Balancing Complex Simplicity of Our Brains

Balancing Complex Simplicity of Our Brains to Achieve Optimal Health

Featured in Natural Awakenings Magazine

Michael Bibb, D.C., D.A.C.N.B., of Memphis developed a personal interest in brain based therapy (BBT) a few years ago, when his mother experienced intense pain shooting down her right arm. “The pain was so intense that the only position in which she could avoid this pain was to sit upright on the edge of the couch with her right arm over her head,” Bibb recalls. “I tried everything that I knew to do with traditional chiropractic care, but nothing seemed to improve it.”

His mother’s agonizing pain led to Bibb to explore other ways to help her. With some research, he found information about BBT, a new modality also known as brain balancing or functional neurology. He studied enough to convince his mother to try it, and shortly after beginning treatment, she showed great improvement. “Within a few weeks of doing brain-based therapy and metabolic nutrition, my mom was no longer having pain in her arm, and even began to see improvement in other areas with other conditions she had suffered for years.”

After seeing his mother’s positive response, Bibb began a three year journey to learn more about this chiropractic compliment that involved much more than traditional spinal manipulation. Bibb says that many people are intimidated to explore BBT because it seems so complex. “The thing to realize is that your brain is in charge of every function in your body,” he explains. “It has two sides, right and left, and each has control over designated functions, but requires input from both the body and the other side of the brain to remain in balance and coordinate optimal function. The key truly is all about balancing out this activity.”

The brain’s functioning capability is often referred to as the “brain loop.” Bibb’s most simple explanation to understand how it works is to visualize a safety pin. When the brain loop, which follows a path from the cerebellum to the front of the brain to the stem, is intact, it is like a closed safety pin. All signals are able to travel to the proper place. When there is interference in the brain loop, it is like an open safety pin, and the messages are unable to get to the proper place.

“The nice part about functional neurology is that once you know which part of the nervous system is not functioning the way it should, there are an unlimited number of ways to stimulate it,” explains Bibb. “Depending on which part of the nervous system is decreased, I may have a patient perform arm movements, eye movements, head movements, or even have the patient visualize a body part. This all stimulates a particular pathway to exercise and stimulate the nerves that are not functioning properly. The beauty is that it doesn’t necessarily require medication or surgical intervention to accomplish healing.”

Many people around Memphis have had success using functional neurology. Christina Lunden and her husband, Dana, attended one of the evening workshops offered by Bibb. Christina had been dealing with thyroid issues for many years, and did not want to simply take medication, which her doctors said she needed. After attending the workshop and learning about the simplicity of BBT, she and Dana both met with Bibb to have some basic testing that is not often associated with specific conditions like these. “We each learned we have a serious intolerance to gluten,” Christina said. Now, after a few weeks as Bibb’s patients they haven’t felt better in years. Their physical well being has dramatically improved, they have at lost 20 pounds and they sleep fully each night. “We both feel healthier and happier,” says Christina.

BBT is unique in that it does not exactly treat the specific condition that the patient brings. Rather, the goal is to restore balance and optimal function to the nervous system, which then allows the body to heal itself. People who have worked with functional neurology have had significant improvements with many types of conditions, including thyroid imbalances, peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, brain trauma, ADHD and more.

“Among all the complexity of how the body is put together, there truly is simple balance that must be honored and maintained in order to be healthy,” says Bibb. “Our approach recognizes this simplicity, that the body was designed to be self-healing and self regulating.”

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