BEAR THIS IN MIND – THE ORIGINAL NUMBSKULLS

/in /by

Are you ready for this one? Crazy. Looney even. Talk about bird brains. Scientists are learning so much about the brain now that it’s easy to forget that for much of history we had no idea at all how it worked or even what it was. In the ancient world, physicians believed that the brain was made of phlegm. Aristotle looked on it as a refrigerator, cooling off the fiery heart. From his time through the Renaissance, anatomists declared with great authority that our perceptions, emotions, reasoning, and actions were all the result of “animal spirits”—mysterious, unknowable vapors that swirled through cavities in our head and traveled through our bodies. The thing they did get right, is that the brain is contained in, and protected by the skulls of the head. True brainiacs, these geniuses.

IT’S THE BOSS

The human brain is the command center for the human nervous system. (“Incoming, Captain Kirk”). It receives input from the sensory organs and sends output to the muscles. In fact, your brain is the boss of your body. It runs the show and controls just about everything you do, even when you’re asleep. Not bad for something that looks like a big, wrinkly, gray sponge. It goes without saying that every second of every day, we’re constantly flooded with information—so much information that it’s impossible to take it all in. Don’t worry, your memory isn’t fading yet! Our brain works constantly to filter out information we don’t need to consciously be made aware of. This allows us to focus on what information is important to us. For example, if you’re watching a game of football, you might not even be aware of the cheerleaders even though your brain is perceiving this information. This process is called selective attention and allows us not to be driven insane by the high levels of information that are typically present. Some information can, however, break through the barrier of our focus. That’s why when we hear our name in someone else’s conversation, we instantly respond. “Were you talking to me?”

IT ALL MATTERS-GRAY AND WHITE

Here’s one you’ve surely heard of; the human brain is divided into two hemispheres, the left and right. The left-brain controls all the muscles on the right-hand side of the body; and the right brain controls the left side. One hemisphere may be slightly dominant, as with left- or right-handedness. We think the left side is responsible for speech, language, mathematical calculation and fact retrieval. Accountants, engineers, hackers, people who can’t follow instructions (especially written ones; like how to set up your new coffeemaker), and a majority of nerds of all shapes and forms. The right side is the side for visual and auditory processing, spacial skills (comes in great for packing and organizing clutter in limited spaces) and all creativity. Writers, artists, plus a huge number of Red Carpet folks from fashion to music, editing, direction, and acting, to name a few. Truth is, everyone uses both halves all the time. So, in truth, there is no such thing as a left-brain or right-brain personality type. We are all “whole-brained”, no matter how weird it sounds.

MIND BLOWING

There are millions of fascinating facts about the brain, but they would surely bore you. On the other hand:

  • Albert Einstein’s brain weighed 2.71 pounds (1,230 grams) — 10% smaller than the average of 3.3 pounds
  • Neanderthal brains were 10% larger than our homo sapiens brains
  • Humans don’t have the biggest brains. That honor belongs to sperm whales with 17 pound brains
  • We are not getting smarter. Since the Victorian era, average IQs have gone down 1.6 points per decade for a total of 13.35 points
  • Multitasking makes you less productive
  • The human brain is not solid. It’s soft and squishy similar to the consistency of soft tofu or soft gelatin. And it’s very fragile
  • Think you’re in control of your life? Think again. 95% of your decisions take place in yoursubconscious mind
  • Our attention span is now 8 seconds, which is shorter than the 9-second attention span of the average goldfish
  • Millennials are more forgetful than baby boomers
  • The average brain is believed to generate around 50,000 thoughts per day Disturbingly, it’s estimated that in most people 70% of these thoughts are negative
  • Some scientists believe zombies could be real and that it’s possible a mutated virus or parasites could attack our brains and rapidly spread throughout large populations causing essentially a “zombie apocalypse.”

DOESN’T GET SMARTER THAN THIS

Yes, it’s a smart idea to know about our brain, at least as much as we can take in without making our heads spin. The thing to realize above all, is that in many cases, there is a direct link between our brains, and hormone imbalances. It takes an experienced specialist to be able to determine the co-effects, and in the Denver area, no one does this with greater expertise than Stephen A. Goldstein, M.D, F.A.C.S. at Denver Hormone Health. Too often, when people feel moody or anxious, for example, they don’t consider that hormones could be the problem. With simple tests, Dr. Goldstein is able to get the big picture and know how to treat it. He creates a unique plan tailored to your symptoms that not only make you feel better, but put your mind at ease. With just one call you can be on your way to feeling better and sharper than ever.

Pause and think about it.