SANJAY GUPTA, a practicing neurosurgeon at the Emory University School of Medicine in the United States, is working on his fourth book, “Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age,” due out early next year. It’s an evidence-based exploration of the latest science on brain health and what tactics are working for Dr. Gupta himself. Here he shares his favorite tips and strategies. 1. Think of inactivity as a disease. “Every time I’m about to sit, I ask myself: Do I need to sit right now?” Dr. Gupta says. “That may go further in terms of the benefit of movement on your brain than even going to the gym. I don’t have a chair in my office.” If you can stand or walk during meetings, phone calls, and other activities, do it. Think of inactivity as the disease rather than working out as the cure. 2. Always be prepared to train. Exercise boosts blood flow to your brain, tamps down inflammation, and promotes the growth of new brain cells. You need at least 150 minutes a week. “Wherever I am, I have running shoes, a swimsuit, and resistance bands,” says Dr. Gupta. 3. Walk, talk, gripe. Take a brisk walk with a friend and talk about your problems. It’s a brain trifecta: moving, socializing and releasing stress. “Doing those three things ends up measurably detoxifying your brain,” Dr. Gupta says. 4. Fuel yourself right for better focus. To protect your brain, you need to control your blood sugar. Sugar in excess can be toxic, causing neurons to die and possibly triggering cognitive decline. Dr. Gupta experienced this firsthand when he cut added sugar from his diet for a “60 Minutes” story and saw his “cognitive day” (how long you can be productive) increase. 5. Eat real foods, not individual nutrients or supplements. Dr. Gupta avoids most supplements. Real food contains a multitude of components that help beneficial ingredients (such as omega-3 fatty acids) travel through your body or even help unlock receptors so those beneficial ingredients can do their jobs. Doctors call this the “entourage effect,” and it’s why real food, like fish, is better than supplements, like fish-oil capsules, for brain health. 6. Drink instead of eat. “We often mistake thirst for hunger,” says Dr. Gupta. “Even moderate amounts of dehydration can sap your energy and your brain rhythm.” After all, your brain is primarily made of water, and just 2 percent dehydration has a measurable impact on memory, processing speed, and analytical thinking. 7. Make time for your friends. “I saw social activities and things like that as very much an indulgence for most of my life,” Dr. Gupta says. Not anymore. Now he prioritizes them: His house is like Grand Central for his friends, his wife’s friends, plus his three daughters’ friends and their parents. Research shows that individuals with large social networks are better protected against the cognitive declines related to Alzheimer’s than those with smaller networks. 8. Try the bubble method. Dr. Gupta practices analytical meditation. With your eyes closed, think about a problem you are trying to solve and separate it from everything else by placing it in a large, clear bubble. This helps you isolate the problem from your emotions and solve it logically, he says. 9. For lasting brain health, maintain ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese word meaning “your reason for being.” There’s power in forging a sense of purpose, says Dr. Gupta. In researching his new book, he typically found that actions preceded thought. “It was just an activity, something that you were interested in, and through that you find purpose, whether it’s volunteering, coaching, music, writing, or art.” (SD-Agencies) | 