Health-e-Bytes

This is a photo of a famous swim hole in Upolu, Samoa, called the To Sua Ocean Trench. It’s a spectacular, 30-meter-deep natural sinkhole filled with clear water and surrounded by lush gardens. I [...]

What makes you stop in your tracks and takes your breath away? What makes you pause to soak up the incredible beauty or vastness of it? What’s a piece of music that washes your stress away? [...]

During our second radio interview, Sofie Formica from 4BC Brisbane asked me to explain the link between movement and mentation, and how we can mitigate the potentially brain-damaging effects of [...]

What does neuroplasticity mean for our brain health as we age? Why is dementia twice as common in women as in men? How is education more powerful than medication? These are a few of the questions [...]

After last week’s Health-e-Byte, I was inundated with requests to expand on practical strategies to build a better brain and reduce our risk of dementia. The best answer is to read my latest [...]

Soon after returning from Sri Lanka, I was interviewed on Channel 7’s Weekend Sunrise about the impact of physical exercise on our brain. The key message is that exercise isn’t a nice-to-have, [...]

Positive emotions — joy, curiosity, gratitude, hope, optimism, excitement, enthusiasm, anticipation, love — all fuel our brain and strengthen our immune system. This does NOT mean forcing [...]

S stands for Sleep. Seven to nine hours of good quality sleep every night is essential for a healthy brain because while we sleep our brain detoxifies and clears out aberrant amyloid and tau [...]

E stands for Education. Be a lifelong learner. Seek out novelty and new experiences. Get out of your comfort zone. Learn a foreign language, musical instrument, art, craft or technical skill. [...]

R stands for Relationships. Nurture good relationships. Cultivate a confidante. Find a community you want to be a part of. Contribute to your fellow person in whichever way brings you the most [...]