cover image Brain Longevity: The Breakthrough Medical Program That Improves Your Mind and Memory

Brain Longevity: The Breakthrough Medical Program That Improves Your Mind and Memory

Dharma Singh Khalsa. Warner Books, $25 (449pp) ISBN 978-0-446-52067-6

Deepak Chopra, Andrew Weil and... Dharma Singh Khalsa? Warner is betting on this little-known physician, a graduate from Creighton Univ. School of Medicine, as the next big healer. Judging by Khalsa's first book, that's not a bad wager. Khalsa works out of the increasingly popular field of complementary medicine--combining Western orthodox with alternative, usually Eastern, methods of healing--and has a charming bookside manner, in part courtesy of veteran health journalist Stauth. He also aims his message at the huge book-buying readership of baby boomers, and isn't afraid to make jaw-dropping claims: ""I believe that Alzheimer's disease can be delayed and prevented. I believe that age-associated memory impairment can be eradicated."" He also says that he has helped people with very mild or no cognitive impairment ""to develop super minds.'"" Khalsa attributes much of his alleged success to his lowering of levels in patients of the hormone cortisol, which is secreted in response to stress and which he says is toxic to the brain. To support and complement this lowering, he advises what looks like a wonderfully sensible regimen of diet, exercise and meditation that incorporates many principles of Yoga. Diagrammed mind-body exercises are included, and the book wraps up with a concise program, ""Forty Days to a Better Brain."" Whether or not readers will, or can, find themselves fulfilling Khalsa's claims, there's little doubt that they will find in his book an accessible, smart and expertly packaged guide to living a healthier life. 100,000 first printing; major ad/promo; BOMC, QPB, One Spirit and Money Book Club selections; simultaneous Time Warner audio; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Brazil, Israel, Spain and Latin America. (June)