Help Others to Help Yourself
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Help Others to Help Yourself

Not only is volunteering a great way to help out and grow your social connections, but it’s also fantastic for the health of your brain. In this week’s blog post, we’ll reveal how altruistic behaviors can positively impact mental health, cognitive function, and foster greater neurological resilience over time.

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Add This One Thing to Your Morning Coffee for a Powerful Brain Boost
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Add This One Thing to Your Morning Coffee for a Powerful Brain Boost

Looking for one simple thing you can add to your daily routine today to improve your brain health? Then this blog post is for you. Today, we’re revealing a simple supplement that has become increasingly popular due to its ability to reduce anxiety and stress, protect the brain from inflammation, and improve cognitive function.

And there’s a bonus: paired with your precious cup of coffee, it has an even more powerful effect.

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The Science of Scent Part 2: Aromatherapy and Cognitive Function
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Science of Scent Part 2: Aromatherapy and Cognitive Function

Last time, we discussed how the healing power of aromatherapy can benefit our psychological health, helping us to feel better, sleep better, and stress less. But there’s more! Various therapeutic plant-derived essential oils can also positively impact our memory function and our overall cognitive health. So, let’s find out more.

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Harnessing Plant Power for Mental Well-being
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Harnessing Plant Power for Mental Well-being

Today’s blog post is a scientific exploration into the wonderful world of aromatherapy. We’ll be looking into how one of your key five senses, scent, can be used to enhance your moods, reduce your anxiety levels, and provide a welcome relief from the day-to-day stressors of modern life.

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VR Therapy: A New Frontier in Mental Health Treatment
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

VR Therapy: A New Frontier in Mental Health Treatment

Last week we spoke about the exciting potential virtual reality technology has to transform our cognitive abilities and help the brain rebuild from a range of neurological injuries and disorders. Today, we’re taking it a step further and revealing just how broad the application of VR can go in treating an array of mental health conditions.

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VR: A Unique Approach to Training and Rehabilitating the Brain
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

VR: A Unique Approach to Training and Rehabilitating the Brain

We might think about VR initially in terms of a fun, novel gaming experience, but the potential of this emerging technology is so much greater than pure recreational enjoyment. Increasingly, VR is being seen as a transformative tool with a whole host of potential applications when it comes to our health.

Today, we’re diving headfirst into what we know so far about how virtual reality can improve our brain health, cognitive abilities, and aid recovery from a range of complex neurological conditions.

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Uncovering the Complex Connection Between Allergies and Brain Health
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Uncovering the Complex Connection Between Allergies and Brain Health

If you’ve ever experienced an allergic reaction, you’ll know it’s not a pleasant experience. They occur due to an immune system response to a whole range of substances in our environment. This blog post explores the surprising link between allergies and cognitive function and discusses the implications of that connection on our brain health.

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The Hidden Healing Power of Journaling
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Hidden Healing Power of Journaling

Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the modern era, we embark upon a wealth of experiences and face numerous challenges that lead to a wide range of emotional states. Processing these thoughts and encounters in a healthy way is key to maintaining optimal brain health and mental wellness. One way we can do this is by recording our thoughts textually. And that’s why today, we’re looking into the therapeutic powers of journaling.

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The Power of Art: How Art Therapy Promotes Better Brain Health
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Power of Art: How Art Therapy Promotes Better Brain Health

Last time we spoke about how the brain responds to creating and viewing art. We learned about the complex cognitive processes involved in engaging with the creative process, and touched on how it can promote better emotional well-being. Today, we’re going to dive deeper into how art as therapy can have a profound impact on the brain and on individuals facing a range of mental and emotional challenges.

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The Brain’s Response to Art: The Basics
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Brain’s Response to Art: The Basics

Art is all around us, serving as a fundamental form of expression, helping humans to reflect, explore, and communicate. Not only does art in all its many forms serve as an excellent and aesthetically pleasing element of our lives, but it also has a profound impact on the human brain. Today, we’re going to look into how art shapes our cognition and how engaging with art and the artistic process can affect our brain function, emotions, and overall cognitive health.

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Red Dye 40: How do Artificial Food Dyes Impact the Brain?
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Red Dye 40: How do Artificial Food Dyes Impact the Brain?

Today, we’re focusing on the use of artificial dyes in our food and drink and exploring the impact that they have on our brain health. Specifically, we’ll be paying attention to Red Dye 40, a widely used additive that has been cited as a potential risk factor for allergies, migraines, and the worsening of conditions such as ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Cultivating a Healthy Brain: The Psychological Benefits of Gardening
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Cultivating a Healthy Brain: The Psychological Benefits of Gardening

Gardening. It helps produce flourishing flowers and can even keep us fed with home-grown produce. But did you know that it can also do brilliant things for your brain? In this post, we’re going to delve in to the incredible psychological influence that gardening has, exploring how this simple activity can profoundly impact both our mental well-being and our cognitive health.

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The Science of Willpower Part 2: Strengthening the Mind’s Resolve
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Science of Willpower Part 2: Strengthening the Mind’s Resolve

In our last post, we made sense of the complex science of willpower, and today we’re going to expand on that understanding with some real-life tips. We’ll be providing you with a whole host of evidence-based ways to harness and strengthen your willpower, so keep reading!

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The Science of Willpower Part 1: The Self-Regulating Brain
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Science of Willpower Part 1: The Self-Regulating Brain

Willpower is a fundamental aspect of human behavior, yet one which we seldom investigate. That’s why today, we’re delving into where self-control comes from in the brain, and how exactly it works on a physiological level.

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The Benefits of Cold Exposure Therapy on Brain Health and Resilience
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Benefits of Cold Exposure Therapy on Brain Health and Resilience

It’s been pretty hard to miss the hype over cold water therapy that’s been everywhere of late. However, it’s also fairly difficult to sort the facts from the fiction. Well, that’s where today’s blog comes in. We’re going to give you the lowdown on the real benefits of cold water exposure and explain exactly how it impacts your brain and cognitive function.

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Pollution: The Invisible Threat to Brain Health
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Pollution: The Invisible Threat to Brain Health

It’s well known that the air we breathe has a significant impact on our respiratory and cardiovascular systems, but how does it affect the health of our brains? In this post, we’ll be exploring the influence of air quality on our neurological development, mental health, and overall cognitive function.

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Keep Time To Keep Happy: Brain Health And Circadian Rhythms
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Keep Time To Keep Happy: Brain Health And Circadian Rhythms

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that run in the background. They carry out a wide range of essential processes and functions within the body and brain, including metabolic, hormone, and temperature regulation. Today, we’re talking about one of the most well-known circadian rhythms, the sleep-wake cycle, often referred to as the internal body clock.

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Get Moving to get Inspired: How Exercise is a Catalyst for Creativity
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

Get Moving to get Inspired: How Exercise is a Catalyst for Creativity

Physical activity is one of the key cornerstones of great overall health, and optimal brain health. And today’s blog is going to give you yet another reason to get your body moving this year. We’re going to be shedding light on how regular movement benefits cognitive function and exploring how this creates a causal link between exercise and creativity.

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How Your Brain Changes with the Seasons
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

How Your Brain Changes with the Seasons

Whether we like it or not, the weather has a profound impact on many aspects of our everyday lives. Alterations in conditions can evoke a variety of psychological and physiological responses because, as humans, we are inherently connected to our environment. 

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The Surprising Relationship Between Physical Posture and Mental Health
Yelena Gidenko, PhD Yelena Gidenko, PhD

The Surprising Relationship Between Physical Posture and Mental Health

We all know that poor posture can lead to a whole host of physical symptoms, such as chronic neck and back pain, for example. But did you know that your posture directly impacts your mental health, too? Studies have shown that the way we hold our bodies throughout the day can have a notable effect on our mood, stress levels, self-esteem, and even cognitive function. Let’s dive a little deeper.

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