An Interview with Candice Georgiadis
Challenge (Use it or lose it) The brain grows and strengthens through use and challenge. The brain responds to load and challenge by becoming more engaged and activating more hubs and pathways to process and respond to the incoming information. Remember that the brain elicits more positive feelings and emotions when higher-level functions are involved when supported by the fuel and rest needed. Something as simple as learning (a topic you enjoy) can actually trigger happier mood and emotions in the brain!
As a part of my series about the “5 Things Anyone Can Do To Optimize Their Mental Wellness”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Rebecca Jackson.
Dr. Rebecca Jackson is currently the vice president of Programs and Outcomes for Brain Balance, where she designs and implements programs focused on strengthening the brain to optimize human performance for a variety of ages and abilities. Jackson graduated from Life University as a Doctor of Chiropractic in 2001. You can find her most recent peer-reviewed research in the Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research 2021, Effect of the Brain Balance® Program on Cognitive Performance in Children and Adolescents with Developmental and Attentional Issues. Jackson has appeared on national broadcasts including ABC’s “The Doctors” and “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” and has contributed to numerous national print outlets including Forbes, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, TODAY, and many more. www.brainbalancecenters.com/.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I’ve always been interested in health and wellness, anything you can do to live your best life. I began my professional career as a chiropractor. I like to understand the WHY behind a symptom or concern, which is a part of the chiropractic philosophy. Then as a young parent I wanted to really understand the brain and development to set my own kids up for success. Reading books that provided activities and games wasn’t enough, so I started taking additional classes in neurology and development. It was in these classes that I had a huge “aha” moment. Our brain is at the core of who we are and all we do. Enhancing and supporting brain function has the potential to positively impact so much of our life. Our mood, how we handle stress, motivation and even attention can be impacted by improving the brain. This awareness of the far-reaching impact of brain performance is what led me to become involved with Brain Balance, a company that focuses on optimizing the brain to help kids and now adults overcome challenges with aspects of cognition and emotional well-being. My work with Brain Balance has provided me with invaluable experience in research as well as hands-on experience in seeing what changes are possible when the brain is strengthened and supported.
What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?
While you can’t always control the things around you, there is the opportunity to impact your own thoughts and behaviors. With that in mind I work hard to stay positive in the hope that positivity will continue to breed more positivity. Admittedly there are days I am far more successful than others, but in knowing myself, going negative in my thoughts and words becomes a slippery slope going straight down. When I find myself becoming frustrated or agitated pressing pause and doing something to re-ignite the positive energy and emotion in my own brain is key. Going for a run, getting outside and soaking up the sunshine, making plans with a friend for dinner — not to vent, but to enjoy time together are all strategies than can help me alter my mindset so that I can remain productive and collaborative.
Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Mental health is often looked at in binary terms; those who are healthy and those who have mental illness. The truth, however, is that mental wellness is a huge spectrum. Even those who are “mentally healthy” can still improve their mental wellness. From your experience or research, what are five steps that each of us can take to improve or optimize our mental wellness. Can you please share a story or example for each.
Did you know that the emotions you are experiencing, whether they are positive or negative, and how you tolerate stress are impacted in part by which networks and pathways in your brain are activated? How your brain functions and the fuel you have available to support the brain will influence your ability to perform at your best, as well as how you feel. Our mental wellness is intricately tied to our brain wellness, which is exciting as it provides us with opportunities to positively impact both brain and emotional wellbeing.
Over the last decade there has been an important, and necessary shift in how we approach and understand brain wellness. This new understanding provides us with a different lens to view both brain health and mental wellness. This updated view has allowed for new insights and strategies to add alongside the more traditional tools and to provide us with proactive strategies to best equip us to face life’s challenges and stress.
Historically, science had a more singular focus, looking at each system in the body to understand what it does individually — the immune system to keep us healthy, our endocrine system to control our hormones and our digestive system processes food to turn into fuel. Advancements in science have shown how interconnected all these systems truly are in their functions. In fact, the gut is now often referred to as the second brain, or the gut-brain connection, as we begin to uncover the direction connections between our digestion, immune system, brain and hormones. Understanding the coupling of these systems has demonstrated the importance of considering these systems when approaching our mental well-being. As Dr. Thomas Insel, the former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health stated, “The future of psychiatry is clinical neuroscience, based on a much deeper understanding of the brain.”
To understand how aspects of life and stress can impact our brain, mood and thoughts let’s consider a set of functions in our brain called the executive functions. These are considered high-level brain functions that arise from mature development and provide us with the ability to sustain and control our attention, emotional regulation, planning, reasoning, decision making and more. These executive functions support our ability to act and interact in mature, productive, and effective ways for work, school, and social interactions.
To utilize our executive functions requires a brain that is well-rested, well-fueled and well-developed. Nothing in the brain happens in isolation, so these executive functions also pair with an emotional center of our brain that impacts our mood and emotions. When these brain functions are working effectively and supported by the appropriate fuel, they are more likely to elicit positive emotions. When the executive functions run out of fuel or are shut down due to other factors such as stress, the brain will default to different networks and pathways that will elicit more negative emotions and will make decision making, thinking and control of mood and behaviors far more difficult.
Our brain fluidly shifts back and forth between utilizing different regions and networks based on many factors. Realizing how simple daily habits can influence your brain’s ability to handle stress and to tap into positive behaviors and actions can help set you up for feeling and functioning at your very best.
The following are 5 key factors to understand and implement daily to contribute to your overall brain and emotional wellness. (*These tips are not a replacement for working with mental health providers but are an example of additional strategies that can be used in addition to what is recommended by a professional who knows you).
- Fuel — The brain and body require energy to perform. That energy is provided in the form of fuel from the foods and nutrients we consume. Different foods contribute different nutrients and types of fuel. Some variations of fuel, such as sugars, provide an energy source that kicks in quickly, but also burns off fast, leaving your system depleted. Other fuel sources take longer to utilize, providing longer-lasting energy. Proteins and healthy fats provide slow burning fuels that contribute to a more stable energy source. Our executive functions require high amounts of fuel to perform. This high fuel need means it is harder to sustain these functions for long periods of time, and when fuel reserves run out, these functions will shut down. If you’re familiar with the term “hangry” you know what it feels like when your brain is running low on fuel. Hangry is that moment when you are so hungry you can barely concentrate and may struggle to do a simple task such as making a decision. In this moment you will find yourself highly irritable. Your executive function brain networks don’t have the fuel needed to perform, so your brain defaults to supporting lower level basic functions. The best plan of attack in this scenario is to refuel by consuming proteins and healthy fats. Once those nutrient kick in you will find your mood, energy and focus returning so you can once again tap into more positive emotions, behaviors, and focus.
Incorporating protein and healthy fats, such as those found in nuts or avocados, into meals and snacks is one of the simplest ways to ensure your brain is equipped to focus and maintain more stable mood and energy throughout the day. - Sleep — Every parent understands the importance of adequate sleep to impact their child’s mood and behavior. The reality is we don’t outgrow the need for sleep to perform at our best. Like depleted fuel in the brain, a tired brain has a harder time focusing and controlling mood and behaviors. A brain short on sleep will utilize connections in the brain in a more sluggish way and will once again have a much harder time accessing those higher-level skills that depend on high energy and fuel to support.
Sleep is a critical time for brain function. This is the time that the brain processes what happened throughout the day, it is a time of clean up, and energy production to face the next day. When rest doesn’t occur it can impact the brain’s self-cleaning and maintenance mechanisms that can lead to increased inflammation and a decrease in memory. Signs of sleep deprivation can include challenges in recalling information, shorter attention span and more irritable and negative mood and behaviors. Any challenges or struggles you are facing will be exacerbated by a lack of adequate sleep. - Minimizing stress — Minimizing stress is easier said than done, but understanding the impact stress can have on the brain can help you prioritize your management strategies. Stress is highly fatiguing to the brain, and when faced with stressful events the brain requires more fuel and resources to maintain executive functions and positive mood and behaviors. Whether acute stress over a short period of time, or chronic stress over a more sustained amount of time the brain will once again default to lower-level functioning and have a harder time tapping into the executive functions. Lower-level functions consist or more basic functions that allow us to function in the moment. This activates pathways that keep us alive but takes activation away from the pathways that allow us to control our behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and attention. Imagine how you are feeling and functioning when amid a heated argument. This is an example of acute stress, it may be short, but it is also intense. In this moment you are far more likely to do and say things you would never normally say. Impulse control and regulation are diminished, leaving you in survival mode — protecting yourself and getting your point across is your primary focus, rather than thinking about the repercussions of your actions. If after the argument someone asked you to read a scientific article and give your thoughts on that article, you would struggle to retain what you were reading, and to formulate a clear and thoughtful response would be nearly impossible in that moment. This is an example of how stress shifts your ability to readily access higher-functioning brain networks. Signs that stress is impacting how you fee and function can include difficulty in planning ahead, challenges sustaining focus on a task, a struggle to think about things other than what is causing the stress, and increased negativity and fatigue.
- Neuroplasticity means the brain can change! Embracing the science that the brain can change at any age means that even if you are struggling in an area, there is the potential for change and improvement! Strengthening and improving pathways in the brain requires a combination of duration, frequency, and intensity. This means change doesn’t happen overnight, but with a plan that includes time, repetition and challenge it can happen! A very simple strategy to impact the regions you want to improve is simply doing more of what you want to improve. If you want to increase your ability to sustain attention on one task at a time — set aside time each day to do just that, then daily or weekly increase the amount of time by a minute or two. If you struggle with anxiety spend some time considering what helps to calm your thoughts or worries, leaving you feeling better and more in control, then do that more often. While this can sound simple to the point of almost being insulting, there is science behind this truth. Physical exercise intense enough to elevate heart rate and breathing is a great example as it increases activation of the brain which can help you more easily access higher-level brain functions that can help to regulate mood and thoughts. Pay attention to how you feel in the hours following activity to notice if it helps to bring an increase in calm and comfort. To really take advantage of neuroplasticity, participating in a personalized program such as Brain Balance can take your level of function to a whole new level of success. The Brain Balance programs are designed to increase the degree of complexity, challenge and endurance of your brain performance that can have a significant impact on attention, anxiety, memory, comprehension, and controlling your mood and behaviors.
- Challenge (Use it or lose it) The brain grows and strengthens through use and challenge. The brain responds to load and challenge by becoming more engaged and activating more hubs and pathways to process and respond to the incoming information. Remember that the brain elicits more positive feelings and emotions when higher-level functions are involved when supported by the fuel and rest needed. Something as simple as learning (a topic you enjoy) can actually trigger happier mood and emotions in the brain! To learn something new requires engaging the brain, then introducing novel information, this provides the load or challenge. The new information either needs to leave a large enough impression to remember it the first time or needs to be repeated enough for the memory of new information to be stored for retrieval later.
Think of the last time you learned something that really struck a chord or inspired you. Remember how you felt in that moment, and how excited you were to share what you learned with someone else. For me, learning something new about the brain that creates an “aha” moment is exciting and energizing. But once we’re done with school, learning doesn’t always happen unless we seek it out. Picking up a new book, watching a documentary or signing up for classes and workshops are all productive strategies to challenge and engage your brain to spark your excitement and energy! Implementing these strategies will contribute to a brain performing at its optimum and will not only result in improved productivity, but in a happy and healthy mood and outlook as well!
Much of my expertise focuses on helping people to plan for after retirement. Retirement is a dramatic ‘life course transition’ that can impact one’s health. In addition to the ideas you mentioned earlier, are there things that one should do to optimize mental wellness after retirement? Please share a story or an example for each.
Retirement is a time in life nearly everyone looks forward to and hopes to be at a point in life to fully embrace. As you approach retirement keep in mind how much CHANGE is involved in this life transition, and don’t underestimate how hard change can be for the brain. Creating some simple and fun habits and patterns can help you face these large changes and get the most out of your retirement years!
Change that requires shifts in your habits and routines requires additional energy and activation from the brain. Tasks that we do out of habit, and with minimal thought, places very little demand on the brain. Changing habits and doing activities that require thought, planning or effort place a larger demand on the brain, engaging more pathways and burning more fuel. To face a time of multiple changes in your life requires high activation of executive function pathways and a lot of resources to support these pathways. All the strategies we mentioned above — fuel, sleep, stress management and activation will contribute to supporting the pathways needed for change so that mood and emotions stay positive.
Retirement can also result in changes in levels of both mental stimulation and physical activity. Without the daily cognitive demands from work it is easy to experience a significant drop off in cognitive challenge. Remember we strengthen what we use, so purposefully finding ways to engage your brain will help to keep you mentally sharp and happy. Taking classes for fun, picking up a new hobby or planning interesting vacations are all fun ways to continue to keep your emotions positive and your executive function pathways active.
For some, retirement is a time of increased physical activity, with more time available to do the things you enjoy, such as walking or pickleball. For others it is a time when people quickly become more sedentary. Without the need to walk from the car to the office or climb the stairs to meet with a co-worker some find themselves spending more time than ever seated. Being mindful of the need for consistent exercise will continue to keep both your brain and body more highly activated and engaged.
How about teens and pre teens. Are there any specific new ideas you would suggest for teens and pre teens to optimize their mental wellness?
As a parent to both a teen and a pre-teen I love this topic! When considering brain and mental wellness in teens and pre-teens it is important to remember that while the body may be close to full grown, the brain is not. The frontal lobe of the brain is not thought to be fully developed until young to mid-20’s. This region contributes to the executive functions involved in good decision making, regulating emotions and upsets, planning, follow through and impulse control. The result is that it requires more energy and effort to consistently tap into these skills and functions. To set teens and pre-teens up to optimize their mental wellness consider these two strategies:
- Physical exercise. Not only does exercise release endorphins, chemicals that help the brain to diminish the perception pain and increase positive feelings, exercise also increases the engagement and alertness of the brain. Pay attention to your kids and you’ll often notice just how chatty and happy they are after physical exertion from exercise!
- Beware of too much screen time. Remember the brain only has so much fuel to get through the day. Spending hours processing the bombardment of information involved in video games and even social media can be draining. The result of a depleted brain is an increase in NEGATIVE mood and emotions, and a reduction in focus and memory.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?
Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey. There is an art to writing a book about the brain and science while being user-friendly. Ratey nailed it in my opinion. This is the book I recommend most often to parents and teachers since it clearly drives home the point that exercise impacts your focus and memory. While the book is focused on the impact exercise has on learning the message hits home for any age — our brain is sharper after exercise!
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Brain wellness to drive our overall well-being is the movement I hope to continue to provide a meaningful voice and leadership around. We are given one brain. Leading a lifestyle that focuses on brain wellness translates into a life of health that impacts our mental and physical well-being. It is far easier to live a joyful and meaningful life when you are feeling good and have the ability to tap into higher aspects of brain functions to impact those around you.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
“80% of Americans hate their job.” I heard this quote on the radio in high school and it has been a driving force in my life. It’s ironic, that as a relatively positive person it was a negative quote that resonated with me, but it continues to drive my actions decades later. We spend most of our adult lives engaged in work. I can not imagine trying to find the motivation to do something that does not inspire me daily. My hope for my children is they can be as fortunate as I have been in finding a passion that can be their life’s work and is rewarding and fulfilling.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
@drrebeccajackson
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Dr Rebecca Jackson of Brain Balance: 5 Things Anyone Can Do To Optimize Their Mental Wellness was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.