Ep. 058 – Breathing – 1:4:2 Ratio

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 058 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!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip 58! There is just so much potential for one to be able to care for one’s brain. Today’s tip will give your brain more oxygen than it has had in a while! Dr. Trayford and Jason model this breathing technique so you can try it right along with them. Follow the 1:4:2 ratio for your breathing by inhaling, holding and exhaling. Dr. Trayford recommends doing this 10 times in a row; try to fit three sessions into your day. You’ll feel more calm immediately!

In this tip we touch on a previous breathing technique (Cross Reference in Final). This tip looks at a breathing exercise that uses a 1:4:2 ratio. This relates to the amount of time it takes you to breathe in to the amount of time you hold it and the amount of time you breathe out. So 1:4:2. If it takes you four seconds to breathe in, you would hold it for sixteen seconds and then breathe out for eight.

The average person breathes in from anywhere from four to five seconds and with these exercise you want to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. This allows you to purse your lips to slow down the rate you exhale. Most people breathe out way too fast.

The most important part of this is controlling the rate that you exhale, but with this one you’re also adding the element of holding it a little bit. When you think about it. It’s a little bit like taking a wet towel or a sponge and ringing it out. Trying to get every last bit of water out.
This exercise is designed to get as much oxygen out of the air you breathe.

Breathe in through the nose. Hold it for 20. Then we breathe out for eight. And you want to breathe out until everything is out. You might even feel a little bit light headed.

Jason” I’m not light headed, but I am a little vulnerable at the moment.
For some people when they start doing this, they do feel a little light-headed at first simply because the brain isn’t used to getting that much oxygen.

It can be somewhat disorienting if you’re not breathing very well. We’ve actually had metabolically challenged individuals pass out from doing this.

Jason: So it’s the amount of oxygen you get that makes you feel light headed.

We can actually test this oxygen levels and we watch people’s oxygen levels go up. You see some people that are used to running at 94 or 95% and all of a sudden they’re holding at 100%. The brain is used getting rather cruddy fuel. So it takes a little bit for your brain to get used to it.

If you have challenges with breathing you might want to consult your physician.

You want to do a set of 10 of these exercises three to four times per day. And your brain can operate on a higher level. Make sure you’re sitting down, don’t be driving and try to be in an area with clean air. You don’t want to do it while you’re driving and sitting behind a truck putting out diesel exhaust.

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. 057 – The Eyes Are the Window to the … Brain

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 057 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.

In Episode 057, Dr. Trayford teaches us all about how practicing certain eye exercises can strengthen our eyes and improve our vision! He describes which exercises to do and what results you can expect. What a great gift to give yourself: better sight! Continue reading

Ep. 056 – Make a “Not to Do” List

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 056 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!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip number 56! All you list-makers out there will love this tip! You might consider shaking things up a bit and instead of making a list of things that you know you should do, make a list of things that you know you shouldn’t do. This exercise gives your brain a new angle from which to strategize your day. Your “Not to Do List” might contain items like: Don’t interrupt others when they are talking. Don’t eat after 7pm, or don’t use cell phone while driving. Instead of constantly measuring yourself by your “to do list,” you will be able to accomplish a lot of self-improvement by focusing on what not to do. Try it today!

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. 055 – Know Your Numbers: C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 055 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!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip number 55! If you haven’t ever wondered about inflammation in the body, then Dr. Trayford has a brain training tip that you should really consider. Inflammation in the body is a huge factor in our health and now there is a way to measure it with a simple blood test. Talk to your doctor about testing your C-Reactive Protein so that you can maintain the best health possible for your brain and body. Join us!

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. 054 – Coconut Oil

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 054 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!

Today Dr. Trayford shares brain training tip No. 54! There has been a lot of hype surrounding coconut oil. Dr. Trayford is here to sift through some of the information and tell us what we really need to know about coconut oil and fats. Join us! We’re grateful that you’re listening to our show.

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. 053 – No Eating or Drinking Before Bed

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 053 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!

In Episode 053, Dr. Trayford’s brain training tip is one that is also helpful to your digestive system! Dr. Trayford says not to eat or drink before bed. This means that about two or three hours before bed we should be finished in the kitchen. Implementing this tip will help us have a better shot at sleeping through the night, which is good for the brain. Also, the precious energy that our body would have exerted to digest that late-night snack can now be focused where it is needed most: on solidifying new pathways in the brain.

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. 052 – Clock Face Eye Stretches

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 052 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!

In Episode 052, Dr. Trayford provides a brain-training tip called clock face eye stretches. This tip will help your vision and eye strength, which in turn, will have a positive effect on how you learn visually. He instructs you to stretch your eyes to look straight up, where the 12 is on a clock, for five full seconds, then proceed with each direction around the clock. Give it a try, and let us know your results.

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. 051 – Take 10 Calming Breaths When Stressed

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 051 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!

In Episode 051, Dr. Trayford’s brain training tip provides us with a way to manage stress. Some events in life create necessary stress, such as life-threatening situations, but in unnecessarily stressful moments you have complete power to calm yourself, slow your heart rate and ease the intense stress on your mind and body. Listen to learn more.

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. 050 – Concussion, mTBI and CTE

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 050 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.

In Episode 050, your host Dr. Trayford continues his discussion of the importance of proper treatment after a traumatic blow to the head. This is a very serious concern for anyone, especially athletes, parents and coaches. Know the signs of a concussion. Make sure you seek proper treatment to minimize the painful and debilitating effects that can last a lifetime. Continue reading

Ep. 049 – Get Your Fasting Insulin Levels Checked

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Good morning and welcome to Episode 049 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!

In Episode 049, Dr. Trayford’s brain training tip is another great way to measure the way our bodies are processing sugar. By having your fasting insulin levels checked you can effectively be screened for any number of conditions that would compromise your brain and body function.

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