Safeguard your brain

There are many things that can harm the human brain. There are countless ways that people’s brains are damaged due to trauma, sickness or drug use. Though each way affects one differently in one way or another but, all can leave anyone with the same damaging results. When one can no longer use their brain to sort ideas, remember pass/present thoughts or when one fails to maintain focus on what is happening around them in the here-&-now is when one can have many difficulties even accomplishing simple task such as making a puzzle, reading a book or taking a bath.

Brain trauma such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) is most common due to violent blows or sudden jolts to the brain causing the brain to crash within one’s own skull. Some of the common causes are: falls, vehicle-related collisions, sports injuries, violence and explosive blasts as well. And, some of the best methods to prevent TBI is by: Preventing falls as much as possible, always wearing your seatbelt, don’t drink and drive, wearing a helmet/head gear whenever it is required or recommended, avoid violence and violent situations and by wearing protective gear when dealing with or when in close contact with explosive items. These methods should help keep you safer in most situations and limit the damage caused if such a thing happens. 

Due to the brain’s internal fragility and the complexity of the brain it has very little capacity to regenerate. That’s why when a disease affects the brain such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s it causes brain cells to gradually die due to a form of plaque buildup. While other diseases such as depression or schizophrenia causes changes in the brain that messes with one’s internal communication network therefore the brain provides misleading/confusing information. Sadly there is no true way to prevent when such a thing happens but some believe that keeping your mind busy constantly with reading, writing or even conversing with others can help one keep a healthy mind.

Though brain trauma and disease might be something that sometimes cannot be avoided, drug use is the only item that can be completely avoided. In order for a drug to affect one’s brain it must first interact with the brain. The only way that can happen is if it enters one’s blood stream. The method of how a drug enters the bloodstream would determine how fast and intense a drug’s effects would be such as direct intravenous injection, inhalation or orally. However, one simply saying NO to drugs can avoid all these methods of brain damage. Sadly, millions of people are drug dependant and it’s leaving many “out of this world”.

If you or someone you know is having difficulties with activities of daily living or if you can no longer take care of yourself due to TBI, Disease or Drug use, we at First Care of New York can help. With our certified home health aides (HHA) and personal care aides (PCA), we can provide the services needed. Our HHA’s and PCA’s can help with bathing, cooking, cleaning and even medication reminders, as well as other assistance, depending on one’s needs. Please feel free to contact us and find out how we can help. You can find out more about First Care of New York Inc by visiting us on the web at www.1st-care.org or you can call us at (718) 741-5956.