|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
Think about what’s between your two ears
By Melissa Martin, Ph.D.
Do you ever think about what’s going on in the three pounds of tissue
inside your skull that sets on the top of your neck? The human brain is
composed of 75 percent water and 60 percent fat. Who knew? The human
brain has 86,000,000,000 (86 billion) neurons. Crikey! The brain is
miraculous.
The brain is so astounding that it gets its own annual Brain Awareness
Week in March. Bravo to the brain. Celebrate your cerebellum and
cerebrum. Love your lobes. Nurture your neurons.
The Global Council on Brain Health is a collaboration of scientists,
health professionals, scholars and policy experts from around the world
that work in areas of brain health related to human cognition. Shazam!
“The brain is the most complex of the human body. This three-pound
organ is the seat of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator
of body movement, and controller of behavior. Lying in its bony shell
and washed by protective fluid, the brain is the source of all
qualities that define our humanity. The brain is the crown jewel of the
human body.” www.ninds.nih.gov.
Are you getting brain strain from too much stress? We only get 168
hours per week to do everything we want and need to do. That’s it. So,
stop trying to squeeze so may activities into your week.
“We live our lives as if they were one big emergency! We often rush
around looking busy, trying to solve problems, but in reality, we are
often compounding them,” wrote Richard Carlson, author of the book,
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Calm down your brain strain.
Are you getting brain drain from too little sleep? Study after study
shows that getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night is necessary
for memory, learning, and focusing. So, stop guzzling caffeine and get
your zzz’s.
Brain Check-Up
Take an online self-assessment (no cost) by the Cleveland Clinic at
www.healthybrains.org. You will get your personal Brain Health Index
(BHI) Score, Individual Pillar Scores, Brain Health Guide, Memory
Score, Dashboard, and Recommendation and Tips Designed For You. Your
Brain Health Index is a measurement of lifestyle choices that
contribute to your overall brain health. Results are based on your
answers. Good news—I am not showing signs of dementia. FYI: Shopping at
a mall is not considered a cardio exercise—unless you speed-walk
through the racks and jog from store to store.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
An estimated, 283,000 children seek care in U.S. emergency departments
each year for a sports- or recreation-related traumatic brain injury.
TBIs sustained in contact sports account for approximately 45 percent
of these visits. Football, bicycling, basketball, playground
activities, and soccer account for the highest number of emergency
department visits. From 2010 to 2016, football contributed to more
emergency room visits (52,088) among males than did any other sport.
www.cdc.gov.
Did you know that falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain
injury overall, particularly in older adults and young children? Visit
the Brain Injury Association of Ohio website.
In 1990 the Ohio General Assembly created the Ohio Brain Injury Program
(BIP) and Ohio Brain Injury Advisory Committee (BIAC) to address the
needs of Ohioans living with the effects of brain injury.
Concussions and High School Football
According to a 2012 report in the American Journal of Sports Medicine,
49 percent of concussions in high school football happen during running
plays. Tackling is responsible for 63 percent of concussions in high
school football. Linebackers sustain 59 percent of all concussions
among high school football defensive players. Running backs sustain 46
percent of concussions among high school football offensive players.
Children, the Brain, and Football
Should tackle football for banned for children 12 years and under?
“Removing tackling from football altogether would likely lead to a
decrease in the incidence of overall injuries, severe injuries,
catastrophic injuries, and concussions. The American Academy of
Pediatrics recognizes, however, that the removal of tackling from
football would lead to a fundamental change in the way the game is
played. Participants in football must decide whether the potential
health risks of sustaining these injuries are outweighed by the
recreational benefits associated with proper tackling.” That’s the
response from The American Academy of Pediatrics.
Should Ohio ban tackle football for children 12 and under? A
controversy is brewing. However, bills seeking to ban tackle football
for kids under 12 or 14 have been proposed — and failed — in five
states, according to a 2019 article in USA Today.
How are your treating your magnificent brain? You only get one brain in this lifetime, so treat it with safety and respect.
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist. She lives in Southern Ohio.
|
|
|
|
