Claudia von Boeselager [00:00:50]:
Welcome back my friends, to the final episode of this special solo series, the Brain Optimization Blueprint. I'm your host, Claudia von Boeselager, peak Performance coach, longevity explorer and passionate biohacker. Today, I'm pulling the curtain and sharing something deeply personal and practical. My own Brain Longevity Protocol. Over the years, I've interviewed some of the world's top neuroscientists, longevity doctors and peak performance experts. I've tested countless protocols, tools and biohacks. And through that journey, plus a very real need to manage my own adhd, I've crafted a brain support system that keeps me energized, focused and mentally resilient. Brilliant.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:01:31]:
So if you've ever wondered what does Claudia actually do day to day to support her brain, this episode is for you. I'll walk you through my core habits, brain boosting supplements, testing strategy and favorite tech tools so you too can build your own protocol for clarity, creativity and long term cognitive vitality. Let's dive in. So by the end of this episode, you'll have some daily rituals that you can use from my toolbox to help stay focused and avoid burnout. Some of my favorite supplements you'll learn about for cognition, resilience and flow Brain training devices that have made a noticeable difference that I love and how I support brain detox and neuroplasticity every single day. Let's begin at the beginning, the moment I wake up. So Morning Activation the Focus foundation as someone who has a tendency for adhd, if not managed, I need to be really intentional about setting up my brain for clarity and presence right from the start. So here's what my morning ritual includes.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:02:32]:
Daylight first thing number one. Within 15 minutes of waking, I either step outside or if I'm not able to stick My head outside of the window essentially to anchor my circadian rhythm and boost morning cortisol in a healthy way. Why? Because the morning sunlight increases alertness, improves mood and helps regulate melatonin for deeper sleep later on the day. So if you want to optimize your sleep, it literally starts first thing in the morning. Number two, my priming practice. Practice which takes about 20 to 30 minutes. It's a combination of some gentle qigong and tapping, meditation, breath work as well as visualization and some 6 minute journaling or gratitude practice if I have time. I obviously do a little bit more journaling as well.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:03:20]:
This combination activates dopamine, oxytocin and even encourages BDNF which is a key molecule for neuroplasticity and brain repair. You can't control the world, but you can control how your brain shows up in it. Right Then after this mind priming ritual that I have, I jump on a mini trampoline or do a peloton ride or some sort of movement and activity to further stimulate bdnf. So it's think of it as like the fertilizer for the brain and really wake up my brain. Then one of my secret weapons is cold shower therapy. So at the end of my shower I turn it cold for one to three minutes and this increases dopamine science backed by up to 500% over a prolonged period of time. So this will elevate your mood, your focus and it lasts for hours. It's invigorating, it will definitely help to wake you up.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:04:12]:
And over time it trains stress resilience too. And just think if you do something hard first thing in the morning, how you're going to feel. And I'll give you an example. My 11 year old had exams last week and she did this as part of her protocol too. And I've told her that she's just by doing the cold shower, she's probably done the most hardest thing that day even though she had exams coming up and she agreed. So it really sets you up to win if you set your do these little practices. And obviously over time the more you do it, the easier it becomes as well. Next step is around brain boosting nutrition.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:04:43]:
So my breakfast is strategic and it's strategic because I look at it as fuel for cognition. I focus on brain supportive nutrients and adaptogens. Some of my go tos include having either a omelet, organic eggs with lots of vegetables or a super smoothie which includes things like creat for cognitive resilience and energy collagen peptides which are great for gut and brain barrier support, lion's mane and or Rishi mushrooms which is great for neurogenesis and calm focus. Healthy fat fats like MCT oils or chia seeds. What else do I throw in there? Obviously lots of colorful antioxidants like blueberries or spinach, et cetera. So these are a superfood mix essentially that gives me stable energy and reduces decision fatigue for the day ahead. Next up are some intermittent during the day, maybe at midday flow, deep work and parasympathetic anchoring to stay focused throughout the day, especially managing things like adhd. I create intentional space for flow.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:05:48]:
So a deep work protocol is to make sure that my phone is on airplane mode and do not disturb. I try to do my work in 90 minute focus sprints when I need to go a little bit deeper using a timer as well. Then there are breath work, reset and posture check ins. Right. So if we're hunched over, we're not breathing properly, the blood flow is not going to the brain properly as well. So just doing those little resets is really helpful. I wear my Apollo Neuro which is a device that triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, right. So you're not in that fight or flight the whole time, especially if you're feeling a bit stressed.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:06:24]:
Allows you to be calmer focused throughout the day. You can wear it on the insert side of your wrist or on the inside of your ankle as well. And then I try to do some sort of meditation and or neurovisor brain training which is a mixture mixture of light and sound therapy that is shown to stimulate neuroplasticity and help also research out of MIT last year. It helps clear amyloid plaque in the brain. So it's like really mental fitness, which is great. And as I mentioned, I like to do a meditation pause throughout the day and just as presencing and gratitude practice just to shift that state and away from the doing doing to rebalancing and repressing as well. It keeps me grounded. It helps calm the overactive mind that can otherwise happen as a serial entrepreneur.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:07:15]:
Then looking into the evening and some things like play, nutrition and brain detox strategies. So play I think is so underrated for kids. It's essential and we forget to do it as adults. So finding time in the day for play, for laughing, for joy, being silly, not taking life too seriously I think is so fundamental. And then looking at nutrition. So stopping eat three to four hours before bedtime. This is something I learned from Dr. Satchin Panda Circadian rhythm expert that it's so fundamental to have that break between when you finish eating and bedtime so that your body can focus on brain cleanup, not digestion when you sleep.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:07:55]:
And so why is this? Well, during deep sleep your glymphatic system kicks in. This is your brain's detox mode. It clears metabolic waste including beta, amyloid and tau proteins linked to cognitive decline. So this is what happens when you get good quality sleep. It's almost like the laundry of your brain cleaning out and freshening things up, which is so powerful. This one shift alone can massively upgrade mental clarity and sleep quality. Also, what's really key is sleep hygiene which equals cognitive recovery. Sleep is my non negotiable brain upgrade.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:08:32]:
Super important. I used to not prioritize it and now I definitely feel the difference when I don't get a good night's sleep or there's some issues or not enough sleep. It is so imperative and what I really try to do is get that eight to nine hours of quality rest. And part of that is minimizing blue light anytime near bed. So you're looking at one and a half to two hours before bedtime and avoiding blue lights. No screens or emails one hour before bed. Especially things like social media which just try to cause these dopamine responses and can increase cortisol levels as well. Taking a magnesium supplement for calm close to bed time, 10 minutes of breath work or light stretching and temperature control.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:09:15]:
The best is to sleep in a cool room or a cold room and if you need to just have an extra cover and blanket on. And if you have a lot of things going on in your mind and tend to wake up feeling a bit anxious during the night. Some journaling or you know, your six minute journal reflection to focus on the winds of the day, the positives that happen to really anchor those good things in and just to really see sleep not just as rest, but it's rebuilding. It's during deep sleep that your brain consolidates memory, balances hormones and resets for the next day. Also testing and tracking know thy brain is quite important too. I regularly review my HRV scores via my OURA ring. I do functional blood work looking at inflammation markers, B12, omega 3 index and there are other tests available like the CNS vitals for cognitive performance. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes from your brain and it's great to establish a baseline so you can test as time goes on.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:10:10]:
I also want to share with you my brain longevity book list what I highly recommend so if this episode sparked your curiosity and you're ready to dive deeper, here's a few of the most powerful resources I recommend for anyone serious about optimizing their brain so by Dr. Dale Bredesen the End of Alzheimer's Program and the Ageless Brain these two books are really, really powerful. I'm almost finished with Ageless Brain, but the End of Alzheimer's Program was fundamental in supporting my mother in her dementia journey and understanding about brain health and what can be to prevent it and reverse cognitive decline. Also from my dear friend Dr. Kristen Willemeyer. Her book Biohack youk Brain is a powerful blend of science and accessible action steps that can be taken from neuroimaging to nutrition. She makes a brain optimization not only possible, but empowering. And another book I also love is by Jim Quick, Limitless.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:11:02]:
So this is about meta learning, learning how to learn. Jim's got such a powerful story and he teaches how to upgrade your brain through mindset habits and practical tools for learning at any age, which is so important for keeping your brain fit and healthy. And these books are part of my personal collection and I often revisit them for both my own learning and when supporting my VIP coaching clients. Think of them as your ongoing brain gym, always ready for when you want to level up. So some final thoughts for you. This isn't about being perfect, it's about consistency with intention. I didn't create this protocol overnight. It's a result of decades of trial, burnout, recovery and refinement.

Claudia von Boeselager [00:11:39]:
But the key takeaway? Your brain can heal, adapt and thrive when you give it the right inputs. And whether you're a parent, an executive, or an entrepreneur juggling it all like me, when your brain is supported, everything gets easier. I hope you enjoyed this episode. I hope you enjoyed the series. Would love to hear from you. So if you tag me at Longevity and Lifestyle on Instagram about your key takeaways or what you'd love to hear more about, I always love to hear from you. Dear audience, thank you so much for listening.