Pass the chocolate, hand me that turkey sandwich, and take me to bed or lose me forever. Selfish? Nah - I'm just getting smarter.

And it just so happens that "Teach Yourself Training Your Brain" by Terry Horne and Simon Wootton says that eating dark chocolate, feasting on cold meat, and having an active sex life are excellent ways to unleash your inner Einstein. No argument here.

What shouldn't you do? Smoke pot, tune in to "Days of Our Lives" (no matter how much you love Bo Brady), keep company with toxic, whiny friends, and eat fat-free diets.

As pleasure-enabling as "Teach Yourself Training Your Brain" may seem, its brain-boosting tips are supported by extensive research.

"For decades we have thought that the cognitive capacity of our brains is genetically determined, whereas it's now clear that it's a lifestyle choice," Terry Horne said in an interview with The Observer. "What we eat and drink, how we learn at school and what type of moods we have are all crucial."

Essentially, the book is about lifestyle choices that people can make to sharpen their minds, a concept the authors call "BLISS" (for Body-based pleasure, Laughter, Involvement, Satisfaction, and Sex). For example, sexual intercourse triggers four chemical reactions that aid the thinking process in different ways.

Surrounding yourself with positive people can also help.

"Mix with people who make you laugh, have a good sense of humor, or who share the same interests as you, and avoid people who whine and complain, as people who are negative will make you depressed, which means you won't achieve things," Horne says.

Other tips:

• Start your day off with a hearty breakfast featuring cold meat, fish, or eggs, followed by a protein-heavy lunch. Save your carbs for dinnertime.
• Children should work on their schoolwork with the help of parents or classmates rather than tackling it on their own.
• Steer clear of caffeine (green or herbal tea is okay), alcohol, red meat, sweets, bread, pizza, and pasta.
• Sharpen the memory by quickly counting aloud to 99 in threes.
  But first, try the chocolate and sex.