March is Brain Health Awareness Month, and the staff at Brain Canada wants everyone to be aware of how critical their brain is to our overall health.
Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada, says the brain is our most critical organ, and it's important to remember that.
"It's one that we don't think about usually and it's very, very important and it's critical that we actually take a better understanding of how our brains function. How it functions when we're healthy and functioning as well as it can versus not, and also how to take good care of it because that's what matters the most," shared Dr. Poupon.
Dr. Poupon says there are a number of ways to maintain good brain health that don't really differ from other ways to stay healthy.
"So a good diet, balanced diet, exercise. Sleep, sleep is so critical for the brain because that's where it rests, it gets cleared and that's where the memory gets consolidated. Social interactions, those are just a few of the things to consider not just for our overall health, but for our brain health," Dr. Poupon added.
There are numerous diseases that are associated with the brain, and Brain Canada has information on those and other brain-related research at the website BrainCanada.ca. Dr. Poupon says when it comes to diseases, there are actually more than people may realize when it comes to our brains.
"There's more than a thousand diseases associated with the brain. So we know compression, which isn't a disease but it's an acquired traumatic injury to the brain. We also are well aware of things like Alzheimers, that comes with adult brain aging and is sometimes based on genetics but can also be due to the environment and the fact that the aging of the brain can start to be different from other individual's brains as they start to age," noted Dr. Poupon.
With respect to preventing brain diseases or keeping an eye out for symptoms, Dr. Poupon says there are things you can look for and information on that is also available on BrainCanada.ca
"How can you ensure that you stay healthy in general is to pay attention to whatever is different from what your normal self is, and also getting more knowledge about what are they different brain diseases? So looking at the latest research, on our website we talk about the new trends and what's being discovered in brain research because that gives an example of what's not normal and what you should be paying attention to," Dr. Poupon explained.
Another aspect of the website of Brain Canada is the ability to donate towards research initiatives. Dr. Poupon says research into numerous different aspects of brain health and disease is hugely important when it comes to not only learning more about diseases we are aware of, but being prepared to find new diseases that evolve over time.
"Research for us is key because that's where we'll get the answers we need to find new treatments for brain disease but also to know what other good things to do or the symptoms. So what are the triggering symptoms we should be aware of, for example. So through our website we're trying to really have more in-depth knowledge and education for the public," shared Dr. Poupon.
There are many new resources that have been added to the website, as well, including media based items like video sessions, blogs, and even a podcast.
"You'll have access to a podcast that's called Playing with Marbles, and it's about mental health. So, why are some brains on a different journey, and not just having people that have experienced this sharing their mental health journey, but also having neuroscientists explaining what's happening in these brains," Dr. Poupon noted.
Another section on the website calls attention to ALS research and fundraising to continue it, as many people have become much more aware of the awful disease over the last decade. Dr. Poupon says that really boils down to the viral emergence of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised huge amounts of money to go toward ALS research. She adds that Brain Canada has actually partnered with ALS Canada to continue discovering new potential treatments. She says new drugs and findings about the development of the disease are being discovered all the time, and even though an outright cure hasn't been found, that's no reason to stop.
"People must realize that complex research like this, it can take a lot of time. But we should not feel defeated when something doesn't work, we should just keep at it because in other fields that's what happens eventually. The cures were found and then we can revert symptoms. We're not there yet with ALS but we need to keep doing more because eventually, we'll get there," Dr. Poupon concluded.
You can visit BrainCanada.ca and find more resources during Brain Health Awareness Month, learn more about keeping your brain fit and healthy and also donate toward critical brain research if you wish.