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BOOK REVIEW Making a Good Brain Great: The Amen Clinic Program for Achieving and Sustaining Optimal Mental Performance by Daniel G. Amen, MD Harmony - October 2005 Read an Excerpt from this Book
Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty I was professionally educated during a time when little was really known about the brain and exactly how it works. We were taught that the brain essentially remains the same throughout life and that once an area of the brain was damaged, that was it: the brain did not repair itself, grow new cells, or transfer abilities from one area to another. Furthermore, the idea that the brain needed "exercise" to remain healthy and productive was considered just a crazy notion. I remember professors of psychology telling us that memory ability was pretty well fixed and there was nothing that we could do to improve our memories, so forget about memorizing anything in an attempt to "exercise" such a faculty. How times have changed! Over the past few years, I have read and often reviewed a number of new books -- many of them on the cutting-edge -- which have reported on or summarized the latest research in brain science and allied disciplines. I am impressed by the amount of work done in brain science during the past few decades and even more impressed with the findings. There is no question about the importance of the research. As Dr. Daniel Amen points out in his new book, "Making a Good Brain Great," our brain is involved in everything we do, it is the most complicated organ in the universe, and our brain can be changed so we can improve our lives. And he provides a program, the "fifteen days to a better brain," to do just that: improve our lives. This is a very practical book, intended for everyone. Two things about the book that seem to distinguish it from others I have read are the pictures of actual brain scans of real people (showing the brain reacting to various stimuli and in various situations) and the many self-questionnaires and fill-in forms which are provided, enabling anyone to evaluate themselves regarding certain behaviors and attitudes, both healthy and unhealthy. One could really consider it a "workbook" or "activity book" in promoting brain health for improved living. It seems to me it is not merely a book to be "read," but to be used often and consulted regularly; a "user's manual" for a healthy life, so to speak. A number of recommendations made by Dr. Amen are sure to draw attention and provoke controversy. For instance, he opposes allowing children to hit soccer balls with their heads (the soccer moms will now unite in protest!). He doesn't like children playing tackle football (the dads will now join the soccer moms!). He has "reservations" (I'm being kind here) about many other sports and recreational activities, such as "four-wheeling," which are sure to elicit the charge of "overprotective parent." Moreover, he discusses protecting our brains from "toxic exposure" and we all know what's going to happen now. Not just illicit drugs (which we all know are harmful to our brains -- "This is your brain on..."), but perfectly legal and legitimate drugs come into play. Alcohol, for example. "At the Amen Clinics we have seen many alcoholics, and they have some of the worst brains of all," says Dr. Amen. OK, so I'm not an alcoholic -- why worry? Well, it seems that "small amounts of alcohol after age twenty-five are okay, but don't push it." How much? Maybe "a glass of wine once a week or once a month...." Read and weep, you party animals, but recognize at least what you are risking. Nicotine, for example. Well, of course, this is now a given. No one contests anymore the harm done by smoking and its related activities. "Nicotine...constricts blood flow to the brain, eventually causing overall lowered activity and depriving the brain of the nutrients it needs." OK, this is a no-brainer (excuse the pun). Let's move on. Caffeine, for example. Well, after discussing some of the "bad" effects of this most-common drug (yes! it's a drug), Dr. Amen's advice is simply to use "As little caffeine as possible...if you want to respect and nurture your brain." Now, is this book nothing more than a list of "do nots"? Is this book recommending a life of utter boredom, a refraining from fun and games, a life that is stifling, dull, and colorless? Far from it. Most of the recommendations are positive and constitute good, practical advice. We want to live well, don't we? We want to be physically healthy, don't we? We want our brains to be around for a long time in a way that permits us to live meaningful and productive lives, don't we? OK, then there are some rules to accept and to integrate into our lives. These are essentially quite simple: We are what we eat, so eat right; We need to do mental "workouts" to stay in tune; We need to exercise physically to keep in shape; We need to counteract bad stress and rid ourselves of negative thoughts; We need to stay away from activities which may harm our brains and avoid those toxic substances which may poison them. If, per chance, you think this is just too much and you don't how to begin such a regimen -- much less sustain one -- Dr. Amen devotes well over 150 pages to provide you with a program for doing just that, topped off with a whole chapter on "Fifteen Days to a Better Brain." As if that wasn't enough, the author also includes an appendix about "brain SPECT imaging" which will bring you up-to-date on this amazing technology, a glossary of terms so you know what you're talking about, a list of citations and references for further reading, and a comprehensive index of included topics. "Making a Good Brain Great" is a book I can recommend without any reservation. It is well written and easily understood and, yes, often entertaining. The only ones who won't like this book, I'm sorry to say, are the "brainless" (pun intended!).
Order at Amazon.com |
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Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Book... |
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