HEALTH AND SAFETY MOTORSPORTS SAFETY GROUP DOC:
Don’t Isolate Yourself During Pandemic Motorsports Safety Group is a collaboration of innovators who are determined to improve the safety of racing. Like most medical professionals, the doctors with MSG are focused on the mental health effects of the coronavirus pandemic. BY BEN WHITE
DR. CORMIER JOINS BRAIN ARMOR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD BRAIN ARMOR® BRAND of neuro-nutrition supplements recently appointed Dr. Jason Cormier to its scientific
Acknowledged as one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons, Dr. Jason Cormier has helped MSG provide a comprehensive, grassroots marketing campaign focused on preventative health-care education and wellness training. Cormier’s work with MSG ties together his love for racing and his professional expertise. This month, Cormier addresses the mental health impact of the pandemic. WHAT CAN PEOPLE BE DOING IF THEY’RE FEELING OVERWHELMED BY THE WEIGHT OF THIS PANDEMIC? One of the biggest things is reaching out to friends and neighbors, recognizing they’re not the only ones going through this period of pandemic and crisis. A lot of people are afraid, but I encourage them to come out of their homes and participate in general activities. With kids going back to school, they’re doing a good job of screening and implementing safe policies. Sooner or later, the pandemic will fade, so it’s important to monitor the health of those around you until it does.
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POLE POSITION 2020
HOW CAN PEOPLE PREVENT THEMSELVES FROM FALLING INTO BAD HABITS DURING THE PANDEMIC? When people are alone and idle, that’s the haven for bad things to happen. Depression festers. I recommend socializing while maintaining distance and recognizing the dangers out there. People say, “Oh man, 2020 has been canceled,” and in some ways, that’s true. The world has changed for good. Identifying the new normal won’t come in silence. It will come in discussing it in support groups or with neighbors, friends and family. ARE THERE ACTIVE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO OFFSET NEGATIVE FEELINGS? I think that dietary health is very important when we think about depression. Keep your body and mind busy. A number of race car drivers participate in diets like the Mediterranean diet. Adding aerobic exercises and mental stimulation helps. That’s what athletes do when they get started in a sport. That’s what keeps them hungry. Establish new internal goals. Things will normalize again, but don’t remain alone in silence. Get enough sleep. That’s six to eight hours a day to make sure you’re getting your brain enough rest. Pay attention to your mental fitness. Make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. They provide many health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease and improving cognitive health and awareness. It reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Women have fewer early-term births. It supports muscle recovery after exercise and eye conditioning. For drivers, there’s a lutein component that helps with macular degenerations and other eye conditions. HOW WILL A PERSON KNOW IF HE OR SHE IS STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION? Ask family members or friends if there’s something different about you. Things like that can give further insight if you’re suffering from subclinical depression. It can fester if you don’t get a hold of it.
advisory board. Brain Armor products are clinically proven dietary supplements formulated with omega-3, healthy fats and vital nutrients, designed to support structural brain health and performance. Brain Armor products are vegetarian, made in the USA and are a regular part of many professional and elite amateur athlete and team conditioning programs. “Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA, have well-known benefits to several organ systems within the human body,” Cormier said. “I am excited about the quality of the refined DHA and EPA found within the Brain Armor formulations. The ratios in particular are backed by extensive peer-reviewed studies and as we, as a scientific and health minded community, continue to learn more about the supportive health benefits that include but are not limited to: heart function, brain function, antiinflammatory effects and muscle recovery. “As a neurosurgeon and expert in both complex spinal and brain surgery, the integration of Brain Armor’s Omega 3 fatty acid formulation was a no-brainer.”