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March is Canada Brain Health Month, and Oak Medical Arts is here to help you take care of your brain health. As a local network of pharmacies and health services, we offer a wide range of services that can benefit your brain health.
Here are some of the services we offer and how they can help:
Pharmacy
Your pharmacist plays an important role in keeping your brain healthy—but did you know that they're often the first to notice when something's not right?
Pharmacists have a special relationship with their patients. They often have a more intimate knowledge of their customers' medical histories than anyone else, and they're able to monitor for changes in behavior that could be signs of cognitive decline or other issues.
Pharmacists are often the first line also in providing education about the effects of medications and can do counseling around the dangers or the risks of certain medications.
Kinesiology
Kinesiology is the study of human movement, performance, and function which can help with brain health by improving balance, coordination, and overall physical fitness. This can lead to better brain function and a reduced risk of cognitive decline.
Kinesiology can help improve your brain function by improving the communication between the left and right hemispheres of your brain. Studies show that older adults who engage in frequent physical activity have greater cognitive functioning than older adults who do not regularly participate in physical activity.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can help with brain health by improving mobility and reducing the risk of falls. This can also lead to improved brain function and a reduced risk of cognitive decline. As you age your brain starts to lose nerve cells which can result in mental decline.
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to challenge your nerves. Therefore, the mental decline that is a result of the aging process can be minimized with a well-designed exercise program.
Chiropractor
Chiropractic care can help with brain health by improving spinal alignment and reducing pain. This can also lead to improved brain function and a reduced risk of cognitive decline.
Chiropractic care can support the brain's reaction time and motor control. A study conducted by the Spinal Research Foundation shows that chiropractic adjustments can significantly increase activity in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, the area where higher learning and cognition happen.
Foot Care
Foot care can help with brain health by reducing the risk of falls, which can cause head injuries and other brain-related issues. It can also improve mobility, which can lead to better brain function. The importance of healthy feet is often undervalued. Foot health can help improve one’s balance, posture, and gait which can reduce the risk of falls.
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners can help with brain health by providing preventative care and managing chronic conditions that can affect brain function, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Nurse practitioners can also assess brain health during routine visits by asking for details such as their patient's birthday to determine if a specialist referral is required. They can also help detect early signs of vision loss, which can help prevent head trauma due to falls and other accidents.
Our nurse practitioners also perform concussion services. A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that affects how your brain functions. Concussion assessments and treatments can get your brain on the road to recovery after experiencing a head injury. Concussion services can help with brain health by providing specialized care for head injuries and monitoring for long-term effects on brain function.
Athletic Training
Athletic training can help with brain health by providing specialized care for sports-related head injuries and reducing the risk of future injuries. It can also help with brain health by providing you with an exercise-induced mood boost!
Exercise increases the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain, it can help to regulate the neurotransmitter levels which helps with our mental health. Exercise also releases endorphins, these endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.
At Oak Medical Arts, we want to make it easy for you to live your brain-healthy life. Our approach is collaborative, so you work with a team of professionals dedicated to improving your cognitive function and mental acuity. It's simple. But most importantly, it works. To get started on a path to better brain health, book an appointment online or visit any of our locations today and speak with our team today.
For more information on brain health, check out our recommendations for helpful resources below: https://www.dana.org/