Brain Matters

While the brain will hold huge amounts of information and can work better than the most sophisticated computer all too many today are 'brain dead'. This happens because it is poisoned and abused by substances taken into the body that have a profopund effect on it.

Initially the brain is meant to protect us from harm and get us out of a violent or life threatening situation. People who experience severe trauma will often state they felt no pain until they were in a safe place. One lady who lost an arm to a shark while boarding in the ocean was able to get herself back to shore without much trouble and only then did she feel the pain. Ther are some remarkable cases on record of people getting themselves out of danger by doing things they could not normally do. One famous story is of a man trapped by the arm in a remote mountain region who eventually cut it off to free himself.

The brain is a wonderful well oiled machine like organ which is there to help and preserve our life so why kill it off with dangerous materials that do us no good? The answer is in the way we function in society and the need that many have to be like their peers in order to be popular and to cope with day to day stresses.

The chances are that if you assocciate with drug addicts you will become chained to the habit and as you pump the drugs the brain dies. The only winners, if you can call them that, are the pushers and suppliers who are making a fortune out of their victims and their trade is worth billions, probably more like zillions on a global scale. Money is at the root of it so why not wake up and get a proper life?

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The skull is solid hard bone to protect the brain against knocks and exposure to anything outside. Unlike the heart, another vital organ, it is so well protected that the head is designed to take a lot of bashing before the brain fails. Thus the term "hard head".

The brain suffers from knocks and other treatment that modern life throws at it and the things we least suspect may be having the greatest effect on brain health. Things like the fillings in our teeth, the air we breath and the environment in which we live.

Most people are aware of lead and/or mercury poisoning and their effect on the brain and nervous system when exposed over prolonged periods.

Wikipedia notes: "Our bodies are constantly exposed to an onslaught of environmental toxins. Lead and mercury are two heavy metals that seem to have found their way into almost everyone. Lead and mercury do not occur naturally in the body and as such are very toxic. These two heavy metals are known to interfere with how nerves communicate. Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is a compound approved in the 1960's by the FDA for the safe removal (chelation) of lead and is known to improve lead poisoning symptoms. DMSA is considered the preferred agent for the chelation (removal) of lead in both adults and children. Lead is very toxic and the negative effects of lead exposure are well documented. There is no 'safe' level of lead in the human body. Lead poisoning symptoms are found in many individuals. Most don't even know they are toxic."

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Mostly we hear about the loss of neurones from the brain as a result of alcohol and drug ingestion. But the effects can be far deadlier than that.

This is fron Wikipedia: "Initially, alcohol generally produces feelings of relaxation, euphoria and general cheerfulness, but further consumption can lead to blurred vision and coordination problems. Cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol, so once alcohol is in the bloodstream it can diffuse into nearly every biological tissue of the body. After excessive drinking, unconsciousness can occur and extreme levels of consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning and death (a concentration in the blood stream of 0.40% will kill half of those affected. Death can also occur through asphyxiation by vomit."

Many take what is called a 'nightcap' before bed in the mistaken belief that they sleep better. But it has been proven that while they may get to sleep quicker they can also have a very disturbed night's sleep with dire consequences. Where alcohol is used to induce sleep in some parts of the world the results can be fatigue, both mental and physical, hormonal imbalance, lethargy, confusion and an increased risk of injury, violence and foetal damage.

Aside from the loss of neurons, nerve cells, the brain experiences a lot more trauma as the liver counteracts the effect of the poison. The video below explains it all. People who drink may find that tha capacity of the brain for thinking and concentrating is greatly reduced.

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Addiction doesn't have to be about alcohol or drugs but a number of things that modern living throws at us. Food is a common one these days, as is chocolate and even work - you have heard about the work-aholic.


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People who are overweight lend themselves to being diabetic and this can be disastrous for the brain as well. Not everyone can control their weight for one reason or another but mostly it is lack of will power that puts on the pounds. If you must eat snacks then eat less of them,

Its easy to take the extra slice of cake, to eat to excess a good meal, to not turn down the sweets and to consume more fats than are good for us. Also the types of fats we ingest will have a major bearing on our weight. Transfats are mostly used in take away foods and packaged snacks, like potato chips. These are the ones that cause the most damage.

There is also a tendency for chefs to include butter when cooking with vegetable oils, such as Olive oil. That is most definitely a no no for the weight conscious. There are some good oils out there but they should be taken in small doses and only when necessary. For instance deep food frying is totally unnecessary. Pie and pasties are strong weight gainers. Ice cream is full of cream and saturated fats. Cakes are also. So what do you eat to fill the need.

My problem was chocolate. Researching and writing would give me cravings for it. Then when hitting the scales higher than what was good for me and being told I was getting to be border line diabetic the sugar went out of my diet. It was unnecessary and once it was gone the cravings went also. The facts are that sugar is the same as alcohol - it is addictive.

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It has long been a belief of mine that falling is a major cause of brain trauma which may not be noticed for some time. When my children were growing up they were not allowed on show rides which resulted in a sudden rush of adrenalin and a sudden stop.

My whole being still shutters when I see some of these 'drop' rides where people fall at an enormous rate and are brought to a sudden stop at the end. It only takes a few seconds but the effect could be disastrous.

My interest in neurology as a medical student taught me a lot about how the brain sits inside the head. It bounces around from side to side when presented with a fall or sudden movement, Bunjee jumping, sky diving and even leaping from a high diving board all represents the same scenario. When you come to the stop the brain will hit the inside of the skull and that can cause brain bleeds.

It appears to me to be little different to the accident whereby my head was suddenly brought to a stop and the brain smashed against the wall of the cranium causing bleeding. This can lead to stroke and other fatal problems.

There are no facts and figures on this and probably no studies to support it. But the adrenalin rush felt in all the modern sports, rides, dare devil stunts and other, is some kind of warning. It is preparing the body for survival and the more overwheming it is the greater the risk. So why do people choose to do these things?

This is from Wikipedia: "Falls are the second most common cause (of brain injury) and can cause internal bleeding. A severe fall is defined as one that is a fall greater than three time the victims height". This does not state that the injury is caused by hitting the ground and sustaining head trauma in that way. So it leaves us without an answer as to the true effect of show rides, bunjee jumping, sky diving and other things but maybe we should be more aware that the long term results may be altzheimer's or dementia, stroke, opthalmic problems, psycological problems and maybe even addiction to drugs.

All of these things are out of control now as the medical world battles to find solutions. So my advice is don't put your brain at risk when it is not necessary. It is the most precious asset you own and it can be taken away from you in an instant.

It probably will take a good knock or two to drive some sense into those who enjoy risk taking of this type.

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