Title: Use Your Brain to Change Your Age
Author: Daniel G Amen
Publication Year: 2012
Publisher: Random House Audio
Edition: audiobook/ Library
Reader: Marc Cashman
Setting: n/a
Date Completed: Aug/2012
Rating: 3.5/5 Recommend: yes
According to what I read in this book if you want to look younger, feel more vibrant, avoid memory problems and decrease your risk for Alzheimers, you better work at keeping your brain healthy. According to Dr. Amen, is a clinical neuroscientist who has performed over 70,000 brain scans on individuals from 90 countries over the last 20 years at his Amen Clinics, helping individuals to slow and even reverse the aging process. Sounds a little too good to be true doesn't it?
Through interesting case studies the author reports how our brain and decision making is affected when we neglect our diet and become sedentary. He goes on to say that images of patient's brains have shown that memory problems and depression are more of an issue as we age, especially for individuals who do not eat well, do not sleep enough and don't engage in regular physical activity.
He discusses his anti-aging plan as it relates to: eating better for a longer life. He tells of ways to boost energy and improve memory, talks of supplements that we all should take, how positive relationships help to slow the aging process, the pitfalls of drugs and alcohol and their effects on the brain, how to promote healing even if a brain has had a head injury or was damaged by a stroke, and how to out smart your genes (not so sure about this one) and halt aging in the process.
I found a lot of what the author says about diet and exercise to have been things that I've read previously in other articles from various health publications I read, but I did find many of the case studies pretty fascinating. The narrator, Marc Cashman made the studies interesting so the audio book was enjoyable.
What I didn't care for was what I would describe as a lot of self promotion of the "Amen Clinics" along with the products he promotes there.
At first, I thought of the work of Deepak Chopra, who believes that we can control our biology, at least in part, through various methods. This book sounds different, though, and seems like one I'd also find interesting. Very nice review, Diane! I do believe that healthy habits help create a healthy--or healthier--life.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.....think I will be adding this to my reading list for sure. We have two friends, one in late stage Alzheimers and the other dementia, and I have been taking more notice of the things mentioned in this book even more lately. Thanks for the review Diane, something to think about indeed.
ReplyDeleteI guess it does sort of make sense and a young brain isn't a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this is nothing really revolutionary, and it does seem like it was a bit self-promotional. Still, if the message gets out there, I suppose it can't hurt.
ReplyDeleteI can do without the plugs for the clinics, but i do believe that keeping yourself healthy and your brain engaged helps!!
ReplyDeleteI skimmed a copy of this that I got from the library and agree with your assessment that it was not new information but mostly things already published in other articles. Probably a good read for those not as familiar with the material though.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to be a downer but sometimes you just cannot trick your genes. My SIL and FIL both died with Alzheimers. They were very mentally active before hand and it did not help. My SIL would do complicated word puzzles every day and was well read. Unfortunately, her family history was rife with Alzheimers. Pharmacies tout Aricept as the wonder drug but that does not help nor does it slow down the disease. If I could find a cure for one disease, it would be Alzheimers; it robs the patient of their dignity and breaks their family's hearts.
ReplyDeleteLeading a healthy lifestyle, eating right, exercises, relationships, ...etc. is a generic advice to improve all areas, so this book sounds like it's repeating all that's been suggested, doesn't it? Thanks for reviewing, the title sure is appealing.
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