What's one misconception about brain health you frequently encounter in your practice? How do you help patients understand the actual science?

The most damaging misconception about brain health is that it's somehow separate from physical health, as if a condition like anxiety or depression is a personal failing that can be willed away. I often see patients who carry immense shame because they believe they should be able to "think their way out" of their suffering, but you would never expect someone to "will away" diabetes or heart disease. I help patients understand that the brain is a physical organ, just like the heart or the lungs. When it is not functioning optimally—due to genetics, stress, or life events—it requires care and treatment, not just a change in attitude. We talk about therapy and medication not as crutches, but as tools that help a physical organ heal and function properly again. Shifting the perspective from a moral failure to a medical condition is often the first and most critical step in a person's recovery. It removes the stigma and empowers them to engage in treatment with the same seriousness they would give any other health issue, allowing true healing to begin.

One misconception I run into all the time is the belief that **brain health is fixed—that you're either "smart" or you're not, or that once your memory starts to slip, there's nothing you can do.** I've had so many clients come to me defeated, thinking their brain is just "broken" or "too old to change." That's simply not true. I always explain neuroplasticity in really practical terms—like, *your brain is like a muscle; it responds to how you use it.* I share real examples of patients who improved focus, mood, and memory through small daily changes like better sleep, reducing sugar, managing stress, or even learning something new regularly. That's the science: your brain is constantly rewiring based on your habits. Once people understand that their brain isn't "set in stone," I see this incredible shift—suddenly they're empowered. They *want* to make changes because now they believe it'll actually help. Please let me know if you'll be featuring this—I'd really love to read the article. Thanks again for the opportunity!

People are always looking for "one weird trick" solutions to brain health. Unfortunately, just like most other aspects of health, it's a long game. There are plenty of dietary choices you can make that will boost your brain health, from cutting cholesterol to getting plenty of Omega-3's, but you've got to keep doing it if you want good results.

As a breast surgeon I treat a lot of oncologic patients, I usually send them to visit the psycho-oncologist which is a professional psychologist specialized in oncologic patient mental health. Many times I find resistance to this therapy, people think they don't need it because they have all figure it out and they're not crazy and is really a challenge try to explain why it's important. What I do is not engage in a discussion or in an educational conversation with the patient but explain that there are many adversities they will face in the next 8 to 10 months and our psychology is not prepare to cope with this so the psycho-oncologist will give them tools that will help maintain a good attitude through the whole way. Usually my patients understand this and accept the visit which is a very important step in the multidisciplinary approach of breast cancer.