Title Brain Power

Author Michael J. Gelb & Kelly Howell

Year Published 2012

Kind of Book Health and Science

How strongly I recommend it 7/10

My Impressions I got this as a gift for my Mom, so I only skimmed through it. It is a solid 50,000ft view of how to age healthily and keep your brain sharp in your golden years. It acts as a kind of crash course for the subject and introduces many aspects (nutrition, exercise, mindset, memory techniques etc.) It doesn't go into a ton of depth about any one thing, but is full of resources and a great book to introduce people to different aspects of brain health they might not have known about. My Mom loved it!

Date Read Dec 2020

Practical Takeaways

  • Record your favorite jokes and stories and share them with your friends

  • Surround yourself with friends who make you laugh

  • Stop saying "I'm too old to…

  • Stop saying "I'm having a senior moment"

  • Stop saying "My memory is terrible"

  • Stop saying "Getting old stinks"

  • Stop saying "My best days are behind me"

  • Stop saying "My memory is going"

  • Learn to juggle

  • Play a mental sport

  • Play chess (Dementia prevention by 74%)

  • Play bridge (Dementia prevention)

  • Do crosswords (Dementia prevention)

  • Invest 15mins everyday in learning

  • Learn a new language

  • Teach what you want to remember

  • Walk briskly

  • Do 3 20min strength training sessions a week

  • Practice single leg standing

  • Practice balance

  • Walk on curbs

  • Learn Thai Chi from an accomplished teacher

  • Eat breakfast

  • Drink 8-10 8oz glasses of water daily

  • Eat dark chocolate 2x a week

  • Drink wine with food

  • Drink wine slowly

  • Listen to Mozart (or Classical music)

  • Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight daily (without sunglasses)

  • Stand on the earth with bare feet

  • Change the art and decorations in your house frequently

  • Keep fresh flowers and plants in your home

  • Adopt a pet

  • Mentor young people

  • Nap prior to 5pm

  • Limit naps to under 40mins

  • Listen to bioneural beats with headphones

  • Listen to bioneural beats before the activity (not during)

  • Sit comfortably and breath deeply while listening to bioneural beats

 

Big Ideas

  • We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing-George Bernard Shaw

 

Surprising Facts

  • 98 percent of the benefits of sunlight are transmitted through the eyes

  • Melinda Maxfield of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies has found that shamans from many cultures have learned to access the theta brain state by using drum beats struck in the theta range of 4.5 cycles per second.

  • Playing chess can prevent Dementia by up to 74%

Unknown Terms

The Mozart Effect: The phenomenon whereby people who listen to Mozart score better on spatial-reasoning tests. This study was greatly exaggerated and led to a cultural craze. Replicated studies showed that there is little if any improvement in spatial reasoning.

Beta Waves: alertness and focus (12-40HZ)

Alpha Waves: relaxation and creativity (7-12HZ)

Theta Waves: Deep insight and Meditation (4-7HZ)

Delta Waves: Sleep, healing, and regeneration (0-4HZ)