The Healthy Brain Book, An All-Ages Guide to a Calmer, Happier, Sharper You, by Dr. William Sears and Dr. Vincent M. Fortanasce, BenBella Books 2021

Are you looking for real, usable answers to life's brain challenges - like how to manage anxiety or depression, or even how to block a path leading to dementia and Alzheimer's?  These are scary threats as the pandemic is making us all think more about how to maximize sanity and calm while we are bombarded with death stats and vaccination broadcasts. The Healthy Brain Book is a better use of our precious reading time.  

Instead, take a look at this one single-source gathering of useful and reassuring advice from two active experts, family physician Dr. William Sears and neurologist Dr. Vincent Fortanasce.  The idea is that although the brain is a powerful and complex organ that can control or create big challenges in our lives, we also can develop habits and routines that help us use all that power better.  And the authors say this can be done without medication, or in careful partnership with it.  

The timing on this book from BenBella could not be better because we need new tools to meet our new post-pandemic life challenges.  Sears and Fortanasce show us how, for instance, what we see can influence how we move forward.  Images - peaceful meadows filled with grazing animals vs. Matthew Brady Civil War battle photos have power, and we need to carefully choose and deal with the inevitable ugly ones.

There is a lot of talk now about the role of inflammation, and unfortunately this is per the authors an issue that affects the brain as well as our joints and muscles.  Food and various good activities - as well as rest - are well covered as solutions to this on-going invasive problem.

Pharmaceuticals are everywhere, good and bad, and here the authors tell us more what which ones do what and why.  It's hard to be intelligent patients and consumers,  but to best protect a healthy brain, we need as much information as we can gather. 

Tools

Finally, the authors offer sensible recommendations for memory and mood improvement. These bits of advice and their more detailed examples and prescribed exercises are simply worth the value of this refreshing book.  Check out the comprehensive "Daily-Do List... for a Happier Smarter You" (p 339), for your commitment to better health and the clear choices and habits necessary to get there.  "Eat Smart" includes "I avoid eating from the neurotoxin naughty list (page 75)."  Wow!  Who knew cottonseed oil is on this list!  "Think Smart," a great antidote to coulda-woulda-shoulda offers 12 anti-negativity habits, including the last on the list - my favorite -  "I frequently look at the ' five things I like about me'  on my cell phone!"  

One other very positive piece of feedback for this book - The "Suggested Reading" offers additional sources to dive deeper into specific topics that interest the reader, such as The Brain's Way of Healing from Norman  Doidge and You Can Fix Your Brain:  Just 1 Hour a Week to the Best Memory, Producitivity and Sleep You've Ever Had,  Tom O'Bryan (Rodale, 2018).  

Mill Girl Verdict A+

Patricia E. Moody

FORTUNE magazine  "Pioneering Woman in Mfg" 

IndustryWeek IdeaXchange Xpert

A Mill Girl at Blue Heron Journal, on-line resource for business thought-leaders and decision-makers,  patriciaemoody@gmail.com