Staying healthy goes far beyond opting to take the stairs or eating our veggies. Aside from getting exercise and a well-balanced diet, which are certainly important medicines for the brain too, SRQ teams up with the brains behind The Brain Health Initiative (BHI) to explore less obvious areas of focus to boost the mental and physical state of our central organ, this New Year and beyond.
NEURO NURTURE BECAUSE OUR BRAINS NEED SELF-CARE TOO.
WRITTEN BY BRITTANY MATTIE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BRAIN HEALTH INITIATIVE
Born from the global brain health crisis that still challenges many people today, BHI brings opportunity and hope by revolutionizing neuroscience and pioneering work. Tapping into community engagement and accelerating research, BHI has grown into an emblematic roadmap to engage and empower people to make more brain healthy lifestyle choices. “The first component of the Brain Health Initiative is really about raising awareness to create a brain-healthy community,” says Founder, Executive Director and Neuropsychologist Dr. Stephanie Peabody, PSYD, HSPP. “And in order to do that, we have to help the residents and workforce begin to speak a common language, use a common lense, share a common understanding and set common goals.” Headquartered in Lakewood Ranch, Dr. Peabody’s team—in a collaborative effort with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)—recognized the dire nature of combating isolated strain and stressors through extensive research and discoveries. BHI has since garnered local and national attention by cultivating 12 Brain Health Pillars as protective factors crucial to accelerating brain health for performance optimization, as well as prevention factors for early identification, symptom and recovery intervention. But the brain is a vast and complicated organ. Which means BHI’s job is never really done. Throughout the pandemic’s peak, and still today, the Initiative continues to pump up their efforts of education and awareness, as well as find progressive solutions to minimize external risk factors, in order to further create a culture of brain healthy communities—especially ours. So we, as a whole, can optimize performance longevity of all ages while preventing/fighting brain illness across the lifespan of the Suncoast region. To celebrate a clean slate and neuro-healthy new year, Dr. Peabody was instrumental in connecting us with her affiliate nuero-savvy network—including clinicians, researchers, academics and innovators from across the Harvard system and U.S. Together, we honed in on five of the Brain Health Pillars; five key components we feel are attainable, and imperative, in keeping us at the top of our game for not only 2022, but the rest of our years. Facials and pedicures are great, but it’s time for some real self-care. SRQ
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12/15/21 1:05 PM