Publishers Weekly
03/09/2020
Gupta (Chasing Life), a neurosurgeon and chief medical correspondent for CNN, offers hopeful advice on how to maintain a healthy brain in this bracing study. With many references to medical studies, he thoroughly debunks common myths about the brain, such as that languages become harder to learn as one ages, and explains the processes of various neurological functions, such as creating memories. Those looking for simplistic strategies for improving brain function and memory should look elsewhere, as Gupta subscribes to the notion that what is “good for the heart is good for the brain.” His holistic approach includes exercise, getting enough sleep, and a healthy diet, alongside maintaining a social life and trying new things. Gupta is particularly effective in chapters that address those coping with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis and their caregivers; especially useful is his list of logistics for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and resources for patients and their caregivers. While Gupta’s approach to better brain health doesn’t break new ground, his optimism and the wealth of scientific information he corrals will embolden and comfort readers. (June)
From the Publisher
A must-read owner’s manual for anyone with a brain.”
—Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
“Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the unique ability to translate the latest scientific research into accessible language we can all understand. Whether you’re concerned about memory loss or simply want to boost your mental acuity, Keep Sharp is an essential guide.”
—Gary Small, MD, Director, UCLA Longevity Center
“Gupta is brilliant at busting myths, allaying fears, and giving us the solutions we need to keep sharp throughout our lives.”
—Dean Ornish, MD, Founder & President, Preventive Medicine Research Institute
“This is a frontier where we can dramatically improve human life, and Keep Sharp is a helpful primer for anyone who wants to better understand brain function and how to preserve it.”
— Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
“Keep Sharp will change how you think about your brain, how you care for it, and how you support its full potential.”
—David B. Agus, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Illness
“This is the book all of us need, young and old!”
—Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author of Steve Jobs
“Sanjay Gupta brilliantly crafts an actionable plan we can all follow. I feel sharper already.”
—Mehmet Oz, MD, Host, The Dr. Oz Show
“Keep Sharp shows it’s absolutely possible to take control of one’s brain health for life.”
—Richard Isaacson, MD, Director, Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at the Weill Cornell Memory Disorders Program
“In a steady, measured voice, [Gupta] presents a comprehensive view of the best that brain science has to offer to preserve and improve memory... A genuine source of practical knowledge and sympathy to those struggling with dementia and the family members who are primary caregivers.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“[Gupta’s] optimism and the wealth of scientific information he corrals will embolden and comfort readers.”
—Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2020-02-16
CNN chief medical correspondent Gupta counsels that in order to best take care of your body, you have to first take care of your mind.
The author’s primary concern is to nurture a resilient brain that propagates new cells, makes the ones you have work more efficiently, and is continuously enriched throughout life. In particular, he wishes to stave off age-related brain illnesses classified under dementia, with Alzheimer’s at the fore. Unfortunately, writes Gupta, “we often don’t and can’t know what triggers cognitive decline in the first place or what propels it over time.” Regarding the brain as a whole, “we are still not exactly sure what makes it tick.” As such, the author suggests that we get out in front of it and act preventatively by engaging in behaviors that are widely considered brain-friendly. In a steady, measured voice, he presents a comprehensive view of the best that brain science has to offer to preserve and improve memory at the cognitive level. The villains are a rogue’s gallery of familiar faces: “physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking, social isolation, poor sleep, lack of mentally stimulating activities, and misuse of alcohol.” Gupta explores the evidence, both scientifically documented and anecdotal (but common-sensical), behind the value of exercise; strategies to heighten attention, focus, and concentration; relaxation (including meditation and restorative sleep); diet’s microbial effect on the brain; and the value of a diverse social network. None of this is going to make your jaw drop, but they are all good reminders of their import and how we can let them slide by without much thought. Gupta is a shameless name-dropper—“my friend, actor and fitness buff Matthew McConaughey” gives him exercise advice; the Dalai Lama privately tutors him in meditation—but he is also a genuine source of practical knowledge and sympathy to those struggling with dementia and the family members who are primary caregivers—to whom he tenders a wealth of resources.
Inclusive and recognizably sturdy advice on building a healthy brain.
