La Jolla resident’s first book offers tips to create an ‘Age-Proof Brain’

Looking to dispel the adage that nothing can be done about memory loss and declining brain health, La Jolla resident Marc Milstein has some suggestions based on years of scientific study.

His first book, “The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity & Fight Off Dementia,” details small changes people can make in their day-to-day lives and a deep dive into scientific studies that look at brain health as it pertains to issues such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Milstein has been giving talks about brain health since his college years at UCLA and was inspired to write a book based on feedback from those talks.

“People would tell me after my talks that they wanted to be able to have something they could hold in their hands that delved deeper into the science,” he said. “The book goes into the relationship between the brain and other systems like our immune health, gut health and sleep and has lots of little tips. I worked hard at making the information easy to digest.”

He added that there is a “real need to get this information out there,” given a flood of misinformation available through online sources.

“There is this mix between having so much information at our fingertips, but there is also a lot of misinformation. It can be challenging to determine what is marketing vs. science,” Milstein said.

The book was released Oct. 25 after years of research and analysis.

“I analyzed studies to determine if they are valid and what information we can get from it,” Milstein said. “With the noise that is out there, I want to look at what is applicable and actionable.”

La Jolla resident and author Marc Milstein says his book “goes into the relationship between the brain and other systems like our immune health, gut health and sleep and has lots of little tips.”

(Provided by Marc Milstein)

Among the steps one can take to improve brain health in the short and long term are socialization, getting enough sleep, managing stress, eating a healthy diet and getting access to nature, Milstein said.

“Living in Southern California, getting a dose of nature is good for the brain,” he said. “Enjoying nature can be protective for brain health, can reduce stress, even just 10 minutes a day. Studies say if we take advantage of nature, it reduces stress as a piece of the puzzle.”

Contrary to the notion that for some, memory loss in inevitable, Milstein said: “We are no longer in a place where we can say ‘There’s nothing we can do.’ There is a lot we can do. Changes early on can bring a 30 to 60 percent reduction in dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms. Genes are a part, but not the whole picture. We want to take action now. There are little changes for our brain longevity down the road.”

His goal in writing the book is to “give people a sense of empowerment, give them little things that make a big difference,” he said.

“I want to empower people to make changes and not feel helpless or hopeless. There is real scientific evidence that these changes help us get the most out of our brain each day and protect the brain down the road.”

“The Age-Proof Brain” is available through online booksellers. ◆