Preface: "Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life"

After writing hundreds of articles on cognitive performance, brain function, and mental health, some loyal readers asked why I had not turned my stories into a book. Inspired by their suggestion, I decided to transform my extensive research manuscript - spanning thousands of pages - into a 494-page book with 83 chapters.

The book was initially available for presale in multiple bookstores. During this time, around 300 beta readers provided valuable feedback, which I am actively incorporating to improve the content. I am very grateful for their valuable input in helping me refine it.

The book was published and is now available in digital, audio, and paperback in the following bookstores.

Purpose of the Book

The primary purpose of this book is to inspire you to discover the remarkable potential of your brain and mind with simple yet powerful words in a storytelling and conversational style. With over five decades of research, experimentation, and collaboration with leading neuroscience, psychiatry, endocrinology, and metabolic health experts, I have created this book to share a holistic approach to enhancing mental performance and overall well-being.

The human brain is a biological, dynamic, adaptive organ with enormous growth, learning, and change capacity. It is more powerful than any supercomputer. Through this book, I will guide you in understanding how to:

Encourage neurogenesis and neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to create new neurons and adapt to challenges. Build cognitive reserves to support your mental flexibility as you age. Understand logic, emotion, intuition, and metacognition for deeper self-awareness and creativity.

Unlike many books on brain health, this guide integrates practices rooted in scientific discoveries and mainly personal experiences through my sensible biohacking experimentations. From daily meditation and intermittent fasting to neurobics and thermogenesis with cold showers, ice baths, and saunas, I share strategies that have profoundly impacted my life. My studies with centenarians and explorations of artificial intelligence and neurocomputing offer additional insights to inspire your journey.

I want to help you adopt practical tools that align with your unique needs, including:

Lifestyle changes to support your mental and emotional well-being.

Evidence-based dietary and exercise routines to improve brain health.

Emerging technologies that can enhance your cognitive abilities. And much more.

This book reflects real-life curiosity and personal interaction. Using a question-and-answer format from my manuscript, I address many topics under 80 chapters in ways that are easy to relate to and apply. Together, we will explore emerging questions such as:

How does intermittent or periodic fasting support brain health? What is the role of neuroplasticity in lifelong learning? How can I create daily habits that help me feel younger and sharper as I get older? How can I learn Western and Eastern body and mind exercises to sharpen my brain? How can I be more joyful and relate with others better? How can I be more creative and productive to increase my income? How can I apply neurobics to my daily life? And I answered many more important questions in simple terms anyone can understand, digest, and take action.

This book blends decades of research with practical strategies from my experiences and collaborations with leading experts to provide actionable cognitive and emotional well-being insights.

I want to inspire you to take control of your cognitive performance and mental health, guiding you with tools to enhance your intuition, memory, focus, attention, task switching, cognitive resilience, and immense joy at any age.

Why I Wrote This Guide

Reflections from my half-century of research into the human brain and mind

The human brain is a marvel, a universe within, waiting to be understood and nurtured. Its billions of neurons, countless connections, and unparalleled capacity for growth and adaptation make it one of the most extraordinary creations of nature. This book is my homage to this complex organ and its boundless potential. I hope it serves as a guide to discovering the limitless power of your brain and the mind.

As I reflect on half a century of research into the complex workings of the human brain, I find myself drawn to the question: what makes this organ not just an enabler of survival but a vessel for profound joy, creativity, and connection? This book is my response, an amalgamation of decades of study, experimentation, and lived experiences distilled into actionable insights and principles.

My journey into understanding the brain began in childhood, fueled by an innate curiosity about how our minds shape our reality. Over the years, this curiosity evolved into a systematic approach, blending scientific breakthroughs with practical tools and observations from some of the most successful individuals I have encountered.

A bespoke system emerged - a conceptual and practical "mind gym" that has profoundly influenced my personal and professional growth. This book offers a high-level overview of that system, crafted to inspire and guide readers toward their paths of mental empowerment.

The Brain as a Dynamic, Adaptive Organ

With billions of neurons and complex networks, the brain is not a static entity. It grows, changes, and adapts through processes like neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. These scientific concepts underpin much of what I discuss in this book.

Neurogenesis, the creation of new neurons, and neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to rewire itself, reveal that our mental capabilities are far from fixed. They can be nurtured, enhanced, and sustained through deliberate effort.

I have learned to treat my brain like a muscle through practical physical and psychological exercises, stimulating it with acute stress and rest in cycles that initiate growth and resilience. While my methods are profoundly personal and tailored to my needs, the underlying principles are universal. This book offers a framework to create your own "brain fitness" regimen, adapting it to your unique goals and circumstances.

A Holistic Approach to Cognitive and Emotional Health

Our cognitive abilities - thinking, learning, and remembering - are the cornerstones of mental health and performance. However, the brain does not operate in isolation. It is deeply interconnected with the body, emotions, and social and spiritual experiences.

My approach encompasses both the biological and psychological aspects of brain health. From lifestyle modifications like nutrition and exercise to mental practices like mindfulness and gratitude, this book highlights tools that have stood the test of scientific scrutiny and personal trials.

Importantly, I emphasize the concept of cognitive reserves - mental capacities we can build to buffer against age-related decline and neurodegenerative conditions. These reserves, cultivated through lifelong learning and purposeful engagement, serve as a safety net for maintaining cognitive flexibility as we age.

The Power of Intuition and Metacognition

One of the most fascinating aspects of the brain is its capacity for intuition and metacognition - thinking about thinking. Intuition, often dismissed as mystical or unscientific, is a cognitive ability grounded in subconscious processes and experiential patterns.

It has guided some of history's greatest minds, from Nikola Tesla to Albert Einstein, and it plays a central role in my system.

Metacognition involves understanding our cognitive processes, enabling us to optimize how we learn, solve problems, and make decisions. By integrating intuition and metacognition, we can unlock more profound layers of self-awareness and creativity, leading to more effective and fulfilling lives.

Writing this book in 80 chapters has been a culmination and a continuation of my life's work. It distills over 5,000 pages of research journals into actionable insights, offering a practical guide for anyone interested in enhancing their brain health and cognitive performance. It is not a prescription but an invitation - a call to explore, experiment, and empower yourself with tools that align with your aspirations and needs.

This book encapsulates insights and tools from my decades of research and sensible experimentation, which have significantly enhanced my cognitive performance and overall well-being, especially in my later years. These methods have helped me maintain sharp cognitive abilities, making me feel younger and more vibrant as I get older.

My achievements are rooted in healthy lifestyle choices, support from skilled professionals, and collaborations with distinguished researchers in cognitive science, neuroscience, psychiatry, endocrinology, and metabolic health.

You will find practical advice on lifestyle modifications that address physical and psychological health. From enhancing neurogenesis through targeted activities to adopting dietary strategies that fuel optimal brain function, I provide evidence-based approaches that can be customized to individual needs. The guidance in this book reflects my belief in the power of collaboration and learning from experts across diverse disciplines.

Why This Book Is Different

Unlike many books about brain health, this one takes a holistic approach, integrating many Western and Eastern practices and perspectives encompassing the full spectrum of human experience and scientific advancement. My innovations and inventions - from daily meditation and intermittent fasting to cutting-edge practices like periodic fasting, thermogenesis through cold showers and ice baths, and the use of saunas - are woven throughout this narrative. These strategies, combined with longevity studies inspired by centenarians and hundreds of ethnographic case studies, create a comprehensive framework for brain and overall health.

Additionally, this book offers insights from technological advancements in neurobiology and neurocomputing. By leveraging emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, I have explored ways to emulate and extend the power of the human brain. These investigations deepen our understanding of cognitive processes and offer practical tools to enhance mental performance and resilience.

Through collaborations with distinguished researchers across disciplines - cognitive science, neuroscience, psychiatry, endocrinology, and metabolic health - I have refined a system that bridges ancient wisdom with modern science. This integrative approach, supported by rigorous experimentation and technological exploration, sets this book apart as both a practical guide and a visionary roadmap for cognitive and emotional well-being.

Methodology to Build on a Proven Foundation

In writing this book, I drew inspiration from the success of my previous work, where I employed a question-and-answer format to break down complex topics into manageable, relatable insights using Grade 7 to 9 level.

Questions have always been at the heart of human curiosity and remain central to my approach. By framing information around questions such as "How does neurogenesis enhance brain function?" or "What is the role of intermittent fasting in cognitive health?", I invite you to engage dynamically with the content, exploring ideas in a way that feels intuitive and interactive.

This methodology reflects real-life interactions. Throughout my journey, I have answered countless questions from colleagues, friends, and readers. These conversations shaped my understanding of what people need to know to improve their lives. Questions not only clarify but also connect, guiding readers step by step through complex concepts with clarity and empathy.

In this book, I build on that foundation by using innovations and practical strategies derived from years of research and experimentation. From meditation and lifestyle modifications to advanced practices like neurocomputing and technological insights, the content is designed to empower you to take actionable steps toward a healthier brain.

This methodology also aligns with my holistic approach. Addressing topics from biological, psychological, social, and technological angles ensures that readers can gain insights and find solutions tailored to their unique circumstances. If you are curious about enhancing cognitive reserves, exploring the science of neuroplasticity, or adopting practical tools for daily mental fitness, this book offers a roadmap for discovery and change.

I created an official page of the book on my website and will continue to update it and add some free sample chapters. The book is available at multiple bookstores as digital, audio, and paperback formats. I also offer it on my discount book store at Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem and to my Health and Wellness Network subscribers on Substack. I invite content creators, freelancers, and startups to join our community service Substack Mastery Boost Pilot which brings many benefits.

Thank you for reading and providing feedback. It is a pleasure to serve my readers on multiple platforms.

Connections

If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 38,000+ writers who contribute to my publications on Medium. You can contact me via my website.

I also established a new publication for advanced writers called ILLUMINATION Scholar. If you write research-based and scholarly articles, essays, or stories, you are welcome to join this unique publication.

You can find out about my scholarly work on my Google Scholar or Bohrium profiles. You may check out my other most loved stories on this platform. As an instructor, my Udemy profile includes 3 Substack courses, and I will publish more soon.

Here are links to my FEATURED series of 50+ books on Amazon markets:

Health, Wellness, and Cognitive Performance Series

Technology Excellence and Leadership Series

Substack Newsletter Mastery, Excellence, and Eminence Series

Check out my books at Apple Stores.

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