How New Fibromyalgia Treatment Options Can Improve Quality of Life
How New Fibromyalgia Treatment Options Can Improve Quality of Life
Fibromyalgia is a very real condition, though it’s not uncommon for people who have it to experience misdiagnosis, feel misunderstood by their care providers, or receive ineffective treatment. This experience can be incredibly frustrating for those seeking relief from their symptoms.
Fortunately, new research offers access to revolutionary treatments that can better address fibromyalgia symptoms. Despite what some doctors believe, studies confirm that the experience of fibromyalgia patients is not “just in their heads.”
Now, new fibromyalgia treatment options can take a more targeted, holistic path.
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a persistent, chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and impacts on cognitive function. There’s no singular cause of this condition. However, research indicates it is often “triggered or aggravated by multiple physical and/or emotional stressors,” including:
- Viral infection
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- History of severe emotional stress
- Ongoing severe emotional stress
- Traumatic events
Despite its prevalence, finding a physician who truly understands the condition and can take proper measures to help you find relief can be exasperating and exhausting.
Traditional Treatments for Fibromyalgia
When managing fibromyalgia symptoms, the following treatment options are typically the first course of action to help people take control of their well-being. The treatments outlined are proactive and reactive measures that may provide some relief for fibromyalgia symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle modifications may improve some fibromyalgia symptoms. These modifications can reduce the impact of symptoms like fatigue, low energy, poor sleep quality, and mood. Lifestyle changes often include establishing and practicing good sleep routines and eating a well-balanced diet.
Physical Therapy
Individuals living with fibromyalgia may experience chronic discomfort and ongoing, widespread pain. These symptoms can contribute to stiffness, soreness, and tension, among other bodily issues. Physical therapy can help reduce pain, using customized exercise programmes to improve flexibility, strength, and endurance. Exercise can increase mobility and enhance general feelings of well-being.
Medications
Physicians sometimes prescribe medications to treat pain, improve sleep quality, or help regulate the psychological symptoms involved in the condition. Several medications, both over-the-counter and prescriptions, can play a role in managing fibromyalgia symptoms. Among those commonly used are:
- Pain relievers
- Antidepressants
- Anticonvulsants
Therapy or Counseling
Fibromyalgia brings new challenges that can be difficult to process. Professional emotional support can enhance your emotional well-being and help you cultivate a positive outlook on life, even in the face of chronic symptoms. Working with a compassionate therapist or counselor can go a long way toward developing helpful coping strategies and stress management skills.
New Fibromyalgia Treatments
Traditional treatments can do a lot to relieve day-to-day fibromyalgia symptoms. However, more advanced, comprehensive solutions go beyond addressing the surface-level effects of the condition.
New fibromyalgia treatment solutions go deeper to provide long-lasting relief and empowerment to those dealing with symptoms. These therapies look at the underlying mechanisms associated with how the condition manifests.
Stress Management Activities
Recent research has shown that the condition has a psychiatric element and that exposure to psychosocial stressors may “contribute to dysfunctional pain processing.” Because abnormal pain perception can be exacerbated by stress, the following Stress management strategies like the following can be powerful ways to address fibromyalgia symptoms:
- Meditation
- Deep breathing
- Enjoyable hobbies
- Massage
- Yoga and tai chi
It’s critical to note that people can have a range of experiences with stress. In one study, 75% of participants engaging in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practice reported “experiencing a reduction in symptom severity.” In other studies, there’s “no evidence that mindfulness had an effect on other variables, such as positive mood, attention, sleep.”
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Another new treatment for fibromyalgia has promising results, as published in peer-reviewed studies. These trials indicate that a unique, evidence-based hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol (involving breathing fluctuating levels of pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber) can increase oxygen levels in the body’s tissues and trigger the body’s natural self-healing mechanisms.
The HBOT process helps promote tissue healing, reduce inflammation, and enhance brain and body performance. This treatment provides the following support:
- Less fatigue
- Reduced brain fob
- Decreased pain
- Boosted energy level
- Improved cognitive function
- Increased brain connectivity
- Improved sleep quality
Watch Aysha’s Inspiring story of her transformative treatment for Fibromyalgia:
Restoring Hope with a Groundbreaking Fibromyalgia Treatment at The Brain & Performance Centre
HBOT treatment is non-invasive, targeting the regions of the brain and body responsible for pain sensation and tolerance to enhance feelings of well-being. The HBOT protocol used in the aforementioned studies is the same protocol employed in the state-of-the-art hyperbaric suites at The Brain & Performance Centre. For Patty, this solution was life-changing.
“By halfway through, I didn’t have the pain or the aches anymore…I didn’t feel like I had the fatigue. I had so much energy. I have a clear brain now… I just feel like I have a whole new brain.” — Patty, Fibromyalgia client.
Future Outlook and Potential Impact on Fibromyalgia Patients
As new fibromyalgia treatment options continue to offer a greater understanding of the condition and better results, the outlook is increasingly promising. If you’re dealing with the effects of fibromyalgia, there is hope for a reduction in symptoms.
Since fibromyalgia symptoms can vary from person to person, a targeted, personalized programme that addresses the underlying mechanisms of the condition is key to more comprehensive, effective management. At The Brain & Performance Centre, each prospective client receives a personalized treatment programme, based on the clients’ individual needs and health concerns, and the results of a comprehensive physical, medical, and cognitive assessment.
The Brain & Performance Centre is a holistic treatment plan that can include the following:
- Cognitive training
- Dietary coaching
- Physical performance training
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
There is renewed hope as we make new strides toward understanding fibromyalgia.
Advancements in medical science have paved the way for new fibromyalgia treatment options designed to alleviate symptoms and empower individuals to reclaim their quality of life. Taking a multi-dimensional approach, the team at The Brain & Performance Centre improves outcomes for people with fibromyalgia.
We strive to make a significant difference in fibromyalgia symptoms so those living with the condition can experience relief and take charge of their quality of life.
You don’t have to suffer alone, feeling misunderstood and misdiagnosed.
We can help you achieve real relief.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy’s Impact on Stroke Treatment
Last Update: December 5, 2024
You deserve to achieve your goals and live a happy and fulfilling life. But when a stroke happens and your life changes, your plans do too… the road to post-stroke recovery can feel impossibly hard.
Rest assured that all is not lost. The Brain & Performance Centre, a DP World company, uses advanced tools and therapies for stroke rehabilitation and research-backed processes that unlock your mind and body’s natural self-healing mechanisms.
Learn all about The Brain & Performance Centre which includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy for stroke patients, so you can regain physical vibrancy and emotional well-being.
“There’s a growing body of medical research that shows hyperbaric medicine can help with the rehabilitation of people suffering from stroke.” – Dr. Semer Wang, Medical Director of The Brain & Performance Centre.
What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
In hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), patients breathe 100% pure medical-grade oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Paired with oxygen fluctuations, this process boosts oxygen levels in the body up to 10 times higher than normal and helps unlock the body’s self-healing capabilities.
Who Can Try HBOT for Stroke Relief?
Don’t let the idea that the brain has a limited window for improvement stop you from getting the help you need. Stroke survivors at any stage in their recovery can seek treatment with HBOT and other complementary therapies.
While many HBOT studies were conducted on people who had their stroke incident within a three-year timeframe, Dr. Efrati has seen similar improvement in patients whose brain injuries occurred up to 20 years before.
Please understand that not everyone is a candidate for The Brain & Performance Centre. Our rigorous assessment process ensures we select the clients who can benefit from the programme. Speak with a Brain & Performance Centre team member to learn if you’re a candidate for our programme.
How Does The Brain & Performance Centre’s Unique HBOT Protocol for Stroke Work?
When a stroke occurs, some brain tissue dies while other tissue is damaged. HBOT can help trigger the body to self-repair the damaged brain tissue and improve cognitive function after a stroke.
As part of the The Brain & Performance Centre, we follow a unique, highly specialized HBOT protocol for stroke that differs from other types of oxygen therapy. We focus on providing a personalized care programme aligned with your needs and goals.
Here’s how our process works:
- The Brain & Performance Centre uses multiplace oxygen chambers—large treatment suites fitting up to 14 people—rather than small, confining, one-person HBOT chambers.
- Clients breathe 100% pure oxygen through a mask in a pressurized environment. This process increases the blood oxygen concentration to help deliver oxygen to the cells that need it.
- Patients follow a specific Brain & Performance Centre protocol where they breathe 100% oxygen with frequent breaks to breathe normal air, which the body then perceives as the trigger for self regeneration. This repeated fluctuation triggers the body into cell repair and regeneration mode.
Cindy Parsons Finds Hope 4 Years After Her Stroke Incident
For Cindy, simple capabilities like combing her hair, driving, and walking unassisted were suddenly stripped away by a stroke. She had been told not to expect more improvement after six months of recovery. Cindy sought the help of The Brain & Performance protocol, and during her assessment, brain scans indicated brain tissue could still be revived.
- 60 daily HBOT sessions
- Cognitive training
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Strength training
- A specialized diet plan
Upon the conclusion of the treatment plan, Cindy can now drive herself, walk without a cane, and talk clearly—activities she thought she would never be able to do again.
Cindy’s post-treatment clinical results show numerous improvements in the following ways:
- Skeletal muscle mass increased.
- Muscular strength improved.
- Fall risk dropped.
- Gait speed and quality improved.
- Nonverbal memory increased.
- Information processing speed climbed.
- Motor planning improved.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Stroke Patients: Clear, Proven Research
Recent clinical studies at The Sagol Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research have evaluated the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for stroke patients.
The centre’s studies show the powerful potential of HBOT as it:
- Triggers neuroplasticity—when healthy parts of the brain “rewire” to assist injured parts of the brain.
- Encourages neurogenesis—the creation of new nerve cells.
- Creates new blood vessels for higher blood flow and oxygenation of tissue.
- Increases neurocognitive abilities in post-stroke patients.
An Evidence-Based Treatment Protocol
Numerous studies continue to show the unique HBOT protocol—available only at The Brain & Performance Centre—makes significant stroke-recovery improvements in people even years after the stroke event.
Well let these research findings and case studies speak for themselves:
- “The results indicate that HBOT can lead to significant neurological improvements in post stroke patients even at chronic late stages.” –Dr. Shai Efrati, Founder and Director of The Sagol Centre
- “The results illustrate the potential of [HBOT] for improving memory impairments in post-stroke patients, even years after the acute event.” – Dr. Shai Efrati
How Can The Brain & Performance Centre Help with Stroke Relief?
Our programme is founded on Dr. Efrati’s research. Regaining functions and abilities more than six months post stroke requires working with a diverse medical team of physicians, nurses, and therapists. The Brain & Performance Centre maximizes the expertise of this comprehensive team to offer a high-quality programme that meets your needs.
The Brain & Performance Centre can combine the following elements in a customized programme to help treat the body and brain after a stroke:
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
- Cognitive training
- Physical training and therapy
- Dietary coaching
How It Works: A 3-Step Process
The Brain & Performance Centres’ approach entails a three-step process:
- In-depth Medical Assessment: Our assessment process identifies how much of your brain tissue died from the stroke and how much of it is merely injured—these are areas we want to focus on to help regain your capabilities. We use the most advanced brain imaging tests (e.g., MRI and SPECT) suited to your needs. The Brain & Performance Centre team also conducts physical, cognitive, and neurological tests to evaluate your function in these areas and establish a baseline.
- Tailored Programme: We use your results to develop a personalized therapy plan. This plan can include cognitive and physical training, dietary coaching, and HBOT sessions. A dedicated medical team will walk you through your therapy plan to maximize your body’s healing process.
- Post-assessment and Evaluation – Measurable Results: After your The Brain & Performance Centre treatments, you’ll receive a detailed report of your results, including any cognitive and physical changes. We repeat the tests from the initial assessment to measure your improvement and make recommendations for ongoing progress.
What Benefits Can Stroke Survivors Achieve with HBOT?
When combined with personalized cognitive, physical, and nutritional therapies, HBOT as a part of your stroke regimen may produce impressive outcomes, even years after a stroke, including the following results:
- Improved speech and ability to read/write
- Restored motor function, even with paresis
- Return to independence in performing many daily activities
Many of our clients report the most significant benefit is simply not being “a burden” on their loved ones.
Here’s how our programme can impact the brain, body, and cells even years after a stroke.
Benefits for your brain*:
- Rehabilitation of injured brain tissue, restoring some impacted functions
- Increased blood flow in the parts of the brain that may have reduced blood flow due to the stroke
- New stem cells and blood vessels in the brain (angiogenesis)
- Improved psychomotor function (the combination of precise motor responses and cognitive problem-solving abilities)
- Triggered neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt/react in response to injury or disease) in injured parts of the brain
- Triggered neurogenesis (neuronal or nerve cell) regeneration that occurs in the brain.
- Improved overall quality of life
Benefits for your body*:
- Better physical performance: mobility, fitness, strength, coordination, balance, gait
- Improved NIHSS (neurological motor function score), ADL (activities of daily living score), and EQ-5D (quality of life score)
- Boosted power and stamina
- Reduced pain (strong anti-inflammatory effect)
- Improved sleep quality
Benefits for your cells*:
- Strengthened immune system
- Increase in stem cells (the building blocks of tissue rejuvenation) to multiply and migrate
- Quantitative and qualitative improvement in mitochondrial biogenesis (the power centre of the cell)
*Individual patient results may vary.
Speak with a member of The Brain & Performance Centre team member to learn if you’re a candidate for our programme.
The Key to Healthy Aging: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy vs Stem Cell Therapy
The transitional time we all experience after retirement age can feel tough, scary, depressing, and isolating. We begin to miss the “good old days” when performing at our peak was easy and rewarding. But please know that there is hope.
Science has advanced so much over the past decade and has delivered some promising therapies. Two of them have been gaining notable attention: stem cell therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). You may not be very familiar with either one, but they have enhanced human biology over the years.
Stem cells are one of the most important and impressive parts of the body. Every organ requires them to maintain optimal function and performance. To keep your body functioning, stem cells self-replicate, having “the remarkable potential to renew themselves” although they do so at a much higher rate when you’re young. As you age, stem cells have “restricted self-renewal potential” and gradually lose their self-renewal capabilities.
However, there’s a way to organically increase the number of stem cells in your body for the purpose of healing and healthy aging. We’re not talking about a beauty regime that involves injecting stem cells into body parts for a more youthful appearance. We are talking about something far more effective at reverse aging—using a scientifically-backed hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol to nurture your body’s own stem cell reproduction in your brain.
There’s no question — everyone can benefit from having their brain grow more stem cells. This guide lays out all the key facts on how to trigger your body to reproduce its own stem cells in Dubai. The Brain & Performance Centre, a DP World Company, walks you through the key details.
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are the body’s internal repair system. When our cells go through normal wear and tear, injuries, or diseases, stem cells develop replacements for lost or damaged cells.
The incredible thing is that stem cells are like 3D printers of the body—they can develop into almost any type of cell in the body, from muscle to brain, and can repair and “recreate functional tissues.”
Our body is like a machine. In the beginning, when we are young, our machine works well—we have numerous stem cells. But as we age, the ability to do this starts to decline: Stem cells’ “renewal ability deteriorates and their ability to differentiate into the various cell types is altered.”
“As the amount and potency of stem cells start to decline…we start to lose tissue. This is what we call aging.” – Dr. Shai Efrati, MD, Director of Sagol Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research.
Given the powerful abilities of stem cells, researchers have studied them for decades to discover therapies for aging-associated disorders.
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Stem cell therapy renews damaged organs, tissues, or bodily functions. It’s an invasive therapy that physicians administer through:
- Injecting stem cells into the bloodstream
- Directly injecting healthy stem cells into a specific area of the body (e.g., the knee)
- Engraftment—when transplanted stem cells grow in the body and reproduce healthy blood cells
Uses of Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell infusions and transplants are used for repairing cells damaged by chemotherapy or certain types of disease. Examples of these conditions include Leukemia and radiation injury.
Because of the“plasticity [and] self-renewal” abilities in stem cells, researchers note stem cell therapy “could delay or even reverse aging.” However, more studies need to be done to discover a specific stem cell treatment for reverse aging.
Limitations and Dangers of Stem Cell Therapy
Though stem cell therapy has made a lot of progress in health and wellness, there are limitations and potential risks to keep in mind:
- First and foremost, quality evidence is limited for the clinical improvements of stem cells therapy for most possible applications on humans.
- Currently, it is not possible to generate stem cells in large quantities. There isn’t a solution available to “generate large quantities of stem cells” in a laboratory. This makes stem cells difficult to obtain and purify.
- Stem cell therapy is limited to certain conditions.
- Stem cells therapy is an invasive procedure and therefore harbors the hazards of any invasive therapy, such as infections and the risk of significant local and system reactions, which could pose a significant health risk to the recipient.
While stem cell therapy has made its presence in Dubai, it is still very much in the research phase, which does limit its use as an effective therapy for age reversal.
Is HBOT Stem Cell Therapy?
Many people ask this question, but no. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is not stem cell therapy. Rather, HBOT is a method that triggers your body to multiply its own stem cells organically.
Here’s how that works:
- Oxygen is your brain’s superpower. Every bodily function depends on it, including the reproduction of stem cells.
- As we age, our bodies are less efficient at channeling oxygen to the areas we need it most (e.g., brain tissue). This is why we “slow down” over time, both mentally and physically. We’ve come to accept this as the norm and assume there’s nothing to be done about it.
Luckily, science says otherwise.
Nobel Prize-winning research reports that hypoxia is a strong stimulator for triggering stem cell proliferation and regeneration processes. These stem cells can enable our brains and bodies to regain their peak performance levels.
The The Brain & Performance Centre treatment protocol utilizes the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox in order to gain the benefits of hypoxia without having to expose patients to a true lack of oxygen and the risks involved.
Uses of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
People have historically used hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat a variety of conditions that involve oxygen-starved tissue. These include:
- Wound healing
- Delayed radiation injuries
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
The promising results of HBOT have prompted many physicians and scientists to dive further into research to identify possible impacts the therapy has on reverse aging and other health areas.
Landmark Research on a Hyperbaric Oxygen Unique Protocol
Founded on decades of research, it’s proven that unique hyperbaric oxygen fluctuations encourage the body to multiply its own stem cells. This specific protocol targets various health and wellness areas, such as:
- Reverse aging: Landmark research shows success using HBOT for reverse aging. Now, many doctors refer to HBOT as the scientific “Holy Grail.” The therapy has helped many individuals improve their cognitive and physical performance.
- Post-stroke rehabilitation: HBOT helps restore function of injured brain tissue in survivors.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Studies illustrate HBOT can “induce neuroplasticity”—the brain’s ability to change and adapt. This potential can help repair damaged brain functions for those suffering from challenges after traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
Limitations and Dangers of HBOT
- Not all HBOT administration is the same across clinics. Some use monoplace oxygen chambers, while others use multiplace chambers. Also, the way oxygen is administered is different across clinics as well. For example, most clinics administer oxygen at a steady level rather than use the oxygen fluctuations required to gain the benefits (based on Nobel-prize winning research).
- HBOT is an elective treatment. HBOT in the context of Healthy Aging is not covered by insurance.
- Potential side effects due to pressure changes may include ear and sinus discomfort. For some chronic conditions, special considerations may be needed.
The Brain & Performance Centre’s Role in Stem Cell Proliferation
The Brain & Performance Centre prescribes HBOT to activate the body’s regeneration mechanisms — this helps regenerate more stem cells.
Stem cell growth in your brain helps:
- Grow new brain matter, increasing both the quantity and quality of healthy cells.
- Produce neuroplasticity, improving the quality of nerve fibers in the brain and other organs in the body.
- Boost your body’s own ability to heal wounds, including injured tissues resulting from a stroke or traumatic brain event.
These three developments ultimately drive new blood vessels to form, help restore injured tissues, and improve wound healing throughout the body.
Imagine your aging body feeling far better than it did years ago. Achieving higher cognition levels, improving athletic performance, and finally finding relief from conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, post-concussion syndrome, fibromyalgia and stroke is part of the programme.
How Does it Work?
- You enter a technically-advanced room known as an Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBOT) suite and put on a mask to breathe 100% pure oxygen that is pressurized to above atmospheric levels. This increases oxygen levels in the body up to 20 times higher than normal, sending the boosted oxygen to deprived tissues in the brain and throughout the body.
- The Brain & Performance Centre health professionals fluctuate the oxygen levels. These fluctuations trigger stem cells to multiply and new blood vessels to develop. While other clinics typically focus on injecting the body with types of stem cells, The Brain & Performance Centre’s unique protocol fuels the body to reproduce stem cells organically.
- Alongside other cognitive, physical, and nutritional training you undergo as a Brain & Performance Centre client, you’ll see significant improvements in your mental and physical performance. Your body’s natural healing and regeneration process will be turbocharged.
You’ll walk into the The Brain & Performance Centre curious and perhaps a little apprehensive. You’ll leave confident and ready to live life to the fullest — no matter your age. Your work, physical activity, and emotional connection with those you love will come easier than it has in years.
Why Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at The Brain & Performance Centre May Be a Better Alternative to Stem Cell Therapy
HBOT offers a safer, scientifically backed and a much more reliable approach to improving cognitive and physical performance (reverse aging), post-stroke rehabilitation, and traumatic brain injury.
Again, stem cell therapy currently does not have enough high quality data to know if it is an effective reverse aging treatment.
While stem cell therapy is invasive, HBOT is non-invasive, which means that there is no risk of acquiring infections or other side effects associated with invasive procedures. Individuals breathe in 100% oxygen, usually through a mask, and HBOT triggers the proliferation of your own stem cells.
The natural approach HBOT takes is why so many people have been able to experience long-term, systemic improvements throughout the entire human body. HBOT targets both the brain and body to improve the aging process and quality of life.
To explain further:
- Stem cell therapy is an invasive therapy (stem cells are injected into the body). HBOT is non-invasive. The Brain & Performance Centre’s HBOT process is administered via an oxygen mask in a first class multi-person suite, and the oxygen fluctuations trigger the body’s ability to naturally proliferate its own stem cells.
- The Brain & Performance Centres’ HBOT protocol is founded on decades of research and offers a holistic therapeutic approach to target the brain and body, enhancing overall human performance and aging. As far as stem cell therapy is concerned, high quality data is still not sufficient to fully understand the relevance of this treatment.
- While the success of stem cell therapy relies on stem cell sources and availability, HBOT at The Brain & Performance Centre relies on the body’s natural ability to repair damaged cells. This offers a safer and more reliable option to boost performance and limit aging in the long run.
- HBOT at The Brain & Performance Centre is based on peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Learn more about the science of hyperbaric oxygen therapy
3 Conditions The Brain & Performance Centre Can Help Treat with Natural Stem Cell Proliferation
Many systems and functions in the brain and body can be improved when HBOT fluctuations trigger the body’s own ability to proliferate stem cells organically in the brain and other organs. Now we’ll touch on some of the conditions we help treat here in Dubai.
1. Anti-Aging
Landmark research shows it’s possible to use HBOT for reverse aging at the basic cellular-biological level. Now doctors use HBOT as the scientific “Holy Grail.”
Watch how Dr. Joe Maroon, Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, saw significant results in his physical and cognitive performance after HBOT.
2. Stroke
When a stroke occurs, part of the brain is cut off from its blood supply and oxygen. That’s when cells begin to die.
Up to 50% of post-stroke survivors suffer from motor dysfunction (balance, hand control, etc.) and/or brain impairment (memory loss, inability to focus or reason, etc.).
Fortunately, there is hope for stroke recovery with stem cell production using HBOT and other cognitive and physical therapies. This holistic treatment plan rejuvenates injured brain tissue and helps to restore function.
Watch the story of Keren Trabelsi (mother and business owner) on how getting treated at The Brain & Performance Centre after suffering a stroke accelerated the recovery of her physical and cognitive abilities.
3. Brain Injury
Whether you’ve suffered from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or know a loved one who has, you know how devastating the effects can be. The damage TBI can cause includes restricted blood flow to brain regions and impaired brain tissueA.
Studies illustrate HBOT can induce neuroplasticity in the brain and repair damaged brain functions, ultimately “improving brain function and quality of life.”
Watch Linden Perry’s story about using HBOT stem cell production for a brain injury to heal her lingering health conditions after sustaining a concussion as a goalkeeper on her soccer team.
Enhance Your Quality of Life with The Brain & Performance Centre, a DP World Company
The Brain & Performance Centre, a DP World Company is a leader in enhancing physical and cognitive performance for the long term. We utilize highly-advanced HBOT protocols to help your body organically reproduce its own stem cells.
Whether you want to climb a mountain or simply get on the floor to play with your grandchildren, maintain the ability to perform complex work or have more connecting conversations with your loved ones, there’s help for you here. Be a part of this advanced scientific breakthrough for healing the mind and body from aging, stroke, and brain injury.
For a complete assessment to see if you are qualified for our treatment programme of proliferating stem cells in Dubai, contact us today.
Schedule a Consultation to Learn More About The Brain & Performance Centre
The unique HBOT protocol at The Brain & Performance Centre is founded on decades of research. If you’re looking to reverse your biological age and naturally proliferate your body’s stem cells, the Dubai team is on your side. Schedule a consultation with The Brain & Performance Centre to satisfy your curiosity about how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can benefit you!
5 Ways to Maintain Healthy Cognitive Ability as You Age
You want to stay sharp as you get older, we get it. Everyone hopes to age gracefully and enjoy their golden years full of new experiences and good memories. But as you know, this doesn’t always happen. Some people, as they grow in years, lose mental clarity and ability. Often this happens so gradually that it’s like watching hair grow—a loss of cognitive ability isn’t even noticed until it’s too late to do much about it.
But don’t worry, there is plenty of good news.
There are scientific, practical ways to help you maintain optimal brain health as you get older. As a health and industry leader in cognitive and physical performance, The Brain & Performance Centre provides valuable, research-backed information to help you control your cognitive ability long into your twilight years.
5 Categories of Cognitive Skills You Want to Maintain
When we talk about cognitive ability, what we’re referring to is a set of seven skills that work together to help you in your daily life:
- Short-term memory
- Long-term memory
- Attention—sustained, selective, and divided
- Processing speed, including visual and auditory
- Logic and reasoning
Our brains can do brilliant and beautiful things! We simply need to nurture their natural abilities, so we can slow (or prevent) mental decline.
How to Improve Cognition – Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
Knowing how to improve cognitive skills is the first step toward achieving your goal of staying sharp and full of life for many years to come.
First, are you at risk of cognitive decline as you age?
- Do you have depression?
- Are you lacking sufficient mental activity?
- Are you avoiding physical exercise?
- Would your doctor consider you obese?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Have you been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes?
- Are you a smoker?
To significantly lower your risk of cognitive decline, follow your doctor’s orders and incorporate these five must-have lifestyle adjustments to enhance your cognitive ability.
1. Sink Your Teeth into a Delicious Mediterranean Diet
Good nutrition goes a long way in maintaining a healthy brain and body. Studies show an association between high adherence to a Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
A Mediterranean diet entails:
Eating plenty of:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Fish and seafood
- Nuts and legumes
- Whole grains
- Unsaturated oils (extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil)
Eating in moderation:
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yogurt
Eating rarely:
- Red meat
- Refined grains
- Added sugar
- Highly processed foods
Read MIND Your Diet for Better Brain Health for some very interesting and informative guidance from a dietician, Kathryn Parker, RD, LD/N.
2. Increase Brain Metabolism through the Heart, Muscles, and Mind
Research links moderate exercise to increased brain metabolism and improved overall cognition. Exercise need not be too strenuous, but getting the heart rate up, building muscle, and pumping oxygen through your lungs and blood is very beneficial to your mental health. Physical activity can also improve heart conditions (one of the sources of cognitive decline).
Great examples of moderate physical activity include:
- Jogging or brisk walking, especially up an incline or in the sand
- Stretching morning and night
- Gardening and other household tasks
- Cycling either on a stationary bike or along a path
- Tai chi and yoga
- Playing outside with your children or grandchildren
If you’re an athlete who wants to up your game, The Brain & Performance Centre will help you achieve your physical goals. Watch the stories of success.
3. Don’t Let Stress Induce Deleterious Effects
If not managed, chronic stress often impairs memory retrieval and information acquisition, even inducing deleterious effects on brain structure and cognition. To help you bounce back from a stressful situation, consider:
- Engaging in physical activity
- Writing your thoughts in a journal
- Getting more sleep—it’s in the downtime that the brain flushes toxins out and cleans itself, allowing the repair you need from spikes of stress
- Doing relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises
4. Actively Build Neural Pathways
Identify hobbies or activities that keep your mind engaged. For example, one study discovered older adults who took up new body-connected activities that worked the brain in new ways experienced more memory improvement than those who did not.
Here are a few ideas when wondering how to improve your cognitive skills:
- Learn a new language and travel to where you can use it.
- Begin quilting or other detail-oriented crafts.
- Study photography, take pictures, edit them, and share.
- Try reflective therapy, like journaling, to revisit past negative memories and rewrite them more positively (“what I’ve learned” or “how it made me grow”).
- Invest (especially mentally and physically) into your child’s or grandchild’s hobby. Do they play lacrosse? Learn the rules of play and volunteer for the team. Do they have a knack for mathematics? Be their study buddy.
5. Stay in Touch with Your Trusted Physician
It’s essential to discuss cognitive decline with a trusted physician. The more you understand how your health can affect your brain function, the more you can do to safeguard your cognitive vitality. Discuss your options and advocate for yourself to get next-level care that will keep you healthier for the long term.
Fight Cognitive Decline with The Brain & Performance Centre
Maintaining your overall health is beneficial for the longevity of your life. Fight cognitive decline with The Brain & Performance Centre. Every person’s body and health are unique, and your medical treatment programme should reflect that.
The Brain & Performance Centre is the leader in brain performance—our programme will keep your brain at its best. Our diverse team of medical professionals will provide the customized attention you need to maintain optimal cognitive health and reverse cognitive decline.
Contact us to learn how we can help.
How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improves Blood Circulation
Blood circulation is one of the most important functions in our bodies.
Without the circulation system, the brain, heart and other vital organs couldn’t receive the oxygen we need to function properly and survive. Good circulation keeps your mind sharp, your heart strong, and can even give your complexion a youthful flush. It is absolutely vital to staying strong, healthy and energetic throughout your life.
However, the aging process can slow the flow of blood throughout the body. This can cause all manner of health problems and leave you feeling tired, sluggish and weak. Fortunately, there are ways to combat poor circulation caused by the aging process. An innovative treatment protocol based on hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been clinically proven to improve the flow of blood throughout the body, and can even promote the creation of new blood vessels in the brain and other vital organs.
So how does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work to improve blood flow?
How Aging Affects Blood Circulation
As we age, the number of blood vessels in our body naturally decreases. Blood vessels are a critical part of the circulation system through which our organs receive oxygen to work properly. As smaller, tinier blood vessels naturally die off, organs no longer receive as much oxygen as they once did.
For the brain, losing circulation and not getting enough oxygen can mean losing cognitive function. You may experience brain fog or memory problems. It can be small things, such as struggling to remember where you put your keys, to more extensive neurological problems like vascular dementia.
But it’s not just the brain that’s affected by poor circulation. A lack of blood flow can affect every part of the body.
In men, a lack of blood flow can lead to erectile dysfunction or other problems with sexual health. Poor circulation can also lead to tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, muscle cramps, or swelling and pain in the limbs. It can leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, or even leave your skin dry and discolored due to the lack of oxygen.
So how can you combat the restricted blood flow caused by aging?
Three Ways Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Help
HBOT improves circulation
At one time, scientists believed that the blood vessels lost to aging were gone forever. New research has revealed otherwise. Studies have demonstrated that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can directly improve blood flow. During an HBOT session, patients breathe 100% oxygen in a high-pressure environment, like the cutting-edge HBOT suite at The Brain & Performance Centre.
If the HBOT is delivered using a specific protocol, the increased levels of oxygen in the body can promote a process called “angiogenesis”. Angiogenesis is the growth of new capillary blood vessels in the body. This process increases blood flow in the body, helping deliver vital oxygen to organs that have been slowed by age. Angiogenesis can rejuvenate and repair your body, and the scientifically proven benefits are promising.
HBOT helps enhance cognitive health
Because angiogenesis rebuilds blood vessels, it directly promotes improved circulation in all parts of the body. In the brain, improved circulation means better cognitive function.
HBOT was shown to directly benefit the cognitive performance of patients who had all suffered a stroke 3-36 months before the research study and had at least one motor dysfunction. Patients who received a two-month protocol of HBOT treatment experienced significant improvements to their neurological functions. In some of the most dramatic results, patients regained their ability to speak, their ability to read and write, and some even regained function in paretic limbs.
It’s not just stroke patients that can benefit from angiogenesis. More studies reveal how increased blood flow in the brain can improve the lives of healthy older adults. SPECT imaging scans of patient’s brains before and after HBOT treatment reveal significant improvements to cerebral blood flow and improved function in different areas of the brain.
The results? These improvements directly correlate to increased attention spans, higher information processing speed, and improved executive function.
HBOT benefits overall wellness
The angiogenesis brought on by HBOT can help more than just your brain. Angiogenesis can benefit your entire body. Having good circulation can increase energy levels and leave you feeling more youthful and active. You may find yourself up for more vigorous physical activities outside…or even behind closed doors! HBOT has been shown to help male patients that suffer from erectile dysfunction.
In this study, thirty men who suffered from ED saw significant positive outcomes thanks to the increased blood flow from angiogenesis. The men, who averaged around 59 years of age, all reported greater overall sexual satisfaction after undergoing HBOT. Women can also benefit from improved circulation, since female arousal and sexual satisfaction depend on proper blood flow.
Other benefits of having good circulation can include faster wound healing and more youthful-looking skin, since angiogenesis promotes tissue regeneration. Good blood flow affects every aspect of your life, keeping you healthy and strong. Undergoing HBOT programmes, like those at The Brain & Performance Centre, can directly promote good circulation throughout the whole body.
The Unique HBOT Protocol at The Brain & Performance Centre
While HBOT can produce amazing results on its own, it’s only half the battle. At The Brain & Performance Centre, we emphasize the importance of treating the whole body. Having a poor diet and living a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to poor circulation and worsen the effects of aging. In order for the benefits of HBOT to last, healthy diet and exercise regimens must be followed. Think of it as doing maintenance on a car after undergoing an extensive series of repairs. We want you to be able to enjoy the benefits of your treatment for years to come. This is why our clients are supported by a multidisciplinary team of professionals from all areas of expertise.
The Brain & Performance Centre begins with an in-depth analysis of your current physical state carried out by our team of experts. We use the extensive data collected during this time to formulate a customized treatment plan based on your biggest areas of concern. You’ll be paired with a dietician and a physiologist who will formulate custom diet and exercise regimens tailor-made to your goals. You’ll learn all about the importance of proper nutrition and how to promote good circulation. By the end of the twelve weeks, you’ll be well-equipped with the tools you need to keep the benefits of good circulation throughout your life. But our relationship with you doesn’t end after twelve weeks are up.
We’ll keep in touch with you even after the programme has ended. Every six months, you’ll be invited back to our clinic for a day of physical assessment to monitor your progress. You’ll be able to see exactly how far you’ve come since you began. And you’ll understand exactly how good circulation can benefit every aspect of your life.
Contact us to learn more about The Brain & Performance Centre and how it can benefit you!
New Study Shows HBOT Can Reverse the Main Activators of Alzheimer’s Disease and Help Prevent Memory Loss
A groundbreaking new study has brought scientists one step closer to preventing and curing age-related cognitive decline, especially related to early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
This landmark study, published in Aging on September 9th, is part of an ongoing programme researching age-related cognitive decline. Conducted by the Sagol School of Neuroscience in Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv University, the study marks the first time that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)—a non-pharmaceutical method—has proven effective in reversing the main activators and early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
HBOT is a form of oxygen therapy that involves administering 100% pure oxygen to a patient in a pressurized environment. HBOT has been used for decades to treat other conditions, such as non-healing ischemic wounds, but for the first time, it also has shown promise as a potential treatment for reverse the main activators and early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and treat brain and cognitive problems.
A treatment based on this unique protocol is now available at The Brain & Performance Centre.
Aging and reduced blood flow
The brain is an incredibly complex organism home to a vast network of nerve cells (neurons) that depend on oxygen to thrive. As we age, the number of blood vessels in our brain naturally begins to decline. This causes reduced blood flow to the brain, which in turn causes the brain to receive less oxygen. This decreased blood flow is also known as vascular dysfunction, and it’s a known precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, along with amyloid plaques.
What is an amyloid plaque?
Amyloid plaques are hard, insoluble clusters of proteins formed in the spaces between neurons. They’re formed from beta amyloids—microscopic protein fragments produced by certain cells in the body. In the brain, beta amyloids are found in the fluid between neurons, and a healthy brain usually flushes them out without consequence. However, just like plaque can accumulate on your teeth if you don’t clean them regularly, the same thing can happen in your brain.
As the brain ages, it’s more susceptible to forming amyloid plaques in its blood vessel walls. Once an amyloid plaque forms it can damage the neurons in the brain, ultimately resulting in neuronal death. These plaques are thought to contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and the cognitive decline associated with it.
For years, scientists have wondered whether or not it’s even possible to dissolve or shrink amyloid plaques. The groundbreaking new study proves for the first time that a unique protocol of HBOT can both reverse amyloid plaques and prevent them from forming in the first place.
How HBOT can reverse amyloid plaques
Study researchers initially used HBOT with mice to understand the effect it has on amyloid plaques. In this first part of the study, researchers delivered HBOT to a group of mice whose brains contained amyloid plaques. The mice received two 60 minute HBOT sessions a day, five days a week for four weeks. The researchers discovered that HBOT significantly reduced the amyloid burden in the mice’s brains, decreasing amyloid plaques by over 30% and shrinking plaques by nearly 19%.
HBOT was also shown to prevent the formation of new amyloid plaques, and the mice exhibited improved performance on cognitive tasks when compared to the control group, giving us evidence that HBOT improved their cognitive functions.
The mice-based study gave promising new evidence that HBOT can be used as both a treatment and a preventative measure for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers then sought to use the same protocol with human subjects.
The human test group consisted of six patients around age 70, all suffering from mild cognitive impairment. After receiving 60 daily HBOT sessions over a three-month period, the patients saw significant improvements to their cognitive functions, including better memory recall, concentration, and response times.
The researchers theorize that this is due to HBOT’s ability to increase blood flow in the brain. When the brain receives more blood, it receives more oxygen. And when the brain receives more oxygen, it can function at its full capacity.
What this means going forward
The study gives us hope that HBOT can be used as a viable drug-free and non-invasive method to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease, bringing us one step closer to preventing and even repairing memory loss and mild cognitive impairment.
“By treating vascular dysfunction, we’re mapping out the path toward Alzheimer’s prevention. More research is underway to further demonstrate how HBOT can improve cognitive function and become an influential tool in the imperative fight against the disease,” affirms Dr. Shai Efrati, one of the researcher conducting the study.
For more information about The Brain & Performance Centre’s unique HBOT treatment, and how it may help your brain health, please contact us.
To read the study published in Journal Aging – click here.
Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Improve Memory Function?
Recent research led by Dr. Gil Suzin, head of neurocognitive operations at The Brain & Performance Centre, found evidence that oxygen is a rate limiting factor for memory enhancement even in healthy young subjects without memory or neurological impairments. The results of this study indicate that memory function is a continuum that does not reach its maximal ceiling effect at the normal sea level environment even in healthy young individuals.
The research group recruited 56 participants between the ages of 20 and 39. They then randomly assigned each person either to increased oxygen supply using hyperbaric oxygen (two atmospheres of 100% oxygen) or to a control group treated with normal air at normal pressure (1 ATA).
The participants then did a battery of tests that evaluated performance of major cognitive domains, including information processing speed, episodic memory, working memory, cognitive flexibility and attention.
From all the evaluated domains, study participants who received hyperbaric oxygen experienced an improvement in their episodic memory. This group demonstrated a better learning curve, which they demonstrated through the total number of words they recalled from a list of words read repetitively. They also showed higher memory resilience by preserving more words after an interference (an intermediate list of words).
In the study, published in the journal Biomedicals, researchers suggest that:
“the understanding that oxygen is a rate limiting factor for episodic memory even in healthy young adults and the insight that memory can be further enhanced while being in a hyper-oxygenized environment can be important for future development of interventional tools that can be used in daily clinical practice.”
For instance, there is cumulative evidence that patients coming to HBOT recover long-term repressed traumatic memories, and in some of the hyperbaric centres, recovery of repressed memory was added as a potential side effect to the informed consent. Surfacing of inaccessible memories can be crucial for treating diseases like PTSD and other amnestic conditions where knowing the history is essential.
Understanding the biology responsible for our ability to recall specific experiences and also understanding that this ability can be enhanced by HBOT, gives us a powerful tool that can be used for those who needs it.
For more information about how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can improve memory function,
or to schedule a consultation, contact The Brain & Performance Centre, JLT, Dubai U.A.E.