The Founder-Chairman of Brains Super Speciality Hospital, Dr N K Venkatramana, explains that his recent book, The Secret of Brain Wellness: Way Forward to a Healthy Living, Healthy Life, is designed to demystify the brain’s incredible functions. He believes the brain, often called the crown jewel of evolution, remains underutilised and poorly understood. The book simplifies these complex mechanisms by focusing on function over structure, making it accessible to everyone. He says once individuals understand the brain’s power and potential, they naturally begin to respect, protect and preserve it. This awareness, he suggests, marks the start of brain wellness—maximising its abilities while avoiding harm.
Keys to Wellness
Dr Venkatramana shares that brain wellness involves nurturing both mental and physical aspects: healthy food, regular exercise, good sleep, and mindful living. He often emphasises that the brain, body and mind work as one unit, and maintaining harmony among them is essential.
He highlights the role of thoughts in shaping action, experience, and memory. Positive thoughts, in his view, lead to constructive behaviour and learning. On the flip side, unchecked negative thoughts can cause destruction, both individually and socially.
Dr Venkatramana mentions that emotions heavily influence decision-making. He suggests practices like yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises to regulate emotions. Proper sleep and nutritious food also play a critical role in emotional and cognitive balance.
Avoiding Negativity
He advises against cultivating emotions such as jealousy, anger, and comparison, which disrupt internal balance. Instead, fostering love and universal compassion can nurture peace and harmony.
Dr Venkatramana points out that the quality of social relationships directly affects emotional and brain health. Constructive interactions build emotional resilience, whereas destructive relations trigger negative hormonal responses in the brain, potentially harming the immune system and increasing the risk of disease.
He elaborates on how emotional disturbances can affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, causing spikes in hormones like adrenaline, which lead to hypertension, fatigue, and even immune dysfunction. By contrast, healthy relationships can trigger positive hormonal release, supporting mental and physical growth.
Neuroplasticity
Addressing neuroregeneration, Dr Venkatramana clarifies that while the number of neurons may not significantly increase, new connections (neuroplasticity) form constantly through learning and engagement. He uses the metaphor of networking—both social and neuronal—to describe this adaptability.
He notes that while some degenerative brain conditions are irreversible due to toxins and cellular damage, staying mentally, physically and socially active can delay or even prevent such decline.
Aging and Awareness
As people age, he explains, brain functions may slow, but a healthy lifestyle can mitigate these effects. The book encourages readers to build awareness of their body, speech and thoughts.
He stresses that bodily awareness, mindful speech, and regulating internal “mind chatter” are essential daily practices. Suppressing unhelpful thoughts and focusing on single tasks rather than multitasking can enhance mental clarity and performance.
Dr Venkatramana suggests that living with sustained awareness—not mechanically—brings joy and depth to everyday experiences. It changes one’s perception and enriches life.
He insists each brain is unique and comparing oneself to others diminishes personal growth. Respecting one’s own potential is vital to wellness.
Three Golden Rules
To conclude, Dr Venkatramana prescribes three practices for brain wellness: don’t complain, don’t compare, and don’t criticise. He believes that following these helps individuals realise their full potential and foster more peaceful living.
Three major don’ts recommended are: do not harm your body through neglect or misuse, avoid injuring your brain through accidents or unsafe behaviour, and steer clear of harmful substances such as smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse, which are becoming increasingly common; additionally, it is advised to avoid multitasking, as it can place unnecessary strain on the brain and reduce its overall efficiency.
