Neurosurgeon Explains Brain Tumors, Memory, Sleep & Brain Fog | Dr. Mazda Turel

What if the way you sleep, eat, move, think, and use technology is quietly shaping your brain health every day? In this episode of The Aditi Govitrikar Show, Dr. Mazda Turel breaks down how the brain is affected by everyday habits, from sugar, poor sleep and lack of movement to screen dependence, stress, menopause and ageing. From brain tumour warning signs and awake brain surgery to the role of estrogen, strength training, yoga, spine health and AI dependence, this conversation helps us understand the brain as the centre of memory, mood, identity, behaviour and decision-making. In this episode, we cover: • When a headache or personality change should be investigated • Why menopause can affect memory, mood, concentration and brain fog • How sugar and processed foods can harm long-term brain health • Why strength training matters for cognition after 35 and 40 • How technology dependence may be changing the way we think • Why sitting for long hours affects the spine and overall health • What neurosurgery teaches us about illness, hope, faith and recovery Watch the full conversation for a deeper understanding of brain health, warning signs, ageing, lifestyle and the daily habits that can help protect your brain and spine. 00:00 – Trailer 01:50 – Introduction 02:17 – Welcome & What Drew Dr. Mazda to Neurosurgery 04:15 – His Father Discouraged Him from Surgery 05:24 – Biggest Change in the Surgical Field: Neuro-Navigation 06:08 – Awake Brain Surgery: How and Why It's Done 07:38 – How to Maintain Brain Health from Childhood 08:53 – Screen Dependence and What It's Doing to the Brain 09:57 – Technology Is Blunting the Brain: Neuronal Pruning 11:04 – Is Anything Good Coming from Screen Overuse? 12:01 – Will AI Replace Surgeons? 13:28 – Best Foods for the Brain 14:47 – Strength Training and Its Direct Impact on Cognitive Performance 15:37 – How Exactly Does Exercise Benefit the Brain? 16:35 – Simple Daily Habits to Keep the Brain Healthy 17:42 – Brushing, Balance, and Learning New Skills 20:12 – Yoga, Spinal Health, and the Mind-Body Connection 22:04 – Body Loves Movement 22:42 – Scattered Exercise Through the Day vs. One Hour at the Gym 23:09 – NEAT and Staying Active All Day 24:33 – The Glymphatic System: How the Brain Cleans Itself at Night 25:15 – Lack of Sleep Impairs Your Perception of Impairment 26:15 – Surgery for Alzheimer's: Connecting the Venous and Lymphatic Systems 26:51 – The Emotional Reality of Alzheimer's for Families 27:18 – The Most Memorable Cases: It's the Human Decisions That Stay 28:14 – The Couple with Stage 4 Brain Cancer Who Got Married Anyway 29:54 – She Was Pregnant During His Second Surgery 30:14 – Would You Marry Someone You Know Is Going to Die? 31:15 – Bridal Hiccups: The Bride Who Lost Leg Function Before Her Wedding 32:30 – When Families Must Decide in Half an Hour 33:41 – Stories of Technical Nuance: 12–18 Hour Surgeries 34:46 – The Pituitary Tumor Patient Who Died After Three Months in Hospital 37:50 – You Can't Defeat Biology: Sometimes Nature Has Other Plans 38:51 – Miracle Stories: The Man Who Walked After a Complete Spinal Cord Injury 41:07 – The Power of Faith: Hanuman Chalisa Every Day for Three Years 42:09 – Be Audaciously Optimistic: Never Deal with Diagnosis as Final 42:35 – Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore 43:01 – When to Get an MRI: Persistent Headaches, Even Dull Ones 44:21 – Back Pain, Spinal Tumors, and TB of the Spine 45:06 – Memory Problems in the Elderly: What's Normal vs. What to Scan 45:41 – Frontal Lobe Tumors and Vague Symptoms 46:07 – Don't Attribute Everything to Old Age or Menopause — Get Investigated 47:55 – Menopause and the Brain: Deep Dive 48:15 – Estrogen Receptors in the Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Prefrontal Cortex 48:47 – Brain Fog Explained: Synaptic Connections and Estrogen Depletion 49:09 – Hot Flashes, Disrupted REM Sleep, and the Zombie Effect 49:55 – Exercise Increases Estrogen Production 50:15 – Puberty, Pregnancy, Perimenopause: The Three Ps Are All Neuroendocrine Events 51:00 – The Generational Debate 51:34 – What Happens to the Brain After Menopause Without HRT? 52:08 – The Brain Has a Reset Button: Homeostasis After 55 52:26 – Dr. Mazda as a Human Being: The Poetic Side 55:32 – How Dr. Mazda Takes Care of His Own Brain Health 56:01 – Stress, Obsessing Over Patients, and Emotional Burden 57:12 – Social Circle, Trekking, Sleep — His Stress Busters 58:52 – When Is the Next Book Coming? 59:05 – Love, Loss, Resilience: What the Stories Are Really About 01:01:01 – Doctors Feel Loss Too: Counseling and Support in Medicine 01:02:08 – Closing thoughts Listen To The Full Episode On Spotify - https://linktw.in/zyqwDy Follow Guest On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mazdaturel?... Follow The Aditi Govitrikar Show On Instagram - https://linktw.in/pqtMuI Location Partner: This podcast episode was shot at Quorum. We thank Quorum for providing the inspiring space and hospitality.