The 5 Secrets of Super-Agers: Your Brain Can Get Better As You Age
Category: Health and Wellness Issues
November 2021 — In Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s book, “Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age“, the neurosurgeon states early on that “you can make your brain better, faster, fitter, and yes, sharper”. That is good news – we are not stuck with an aging brain that diminishes every day thanks to old age, too much drinking, or other bad habits. His book is about propagating brain cells and making our existing ones more efficient. Not to make us smarter, but to help us “navigate life” better. (Note: Topretirements earns a commission from some links to Amazon).
People tend to think that memory loss is something that comes automatically with old age, which is not the case. Cognitive decline is not inevitable. Just about everyone worries about memory lapses, like forgetting the name of the person you have known for years, but that is not as worrisome as some might think. “Keep Sharp:” is dedicated to the idea that you can have your own “sharp brain” program to improve your thinking and memory, no matter what your age.
The book has several sections, and the most important is probably his 5 pillars of brain health. We will venture to say that you will not be able to guess which pillar is number one.
Comments on "The 5 Secrets of Super-Agers: Your Brain Can Get Better As You Age"
Goldie says:
As usual, your blog articles are helpful and interesting. I Iike Dr. Gupta and trust he knows what he is talking about. I probably wouldn't have gotten the book to read but I like how you have explained the different pillars and have nicely summarized the book for me, so I will read it. I agree that physical health is as important as mental, and I also see how easy it has become for me find a reason to stay home which I need to change ASAP. My mother was a whiz at crosswords and did them every night in bed for as long as I can remember. My father did crosswords also but he went bowling, played golf and swam with friends at the Y a few times a week. My mother's memory loss started in her early 80's. My father never developed dementia and was interesting to be with until his passing. So I guess crosswords are nice, but there is more to it than that.
Barbara says:
The Connect pillar is so very important. I recently visited a friend in nearby small town that I haven't seen in a couple of years due to Covid. She is 83 and a joy to see. For years whenever I went to see her on a regular basis there were normally other friends there who also just stopped in. This time when I arrived unannounced she immediately welcomed me in and we had a great visit. While we visited, her doorbell rang a couple of times by friends and neighbors and her her phone rang more often than that. She is bright, fun, healthy and a great source for the next book to read. I told her she didn't miss a beat with keeping in contact with everyone and I was impressed. She told me the secret was to always have on a pot of fresh coffee and people will stop in, and that even with her poor eyesight she went back to letter writing during Covid, she loved writing short notes and even more so receiving them. I have been thinking about her since my visit and have some changes to make. I'm 15 years younger than her and need to get started. I agree with Dr. Gupta's pillars, and am interested in looking at his 12 week program.
Admin says:
One of the cheats that I am going to use is Apple Air Tags. You can put them on your wallet, keys, airpods, or anything you keep losing and track their whereabouts via your phone.