The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Why You Need a COVID-19 Brain Wash – Dr. David Perlmutter : 680

Mar 26, 2020

Dr. David Perlmutter, a renowned neurologist and best-selling author, brings fresh insights on the impact of COVID-19 on our brain and immune health. He emphasizes how fear, poor sleep, and unhealthy eating can compromise our defenses. The discussion highlights the importance of thoughtful decision-making over impulsive reactions during stressful times. Exploring mental health strategies, Dr. Perlmutter advocates for nutrition and meditation as essential tools, while delving into the effects of social isolation and misinformation on our well-being.

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ADVICE

Boosting Immunity and Managing Fear

Prioritize good sleep, a healthy diet, and regular meditation to boost your immune system and manage fear.
These practices calm the amygdala, the brain's fear center, and promote rational decision-making.

INSIGHT

Amygdala vs. Prefrontal Cortex

The amygdala promotes impulsive, self-centered decisions, while the prefrontal cortex enables long-term, empathetic choices.
The current pandemic underscores the importance of engaging the prefrontal cortex for the benefit of ourselves and others.

ANECDOTE

Encounter at the Health Food Store

Dr. Perlmutter recounts an encounter at a store where a woman reacted defensively to his suggestion of hand sanitizer.
This highlights the resistance and varied perspectives surrounding the pandemic.

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In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition. He’s spent his career focusing critical attention on brain health, lifestyle and nutrition that maintains health and prevents diseases.

We spend time discussing the coronavirus impact on physical and mental health, as well as ways to keep the immune system going strong.

“Fear destroys immune function, and so does lack of sleep, so does eating poorly, and all of these threaten our first line of defense,” Dr. Perlmutter says. “We can make decisions either from an impulsive part of the brain, the amygdala, that are short term and really interested only in “myself,” or we can tap into the prefrontal cortex and make decisions that have much more long view.”

Dr. Perlmutter’s also a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books. His newest was co-written with his son Austin Perlmutter, M.D. Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness approaches America's growing epidemics of chronic illness from a simple premise: “We know what we need to do for better health and happiness, but our ability to make good decisions has been hijacked by unhealthy digital media usage, processed food, lack of sleep, chronic stress, and other aspects of modern life—and our physical and mental health is suffering.”

He shows you how to recognize the negative impact of these exposures and then offers a set of practical interventions for reclaiming your brain and improving your health.

As for coronavirus? “The sooner we realize that the party's not going to resume in the near term, and that life is forever going to be changed in our world, the better we can take a deep breath and become pragmatic and make decisions from the prefrontal cortex,” Dr. Perlmutter says.

Enjoy the show!

Get links, resources and show notes at Dave.Asprey/podcasts.
Watch the Instagram live Q&A video of Dave and Dr. Perlmutter on YouTube.

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