SharpBrains » merzenich-pbs http://www.sharpbrains.com Brain Fitness and Cognitive Health news Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:08:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 The Brain Fitness Program DVD (Michael Merzenich) http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/01/08/the-brain-fitness-program-dvd-michael-merzenich/ http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/01/08/the-brain-fitness-program-dvd-michael-merzenich/#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:25:32 +0000 Alvaro Fernandez http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/01/08/the-brain-fitness-program-dvd-michael-merzenich/ The most popular question we got when we announced that PBS had a great special on Brain Fitness Program and Neuroplasticity in December was, when will the DVD be available?

Well, finally here it comes. You can click on the image or the title to go over to PBS shop to learn more and buy it.

The Brain Fitness Program DVD ($24.95, shipped by 02/01/08). “This program presents a workout to help viewers get their brains in better shape. The Brain Fitness Program is based on neuro-plasticity, the ability of the brain to change and adapt — even rewire itself. In the past two years, a team of scientists has developed computer-based stimulus sets that drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional changes in the brain. Dr. Michael Merzenich of the University of California San Francisco and his colleagues around the world have been leading this effort; he brings the research findings, along with a scientifically based set of brain exercises, to PBS viewers in this innovative and life-altering program. Peter Coyote narrates. ”

To purchase: click Here.

You can watch a 3-minute trailer: click here.

———-

Note: How can anyone take care of his or her brain when every week brings a new barrage of articles and studies which seem to contradict each other?

Do supplements improve memory? Do you need both physical and mental exercise –or is one of them enough? Why is managing stress so important to attention and memory? Which brain training approach, if any, is worth one’s time and money?

If you have these questions, check out this new book, The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness:

“Finally, an insightful and complete overview of the science, products and trends to debunk old myths and help us all maintain our brains in top shape. A must-read”
—Gloria Cavanaugh, former President & CEO of the American Society on Aging and founding Board member of the National Alliance for Caregiving

“Kudos for an excellent resource! This SharpBrains Guide is full of top notch information, provides practical tips and helps separate hype from hope in the brain health arena.”
—Elizabeth Edgerly, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer, Alzheimer’s Association

“A masterful guide to the brain training revolution. Promises to stimulate a much needed conversation that will nudge society to build a new brain fitness culture on solid, research-based, foundations.”
—P. Murali Doraiswamy MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Duke University and Co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan

Order Book at Amazon.com
SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. The Book Click

Here

to order at Amazon.com.
Print Edition, $24.95
Order Kindle Edition
SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. The Book Click

Here

to order at Amazon.com,
Kindle Edition, $9.99

]]> http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/01/08/the-brain-fitness-program-dvd-michael-merzenich/feed/ 22 Brain Fitness Program and Neuroplasticity @ PBS http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/12/02/brain-fitness-program-and-neuroplasticity-pbs/ http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/12/02/brain-fitness-program-and-neuroplasticity-pbs/#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:58:24 +0000 Alvaro Fernandez http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/12/02/brain-fitness-program-and-neuroplasticity-pbs/ Update (01/07/08): The most popular question we got when we announced that PBS had a great special on Brain Fitness Program and Neuroplasticity in December was, when will the DVD be available?

Well, finally here it comes. You can click on the DVD image or the title to go over to PBS shop to learn more and buy it.

The Brain Fitness Program DVD ($24.95, shipped by 02/01/08)

“This program presents a workout to help viewers get their brains in better shape. The Brain Fitness Program is based on neuro-plasticity, the ability of the brain to change and adapt — even rewire itself. In the past two Peter Coyote Brain Fitness Programyears, a team of scientists has developed computer-based stimulus sets that drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional changes in the brain. Dr. Michael Merzenich of the University of California San Francisco and his colleagues around the world have been leading this effort; he brings the research findings, along with a scientifically based set of brain exercises, to PBS viewers in this innovative and life-altering program. Peter Coyote (pictured) narrates. ”

To purchase this informational DVD: please click Here.

PBS aired in December a special program on neuroplasticity, brain fitness, aging and the brain titled “Brain Fitness Program”. You can check local times and listings:

To watch the 3-minute trailer: click here.

———-

Note: How can anyone take care of his or her brain when every week brings a new barrage of articles and studies which seem to contradict each other?

Do supplements improve memory? Do you need both physical and mental exercise –or is one of them enough? Why is managing stress so important to attention and memory? Which brain training approach, if any, is worth one’s time and money?

If you have these questions, check out this new book, The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness:

“Finally, an insightful and complete overview of the science, products and trends to debunk old myths and help us all maintain our brains in top shape. A must-read”
—Gloria Cavanaugh, former President & CEO of the American Society on Aging and founding Board member of the National Alliance for Caregiving

“Kudos for an excellent resource! This SharpBrains Guide is full of top notch information, provides practical tips and helps separate hype from hope in the brain health arena.”
—Elizabeth Edgerly, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer, Alzheimer’s Association

“A masterful guide to the brain training revolution. Promises to stimulate a much needed conversation that will nudge society to build a new brain fitness culture on solid, research-based, foundations.”
—P. Murali Doraiswamy MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Duke University and Co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan

Order Book at Amazon.com
SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. The Book Click

Here

to order at Amazon.com.
Print Edition, $24.95
Order Kindle Edition
SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. The Book Click

Here

to order at Amazon.com,
Kindle Edition, $9.99

]]> http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/12/02/brain-fitness-program-and-neuroplasticity-pbs/feed/ 81 Stress Management Workshop for International Women’s Day http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/03/08/stress-management-workshop-for-international-womens-day/ http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/03/08/stress-management-workshop-for-international-womens-day/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2007 05:48:28 +0000 Alvaro Fernandez http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/03/08/stress-management-workshop-for-international-womens-day/ Today is International Women’s Day 2007.

Global consulting company Accenture organized a series of events, and I was fortunate to lead a fun workshop on The Neuroscience of Stress and Stress Management in their San Francisco office, helping over 125 accomplished women (and a few men) learn what stress is, its implications for our brain functioning, performance and health, and of course some tips and techniques to develop our “stress management” muscles. It was an honor to be able to wrap up a great event that included District Attorney Kamala D. Harris, two of the co-authors of This is Not the Life I Ordered, a video by Senator Dianne Feinstein, and some great Accenture women.

We discussed how stress is the emotional and physiological reaction to a threat, whether real or imagined, that results in a series of adaptations by our bodies. And how stress management can bring a variety of benefits: sustained peak performance, cognitive flexibility, memory, decision making, and even longevity. 
You can see a very interesting example of the relationship between attention, memory and stress with this experiment: Attention and working memory

Let me share some key take-aways from the workshop, together with some exercises we used to illustrate key points:

1) Stress can be a major roadblock for peak performance and health

 

2) Some tips and techniques to better manage stress:
a) Pick your battles

 

b) Keep an open mind-avoid escalations
What do you see?           

c) Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique

- Tighten all the muscles you can find: legs, arms, back, face
- Hold for 10 seconds
- Then, release
- Repeat a few times           

d) Breathing and Visualization

–First, travel back, in your mind’s eye, to a time when you felt a healthy exhaustion, and let you relive that moment as vividly as you can.

–Then, remember, re-experience, a loving exchange that really touched you. Pause. See the moment. Smell it. Hear what happened around you.

–Next, visualize the most caring gesture you have ever received, as full of details as possible. Who gave you that gift of caring. How you felt.

–Now, travel to the most magnificent place you have seen. Enjoy the views. Pause. Listen. Smile. Appreciate.

e) A high-tech option: biofeedback

 

f) New habits and abilities require practice
Count the Fs (check the video in the bottom half of the page that will open)

 

If you want more information, you can check our Exercise Your Brain DVD, and our Stress Management section.

 

Finally, 2 books we mentioned during the workshop:
- Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain - by Wall Street Journal Sharon Begley

 

This was also a great opening for our activities during Brain Awareness Week.

 

A few months back we had a similar event at Cisco Systems, titled Exercising Mental Muscles for Corporate Success. If you are interested in organizing events like this in your company or organization, please Contact Us.
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