Your Ocean's Eleven - PPE and Lifestyle

Your team

• Dr. Eva Feldman
• Dr. Elizabeth Bevins
• Dr. Shlee Song
• Dr. Cyrus Raji
• Dr. Kevin Bickart
• Dr. Fernando Testai
• Dr. Jessica Choi
• Deborah Cory-Slechta

Tips to Protect Brain Health

Click on any cell to reveal the doctor who suggested the tip. PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment.

Tip	Domain	How it helps
Wear a Helmet Dr. Eva Feldman	PPE Dr. Eva Feldman	Head injuries from trauma can cause long-term cognitive issues and even dementia. Wearing a helmet during activities like biking or skiing greatly reduces this risk. Helmets are critical even when not required by law. Dr. Eva Feldman
Put in earplugs when you’re mowing the lawn Dr. Elizabeth Bevins, Dr. Shlee Song	PPE Dr. Elizabeth Bevins	Hearing loss has been strongly associated with cognitive decline and dementia. Using earplugs or earmuffs around loud noises helps preserve hearing and protects the brain's auditory processing areas. Regular hearing checks and using hearing aids consistently can further support brain health. Dr. Elizabeth Bevins
Get your eyes checked Dr. Shlee Song	Lifestyle Dr. Shlee Song	Vision impairment has been linked to increased risk of dementia. Eye exams and corrective measures like glasses or surgery help keep visual input active and engaging. The brain performs better when all sensory systems remain in use. Dr. Shlee Song
Take a walk, and swap your chair for a stool Dr. Cyrus Raji, Dr. Kevin Bickart	Lifestyle Dr. Kevin Bickart	Physical activity improves blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. Even brief exercise like walking half a mile daily offers protective effects. Minimizing sedentary behavior and using core-engaging seating supports brain function further. Dr. Cyrus Raji, Dr. Kevin Bickart
Manage your cholesterol Dr. Fernando Testai	Lifestyle Dr. Fernando Testai	High LDL cholesterol can harden arteries and limit blood supply to the brain, increasing stroke and dementia risk. A diet rich in legumes, fruits, and vegetables helps maintain healthy levels. Exercise, weight control, and medications like statins are also beneficial. Dr. Fernando Testai
Floss every day Dr. Shlee Song	Lifestyle Dr. Shlee Song	Oral infections can lead to sinus issues and even brain-related complications. Gum disease is also associated with higher dementia risk. Daily flossing, brushing, and dental checkups help prevent such issues. Dr. Shlee Song
Join a book club Dr. Jessica Choi	Lifestyle Dr. Jessica Choi	Social isolation can lead to depression and faster cognitive decline. Joining clubs or even monthly dinners keeps social circuits active. A strong support system is linked to better health outcomes. Dr. Jessica Choi
Wear a mask on smoggy or smoky days Deborah Cory-Slechta	PPE Deborah Cory-Slechta	Airborne pollutants can reach the brain and cause chemical changes that affect cognition. Wearing N95 or surgical masks and using indoor air filters reduces exposure. This is especially important on days with poor air quality or wildfire smoke. Deborah Cory-Slechta
Watch your neck Dr. Shlee Song	PPE Dr. Shlee Song	The neck supplies essential blood flow to the brain, and injuries can cause clots or oxygen deprivation. Avoid aggressive massage techniques or sudden neck movements. Always wear a seatbelt and see a doctor if injury is suspected. Dr. Shlee Song
Sleep well Dr. Eva Feldman	Lifestyle Dr. Eva Feldman	Sleep consolidates memories and clears toxins from the brain. Poor sleep is linked to cognitive decline. Addressing sleep disorders or disturbances can yield major brain benefits. Dr. Eva Feldman
Be Food Smart	Lifestyle	Inflammatory foods may negatively affect brain health over time. Getting tested for allergies and reducing sugar can be helpful. Understanding your caffeine tolerance also supports restful sleep and cognitive clarity.

Caroline Brewin - Using Neuroscience to Maximize Your Presence (Confidence)

Caroline Brewin - author of "Confident". YouTube

Dealing with an amygdala hijack

Brendon Burchard : Confidence is your belief in your ability to figure things out.

The facts - we are wired for a negativity bias because survival is our number one priority.

Physical

Polish/Grooming; Fit, healthy, attractive; Body lanaguage. 

Body Language, particularly eye contact and being able to hold room and have eye contact with each of those people in the room is a crucial part of people seeing you as having presence

Mental

Decisiveness, resilience, optimism

Awareness

Knowing your core values (congruence gives you authenticity - a crucial part of executive presence). Gives you cognitive anchors - allow the brain to return to clarity and self-regulation. Builds neural consistency. 

Acceptance

Confidence is grounding in your true self, integrating your internal and external authenticity - Jane Grafton.

Action

One small step - integrate your wins. Monday morning - make a list of things you accomplished last week that you're really proud of. Maybe the wonder-woman pose goes along with it.

If You're On Android, this is How Your Brain Works! Be Warned

From Michael Platt's excellent book: "The Leader's Brain"

Two years ago, Wharton neuroscience postdoctoral fellow Feng Sheng and I gathered groups of smartphone users to see if they had an emotional and social connection with their brand. 

(they used fMRI to observe brain activity)

Apple users showed empathy for their own brand: The reward-related areas of the brain were activated by good news about Apple, and the pain and negative feeling parts of the brain were activated by bad news, they were neutral about any kind of Samsung news. This is exactly what we see when people empathize with other people—particularly their family and friends—but don't feel the joy and pain of people they don’t know.

Samsung users, on the other hand, showed no increased activity in either area when they were shown positive and negative news about their brand. Interestingly, though, the pain areas were activated by good news about Apple, and the reward areas were activated by bad news about the rival company — some serious schadenfreude, or “reverse empathy.”

If I were the Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung, I would be worried. Samsung customers' brains tell us they’re just not that socially and emotionally connected to the brand, and that makes the company much more vulnerable to a potential competitor (just as a weak workplace culture can lead to higher turnover).