Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon: The New Science and Stories of the Brain

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The thing that stood out most to me was thinking about the gut as a second brain. On my recent health journey, I am seeking whole body knowledge including the brain. This is a deeply practical and readable book, which will take you on an expedition through the anatomy of the most fascinating - and mysterious - of organs.

NEURO GEEK, where I dive a little deeper into cool (if wonky) scientific theories, discoveries, and history; and DNF. I don't like self help books. I especially don't like them when I'm told the cure for this particular, phenomenally rare variation of this extremely unusual disease is... meditative breathing and how it can help us all. Can it? The research was based on 26 people trained for two weeks in 'mindful' breathing and the author got all breathy about the results!The author keeps being surprised by the resilience of the human brain after having witnessed different patients recover from brain tumors, head traumas, and other severe injuries. Although you might never end in the operating room, it is good to know that making healthy decisions are helpful in maintaining healthy cognitive function all through life. As mentioned at the start of this review, I did enjoy the book, although I felt like there was not too much ground-breaking content covered here. A compelling insight into that special organ that surgeons cannot replace ( Professor Stephen Westaby, author of 'Fragile Lives') If you consider this author’s method of food difficult, you should know that he isn’t strictly disciplined when it comes to dieting. He knows that once in a while chocolate bar or burger isn’t a big deal. Rather than obsessing on putting kale in all your meals, he stresses that eating healthy, wholesome food should become a normal routine habit. Embracing new habits is challenging, therefore attempt to have just one food habit at a time. Also, ask your friends and family for their support. Before you know it, you will get used to healthy eating habits.

Therefore, if that’s true, where does creativity originate from? Although the executive functions controlled by the frontal lobes do contribute, this section of the brain isn’t the only one accountable for our innate creative skills. It was revealed by recent studies that the cerebellum which fine-tunes muscle movement is also in control of coordinating creative problem-solving. However, by using functional MRIs that captures moving images of the brain at work, scientists now understand that creativity needs neurons in different parts of the brain to light up concurrently. This means that creativity stems from harmonious activity across the whole brain. We are the first of our species to live in a world dominated by categories, hypotheticals, nonverbalTherefore, what do we know about the human brain? These chapters will describe the recent scientific understandings into this complex organ, dismissing any popular myths along the way. Also, you will get to know the role of memory, creativity as well as language and you will also see the simple advice on how to make sure that your brain is healthy all through your life. When the researchers gave a list of categories to the entire participants in the group, both the intelligent and less-intelligent participants did equally well. Therefore, when next you need to recall items on your grocery list, endeavor to think of everything in a given category like fruits or dairy products before going to the next area of the store. Another fascinating case was Marina, a 33 year old Chilean language teacher, with a tumour (meningioma) the size of a peach who had to choose whether to lose her ability to speak Spanish or English after brain surgery. The tumour was located in her left frontotemporal region, the seat of language. She chose to lose English, as her first language, and her family’s was Spanish.

Have you ever heard someone say that your gut is your second brain? Well, it turns out that, that myth is not scientifically true. The truth is that the enteric nervous system, or ENS, covers your entire stomach and your intestines. This is why you feel butterflies in your stomach when you’re anxious or you perceive the sensation of hunger or being full. However, since the colon and the parts of your guts can be cut out without affecting effects like that; therefore, your gut isn’t your second brain. However, with all the parts the brain has, the brain isn’t a standalone organ. its neurotransmitters spread everywhere in your body through the spinal cord and directly to your heart and gut. The super-interesting Flynn effect is also touched on here by Jandial. An incredible finding from the field of intelligence research by one of its leading scientists, he writes:symbols, and visual images that paint alternative realities,” Flynn has written. “We have evolved to deal with a world that would have been alien to previous generations.” Although not all your short-term memories transition to long-term memories. However, during your sleep, most of your memories from the day before being removed. Gradually, scientists have now come to understand that, although we consider sleep as a time of rest, the brain essentially uses this time actively to clear out what it doesn’t need and it restores itself. Exercising is another method to develop your brain’s health and exercise also helps to reduce the risk of developing dementia. Exercise refills the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which is a liquid that nourishes your neurons. As you age, the CSF naturally starts to lose its neurotrophins which is the body that keeps it working. It has been proven that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training keeps the liquid at youthful levels. Genius is the ability to explain the complex in simple terms. In this wonderfully crafted book, Professor Rahul Jandial has explained the structure and function of one of the most complex, least understood, jargonised organs in medicine and science - the brain ... he provides detailed and moving accounts of real-life case studies from his own practice to explain the intricate workings of the brain whilst, at the same time, dispelling myths and providing practical ways in which we can all improve the function of our own brain. A must-read book to enhance brain performance now, and long into the future. Dr. Jandial is a genius. ( Professor Greg Whyte OBE) Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon is part science, part self-help, part anecdotes. It is written in a straightforward style, making it accessible to anyone seeking not only a clear introduction to brain science, but also advice on practical actions to improve brain health.⁣⁣

If you don’t know a second language yet, it is not too late to learn one. Also, if you want to learn a new language, it was suggested by the author that you should devote yourself in attending a class physically because that’s more likely to hold you responsible for doing the work you ought to do rather than an online class would. Rahul Jandial, MD, PhD. is an American dual-trained neurosurgeon and scientist at City of Hope, a research centre, hospital and postgraduate training faculty in Los Angeles. When he isn’t performing surgery he is leading a team of scientists in Jandial Laboratory, named after him and known for its cutting-edge approach to brain surgery and neuroscience. He is also founder and co-director of INCA, offering surgeon’s training and surgery on children in hospitals in Central America, South America, Eastern Europe and Africa. He is the author of 10 academic books and more than 100 papers about brain surgery and neurosciences used by medical students, PhD students, and neurosurgeons. One of the greatest mysteries of life is sleep. Humans, spend most part of our lives sleeping just like most animals. However, scientists are still not fully sure why we sleep; after all, we could be eating, drinking, having sex or protecting ourselves from danger. What is it with neurosurgeons putting out self help books, I read (also dnf) recently, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. This one is better, and it's my fault that I actually expected more brain surgery and less self help as the title is quite clear. Nonetheless, say 'brain surgeon' and I'm looking for gore not breathing lessons.Create habits such as intermittent fasting or consumption of mostly vegetables can help promote brain health.