Younger Brain, Sharper Mind
by Eric Braverman
Rodale
How fast can you think? Are you suave and deft at witty retorts or sluggish? The answer depends on how young you are and your upkeep of your brain, according to Dr Eric Braverman in his new book.
'The brain is like a superhighway for information,' he writes.
An ageing brain resembles a highway after a jack-knifed tractor trailer accident: 'Everything stops,' Braverman says. 'Worse, the abuse the highway has taken over the years has caused it to be riddled with potholes.'
That is the bad news. The good news: the brain is plastic and adaptable. Contrary to the fatalistic drivel that scientists talked last century, dead brain cells are replaceable. Irrespective of whether you have abused your body, hope exists, according to Braverman.
'You can get your cognitive functioning back to its highest level, and even beyond. All you need is to learn how to repair and recover your brain at the earliest possible stage,' he writes, distilling 35 years of research and clinical experience into his 'protocol'.
Follow it and you can apparently build new brain cells, growing 'younger' and brighter as you age. Braverman explains what to eat to stay focused - no refined carbohydrates - and how to exercise to sharpen your memory. He also highlights the alleged benefits of hormone therapy and medications available to treat mental decline.