Dr. Marie Pasinski - Chicken Soup for the Soul - Boost Your Brain Power!

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.

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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
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Distributed to the booktrade by Simon & Schuster. SAN: 200-2442

Publishers 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 acidfree paper
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Chapter 1
~ Invest in Your Brain ~

Chapter 2
~ Your Amazing Memory ~

Chapter 3
~ Living Well to Age-Proof the Brain ~

Chapter 4
~ Shaping Your Thoughts and Emotions ~

Chapter 5
~ Wake Up Your Brain ~

Chapter 6
~ Dont Accept Labels ~

Its the heart.

Its the brain.

No, its the heart!

Darling, I KNOW its the BRAIN!

My husband and I often have a passionate argument about which organ in the body is the most important. Hes an internist and insists its the heart. If the heart isnt working, he claims, blood doesnt circulate, your cells dont receive oxygen and pretty soon nothing else is working either. As a neurologist, I of course, have no doubt its the brain. After all, your brain is your very essence its what makes you who you are. If your brain isnt functioning, then whats the point? Every once in a while I get him to concede Im 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 brains 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, its continuously shaped and transformed by experiences and the way it is cared for. No matter your age or your past, its never too late to take advantage of this remarkable ability.

I cant 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 whats taking place in their brains. As the stories so eloquently illustrate, its 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 ~

I stood there like a deer in headlights. Mom? Cavin prodded. Say anything that comes to your mind. All I could think was get me off this stage! Signing up for an improvisational acting class was my sons idea, not mine. He said this class would help me to think quicker and give me the confidence that I needed. I was re-entering the business world after years of being a full-time mom and I made the mistake of complaining to him that I wasnt as sharp as I used to be. I told him how difficult it was for me at a recent networking luncheon to think of things to talk about with the other business people. Instead of giving me the sympathy I was hoping for, Cavin came up with this solution.

Cavin is an actor by profession. When he isnt out of town for film shoots, he teaches acting classes at a Phoenix studio. He is also a favorite performer on various improv stages throughout the valley. Improv is his specialty. It is a form of comedy where the actor must spontaneously create scenes based on the suggestions of the audience. It is a fast-paced performance that leaves the viewer hurting from laughter and marveling over the cleverness that erupts on demand. Cavin told me that improv keeps his mind sharp for auditions and for whatever role he may be called upon to play. Learning this skill would be a great way to help me too. I took the bait.

My first class was abysmal. It started easily enough, with simple exercises to teach us to look our partners directly in the eye and respond to whatever cues they gave us. We played games that challenged our reaction times and exercises that stretched our listening and memory skills. I could see how these exercises would sharpen my brain, and it didnt seem too difficult.

Unfortunately, these were just our warm-up exercises. Cavin then taught us another game called, Yes, and. We were paired up, and like Noah with his animals, Cavin herded us two by two to center stage. Once stationed in that most intimidating of places, my job was to agree with whatever my partner said about me or the scene and I had to ad lib information to move the scene forward. This was a far more difficult task than our earlier exercises and I found myself tongue-tied or stammering.