How to Activate Your Brain: A Practical Guide for Older Adults. Book 1 [Paperback]

Valentin Bragin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2007

Dear Reader, You've always had a good memory and were proud of it. You remembered names, phone numbers and birthdays. You knew everything about your files at work and could answer questions immediately and from recall. But slowly over time, it's become much more difficult to recall the names of your high school friends, your neighbors and work related details. Phone numbers, addresses, items on your shopping list, and birthdays are beginning to escape you. If that sounds familiar, this book is for you. If you are over sixty-five years of age, this book is for you. Wouldn't you like to be able to recall things with ease, and not be embarrassed about forgetting facts and details? If that sounds right, this book is for you. If you are a healthcare professional working with geriatric patients and seeking an innovative treatment approach, then this book is for you. Just a little stress can make us unable to recall the correct word, a recent event, or the title of a book or movie. This book provides a practical, easy, and well-researched solution to the problem of memory loss. We present various exercises developed at the Center. These exercises are intended to activate your brain and improve your attention, concentration, memory, and coordination. Hundreds of elderly, medically ill patients have already successfully learned and responded to these exercises.

Editorial Reviews

Review

How to Activate Your Brain is a practical guide to brain stimulation, and its author is caring and encouraging every step of the way.
--ForeWord Magazine

For seniors, part neuro-physiological primer, part exercise guide, all of it intelligent....A strong player in the field of memory-enhancing exercise manuals for seniors.
--Kirkus Discoveries

About the Author

Valentin Bragin, M.D., Ph.D., is a psychiatrist and the founder and medical director of the Stress Relief and Memory Training Center (SRMTC) in Brooklyn, New York. Recently, he has focused on the preservation of cognitive functions in the elderly who suffer from memory loss and depression. His strategy involves an integrative treatment approach utilizing the brain's own reserves and resources, which can be activated at any age.

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (January 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1425982891
• ISBN-13: 978-1425982898
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #898,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr.Lipovsky, March 29, 2007

By 

Boris Lipovsky - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Activate Your Brain: A Practical Guide for Older Adults. Book 1 (Paperback)

Don't you want to save well being after 64, do you?
Do you want to save good memory, coordination and cognitive abilities, as well as coordination. You have to spend only 15 minutes per day.

Read this small book!

Doctor Bragin's innovative idea is to use our developmental pathways to activate brain function for older population. As well known, our hands, face, mouth and larynx are actively functioning earlier during the first year of life, compared to legs activities, hence they occupy more space in sensory motor zone of brain, then legs.
Based on this well known fact, Doctor V. Bragin developed unique set of physical exercises especially for targeted frail elderly. These exercises are the cornerstone of his program, described in the book.

He is strong believer in brain's restoration capacity at any age. He use other modalities simultaneously with physical exercises to restore brain function, such as medications, light, sounds, food and others.
This book is written by easy to understand language and, to my opinion, will be very useful for people, suffering from early stage of Alzheimer's disease.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars importance, March 14, 2007

By 

Ellina Graypel (brooklyn) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Activate Your Brain: A Practical Guide for Older Adults. Book 1 (Paperback)

"How to activate Your Brain" by Valentin Bragin should be standard issue in every nursing home and geriatric facility across the country. Easy to read and simple to use, the exercises outlined in the book can also be valuable for patients wishing to help themselves and for caregivers to the elderly and those suffering from Alzheimer's. Dr. Bragin has developed a system that uses developmental pathways from early childhood to activate brains that have been compromised by stress and disease. The book uses a combination of approaches including physical exercise, breathing, memory training, and stimulation from light and sound. The book also focuses on the importance of diet and proper nutrition.

In a society where too often the elderly and disabled are shuffled aside and neglected, Dr. Bragin shows that they can be shown compassion and at the same time maximize their potential. The book is well illustrated and the large print makes it easier to use. The processes that occur in the body as we age are explained in simple, easy-to-understand terms. In the chapter titled "How Physical Activity Influences the Brain" for example, Dr. Bragin tells us:

"Physical activity activates the brain no matter how old we are."

"It increases the flow of blood, oxygen, and glucose to different parts of the brain."

"Triggers intense production of peptides in the brain which activate the network of new synapses between the cells of the brain."

"Requires concentration and attention, which are important factors in memory since the process of memory begins with concentration."

"Takes attention away from worry, anxiety, and even depression."

By doing the exercises in the book, patients were able to overcome lack of attention, forgetfulness, feeling depressed and apathetic, and experiencing anxiety and worry. After six months of treatment, patients showed marked improvement in reaction time, coordination, attention, concentration, and memory. These improvements showed no signs of receding up to 24 months into the program.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Notable, March 30, 2007

By 

R. Burgert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Activate Your Brain: A Practical Guide for Older Adults. Book 1 (Paperback)

Dr. Bragin's book shows that the mind/body connection does exist and is important. By using developmental pathways from early childhood to re-activate the aging and stressed-out brain, he shows that positive outcomes can be achieved no matter how difficult the case. Written in easy to understand language, the book is a valuable guide for patient and health care professional alike.