Brain Health In Action: How Youth Are Leading Change in Their Communities with Shawn, Manasvi, and Nandita

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Welcome to the Let's Talk Brain
Health podcast, a public health

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educational initiative of the
virtual Brain Health Center.

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I'm your host, Doctor Crystal
Keller, and I'm so glad you're

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here.
On this podcast, I sit down with

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incredible guests to explore all
things brain health and

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Wellness.
Together, we'll talk about how

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to care for your total brain
health, mind, body and spirit

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while sharing the latest brain
Health Science practical tips

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and strategies you can use every
day.

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By prioritizing your brain
health, you're taking an

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important step towards living a
happier, healthier life.

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So let's dive in and welcome
today's guest.

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I wanted to frame this evening
around one word that comes to

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mind when we hear youth brain
health.

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That word to me was curiosity.
Brains run on curiosity.

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Children and teens bring
curiosity and large supplies.

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Statistics say children will ask
over 100 questions an hour.

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How that can change as we start
to age and hit adulthood.

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When young people step into
science, advocacy, and creative

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work around the brain, progress
can accelerate and it can happen

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quickly.
Fresh questions appear, old

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assumptions can get tested, and
new solutions can move forward

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fast.
The spirit's going to sit today

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at the center of the
conversation tonight.

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Welcome to BRAIN Week 2026 here
at the Virtual Brain Health

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Center.
Tonight's panel highlights a

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powerful truth.
The future of brain health is

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not decades away.
The young people are already

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leading that change through
curiosity, research, creativity

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and advocacy.
And tonight we are joined by

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three of those young youth
leaders.

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I'd like to introduce first,
we're going to go in order of

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age from youngest to eldest on
our panel for all of our

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questions tonight.
So first I'd like to introduce

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Sean, the creative kid.
He published his first

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creativity book at just three
years old and is now on a global

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mission to help the world think
more creativity.

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Every day he delights his
parents with fresh examples of

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inventive thinking and
imaginative connection.

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He still enjoys sprinklers, has
developed a passion for Sonic

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the Hedgehog, and is determined
to solve the Rubik's Cube faster

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than his dad.
He's an eager observer and

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strengthened his mind through
piano playing and creative

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expression.
Sean speaks internationally,

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including the United Nations
Brain Day events and shared

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insights on creativity in the
brain.

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He's also an honorary brain
health actionist with the Center

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for Brain Health in Dallas, TX.
And his favorite musical tune is

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Sonic Superstars.
Sean's our youngest panelist

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tonight and he's here to tell us
about brain health.

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Hi, Sean, So glad you're here.
Is there anything else you'd

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like us to know about you before
we start our conversation this

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evening?
I also run track too.

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So you do everything for mind
and body.

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That's fantastic.
Thank you for joining us.

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Our next panelist is Manasi
Sharma, and she's a high school

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student who loves exploring how
the brain works and why it

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matters in everyday life.
She enjoys research and

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translating complex neuroscience
and mental health topics into

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ideas that feel relatable and
meaningful.

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Outside of research and
advocacy, she's also involved in

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creating youth focused content
where she blends science,

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storytelling, and creativity to
spark curiosity and

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conversation.
Welcome to tonight's

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conversation with us.
What else would you like us to

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know about you before we dive in
this evening?

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Hi.
I just wanted to say thank you

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so much for having me here and
I'm really excited to be part of

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this conversation and learn from
everybody.

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Thank you for joining us from
the West Coast and bringing your

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passion and curiosity to this
conversation.

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And welcome back to our third
panelist.

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But it's her second year with us
at the Virtual Brain Health

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Center.
To Nandita, the founder of

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Cognitive Connections.
And now her latest project,

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Strap the Stroke.
She's a senior at Solon High

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School and a certified brain
health and stroke tier educator.

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She's a passionate advocate
about brain health.

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Her interest in this field began
with her research for the past

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three years on Alzheimer's
disease at Case Western Reserve

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and her research on heart and
brain health at Yale University.

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She's also the founder of an
internationally recognized brain

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Health Organization, Cognitive
Connections, which has already

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impacted over 10,000 people to
date.

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You can think about that as
10,000 brains she has helped

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support to date.
Through her work, she's

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currently been selected as a
Youth Ambassador to spread

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stroke health awareness and has
empowered hundreds of students

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with stroke health education.
Most recently, she filled an app

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called Strap for Stroke, which
was recognized nationally by the

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US Congressional Health.
Mandita looks to forward her

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education journey as a
passionate brain health advocate

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and researcher.
Welcome back to Brain Week at

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the virtual Brain Health Center.
Mandita, what else would you

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like us to know about you and
your work, and what have you

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been up to since last year?
Yeah, I just wanted to say thank

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you so much for having me again,
Miss Crystal.

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It's truly an honor to be back
on this panel and I'm excited to

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share all the different
activities and advocacy that

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I've done over the past 2 1/2
years.

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Initially started focusing just
on dementia, but over this past

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year, I've extended it into
stroke health as well.

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So I'm excited to share all that
work.

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And a welcome to every youth
leader on this panel.

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I think tonight, each of these
young leaders bring a unique pro

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voice and perspective to brain
health.

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And we're going to learn now how
each of you found your

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interests, what are the issues
that matter most to you and how

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you're already creating change
in your community.

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So, Sean, I'd love to get the
conversation started with why do

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You care about the Brain as the
youngest youth advocate here on

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the channel.
I started running and running

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helps your brain by exercising
and I was curious on how the

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brain works.
Thank you for sharing that.

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I have to say, I think when I
was your age, I probably didn't

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think much about my brain.
And you have done a lot of work

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to let other people know why
they should care about their

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brains and the things that they
can do.

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So thank you so much for sharing
that to be what brought you into

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wanting to educate others about
the brain and your own personal

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interest in this house.
Yeah, so my interest in the

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brain began with simple but also
persistent curiosity.

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And it started way before I hope
it knew what neuroscience was.

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Ever since I was a child, I
always wanted to understand how

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system works and the why behind
things so why people think, why

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do they feel and just like why
we behave the way we do.

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I just found myself asking
questions about things like

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resilience, emotion, and the
fact that two people can

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experience the same situation
but also just walk away with

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completely different inferences
of the situation.

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And I feel like as I got older,
my curiosity also expanded into

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something bigger as I started
noticing how people's lives can

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be shaped by the structures
around them.

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And these can include like
education, the healthcare access

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that they have, the
environmental stress around

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them, and most of all, the
access to the resources that

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they have.
I realized that the brain sits

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at the center of all of it, Your
personality, how you impact the

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world, and just like the
footprints that you leave.

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And I've realized that the brain
is an organ that interprets the

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world and just helps us respond
to pressure.

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It encodes our experiences.
And it's just that the more I

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learn about it, the more
fascinated I am from this organ.

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And apart from this, I also
learned that the more I learn

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about the brain, I also see how
invisible our brain health is in

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most systems, even though our
mental health is just as

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important as our physical
health.

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No, we talk about academic
performance, but we do that

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without talking about the
cognitive load that we have,

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which also connects to another
theme that I'm passionate about,

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which is just like burnout and
advocacy for teens.

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And this realization changed a
lot of things to me because I

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wanted to then know more about
the brain, more than just the

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fact that it's a biological
organ as the interface between

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people and systems that the
brain shapes.

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And why certain communities face
higher risks of maybe

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neurological and mental health
challenges, early signs going

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unnoticed, and what we can do to
design environments that can

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help people before.
You guys are tackling big issues

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with just that initial spark of
curiosity that tackles how

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complex the brain can be and how
it impacts so many issues in

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society as well as your peers as
well as yourself.

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So Mandia, what brought you into
brain health research for the

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last three years, as well as
what you're going to study when

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you go off to college?
What was that initial interest

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point for you?
I can definitely say that I've

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always been a kid that was
interested in science and STEM,

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but what really got me into
neuroscience and brain health

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specifically was actually a club
at my school.

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So that year the international
topic was neuroscience, and this

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club is all about solving
problems.

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And I had to do a lot of
research for this competition.

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So during this research process,
I came across neurodegenerative

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diseases and this was one
problem that I couldn't solve

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with all of the solutions that
we have to create for this

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competition.
And it really got me to

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thinking, why is there the
specific field of brain health

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that still seems to be
unsolvable despite the fact that

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we have decades and decades of
research conducted on it?

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So that's what took me into the
dementia and neurodegenerative

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space and modesty too.
I've certainly been very

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fascinated about the brain
because it really shapes

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everything about who we are,
whether that be the memories we

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create, the personality, and
even the decisions that we make.

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As I learned more about
neuroscience and the

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complexities of the brain, I
certainly became drawn to these

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diseases like dementia that
slowly, chip by chip, take

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things away from us.
And I think one of the most

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interesting aspects of these
neurodegenerative disorders is

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how they start very early on.
And that's really what my

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advocacy is really focused on is
starting this brain health

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education from a very young age,
because the younger that we

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start this education at, the
more likelihood that we have

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that we're able to potentially
prevent these neurodegenerative

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diseases in the long run.
And that's really what took me

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into this dementia and
neurodegenerative space.

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And I eventually started
conducting research on

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Alzheimer's disease in the
hospital that I volunteered at.

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I even witnessed these patients
going through these dementia and

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related neurodegenerative
disorders.

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And that eventually led me to
found cognitive connections.

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But apart from dementia and the
neurodegenerative space, another

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aspect that I really got
interested into over the past

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year is looking at strokes.
Strokes is something that

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impacts millions and millions of
individuals across the nation,

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and it's something that
individuals are left with the

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lasting impacts of for years and
years to come.

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So I really wanted to look into
how can we empower kids to make

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a difference because this panel,
today's meeting is all about it.

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Looking at how the youth are
shaping the next generation and

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shaping the world and creating
an impact.

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So I really wanted to spread
that awareness to the rising

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generation, telling them that
even though you are kids, you

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can make just as big as an
impact as any adult can.

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So I think my focus over the
past few years has been on

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dementia and stroke related.
Advocates, thank you all for

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sharing what has brought you
into this space.

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I think we can see why we have,
even within the youth, different

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age groups talking about this.
And Sean, I'm going to ask you

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now, what brain health issue
matters to you the most right

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now?
And why is it so important that

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you're out telling people about
it?

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Why is it important to kids your
age?

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People are eating too much sugar
and instead of giving sugar, we

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want to give toys to kids.
I like that healthy swap idea.

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I think we've seen a lot of
information around that,

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especially for kids in the ways
that we can.

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That's always the nice idea.
We don't necessarily we're going

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to take something away.
What's the good swap?

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And who doesn't love a toy?
There's practical things we can

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do to decrease that sugar
intake.

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So thank you so much for sharing
that.

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What is the issue for you that's
top of mind that matters most to

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you right now?
And why is that the one you're

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really advocating for in your
work?

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00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:39,160
Yeah.
So the issue that matters most

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to me right now is the
invisibility of mental and

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neurological health.
And especially this is seen in

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00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:51,480
rural or low resource
communities because I feel like

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in a lot of places, mental
health is still treated as

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00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:59,080
something secondary, less urgent
than physical illness.

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But as I said before, and even
then these I emphasized it, the

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brain shapes everything.
These are things like how we

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cope, how we learn and our
connection and how we survive as

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a community.
I'm especially focused on how we

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can use maybe AI and data
science to detect early signs of

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neurological and psychological
risk long before someone reaches

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00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:29,400
a crisis point.
And my work is mostly focused on

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00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:33,640
early interventions and trying
to spread brain health awareness

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00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:38,080
to rural communities and the
young generation and just making

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people familiar with the idea of
mental health.

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Because I feel like it's still
something new to a lot of

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people, and a lot of people
don't know what mental health

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00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,440
is.
So just getting people more

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00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,120
familiar with the thing,
reducing any stigmas they are

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00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,960
around this issue and just
spreading awareness, yes.

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00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,400
Thank you for sharing the issues
that are important to you.

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00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,880
I think one of the most
important things we have around

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all of these conversations is
the call in to talk about the

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ways we take care of our brain,
whether that's the conversation

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under brain health or mental
health or this broader umbrella.

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It's that how do we prioritize
our brain care and that this is

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a conversation for all of us.
So Nandita, what is the issue

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that's mattering most to you
right now and why are you

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00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,320
advocating for it in your work
today?

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00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:30,160
Yes, one of the main issues that
matters to me right now is

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certainly the lack of awareness
around preventative brain health

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00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:36,960
and especially focusing on the
younger generation.

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Currently a lot of individuals
only begin to think about brain

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00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,080
health when something goes
wrong.

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So whether that be a stroke, a
concussion or even memory

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decline.
But by then, the opportunities

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for early prevention, that endo
for early prevention can

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sometimes already have been
missed.

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And that's where passion for
changing that mindset so people

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00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,560
can actually begin viewing brain
health as something that should

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00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:06,240
be done more actively to protect
their lives throughout the years

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rather than only focusing it at
the end.

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So really focusing on this idea
of prevention and being

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00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:13,880
proactive rather than being
reactive.

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00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,400
At the end of the day, my work
through cognitive connections,

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I've certainly seen how
lifestyle factors, whether that

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00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,200
be sleep, nutrition, exercise,
stress management, your

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00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,600
emotional well-being can
certainly influence your long

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00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,840
term neurological outcomes.
And over the course of the past

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00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:35,640
few years, I've conducted almost
15 plus workshops, whether that

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00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:40,040
be locally or even online
workshops and we've impacted

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00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,440
nearly 10,000 individuals.
And similarly with the Stroke

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00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,400
Health Awareness initiative that
I started, Strap the Stroke.

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00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,200
It's all about empowering the
next generation to identify by

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00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,640
the signs of a stroke and
someone that is experiencing a

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00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,680
stroke, medical emergencies so
that these kids are empowered to

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00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,240
call 911.
And I think it's really

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00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,760
important to spread awareness
like this to the young

295
00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,440
generation because they can
certainly make an impact and

296
00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,119
make a difference in the long
term.

297
00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,400
So really improving this brain
health and stroke health

298
00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,760
awareness is really important
because it helps to shift the

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00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,599
focus from reacting to these
diseases and it shifts it to the

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00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,000
idea of prevention.
And if we can help these people

301
00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,760
understand that their brain is
so important and it is crucial

302
00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,360
to continue to protect it from a
younger age, we can truly

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00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:32,800
improve the quality of life for
these individuals, but also the

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00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,520
entire communities in the long.
Run.

305
00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,000
It's so wonderful to hear all
the work that you are all

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00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,240
advocating for because it fits
so well into the global

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00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,480
conversation on brain health
where brain health for all ages

308
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,600
and stages of life.
Because for so long the field

309
00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,920
did focus on later age,
adulthood.

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00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,880
And now we're saying it is all
ages and there's so much work to

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00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,960
be done to equally serve all
population around the

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00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:03,440
conversation of brain health.
So now I want to pose a slightly

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00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,800
different question because in
doing your work, because the way

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00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,720
we have changed the field and
the areas we're trying to serve,

315
00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:16,840
is there a myth or
misunderstanding around brain

316
00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,080
health that you want people to
know about?

317
00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,760
Something different that you
want to correct for them?

318
00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,120
So, Sean, what is it that you
might find in your work that

319
00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,240
people might get wrong, that you
want them to know better about

320
00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,200
the brain?
Some people think their brain

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00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:36,560
stops growing at childhood, but
it keeps growing through the

322
00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,600
whole life.
Your whole life and some things

323
00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,800
you can do to keep it growing
are exercising, eating healthy

324
00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,720
foods, playing music and stuff
like that.

325
00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,640
You highlighted so many
important things that is never

326
00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,120
too late to try something new
for your brain.

327
00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,320
There's always things that all
of us can do.

328
00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,840
And I think that's such an
important message is we think

329
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,080
I'm a certain age, there's
nothing I can do for my brain.

330
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,160
And the research shows it
doesn't matter your age, you can

331
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,240
always do something new and
different.

332
00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,600
So now, Mandy, what's something
that you want to correct?

333
00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,200
And I know with the issues
you're tackling is there's

334
00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,360
probably a lot of mis and
misunderstanding and there's

335
00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:21,200
broader brain health
conversation.

336
00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:24,680
So what's what do you want to
set the record straight on for

337
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,440
us this evening?
Yes, and I actually love this

338
00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,480
question because it's something
I'm so passionate about.

339
00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,600
A lot of students, and I've seen
my peers, they describe feeling

340
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,880
overwhelmed, mentally drained
and unable to focus.

341
00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,640
And sometimes these experiences
get dismissed as a lack of

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00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:47,120
motivation or discipline.
But in reality, mental

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00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:50,960
exhaustion is a very real thing
that a lot of people go through.

344
00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,760
And it's not necessarily
laziness how a lot of people

345
00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,800
describe it, but it's it
actually reflects what's

346
00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:02,280
happening inside the brain when
it has been sustained under

347
00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,560
cognitive or emotional pressure
and.

348
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:09,120
As we already know that our
brain is constantly processing

349
00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:13,040
information, regulating
emotions, making decisions and

350
00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,680
just constantly adapting to our
environments.

351
00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:21,440
Once stress becomes something
chronic and recovery time is

352
00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,800
limited, the systems that
support attention and emotional

353
00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,440
regulations can become very
overloaded.

354
00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,720
That's when people start
experiencing things like brain

355
00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:36,360
fog or difficulty concentrating,
even irritability or feeling

356
00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,080
even when they want to perform
well.

357
00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,600
And these experiences aren't
necessarily characters boss as

358
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,480
they signal something very
important, which is that the

359
00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:51,200
brain has been working extremely
hard for a long time with no

360
00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,240
clear breaks or rest time.
And I think that this

361
00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:59,480
understanding is very important
to address because when mental

362
00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,880
health exhaustion gets labeled
as laziness, it can also lead a

363
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,120
lot of people to blame
themselves instead of

364
00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:09,720
recognizing what their brains
are trying to tell.

365
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,240
And it makes it hard for people
to have honest conversations

366
00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:18,080
about how stressed they are and
what their well-being is.

367
00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,440
For me, one of the most
meaningful shifts we can have is

368
00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:27,200
just learning to listen to those
signals from the brain instead

369
00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,720
of ignoring them.
And when we understand how the

370
00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,840
brain responds to stress or
cognitive overload, we can start

371
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,880
building more healthier habits,
environments, and start having

372
00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:42,880
really those conversations that
support healthier focus and

373
00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:44,480
mutual understanding between
people.

374
00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,720
Thank you so much.
And I already see yours building

375
00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,280
off of Sean because with his
work earlier in life as if we

376
00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,360
have some of those healthy
habits as more of those

377
00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:57,360
foundational pillars.
There are tools that serve us

378
00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:01,280
well when we get into some of
these environments where we

379
00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,120
could easily negate those.
Those are the first things that

380
00:22:04,120 --> 00:22:07,040
fall off our plate when we're in
this stressful situation.

381
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:11,360
So it's these are lifelong
habits to have as a foundational

382
00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:13,760
tool.
So now, Mindita, what is the one

383
00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,360
myth or understanding that you
want us to correct throughout

384
00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:19,040
your work?
We're just going to keep this

385
00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,640
line going and see how we build
off of one another.

386
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,880
Yeah, I guess I have two
actually.

387
00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,880
So the first one is more on
dementia.

388
00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,720
SO1 common myth that I've seen
across a lot of the workshops

389
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,120
that I've done for cognitive
connections is that serious

390
00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:36,280
memory loss is just a normal
part of aging.

391
00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,560
And I've seen this coming from a
lot of the senior centers that

392
00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,800
I've done workshops at.
And it's certainly true that

393
00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,720
small changes in memory, so
maybe like occasionally

394
00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,840
forgetting something or
misplacing your keys at home can

395
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,760
certainly happen as we grow
older.

396
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,840
But significant memory loss that
interferes with your daily life,

397
00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,680
It's important to note that is
not a part of normal aging.

398
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:02,280
So conditions like Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of

399
00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:06,120
dementia are neurological
disorders and diseases that

400
00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,080
affect these brain cells, and
they affect the functionality of

401
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,840
these cells within our brain.
When individuals tend to assume

402
00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:17,280
that memory decline is just a
normal part of aging, it can

403
00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:21,200
certainly delay diagnosis and
also prevent individuals from

404
00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,680
getting this medical care
support and early interventions

405
00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,240
that could actually help
maintain that quality of life.

406
00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,720
And I guess tying back to what
both Sean and Manasi said, this

407
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,320
really ties back into why it's
so important to start that brain

408
00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,800
health journey from a younger
age and really focusing on the

409
00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,800
the idea of prevention and
protecting our brain from a

410
00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,480
younger age so that we can
strengthen it as we continue to

411
00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,960
grow older.
And another misconception that

412
00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,600
I've seen through my strap the
Stroke initiative is the idea

413
00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,360
that strokes only affect older
adults.

414
00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,480
It's really important to note
that stroke is a brain disorder

415
00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:00,600
that can actually occur at any
age, including young adults and

416
00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,440
even children.
And some of the risk factors

417
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,920
tied back into the brain health
idea of stress, such as high

418
00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:11,040
blood pressure, the lifestyle
habits such as the food you eat,

419
00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:14,640
the amount of exercise you do,
or even it could be underlying

420
00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,480
medical conditions.
But because many people don't

421
00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,640
expect stroke symptoms in
younger individuals, warning

422
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,240
signs can sometimes be
overlooked or dismissed

423
00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,480
sometimes.
So it's really important to note

424
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:29,160
that a stroke can really happens
at any age, at any time.

425
00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,800
And that is why it's so
important to know the signs of a

426
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,920
stroke and always be on the
lookout for them in the event

427
00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,520
that someone is having a medical
emergency.

428
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:41,360
And I think raising awareness
about myths like this is just so

429
00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,640
critical because early
recognition can truly make a

430
00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,320
large difference in the long
run.

431
00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,000
There are a lot of issues under
this broader brain health

432
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,080
conversation, and I'm so
grateful for the work that all

433
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,360
three of you are doing in your
local communities as well as at

434
00:24:57,360 --> 00:24:59,240
the national level.
And as you're all having

435
00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,440
influence, national and
international level through your

436
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,480
work and the way you are serving
others.

437
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,800
So thank you for championing the
brain health conversation,

438
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,080
conversations for all.
So now I want to get to the most

439
00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:14,640
important and exciting part is
what are the current projects

440
00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,600
that you are doing to have an
impact?

441
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:21,640
So Sean, what are you working on
right now to improve the brain

442
00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,640
health of others?
Tell us about it.

443
00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,200
We haven't.
We're writing a new book.

444
00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:30,800
It's called My Brain Soon and it
talks about the seven pillars of

445
00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,960
brain capital, which is brain
food, brain sleep, brain mental

446
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:40,600
stimulation, bring social
connections, bring exercise and

447
00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,680
brain arts.
That's very exciting and this

448
00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:45,720
will be what number book for you
now.

449
00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:47,560
How many have you written
already?

450
00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,880
It's going to be your 4th book.
Congratulations.

451
00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,040
You will have to let us know
when that's available and you're

452
00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,280
going to share your 7 pillars of
brain health.

453
00:25:56,280 --> 00:26:01,080
So what an exciting for you to
do and to champion for you and

454
00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,000
kids your age.
Thank you for sharing the

455
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,400
projects that you are currently
working on.

456
00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,320
Fantasy.
What are you up to now to

457
00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:12,080
improve the brain health of
others?

458
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,520
Right now I'm working across
several projects actually, but

459
00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:20,400
they all connect back to my 1
mission, which is just making

460
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,960
brain health more accessible
through research, advocacy and

461
00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,520
policy level change.
One of the main projects I'm

462
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,640
developing right now, as you
already know about is the Brain

463
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:36,600
Health for Youth magazine and it
basically translate neuroscience

464
00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:40,040
and public health research into
practical tools that young

465
00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:45,240
people can use everyday and uses
modules on how stress,

466
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,840
environmental and digital health
shape our brain.

467
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,320
It has interactive activities
that help teen identify

468
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,160
cognitive and emotional
triggers.

469
00:26:54,640 --> 00:27:00,400
And it also focuses on a major
topic of burnout and how teens

470
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,280
can bring emotional resilience
to help prevent this.

471
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:08,480
And I'm refining it using
organizations like Youth

472
00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,360
Movement Against Alzheimer's and
of course the Virtual Brain

473
00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:13,440
Health Center.
And I'm just trying to ensure

474
00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,560
that it's more scientifically
accurate and accessible.

475
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:21,040
Other than this, I'm continuing
my data-driven brain health

476
00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,800
research.
So recently I conducted a study

477
00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,080
and it was analyzing
neurological and mental health

478
00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,520
patterns, especially in wildfire
prone areas.

479
00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:36,120
So basically just figuring out
how our environment shapes our

480
00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:40,320
mental health and that project
really helped me understand how

481
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:45,080
our environmental stressors
influence our cognition and long

482
00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:49,400
term neurological risks.
So I presented this work to the

483
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:54,200
American Chemical Society, and
it helped reinforce how research

484
00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,800
can reveal early brain health
worker release that are also

485
00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,440
often overlooked.
Other than this, I've deeply

486
00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,120
involved in brain health
advocacy and also education.

487
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,920
As a certified Brain Health
Leader and a member of Hillary

488
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:14,560
for Charity Youth Council, I
help facilitate workshops on

489
00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,280
things like cognitive Wellness,
Alzheimer's prevention, and

490
00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:22,480
healthy aging overall for both
huge and older adults.

491
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:26,800
I also create huge focused
content, including the brain

492
00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,720
health magazine I'm releasing
later this year and just making

493
00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,960
neuroscience more engaging and
practicals for teens and young

494
00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,840
adults.
And another idea I'm actively

495
00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:42,280
advocating for is telehealth
equity for older adults, which

496
00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,600
is also a brain health issue
because I've learned that

497
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:50,240
telehealth has become a default
mode of healthcare, and it has

498
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,360
made healthcare so much
accessible for a lot of people.

499
00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,280
But for many older adults who
are at a higher risk of

500
00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:01,360
cognitive decline, dementia, and
also chronic neurological

501
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:07,280
conditions, they are excluded by
inaccessible digital systems or

502
00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,120
people from rural areas too that
are not as familiar with these

503
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,080
digital devices.
And I've been writing and

504
00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,440
speaking about how digital
exclusion can increase

505
00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:22,240
loneliness, anxiety, and just
reduce access to mental health

506
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,280
and neurological care overall.
And across these projects for

507
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:31,400
both research and education, my
focus is the same, which is just

508
00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:34,400
to bridge neuroscience and
public health.

509
00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,280
So the brain health becomes
something that people can

510
00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:42,040
understand and protect before it
becomes a crisis, like Nandia

511
00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:44,000
said.
And overall, I just want to

512
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:48,280
build something where it really
promotes brain health education

513
00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:53,280
as a foundation for everyone and
of all ages, of all regions,

514
00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:57,120
across different abilities.
Thank you so much for sharing

515
00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,440
all the different hats you seem
to have on in this brain health

516
00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,920
space in the projects you are
working on, from research to

517
00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:09,120
science communication to
advocacy and influencing even

518
00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,640
policy and change.
So thank you for highlighting

519
00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,760
that.
Mandita, what is the project

520
00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,880
you're working on now to improve
the brain health of others?

521
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,240
Yeah.
So like I was mentioning

522
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,080
earlier, I have kind of two
projects running at the same

523
00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,840
time.
So the first one is cognitive

524
00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,000
connections, which is
essentially a brain health that

525
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,040
we're earnest initiative for all
ages.

526
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,040
So in this one, I've been
conducting workshops for kids,

527
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,840
teens, adults and seniors.
And I've been running this

528
00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:39,880
initiative for about the past 2
1/2 years now.

529
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,800
The most recent one that I
started, it's been about a year,

530
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,240
close to a year now I strap the
stroke.

531
00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:49,240
So this is more focused on
stroke health education and

532
00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:52,520
encouraging younger kids
especially to learn the symptoms

533
00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:56,200
and respond quickly to a stroke
medical emergency.

534
00:30:56,520 --> 00:31:00,280
So I've centered the curriculum
of this strap the stroke around

535
00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:04,440
the acronym called B fast.
So B fast stands for balance,

536
00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:08,880
eyes, face, arm, speech, and
then T stands for time to call

537
00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,800
911.
The acronym itself encourages

538
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:16,120
the kids to literally be fast
while they are identifying if an

539
00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:19,000
individual has a stroke and
calling 911.

540
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:23,080
But it also serves as a easy to
remember acronym that these kids

541
00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,240
can use to remember the signs of
a stroke.

542
00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:29,080
And especially for strokes, when
And every single minute matters

543
00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,240
because every single minute that
we lose, the brain continues to

544
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:35,560
lose the neuronal cells.
So spreading awareness about

545
00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,120
these warning signs can really
make a large difference in the

546
00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,480
long run.
And my goal, similar to

547
00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,560
Modesties, is also to help
translate neuroscience knowledge

548
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,960
into real world impact.
I've been conducting Alzheimer's

549
00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,920
disease research at Case Western
Reserve University for about the

550
00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:55,400
past three years now.
And a lot of that information I

551
00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,920
have translated through the
podcast that I've conducted with

552
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,200
other brain health experts, the
workshops that I've conducted

553
00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:06,320
through Cognitive Connections,
and also the online videos that

554
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:09,280
I've created, whether that be
through the John Hopkins program

555
00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,600
that I did and other online
YouTube videos to really

556
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,360
encourage our generation to
learn about brain health in a

557
00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,600
very easy and understandable
manner.

558
00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,280
And similarly, with my Stroke
Health initiative as well, it's

559
00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,080
really taking the information
that I learned through my

560
00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:28,920
research at Yale about what are
some of the biggest barriers

561
00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,160
that individuals are facing when
it comes to receiving the stroke

562
00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,880
health information.
And one thing that I found

563
00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,040
through this research was the
fact that a lot of the medical

564
00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,840
content available currently is
not very easy to understand.

565
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,920
Rather, it often requires a high
level of medical knowledge to

566
00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,360
actually be able to digest that
information.

567
00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,760
And this is especially a large
barrier for younger kids who

568
00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,480
certainly have the curiosity to
learn but are inhibited from

569
00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:59,400
this learning growth because the
information might be too complex

570
00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:01,920
to understand.
So really the goal of both of

571
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,760
the organizations that I'm doing
is to take this complex medical

572
00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,280
information and break it down in
very easy and digestible

573
00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:13,520
concepts so that the youth can
really benefit and learn from it

574
00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,280
and continue to protect their
brain health.

575
00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:19,480
Thank you so much for giving us
an update on your two projects.

576
00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:23,560
People can grab links to the
websites and updates in the show

577
00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,280
notes below as well as in the
chat.

578
00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,760
So I want to make sure that we
get some things that will

579
00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,080
simulate our brain.
We know, love brains, love

580
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:35,520
things that are new, novel and
challenging that stick to our

581
00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:37,880
memory.
And you all have some creative

582
00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:42,720
ways of sharing brain health.
So I'm curious now if we can

583
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:46,280
share those messages out with
everyone tuning in.

584
00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:52,280
Sean, if you're comfortable, you
have a song that helps people

585
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:56,560
know the importance of sleep.
Would you like to share that

586
00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:57,680
with us this evening?
Yeah.

587
00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:04,440
Sweep up, sweep up the toxins,
sweep up the toxins and it

588
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:08,560
clears the brain out.
You can have a new fresh brain

589
00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:10,719
for the next day when you're
sleeping.

590
00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:13,320
Thank you so much for sharing
that.

591
00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:16,239
I think that's one that I need
to remember when I'm laying

592
00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,520
there talking and turning.
That song sounds much better

593
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,320
than counting sleep sheep.
Thank you for sharing that with

594
00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:26,480
all of us.
A little while back you wrote a

595
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:31,800
poem about dementia awareness.
Would you be open to sharing and

596
00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:33,560
reading that with us all the
feeds?

597
00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,960
Yes, I can certainly share that.
I guess I can give a little bit

598
00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,199
of background before I get
started with the actual speech

599
00:34:40,199 --> 00:34:43,159
itself.
So I gave the speech at the Stop

600
00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:45,520
the Hate contest about a year
ago.

601
00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:47,560
I think it's exactly been a year
now.

602
00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,719
So I gave it last time around
March or April, And this is

603
00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:54,600
inspired by the individual that
I witnessed during my volunteer

604
00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:58,280
medical shift at the hospital.
And this is actually what led me

605
00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,480
to eventually starting cognitive
connection.

606
00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:03,280
I am very happy to share it, so
here it is.

607
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,760
Help me please, I need someone
to help me.

608
00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:10,680
These were the shrill repeated
cries of a dementia patient that

609
00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,880
I witnessed at my local Medical
Center during my volunteer

610
00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,120
shift.
The police never stopped despite

611
00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:19,800
the patient receiving constant
attention.

612
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,760
However, those endless
repetitive requests had worn the

613
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,080
nurse down, leading to
frustration.

614
00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:30,480
I witnessed the nurse's face,
which was once bright and warm,

615
00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:34,520
wash over with annoyance and
even unintentional hatred.

616
00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:37,600
As the nurse slowly began to
ignore the patient.

617
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,480
Second by second, minute by
minute, I could see the dementia

618
00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,840
patient being more and more
excluded.

619
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,920
At that moment, I felt a wave of
emotions crash through me.

620
00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:52,600
Empathy for the caregivers,
sympathy for the patient, and a

621
00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:56,520
sense of resonance for the 7
million dementia patients and

622
00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,760
their caregivers in the United
States.

623
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:03,480
I knew something had to be done.
Could I find a solution to aid

624
00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,440
both the patient and the
caregiver?

625
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,320
I began to research the costly
toll that impacts both the

626
00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:13,160
patient and the caregiver.
I realized that while caregivers

627
00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,000
make every effort to help their
loved ones, the simple yet

628
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:21,280
profound fact that dementia has
no cure leads to caregivers

629
00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,600
feeling more and more hopeless.
This ongoing cycle leads to

630
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,800
unintentional hatred by the
caregivers, causing social

631
00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,960
isolation of the patient.
Realizing the gravity of this

632
00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:37,480
issue and the fact that the best
cure to prevent dementia is

633
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,440
preserving 1's brain health, I
knew I had to go one step

634
00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,040
further.
While I couldn't hit the reverse

635
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,760
button for the patient's life, I
could pave a journey for the

636
00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:51,720
next generation.
A journey against dementia, a

637
00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:56,400
journey against unintentional
hatred, and a journey for brain

638
00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,680
health inclusivity.
Thus, I founded Cognitive

639
00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:03,680
Connections, a foundation
dedicated to increasing brain

640
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:07,960
health awareness for all ages.
Through in person and virtual

641
00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:10,280
workshops.
I've already impacted over

642
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:14,640
10,000 individuals, and I plan
to pave the journey for more.

643
00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:17,920
Through collaboration with the
Virtual Brain Health Center and

644
00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:21,680
the youth movement against
Alzheimer's, I aim to expand my

645
00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:25,720
impact exponentially.
Furthermore, I've connected with

646
00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:29,360
Ohio's District Senator Jerry
Serino to expand my initiative

647
00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:33,200
and contacted former Senator
Sherrod Brown to urge him to

648
00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:36,720
pass policies that increase
funding for dementia research.

649
00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,400
I believe that cognitive
connections can remind

650
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,360
caregivers and seniors to take
care of their brain health while

651
00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:48,000
empowering the next generation
to incorporate brain healthy

652
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,960
practices to garner community
support.

653
00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:55,160
I led the team for the Walk to
End Alzheimer's, encouraging my

654
00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:59,440
community to walk to increase
advocacy and care for dementia.

655
00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:03,440
Through this, I not only raised
funds but also increased

656
00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:08,240
awareness within my community.
Those cries, screams and

657
00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:11,160
desperate calls for help still
ring in my ears today.

658
00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:14,880
It was that unforgettable moment
that started my journey of

659
00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,440
working towards a society with
brain health awareness for all.

660
00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,440
And it's that moment that will
drive me forever.

661
00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:25,600
Through step by step, action by
action, we can work together to

662
00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:29,560
stop the hate towards dementia.
Thank you for sharing your poem

663
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:33,240
and for all of you for sharing
your work and advocacy.

664
00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:38,040
Nancy, I want to ask you, what
is it that you think that adults

665
00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:43,600
often misunderstand about young
people in brain health to

666
00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:47,840
highlight for us this evening?
Something that adults really

667
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:52,840
misunderstand about brain health
is that it can impact people

668
00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:57,640
from to being older adults.
There's no specific age to start

669
00:38:57,640 --> 00:38:58,960
taking care of your mental
health.

670
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:02,040
You can start today.
You can start from the day you

671
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:06,440
realize what mental health is
and it's a really long journey,

672
00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,120
like a marathon instead of 1
specific day that you're

673
00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:11,840
supposed to commit to your
mental health.

674
00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:16,480
And it's just as important as
our physical health is strongly

675
00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:21,360
tied to our physical health.
And it can really impact how we

676
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:25,320
perceive our life and the
digital footprint that we leave

677
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,240
for other people.
And yeah.

678
00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:32,000
Thank you all for being here
with us as the change makers and

679
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,200
the youth leaders of tomorrow.
I want to make sure though, that

680
00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:39,760
I understand what is the hope
you want to see in the future,

681
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,440
Sean?
What is the change that you want

682
00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:44,640
to see in the future of brain
health?

683
00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:51,000
I want to make sure people take
care of their brains and make

684
00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:55,280
sure their brains stay healthy
by exercising, eating healthy

685
00:39:55,280 --> 00:40:01,080
foods, and staying creative.
And what important messages that

686
00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:04,760
we could all get behind and
support you in your advocacy

687
00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,280
work, in your journey.
Manas B.

688
00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,640
What is it that you hope to see?
In the future.

689
00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,320
Yes, this actually ties back for
what I said in the previous

690
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:18,640
question, and the change I hope
to see is a world where brain

691
00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:23,120
health is treated as a universal
foundation for human well-being

692
00:40:23,240 --> 00:40:26,440
instead of just a luxury or
something people only think

693
00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:30,520
about when they're struggling.
And for young people, that could

694
00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:34,720
mean creating environments with
emotional regulation, digital

695
00:40:34,720 --> 00:40:37,520
Wellness, and cognitive
resilience all at the same time.

696
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:42,920
For older adults, I want a world
where aging is met with support

697
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:46,160
and accessible care.
Because right now, we're

698
00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:50,400
watching a silent crisis unfold
with telehealth systems that

699
00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:54,880
were meant to expand access, but
unintentionally excluding the

700
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:57,960
very people who need
neurological and mental health

701
00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:01,560
support the most.
And for communities, I hope to

702
00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:05,160
see brain health being
recognized as a public health

703
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:09,120
priority, and that means
addressing the environment,

704
00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:14,560
social and economic conditions
that support brain health and

705
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:18,400
shape our emotional well-being.
For healthcare, I hope to see

706
00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,400
prevention become the norm, as
Nandita said.

707
00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:26,680
And right now, we often wait
until symptoms are very severe

708
00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:30,720
before offering support.
But we need to understand that

709
00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:32,600
brain health doesn't work that
way.

710
00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,600
And the earlier that we
intervene with things like

711
00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:41,240
education, screenings and
accessible tools, the better the

712
00:41:41,240 --> 00:41:45,160
outcomes are going to be.
And just really focusing on the

713
00:41:45,160 --> 00:41:48,600
prevention because they're the
thing that prevention is better

714
00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:50,640
than cure.
And for young people

715
00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:54,760
specifically, I hope to see our
voices being taken seriously.

716
00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:58,800
We are the first generation to
grow up fully digital and have

717
00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:04,600
access to all these different
tools and mental awareness and

718
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:08,920
being the first ones to navigate
this level of academic and

719
00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:12,520
emotional pressure.
I hope we understand the urgency

720
00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:14,920
of brain health as we are living
in it.

721
00:42:15,240 --> 00:42:18,440
And ultimately, the change I
hope to see in the world is

722
00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:23,000
where every person, regardless
of their age, background,

723
00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:27,320
ability, region has just the
knowledge, the tools and the

724
00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:32,240
support to understand and
protect the most important organ

725
00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:35,040
that they have, which is the.
Brain and the data.

726
00:42:35,240 --> 00:42:37,840
What is it that you hope to see
for the?

727
00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:41,520
Future as we move into the
future in such a very fast-paced

728
00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,480
world, I hope to see a future
where brain health disorders and

729
00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:48,560
diseases are detected and
addressed much earlier.

730
00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:52,320
So again, going back to that
idea of prevention and whether

731
00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:55,520
that be with the research,
technology or awareness, I'm

732
00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,680
really looking forward to the
ways that we can prevent or even

733
00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:01,720
help to delay conditions like
dementia and even help to

734
00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:04,920
respond faster to events like
stroke, for example.

735
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:08,880
I've started this already with
the technology, like combining a

736
00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:11,400
medical medicine with
technology, especially through

737
00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:13,400
the app that I've created, Strap
the stroke.

738
00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:16,760
In the future, I'm hoping that
especially with AI that is

739
00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:20,400
continuing to grow, how can we
really combine, find technology

740
00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:24,800
into medicine to really go into
this idea of preventative care?

741
00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:28,160
And I really believe that even
the smallest improvements in

742
00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:31,840
early intervention and detection
could really help to impact

743
00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:36,040
millions and millions of life.
So ultimately, it all boils down

744
00:43:36,040 --> 00:43:40,040
to protecting our brain health.
Again, really has to be a global

745
00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:42,920
priority.
And hearing what you all

746
00:43:42,920 --> 00:43:46,520
envision for the future, I know
it is a world that I would like

747
00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:50,720
to be a part of and to remind
that we're all Co creating this

748
00:43:50,720 --> 00:43:53,120
together and you all are not
waiting.

749
00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:57,880
You are taking the steps for
change now and today.

750
00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:01,480
And I want to ensure that in our
final time today that you all

751
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:05,040
get a chance for your final
message of what it is you want

752
00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:08,360
to share with our listeners
today as part of Brain Week.

753
00:44:08,720 --> 00:44:12,880
So, Sean, what is the final
message you want us all to know

754
00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:18,120
about Great House today?
We're doing a fundraiser and

755
00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:23,880
it's about brain health and make
sure you don't forget that your

756
00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:27,040
brain is very important and
beautiful.

757
00:44:27,720 --> 00:44:29,560
Thank you for sharing that with
us.

758
00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:33,560
We can put the link below for
your fundraiser in our show

759
00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:35,640
notes.
And I love the sentiment that we

760
00:44:35,640 --> 00:44:39,360
all can remember that our brains
are beautiful and unique, and

761
00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:42,320
that we all to do what we can to
take care of them.

762
00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:46,200
Thank you for sharing your work
and advocacy with us this

763
00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:47,800
evening.
Minus B.

764
00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:51,680
What is it that you want us to
know as the final word to see?

765
00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:56,560
Yeah, my final message is that
your brain is your power, which

766
00:44:56,600 --> 00:45:00,240
I have sold from my magazine,
and you need to take care of it

767
00:45:00,240 --> 00:45:05,120
with curiosity and patience, and
it's something that anybody can

768
00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:06,760
do.
You don't have to be a doctor,

769
00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:09,560
you don't have to be a scientist
to take care of your brain.

770
00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:14,200
It's yours and just yours.
And your brain deserves care and

771
00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:17,760
compassion from you and from the
world around you.

772
00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:21,480
And I hope every single person
listening to this right now

773
00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:24,920
walks away remembering that
everyone's brain is doing the

774
00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:27,680
best it can with the tools it
has.

775
00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:31,440
And a little understanding of
your own mind and the minds

776
00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:36,360
around you can change so much.
Just be gentle with yourself, be

777
00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:39,480
patient with your growth, and be
kind to the people who

778
00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:42,320
struggles.
You may not be able to see and

779
00:45:42,320 --> 00:45:45,400
most of the fall.
Stay curious because the more

780
00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,520
you understand your brain, the
more empowered you become to

781
00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:51,680
shape your life, your
relationships, and your future.

782
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,640
And then Dida, what is the final
message you would like to share

783
00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:57,760
with us this evening?
Tying back to what I had

784
00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:01,480
essentially started off with,
our brain is once again this

785
00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:05,040
very powerful organ that holds
our memories, relationships, and

786
00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:08,160
sense of self.
And that is why it really boils

787
00:46:08,160 --> 00:46:11,240
down to why protecting our brain
health is just so important.

788
00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:14,560
Conditions like stroke and
Alzheimer's disease really

789
00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:18,160
remind us how profound these
neurological disorders can

790
00:46:18,160 --> 00:46:21,240
affect individuals, families,
and entire communities.

791
00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:25,480
But encourage the idea of
awareness, education, and early

792
00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,520
action can truly help to change
that outcome.

793
00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:32,320
And to any young adult that is
listening into today's

794
00:46:32,320 --> 00:46:35,440
conversation, I think it's
really important to emphasize

795
00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:38,720
the idea that the youth can
certainly make a change and make

796
00:46:38,720 --> 00:46:41,000
a difference.
So I think that is 1 message

797
00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:45,080
that everyone here can take away
from this panelist conversation

798
00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:49,200
is the idea that the next
generation can and should be

799
00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:51,920
empowered with stroke health
awareness and brain health

800
00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:55,640
education so that not only can
they protect their own brains,

801
00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:59,920
but they can also teach their
friends, family, teachers, and

802
00:46:59,920 --> 00:47:02,400
their neighbors how to protect
their brains as well.

803
00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:07,000
So it's really important for all
of us to stay informed, support

804
00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,080
the scientific progress, and
truly just look out for one

805
00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:14,040
another so that we can help
protect our brain health and our

806
00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:16,040
communities for the next
generation.

807
00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:20,680
I feel as though this is the mic
drop moment that you all have so

808
00:47:20,680 --> 00:47:24,840
well deserved and earned for
sharing all of the fantastic

809
00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:27,640
work and impact that you all are
having this evening.

810
00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:31,600
And I truly hope that tonight's
conversation reminds us all of

811
00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:35,480
something very important, that
young people are not only the

812
00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:38,920
future of brain health, they are
part of the current leadership

813
00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:42,520
today shaping the current brain
health landscape.

814
00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:47,400
We heard curiosity, creativity
and action from the three young

815
00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:51,200
advocates on our panel this
evening who are already actively

816
00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:54,560
educating others, raising
awareness, and building new

817
00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:56,880
ideas to support healthier
brain.

818
00:47:57,080 --> 00:48:00,760
Their work shows what happens
when young voices are encouraged

819
00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:03,040
to ask questions and share
knowledge.

820
00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:08,040
Thanks to Mylan, to Sean,
Modesty, and Nandita for sharing

821
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:11,960
their brilliant brain with us
for Brain Week events at the

822
00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:16,200
Virtual Brain Health Center.
Thank you for investing your

823
00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:19,560
time and energy into your
personal brain care by listening

824
00:48:19,560 --> 00:48:22,640
to today's episode of the Let's
Talk Brain Health podcast.

825
00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:26,280
I hope our conversation gave you
fresh insights, a bit of

826
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:30,040
inspiration, or practical steps
that you can take on your own

827
00:48:30,040 --> 00:48:33,240
personal brain care journey.
If you enjoyed today's

828
00:48:33,240 --> 00:48:36,480
conversation, I'd like to ask
you to please share this episode

829
00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:39,800
with someone who could benefit
from it or consider leaving us a

830
00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:42,840
review.
If you have questions or a topic

831
00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:45,960
in brain health you'd like me to
explore, please e-mail me

832
00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:50,080
anytime at podcast at
virtualbrainhealthcenter.com.

833
00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:54,000
I'd love to hear from you.
We have so many more exciting

834
00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:57,640
topics ahead, and I can't wait
to continue this lifelong

835
00:48:57,640 --> 00:49:00,640
journey of better brain health
together with you and our

836
00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:04,520
growing virtual community.
Until next time, remember to

837
00:49:04,520 --> 00:49:07,760
give your brain the care it
deserves and make your brain

838
00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:09,000
health a priority.