The Better Brain Book Author: David Perlmutter | Language: English | ISBN:
157322278X | Format: PDF
The Better Brain Book Description
From Publishers Weekly
Playing into our culture's obsession with maintaining youthfulness, neurologist Perlmutter and coauthor Colman say the "typical" signs of brain aging—losing your keys, forgetting appointments, having trouble multitasking—aren't necessarily inevitable and are actually preventable. They divide their book into three tiers: factors affecting mental function, tools for developing a better brain and specific brain disorders. Perlmutter, who runs a Florida health center, is quite concerned with showing how brain aging can be prevented and clarity can be regained by making dietary adjustments. He and Colman also warn of the dangers of using prescription or OTC drugs that may be "interfering with your brain's ability to function at optimal levels." From stomach acid suppressors to antidepressants, medications lower brain antioxidants, they say, leaving dangerous free radicals room to roam. Perlmutter and Colman recommend the usual supplemental solutions, but also pay attention to new memory rejuvenating therapies like hormone replacement. There's also an illuminating chapter on the brain toxins present in the average daily diet (e.g., aluminum and mercury), with advice on how to eliminate them. Although the authors sometimes favor an alarmist tone, their book is an informative explanation of how the brain ages and how it can be protected, and it presents novel, practical ideas.
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Review
"Dr. David Perlmutter tells you exactly how to prevent the effects of stress and 'aging' on your brain." --
Christiane Northrup, MD, August 2004"This book provides excellent advice for enhancing memory and preserving mental function throughout life. I highly recommend it." --
Julian Whitaker, MD, Editor, Health & Healing and Founder, Whitaker Wellness Institute"This is the first book I've seen that addresses factors that can influence brain health for better or worse." --
Andrew Weil, MD, August 2004 See all Editorial Reviews
- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover; 1 edition (August 19, 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 157322278X
- ISBN-13: 978-1573222785
- Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
Even though this book was written 8 years ago, the information in it still holds true. Much of the research done on dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc. had been done as early as the 90's, but it was never released to the public. In addition, information on the internet was not as readily available at that time. In September of 2012, I removed my 93 year old mother from a nursing home where she had been deteriorating until I could get legal guardianship for her. During a period of 8 years that she lived with my aunt and then another 9 months in the nursing home, she had lost her ability to speak, could no longer walk with assistance, and her brain function had been greatly reduced. When she came to live with us, she was completely incontinent (couldn't control bodily functions) and was on 10 medications that included 3 for high blood pressure, 1 for high cholesterol, 1 for low thyroid, 1 for water retention, in addition to a few others.
When she came here, I immediately started research on her medications and why they were needed, and also the causes of dementia and what may halt or improve the condition. Through diet and supplements, we gradually eliminated the need for medications, and also started a regiment of supplements to improve brain function. At this point in time, 10 months later, she is not taking any medications at all, and is completely continent. I do caution anyone that might try this, that you need work closely with a physician that does periodic complete blood tests and physicals to monitor results. With supplements I found in my research, we have also increased her ability to speak, but it is not yet 100%.
Dr. Perlmutter does what only a small percentage of physicians today are doing. He goes beyond simply swallowing the "proprietary data" that pharmaceutical companies present to doctors every day at their offices and at every medical conference they attend until the vast majority believe it is the best we can do for our patients....give them prescription drugs to delay symptoms, and tell them that what can't be treated that way must be accepted as the normal pitfalls of aging. Some physicians can't accept that. They study nutrition, they study physiology, they search the medical literature for alternative treatments...research from all over the world that is available to any physician if he or she looks for it, but isn't promoted as the newest product by a pharmaceutical company. This is the kind of physician who wants to see his or her patients get well, or not become unwell in the first place. This kind of physician will continue to seach for answers always to the questions of what restores health safely, what prevents disease effectively, what causes a rapid decline in health in the first place. This book is an excellent and more thorough follow-up to Dr. Perlmutter's Brain Recovery.com and goes into more depth, and gives more practical advice to YOU, so that you can take action now to protect your brain from aging much more rapidly than it should. There are other physicians who have learned similiar things in other areas of health, and some are brave enough and generous enough to share them in this way. The American Medical System is designed to assist you in being unaware of how sick you are until you suddenly die, by simply treating your symptoms as they arise without teaching you the cause and helping you to regain your health and vitality.
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