Since retiring, I have continued learning about aging and brain health through interacting with experts on aging (e.g. my emeritus colleagues pictured above!), reading and reviewing books on these topics, and monitoring current research on a number of germane web sites. Recently I completed reading Sanjay Gupta’s Keeping Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age.
I have tremendous respect for the author. I come away from the book with even greater admiration for the things he has done. It is truly amazing how many famous people he has interacted with.
Things that I liked about his latest book include the following:
- a clear focus on the why’s and how’s of factors that affect brain health and aging.
- witty titles, his optimism, and his good humor.
- “Myth busting”
- Good practical advice on better sleeping
- interesting facts, lessons, and personal experiences (such as meditating with the Dalai Lama and visiting De Hogeweyk)
- Lots of important and helpful information about Alzheimer’s disease and caring for Alzheimer’s disease family members’ financial, social and emotional costs
- A good summary of assessment of Alzheimer’s disease
Things that I disliked about the book included the following:
- It took the author 90 pages to get to his “five pillars” for building a better brain at any age: 1) Move, 2) Discover, 3) Relax,4) Nourish, and 5) Connect. These “pillars” are no different categories than those suggested by other authors (see below for some additional suggested readings) His “simple 12 week program” essentially involves incorporating the five pillars into one’s lifestyle as habits and reflecting upon the experiences.
- The author often meanders off topics or contradicts himself. For example, he initially claims that he presents his pillars in no particular order of importance but later (correctly) states that exercise (movement) has the most and best scientific evidence that it affects brain health.
- There appeared to me no consistent rationale for why some of the text was presented against a grey background.
- It was unclear what the relationship is between Sanjay and the AARP though their trademark appears on the copyright page and their webpage promotes the book
and even includes a link to Sanjay reading Chapter 7 “Food for Thought.”
Readers who are buying the book to learn more about Sanjay will be rewarded. One is introduced to his family, his diet, his personal guide to good eating (Slash sugars,Hydrate, Add more Omega 3 fatty acids, Reduce portions, Plan meals ahead of time) his daily exercise regimen, his preferred meditation practice, many of his CNN/journalist/surgeon experiences, and to a fascinating array of people whom he has met (Bill Gates, the Dalai Lama, William Dement, Steven Hawking, and many others).
For those readers looking for more specific guidance, here are some additional resources I have examined and written about over the past five years.
- Dr. Michelle Braun High Octane Brain
- Thoughts about Brain Fitness Software Training Claims
- Ten Brain Enriching Resources
- Brain Boosting or Bloated Claims?
- Brain Health Resources
- Promising Research or Wishful Thinking?
- Sharpening My Brain
- Brain Fitness Training: Fact vs. Fiction
- Can my old brain be (re)trained?
- Still More Reflections on Successful Aging…
Dear David,
Thank you for reviewing Sanjay Gupta’s latest book entitled “Keeping Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age”, and for listing your other ten posts as additional resources.
For reasons of health and the environment, I am mostly a vegetarian and occasionally a vegan, even though I consume a little meat infrequently. In any case, I do not have a craze for meat, not to mention that eating less meat is good for the environment for many reasons.
I also keep my consumption of fat to a minimum, preferably less than 10% of food intake or energy.
Here are my general guidelines to remaining healthy and slim. I do not necessarily or invariably stick to them very strictly.
(A) Diet:
1. 20 minutes before every meal, either drink a glass of water or eat an apple.
2. Use smaller plates to hold meals.
3. Cut out all soft drinks, sugary drinks and fruit juices.
4. Cut out junk food and processed food. (I do have some high-quality biscuits and chocolates in small quantity).
5. Check food label to ensure that the sugar content is below 20%.
6. Do not add too much sugar to home-cooked food.
7. Reduce salt intake.
8. Fast for two days per week. On the fasting day, either eat only one third at every meal, or eat only one meal. Not eating for a whole day or longer is also fine.
9. Have two rather than three meals a day.
10. Restrict mealtimes to within an eight-hour period, outside of which drink only water and have no food. In other words, whether a person has one, two or three meals per day, the meal(s) should be consumed within eight hours.
(B) Exercise:
1. Do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) once or twice a day, or at least once every second day. Each session needs to be as intense as possible and lasting no more than 20 to 30 seconds or one minute at most, followed by one to a few minutes of rests. Repeat twice. This can be running, skipping or cycling on the spot. Running upstairs and downstairs can also help.
2. Reduce sitting time by standing to work or study. Buy something like Veridesk or make your own by improvising or using existing materials.
3. Do some skipping or jumping.
4. Whatever exercises you do, vary the intensity.
5. Doing some physically taxing house chores can be helpful too.
Writing, journaling and/or (re)searching (whether cognitively, verbally, textually or multimodally) can be very helpful in capturing one’s moments or intents and keeping one’ brain healthy. As for me, I have learnt a great deal about myself from working on my websites and composing very detailed and erudite contents for them. Hopefully, these activities are sufficiently vigorous and stimulating to keep my brain younger than springtime!
What do you reckon, David?
Happy March to you soon!