How to Keep Your Brain Healthy, According to a Neurosurgeon

Your Brain Is Basically Yellow Tofu. A Neurosurgeon Explains How To Actually Protect It

Your brain is basically “a big mushy piece of yellow tofu,” according to Randy D’Amico, a neurosurgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital.

“If it was exposed and there was a strong rainstorm, it would be injured.”

That might sound unsettling, but it’s also grounding. This fragile, three-pound organ controls every thought you’ve ever had, every emotion you’ve felt, and every decision you’ve made.

And despite what supplements and biohacking culture might suggest, protecting it is far simpler than most people think.

Dr. D’Amico spends his days operating on the brain. What follows is how someone who literally looks at it every day actually takes care of his own.

This perspective pairs closely with How Do I Build Confidence When I Feel Behind, where most pressure turns out to be more mental than real.

The Brain Truth Most People Miss

Everything you experience is filtered through something soft, imperfect, and easily damaged.

That fact alone should change how you treat it.

Brain health isn’t about optimization or hacks. It’s about respecting how fragile the system really is and supporting it in ways that make sense biologically.

Modern neuroscience backs this up. According to Harvard Medical School, long-term brain health is driven far more by sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress regulation than supplements or “cognitive enhancers.”

Use It Or Lose It (But Not The Way You Think)

“You got to use it or lose it without a doubt. Challenge yourself.”

That doesn’t mean brain-training apps or puzzles. It means curiosity.

Read Actual Books

“Read a book. Reading expands your ideas. Everything we do is based on our beliefs, and our beliefs are built on our experiences.”

Reading forces your brain to imagine, synthesize, and process. It creates experiences you haven’t lived yet.

This is why passive scrolling leaves you drained while reading leaves you sharper, something we also unpack in How Do I Stop Overthinking Everything.

Engage With Music

“Listen to music. Think about what you’re listening to. Why do I like this? Why don’t I like this?”

Passive consumption doesn’t stimulate the brain. Thoughtful engagement does.

Look At Art And Ask Questions

“Why did someone make this? What’s going on here?”

The common thread is simple: thinking beats scrolling.

Nutrition For Brain Health: Keep It Boring And Natural

Despite deep medical knowledge, Dr. D’Amico keeps food extremely simple.

His General Eating Pattern

• Morning: Avocado toast on low-glycemic bread

• Mid-morning: Greek yogurt with chia and hemp seeds

• Lunch: Often green tea instead

• Afternoon: Peanut butter on toast

• Dinner: Low-glycemic pasta with vegetables

The goal isn’t restriction. It’s stable blood sugar.

“I was watching my glucose trends and trying to flatten the curve.”

Stable energy equals better focus, mood, and cognitive performance, something strongly supported by research from The Cleveland Clinic.

Supplements: Less Is More

In a world obsessed with supplement stacks, his approach is minimal.

Creatine (The One Standout)

“The only thing I take is creatine. There’s enough scientific backing on it.”

Creatine supports both brain health and muscle recovery, with decades of peer-reviewed research behind it.

Magnesium For Sleep

After melatonin caused grogginess, magnesium became the better option.

Everything else?

“Supplements aren’t FDA regulated. You have to be really careful.”

What Actually Harms Your Brain

Alcohol

“Chronic alcohol use is definitely something not good for you.”

Even moderate drinking impacts recovery, sleep quality, and cognitive readiness.

Excessive Stimulants

Too much caffeine keeps your nervous system stuck in overdrive.

Green tea replaced coffee for a reason.

Social Media

Pull back and ask one question: does this make you feel better or worse?

He’s especially concerned about younger generations and declining happiness scores, something echoed in Why Comparing Yourself to Others Makes Everyone Feel Worse.

Sleep Is Non-Negotiable

“Sleep is super important. Everyone has proven that.”

He sleeps early, wakes naturally, and prioritizes rest over entertainment.

Your brain literally clears waste while you sleep. No supplement replaces that.

The Evolution Lens

“Anything anti-nature is probably wrong because nature is perfect.”

That means:

• Whole foods

• Regular movement

• Early sleep

• Real social connection

• Curiosity and learning

Modern problems often come from ignoring ancient wiring.

Perspective Is Brain Health Too

“There’s no race, there’s no rush, there’s no timeline.”

Most stress is imagined. Perspective keeps your nervous system from living in constant threat mode.

That matters just as much as diet or exercise, a theme that also shows up in How To Stay Calm Under Pressure.

Your Brain Health Action Plan

Start Now

• Read real books

• Sleep earlier

• Eat whole foods

• Reduce alcohol

• Stay curious

Build Long Term

• Exercise consistently

• Engage with ideas, not just content

• Protect your attention

• Keep perspective when stress hits

Simple habits compound faster than hacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dr. Randy D’Amico?
He is a neurosurgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital who performs brain surgery and treats life-threatening neurological conditions.

What is the most important habit for brain health?
Consistent sleep. It supports memory, mood, recovery, and long-term brain function more than any supplement.

Do supplements actually help brain health?
Very few. Creatine has strong evidence. Most supplements are unnecessary without proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise.

Is alcohol really bad for the brain?
Yes. Research consistently shows alcohol negatively affects brain recovery, sleep quality, and cognitive performance.

How can I improve brain health without spending money?
Read, sleep, move your body, eat whole foods, and reduce screen time. Those habits outperform expensive interventions.

And Here's The Thing

Your brain doesn’t need biohacking. You just need to take care of it.

According to someone who operates on it for a living, brain health comes down to timeless habits: curiosity, sleep, real food, movement, and perspective.

“If you’re using your brain, you’re using your brain. That’s a good thing.”

It really is that simple.

If you want, next we can turn this into: