoms of TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury. Balance and eye movements are things to look at. There are biomarkers that can be measured and interventions that can be done to rehabilitate after a concussion. Please get checked out after any impact to the head because even less-obvious injuries can cause to a concussion. Have a great day!

Thanks for listening and join us! For your own free copy of Dr. Trayford’s E-book visit Apex Brain Centers.com.

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 155 – “Concussion” The Movie Review

Welcome to Episode 155 of the Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. In this show, Dr. Trayford and Jason the producer discuss Will Smith’s new film “Concussion” (2015). Jason asks Dr. Trayford a number of questions about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). If you get a chance to see “Concussion,” be sure you don’t miss this must-listen interview with Dr. Trayford! Join us!

Now through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 130 – Identify What’s Stressing You Out

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Welcome to Episode 130 of The Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. Every Monday we produce a 30-minute episode. Tuesday through Sunday we produce episodes with five-minute tips. Every episode of the Train Your Brain Podcast features a tip, so you can receive pointers 365 days a year that will help enhance the performance of your brain!

Now through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip 130. Sometimes Dr. Trayford’s tips make so much sense that it just feels right to your soul! This is one of those tips. Identify what’s stressing you out. You might be under so much stress that you don’t stop to figure out exactly what is causing it. Taking this kind of inventory demystifies stress and empowers you to be able to make small changes that will have a huge impacts. Thanks for listening!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 129 – Sleep Is Way More Important Than Cramming Before a Test

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Welcome to Episode 129 of The Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. Every Monday we produce a 30-minute episode. Tuesday through Sunday we produce episodes with five-minute tips. Every episode of the Train Your Brain Podcast features a tip, so you can receive pointers 365 days a year that will help enhance the performance of your brain!

Through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip 129. This tip is all about strategy. Let’s say you have to take a big test or prepare for an important presentation. What would be your strategy to get ready? Would you study a little each day or would you spend the whole night before preparing all at once? Dr. Trayford strongly advises against cramming the night before at the expense of good sleep. You simply won’t be able to retain or efficiently use what you’ve crammed if you didn’t get a good night’s sleep. As he has explained before, sleep is the time when your brain assimilates what you’ve learned. We hope this helps! Thanks for listening!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 128 – Get Out of Bed if You Can’t Sleep

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 128 of The Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. Every Monday we produce a 30-minute episode. Tuesday through Sunday we produce episodes with five-minute tips. Every episode of the Train Your Brain Podcast features a tip, so you can receive pointers 365 days a year that will help enhance the performance of your brain!

Through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip 128. He advises to get out of bed if you have insomnia. Tossing and turning in bed will not help you fall asleep. Actually continuing to lie in bed when you can’t fall asleep will send mixed messages to your brain about your bed and your ability to realize restorative sleep. Thanks for listening!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 127 – Brain Games: Do They Exploit the Fear of Memory Loss for Profit?

Good morning and welcome to Episode 127 of the Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. It’s Monday again, so this is our weekly, 30-minute episode. (Tuesday through Sunday we produce five-minute episodes with daily tips.) Every episode of the Train Your Brain Podcast provides advice for helping you to improve the function of your brain.

Through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

In Episode 127, Dr. Trayford discusses brain training games and the research behind them. There is a debate going on right now as to the ethics behind marketing brain games. Are these companies exploiting those who fear memory loss? Dr. Trayford shares his take on the matter. He also presents brain training tip number 127: Gesturing. Using hand gestures while you’re talking allows you integrate all hemispheres of the brain which means you can be both emotional and analytical at the same time. Statistically, these individuals tested as more intelligent as well. Thanks for listening. Continue reading

Ep. 126 – Know Your Numbers: MTHFR

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 126 of The Train Your Brain Podcast with Dr. Michael Trayford. Every Monday we produce a 30-minute episode. Tuesday through Sunday we produce episodes with five-minute tips. Every episode of the Train Your Brain Podcast features a tip, so you can receive pointers 365 days a year that will help enhance the performance of your brain!

Through the end of February we are having a special contest for Train Your Brain Podcast Listeners to send in their best brain training tip for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip 126: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. What a mouth-full! The MTHFR gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. This enzyme plays a role in processing amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase is important for a chemical reaction involving forms of the vitamin folate (also called vitamin B9). Specifically, this enzyme converts a molecule called 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to a molecule called 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. This reaction is required for the multistep process that converts the amino acid homocysteine to another amino acid, methionine. The body uses methionine to make proteins and other important compounds. Mutations in this gene are linked to numerous cardiovascular and neurological conditions and can be easily treated with appropriate nutritional intervention. Thanks for listening!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274. Thanks for listening. Continue reading