Prioritize the health of your brain, as it is involved in everything you do—how you think, feel, act, and every decision you make—and when your brain works right, you work right.
Before doing or thinking anything, ask yourself if it is good or bad for your brain, and if it’s bad, choose to stop and opt for what is good.
Understand that you are not stuck with your current brain; you can improve its structure and function at any age through lifestyle changes, mindset adjustments, and targeted care.
Value your brain as highly as you would a luxury car or a racehorse, and therefore, do not ‘put salt in its gas tank’ by consuming alcohol, drugs, or junk food, as it will prevent you from performing at your best and achieving your life goals.
Utilize the BRIGHT MINDS framework to prevent or treat the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind, as it serves as both an Alzheimer’s and depression prevention program.
Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption, as any amount is associated with an increased risk of seven different cancers, prematurely ages the brain, and acts as a disinfectant to your gut microbiome.
Do not use marijuana, as studies show it lowers activity and blood flow in every area of the brain compared to healthy brains, and teenage use is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, suicide, and psychosis.
Steer clear of highly processed, pesticide-sprayed, high-glycemic, low-fiber food-like substances, especially those stored in plastic containers, as they are detrimental to brain health and contribute to a ‘fast-food mind.’
Minimize sugar intake, as it is pro-inflammatory, addictive, lacks nutritional value, impairs learning and healing, and is linked to psychiatric and physical illnesses.
Be aware that activities involving head trauma, like certain contact sports, can cause brain damage; advocate for rule changes and enforce helmet use for children to protect developing brains.
Reduce mindless scrolling on screens and social media, as it is a common daily habit that damages your brain, causes dopamine dumping, and affects energy, joy, and motivation.
Ensure you get at least six and a half to seven hours of sleep nightly, as adequate sleep allows your brain to clean itself, activates health-promoting genes, and prevents toxic buildup, inflammation, and increased risk of anxiety and depression.
Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, write down your thoughts (ANTs) and then critically question them using a five-step process: Is it true? Is it absolutely true? How does it make you feel? How would you feel without the thought? Turn it to its opposite.
Before bed each night, reflect on ‘what went well today’ by reviewing your day hour by hour, consciously sweeping away negative thoughts to train your brain for positivity and increase happiness.
Begin each day by verbally affirming, ‘Today is going to be a great day,’ either to yourself or to someone else, to train your brain towards a positivity bias.
Strive to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, as increasing weight is directly linked to a decrease in the size and function of your brain.
Drink about half your body weight in ounces of water daily, as your brain is 80% water and proper hydration is fundamental for its function.
Consume high-quality protein daily to support the building of new brain cells, especially in the hippocampus, which generates 700 new stem cells each day.
Include healthy fats from sources like fish, avocados, healthy oils, nuts, and seeds in your diet to significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, unlike high-carb, low-fat diets.
Eat powerful fruits and vegetables rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, but avoid artificial dyes and excessive sugar found in highly processed ‘fruit-like’ candies.
Adopt the habit of only eating foods you love that ’love you back’ (i.e., are healthy for you), to manage blood sugar and weight, both of which impact brain function and diabetes risk.
Walk briskly (’like you’re late’) for 45 minutes, four times a week, to increase blood flow to the brain, improve erectile function, and achieve antidepressant effects similar to medication.
Engage in racket sports like tennis or table tennis, as they combine physical activity with coordination, activating the cerebellum and frontal lobes, leading to better decision-making and increased longevity.
Dedicate 15 minutes a day to learning something new and foreign, such as a language or a musical instrument, to actively ‘work out’ and stimulate your brain.
Floss your teeth daily, as gum disease is linked to inflammation in the body and brain disease.
Know your vitamin D level and work to optimize it, as low vitamin D is associated with reduced brain processing function.
Have your key hormone levels (thyroid, insulin, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone) measured annually and work with your doctor to optimize them if they are not in a healthy range, as hormones are crucial for brain health.
Eliminate or significantly reduce sugar intake, as a sugar burst can cause an immediate 25% drop in testosterone, negatively impacting hormone balance.
If you must spend time on screens or social media, do so after completing necessary work and limit it to no more than half an hour a day to avoid dopamine dumping and subsequent feelings of flatness or lack of motivation.
Turn off the news, especially in the morning, and limit consumption to no more than 10 minutes a day, as news is often designed to provoke anger and negativity, which is detrimental to brain health.
Be thoughtful about exposure to various toxins, including mold, mercury, and harmful chemicals in personal care products, as they can negatively impact brain health.
Read labels on personal care products to avoid toxic ingredients like parabens and phthalates, which are hormone disruptors, and use apps or AI tools to identify harmful substances.
Regularly use saunas to help your body get rid of toxins, as people who use saunas most frequently have a lower incidence of dementia.
Refrain from using your phone while driving or walking to significantly reduce your risk of head injury.
Parents should actively supervise and guide their children, especially teenagers, to protect their developing brains from harmful substances and behaviors until at least age 25, and schools should teach brain health.
Be cautious about psilocybin use, especially among teenagers, as its increasing recreational use is linked to a dramatic rise in psychosis, despite potential therapeutic benefits.
Refrain from drinking alcohol to prevent disinhibition, which can lead to saying or doing things you shouldn’t, causing trouble and potentially revealing underlying ‘sober thoughts.’
Aim for an appropriate level of anxiety (e.g., bringing it down to 50 on a scale of 0-100), as some anxiety is essential to motivate you to make good decisions and avoid harmful behaviors.
Understand your genetic risk factors (e.g., for obesity or heart disease) and proactively implement daily prevention programs tailored to your vulnerabilities.
If you experience a head trauma, even a mild one, proactively seek care from a specialist in functional neurology or consider treatments like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as standard MRI/CT scans may not reveal functional damage.
Consider brain imaging as a powerful motivational tool to visualize the impact of your lifestyle choices, as it can show both damage from unhealthy habits and improvement from positive changes.
Prioritize investing in your brain’s health over external appearance, as how your brain looks and functions is far more critical to your happiness, health, and success.
Understand that what benefits other parts of your body, such as your skin or muscles, also benefits your brain, indicating a holistic approach to health.
Support public policies informed by neuroscience, such as banning social media for children under 16 or ultra-processed foods on school campuses, to protect developing brains and improve mental health outcomes.
Advocate for later school start times for children, as sleep deprivation in youth increases the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide.
Choose brain-healthy behaviors, like opting for sparkling water instead of alcohol, even if it means facing peer pressure, because loving your brain is more important than pleasing friends.
Once you start making better brain-healthy decisions, teach others what you’ve learned and share resources like ‘Change Your Brain Every Day’ to create a support group and reinforce your own commitment to brain health.
If following a ketogenic diet, ensure you take nutritional supplements to compensate for potential lack of fiber and nutrients, as food can be either healing or damaging.
Go to bed 30 minutes earlier tonight to improve your memory the next day, and establish a ritualistic bedtime routine that includes reflecting on ‘what went well today.’