The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness – by Alvaro Fernandez et al.

We say “et al.” in the by-line, because this one has a flock of authors, including Dr. Pascale Michelon, Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, Dr. Elkehon Goldberg, and various others if we include the foreword, introduction, etc.

This is relevant, because those who contributed to the meat of the book (i.e., those listed above), it makes the work a lot more scientifically reliable; one skilled science writer might make a mistake; it’s much less likely to make it through to publication when there are a bevy of doctors in the mix, each staking their reputation on the book’s content, and thus having a vested interest in checking each other’s work as well as their own.

As for what this multidisciplinary team have to offer? The book covers such things as:

• how the brain works (especially the possibilities of neuroplasticity), and what that means for such things as memory and attention
• being “a coach not a patient”; i.e., being active rather than passive in one’s approach to brain health
• the relevance of physical exercise, how much, and what kind
• the relevance (and limitations) of diet choices for brain health
• the relevance of such things as learning new languages and musical training
• the relevance of social engagement, and how some (but not all) social engagement can boost cognition
• methods for managing stress and building resilience to same (critical for maintaining a healthy brain)
• “cross-fit for your brain”, that is to say, a multi-vector collection of tools to explore, ranging from meditation to CBT to biofeedback and more.

The style is pop-science without being sensationalist, just communicating ideas clearly, with enough padding to feel casual, and not like a dense read. Importantly, it’s also practical and applicable too, which is something we always look for here.

Bottom line: if you’d like to be given a good overview of what things work (and how much they can be expected to work), along with a good framework to put that knowledge into practice, then this is a great book for you.

Click here to check out The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, and optimize your brain health and performance!