Dr. Amen first came to my attention a few years ago. I was flipping through channels and landed on my local public television station. There was Dr. Amen showing an audience how his brain research could transform lives. I couldn’t stop watching and immediately ordered his books.
Before they came, I wanted to know more about him. His background is impressive. He has had over thirty years of experience as a clinical psychiatrist. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and the director of the Amen Clinics. In addition, he is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.
When I heard that he had a new book coming out, I couldn’t wait to read it. Here is an interview with Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D., author of Use Your Brain to Change Your Age: Secrets to Look, Feel, and Think Younger Every Day.
Most people think of youthful looks and they think of all of the magazine covers at the checkout stand. We think of fad diets and strenuous workouts. But you say “The fountain of youth is between your ears.” How is the brain the key to making us look younger?
I am grateful for the opportunity to appear in your blog! Thank you.
Your brain controls everything you do, including how you think, feel, act and interact. Your brain is the organ of personality, character, and every decision you make. The quality of your decisions is the number one predictor of longevity. It is your brain that makes good decisions that keep you healthy and alive for a long time, or it is your brain that makes the bad decisions that kill you early. If you want to live a long, productive, happy, vibrant life the first place to start is by having a better brain.
After performing over 72,000 brain SPECT scans at the Amen Clinics (SPECT looks at blood flow and activity in the brain) it is very clear that as we age the brain becomes less and less active. See the chart below. Now that I’m 57, I hate that. But, our research has shown that with your behavior you can accelerate the aging process, making your brain look and feel older or you can decelerate it. That is one of the main reasons I wrote this new book. I want to teach people the lessons I have learned to slow or even reverse the aging process in the brain.
Your book is so loaded with practical tips for your health. Specifics on diet, supplements, exercise, sleep, massage, breathing techniques…what to do, what not to do. Where do you start?
Brain health is really very simple. It starts with 3 strategies.