Head Strong by Dave Asprey

Our brains are our most important organs. And as attorneys our cognitive abilities are critical assets and drivers to our success. Dave Asprey, in his book Head Strong, explains how we can increase our cognitive abilities and energy.

Asprey is an entrepreneur and the creator of Bulletproof Coffee. Asprey, who was overweight and suffered from a lack of mental clarity (unable to recall important information) in his early adult life, has spent more than a decade working with doctors and scientists to discover methods for improving our brian performance.

About ten percent of our body weight is made up of mitochondria, which act as our batteries and control such things as whether a cell divides or a neuron fires. Half of adults under age forty have mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria have a basic operating system that can be hacked.

In Head Strong, Asprey provides a detailed system for hacking your mitochondria and powering your brain with what it needs to perform at its best.

What you eat affects your brian. Don’t eat sugar, fried foods, or oxidized (damaged) fats, and potato chips for example. These foods and alcohol are "kryptonite" to your brain. Instead eat low-sugar fruits (e.g., organic blueberries, grapes and pomegranates), wild fish, grass fed beef and lamb. Asprey also recommends eating plenty of grass fed butter, which the brain needs for optimum function and preservation.

You also need to control your environment. Here, make sure you avoid mold, toxins, and be sure to get enough sunlight. Lighting is especially important because indoor and office lighting is bad for your brain and affects your sleep.  Artificial lighting lacks important red light, which switches on mitochondria in the retina, improving your vision and sleep.

Sleep is especially important for powering your mind. One way to get restful sleep is to exercise. And nothing is better for reducing stress and clearing your mind than meditation.

The key lessons from Head Strong are: improve your diet, control your environment, and get enough sleep. Easier said than done, I know.