Neuroscientist Explains How To Rewire Your Brain || Dr. Bundi Karau

0:00 If you realize Israel started by targeting the scientist first, >> they started an assassination campaign against scientists long before the war. Now this is a random one but we had to bring the vibes to you. We are here for the launch wisdom Dr. Stanley and we are one of the finest surgeons in the country. A very inspirational book very good very good vibes. There's no shortage of brilliant people in Kenya. So I stumbled upon a gentleman, one of the 20 neurologists in Kenya. Now introduction interestingly before the camera started rolling Kenya because he topped KC 2002. So Kenya very very

0:46 interesting inspirational story but so now in my poking poking after information with Dr. Bundi I got curious Dr. Stanley Auaru Dr. Abundi come from the same uh county, same sub county, same locality and they managed to be some of the finest doctors in Kenya. Now they are a perfect example how much education can be an equalizer because they starting from scratch from poverty and he's managed and this is one you can't miss. So now Dr. Dindi mentioned that in speaking engagements now you actually it's it's possible to make more money than in medicine. Okay. Now medicine is the

1:32 ultimate career. Now in my conversation with you earlier you mentioned something in economics you know opportunity cost is the money worth it when you weigh the options are being trained to your level versus the money. First of all, before we inspire people to be neurologist, is the money worth it? >> Um, yes. But there's something more more than money. The reason for training to be a neurologist was more than money. It was about passion and plugging some gaps. Being the person who will, you know, come and plug this gap and ease the suffering. There's that big dream. So the money comes as a byproduct. I like to say in professions all the professions money should come as a

2:18 byproduct of some good work you've done. So to me uh yes now being a neurologist the money is worth it but to become a neurologist the dream was more than money. >> Yeah. Yeah. So now take us through something you say anatomy it's a unit in it's a unit in medicine undergrad but then s you had to do a degree in it take us how taxing that is take us through how taxing that is >> anatomy is one of the first units you do when you go to medical schools and it is one that introduces you to even the language medicine is usually usually uses is Latin. Most of the ones are latinized. >> Is that necessary? >> Um, it's because of the traditions that

3:04 we've have been handed down, you know, from generation to generation. >> But anatomy is about the human body, how the body is created. So during anatomy, we take the human body as a whole, carnivas, actually dead humans who have either donated their bodies or unclaimed bodies. And we dissect the the body down to the muscles, the bones and the marrow. We open the skull, get the brain, study the nerves, the blood vessels. That one every medical student has to do it. But now for me, I was lucky to be among the few who are picked in a special program by the University of Nairobi to train as an intercalated bachelor of science degree in human anatomy which I did which was much more taxing because we went to the depth of anatomy more than I would have gone as a

3:50 medical student and even research in anatomy. So that formed the foundation you know of my training in medicine. >> Okay. >> And we were only four of us. >> Only four of you. So now that's what shocked me. Education is an equalizer right? There's so many other people from your village. Why couldn't they make it creates such an opportunity? Is it lottery? Are you gifted in the such that it makes you less than 1% of Kenyans who can actually do that? Is it accurate to say you can inspire someone else from your village to become a neurologist? It is possible. >> How it is possible because it it it's about somebody realizing early as I told you early where they want to go and that

4:37 they have potential because I believe everybody has potential. The problem as I told you is about when somebody gets that realization. Some realize early even without somebody proddding them some need people to push them. Remember Dr. Kimori as a neurologist I know before the age of 23 you are practically a baby. The brain finishes development at the age of 23 years. Before then you can actually become anything you want. >> Before the age of 23 you can become anything you want. >> Yes. After that you are more stiff. Uh the options narrow down >> but the part of the brain that serves higher functions. Cognition higher functions intelligence knowing the

5:23 consequences of actions develops after the age of 23 and it is the last part of the body to develop. >> But you wouldn't you say advantage anyone right? So at 18 let's start with that. >> Yeah. Does that give you an edge? >> That that gives you an edge. People are not the same in terms of getting and absorbing information. People are different. >> Okay. >> But that alone is not enough to make someone Kenyawan. To be Kenyaan is there's intelligence which is natural but there's acquired intelligence. You have to combine both of them. >> Acquired intelligence. >> Acquired intelligence. So you could be slow in absorbing information but you

6:10 are a go-getter. You are passionate. You are at it. You don't give up. You still reach there. Somebody else could be very fast genetically in acquiring information. But you're not passionate. You're not hardworking. You're not patient. You not get there. So many factors collapse into play to make someone Kenyawan. >> Sasa in primary school. You said something very profound in our earlier conversation that you did not qualify to go to alliance as a KCpe. >> Yes. >> But after going through secondary school >> Yeah. >> you alliance when you did not qualify >> to be all to go to alliance. So now >> if if we were to reset like to to get maximum value from our education system

6:56 where do most people go wrong? Let's go back to upper primary. Uh what are some of the practice? Someone made fun of me liver oil. They are smart [laughter] than us. I think your sub should be investigated for for for giving us a doctor stand. No, I think where we go wrong is from upper primary as you said one we don't give enough information for children to discover themselves and to know the possibilities the exposure and you know the information to know the possibilities and as richly said the nutrition

7:42 nutrition very very important for the brain are you saying there there is food that it it it has a direct effect to how they perform academically. >> Absolutely. Yes. Break that. >> Absolutely. >> The brain the cells in the brain are some of the most metabolically active. So under nutrition or nutrition will get the brain not working properly. So what kind of nutrition children get as they are developing impacts on their brain capacity as they grow old. For example, I would say for me maybe part of the reason I did not make to alliance is I was not very well nourished early on. I had what we call catch-up growth in high school. I was very short. I was stunted. Then when I went to high school, I got kind of a catch-up growth. It goes to

8:29 say if I had an early advantage, maybe I would have ended up in not in the in Kanyakina High School. I have ended up somewhere else. But when I got the exposure, then I put in the other characteristics. I was passionate. I knew what I wanted and then I went for it. M >> but there are so many who go to Kanyakina high school they are not passionate they have not yet discovered themselves and so they will not achieve their potential >> so it means the child who got an early advantage is likely to go far >> if you take on average >> okay so so so now what do we tell parents okay for for the people who are under 23 let's go as low as let's say teenagers yes early teenage come 12 how can you set your child up for for for

9:16 expansive cognitive abilities that can give them the exposure to to to to be in a place in you can be anything you want. >> Absolutely. I answered that question when you asked him >> that the nothing else can expand the brain than reading. Nothing else kills the brain more than the screen. And I I'm talking about reading information that is coming from a book, not on the screens. >> Mhm. The more teenagers read, the more they are likely to spend time on other things. The more their brain expands, there's something we call neuronoplasticity. The brain is plastic. The more the more they able to integrate more information and the more their worldview increases and the more they likely be more focused. That's why when a child that child was talking about

10:03 that if you want your child to be a nuclear physicist, give us story books because he knew that's a way to expand the brain. >> Yes. Then the child has enough brain capacity to be a nuclear scientist. So the more children read of course under supervision the more their brain expands the more they will discover even where they are talented which ordinarily they will not discover. So there is the reading and there is the retention. >> Yes. >> Like how much should you retain? Please uh there's something when you quoted your late professor in school. It's very important that we also capture that for our audience. reading style. We break that down. We go to the importance of uh reading because too much information >> retention and your brain has a capacity

10:49 of which it can hold. I believe >> it's true. >> Yes. >> So one um when it comes to reading uh there there's this overlapping circles the at the center is what is must read. If you're in a high school, you know you must read biology, you must read chemistry, you must read physics because you need it for the exam and maybe for the course you're going to do. That is must read. Then there's what is important to read. The Bible for example is important to read. Maybe some story books are important to read. >> Maybe to know where we are in the world. For example, the conition is important to read. It's not must read but important to read. >> Yes. >> Then there's good to read. M >> good to read are things that are you good for brain nourishment but nobody will examine you but still they're important in making of a person and then

11:36 there is nice to read when you read comedy it's nice to read it doesn't mean it's not important it's very important for brain nourishment >> but nobody will really fault you if you don't read a comical book >> yes >> if you don't read a biography but it is nice and but in all that circle everything there is important the only difference is how much time and focus are you going to give it? >> That is what makes a difference. >> For example, you cannot read something that is nice to read when you have not read what is must read. >> You start with what is must read. A child has to do their homework. For example, that's must read. But then you can give them Alibaba and the 40s. That's nice to read. That's additional information. And that additional information will feed into their core

12:21 information. when they are told to write a composition the one who was read out Libaba will write better than the one who was just read the English book that is how these things interrelate when it comes to retention the mind retains like this it retains what it likes [laughter] it retains it retains what it does it has read many times it retains lived experiences like now we've come for this book launch and we have lived through an experience of the author reading a chapter the mind is likely to retain that more than the other chapters. So those are retention techniques. When something is acted, it is retained better. When something is performed, it is retained better. When it is just read, unless it was extremely interesting, it might not

13:07 be retained. But there's indirect retention. You might not retain the content, but you retain the framework of thinking, the vocabulary, you know, the thinking um if the if those of thinking. So not all books you read will you retain anything but they help you in your world view constructing your world view. So even the non-retained content you cannot regurgitate it is still important. [laughter] So is it poss when you say the brain in a mature at 23 uh you you become rigid is it possible to build some of the things you have missed like some let's say for example we've seen people if someone there's something you said in terms of the element of time >> sometimes you discover yourself but the

13:53 time for you to do that >> is long gone >> the opportunity is gone >> the opportunity is gone yeah >> can can you can you neuroplast I believe this is neuroplasticity. Can you force yourself to learn a new skill that would expand your retention capacity and uh your grasp of things? >> You can. Absolutely. It's possible. You only you spend more time, more money, more more energy. >> Yes. If you are under 23 and you are teaching yourself a new skill is a little easier. If you're over 23, you can still learn. The brain neuroplasticity extends up to across life. They say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks but actually you can when the as far as the brain is is concerned but the amount of effort and time you put will be more

14:40 >> and then what kind of environment if I'm a doctor working if I'm teaching myself to write it would have been easier when I was in the university than when I'm working >> because now I'm more engaged in patient care more pressing issues I might not have a lot of free time that's what I mean by opportunity but if If I put my mind to it, yes, it will take me time and a lot of effort and maybe money, but I can still learn it. >> It is possible. >> It is possible. Yes. >> Uh, so now as we close, >> Yeah. >> I hate how short this is, but as we close, um, your motivation, was your motivation running away from poverty or how much money you can make by venturing into medicine? >> Uh, my motivation, all of them were my motivation, but the biggest was running

15:26 away from poverty. The biggest was running away from poverty. >> Yes, that was in high school. That was my biggest motivation. I wanted to see my area better, my school better, my home better, >> the circumstances in my family better. >> But now when I became a doctor, initially as an undergraduate, now my motivation became exploring more, >> you know, and making full use of my potential. >> Yes. >> By that time and realized because by the time you finish university, you are 24 25. >> Yes. that money is a byproduct of the good work that you do. I realize that already. >> Money is a byproduct >> of the good work you do. You are good as an MC. First you focus on being a good MC then money comes. But if you focus on money

16:12 first, then you'll be a good MC and money might not come. You might lose both of them. >> Yes. [snorts] Yes. Yes. So that has been my passion >> that I perfect a skill then I do a good work in that skill then money will come. That is actually the principle of excellence and success. It is excellence you should pursue first not success. >> Then success is guaranteed. But if you pursue success, excellence is not guaranteed. And even success itself is not guaranteed. I I I I [laughter] So now um I'd like you to tell us about your book because I'd like to read it first and I promise if your schedule allows we'd like you to invite we'd like to invite you to our podcast. So two things. >> Yeah. >> Tell us about your book and then there's also something interesting. You said you

16:58 are an example of how brilliant Kenyans can be and the the the the boundaries people can push. Okay. So and and I asked you we had a conversation with Jo from from um Nakuru very interesting episode and he told us that the Kenyans don't make discoveries in term in terms of breakthrough seama in medicine because the research is done by foreign universities we have we actually have that bite >> exactly so you also allude to the same Kenyans do not uh participate in research because of how expensive it is. But then again when I asked you on the value in terms of sponsoring research locally

17:44 you it was mind-blowing. Please about your book we close. >> Yes. To make a good discovery. >> Yes. >> You need money you need a team. You need teams. Very few people make discoveries on their own especially scientific discoveries. Even those scientists from Robert Coke, Albert Hstead, they worked in teams with many research assistants and statisticians and laboratories and such. So the environment for making a discovery is not is not a simple environment. For example, I'll give you an example to make to discover a drug okay and know whether it is uh safe for the people and its efficacy. There's no drug that has been discovered without using at least

18:31 two billion Kenya shillings. That is a list. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Panadol for example. >> Come panadol. >> Discovering panadol would cost 2 billion. >> Would cost 2 billion because >> Yes. >> First you start by studying it in animals. >> That's how you know it first it can alleviate pain. It is safe. It's not a killer. That's where you start usually. >> That means you have to have an animal lab and animal scientist. You are the vision bearer but you have people who can stand animals. Then after that you study it in a select few people who are almost dying. That's usually what we call phase one styles trials. So these people maybe they have pain or other medications have not worked. You add that on top of standard treatment. >> When it works you go to phase two but then you're going to phase three. You

19:18 are doing a populationwide study. And if you are studying a drug, you have to cater for the treatment, any complications and all the investigations you need on those patients. If you are studying a drink, a a drug that makes the brain bigger. You are the one to cater for imaging the brain. For example, if the patients are coming from Kisumu, you are the one to transport them. If one of them gets an adverse effect from the treatment, you are the one to cater for everything. That's how expensive it is. Yes. >> And that's why now our research is very you know elementary you know research in the US for example where a lot of money is pumped into universities is very advanced. It's not that the scientists there are better is that they get more money and uh then if

20:03 you are scientist you are employed by university you don't you don't teach you just sit there and think and generate ideas and direct your team and report at the end of the year this is what I have done. That's what makes research complicated but again >> without research the world cannot progress. >> Thank you. So two billion for example I like that panadol example when you invest like 2 billion and then you get a breakthrough that this is the drug. What is the value in terms of return? What does that look like? >> It will be immense for the country and for so many people. It will create employment for so many people. It will maybe prevent so many debts. For example, there's a war going on between the US and Iran. Yes. >> What has made the Iranians not be decimated on the first day are the discoveries they have made [laughter]

20:49 these people s >> all the sanctions >> put in scientists and made weapons with almost zero that those are the products of research. >> Those missiles can fly 2,000 kilometers. >> Those are the effects of research. >> Yes. >> And if if if they were to tell us one missile, one drone because they discovered these drones. They're low flying shah calling them shahid drones. Those are scientists and if you realize Israel started by targeting the scientist first >> they started an assassination campaign against scientist long before the war as will be walking around in tan then they are blown off because they know that's where the knowledge starts. So these shah drones they are being sold around

21:34 the world. >> Iran is benefiting from the ideas of scientists >> and that's a lot of money. a lot of money >> like Russia has bought so many of those drones. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. >> I mean maybe that's what's what's keeping the economy of Iran. >> Yes. >> You know afloat. >> Yes. Yes. >> We so we can discover one type of drones. Who knows? >> Yeah. >> The investment in technology has solid returns and returns. >> Solid returns for the nation, for the future, for the economy. >> Yes. >> It has solid returns. It's only that because we are chasing as a nation, maybe we chase short-term benefits. We don't see that. I hope people get to put it in context. If say for example on average that cost 2 billion with the money we lose in corruption that shows

22:19 you the potential if that money was put to better use. >> Absolutely. >> Now tell us about your book. >> So my book is called escort in chief through the eyes of a physician as opposed to surgeons. As physicians, we walk the journey with patients. >> For example, if I'm a neurologist, one of the conditions I treat is Parkinson's disease, for example. >> Is it curable? >> No, it is not. >> It's just manageable. >> It's manageable. It's not curable. >> That means from the time I diagnose you have Parkinson's disease to the end of your life, >> I have to walk the journey with with you. or chief. >> So that's my work is to escort patients through life >> from the fears, the pains and the doubts of life. I have so many patients with

23:04 heart failure, liver failure, nerve problems, stroke, you know, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes and I know that these patients, none of those conditions has a magic bullet. So I asked myself, how can I work with these patients so that they are most productive in what they do. Mhm. >> They live a life a little free of stress and they achieve their potential to the maximum. So the book is full of stories on the what I've done with the patients. It's about the stories of resilience, >> the stories of chronic disease and even emergencies because we under emergencies. Okay. >> So it is through my eyes as a physician working in you know the the districts the patients have escorted through life and of course drawing lessons from it.

23:50 >> Okay. >> So I'll I'll get a copy of the book. I hope you stock with Nura. Do you stock? >> Absolutely. Yes. And copies of the book are here. >> Very nice. I'll actually buy one. Uh for for you watching, you can get we've put a link that directs you straight to Dr. Stanley's book wisdom escort the link directly and delivers across the country. So click to make order. The book will be delivered to any corner of the country you're in escorting chief. I'll check with Dr. Mundi if schedule allows. I'm happy to sit down in a podcast with him. It's proper proper legit vibes. Good vibes wisdom for making time for us. Thank you

24:37 sirant. Thank you. Okay.