Better with Age: The Ultimate Guide to Brain Training

by Phyllis Strupp

The cognitive science revolution has revealed a surprising insight: the healthy human brain Is designed to improve with age, thanks to neuroplasticity. Neuroscientists widely agree on one piece of commonsense advice for brain fitness: use it or lose it. But the research trail runs cold on the best ways to “use it.” Exercises such as computer-based brain training games have been renounced by many neuroscientists as an ineffective tool for improving cognitive health.

Better with Age offers a whole new approach to “use it or lose it” that moves way beyond crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or computer games. With over 70 color illustrations, this theory-to-practice book describes a proven strategy for taking charge of brain assets and putting them to work for personal goals. Tools, tips, techniques, and real-life stories from the author's work as a brain coach are provided throughout the book to encourage neuroplasticity as a way of life. A glossary and resources (publications, research articles and studies, and websites) equip the reader for further learning.

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2016

About the author

Phyllis T. Strupp, MBA, is an award-winning author and brain coach. Her first book, "The Richest of Fare: Seeking Spiritual Security in the Sonoran Desert," won the Independent Publisher Best Mind-Body-Spirit Book award in 2005 and led to her midlife career change from finance to brain training.

Phyllis also wrote "Better with Age: The Ultimate Guide to Brain Training" (now in its 4th printing). This theory-to-practice book introduces a pioneering approach to “use it or lose it” based on positive outcomes from her many years of teaching neuroplasticity.

The sequel to that book, "Better from Within: 7 Steps to a Wise Brain," offers 7 tools to take charge of your personal story. This illustrated guide to a brain that lasts for life demystifies the default network—the brain activity derailed by Alzheimer's disease.

Her background includes a “Brain Research in Education” certificate from the University of Washington-Seattle and an MBA in finance from Columbia University.

Since 1997, Phyllis has lived in Carefree, Arizona, with her husband of 40 years, Peter. They enjoy performing together in community theater productions, and she also sings in a community vocal performance group.

Reviews

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed and very informative. Now whenever I’m asked to do something new at wok, I embrace the Ganges and think about how I’m helping my brain. I also learned I need to make myself more of a social creature as our social connections can help keep our brains young.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting concept and definitely targeted at the over 60s. I wasn’t sure about some of the science in it but it did make me think

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting book about the brain aimed at non-experts - which manages to tread the fine line between oversimplifying the brain and over-complicating it all. It is nicely laid out, with cartoons and bullet points and engagement questions at the end of each chapter which all help to get the content to be processed more thoroughly than they could otherwise be. It provides a very thorough history of the the brain and the differences in brain structure between species and the effects of evolution. On the topic of evolution though, the author talks of Mother Nature being directly and deliberately responsible for evolution - which personification I take issue with (since I frequently encounter people who truly believe that evolution is a deliberate process and that someone/thing is making the selection!). I don't think the author really meant for an Intelligent Design argument to be part of the book - as there are few other signs of it other than this odd personification of Mother Nature (wanting to sit down for a cup of coffee with her...). The rest of the content proposes the argument that each part of your brain needs exercise - and that each part of the brain has certain activities. This is bordering on left brain/right brain separate function argument - although I'm pleased to report that the author deliberately states that each hemisphere can communicate with each other without the corpus callosum which is something many forget when they cite the original Sperry study. However, I get the point of the argument that there are definite activities which we need to perform to balance our lives - I'm not convinced by the argument that these are tied to specific portions of the brain. Maybe I skipped over the explanation - maybe it wasn't very clear. I'd also have liked to see a discussion of the scientifically invalid Brain Gym - especially when the author is trying to suggest a different programme with the same goals.

My main criticism is the lack of scientific referencing and further reading in each chapter - I liked the engagement questions and would have liked to see much more at the end of each chapter to really reinforce the message and allow the reader to go further on an interesting topic if they choose to. This would have elevated the book from self-help to popular science (i prefer the latter category too!).

There are a couple of practical issues I'd raise as well:

1. Don't get this book in digital form. There is a worksheet on p74 which requires you to use several previous pages in depth (and of course they are not automatically tagged/chaptered in the version I read). I wish digital versions would take advantage of the features ebooks allow much more than they do already - it isn't hard to embed a link to a page...

2. The graph on p123 has reversed one of the axes in such a way that it is very difficult to read. Editors: please add in a really obvious sign somewhere saying that you've reversed the x axis or just produce the graph in the standard format! I haven't seen such a bad graph in ages. It won't ruin your quadrant colour coding and the graphical display of your argument if you fix this.

Overall, an interesting book that I will definitely use parts of again in my teaching (I especially liked the chapter on the history of the brain and I think my students will too).

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a free advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Emma B · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received the Kindle version of this book, free of charge, from Netgalley in return for an honest independent review.)

The Brain Explained

This is a fascinating, easy to read, book for the ordinary person who wants to know how the brain works, and would like some ideas about how to get it working even better. It has lots of clear explanations - like why we feel stress after the cause has gone, and lots of diagrams and pictures to complement the text.

At the end of each of the 7 chapters there are questions to ponder on, and at the end of the book there is a list of further resources that relate to each chapter.

There are many interesting facts/statements such as "95% of Alheimers' cases are not linked to the genes you are born with" and there are many case histories given, including some which have been in the public eye.

The main message (I got) is "Use it or Lose it", or work hard to regain/learn it. Therefore it is important to continuously train your brain. The book suggests you need work each part of your brain, and provides a few worksheets to help you understand which parts you are currently using effectively, and then offers a lot of ideas on how to get the other parts working better. There are also examples of neuroplasticity where people who have lost the use of parts of their brains, have been able to retrain other parts of their brain to take over these lost functions.

The book is clearly set out, so it is easy to refer back to particular sections of interest - helped by an extensive Index at the back. There is also a useful glossary of terms - though I (with no medical background) had no need of the glossary whilst reading the book.

A fascinating book, that I shall certainly be referring back to again and again. I'm not sure how well it would work on an e-reader, give that there are various worksheets - which once completed need cross-referencing with activity sheets. Colour is also important for the diagrams.

(see my other book reviews on: http://www.emmabbooks.blogspot.co.at/ )

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

As people live longer and as bodies continue to break down with age, quality of life becomes more important for present and future generations, especially with the specter of Alzheimer's becoming more and more prevalent. While there is no current prevention or cure for dementia, Better with Age offers some self-help approaches that can help strengthen the brain.

But first, a disclaimer: readers who expect to be spoon-fed routines might be disappointed to learn that, especially in this case, self-help emphasizes self. There is no path to transformation that doesn't take place without reader participation; no pat and easy answers; and many routines that require an active, ongoing participation in exercises and approaches that strengthen brain functions.

Those with a 'can-do' attitude who seek concrete ideas for such exercises will find Better with Age is firmly rooted in the latest brain research and takes the 'training' ideas of physical therapy into brain-strengthening areas. Readers should thus be prepared to invest a minimum of 15 minutes a day to following the program provided, and should have sufficient motivation and ability to follow directions and document results.

Chapters provide overviews of how the brain changes with age, how it develops different strengths at different ages, and how to 'rebalance' the brain's thought processes to improve short- and long-term memory and provide the positive conditioning that leads it to choose better paths.

With its discussions of psychology, physiology, and brain research, approaches to retraining are reinforced by concrete research and facts. The result is a practical, applicable handbook requiring neither reader familiarity with brain research and cognitive theory nor complex routines. All that's needed is a commitment to changing lifestyles just a little to make brain exercise as important as physical fitness. This audience will find Better with Age offers an approach that is concrete, actionable, and easy to follow.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book for review from NetGalley because I am interested in brain functioning as well as keeping the brain healthy with aging. While I had read a little on this topic, this book was more comprehensive than other sources I've read. At the same time, it's pretty short, so it's good that the author provides recommendations at the end for additional reading beyond the studies cited. This book was a good choice as it's clear that all ages can benefit from applying the material discussed.

Overall, I learned a good deal from the book, and it challenged me to make some changes in my life. While I found the narrative to be more scientific than I expected (or wanted), with a good deal of discussion of different parts of the brain and their development and functioning, there is also a decent amount of application. Each chapter ends with questions to prompt increased absorption and processing of the information covered. The author shares her tool for identifying one's own strengths and areas of weakness, then describes how you can go about improving areas of weakness. She has several anecdotes that describe changes made in individuals' lives after making an effort to improve in a certain area.

While I think a reader can apply the material covered to their own life, I also saw the benefit of having an expert with whom to talk things over and figure out a plan. I can see that having a buddy to go through the process with would also help with recognizing changes and provide support when things are difficult. And the author made it clear that while the activity chosen may not be hard in and of itself, completing the change and transforming a weakness to a strength can come with many moments of doubt and emotional stress.

Overall, my next steps will be to find a buddy to partner with on making improvements in my life.

[Rachel Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book ended up being a better read than I thought. I was worried that it would be full of "you can do it" fluff speak with no actual substance. Instead, I got a well thought out book that balances scientific knowledge with anecdotal experiences to provide some very good guidelines for readers. Better With Age is a bit more of a workbook, but the engagement questions at the end of each chapter really are good food for thought.

Strupp discusses a lot of aspects of mental health and admits when parts of the brain are still too unknown for her suggestions to be one-hundred percent true. She is even nice enough to provide a section of suggested reading for further research. The glossary at the end of the book is also helpful for those of us who can easily trip over scientific terminology.

I will not give away any of Strupp's suggestions, but I did find them to be interesting and, given my family's history with Alzheimer's, rather applicable. Strupp has done her research and has a lot of experience in this arena. So if you are worried about your long-term mental health, I highly recommend this book. I'll probably be picking up a physical copy for a couple of people I know.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many parts I found boring. Mostly about the workings of the brain. There was some hands on stuff that I enjoyed, which was the reason I wanted to read the book. Also some stories to show the material. I would recommend in hard copy since there is some flipping back and forth.

[Agnes Preszler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better with age is an entertaining and informative book about how to use our brain in order to live longer and better. The author, financial representative before, brain coach now, uses a comprehensible language to guide us through the evolution of the nervous system in order to get to the most complicated structure we know: the human brain, an immense treasure we own but we don't know and use enough. It has also the extraordinary capacity of repairing and improving itself through the whole lifespan thanks to the neuroplasticity. Use it or lose it - is the leit-motiv of the book and the author explains why it is so important and how to do this. How we use our brain is our responsability and in our interest so we need a guide to do it well.

Dividing the brain in five zones that are associated with various tasks, the author explains through the Brain Portfolio Tool (a metaphore taken from the financial world) that we need to invest in all of them and to give them a chance for acting and she suggests the activities we can do to achieve this goal. A balanced activity of all zones is fundamental for good health of the brain and the body in older age. (As an artist I was somewhat surprised that crafts, drawing and sculpture are associated with parietal lobe (artisan activities) together to bicycle and horseback riding and hunting (adventure activities), while art was associated with occipital lobe).

In the same way are described the superpowers of the brain. She also tells us concrete examples of people of various age that activating them have succeed in improving his/her own life.

In the last chapter the author analyzes long-agers' behaviour and lifestyle, their social, economical and cultural environment in different high-income countries searching for a key. She also is investigating for the dramatic number of Alzheimer's cases in the USA pointing out the probably causes and so suggesting the solutions.

The book is written in a reader-friendly language, the illustrations and the layout facilitate easy reading and comprehension. Every chapter has engagement questions getting the reader personally involved.