Neuro-protection, a word that obviously trips off our tongue during every conversation that we engage in….. not!
Over my years of teaching mental health I have never been so focussed on the subject of our bodies being a very unique ‘eco-system’, especially when focussing on our cognitive function, as I am now.
We live in a very complex and stressful environment, we may not be facing Sabre Toothed Tigers and Woolly Mammoths on a daily basis as our distant ancestors did, but we are facing a number of environmental, social, psychological, political and economic stressors on a daily basis. Remembering that people have different stressors and face them in their own very unique way.
Stressors are those those biological, chemical or environmental conditions which causes stress to us as an organism. Stress that can damage us down to our molecular level. Changes at the molecular level can cause physical damage, damage which then alters our cognitive function, our ability to navigate our daily lives.
Stress, diet, medication, lack of sleep, noise and pain are all things that can alter the chemicals in our brain, change our own ‘eco system’ and create physical and mental illness.
We need to be mindful of how we add to our own dis’ease and begin to filter out those things that are harmful to our own well-being.