The Next Big Idea You Can Grow Your Brain. Here’s How.
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May 11, 2026 
Majid Fotuhi, neurologist and Johns Hopkins instructor specializing in neuroplasticity, explains how the adult brain can grow. He discusses hippocampal growth, imaging evidence of measurable change, exercise and nutrition as top interventions. He also covers sleep, stress mindset, combining movement with cognitive challenge, and how lifestyle tweaks can build resilience against cognitive decline.
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Eat Like Medicine For A Healthy Brain
- Treat food like medicine: avoid ultra-processed, high-sugar, and trans-fat foods and favor Mediterranean-style meals, salmon, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
- Long-term poor diet shrinks synapses quickly; healthy diets associate with larger hippocampi and lower dementia risk.
Choose Blueberries Yogurt And Beets
- Include specific brain-beneficial foods like wild blueberries, dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, beets, and pomegranates to boost BDNF and circulation.
- Favor simple, natural foods and choose satiating meals to avoid sugar-driven hypoglycemia and cravings.
Mindset Shapes Cortisol And Hippocampus
- Chronic stress elevates cortisol which dose-dependently shrinks the hippocampus; mindset choices reduce cortisol and protect the brain.
- Start days with positive reflection, picture successful outcomes, and consciously choose a calmer mindset to lower stress.
