Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body

Christopher Pierce

Every week I share a simple and easy-to-implement self-care idea with you and challenge you to create a positive change. Throughout these episodes, I discuss ways to improve sleep hygiene and mental health and strengthen the most important muscle, the brain. I also dive into nutrition and exercise and discuss evidence-based self-care tips to reduce chronic pain. In each episode, I explain what is happening inside your brain and body to help you visualize the positive physiological changes that the self-care tip provides. You can learn more about self-care on my website at www.utah23.org. Also, please check out my self-care book on Amazon titled Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. It’s available on Kindle, print copy, and audiobook. The Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body podcast is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared in this podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your health care provider before making any decision that affects your health. read less

Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness

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Episode 34: Using the Sense of Smell to Train the Brain to Trigger Relaxation

Episode 34: Using the Sense of Smell to Train the Brain to Trigger Relaxation

Did you know you can train your brain to release dopamine, the "feel good" hormone, by smelling an essential oil? Check out this episode to learn how the associative neural network empowers this. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episodes

Episode 34: Using the Sense of Smell to Train the Brain to Trigger Relaxation

Episode 34: Using the Sense of Smell to Train the Brain to Trigger Relaxation

Did you know you can train your brain to release dopamine, the "feel good" hormone, by smelling an essential oil? Check out this episode to learn how the associative neural network empowers this. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 33: Natural Ways to Increase Dopamine, the “feel good hormone".

Episode 33: Natural Ways to Increase Dopamine, the “feel good hormone".

Dopamine is the happiness hormone. In this week’s episode, I’m going to talk about dopamine and its role in creating happiness and share healthy natural things you can do to influence the release of dopamine to improve your mental well-being. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 32: Lose Weight Through Shivering and Cold Exposure

Episode 32: Lose Weight Through Shivering and Cold Exposure

In this episode, I share the science behind shivering and how creating opportunities to shiver is another way to aid in weight loss and improve metabolism. I share with you guidelines for using shivering to lose weight. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 31: The Therapeutic Power of Holding Hands

Episode 31: The Therapeutic Power of Holding Hands

In this episode, I discuss the science behind holding hands and how you can rapidly improve a sense of well-being through holding hands with a loved one. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 30: Dealing with Mid-Night Awakenings: Any Easy Tip to Fall Back to Sleep

Episode 30: Dealing with Mid-Night Awakenings: Any Easy Tip to Fall Back to Sleep

In this episode, I provide a tip that will help you fall asleep fast and fall back to sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night or wake up too early. This tip is not only backed by science, but it works for me and several others whom I have helped with sleep issues. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 29: How Sleep Empowers Weight Loss

Episode 29: How Sleep Empowers Weight Loss

Improving your sleep quality is one of the many approaches to weight management. It’s not just eating healthy and exercising. Listen to this episode to hear about the research supporting how achieving 7-8 hours of sleep each night empowers your body's metabolism and built-in weight management system. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 28 Taking Control of Your Health Through Micro-dosing Mindfulness (MdM)

Episode 28 Taking Control of Your Health Through Micro-dosing Mindfulness (MdM)

In this episode, I share a concept I coined in my book, Micro-dosing-Mindfulness (MdM). This empowers you to apply small doses of 30-60 seconds of mindfulness several times throughout your day to regulate stress, anxiety, and many other negative emotions and pain. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 27: Setting SMART Goals for Improved Mental and Physical Wellness

Episode 27: Setting SMART Goals for Improved Mental and Physical Wellness

In this episode, I talk about the neurological process of motivation and how it supports goal achievement. I also discuss SMART goals and an example of how you can use SMART goals to improve your health and wellness over the next year. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 26: Sleep Deprivation and Cognitive Health

Episode 26: Sleep Deprivation and Cognitive Health

We should achieve 7-8 hours of sleep each night, with 25% of that time spent in the third stage of sleep, deep sleep. When we fail to achieve this, the brain doesn't receive adequate cleansing and refreshing, leading to cognitive issues and the likelihood of dementia and possibly Alzheimer's Disease. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 25: Putting Your Distressing Thoughts on Trial

Episode 25: Putting Your Distressing Thoughts on Trial

Using a cognitive behavioral approach called putting your thoughts on trial is a method to empower you to regulate your emotions in the face of these events that seem to create a negative experience. This empowers you to focus on your thoughts, determine if they are valid in the context of the current situation, and think rationally by developing alternative evidence against the thought influencing the negative emotion. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 24: Choosing Growth in the Face of Trauma and Life’s Difficulties

Episode 24: Choosing Growth in the Face of Trauma and Life’s Difficulties

In this episode, I discuss a concept that can help you deal with past trauma and life's difficulties called post-traumatic growth This approach can empower one to accept the fact that they cannot change what has happened to them and not allow their trauma to define who they are, but serve as a catalyst for growth. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 23: Improving Sleep Through With Daily Exercise

Episode 23: Improving Sleep Through With Daily Exercise

In this episode, I’m talking about a simple tip that will improve your sleep quality, and this is exercise. Research demonstrates that intense exercise done at the right time during the day can improve your sleep quality. Check out this episode to learn when and how to exercise to improve your sleep quality. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 22: Self-Reliant Health Care

Episode 22: Self-Reliant Health Care

In this episode, you will hear how a self-reliant approach led to the resolution of a medical issue that an eye doctor failed to resolve. As described in my book "Self-Health Androgogy," a large portion of the problems in life for which we seek medical advice may be addressed through a self-reliant approach to health and wellness. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 21: Is Eating Too Close to Bedtime Bad For Sleep?

Episode 21: Is Eating Too Close to Bedtime Bad For Sleep?

In this episode, you will learn what happens in your brain and body when you eat too close to bedtime and why eating your last meal three hours before bedtime improves sleep quality and holistic mental and physical health. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 20: A Secret to Longevity

Episode 20: A Secret to Longevity

Make the simple changes in your life now to improve longevity and quality of life as you age. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 19: Inflammatory Foods and Holistic Health and Longevity

Episode 19: Inflammatory Foods and Holistic Health and Longevity

You will learn what happens when we consume inflammatory food. I’ll explain what causes this inflammation. According to Dr. Howard Weiner with Harvard Medical School, eating food is the biggest and most frequent occasion when humans come into contact with foreign proteins creating inflammation. Learn how avoiding inflammatory food is crucial in overall health, wellness, and longevity. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 18: Self-Care Book Recommendation: WHEN by Daniel H. Pink

Episode 18: Self-Care Book Recommendation: WHEN by Daniel H. Pink

In this episode, I provide a short synopsis and benefits of Daniel H. Pink's book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. I recommend his Book as it will help you improve your quality of life. Pink’s Book provides insights into the secrets of perfect timing regarding everything we do daily and throughout our lives and how we can optimize mental, physical, cognitive, social, and biological performance. Click here to view his book on Amazon. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The information found on this website is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 17: Hydration and Sleep

Episode 17: Hydration and Sleep

Dehydration impacts the various areas of our brain and body required during sleep's restorative processes. In this episode, you will learn how your body processes the water you consume and why adequate hydration is crucial in achieving efficient sleep. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body podcast is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared in this podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 16: The Sleep and Stress

Episode 16: The Sleep and Stress

In this episode, you will learn how day-to-day stress can disrupt sleep quality and how you can find improved sleep by proactively regulating daily stress. Click here to purchase my new self-care Book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body podcast is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared in this podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.

Episode 15: Dopamine Bank: Emergency Preparedness Stress Management Tool

Episode 15: Dopamine Bank: Emergency Preparedness Stress Management Tool

This is episode 15, and in this episode, I will share an emergency preparedness stress management tool kit that I call the dopamine bank. This is a mental health emergency preparedness stress management toolbox full of things and activities that you know make you feel calm and at peace, readily available to use when those stressful events enter your life when you least expect them. Click here to purchase my new self-care book on Amazon. Self-Health Andragogy: A Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care. Visit my self-care website at www.utah23.org The Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body podcast is intended to provide self-care tips and recommendations informed by evidence-based research. The information shared in this podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any decision that affects your health.