phone: 1-877-669-6463 ..... 914-762-4646
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phone: 1-877-669-6463 ..... 914-762-4646 |
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Welcome to MINDFITNESS®, BioFeedBack Resources International
and Health Training Seminars' newsletter, a free e-mail service
that keeps you posted on new information and products which
increase the effectiveness of the services you offer, the
economic health of your practice and your creative thinking.
Read on to get great tips for improving client services and
expanding your practice, as well as finding out about exciting
new content on our web site.
***** INSIDE THIS ISSUE *****
I. Spring Seminars
Biofeedback and Neurofeedback are such powerful tools to add to
most any health care practice. They give another option or can
be used in conjunction with medication, talk therapy, or
surgery in many cases. I don't suggest that Biofeedback and
Neurofeedback be used in place of traditional medical care.
They can add to it and make it more effective. There are also
many non-medical applications of Biofeedback/Neurofeedback
including educational, stress management, and performance
enhancement. Many professionals are now using
Biofeedback/Neurofeedback in their life coaching practices.
Our next seminars that can help you get started and for those
who qualify, certified in these areas are as follows:
Biofeedback - April 8-12, 2005, Tarrytown, NY.
Visit our web-site: www.biofeedbackinternational.com or call 877-669-6463 or
914-762-4646 ASAP if you are interested in attending.
II. Concerns About ADD/ADHD Medications Grow
A recent study showed that all 12 child subjects being treated
for ADHD using methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate CD,
etc.) showed an increase of 300% in levels of chromosome
abnormalities that are associated with increased risks of
cancer and other negative health effects. This is not a
conclusive study but it adds fuel to the fire of concerns about
the possible long-term negative effects of the standard
pharmacological traditional course of treatment of ADHD. The
effects were seen in just three months after the start of the
drug treatment. Over 10 million prescriptions were issued in
1996. Sales for Methylphenidate drugs increased 500% from 1991
and 1999. The lead author Randa A. El-Zein, MD., Ph.D.
assistant professor of epidemiology at M.D. performed the blood
studies. The principal and senior author and UTMB Professor of
Environmental Toxicology Marvin Legator said that this doesn't
mean that these kids are going to get cancer, but it does mean
they are exposed to an additional risk factor ...
These researchers from The University of Texas M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston and the University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston reported their findings in the
peer-reviewed publication Cancer Letters. It hasn't been
published yet but you can find it on line.
I still have the belief that ADD/ADHD is highly over diagnosed
and that many children are being medicated unnecessarily. Even
if there were no risks of serious negative side effects, why
would you want to start a child on a medication that they have
to take practically every day, possibly for most of their
lives? The fact that there is information that says there
might be risks should make people hesitate even more to start a
child on this treatment as a first and only option. Perhaps at
least some of these children could benefit from neurofeedback
training. As this type of information surfaces, it may
encourage more parents to give neurofeedback a chance to help
their children to calm their brains and increase their focus
and attention before turning to medications, which may bring
with them potential long term risks along with their short term
"quick fix".
One of the biggest criticisms of neurofeedback is the lack of
research. This is ironic because there has been very little
research on the potential for serious side effects of the most
popular drugs used for ADHD.
The article is available by going to "Articles in Press" button
on Science Direct's Cancer Letters page:
III. Neurofeedback Brain Training in Canada
Ray Pavlov, M.D. and Nicolina Pavlov, M.D. of Alter-ABC in
Montreal are neurofeedback practitioners who were trained by
Health Training Seminars several years ago. They also acquired
neurofeedback equipment from our company. They are currently
working with athletes, business people, and children to help
them focus and relax. Information about their work was
published in the November 2004 magazine "The Walrus". They
have made it their mission to make neurofeedback more well
known so that more people can benefit from it. They are also
working towards forming an association of neurofeedback
providers in Canada. For more information on the magazine
article "The Brain Trainer, How to focus, focus, focus".
Visit:
IV. Extreme Mind/Body control Applications
The March 2005 Wired Magazine included an article titled "Mind
Control". This article described a patient who is involved in a
controversial clinical trail using a brain-computer interface.
The system consists of tiny electrodes that are implanted in
his brain and connected by wires to a large cart full of
electronic equipment. The electrodes pick up signals of brain
activity that are associated with arm movements. The equipment
then translates this into signals that control devices like a
Pong game paddle or computer cursor.
This type of device may prove useful in situations where
neurofeedback is not specific enough for people who are
paralyzed. Similar, more basic things can be done with surface
EEG sensors for controlling external objects. Pilots may be
able to control some of their equipment by changing their
brainwave patterns. Some of the systems that are available now
offer switch control that can allow the subject to turn various
devices on and off by meeting the training goal. For example,
with attention training, when the theta/beta or theta/smr ratio
meets criteria a toy, light, or other device could be turned
on. This could also be expanded to allow control of other
devices that might have applications for disabled people.
According to the article, the US Department of Defense is
funding work on various brain-computer interfaces with the idea
of military applications. Hopefully if the technology
progresses there will also be more applications to help
disabled people. For more information on this article visit:
V. NRBS Spring Conference
The Northeast Regional Biofeedback Society Spring conference
will take place on May 1st in White Plains, NY. A more
detailed announcement will be included in another email that
will be sent shortly.
VI. Personal Training
It has been our observation that those biofeedback
professionals who spend a significant amount of time training
themselves on the modalities that they plan on training their
clients on, are much more successful with their clients. It is
not enough to know how to apply the sensors, and run the
biofeedback equipment. Doing personal training helps you to
experience what your clients will experience. Experiential
learning is very different from book learning. Much of what
goes on during a biofeedback session is not explainable with
words. It is very important that you have the experience
yourself. Also, why wouldn't you want to train yourself if you
believe in all of the benefits that can come from biofeedback?
VII. A Reminder
Our new company is BioFeedBack Resources International
Corporation. If you were an American Biotec Corporation
customer, you can enjoy the same quality products, training,
and service from the same team at BRI.
* Since 1971 our team has led in providing high quality, low
prices, and outstanding support to the U.S. and international
biofeedback community. We also offer supplies, software, free
and paid online training, consulting, and mentoring services in
person or over the phone or Internet including video
conferencing.
* Biofeedback and EEG/Neurofeedback Equipment and BCIA
Certification Training
* Harry Campbell, BPS, BCIA, President of Northeast Regional
Biofeedback Society
* Adam Crane, BCIA - Senior Fellow, BCIA EEG
Phone: 877-669-6463 / 914-762-4646
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Concerns About ADD/ADHD Medications Grow
14 March 2005
a BioFeedBack Resources International e-mail newsletter
edited by Harry L. Campbell, BCIA, NRBS President
technical editing and production by Edwin Johnson
For information about subscriptions or to unsubscribe,
please go to the end of this e-mail.
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Neurofeedback - April 15-19, 2005, Tarrytown, NY.
http://www.sciencedirct.com/science/journal/03043835
http://www.walrusmagazine.com
http://www.wired.com
www.biofeedbackinternational.com
Back issues are archived on our website.
Letters to the editor or comments: 
www.biofeedbackinternational.com
914.762.4646 877-669-6463
fax:914.762.2281
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