The brain is the command center of our body. It controls our organs, personality and moods. As a therapist with a physical condition, I realized I had to examine not just behavior or past experiences for core issues, but also nutrition, addictions and environments as causes for depression or other mental disorders. These conditions, I am learning, can directly influence the physical brain which indirectly affects mental activity and clarity. Brain cells, neurotransmitters, oxygen and blood flow can be affected by healthy choices we make in our daily lives.

For example, I found out through discussion that one client with ET was drinking Cokes about three times a day. The caffeine made it very difficult for the client to eat or write. Off of the caffeine and with some positive thinking and self-acceptance exercises, the ET improved, influencing clarity of thought and brain function.
A young man with ET was given Lithium for bi-polar disorder. He was misdiagnosed with a mental condition because of his anger about having ET and the bullying in school. He was also eating lots of meat and experienced constipation, which has a direct effect on the brain. His behavior looked like bi-polar symptoms. I suggested his parents take him off the Lithium, change his eating habits to more fruits and vegetables and enroll him in a private school. They were considering putting him up for adoption, but as he made the changes he became a pleasant person to live with.

Dr. Daniel Amen is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist who recently appeared on PBS and has written the New York Times Bestseller Use Your Brain to Change Your Age. His world-famous Amen Clinics provide SPECT brain scans before treating the patients. As a speaker, Dr. Amen teaches how food is medicine and is used by the brain, especially anti-oxidants which prevent aging, how caffeine, drugs and alcohol affect brain function and behavior, and how the brain gets smaller when we are overweight, causing depression and poor decisions. He also explains how to improve brain health by exercising, getting enough sleep and choosing friends wisely. The supplements he recommends in his book are Vitamin B’s and D, Omega 3 (fish oil), Gingko, and CoQ10. The condition of the brain affects every aspect of our lives.

Since ET is centered in the hypothalamus of the brain, it makes sense to me that care of the brain would be important for improvement and healing of Essential Tremor symptoms. I have found that a support group, proper nutrition (plenty of water, anti-oxidant foods, raw fruits and veggies) and supplements, 8 to 9 hours of sleep, moderate exercise, natural organ cleansing, brain games, positive affirmations, and loving environments are key to good brain health. Thinking becomes sharper, clearer, lighter, happier and more spiritual as we practice healthy habits.