Keep Sharp is largely a self-help book, but Gupta devotes the first 100 pages or so to the science of the brain ('what makes you you,' as he aptly puts it) and dementia ... Yet while all of Gupta’s recommendations are good general tips, the jury is still out on whether doing any of this will actually sharpen your brain, much less stave off dementia ...
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 ... Those looking for simplistic strategies for improving brain function and memory should look elsewhere ... 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.
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 ... 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 ... Inclusive and recognizably sturdy advice on building a healthy brain.
