🧠 Transform Your Brain: A Neurosurgeon's 8 Secret Life Hacks

Welcome to the first ever edition of The Neurosurgeon's Guide.

My name is Colin Son and I'm a neurosurgeon. I deal with a lot of 'disease' - fixing brain aneurysms after they've bled or taking out brain tumors. It feels sometimes a little overwhelming. I've started this newsletter and it's sister podcast to instead focus on health. Being proactive for brain fitness, brain health, productivity and cognitive longevity. Our brain is our most important asset and helping others maximize and protect it is my goal. I appreciate you taking the journey with me!

In This Edition

1. Brain Health News

2. Brain Hack of the Week

3. Reflections from the OR

4. AI & Brain Health

5. Neuroscience Insight

6. Final Thoughts

Brain Health: 8 Simple Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp 🧠

With dementia cases expected to double in the next 40 years, taking care of your brain is more important than ever. The good news? About 40% of dementia cases could be prevented by changing everyday habits, according to recent research.

Here are some simple ways to keep your brain healthy:

• Eat lots of fruits, veggies, and fish rich in omega-3s

• Get moving for at least 150 minutes each week

• Keep your mind active with reading and puzzles

• Stay social by spending time with friends and family

• Make sure you get enough good quality sleep

• Keep alcohol to less than 4 drinks per week

• Take care of health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes

• Find ways to handle stress, like doing yoga or deep breathing

Dr. Jonathan Rosand, a brain expert, says we have more control over our brain health than we think. It's never too early or too late to start these healthy habits. Even people with family history of dementia can lower their risk by making these changes.

Brain Hack of the Week

🛠️ Hack: Use the ancient “Memory Palace” method to instantly improve recall.
⏳ Time Required: 2-5 minutes
💭 Why It Works: Your brain is wired to remember spatial locations far better than raw data. By attaching new information to familiar places, you create a mental map that makes recall effortless.

How to Do It:

1️⃣ Pick a Location You Know Well – Your house, office, or a favorite walking route.
2️⃣ Assign Key Information to Each Spot – Imagine placing facts, names, or to-do items in specific locations (e.g., a grocery list item sitting on your couch, a key presentation point taped to your fridge).
3️⃣ Mentally Walk Through Your Memory Palace – When you need to recall the info, just "walk" through your space in your mind, and the details will pop back effortlessly.

Real-World Example:

Want to remember the 3 cognitive habits of peak performers? Picture your front door with a journal (daily reflection), your kitchen filled with omega-3-rich foods (brain nutrition), and your office desk with a timer (deep work sessions). By visualizing these cues, your recall will skyrocket.

📌 Bonus Challenge: Try memorizing your next speech, grocery list, or key facts using this method and see how much faster you remember details!

Reflections from the OR

I am not sure I have the best insights into how I am feeling. Life is often one step in front of another. Yeah if I feel particularly shitty I might be mindful of it but the difference between being sharp and sluggish is sometimes just not of top of mind. But when I do focus on it, it is present. Some days are clearer than others.

That is a little scary.

Not all of life is performing brain surgery and you can’t miss life because you are so focused on optimizing how you function. But I would want my surgeon (or my kid’s school bus driver or the gal building the rocket ship) to be at their best mentally. And so it is something I am striving for as I work on my own brain fitness.

Sometimes poor sleep is unavoidable. Sometimes there just isn’t time to exercise or meditate. But being intentional can improve these things.

I guess what I’m saying is I’m on this brain fitness journey not just for me but for my patients.

AI & Brain Health

AI is making waves in brain health care, from spotting early signs of aging to improving mental health treatment. Recent studies show AI can spot cognitive decline through ECG tests, and it's getting better than doctors at reading brain scans. Plus, AI is helping create personalized mental health treatments that work better for each person.

Read More

Mental Health Goes High-Tech 💫

Good news for young people's mental health - AI tools are making care more available and personal. The JED Foundation says tech is key to supporting youth mental health, with AI creating better ways to help. But experts say we need clear rules to make sure these tools are used safely.

Read More

Brain Scans Get Smarter 🔍

AI is now better than human experts at reading brain scans from stroke patients. This means faster, more accurate diagnosis when time really matters. It's helping doctors make better decisions and treat patients more quickly.

Read More

Neuroscience Insight: How Food Reshapes The Brain

As we talked about above, if 40% of dementia cases are preventable and diet plays a huge role in that then how does what we eat help protect the brain?

Your diet can physically reshape you brain. Advances in neuroimaging reveal how nutrition affects brain structure, with MRI studies showing measurable differences in brain volume, connectivity, and even resilience to aging.

One standout study published in Neurology (2020) examined over 4,000 participants and found that adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet—rich in vegetables, fish, nuts, and healthy fats—was associated with:

✅ Larger Gray Matter Volume – Particularly in areas linked to memory and cognition, such as the hippocampus.
✅ Greater White Matter Integrity – Indicating better connectivity between brain regions.
✅ Reduced Brain Atrophy – Slower shrinkage over time, a key marker of neurodegeneration.

Another study in JAMA Neurology (2022) showed that individuals with diets high in processed foods had smaller hippocampal volumes, directly correlating with memory decline.

Practical Takeaway:

📌 Omega-3s (Fatty Fish, Flaxseeds, Walnuts): Supports neuron membrane integrity and increases hippocampal volume.
📌 Polyphenols (Berries, Dark Chocolate, Green Tea): Boosts neurogenesis and protects against oxidative stress.
📌 Leafy Greens (Spinach, Kale, Broccoli): High in folate, which preserves brain volume.
📌 Minimize Ultra-Processed Foods: Directly linked to smaller brain structures and faster cognitive decline.

Final Thoughts

💬 What do you think? Reply and let me know your biggest cognitive challenge—I’ll feature some in next week’s issue!

Stay sharp,

Colin