okay? i'm not sure if that's an intellectual song, but it's what came to me. and the thing is that none of these three situations are optimal. you don't want to be just stuck in one brain region, okay? you don't want to just be in the reptilian brain or the emotional brain or neocortical brain. you need to notice when that's happening. so you probably all heard of the term mind over matter. well, to achieve your super brain, you must practice something else. it's called mind over brain. and if you think about it, the brain is matter. it's white matter and gray matter, so in this case, mind over matter becomes mind over brain. and only then, when you do this, can you begin to consciously make your own choices. choices that will allow you to promote your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. the key is, to remember, that you always have choices. so--oh, look at this.

someone just brought me a wonderful box of pizza. you know, i see pizza like this and i'm sitting in front of the tv, i could eat four pieces of this pizza and not even know i ate it, and then eat the other four, and then it's all gone. okay? my reptilian brain is going crazy, my emotional brain is saying, "wow, smell that cheese and it's piping hot." but wait a minute, my neocortical brain just reminded me of something. okay? if i have too much of that pizza, it's not gonna be good for me. my balanced brain says, "yeah, that's a great-looking pizza you want to eat the whole thing," but the intellectual brain is coming in and overriding that burning desire overriding the reptilian brain saying, "it won't be good for you if you have too much." so then, the cortical brain says, "you're in control. have some pizza, just have one piece." and then the reptilian brains says, "yeah, but make it a big one." you know, so--so-- thank you. so-- (chuckles) so, you know, that's the brain

integrated, talking to each other, making sure everything is balanced. all three parts of my brain are satisfied and now in harmony. next, i'd like to introduce an idea that--it's a new idea, and this is an idea that's really taking the field of neuroscience by storm. it's a new subfield of neuroscience called contemplative neuroscience, like contemplation. contemplative neuroscience. it's a bit difficult to explain, but i think the easiest way to do it, and this has to do with this concept of mind over brain, is to think about the term mindfulness, mindfulness. so what is mindfulness? one way to define mindfulness is that it's the act of paying attention in a totally neutral manner. devoid of judgment, devoid of analysis, devoid of calculation. when you are truly mindful, you don't just hear, you listen. you don't just look, you see.

and maybe the best way to explain, you know, mindfulness is to give an example of lack of mindfulness. so, my wife, dora, called me the other day at the lab to remind me that we had to go to our daughter's violin lesson the following week. and halfway through the call, i got an e-mail--'cause i was sitting at my desk--and the e-mail had some incredibly exciting data in it about a new alzheimer's gene. so i couldn't help it. you know, i opened up the excel sheet, i started checking out the data. but i--and i thought i was still talking to my wife on the phone. i thought i was. and--and then, you know, the following week came, and dora reminded me about little laila's lesson and i had no idea what she was talking about. and luckily, she just laughed, uh, 'cause my wife is nice. but the thing is that all of us, every one of us, tends to try to multitask. okay? who has not multitasked in this

room? that's an honest group. so, guess what? multitasking is not possible. multitasking is not possible. your conscious brain can only do one thing at a time. to create your super brain, you need to develop mindfulness in different aspects of your life and remember that you have to concentrate on one thing at a time. the four areas where you need to think about how to be mindful include sensory awareness, body awareness, mental awareness, and social awareness. so let me give you an example first of sensory awareness. i want you all to imagine a beautiful sunset. now, imagine a newly born infant crying. now, imagine the smell of hot buttered popcorn. mm.

now, imagine licking a lemon. (chuckles) and now, imagine touching the rough surface of sandpaper. so when you were imagining that sunset, your visual cortex, the vision area of the brain back here, was actually turned on activated, as if you were really seeing the sunset. when you heard that newborn, your auditory cortex was activated, as if you were really hearing that baby. when you smell the hot buttered popcorn, your olfactory cortex was activated. when you imagined licking that lemon, your sensory cortex, your taste was activated. you may even have started salivating. so, guess what, here's what you just did. you just became the user of your brain. an exercise like this shows you that you can turn on whatever brain region you want. you actually just did this. you even changed the chemistry the wiring of nerve cells, the gene activity in those brain regions as you turn them on. can you imagine that?

in these brain regions, things change, wiring change, chemistry change, genes were turning on and off, and you did all of this with just your mind. all through just mindfulness you changed the actual activities in your brain. and this is really one of the keys in terms of your path to a super brain, is to realize that you have the power to change your own brain. so now, how about a practical way to apply this? i'm gonna use the example of sitting down to eat a meal. the next time you sit down to eat, try this. try taking more time to pay attention to the taste and smell of your food. take your time. you'll enjoy it more. and as you do, the hunger center in your brain, which tells you whether you're still hungry or be satiated earlier, if you just take your time. essentially, with this type of mindful eating, let's call it that, you'll actually lose weight because you'll eat more slowly 'cause you're enjoying it and that area of your brain that

needs to be satiated will be satiated earlier so you're gonna eat less food so you'll lose weight. mindful eating. now, let's move on to the second category. this is mindful body awareness. and here you need to be aware of two aspects of your body. first, your muscular skeletal system and this includes, like your legs and arms. and you need to ask yourself "how do i feel right now? do i feel lethargic? do i feel energetic? do i feel heavy? do i feel light?" ask yourself these things. be in touch with your body. the second aspect is being aware of your internal body. actually trying to be aware of your internal organs. for example, you can be mindful about whether your stomach is empty or full. you can be mindful of how you are breathing. are you breathing slow or fast? deep or shallow? you can be mindful of your heart rate. with this mindful body awareness, you'll actually activate the parts of your brain that control these parts of the body and because you're just

showing them a little tender loving care, you're paying attention to them, you will have your brain take care of your body's needs in a better and healthier way. you'll also start, intuitively making the right decisions regarding your body's needs. for example, you'll be sure to get enough sleep when your body says it needs it. you'll know when your body needs sleep. you'll be listening. you won't eat when you're not really hungry. that's body awareness. next, let's talk about the third, mental awareness. with mental awareness, you need to be careful to observe whenever you can, the thoughts and feelings going through your mind. their thoughts and feelings that have been generated by your brain in your mind all the time. and as you observed them, you need to always appreciate that you are not simply just the sum of your thoughts and feelings. you are much, much more. the real you is the one that's able to observe your thoughts and feelings. i said earlier, your brain has

evolved to endow you with self-awareness. self-awareness, this is an incredible gift and you need to use it. so instead of just mindlessly reacting to every situation, often with bad consequences, instead, you'll make wise choices, the ones that will best serve you and those around you. and this brings us to social awareness. in social awareness, you need to think about being aware of those that are closest to us, our family members, our best friends, and then try to extend that same level of awareness to those you work with and then on to all of society, and as you do this, try to practice what we call the three a's. the three a's. first, attention. really listen to what others have to say. they'll appreciate it. and if there's appreciation, notice and mention something good about them. and finally, affection. let them know you care about them. this can be a family member, a co-worker, or just someone you

know, you don't know very well. it costs you nothing. the three a's, attention appreciation, and affection. and if you do this, you will become more connected to your world and your emotional brain will reward you. you'll have great feelings of joy, peace, happiness. and as a result, you will also enjoy better mental and physical health. so these are the four aspects of mindfulness that i want you to practice to achieve your super brain, sensory, body, mental and social awareness. as you start to live a more mindful life, you will gradually begin to reap its benefits. you'll find that you're less argumentative and it's easier to stay calm. for example, when your co-worker is blasting loud obnoxious music in the cubicle next to you, you won't go ballistic, raising your blood pressure, or maybe having a stroke. that's not a good thing, okay? you'll find that you're shedding bad habits, that you're shedding addictive tendencies.

you'll find that your sleeping better. and sleeping better, you know, getting good sleep is very, very important for the health of your brain. i'll tell you why later on. you'll start feeling like you're more in charge of your life and be making better choices. basically, you're going to transform your life with mindfulness, from being reactive to being more creative and intuitive. essentially with mindfulness you'll be celebrating the greatest gifts provided to you by your brain. insight, intuition, choice, and creativity. now, in the next segment, we'll talk about how to keep your brain young and help stave off alzheimer's disease. so i'll see you in a moment. (applause) >> wow, what great stuff. are you ready to make the simple changes in your life that will turn your brain into a super brain? hi, i'm greg sherwood. i'm delighted to be here in the

studio once again with dr. rudy tanzi, the host of this fascinating program. and rudy, i got to tell you, the more i watch this thing, the more i learn it really is great stuff. >> thanks, and i'm so glad that so many people can hear about "super brain" and start changing their lives today. >> i know, and that's the whole idea. right now, we're gonna give you a few minutes before we get into the last segment of the program to encourage your support, and if you can do that at the $60 level, you will get the dvd of the program we're enjoying right now, but get this. it's got an extra 30 minutes of great q&a at the end where a lot of people ask the questions you probably have right now. but i would really encourage you to consider moving up to the $144 level because dr. tanzi and dr. chopra have created a user's manual for our brain. it's called "super brain, a user's manual." it is an incredible package. it's got the book that the whole lecture is based on. it's got workbooks. it's got seven dvds and a library and they explore every

one of the areas most of us are concerned about, whether it's weight loss, money management, perhaps you worry and struggle a little bit with anxiety. they have tools and information to help you in all those areas. that is our gift to you for your phone call and gift of support right now at the $144 level. and when you think about it, rudy, this is the one network where science is really taken seriously. >> oh, yeah. i mean, you know, pbs is such a gift. it's a gift for the whole family. i love the science shows. i love "nova." i've been on "nova" several times. i love "nova science now." so many great shows. i mean, i think, we mainly watch pbs at home. my little girl loves "thomas the tank engine." and you know, where else can you get that? i mean, it's just the best--by far, the best network. >> so actually, public broadcasting is good for you. >> it actually is good for you. i mean, you know, if you're watching a rerun of "gilligan's island," you're not doing much for your brain, but if you're learning new stuff and you're making new synapses, which you can only get at pbs, you're

actually doing a lot of good for yourself. you're creating--helping create your super brain. >> and you know what, rudy, you actually, in the package clearly at the $144--i love the notion of a user's manual because it's this idea--we all take our brains for granted, but what you and dr. chopra have done has taken the science that you spent your life working in and synthesized it down into a package of tools so people who don't have phds in neuroscience can actually learn how--can make those connections to get to a place where you're healthier about how you make decisions. so perhaps you got some weight issues or you got anxiety issues. we even got a whole dvd about people struggling with money issues 'cause a lot of that has to do with which part of the brain you're using when you make bad financial choices. all these things are in this package and all of it goes back to the science that you're so famous for working on. >> yeah, you know, we just wanted to really just make it simple. you know, i mean, there are lots of places you can get self-help

about, you know, how to have a more positive attitude and help your brain. but in this package, what you're going to get is simple to understand science, newest breakthroughs about the incredible potential and ability of your brain. and then we say now, "isn't it great you have this amazing organ in your head?" but guess what, it's not who you are. you're the user of your brain. now, here's how you can master your brain, reshape and remold your brain to your liking into a super brain so it will serve you better. and it begins with being mindful, just taking advantage of the fact that you're self-aware. you can observe what's going on in your brain. learning to do that every day and you will, over time--it can happen more quickly for some versus others, but it does happen quickly 'cause it's easy. you reshape, remold, rewire your brain to best serve you, make you a healthier, happier person, in all aspects of your life. >> well, that's great. let me tell you, if you are mindful of the important role that public broadcasting plays in your life and the life of your kids and your grandkids

this is a great time to say thank you and get some great gifts coming your way starting at the affordable $60-a-year membership level. we will thank you with a dvd of this lecture. that includes everything in today's broadcast, plus, over 30 minutes of your most frequently asked questions about how to take advantage of all these breakthroughs in the field of brain science. now, as i said before, if you can move up to that $144 level of support, we're gonna show our appreciation with "super brain a user's manual." this exclusive multimedia learning system includes everything you need to develop your brain into a super brain. now, the package includes three books and a seven dvd library. now, there's a quick start guide that's designed to help put you on the road to taking advantage of many of the "super brain" insights right away. the package features the "super brain" blissful sleep app. that is a downloadable app that will help you maybe get a better

night's sleep than you've gotten in years. and you know, if you share your e-mail address when you make the call, we will give you access to that download right away. now, a better brain and a better night's sleep are waiting for you along with a lot of other things as soon as you make that call of support. and please remember, this package is a pbs exclusive. so please call or join safely online right now. >> hi, i'm dr. deepak chopra here. dr. rudy tanzi and i have created the ultimate in a science-based approach to improving every aspect of your life. the "super brain, a user's manual" is a set of tools, a learning system really designed to give you the power to enjoy the benefits of being in charge of your brain. the books and dvd library provide you with simple techniques that can help you overcome bad habits that may have led you to suffer from

health problems and weight problems, challenges in finding happiness with other people, even struggles with money management, stunning breakthroughs in brain science provide a way to overcome all of these issues and more. if the valuable programs on science and health found on this public station are as important to you and your family as they are to me, it's time for you to make that call of support. we'll show you our appreciation by sharing how you can get the power of a super brain working for you. thank you. >> pbs is just such a wonderful gift to the world that provides us with the ability to learn new things our entire lives. we can see new programs about music, sports, and science, good programs about science. as a scientist, i can tell you that, and great children's program. my little daughter only watches pbs. it's all we let her watch. so i just hope you support pbs. you know, i'm a scientist partly today 'cause of watching pbs. the influence of carl sagan and

the many science programs got my interest in science going from when i was a child. i've been watching pbs my whole life. i'll continue to do so. so i really hope you choose to support your pbs station. >> think about what a super brain could do for you. better memory, mood, and concentration, smarter financial decisions, almost effortless weight loss, and help reducing the risk of alzheimer's disease. all possible when you have the right tools, and all based upon the latest scientific research. at the $60-gift level, we say thank you by sending you the complete program you're watching, plus an extensive audience q&a. step up to the $144-gift level and we have "super brain, a user's manual." this exclusive multimedia toolkit includes everything you need to develop your brain into a super brain. this easy-to-master learning system includes dr. tanzi and dr. chopra's hardcover book, "super brain," filled with the fascinating neuroscience and proven action steps you need to

enhance your life and brain. we've also included "super brain, the handbook" with quizzes and detailed checklists to help you define your brain's needs and get specific steps to develop your super brain. this comprehensive package also includes the "super brain" seven dvd library. every aspect of your life can be improved through this extensive, yet easy-to-understand collection. better memory, mood, and concentration, almost effortless weight loss and help reducing the risk of alzheimer's disease. and to get you going right away, we've included our getting started guide, 11 items to do today to achieve a super brain. and don't let another night go by not enjoying the important health benefits of restful sleep with this "super brain" download "blissful sleep." and when you make that call of support and give us your e-mail address, we can send you that download code right away. think about what having a super brain could do for you and your family. but it won't happen if you don't take action right now.

please call or click with your financial support to this wonderful pbs station. this is the station that brings you quality programming every single day throughout the year. thank you. >> you know, rudy, we've talked about lots of the details in the "super brain, a user's manual" package, but i want to step back for a minute before we get to the final segment of the program and let you describe to people briefly what the big benefits are. why should i get over the phone right now and make this call and gift of support for this exclusive package? >> you know, once you make this decision, and i would say it really is one of the biggest and best decisions you'll make, that you are going to take charge of your brain, either master of your brain and use your brain to its highest potential. you start to create what we call the super brain. and as you fine tune your brain, what will start to happen naturally, is you'll make the right decisions. you won't even know how. your intuition has just been heightened but in a good way so

you get more aware of financial decisions, hunches about, you know, good people to be around versus people you should avoid relationships, how to make them better, how to keep people around you and your family, at work and in society in general happier to be with you. okay, people actually want to be around you because of the positive energy you're giving out because your brain is working for you. you're not just serving it. that's the key. so it leads to at all levels the social level, the health level, the spiritual level, the mental level, a happier you that can relate better to yourself and to those around you. and it happens pretty quickly because we got the science to back it up. the science is saying, here's how your brain works so now how can we use that to give you maximum benefits as you become the user of your brain, and that's the whole point. use your brain so that it can serve you best and then you and everyone around you is gonna be happier. >> well, that is a good news and that can be news coming into

your life if you give us that call and gift of support. we're about to return to the final segment of dr. tanzi's lecture. we'd love to get you on board before the end of this program. it's your station, support it. >> announcer: we're back with "super brain" with dr. rudy tanzi. (applause) >> dr. tanzi: thank you. thank you. so far, i've told you about the three parts of your brain and how to balance them. i told you how to practice mindfulness in the four aspects of your life. all of this will serve to help you create your super brain for a healthier, happier, and more meaningful life. next, i'd like to focus on how to keep your brain healthy as you age. how to have a better memory and what you can do to help stave off dreaded alzheimer's disease. alzheimer's disease is my particular field of research

one in which i have been passionately investigating for the past three decades of my life at mass general hospital and harvard medical school. i'm often asked two different questions. first, i'm asked, "what's the difference between alzheimer's disease and dementia?" and the answer is that alzheimer's is a type of dementia in the most common form. the other question i often get is what's the difference between alzheimer's and just, you know age-related memory loss. when do i know i have alzheimer's or i'm just getting older and my memory is going downhill? so, the answer is that, you know, while age-related memory loss sometimes can be, you know, very early alzheimer's disease and progress into it. for most of us, as we age, we all start to suffer from senior moments without necessarily suffering from alzheimer's or being in the early stages of alzheimer's. so i'll give you a personal example. i like to work on my computer, you know, reading, writing papers while i watch tv.

and, you know, sometimes--and i know that's multitasking, but i'm just doing one thing at a time. i say, "okay, now, i want to watch the baseball game. now, i want to watch"--actually, i multitask. um, but we really shouldn't. so--so, of course, you know, i get thirsty, and i'll say, "okay, i'm gonna go to the kitchen and, you know, take a little break. so i get up and i walk to the kitchen, and more often than not, my new big 17-pound cat is following close behind me 'cause he thinks he's gonna get a treat in the kitchen. and then, very often, i get into the kitchen, i just find myself standing there...looking around. (laughter) and then i look down, i see my cat, he's just looking around. (laughter) and then we look at each other and we say, "i don't know." "you know?" he'd say, "i know, i want a treat." so i totally forget. i say i totally "forget" why i went into the kitchen.

but guess what, i didn't forget. i never knew. (laughter) there's a difference. that's what a senior moment is. you see, in a senior moment, you never register the information in the first place in your brain. okay? it may have been that when i had that flash of a thought of a desire for a glass of water, i was so distracted while reading the article on the computer and watching the game that, you know, by the time i got to the kitchen, i didn't forget why i went into the kitchen, it just never registered in the first place. this is actually the most common reason for what's called a senior moment. so the thought went through my head and right out. and basically, what happened, i wasn't mindful. i wasn't mindful. i was distracted. i didn't pay attention. i was multitasking. i was doing everything wrong for a super brain.

so these are the most common reasons for these so-called senior moments, okay? and they can be avoided with mindful awareness. you see, as we age, we get increasingly distracted. we take on too much bandwidth. too many things are going on at once. we're e-mailing, texting, buying things online, and eating lunch all at the same time. so, as a result, of course we're going to get jaded. we're gonna get apathetic. if you want to improve your memory, try this. first step, let's say you're trying to remember something. be sure to consciously observe what you are doing. second, associate it with an image or an emotion. and third, remind yourself that you are consciously registering this memory. don't let it just shoot in and out. and now, the odds will be much higher that you will retain and recall that memory. so let's take the example of getting home and putting your keys away. first thing you want to do is take the time to observe where you're placing the keys.

second step, associate that location with something nearby like, maybe, a nearby vase. and third, this is important consciously remind yourself that you're registering this memory. okay, make sure it stays. and--or you can just do what i do. i always put my keys in the same place. but you know, if you don't, this is a great way to find your keys. you know, the brain has this amazing ability and it doesn't really go away as we age. we make it go away, but we can bring it back by just being mindful. how many of you knew that new nerve cells are being born in your brain for your entire life even in old age? okay? it's called neurogenesis. now, i know some of you are thinking, "you know, what? this guy is a professor at harvard, he doesn't even know that you're born with only so many nerve cells in your brain and then once they die, they're gone? everyone knows that." well, yeah, that's true but then, new ones get born.

you know, i remember my mom when i was a kid--well, not a kid but an adult and i go off to the pub with my friends and she say, "watch out, you know, every brain cell you lose as you drink, you know, have beer or alcohol, will never come back." and you know, how many of you heard that? well, you know what, mom was right. you know, it's good to take alcohol in moderation, and alcohol will kill some of those nerve cells, but the fact is new ones do get born. and they get born in two key spots. one of those key spots where they--you can get new nerve cells born as stem cells, your whole lifetime, is that same area i talked about earlier, the hippocampus, okay? the seahorse. and this is really good news because in alzheimer's disease this is the area of the brain that's hit particularly hard the short-term memory area. you might know, in alzheimer's disease, the short-term memory goes downhill, okay? but if you can make, if you can somehow make new nerve cells grow there, you can actually help prevent memory loss.

so now, i'd like you all to do something for me, okay? everyone, stand up. and let's start running in place, okay? keep going. you need to keep going. a little bit more. okay, good, you can stop. okay, sit down. sit down. so, guess what you just did for your brain? you know what you just did for your brain? well, besides jogging around like jelly. but what you just did for your brain was you actually induced the birth of new nerve cells in your brain. exercise has been shown over and over again in various experiments to induce the production of new stem cells new nerve cells in the hippocampus. the second thing you did, you cleared away some of the

pathology of alzheimer's disease that starts to accumulate in all of us after the age of 40. this is called the senile plaques. exercise has been shown to actually clear the senile plaques away. so exercise is probably the single best thing you can do to stave off alzheimer's disease. it won't guarantee you don't get alzheimer's, but it will be probably your best way to try to protect yourself. so your brain has another trick up its sleeve for staying healthy as we age and it's called neuroplasticity. neuroplasticity. you know, in the old days, we use to believe that when your brain get injured, it could never regenerate or heal itself. but that's wrong. now, we know that the brain actually possesses amazing healing powers. when the brain is injured by a stroke or a head bang and the nerve cells start to die, guess what? the nerve cells next door, the neighboring nerve cells next

door to the ones that died actually start to sprout new nerve endings and make synapses to recapture the ones that were lost. it actually rebuilds your neural network. so, here's some neurons dying, you got a bang or a stroke. these nerves next door say "we got you covered." they sprout, they make synapses, and actually retain the memories that would have been lost. they rebuild your neural network. it's pretty amazing, right? so the thing is, this goes on your entire life, even when you're old. and you know, even when you're very old. you just have to allow it to happen. so now, how can we induce neuroplasticity? how can we induce new synapses in our brain? well, that's easy. you're doing it right now just by watching this show. okay? first thing you can do is stay socially interactive, hang out with lots of people. we're doing that. and stay intellectually stimulated. so if i'm not boring you to death, i'm helping you to actually gain new synapses.

and what's so important about making new synapses in your brain? here's the thing. when you learn new things and you make new synapses, you have to remember something, all of learning is based on association. everything you learn involves making synapses that are following the synapses you already have. you learn by associating with what you already know. so you make new synapses, you strengthen the synapses you already have. and if you look at what happens in alzheimer's disease. what--you know, if you ask "what does the degree of dementia in alzheimer's disease co-relate with?" it's mainly with the loss of synapses. so the more synapses you can make by being intellectually stimulated, the more you can lose. it's like having money in the bank. having a few extra synapses to back up the ones you've been making your entire life. and you can do this simply by watching pbs, being intellectually stimulated. "gilligan's island" won't do it.

sorry. it's a great show, but it's not gonna do it. i'm not saying that these activities are going to guarantee you will not get alzheimer's disease, but they have all been documented and shown to lower risk. now, alzheimer's is a terrible terrible disease as you know. for over half of those over the age of 50 who were surveyed and asked what is the scariest disease imaginable? okay, the answer was alzheimer's disease as well as you know, cancer, being the other one. but alzheimer's is a disease that actually slowly robs you of yourself. it does this by unraveling your entire tapestry of memories. the very memories that define your life and it does this until your entire personality is just completely ripped away from you. there's nothing worse. and for many decades last century, we really didn't know the cause of alzheimer's disease. you know, we were able to look into the brain, you know autopsies and we were able to

see the pathology and get some idea of what was going on and that really helped us a lot in terms of, you know, how to figure out what was going on. but just, you know, looking at the autopsy brain doesn't tell you the early events, just like you know, going to a baseball park after the game is over, wanting to understand the game of baseball. you can get an idea, but not enough to really get the root causes. and the big break came in the '80s and '90s when my lab and other labs, discovered the first genes that can cause alzheimer's disease. we found genes that, you know, they're normal genes, that do their normal job, but when they carry certain defects, we found that they can cause alzheimer's. we learned something else, that genes also taught us that while there are these defects i told you about that can guarantee the disease, usually striking under 60, and this is terrible because some of the mutations we found in these genes guarantee you get the disease and there's nothing you can do about it in terms of your lifestyle. but luckily, these are very rare. they may be 2 percent of

alzheimer's disease. most of alzheimer's disease strikes after the age of 60. and it involves the interplay of both your genetics and how you live your life. so in other words, most cases of alzheimer's involve both genes and lifestyle together and the same pattern holds for most big age-related diseases, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer. and why this is good news is it means that for most of us, you know, if you didn't get one of these rare mutations that guarantee the disease, for most of us, regardless of the genetic hand that was dealt to us by our parents, we can think about how to adapt our lifestyle to help prevent alzheimer's and even other age-related disorders. so how do we do this for our brain? how do we keep our memory and our brains healthy as we age? how do we protect ourselves against alzheimer's disease? now, i've already told you about the protective effects of exercise, social engagement, intellectual stimulation, and learning new things. i want to tell you a few more.

first is diet. it's very, very important to eat a balanced diet. limiting sugar, fats and salt. you know, those are the three main ingredients of junk food. sugar, fat, and salt. and you know, going back in evolution, we really crave these things. reptilian brain told us, you need sugar for energy, you need fat to survive the winter, you need salt for homeostasis. but now, you know, we don't really need them just quite as much. you want to also limit your red meat and processed foods. many studies have shown that a mediterranean diet is healthiest, meaning try to replace butter with olive oil, eat lots of whole grains legumes, mixed nuts, fresh fruit, and whole vegetables. antioxidants are good, blueberries, dark chocolate. there are certain supplements that are showing promise. some of the old indian ayurvedic supplements like ashwagandha is one we are studying that we think can help clear the amyloid out of the brain. another important factor is sleep. sleep is extremely important.

it's very important as we get older to get enough sleep. i bet you didn't know that it's only in the deepest stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep that all those short-term memories in your hippocampus are now turning into long-term memories in the frontal cortex. the transfer of short-term memories which are really just the thumb drive stuck in the computer-- the way you get them on the hard drive is slow wave sleep. that's the deepest stage of sleep. and the problem is as we get older, some of us have such sleep problems that we never even reach that slow-wave sleep. you can also try to reduce stress. meditation is good. in fact, if you're really good at meditation, you can even induce that protective delta state in the brain. yoga is great for the brain and the entire body. and i would also say, try to live in the moment. reduce stress by not obsessing on the past, not being anxious about the future.

try to stay in the present because the present is always okay. i use the mantra myself all the time--i'm okay right now and there is only right now. yeah, i may be dreading the future for some reason. i may be really upset about the past, but there's only right now and i'm okay right now. i'll learn from the past, i'll plan for the future, but i'll live in the now. this can do amazing things for reducing stress. and finally, stay busy. take up new activities especially those that can help you to help others. if you're helping others, your brain is really happy. we are made to help others. for example, volunteer at a senior center. this is what my mom does and she loves it. it keeps her young. well, i've given you a few different ideas about how to protect your brain and how to help stave off alzheimer's and we've come to the end of the show. we learned that you are not your brain. you are the user of your brain. we learned about the three parts of the brain and the importance of keeping them balanced and in harmony. we learned about the importance of mindfulness and practicing mind over brain.

and finally, we learned how to keep our brains young and healthy. how to help stave off alzheimer's disease. and the more you do this, the more you practice these things the more you will transform your brain into a super brain. and as you create your super brain, you will also increasingly find yourself becoming more and more intuitive. you'll find yourself making the right decisions often without knowing why. you start to become a better judge of character. you rely more on your insights and hunches and gut feelings. you'll use them like a sixth sense. so--and just remember, one thing is for sure, it's really important to know this, your brain is really very, very susceptible to persistence. the more you repeat things, the more you persist, your brain will give in. it will adapt the way you want it to, but it takes practice and it takes repetition, persistence and dedication. practice these things you've learned and you will have a super brain. do it as often as your lifestyle will allow you. use your mind to take charge of your brain and your own super

brain will bloom, and in no time, you'll enjoy greater awareness, a healthier body and brain, a happier and more fulfilled life, and even protect yourself against age-related memory loss and alzheimer's. thank you for your attention and i truly hope that you will start creating your own super brain today. (applause) thank you. >> dr. chopra: that was amazing, right? yeah? on your way to a super brain. (applause) >> hey, are you ready to change your life for the better by turning your brain into a super brain? if so, please go to the phone right now and show your support for this public television station. hello again, i'm greg sherwood

here for one more final intermission with the host of "super brain," dr. rudy tanzi. rudy, once again, thanks for doing this show and bringing it to pbs. >> oh, are you kidding? it's my pleasure. i mean, to help pbs, i mean, how much pbs is helping everyone every day to keep their brains healthy. i mean, there's no other station that can keep your brain healthy like this than pbs. >> and we've got some wonderful ways to say thank you for your gift of support, including a package of tools that will give you and your family everything you need for building your super brains, and you should know this package is exclusive to pbs. you're not gonna find it anywhere else starting at the affordable $60-a-year membership level. we'll say thank you with the dvd that includes everything we just televised in the lecture, plus an extensive audience q&a. now, if you can move up to that $144 level of support, we'll show our appreciation with "super brain, a user's manual."

this life-changing multimedia learning system includes all the keys to turning your brain into a super brain. you're gonna enjoy three books a seven dvd library including the program dvd and six other dvds designed to help you in specific areas of concern like weight loss, money management, issues with willpower, self-improvement and everything you need to know that science can tell us about alzheimer's. and you can start taking advantage of one of our breakthrough technologies right away, our "super brain" blissful sleep app. just share your e-mail address with us so we can quickly send you the download code. and please remember, this package is a pbs exclusive so call the number on the screen or join safely and securely on the line. it's an exclusive package and it's going away in a few minutes so we need your call and your gift of support right now. i've just got a few more minutes to spend a little time with

rudy. and rudy, i know that a lot of people watching are just like me and i just mentioned one of the facets of the "super brain" user manual package is, you know-- willpower is a big issue whether you're trying to stay--you know, lose that 5 or 10 or 20 pounds or you're trying to get yourself up off the couch and exercise. you have some interesting ideas that are outlined or infused this whole package about willpower. >> yes, greg. i mean, we argue that willpower is not the way to do it. i mean, willpower suggests that you have to work against the resistance of, you know--as i mentioned your reptilian brain is saying, you know, "give me more food, you know, be aggressive." so with willpower, you're trying to resist what your brain is doing. and whenever there's resistance, there's going to be persistence. this is a rule, resistance leads to persistence. so instead of willpower, we're telling you just make over your brain. redo it, a redo. rewire, remodel, reshape, and

it's actually really easy. that's the idea behind "super brain." when you follow the steps in the dvds, the manual, the getting ok? you will actually reshape your brain so you won't even need willpower, you're gonna do the right things naturally. you'll be on that path. it's amazing how well it works. >> now, i've got to ask you another thing 'cause this is sort of--i don't think i ever thought of this before, but you're saying that if we understand the technologies and the science of how our brain works and we take some of these technologies and incorporate them, make them part of--automatically part of our life, we actually can end up being happier? >> yes, and you know, we're not just telling--giving you self-help advice and saying trust us, believe us. in the book, we give very, very simple, but very interesting and intriguing information about the newest breakthroughs in brain research. we back up what we say, okay? and when your brain, you know, when you read this and your brain knows that there's something behind this, we're not just saying, "hey, you know, be happier, have a positive attitude." we're telling you that the brain

works this way and here's how you need to do it. this is all the idea behind "super brain," reshaping your brain to benefit you to the max. >> you know, public broadcasting has been here for decades, for all of us. maybe you were fortunate enough as i was to grow up with it and watch it grow and change. and you know, with all the changes in the technology of the world and the digital world, one might say, "well, what do you need a public broadcasting system for anymore? there's so many other things to do and watch and play with. but when you think about it, it's really a question of quality. where else on the 500 channel dial do you still see the kind of quality and the commitment to education you find here on your pbs station? it's worth watching and it's worthy of your support. >> think about what a super brain could do for you. better memory, mood, and concentration, smarter financial decisions, almost effortless weight loss, and help reducing the risk of alzheimer's disease.

all possible when you have the right tools, and all based upon the latest scientific research. at the $60-gift level, we say thank you by sending you the complete program you're watching, plus, an extensive audience q&a. step up to the $144-gift level and we have "super brain, a user's manual." this exclusive multimedia toolkit includes everything you need to develop your brain into a super brain. this easy-to-master learning system includes dr. tanzi and dr. chopra's hardcover book "super brain," filled with the fascinating neuroscience and proven action steps you need to enhance your life and brain. we've also included "super brain, the handbook," with quizzes and detailed checklists to help you define your brain's needs and get specific steps to develop your super brain. this comprehensive package also includes the "super brain" seven dvd library. every aspect of your life can be improved through this extensive, yet easy-to-understand collection.

better memory, mood, and concentration, almost effortless weight loss, and help reducing the risk of alzheimer's disease. and to get you going right away, we've included our getting started guide, 11 items to do today to achieve a super brain. and don't let another night go by not enjoying the important health benefits of restful sleep with this "super brain" download "blissful sleep." and when you make that call of support and give us your e-mail address, we can send you that download code right away. think about what having a super brain could do for you and your family, but it won't happen if you don't take action right now. please call or click with your financial support to this wonderful pbs station. this is the station that brings you quality programming every single day throughout the year thank you. >> you know, this package that we've been outlining is really incredible. it's got so many benefits in so many areas. you know, i've got to ask you, it feels a little bit like it's

too good to be true, but your argument is the science is there. >> you know, the thing is, when you work with your brain and you learn how to rewire and refine and retune your brain, you know, nothing's too good to be true. i mean, the science is all there. we know what the brain can do. we're still learning what the brain can do. all we're doing with this package is saying, based on what we know the brain can do and based on how the brain can change in response to your own mind, and we show some of these exercises, you have the power right now to refine your brain into a super brain. and that's when all these things get easier, the relationships, you're healthier, you stave off the ravages of aging on your brain. all these things come with just learning how to work with your brain rather than against your brain. and that's what we teach you in this package. you know, as a scientist, i'm not gonna come out here and be a salesperson. i just want to help people. that's what i do, 24/7. i do research to help people and make their lives better. and i really believe this will

help people, and that's why i'm here doing this. you know, not a lot of scientists who are working, you know, in the lab every day are doing this type of thing. i'm doing this because i believe that millions, tens of millions of people can have better lives if they follow these instructions. i firmly believe this, and so that's why i hope you'll call and not only support pbs but make your life better. reshape your brain to work with you and the benefits would just blow your mind. >> hi, i'm dr. deepak chopra here. dr. rudy tanzi and i have created the "super brain, a user's manual" toolkit and program that provides simple yet profoundly effective techniques for remodeling the relationship you have with your brain. whether you have concerns about the state of your health, your weight, or your connection to your soul, this toolkit will give you the means to make important life-enhancing improvements in all areas of your life. all three books and seven dvds

are crammed with insights and tips and simple techniques you can easily use to change your life. we'll share the very latest research on alzheimer's and show you how to bring more abundance into your life. take a moment to make your gift of support to this public station. invest in the one network that is actually good for your brain. thank you. >> if pbs is a place that you tune into on a regular basis and you're delighted and come away from the experience more informed, well, we've really got an opportunity right now where you can help us financially and we can give you the gift, the tools to change your life in a really meaningful way. but time is running out on this exclusive package. and if you want to get all the tools that rudy tanzi and dr. deepak chopra have put into this package, now is the time to make that call or find your way over to the website. and it really is, you know rudy, i was thinking about it once again, we're asking people

for $144 a year in support of this public station to get this incredible package, but there are literally tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of information, if you take the amount of research that both of you have applied to making this technology and synthesizing it in this way, it really is a simple yet comprehensive package. >> yeah, you know, greg, i've been researching the brain and the genes that work to shape the brain for three decades now and i've tried to distill this information down to a simple level concentrating on the newest breakthroughs that are most exciting for realizing the incredible potential of the brain. and the conclusion i came to in, you know, especially working with deepak chopra is that mind over brain is the answer. when you take control of your brain and say, "you know what, i'm going to work with you brain. i'm gonna refine you and tune you up so you can work, for me the best." and then you get this

incredible positive feedback loop. your mind is helping your brain. your brain gets stronger, helps your mind and then this goes on and on every day with the help of this information. and the next thing you know, your whole life changes. it's just great. >> it's really getting down to the wire here and we'd love to get your financial gift of support right now. it means a great deal to us because your contribution along with those of your friends and your neighbors make up the largest source of funding for this station and the entire pbs system. without your voluntary give of support, we wouldn't be here for you or your kids to fulfill your desire to both educated and entertain with the best television on television. so please take a moment now to become the newest investor in this important public service. >> think about what a super brain could for you. better memory, mood, and concentration, smarter financial decisions, almost effortless weight loss, and help reducing

the risk of alzheimer's disease. all possible when you have the right tools, and all based upon the latest scientific research. at the $60-gift level, we say thank you by sending you the complete program you're watching, plus, an extensive audience q&a. step up to the $144-gift level and we have "super brain, a user's manual." this exclusive multimedia toolkit includes everything you need to develop your brain into a super brain. this easy-to-master learning system includes dr. tanzi and dr. chopra's hardcover book "super brain" filled with the fascinating neuroscience and proven action steps you need to enhance your life and brain. we've also included "super brain, the handbook" with quizzes and detailed checklists to help you define your brain's needs and get specific steps to develop your super brain. this comprehensive package also includes the "super brain" seven dvd library. every aspect of your life can be improved through this extensive,

yet easy-to-understand collection. better memory, mood, and concentration, almost effortless weight loss and help reducing the risk of alzheimer's disease. and to get you going right away, we've included our getting started guide, 11 items to do today to achieve a super brain. and don't let another night go by not enjoying the important health benefits of restful sleep with this "super brain" download "blissful sleep." and when you make that call of support and give us your e-mail address, we can send you that download code right away. think about what having a super brain could do for you and your family. but it won't happen if you don't take action right now. please call or click with your financial support to this wonderful pbs station. this is the station that brings you quality programming every single day throughout the year. thank you. >> hey, if you've made that gift of support, thank you because your simple gift of support to this public station is making everything that you tune into

and enjoy here possible. if you haven't made that gift of support yet and you are curious about the life-changing effects of this package, the "super brain, a user's manual," you better get on over the website or the phone right now because we are getting down to the wire coming at that $144 level and get the entire super brain package coming your way. it will change your life and you'll be helping us. i've got just a few seconds left with rudy. i got to ask you before we have to say good-bye, what is the one thing you'd love for our viewers to take away from the program and our time together. >> i guess i would say two things. first, i hope the viewers support pbs for allowing someone like me to come here and share this very important information with you and i hope you take this idea of super brain seriously, okay? you have the ability to change your brain. your brain brings you your world. if you make your brain a better place, your world's a better place. you're happier, people around you are happier. "super brain" tells you how to do that. and i'm just very grateful that pbs allowed me to bring this

message to you, and i hope you take advantage of it because it will change your life. i wouldn't be here telling you this if this wasn't the case. the package, the book, the user's manual, the dvds will tell you in very simple terms how to create your super brain for a much happier life and those around you will be happier, just so much better energy, greater health physically, mentally, and spiritually. >> dr. rudy tanzi, thank you so much for spending time with me and for doing this great show for public broadcasting. >> thank you. >> i'm looking forward to seeing him on our program air again and again, and i want to thank you all of you who made that gift of support right now. public television is here because people just like you volunteer their gifts of support and we really appreciate your support of this community resource, your public television station. thanks so much. >> announcer: explore new worlds and new ideas through programs like this, made available for

everyone through contributions to your pbs station, from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. pbs.