Brain Longevity: The Breakthrough Medical Program That Improves Your Mind and Memory

by Dharma Singh Khalsa

Book Overview

Offers a program of nutritional, stress-relieving, pharmacological, and mind-body therapies to overcome the effects of brain aging. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446520675
• ISBN13: 9780446520676
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 454 Pages
• Weight: 1.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Exciting book, readable, full of information

While most of us are losing our minds (literally cell by cell), some people are razor sharp well into their nineties. Is this just heredity or good luck, or is there something we can do to keep our mind and memory from going the way of Alzheimer's? Dr. Khalsa thinks so. In fact he presents quite a program for rejuvenation. The question is, does he have the goods in this book to help YOU? To be honest, I don't know, but I read the entire 454 pages with interest and mostly approval. Not being a brain scientist myself, nor a doctor of medicine, I can only offer a layman's reaction. Generally speaking, Khalsa sees the brain as another organ in the body that can benefit in the same way that the rest of the body can benefit. He offers the exciting prospect (along with some evidence) that even old people can grow new dendrites, in effect increasing their brain power. Especially interesting to me were his memory tests (that you can take yourself) to determine whether it is likely you are on your way to Alzheimer's or dementia, or just having a bad day. There are four elements of his "brain longevity program": exercise, nutritional therapy, stress management, and pharmacology. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain that in turn increases nourishment to the brain and allows for better removal of waste products. Khalsa believes that exercise also increases the supply of the "nerve growth factor" (NGF) hormone to the brain while enhancing neuronal metabolism. (p. 324) He reports that brain cells may die because they do not receive enough NGF. Certainly if one follows a sedentary lifestyle it would not be surprising to learn that with reduced blood flow, the brain becomes undernourished. So exercise--YES! Okay, what about "nutritional therapy"? Yes, that's the usual program of cut out the animal fats, eat less in general and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Good for the body, good for the brain. He also recommends nutritional supplements like ginkgo biloba and ginseng. He is concerned about free radicals in the blood which he believes contribute to the ageing process, and shows us how to reduce their number. Obviously, being overweight is a health risk, but Khalsa believes that being overweight also impairs cerebral circulation and creates millions of free radicals which can damage cells everywhere in the body including in the brain. What really hit me was the importance of "stress management." Khalsa believes that excessive and chronic production of cortisol (which the adrenal glands secret in reaction to danger and other stresses) is "so toxic to the brain that it kills and injures brain cells by the billions." (p. 8) And then there's pharmacology. Khalsa likes to go natural first, but when the situation is acute, he is not opposed to prescribing medicine. He especially likes deprenyl which he calls "the memory drug." He has a lot to say about neurotransmitters and their function and how they break down. He sees a con

Awesome Book on Naturally Achieving Brain Longevity

I read this book about a year ago and I thought it was excellent. I couldn't put it down and read it in just a few days despite my extremely busy schedule. I'm just basing it off what I can remember.He talked about the physiology of what happens to the body with stress, exercise, sleep and boy, these were enlightening. I started a few months prior to reading this book seeing the effects of stress, exercise, sleep on weight loss and I came to similar conclusions that Singh did. It really helped validate what I had already learned, but he was able to talk about it more scientifically.The book is well-written. It also talks about what happens to our bodies when we don't manage stress, get enough sleep, get adequate exercise, and if our diets are poor. He goes into the pros/cons here. He gives ways to develop brain longevity by fixing the prior and supplementation through vitamins/minerals/natural supplements. It's a great insightful book and life changing.

Boost your brainpower

This book contains good news based on the latest scientific discoveries, which it uses and applies together with ancient wisdom, to present a practical guide towards retaining and enhancing cognitive ability despite the biological aging process.The 5 principles of brain longevity are: 1. The brain is flesh and blood; 2.The powers of the brain are virtually limitless; 3. The brain is capable of infinite joy and pleasure; 4. The brain has a plastic quality and can renew itself; 5. Much about the brain remains a mystery.Part I covers the discovery of brain longevity therapy, Part II explains how the brain works and Part III deals with designing a brain longevity program. This includes the brain longevity diet, nutritional therapy (including the role of vitamins A, B, C and E, minerals like magnesium, selenium and zinc, amino acids like phenylalanine, glutamine, methionine, arginine and tryptophan, substances like co-enzyme Q10 and tonics like gingko biloba, phosphatidyl serine, acetyl-l-carnitine, ginseng, DMAE and green tea.This section also includes methods of stress management, mind/body exercises and the assessment of the efficacy of various medicines like deprenyl.Khalsa's book is highly recommended to people who wish to take responsibility for their own health with special emphasis on maintaining the highest levels of cognitive ability. It concludes with a Resources and Referrals section and a thorough index. I also recommend the book Mind Boosters by Ray Sahelian, an examination of natural substances that promote cognitive longevity.

An Important Book for Every Brain

Being in the age range of beginning forgetfulness, it's easy to feel that this is a normal part of life. Dr. Dharma's book really turned my head around (literally speaking!) to the idea that the brain is a physical organ, and can be nurtured as such. Using natural health--exercise, supplements, meditation and many other self-empowering techniques, we can reclaim our mental health. Middle age is often the time when we realize the fruits of our hard work and wisdom gained, and our lives can really take off. At this important time of our lives, brain power is of the utmost importance for learning ability and creativity. I am thankful that this book exists!

Excellent. This book offers hope to the hopeless!

Have not even finished this book yet and probably never will. I am hanging on every word. If you come to a place where you can no longer accept brain degeneration without a fight, this is your book.