Glenn S Cohen Of Center for Neurological Intelligence (NI) On Lifestyle Habits Supporting Cognitive Well-Being

In a world inundated with distractions, constant connectivity, and a plethora of information, our cognitive well-being has never been more crucial. Amidst the clamor, how do we nurture our minds, keep our focus sharp, and cultivate habits that promote mental clarity? The right lifestyle habits can be the cornerstone to maintaining and even enhancing our cognitive abilities, ensuring not just longevity but also the quality of our mental faculties. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Glenn S. Cohen.

Glenn S. Cohen is a Master Neurological Life Coach and the founder of the Center for Neurological Intelligence (NI). He has helped thousands of individuals and couples guiding them to heal their unresolved neurological wounding and grow into the highest version of themselves. Glenn’s life calling is to share his passion for NI, the knowledge of this modality and guidance for individual healing with the world. Glenn is the author of two books, Neurological Intelligence Volume I: An Owner’s Manual for the Human Operating System and Neurological Intelligence Volume II: Strategies and Tools to Heal and Grow.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

I was born and raised in Charleston SC and I am the third of four children. My younger brother Paul died in 1998. I experienced a lot of neurological wounding in childhood, adolescence, and in my adult life. This wounding led me to develop unhealthy habits early in my life. I adopted limiting, disempowered beliefs about myself and others which followed me into my adult life. My pain and suffering led me into a passionate 20-year mission to create this new modality of NI and write the three volumes of my life’s work, the educational aspects of NI and the application of NI strategies, tools and techniques to rewire the mind and the methods for couples/partners to embark into a lifetime of empowered loving relationships.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

In 1998, I began a new cycle that led me into a multi-year personal abyss. This cycle shifted in July 2003 when I began searching for answers. I went to a local Barnes & Noble’s store and scanned the self-help section. I was in search for a book that could help me and came across Tony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within. I devoured the book and cliff noted all of its lessons into my laptop. The book awakened me to find my true purpose for life and introduced me to the concept of coaching. This began my journey to study the best of the best, begin my coaching practice and to write the three volumes of my life’s work.

Let’s now talk about lifestyle habits that support cognitive well-being. Are there specific foods or diets that have been scientifically shown to enhance cognitive functions?

Nutrition and diet is not my specific area of expertise. However, based on my personal and professional experience, I know that excess alcohol and other neurologically altering substances are being overly abused by people to either run from, hide from, or numb some uncomfortable emotions, body feelings and sensations which represents unresolvedness in their nervous system.

Also, many resort to habits beyond substances (other addictions, eating disorders, sexual, gambling, shopping etc.) that activates one to run, hide or numb or project an image to conform to some external perception of self. These habits, addictions are very unhealthy for one’s cognitive well-being. In order to support your cognitive well-being one must begin a healthy fueling of nutrition and mindful exercise program that will support a healthy mind and gut which will lead to a stronger sense of self and a healthier cognitive state of well-being.

What are your thoughts on the importance of movement and exercise in the context of cognitive decline? How do different forms of exercise, such as aerobic vs. strength training, influence cognitive well-being?

In respect to cognitive decline for adults, movement of the body and using the mind in healthy ways is very important. We believe what we perceive. If a person believes they are useless, hopeless and in essence, gives up, then that way of making sense of their present experience will initiate the corresponding emotions which then could become a cognitive cycle leading to a decline in body movement and healthy mind activities.

Concerning the different forms of exercise, I am sure aerobic (yoga, pilates, cycling) or strength training will increase the flow of oxygen through deep breathing during training and increase positive self-worth. Healthy exercise has enormous impact on ones sense of well-being and the actual endorphins create a neurological shift of well-being. I especially encourage hiking, kayaking, walking, jogging — any activity where one is outside in nature.

Can mindfulness practices or meditation offer measurable benefits to cognitive health?

Yes, absolutely mindfulness practices are the key to healthy neurological and cognitive well-being. It is imperative to incorporate these practices into daily life. Knowing you are responsible and holding yourself accountable, with loving kindness, for your thought, emotions, behaviors and the stories you tell yourself is critical. In my practice, one of the most important elements of guiding my clients is teaching them the benefits of meditation. Through the use of SIMEs — strategic intentional meditative experiences, people can learn how to mindfully manage their inner world and change any programming codes. The goal is to assist them to heal their unresolvedness from the past, change disempowered patterns in the present, grow into the highest version of themselves and own their personal power.

How does the quality and quantity of sleep correlate with cognitive performance and long-term brain health?

I am not an expert on sleep. However, it is proven to have a tremendous impact on one’s overall health. In my experience I believe people need the amount of sleep they feel at the time is honoring where they are and what is happening to them and more importantly, how they are making sense of the time period. An example would be if you have a newborn and do not get much sleep for a period of time, what is more important? Is it the amount of sleep or how you are making sense of the experience. The meaning you assign especially if it is disempowered and littered with victim language, could have a long-term effect on your cognitive well-being. You can use this example and apply to any type of life event.

How do social connections and interpersonal relationships influence our cognitive well-being?

People are hard-wired to connect. With that said, there are distinctions that need to be considered. Two of the most important primal attachment needs are for connection and significance. Depending on how one goes about meeting those needs (empowered or disempowered) with themselves and in their relationships will have a major influence on their neurological and cognitive well-being. An example would be how a person honors themselves: does an introverted person force themselves into situations to please others to gain connection or does an extroverted person go way overboard to gain a sense of significance?

What role do lifelong learning and continuous mental stimulation play in maintaining optimal cognitive health?

I believe lifelong learning and continuous mental stimulation is critical in determining optimal cognitive health in the short and long term. Our nervous system is like a supercomputer with over a trillion connections. When we engage in activities that stimulate our mind in healthy or unhealthy ways, we will continue to build and reenforce neural networks to wire together the energy and information to support the pattern. If we do not, then the mind goes through a process of paring which means it will get rid of something you have not used in a while. So it is critical to mindfully, with repetition employ strategies that fire and wire in healthy, empowering patterns throughout life and not focus on or engage the patterns that are dysfunctional and disempowered.

What are your five favorite lifestyle habits that proactively support cognitive well-being? Please share a story or an example for each, if you can.

1. Be Kind With Your Mind! Many people speak to themselves in very self-abusive ways when they are triggered or reactive. I ask my clients a question in one of their first visits, “Would you talk to your 6-year-old child the same way you talk to yourself?” I have never had anyone answer yes to that question. So for cognitive, neurological well-being, tip number one — Protect your ID! Your internal dialogue — the key words and phrases you say to yourself is the most important factor for the long-term health and well-being of your inner and outer worlds.
2. Be Mindful of Your TEA! TEA is an acronym that stands for time, energy and attention. Many people get caught by negative, disempowered thoughts which leads them to waste their time, drain their energy and lose the focus of their attention. The human supercomputer of our unconscious mind will run on autopilot based on past sensory programing. If the coding within the programs are disempowered, then you may spill, waste and toxify your TEA. So for cognitive, neurological well-being, tip number two — Notice, Don’t Engage! Your body will alert you to notice and become aware of your TEA and then it is up to you whether you mindlessly engage or mindfully change.
3. Love and Honor Your BETTY! BETTY is an acronym that stands for be enthusiastically true to you. When people are not cognitively heathy or as I call it neurologically wounded, they tend to give their power away when they do not love and honor themselves. When they don’t, what usually happens is they will unconsciously find a way to validate the disempowered beliefs that lead them to accept less than what they deserve. So for cognitive, neurological well-being, tip number three — Step Up Into HAVOR! Throughout your day, ask yourself the following question. In this moment am I being honest, authentic, vulnerable, open and real with myself and others?
4. Stop Arguing With You! We all have multiple personalities in our inner world and this is a normal aspect of the human experience. Think of the term internal conflict, who are you internally in conflict with? These diverse personalities have different purposes for being a part of your inner world and they all have various voices we pay attention to and base our decisions on. So for cognitive, neurological well-being, tip number four — I offer you a phrase. Please stop arguing for your limitations! Know you are way more than you think you are. Also, listen to the wisdom from downstairs and not the chatter from upstairs.
5. You Always Have a Choice! When we run the same thought and behavior patterns over and over for days, weeks, months or years, we come to believe it is us, that it is our identity. We create the belief that this is all we are and we have no choice. You are the manager of your meaning machine mind. You always have the choice to assign meaning to whatever is in your present moment focus. It’s always your choice to choose — assign an empowered or disempowered meaning! So for cognitive, neurological well-being, tip number five — I offer you another anchor of awareness. Emotions are evoked by meaning so be mindful of the meaning you assign knowing it will determine the emotion you feel.

Are there any proven techniques or habits that can help protect against age-related cognitive decline?

From a neurological perspective, looking at cognitive health, I would propose that being able to notice and interrupt disempowered patterns from the past and replacing with repetition new empowered patterns would have the greatest effect. A fundamental technique I share is the stimulus-gap-choice strategy. When we get triggered and begin to run a disempowered autopilot program, we will feel a unique body sensation. This uncomfortable sensation is the early warning alarm signal to become mindful to increase the gap of time so you are able to mindfully respond instead of mindlessly reacting. When we increase this gap of time from a nanosecond to 5–10 seconds, we give ourselves a chance for choice to re-evaluate the meaning we unconsciously assigned. When we can follow this strategy, we can change deeply engrain beliefs that may cause us to suffer in some way and lead to choices that cause neurological and cognitive decline.

In your professional or personal experience, what can be done to delay cognitive decline if the genetic predisposition is there?

I believe if we focus our time, energy and attention to mindfully make choices that nourish our mind, body and soul, we have the chance to greatly affect the outcome of our neurological and cognitive health. Many people are unaware of the lasting imprint of unresolved neurological wounding and the impact this has on the health and well-being of the relationship they have with themselves and the ones they love. Healing and growth is about the re-programming of our mind which will allow us to release the dis-ease to live a longer healthier life.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

I would begin with Tony Robbins since I began my journey with his book and express my gratitude for his work and the impact it had on opening the door for me to live my purpose. If I could invite others to join after, I would invite Daniel Seigel, Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, John Gottman, Harvell Hendrix, Richard Schwartz and many more!

How can our readers follow you online?

My website is www.centerforni.com and social media is #centerforni

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.