Use your head and mind your brain – Take care of your greatest asset!

We give our brains lots of different names; coconut, noggin, skull, the old grey matter.
Sometimes we call people ‘fat head’ to insult their intelligence, but it’s kind of accurate, as our brains are comprised of around 60% fat!
The long held myth that we only use 10% of our brains while the other 90% remains dormant has evolved over the years, but is actually untrue. William James, a pioneer of American Psychology, famously claimed that ‘most of us do not meet our mental potential’, and this has somehow evolved over the year to the popular 10% myth. Our brains contain a staggering 2,500,000 gigabytes of storage space. Compared to the latest iPhone which has 256 gigabytes, it’s mighty powerful!

Our brains are amazing and fragile all at the same time, and like any other part of our body, there are many things that can go wrong.
March is all about the brain, with Headache Awareness Week running from 9-13, and Brain Awareness Week from 11-17. Both events aim to raise awareness about headaches, migraines and a number of brain diseases. Both weeks also provide information on the benefits of brain research, and keep us informed about progressions in understanding the brain, and its associated problems.

We can’t spend our lives ‘doing our heads in’ worrying about every disease we may get over the course of our lives, but we can take some positive actions to measure our susceptibility to a range of brain related illnesses. From this, we can take the steps necessary to keep our brains in their best shape, and hopefully lead a bright and brain-healthy life.

As with any disease, some are inherited, some are due to trauma, or poor life choices, and some are purely a result of bad luck.
For inherited brain conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease, GTL can provide an insight and peace of mind with their Genetic Predisposition Test.
This test is suitable for anyone with a family history of genetically inherited brain disease, or for those wanting to know their risk of getting Alzheimer’s Disease, so that they can take as many preventative measures as possible to avoid onset.

Often referred to as ‘the slow death’, Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, and accounts for more than half of all diagnosed cases in Australia. Alzheimer’s Disease manifests itself differently in each individual, but it can be described as the result of the neurons and synapses in the brain tissue failing to \’talk\’ to one another effectively. This can result in confusion, forgetting how to perform previously basic tasks, and a loss of perception of reality. From this, it can lead to physical impairments, increased risk of illness, an eventually, death.

As important as our brains are, the rest of our bodies are equally as important. The Genetic Predisposition Test analyses your genetic predisposition to 34 diseases and conditions, allowing you to protect your future and preserve your health for as long as possible.

Together, the Brain Foundation and GTL can help you maintain your brain like the well-oiled machine that it is. Celebrate your greatest asset, and keep on thinking!