Brain Shaman

In this episode, join Norah Al-Azzam, an expert in neuroscience and RNA, as we delve into the intricate cellular biology of rare neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Explore the complexities of conditions like ALS, Huntington's disease, Sanfilippo Syndrome (MPS III), and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), gaining insights into the pivotal roles played by RNA, proteins, and sugars. Our conversation spans a spectrum of diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic tools, encompassing genetics, AI, and lessons borrowed from oncology. We navigate through topics such as aging, autophagy, fasting, biofeedback, gene sequencing, environmental risk factors, pharmaceuticals, supplements, nutrition, and even touch on the impact of Ramadan on health and aging.Strap on your lab goggles and grab a pen. It's time to dive deep into the cell, so that we can better dissect, detect, and defend against neurodegeneration.**CONNECT WITH NORAH AL-AZZAM**   LinkedIn: /norahalazzamRESOURCESCOMPANIES- Abbott- Eli Lilly - Illumina- Inhibrix- Nanomood- Neurocrine BiosciencesPEOPLE- Gene Yeo - Joseph Wang- Kelly Doran  - Michael Perry- Philip Gordts- Rob KnightSCIENCE VOCAB- antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)- Apo-E- beta-amyloid- endocytosis- glycans- lysosome- Lyscosomal storage disorders- phosphorylation - RNA-binding protein- sulfamidase- survival motor neuron (SMN)- Tau protein- TDP43- Trinucleotide repeat-disorderSTUDIES & NEWS- Cure SMA- 'Impaired mitophagy in Sanfilippo a mice causes hypertriglyceridemia and brown adipose tissue activation' (Aug 2022)- 'The world's first CRISPR therapy is approved: who will receive it?' (Nov 2023)- 'Unprecedented blood biomarker enables ALS drug approval' (June 2023)- 'Wearable device and smartphone data quantify ALS progression and may provide novel outcome measures' (Mar 2023)*Check out Nature Biotech for all the latest and more!

In this episode, we talk with the International Caregivers Association (ICA) about dementia. It is a seven-way conversation with basically the entire team: Dr. Ethelle Lord, Dr. Jennifer Stelter, Dr. Andrew Harrison, Ryan Stoffko, Bill Pemberton, and Pad.You will learn about what it is, potential risks and causes, the various types (e.g. Alzheimer's, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, etc.), detection, symptoms, prevention, and the good, bad, and future of dementia care, along with the ICA's revolutionary new systems-based approach.We discuss the use of various tools such as: sleep, exercise / movement, nutrition, supplements, drugs, aromatherapy, music & sound, color, VR/AR, AI, psychedelics, communication, coaching, teamwork, and more.Dementia affects 55+ million people worldwide, over 6.7 million people in the U.S alone, and these numbers are rapidly rising. The odds of you or a loved one developing some form of dementia is frighteningly high. Listen in to help save yourself and the ones you love. Step inside the shoes of those with dementia, as well as the family, caregivers, and the experts being interviewed today. This is an uncensored glimpse into the world of dementia and how to navigate it. RESOURCESBOOKS- Alzheimer's Coaching by Ethelle Lord- Awakening From Alzheimer's by Peggy Sarlin- HOW IN THE WORLD...AND NOW WHAT DO I DO by Ethelle Lord- The Broken Brain by Nancy Andreasen- The Busy Caregiver's Guide to Advanced Alzheimer's Disease by Jennifer StelterCOMPANIES - Hanson Robotics (robotics)- Leafguard (gutters)- Neurotracker (cognitive training technology)- OPP Neuro SPA (peak performance info)- Pragma System USA (physical therapy)- Rezilient (supplement)- Team Me (coaching & communication training)- Yuka (app)PEOPLE - Bill Gates- Duncan Trussell- Hazel SzetoPROJECTS - Hallmarks of Aging- Norman- Shelley- SophiaTV & DOCUMENTARIES - Inside Bill's Brain- The Midnight Gospel--LEARN MORE & CONNECT--  website: icacares.com

Loretta Breuning returns, with her new book - Why You're Unhappy: Biology vs Politics. In this episode, we discuss that book - debunking various myths about happiness and teaching you how to surf the continuous waves of unhappiness. Take back control over your brain by taking small repeated steps toward goals that fulfill your biological and existential needs. Stop waiting for, chasing, or expecting a constant high. That is the recipe for a life of cortisol, disappointment, and disaster. Your mind is not broken. Society is not broken. It's time to see through the lies of "Science" and politics and embrace the dark yet navigable realities of human biology. Yes, you are unhappy. And that's okay. We are biologically wired to be unhappy. That's simply part of the package of being a big-brained mammal. But with Loretta's new book and this conversation, you can begin to change your expectations, beliefs, and actions, thereby smoothing out your ride down the rocky roads of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and cortisol.   We also discuss: Loretta's trip to Japan (our fun hangout together!), her childhood circuits, mindfulness & meditation, Stoicism, eating behavior, habit change, dating & relationships, connection vs. independence, academia, "happy" countries, naked Tahitian girls, cocky poodles, and your inner fish and reptile.**CONNECT WITH LORETTA BREUNING**       website: innermammalinstitute.orgRESOURCESBOOKS- I, Mammal by Loretta Breuning- Status Games by Loretta Breuning - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn  - Why You're Unhappy by Loretta Breuning - Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin DOCUMENTARIES - Chimp Empire- My Octopus TeacherPEOPLE  - Flint the Chimp (*personhood status questionable) -  James Altucher  - Jane Goodall- Jean-Jacques Rousseau- Joe Rogan- Max Planck (he's the one who said, "Science proceeds one funeral at a time.")- Thomas Kuhn**Learn more or connect**  website: innermammalinstitute.org    (scroll to the bottom of the page for your FREE '5-Day Happy Chemical Jumpstart') course: innermammalinstitute.org/course       (use discount code HAPPY20 for 20% off) podcast: The Happy Brain   (her interview with me: 'Learning a Foreign Language' (Oct 2023))

This is an interview with Glenn S. Cohen, the author of Neurological Intelligence: Volumes 1 and 2. Join us on a wild ride through Glenn's neurological life, as he shares various tools and techniques that have helped him and can help you too. We all have wounds from our past, inner children trapped in time, and destructive habits and thought patterns that we'd like to replace.  The tools we focus on in this episode fall primarily under the category of: visualizations & meditations that engage our various senses.  By deliberately and strategically tapping into our memories of sensory data (e.g. sight, sound, and touch), using metaphors and movie-like sequences, spicing it up with humor and goofiness, and repeating and repeating, we can find and fix various patterns in our body and brain. This can revolutionize our relationships both in our inner and outer worlds. We can learn to be less reactive, more calm, and more neurologically free. We also talk about body-based tools such as breath and movement (e.g. shaking), as well as combining them with visualization exercises (e.g. the 4-7-8 "John Coffey exercise") and with our love partner (e.g. the "mindful discussion technique"). We also discuss psychedelics (such as Ayahuasca), alcohol, IFS, NLP, attachment theory, brain waves, journaling, and comedy.Still, we will never be perfect. And this hero's journey deep into the nervous system can be dark, scary, and uncomfortable. It also requires you to temporarily let go of logic, rationality, predictability and let the wild unconscious mind roam free. That's how you will find your paths toward truth, freedom, and health. *CONNECT W/ GLENN S. COHEN*website: www.centerforni.comRESOURCESBOOKS - Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - Neurological Intelligence: Volume 1 by Glenn S. Cohen- Neurological Intelligence: Volume 2 by Glenn S. CohenEXPERIENCES - ManKind Project: New Warrior Training Adventure - Rythmia - Sedona Soul AdventuresMOVIES & TV - The Green Mile- Tom and JerryPEOPLE - Andrew Huberman - Carl Jung- Dale Carnegie- Daniel Goleman - James Pennebaker - Joseph Campbell - Oliver Wendel Holmes - Richard Schwartz- Steven Pressfield- Tony RobbinsLearn more at: centerforni.com

This is an interview with ADHD coach Tony Coward. We talk about how to navigate life with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) - from the fear, frustration, perfectionism, distraction, hyperarousal, and feeling of "not enoughness," to the boundless imagination, creativity, excitement, and out-of-the-box thinking that, if properly harnessed, can lead to immense levels of success and happiness. We discuss various tools and techniques for finding and focusing on your passion, managing your time and tasks and environment, collaborating with others, visualizing and breaking your goals down into tiny steps, getting feedback, receiving validation, celebrating your wins, and keep diving into your zone of brilliance. Learn to take all those new possibilities trapped in your inner world and passionately unleash them out into reality. ADHD can be a frustrating journey, but Tony Coward is here to help you manage your ADHD so that you can finally become the great person that deep inside you know you are.  With ADHD comes great creative and entrepreneurial potential. Let's learn how to tap into it. It is too sad and beautiful to waste. After listening to this episode, you might find that ADHD can become your new best ally in art, business, and life. Listen in to find out how.**CONNECT WITH TONY COWARD**LinkedIn: /tonycowardcoachwebsite: www.nomadd.coachADDITIONAL RESOURCES ABOUT ADHD:- ADDITUDE Magazine: www.additudemag.com- How to ADHD (YouTube channel): @HowtoADHD

Michael Allison is an educator and coach who uses polyvagal theory to help athletes optimize their resilience, performance, and overall nervous system. In this episode, we talk about the neurophysiology of safety, danger, connection, competition, and play. Learn to "meet your body where it is" and use play as a way to regulate your nervous system, connect with others, and improve almost every area of your life.  We also talk about how play improves creativity, learning, relationships, health, performance, and so much more.We discuss tools for both calming down and for leveraging that mobilized energy in a safe, social, and connected way by entering the "play zone." The basic tools include: breath, sound, posture, voice, eyes, facial expression, etc. The real powerful ones are things like: singing, dancing, acting, improv, and sports.The ultimate goal is to develop safe, playful, and trusting relationships with our own body and each other. Find your trusted teammate(s) by playing together.**CONNECT WITH MICHAEL ALLISON**    website: theplayzone.comRESOURCESPolyvagal Institute's website: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/What is Polyvagal Theory? https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory Michael Allison's courses with Polyvagal Institute:Play Zone Pro: A Polyvagal-Informed Certificate for Wellness & Performance CoachesThe Play Zone: A Neurophysiological Approach to Our Highest Performance

Nathalie Giraud Desforges is a sex, couples, and IFS therapist. We talk about how to use tantra to connect with our body, mind, multiple selves, nature, and each other. Concepts from Internal Family Systems (IFS) weave through the conversation. Learn to be kind and compassionate to both the "good" and "bad" parts and people in both your inner and outer world. Get jiggy with yourself and each other, in a never-ending orgasm that permeates your entire life and being. Blast love through your heart, into everything that you are. You will learn how to have longer-lasting, more pleasurable, connected, satisfying sex. You will learn how to flap your perineum's beautiful butterfly wings and how to feel as powerful, light, and free as that butterfly.  The past will become less of a burden as your inner children reunite and inner villains find a friend. You will feel more alive and aware, as your hidden sensations, selves, thoughts, feelings, and memories slowly reawaken. Energy will flow, opening you up and reconnecting you to yourself, the world, and other people.**CONNECT WITH NATHALIE**website: www.nathalie-giraud.frInstagram: @nathalie_giraudTed Talk (in French): www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQn0A4rGY1YWe also talk a little about hypnosis. If you want to try to the Reveri app by David Spiegel that I mentioned, you can learn more about it here: www.reveri.com.I've also found The Hypnotist podcast by Adam Cox to be quite useful (though this wasn't specifically mentioned in this episode).If you would like to join one of Nathalie's tantric seminars or receive a private consulting (online) *offered in both English and French*, you can find more information about that on her website. 

Faye Sahai is the managing director at Telosity Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in digital wellness and mental health startups. In this interview, you will learn all about current trends in mental health and the some of the latest technologies and solutions striving to improve it. We discuss this from various angles: cultural factors, human connection, trust, autonomy, agency, personalization, etc. We also talk about the causes of the rise in mental health disorders (especially in youth), the role of technology (such as smartphones, social media, sensors, data, VR, and AI), assessment tools, environment, nutrition, behavior, and more. For those of you interested in creating or investing in mental health startups, you will also get advice on how to build or identify a great company. As a teaser, some of the things we touch on include: user engagement, determining how well the product/service truly helps people, and diversity. This is also a nice chance to get to know Faye's story - her upbringing, career journey, motivations, memories, pains, sensitivities, influences, family, hopes, and beyond. We delve into some darker topics such as suicide, depression, dementia, and social isolation. But there is light at the end of this conversational tunnel. **CONNECT & LEARN MORE** website: telosity.coLinkedIn: /telosity-coTelosity Report (Market Guide): telosity.co/mkt-guideRESOURCESCOMPANIES- Daybreak Health - Flipd - Ksana Health- Manatee- Maslo- MindRight Health - NeolthPEOPLE- Andrew Huberman- David Eagleman- David and Jan Baszucki- Dylan FoxPODCASTS- Huberman Lab- Inner Cosmos with David EaglemanTELEVISION- Alive Inside (documentary) - It's Okay to Not Be Okay (TV series)- The Brain with David Eagleman (documentary series) **CONNECT & LEARN MORE** website: telosity.coLinkedIn: /telosity-coTelosity Report (Market Guide): telosity.co/mkt-guide

This is an episode about finding balance between our two main modes of perception: interoception (the inner world) and exteroception (the outer world). Sometimes we get stuck too far in one direction, either internally within our body-mind or externally out there in the world of other objects and things. We are always dancing between these two realities, struggling to keep our balance with a foot in each world. Often, we pull both feet into one extreme - perceiving too much of the inside and not enough outside, or vice versa. Today, let's talk about how to fine tune that dance, how to build ourselves a home between both worlds, so that we can feel happy and alive both on the inside and the outside. We also discuss various tools for altering our balance between interoception and exteroception, including: our visual environment, visual exercises, clothing, breathing, food, and more.Compliments of suno.ai for the semi-sweet song at the end.

Michael Morin Nissen is a psychologist, body-oriented psychotherapist, and TRE trainer. In this episode, we talk about various trauma therapies such as Tension and Trauma Release Exercises (TRE), bioenergetics, and body-oriented psychotherapy.  We discuss the history behind such therapies as well as how they can be used to help people with, for example, multiple sclerosis (MS), depression, or childhood trauma. The conversation largely centers around the role of the eyes and face in understanding and releasing such trauma. By the end of the episode, you will have a greater understanding of trauma as a whole-body phenomenon, TRE and other therapies, and the connection between trauma and the eyes. This will hopefully help you better understand your own bodily, facial, and ocular habits, and how to return your nervous system to a safe and regulated state. **Connect with Michael Morin Nissen** website: www.morin-nissen.com LinkedIn: /michael-morin-nissen-0b6a90114 YouTube: @tredanmark8689RESOURCES PEOPLE - Alexander Lowen- Bruno Adler - David Berceli- Sigmund Freud- Stephen Porges- Wilhelm Reich - Will DavisTHERAPIES - bioenergetics- body-oriented psychotherapy- brainspotting- EMDR- Emotional Core Perception (ECP)- functional analysis - grounding- Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) CONNECT WITH MICHAEL: website: www.morin-nissen.comLinkedIn: /michael-morin-nissen-0b6a90114YouTube: @tredanmark8689