Brain Health Matters
Kate Kunkel
Join Vegan nutritionist, Apollo ReCode Coach and Amen Certified Brain Trainer Kate Kunkel for fun, frank, and information-packed conversations with experts in the field of brain health.
Kate and her guests offer valuable, practical information and inspiration to help you make the best choices to create a better brain for a better life.
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Top 10 Brain Health Matters Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Brain Health Matters episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Brain Health Matters for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Brain Health Matters episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Seeds of Alzheimer's are Planted in Childhood
Brain Health Matters
06/01/22 • 29 min
Some of the points Dr. Saunders shared with Kate:
1:40 - How the seeds of Alzheimer's are planted in childhood
3:03 - How underdeveloped or misshapen jaws can be formed
4:53 - A special resource Dr. Saunders has made available for parents to understand and get ahead of the risk for their kids: A special resource Dr. Saunders has made available for parents to understand and get ahead of the risk for their kids: https://www.healthymouthmedia.com/healthysleep
5:40 – How sleep issues are related to jaw development and how that impacts brain health
8:26 - The myth that 5 hours sleep can be enough for anyone
10:27 – How gingivitis and other oral health issues can lead to brain-damaging inflammation
13:00 – How bad is it to breathe through the mouth?
16:12 – Snoring is a red flag
17:31 – An Action Plan for parents - claim Dr. Saunders' special report here: https://www.healthymouthmedia.com/healthysleep
Dr. Saunders has also offered a free download of an adult or child sleep and breathing risk "quick assessment". You can access that here:
Learn more about Dr. Saunders’ work at Healthy Mouth Media
http://www.healthymouthmedia.com/
Learn more about Dr. Bredesen’s ReCODE Here: https://healthymouthmedia.lpages.co/recode/
To continue learning from brain health experts, be sure to Subscribe to the Brain Heath Matters podcast to be the first to have access to new episodes.
https://brainhealthmatters.today/podcasts/
Next week – Dr. Heather Sandison, the creator of the Reverse Alzheimer’s summit, will be
joining us to talk about her work helping people REVERSE Alzheimer’s, and about
the miracle of Marama, her long-term care facility from which people “graduate”
after improving their brain health!
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
From Heart Patient to Mountaineer: A Plant-Powered Transformation
Brain Health Matters
12/28/23 • 44 min
We’re honored and delighted to have Dr. Akil Taher, who has done everything from triathlons to skydiving, hang gliding and scuba diving. He did all of this AFTER going through open-heart surgery at age 61.
Since heart disease is one of the major risk factors that can contribute to the likelihood of developing dementia, I just had to invite him to share his story of plant-powered transformation.
Some Highlights:
2:30 Why older people are happier than young people, despite physical illnesses
4:31 How what he called the “See Food” diet and a Type A Personality nearly killed Dr. Taher
08:34 How denial sent Dr. Taher on a downward spiral
12:00 the importance of fiber in your diet
14:10 why pockets in your colon are NOT normal, despite what North American doctors tell you
15:47 Making the choice to be in control
19:00 First marathon post-bypass surgery and an amazing gift in a dream
22:00 First mountain climbing expedition 1 year post-bypass
24:28 Dr. Taher’s Six Pillars of Health
31:40 What is broken heart syndrome?
33:41 Going plant-powered is delicious and does not have to be complicated
36:00 What exercises are best for your heart (and your brain?)
41:39 Dr. Taher’s Book is OPEN-HEART
Follow Dr. Taher on Facebook
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
This is your Brain on Alcohol
Brain Health Matters
09/14/22 • 33 min
For season two we will be releasing a new episode every two weeks so that your host, Kate Kunkel, can focus on treating the many clients who are seeking help to improve their brains, and to complete her latest book, The Mindful Brain.
So be sure to subscribe to Brain Health Matters right here on YouTube or on your favorite podcast service at https://brainhealthmatters.buzzsprout.com/ to ensure that you get all of the latest episodes as they are released, because in every episode, we share important information that could change your life, or the life of a loved one.
This week – the mental and brain health effect of alcohol. Is it true we lose thousands of brain cells every time we imbibe?
Our guest this week is Stephanie Pratico, an Independently Licensed Mental Health and Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counselor, Clinical Supervisor & Educator who has been in the field 12 years.
Some highlights of the show:
3:00 Do we really kill thousands of brain cells by overindulging in alcohol, even once?
4:50 The short and long term effects of alcohol use on the brain
8:14 What comes first – depression or alcohol use
10:55 Do traumatic brain injuries increase likelihood of developing alcohol dependency?
16:02 As a family member or friend – how to approach a difficult subject
22:00 The Whole Person wellness model to overcome addiction and the importance of setting goals
25:56 How does mindfulness fit into alcoholism or any other addiction?
28:35 Hope
Get help:
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/
Peer-supported programs: https://www.aa.org/
https://www.smartrecovery.org/
https://www.refugerecovery.org/
Contact Stephanie directly: [email protected]
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
News You Can Use to Boost Your Brain and Prevent Dementia
Brain Health Matters
07/20/22 • 22 min
In this episode of Brain Health Matters, Amen Certified Brain Health Professional Kate Kunkel shares some of the latest important research on risk factors for dementia and other brain disorders including dementia and anxiety.
Knowledge is power, and Kate has given you several powerful steps based on this research to help you protect your health and lower your chances of developing cognitive decline.
You can follow up on this research with the links provided here:
Sleep and Noradrenaline https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220714103016.htm
Antibiotics and depression and anxiety: Neuroscience News https://neurosciencenews.com/antibiotics-negative-emotion-20988/
Optimism for a healthier brain: https://www.awakeningfromalzheimers.com/studies-prove-optimists-are-less-likely-to-get-dementia/
Chronic disease and dementia risk: https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-068005
Obesity and dementia risk: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-now-the-no-1-preventable-cause-of-alzheimers-in-america-11657553007
Surgery and brain health risks: https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/anesthesia-and-the-risk-for-postoperative-cognitive-dysfunction
Learn many more ways that improve and protect your brain in Kate’s book, Don't Let the Memories Fade, available in paperback and as an eBook on Amazon everywhere.
To begin your journey toward a healthier brain, claim your free copy of Kate's Five Key Steps You Can Take Right Now to Improve Your Brain
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Your Eyes are Windows to the Health of your Brain
Brain Health Matters
06/22/22 • 34 min
Dr. Thomas Lewis is a medical scientist with advanced degrees from MIT and the Harvard School of Public Health. He has developed novel algorithms to predict and measure chronic diseases with an emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases. He uses a combination of risk assessments, biomarkers and pathology testing, using mainly the eye as a canary in the coal mine to determine where you lie on the health disease continuum.
He joins Kate Kunkel on Brain Health Matters to share powerful insights into the relationship between the health of the eyes and the potential for developing Alzheimer’s. But it goes far beyond that. As you’ll learn in the interview, “lab results” aren’t as helpful as physicians would have us believe, and the push to lower cholesterol is NOT good for our brains.
Some important points:
2:50 Alzheimer’s is glaucoma of the brain, and glaucoma is Alzheimer’s of the eyes
4:22 How eye and brain diseases are essentially vascular diseases
5:34 The tests and measures we can use to determine what’s going on in the eye and the brain
7:00 Which types of cataracts portend Alzheimer’s Disease
9:00 How pharmacological treatment of tau proteins makes Alzheimer’s Disease worse
11:00 Cholesterol is NOT the enemy
12:01 How allowing pharmaceutical companies into medical schools perverted standard of care
14:33 Why we need healthy fats.
15:00 Can doctors really tell if you’re sick or well?
15:40 What is health, and what do “labs” really mean?
21:40 How chronic infections and dormant viruses can contribute to Alzheimer’s.
24:00 The importance of aggressively treating chronic diseases.
27:00 Ivermectin as an antiviral
Contact Dr. Lewis at [email protected]
Visit his website at https://healthrevivalpartners.com
Subscribe to Brain Health Matters by visiting https://brainhealthmatters.today/podcasts
If you’d like to take action RIGHT NOW to nurture the health of your own brain, claim my free guide, “Five Key Steps to Take Right Now to Improve Your Brain”. CLICK HERE to get the download.
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Can Grounding Improve your Brain?
Brain Health Matters
11/30/23 • 42 min
There are so many ways that being connected to the earth can help improve your sleep, your creativity, and especially your brain health.
This week's guest on Brain Health Matters is Dr. Laura Koniver, the Intuition Physician, and she shares many important ways that we can improve our overall health and of course our brains, simply by making that all-important connection to the earth.
Some Highlights of the Interview:
03:06 Medical evidence of the importance of grounding
06:09 How to ground, even if the weather is bad or you’re not in a safe area
08:33 The brain benefits of grounding
10:55 How grounding can help in the fight against developing dementia
15:10 Can hugging a tree help your brain?
18:21 The fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. – pharmaceuticals
22:55 How grounding can help you achieve better sleep and the importance of reducing your exposure to EMF at night
30:44 Creativity and purpose – how they make your brain healthier and you happier
34:10 A real-life example of grounding’s benefits to working through a problem
35:52 The importance of grounding for the health of the cerebrospinal fluid, in which our brains are always bathed
38:54 Learn more from Dr. Koniver here:
Laura Koniver’s website: https://intuition-physician.com/
Laura’s book, "The Earth Prescription" https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Prescription-Discover-Grounding-Practices/dp/B093N712ZF
NOW is the time to start a healthier brain protocol that includes many of the things Dr. Koniver talked about - healthier sleep, purpose, creativity, and of course, connection to the earth.
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Can Meditation Improve Your Brain?
Brain Health Matters
08/10/22 • 30 min
Welcome to Brain Health Matters, a podcast dedicated to helping you connect with the people and resources that will help you improve your memory, boost your brain, and reduce the risk of developing dementia.
This week, Christopher Manning, the Mindfulness Man, joins Kate Kunkel to share the many ways that meditation can help us concentrate, learn, and deal with stress.
Some highlights of the interview:
2:31 Do you have to sit cross-legged with your fingers in circles to meditate “properly”?
4:37 Why it is so powerful to pay attention to, vs. control, your breath
9:03 Alleviating the suffering from ADHD with meditation
13:09 BDNF: A cure for ADHD and depression
14:10 How meditation protects and enhances brain matter
15:00 Steps to start a meditation practice and overcome doubt
17:01 Is mindful eating helpful?
20:19 Achieving real joy doesn’t happen in 5 minutes a day
22:15 How to tap into Chris’s guided meditations online
23:32 Resolving real-life difficulties with the Loving-Kindness meditation
25:15 If you struggle with loneliness – meditation may be the answer
28:04 Meditation as a way to detach from circumstances and events that cause distress. Suffering is optional.
Tap into Chris’s meditation podcasts HERE.
Join Chris’s Facebook community HERE.
To learn more about the healing power of meditation, mindfulness and music, claim Kate’s gift, Five Key Steps to a Better Brain HERE.
Dive into Kate’s book, Don’t Let the Memories Fade, which includes a complete program incorporation mindfulness, meditation, and a healthy and compassionate lifestyle for a better brain. Available on Amazon everywhere.
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Tracing the Connection between Sleep, Your Gut and a Healthier Brain
Brain Health Matters
04/21/22 • 24 min
In this episode, Kate interviews Ariel Jarvis, a Natural Health Practitioner located in British Columbia, Canada.
Ariel's passion to help people has led her to persist through the education required to discover the most effective ways to see life-changing results with natural health options. Her specialty is in cellular rehabilitation & gut health. She also has a passion for the deaf and is one of very few health care workers fluent in ASL and committed to making a difference in that community!
Today, we're talking about sleep, gut health and... water. When you hear this episode, you'll be thinking a lot about the quality and quantity of the water you drink each day!
2:40 Understanding the cycles of sleep and how long it takes to clean out the detritus of living
4:09 What happens if you don’t get restorative sleep?
5:29 The Four Pillars of Health to produce a healthy ecosystem – Water, Sleep, Food and Herbs are Medicine, Exercise and Stress Management
6:26 What is structured water?
10:09 Sleep hygiene and parasites
20:30 Feeding the neurotransmitters in the brain
22:36 The one thing you must do to have a healthy brain
Connect with Ariel on her website at https://vitalitywc.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitality_wellness_/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vitalityHW/
Kate Kunkel is an Amen Licensed Brain Trainer, sound therapist and vegan nutritionist. She coaches midlife and older clients to improve brain function that is compromised due to head trauma, diabetes, obesity, or early cognitive decline.
We are not stuck with the brains we have, and Kate helps you make yours the best that it can be. With this podcast and a series of courses, programs, and books, Kate shares proven techniques and tools to help you create a healthier, more vibrant future free of worries about dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases.
Connect with Kate on the website: https://brainhealthmatters.today
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrainHealthMattersToday
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dementiapreventionspecialist/
To learn many more ways to use music, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness to build a healthier brain and a more robust memory, read Don't Let the Memories Fade, a Holistic Approach to Preventing Dementia and Creating a Healthier, More Vibrant FutureIf you are looking for more ways to improve your sleep, check out an earlier episode of Brain Health Matters in which hypnotherapist Randi Light
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Banish the Brain Fog and Boost your Memory with BRIGHTMINDS
Brain Health Matters
09/07/23 • 46 min
Hello and welcome to Brain Health Matters, a series of courses, programs and podcasts designed to help you become healthier so your brain can become happier and stronger.
In this week's podcast with host Kate Kunkel, we explore the the importance of a positive attitude and the many ways a healthier brain can give us a better career and, of course, a better life. You won't want to miss this beautiful conversation with fellow brain health coach, Allison Liu.
Allison Liu is an Amen Licensed Brain Trainer and Brain Health Coach who helps women in midlife to improve their mood, memory and mental sharpness. Allison successfully overcame brain fog and overwhelm by increasing her own ‘brain reserve’, and now coaches women to achieve the same so that they can better handle life’s challenges and face the future with confidence. Her motto: Stay sharp for life!
Allison’s website is Allison Liu Coaching
Key Points:
0:46
The financial, emotional and physical challenges created by dementia.
09:22
What exactly IS brain fog – How does it manifest and how can we dispel it?
14:01
Overwhelm can make any lifestyle change hard – but especially your brain. What is the best way to start?
18:00
Explaining the BRIGHTMINDS mnemonic to understand the risk factors that can impact our brain health now and put us at risk for dementia later.
20:59
Why retirement is a risk factor for dementia and other forms of cognitive decline.
24:17
Where genetics fit into the puzzle of brain health.
29:00
The frightening number of toxins that have been introduced into our lives since the Industrial Revolution and how they affect our brains.
39:29
The importance of looking at the risk factors and mitigating all of them. One small action is good, but that won’t turn around cognitive decline.
41:38
How dementia truly impacts your life and that of your loved ones. Hint – it’s not just about memory loss.
43:11
Do the brain health assessment HERE, then Book a consultation with Allison.
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
Clinical Trial proves that dementia can be reversed
Brain Health Matters
11/16/23 • 33 min
Dr. Heather Sandison is a naturopathic doctor who has dedicated her career to supporting those suffering with dementia. She has created unique, successful solutions for patients and caregivers using clinical, residential, research and educational platforms.
Because we are both determined to make dementia rare and optional, I am excited to have her back on the show to shatter common misconceptions about Alzheimer’s and share the results of her successful clinical trial in which dementia patients reversed cognitive decline!
Some important points from the interview:
07:11 the results of the clinical trial
09:11 Comparing the results of Dr. Sandison’s trial with that of Dr. Dale Bredesen
11:58 Why it is so important to acknowledge cognitive decline early
13:47 How Alzheimer’s is impacted by diabetes. (For more information, watch Dr. Beverly Yates’ interview on Brain Health Matters. Link:
16:11 The first steps toward a healthier brain
19:27 Several fun ways to improve brain function
Dr. Sandison's Website HERE
Results of Dr. Sandison's Clinical trial can be found HERE
NOW is the time to start a healthier brain protocol.
One way to do that is to join Kate for Tune Up Your Brain. With fun and easy activities that you can incorporate into your everyday life, this program is the fastest way to improve your memory with a beautiful melding of brain science with the healing power of music and sound. Check it out HERE
There are many more episodes of Brain Health Matters along with the latest brain health research on our WEBSITE
Start your Brain Health Journey with Five Easy Things you can do Right Now to Improve Your Brain https://harplady.lpages.co/five-steps-to-a-better-brain/
To learn even more about the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet for a healthier brain, check out Kate’s books, "Don't Let the Memories Fade", "The Vegan Brain" and "The Musical Brain"
Check out the Brain Health Matters BLOG for many more ways to improve your brain and your life!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Brain Health Matters have?
Brain Health Matters currently has 51 episodes available.
What topics does Brain Health Matters cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Alternative Health, Mental Health, Podcasts and Brain Health.
What is the most popular episode on Brain Health Matters?
The episode title 'Memory Hacks to Improve Your Life' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Brain Health Matters?
The average episode length on Brain Health Matters is 30 minutes.
How often are episodes of Brain Health Matters released?
Episodes of Brain Health Matters are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Brain Health Matters?
The first episode of Brain Health Matters was released on Feb 12, 2022.
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