Chicken Soup for the Soul: Boost Your Brain Power! You Can Improve and Energize Your Brain at Any Age Dr. Marie Pasinski with Liz Neporent Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul Health, an imprint of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC www.chickensoup.com Copyright © 2012 by Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. Chicken Soup for the Soul Health, CSS Health, CSS, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and its Logo and Marks are trademarks of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC. The publisher gratefully acknowledges the many publishers and individuals who granted Chicken Soup for the Soul permission to reprint the cited material. This publication contains the opinions and ideas of the authors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication. Harvard Medical School and the publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health, psychological, or any other kind of personal professional services in the book. The reader should consult a health professional before adopting suggestions in this book. Harvard Medical School, the authors and the publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. Front cover and interior photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com/pavlen (© pavlen). Back cover photo of Dr. Marie Pasinski courtesy of John Mottern. Cover and Interior Design & Layout by Pneuma Books, LLC For more info on Pneuma Books, visit www.pneumabooks.com Distributed to the booktrade by Simon & Schuster. SAN: 200-2442 Publisher’s Cataloging-In-Publication Data (Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.) Pasinski, Marie. Chicken soup for the soul : boost your brain power! : you can improve and energize your brain at any age / Marie Pasinski with Liz Neporent. p. ; cm. Summary: A collection of stories on the topic of improving brain power, memory, cognitive function, alertness, accompanied by medical advice. ISBN: 978-1-935096-86-3 ISBN: 978-1-611592-10-8 (eBook) 1. Brain--Anecdotes. 2. Brain--Care and hygiene--Anecdotes. 3. Brain--Popular works. 4. Brain-- Care and hygiene--Popular works. I. Neporent, Liz. II. Title. III. Title: Boost your brain power PN6071.B74 P27 2012 810.2/02/356/1 2012931531 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on acid∞free paper 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Contents Introduction Chapter 1 ~ Invest in Your Brain ~ Improving Through Improv, Lindy Schneider The Word of the Day, Eve Legato The Gift of Gab, Patricia Gordon Ready? Set. Go! Cathy C. Hall Introduction Enrich Your Mind The Miracle of Neuroplasticity Making Friends for Your Brain’s Sake The More You Know, the More You Know Boosting Your Brain Power Chapter 2 ~ Your Amazing Memory ~ Capital of Delaware, Shawnelle Eliasen Picking My Brain Booster, L.D. Whitaker B My Hero, Kim Hackett Partly Cloudy Pancakes, Stephen D. Rogers Introduction How Memory Works Memory Hitches and Glitches Legitimate Concerns about Memory Check Up on Your Memory Memory Tips You Won’t Forget Chapter 3 ~ Living Well to Age-Proof the Brain ~ Pump Up Your Brain Power, Dallas Woodburn Staying Sharp at 95, Jacqueline Seewald Use It or Lose It, John M. Scanlan Don’t Forget to Dance, Teresa Ambord Introduction The Seven Brain Aging Risk Factors Nourish Your Neurons The Best Brain Booster Ever Save a Brain Chapter 4 ~ Shaping Your Thoughts and Emotions ~ The Numbers Game, Diana Savage Slug Club, Christine Catlin The Handkerchief Caper, Garrett Bauman Don’t Overload Your Brain, Stephanie Davenport Introduction The Physical Path of Thought What Is Your Inner Voice Telling You? Minding Your Brain You Are What You Think Optimize Your Inner Voice 5-Minute Mini-Meditation Chapter 5 ~ Wake Up Your Brain ~ Nothing Beats a Good Book! Pat Williams Get Out of That Rut! Jennie Ivey Book Brain, Beth Cato Practice Makes Perfect, Debbie Acklin Lullaby and Good Night, Marla H. Thurman Introduction Sleep to Remember What You Lose When You Don’t Snooze Slumber Numbers Tips for Better Sleep Chapter 6 ~ Don’t Accept Labels ~ Rise and Shine, Simon Lewis My Traveling Brain, Anna (Betty) Brack Just a Little Farther to Go, Jan Keller The Power of Perseverance, Annmarie B. Tait Ageless Occupation, Phyllis W. Zeno Introduction The Ordinary Is Really Extraordinary Unusual Tradeoffs Never Set Limits Age Is Just a Number Breaking Down Limits The Multiple Intelligences Meet Our Contributors Meet Our Authors Acknowledgments Introduction “It’s the heart.” “It’s the brain.” “No, it’s the heart!” “Darling, I KNOW it’s the BRAIN!” My husband and I often have a passionate argument about which organ in the body is the most important. He’s an internist and insists it’s the heart. If the heart isn’t working, he claims, blood doesn’t circulate, your cells don’t receive oxygen and pretty soon nothing else is working either. As a neurologist, I of course, have no doubt it’s the brain. After all, your brain is your very essence — it’s what makes you who you are. If your brain isn’t functioning, then what’s the point? Every once in a while I get him to concede I’m right. Your brain is a marvel and your most precious possession. Weighing in at just three pounds, it is home to more than one hundred billion neurons interconnected by one hundred trillion synapses, giving rise to your consciousness and your every thought, mood and action. Modern neuroscience research has changed our perception of the brain dramatically. One of the breakthroughs I find most fascinating is our new understanding of the brain’s ability to redesign itself. We used to think the brain was static but now recognize that it is incredibly dynamic and constantly evolving. Like a work of art in progress, it’s continuously shaped and transformed by experiences and the way it is cared for. No matter your age or your past, it’s never too late to take advantage of this remarkable ability. I can’t think of a better way to highlight the potential of the human brain than by pairing stories of innovative individuals creatively using their minds with straightforward scientific explanations of what’s taking place in their brains. As the stories so eloquently illustrate, it’s possible to change the direction of thoughts, emotions and behaviors, which in turn may transform a moment, a day — or even an entire life. It is thrilling to share with you the explanations of the exciting neuroscience that allows this to happen. As you read this book, I hope the stories as well as the captivating science inspire you to do more with your brain. Every one of us is capable of reaching our potential. And with no disrespect to the heart or any of the other organs, what better tool to help you get there than your wonderful, amazing brain? ~ Marie Pasinski, MD ~ Chapter 1 Invest in Your Brain