BRAIN RULES FOR AGING WELL. Copyright © 2017 by John J. Medina.

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      FIRST EDITION

       Edited by Tracy Cutchlow

       Cover designed by Nick Johnson

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

      ISBN-13: 978-0-9989192-2-5

      10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

       To Sir David Attenborough, role model and mentor-at-a-distance, for the continual reminder that science doesn’t make truces with truth.

      contents

Introduction

       what causes us to age ~ how the brain is wired ~ why old age can be some of the happiest years of your life

Social Brain

1. Your friendships

       vitamins for the brain ~ more parties, less flu ~ where social isolation leads ~ video chats ~ the human touch

2. Your happiness

       happier or grumpier? ~ roller-coaster grandpa ~ gullibility and the Highway to Hell ~ dopamine and depression ~ the power of gratitude

      Thinking Brain

       3. Your stress

       the thermostat of the stress system ~ how you feel about aging changes the way your brain ages ~ gender differences ~ stress and mindfulness

       4. Your memory

       many types of memory ~ what declines, what stays robust, what improves how the brain battles back ~ Mikey likes it, and you will too

       5. Your mind

       how processing speed changes ~ problem-solving abilities vs. intelligence drawn from experience ~ stunning results from playing video games

       6. Your mind: Alzheimer’s

       what your doctor can’t tell you ~ mild cognitive impairment vs. Alzheimer’s 10 warning signs ~ the amyloid hypothesis and the Nun Study ~ predicting Alzheimer’s in your 20s?

      Body and Brain

       7. Your food and exercise

       a little exercise goes a long way ~ less food, longer life? ~ two diets that improve working memory and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s

       8. Your sleep

      why do we sleep? two breakthroughs ~ the battle of the sleep cycle ~ how sleep fragments as you age ~ a good night’s sleep starts four hours before

      Future Brain

       9. Your longevity

       what Super Agers can teach us about long life ~ a gene found to extend life ~ how cells know to die, thus avoiding cancer ~ a pill for aging?

       10. Your retirement

       retiring from a job raises your risk of disability, disease, depression, and dementia ~ nostalgia is good for you ~ the Blue Zone ~ an hour-by-hour plan for retirement

       Acknowledgments

       Index

      10 brain rules for aging well

       1.

Be a friend to others, and let others be a friend to you

       2.

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude

       3.

       Mindfulness not only soothes but improves

       4.

       Remember, it’s never too late to learn—or to teach

       5.

       Train your brain with video games

       6.

       Look for 10 signs before asking, “Do I have Alzheimer’s?”

       7.

       MIND your meals and get moving

       8.

       For clear thinking, get enough (not too much) sleep