Dr. Corinne Weaver: Bad Patterns CAN Be Changed in Our Brain without Using Medication; Real Life Examples

Dr. Corinne Weaver : Nov 16, 2017
DrCorinneWeaver.com

Can you see your brain and how it works?

I became very interested in the brain when my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor (glioblastoma, stage 5) 12 years ago. I decided to study this subject in detail to help her. Last year I came across neurofeedback and brain mapping. Brain mapping is a process that allows us to visualize inside your brain and very clearly identify the irregular brain waves that cause neurological issues. From that brain map, a report is generated for each person showing the areas of dysfunction and the protocols recommended to address each of them.

A brain map is performed by placing a shower cap-like cap on one's head and then using software to capture the electrical impulses in the brain. This method is known as an electroencephalogram (EEG). All a person feels is some cooling gel on their head. The results show brain wave patterns in various parts of their brain. The process takes about 15 minutes, after which point the data is converted into a visual brain map report showing the results in a clear and concise format that can be easily understood. I am looking at the major functions of the brain, such as its cognitive, emotional, memory processing, and executive functions and more. I do this by analyzing each lobe of the brain (frontal, parietal, central, temporal, and occipital) for each type of brain wave.

The brain produces four primary types of brain waves: Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta. Beta is primarily active during your awake state, which is most of the day. Alpha deals with your subconscious and is dominant during relaxed states when your eyes are closed but they are not asleep. Theta is present briefly during the periods before you fall asleep and before you fully wake up. Delta is primarily active when you are asleep. (Image: A map of brain regions associated with language processing in the human cerebral cortex. Yellow and red regions are activated by listening to stories, whereas green and blue regions are more strongly activated by doing mathematical calculations/St. Louis Public Radio/D. Barch, M. Harms, G. Burgess for the Wu-Minn HCP Consortium/via KRCU.org)

These brain waves are equally important to your health. Not surprisingly, neurological disorders can be attributed to specific brain waves. For example, some brain irregularities caused by a head injury mean your brain may have too much frontal theta or delta being produced when they are supposed to be awake and alert. By retraining the abnormal patterns in the affected areas, symptoms can be improved or eliminated.

When I had a bad bike accident, resulting in a head trauma, when I was 10 years old, my overall health started to fail. Looking back now, I am glad I had that trauma because that day changed my direction to help others heal. In life, we all have traumas (physical, chemical, emotional, and spiritual) that change our brain patterns. Can bad patterns be changed in our brain? I believe the answer is yes!!

Neurofeedback is a process of training brain waves into regaining their healthy patterns using modern technology. This noninvasive and drug-free approach uses brain imaging technology to record brain wave activity and identify unhealthy brain wave patterns. Once irregular patterns have been identified, they can be corrected using guided audio and visual feedback. This amazing technology has proven itself effective over decades of research. Both studies and real-world applications show that neurofeedback works with conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, fibromyalgia, migraines, and a host of other disorders.

Each neurofeedback session takes about 30 minutes. The number of sessions needed will depend on the individual—much like going to the gym, every person requires a different length of time to improve. It usually takes 20-40 sessions for many conditions to improve.

Neurofeedback sessions involve you relaxing for 30 minutes while you watch a movie or listen to whatever music you choose. Electrodes are attached to your scalp that monitor your brain waves during the session. When irregular patterns are detected, the software triggers a response that pauses or dims the video or music. Your brain senses the change and subconsciously modifies itself back into a normal pattern. With repetition of this process, eventually your brain learns to stay within healthy ranges on its own without neurofeedback.

Again, the results will vary from person to person. Some feel different within a couple of sessions, while people with more difficult conditions need many sessions to see any noticeable results. The type of neurofeedback training we offer in our office is permanent. Neurofeedback helps to improve functions such as concentration, short-term memory, speech, motor skills, sleep, energy levels, and emotional balance.

Long-term follow-ups have been done on many patients. Dr. Joel Lubar at the University of Tennessee has followed ADD clients who've sustained their improvements from neurofeedback for 10-20 years. Research published on epilepsy patients 12 months after brain training shows that the effects of neurofeedback on epilepsy usually stick. Owners of the Clear Mind System (which is what I use in my office) have reported no relapses from patients even after 10 years.

Neurofeedback has been around for decades. To date there are thousands of studies, with more being published every day. (Photo: Neurofeedback/via Psychology Today Treatment Centers)

There is also a Clear Mind take-home focus unit which never becomes outdated because it can be continually updated—each take-home unit is completely programmable to suit your specific health needs. What's even better, this unit can be continually adapted as you attain new levels of well-being. As you improve, the system changes with you!

The take-home unit brings light-and-sound technology to your fingertips. With my guidance, you can have a personalized system designed to optimize your health care program. Remember, the brain emits different types of waves. Through light-and-sound technology, during a 30-minute session, your brain wave frequency changes speed and morphs into a healthier and more normal pattern. Your body-mind function becomes enhanced.

Regular use of the take-home unit combined with your doctor's care means that you can achieve your long-term health goals.

I would like to share a story with you: a high school student who was not able to focus well, especially when it came to reading came to me for help. He would space out a lot and have thoughts he couldn't process or let go of. He also had a lot of trouble getting good sleep. When I first started working with him, he was very skeptical that brain training therapy would work. But as he and his family started seeing positive changes, he was excited to come to his sessions!

He started seeing these changes within the first couple of weeks of therapy. (His family started noticing differences before he did.) He is now able to go to sleep and stay asleep most of the night. He can focus on his homework better, is less anxious, and can control his runaway thoughts. Now, he can relax and only have one thought at a time.

This young man had been struggling with his attention issues and anxiety for a very long time. He had tried all kinds of therapies, but he never managed to fully improve with regards to his two main symptoms. He needed neurofeedback to help heal his brain. Since he was eating very healthy foods and keeping his inflammation down he saw quick results.

When my daughter, Cora, was really struggling with school because of dyslexia and speech issues, her anger continued to grow with frustration. I knew she needed extra help besides all the natural remedies I was using. So, once she started neurofeedback at home, my husband and I saw dramatic results after about 30 sessions. Life is so much easier with her now that she can control her anger. One-day about 6 months ago Cora came home wanting to eat tacos because it was Taco Tuesday. My son did not want tacos, so I decided to fix chili soup with beans. Well, Cora was upset that tacos were not being served on Taco Tuesday. She yelled at me and said, "I hate you, mom!" I just looked at her and didn't say anything—instead, I just smiled (read my article a few weeks ago about smiling). Then she remembered that I had taught her to jump on the trampoline when she gets angry, so she decided to go jump on the trampoline. She was able to jump out all her feelings on the trampoline and then came to me afterward and apologized.

I am very excited to see that Cora's brain is healing! Even though she gets angry at times, she's able to do things to overcome her anger and then express love. Her anger does not last long, and she is able to control it so much better now than before she did neurofeedback. Next week I will discuss other natural remedies you can do to help heal your brain.

I hope my column speaks to you and you can wake up each morning with a purpose. What I do every day is a calling, and I give God the glory for allowing His gifts to work through me. I do believe in miracles, because I get to see them every day! If you would like to contact me with your health concerns email me directly at Dr@drcorinneweaver.com. For more information you can go to www.DrCorinneWeaver.com.

Keep Breathing,
Dr. Corinne Weaver

Dr. Corinne Weaver is a compassionate upper cervical chiropractor, educator, motivational speaker, mother of three, and internationally bestselling author. In 2004, she founded the Upper Cervical Wellness Center in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Over the last 13 years, she has helped thousands of clients restore their brain to-body function. When she was 10 years old, she lost her own health as the result of a bike accident that led to having asthma and allergy issues that she thought she would always have to endure. Then, after her first upper cervical adjustment at age 21, her health began to improve thanks to upper cervical care and natural herbal remedies. This enabled her to create a drug-free wellness lifestyle for herself and her family, and she also enthusiastically discovered her calling to help children heal naturally.

Dr. Weaver was recently named one of Charlotte Magazine's "Top Doctors" in 2016 and is now a number-one internationally bestselling author to two books: Learning How to Breathe and No More Meds.

Upper Cervical Wellness Center is known for finding the root cause of health concerns through lifestyle changes, diagnostic testing, nutraceutical supplementation, and correction of subluxation (as opposed to just medicating the symptoms). The practice offers cutting-edge technological care at its state-of-the-art facility, including laser-aligned upper cervical X-rays, bioimpedance analysis (measures body composition), digital thermography (locates thermal abnormalities characterized by skin inflammation), and complete nutritional blood analysis, which is focused on disease prevention.