When Sanjay Gupta was a child, his family experienced a traumatic event: Gupta's father was mugged.
A horrible experience, for sure. But years later, when Gupta related the story to a teacher, the teacher related a lesson that Gupta hadn't previously considered:
Bad guys may be able to steal your possessions. But they can't take your mind.
In the decades since, that lesson has resonated as Gupta has gone on to become an accomplished neurosurgeon and serve as CNN's chief medical correspondent. But Gupta also drew another conclusion from his work: While others may not be able to steal your mind, that doesn't mean you'll use your mind to the full.
Enter Gupta's new book, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age. In it, Gupta shares his learnings and experience on how to make your brain "better, faster, fitter, and sharper."
He does so by sharing the "five pillars of brain health," actions that, according to existing scientific evidence, have been demonstrated as "fundamental to promoting good cognitive function across the lifespan."
Here are the five recommended actions, along with some of Gupta's recommendations on how to implement them in your life:
Move ...
Discover ...
Relax ...
Nourish ...
Connect ...