Description
A paradigm-shifting approach to treating mental disorders like anxiety, depression, and ADHD with food and nutrients, based on the original, groundbreaking research of two leading scientists.
We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. An estimated one in five American adults suffer from some form of mental illness. Despite the billions of dollars spent in pharmaceutical research and the rising popularity of antidepressant drugs, we are more depressed and anxious than ever before.
What if we’re looking for solutions in the wrong places? What if instead of treating mental illness with prescriptions and medication, we changed what we eat and how we feed our brains?
Leading scientists Bonnie Kaplan, PhD and Julia Rucklidge, PhD have dedicated their lives to studying the role of nutrition in mental health. Together, they have published over 300 peer-reviewed scientific papers, many of which reveal the healing power of nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals, and the surprising role they play in brain health.
In this paradigm-shifting book, Kaplan and Rucklidge share their groundbreaking research, explaining how to feed your brain to stabilize your mood, stave off depression, and make yourself more resilient to daily stress. The Better Brain uncovers the hidden causes of the rising rates of depression and anxiety, from the decrease of nutrients in our soil to our over-reliance on processed food, and provides a comprehensive program for better brain health, featuring
- The ideal diet for your brain: a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
- More than 30 delicious, mood-boosting recipes.
- Crucial advice on when to supplement and how.
The Better Brain is your complete guide to a happier, healthier brain.
J M (verified owner) –
You are what you eat. We all know this. And somehow, we’ve forgotten. Dr. Rucklidge and Dr. Kaplan have proven, throughout the course of their careers and many well-conducted gold-standard studies, that nutrition has a powerful impact on the brain, and therefore, mood and mental health. And it’s not just fruits and vegetables, but also supplementing properly that matters. In fact, Drs. Rucklidge and Kaplan have personally studied supplements for mental health (they call them “broad spectrum micronutrients”) that are used widely by psychiatrists to treat patients with mental health and mood disorders INSTEAD of psychiatrist drugs because many patients simply have a nutrient deficiency, rather than a drug deficiency. You can learn more about that by reading this amazing book and you can see those studies at gethardy.com/studies. I personally use the micronutrients and am a huge fan of their research. Thank you Drs. Kaplan and Rucklidge for bringing to light these important truths.
Aran Joseph Canes (verified owner) –
The Better Brain advances the controversial thesis that lack of proper nutrition is a large factor, if not the key factor, in the growth in mental health related disorders throughout the Western world. According to the authors, those complaining of behavioral health problems, ranging from depression to psychosis, would benefit first from having a proper diet, then from trying nutritional supplements and only turn to psychiatric medication as a last resort.
Intuitively, the idea makes sense. If heart and metabolic health are strongly affected by the food we intake why should the brain be any different? And the authors provide a wide variety of peer reviewed research to advance their controversial claims.
Moreover, along with their call for a revolution in mental health care, the authors provide a panoply of practical suggestions for those convinced by their arguments. Everything from what recipes to cook to which nutritional supplements to buy is provided.
And while I’m not completely convinced by the book’s arguments the authors are careful to recommend that anyone on psychiatric medication consult their therapist before beginning these therapies. So I don’t think any harm will come to readers and, if the authors are right, there could be significant benefit.
Personally, I think the authors downplay the role societal factors like the diminishing role of the family, social isolation and the harmful effects of social media have had on Western cultures. But that is the opinion of someone who makes his living assessing the efficacy of pharmaceuticals. Perhaps I’m too biased to give the author’s thesis a fair hearing.
Despite this disagreement, it’s good to be open minded about resolving the growing mental health crisis in the West and the authors provide a reasonable and well argued for viewpoint. Highly recommended both for professionals and those seeking non-pharmaceutical methods to boost their mental health.
Donna Darveaux (verified owner) –
I have read about a dozen books on mental health and nutrition in the past year or so. The Better Brain, is the best of all of these. Although I learned a lot from all the other books I have read, they all focused on diet – which is great – and should be a foundation of all health – physical and mental, and is also recommended as such by the authors, Bonnie Kaplan and Julia Rucklidge. However, diet is often not enough (and is sometimes too daunting as a first step) for those struggling with serious mental health conditions and are unable or unwilling to use pharmaceuticals. The MORE, is what makes THE BETTER BRAIN so unique and helpful. It is filled with numerous studies using a balanced blend of micronutrients. The results seem sometimes miraculous when ALL the necessary brain nutrients are supplied. I am on my second read. These authors are on a mission to offer real science showing the benefits of complete nutrition for brain health which will hopefully lead to more alternatives that professionals can be confident in supporting.
dfl (verified owner) –
These two women have been dedicated to revealing the truth about the connection between nutrition and mental health for decades. As I age, the health of my brain becomes more and more important. With all the commercials and fanfare around pharma, it’s so refreshing to read absolute truth. Proper nutrition is my first line of defense. My doctor has never, ever said that to me. Ever. I’m just a regular layperson with no medical background. And this book makes complete sense to me. Thank you Bonnie Kaplan and Julia Rucklidge, for your boldness in delivering truth to the WORLD! I highly recommend this book!
Nicole Beurkens (verified owner) –
This is the book I’ve been waiting for to summarize a research-based approach to using nutrients for improved brain function. No one better to write this accessible and important guide than Dr. Bonnie Kaplan and Dr. Julia Rucklidge – two of the pioneers of research in nutrition and mental health. As a psychologist and nutrition specialist I incorporate the principles and strategies discussed in this book all the time in my clinical work. Sadly, despite more than adequate research on the subject, the majority of people (including professionals) aren’t aware of the many powerful nutrition-focused options for supporting brain health and mental wellness. With the massive increase in stress, anxiety, and trauma just over the pandemic period alone, this is a book everyone would do well to read. I will be recommending this book often in my practice and beyond!
Nature Mom (verified owner) –
Thank you to Drs. Bonnie Kaplan and Julia Rucklidge for their ongoing research on the effects of nutrition, particularly micronutrients supplementation, on mental health. They have summarized a huge body of information in an easy-to-read format that will be indispensable to families and professionals alike. This is a topic poorly covered in most medical education. But healthy habits in a healthy habitat are the foundation of mental health, heart health, immune health, and preventing cancer, and nutrition is one of the most important and most readily modified healthy habits. Thanks to the authors for creating THE NEW standard book on the role of nutrition in promotion mental health! Kathi Kemper, MD, founder of the AAP Section on Integrative Medicine and Author of Mental Health Naturally, published by the AAP.
Sam (verified owner) –
This is incredibly valuable information for all, and there are those that CAN be treated (and heal) this way. I read that there’s a lot critical focus on all the people it doesn’t work for, but isn’t it worth a try if it can help? Also, while the researchers get blasted for telling the reader where to find the supplements used in their studies, the fact is, there are no other companies, at this time (from how I understood it), that are manufacturing these nutrients in such ratios and with whatever technology they use to get them so absorbable. BUT! the good news is there’s SO much we can do to help ourselves through our diet (without a need for extra supplementing).
BooklyMatters (verified owner) –
What a terrific read!
This book was written (and exhaustively researched) by two PHDs at the University of Calgary, one a Professor of Medicine and the other a Clinical Psychologist.
The premise of the book is simple – the authors, experts in their field and blindingly aware of both the rising rates of diagnosis and the failures of modern medicine to effectively treat the most debilitating chronic mental illnesses – including depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, PTSD and other anxiety disorders – have laid out a comprehensive and beautifully articulated proposal for a new and “radical” treatment approach.
The premise for the approach is that mental health all comes down to what and how you feed your brain.
(This premise makes such profound sense that the fact that it would be considered radical surprises me, but more on this coming up below)
We have long been aware that our cardiovascular health is inextricably tied to our diet. Making the leap to our brains, and the transformative power of nutrition to build and maintain brain health, which underlies mental health, should not, after all, be that radical. But as the authors strip it all down to its barest roots for us the potential of this concept is dazzling: when we eat, we are primarily feeding our brains. Every minute our blood delivers the nutrients we have circulating directly to our brain, in this way immediately and continuously affecting “how we see, smell, hear, taste, feel, think, learn, remember, process, and create.”
As the authors explain, the elephant in the room, the reason this treatment proposal continues to meet with resistance and is dismissed out of hand by most traditional psychiatric practitioners, is that the current state of medical treatment for these disorders is pretty much completely pharmaceutical-based. We are beholden to a medical industry, and a conditioned culture, funded and dominated by a “pop a pill” narrative.
But change has to start somewhere, and with painstakingly beautiful detail, the authors provide their supporting research and lay out the indisputable facts, – our brain metabolism, our gut microbiome, the way our genes are expressed, our resilience to trauma and stress, our ability to recover from toxins as well as to repair brain cell damage – all of these processes are chemistry and biology based, driven by equations linking chains of compounds created and then transforming other compounds, all of them dependent on input from available and high-quality raw material (or enzymatic cofactors) that must enter our bodies in the form of nutrients.
Brick by brick, the authors build a rock-solid case that is compelling, as well as fascinating – how and what we eat and the resulting nutrients we metabolize will orchestrate healthy and high-functioning brains, or, on the other hand, can result in the development of physical brain deficits, which can underlie mental illness.
This is a wonderful book and it’s impossible not to have your mind spin in reading it, the premise so exciting. The content is incredibly rich, and the authors do a great job explaining brain metabolism, the stress response, DNA methylation and other secrets of the brain in language that is educational but not imposing for the lay person.
The authors finish with detailed material forming a go-forward guide to eating well for healthy brains, including recipes and a recommended eating plan (based on the Mediterranean diet), as well as regimen of nutritional supplements for the very ill.
(Note: I do have a concern regarding the nutritional supplemental products which are mentioned by name. Although the authors are quick to note that they have no financial ties to any of these products, I am naturally on high alert when commercial products of any sort are recommended in scientific literature.)
A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for an advance review copy of this incredibly interesting and valuable book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts presented are my own.
Mel_t (verified owner) –
Interesting alternative approach to Anxiety, Depression and more with nutrition. As a parent of a son with depression and anxiety, I will be referring to this book and having him read as well, to try to incorporate the advice into his daily routine.
Alexa Schmidt (verified owner) –
The information contained in this book is life changing! So wish I had known about the connection between nutrition and mental health 25 years ago, but I appreciate having it now. The authors do an excellent job of making the science understandable to lay people.
Cori Alvey (verified owner) –
This book is one of the top 3 books I have EVER read. It is packed with so much information and I am constantly asking myself why I didn’t know this stuff before. It is frustrating, with so many proven studies that micronutrients work, that this is not the first line of treatment for mental well-being. I can attest personally that using micronutrients over medication in my life has been miraculously life changing. I never dreamed I could feel normal and calm. This book was easy to understand and I find myself craving to get back to reading after a long day at work. Bonnie is a phenomenal writer. Every section of the book was interesting! I want to buy more books to share. I’m not letting my copy out of my hands!!
Renee Unruh (verified owner) –
I wish everyone would read this book!!! It has so much good information about why nutrition is so important for mental health!! I especially loved the part that talked about Nutrition being the Foundation for Resilience..The authors explain it in a way that just makes so much sense!! I’m so grateful for this book!!
JFS (verified owner) –
As a child psychologist and father of 8 children, I daily witness the promise and perils of what people eat, in addition to other wellness factors. Like most people, I grew up being taught that nutrition was important for our hearts, bones, and muscles, but never once remember hearing anything about nutrition being important for the brain. Yet over the last few decades, what should seem obvious to all is finally being illustrated by science. Leading this charge are Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Rucklidge, whose research I have come to know and respect over the years.
In their groundbreaking new book, The Better Brain, these researchers display both an astounding knowledge regarding the connection between nutrition and mental health, but also repeated thoughts and ideas that compel us all towards one obvious reality:
It is time to rethink the way we go about treating mental health
In chapter after chapter, critical ideas for global change are intermingled with practical options for individual growth. At times, the questions posed (such as, why is nutrition regarded with skepticism while psychotropic drugs are widely accepted) seem so obvious, yet reflect a gaping whole in the current mindset that exists today. Ultimately, this book is a must read for anyone who desires to live a healthier, natural life—- and certainly those who are parents, teachers, and providers to those struggling with any form of mental illness
Carmen (verified owner) –
This book is written so that non- scientific people can read and understand it. The power of micronutrients on overall gut and brain functioning is importany to understand, and for me, this book helps me do that.
Valeria T. Koopman (verified owner) –
“I have survived an overwhelming and dangerous journey of treatment, only to discover that what I actually needed was to feed my brain and recognize I was having a normal reaction to trauma and stress.”
The Better Brain is an invitation to well-being and transformation.
I love how it uncovers and explains a pearl of simple wisdom that we all intuitively know: that a well-nourished body provides an environment for healing, including mental and emotional health.
This is a must-read book for anyone who is ready to redefine mental health by taking responsibility for their brains.
It was a wonderful experience to have had a conversation with Dr. Bonnie J. Kaplan during a podcast interview! Her presence, wisdom, and clarity reflected her commitment to changing lives!
Theresa (verified owner) –
As a nutritionist, I come across pushback regarding the validity of the impact of nutrition on our lives. This book not only explains why nutrition is important but it dives into how to eat. Each page has a wealth of information. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about nutrition or who wants to feel a sense of community on their nutrition journey. Living in Evansville, Indiana, it can be challenging to find like-minded individuals, but this book has given me momentum to keep pushing forward in what I do.
Rebecca Carey (verified owner) –
Great read for anyone interested in improving their own brain health or that of someone that know and care about. This book covers all the basics – why nutrition is important for brain health, the science behind supplements, and why broad spectrum nutrient supplementation is so important. The authors have no ties to any company and speak from years of knowledge, research and passion for helping others. At a time when mental health problems are at an all time high, nutritional therapy should be first line treatment. The Better Brain will be an invaluable addition to my library.
Kate Shannon (verified owner) –
I’m 3/4 the way through The Better Brain and have already killed one highlighter. I’ve ordered a dozen copies to give to people and have sent the book link to a bunch of friends, our Superintendent of Schools, the pediatricians and docs I know, and the Executive Director of several nonprofits in related spaces (TBI, Veterans, mental health). This is a must read for EVERYONE.
Caron (verified owner) –
I’ve been a healthcare provider in the US and Canada for over 3 decades (not mental health) and have seen the incidence and prevalence of mental health conditions increase over that time in my patient pool. This book gave some very clear descriptions of why that might be. Of course, not everyone will experience improved mental health with improved nutrition or supplementation of broad-spectrum micronutrients, but why would a healthcare provider or patient not consider this as a valid option for treatment? There certainly is an abundance of data that show that a healthy diet (such as the Mediterranean Diet) improves overall health and longevity–so why not improved mental health? This should be required reading for students in professional healthcare programs. Do yourself a favor and read the book!
Leanna (verified owner) –
I really like the different bend, helpful info and clarity of writing. It was engaging and interesting. Not just standard fare for anxiety
Kyle F. Warnick (verified owner) –
This is a great book! Every eye opening that our foods and the lack of Micronutrients can effect our mental and physical health so much! Great read worth every penny!
Brian (verified owner) –
Read this book. Trust me; I’ve read all the ‘brain nutrition’ books and this one’s a winner, maybe the winner. There’s a perspective here you won’t get in any of the other books, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll wish you read this one first!
I’ve recently become interested in brain nutrition and have been voraciously consuming any content I can find in the space. Brain health is a tricky topic, because there’s a lot of snake oil out there and there are a number of niches that aren’t of particular interest to me, niches like Alzheimers, mental health (writ large), neuroplasticity, or studies of the mind. Those are all great, but my particular interest is in understanding what nutrients the brain needs on a daily basis. That’s the sort of information I’m after – brain nutrition.
There are a number of reputable publications in brain nutrition that have emerged in the past few years:
2017: Diet for the MIND by Martha Clare Morris
2018: Brain Food by Lisa Mosconi
2019: Brain Changer by Felice Jacka
But the past year in particular has seen three publications:
Aug ’20: This Is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo
Mar ’21: Eat to Beat Anxiety and Depression by Drew Ramsey
Apr ’21: The Better Brain by Bonnie Kaplan and Julia Rucklidge
If you’re reading this review, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with the works of Mosconi, Naidoo, or Ramsey. All three have noteworthy social media followings and are building personal brands, so they’ve gotten a good bit of exposure to their work. I’ve read all of the above and enjoyed aspects of each, but none got even a fraction of the underlines and marginalia that The Better Brain got.
What’s singular about The Better Brain is that the approach to brain nutrition extends well beyond singular nutrient solutions. Scientists love to study just one variable and, of course, scientists have learned a lot from this perspective (Vitamin D – Scurvy). But when it comes to the brain, The Better Brain argues, this view is limited. What the brain needs is a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals. And that is the unique offering that Rucklidge and Kaplan, who is now retired after a long career of studying and publishing on broad-spectrum nutrients, present in the book. I’m not sure of the actual number, but suffice it to say that there are at least dozens of published articles in reputable journals that support a broad-spectrum approach. Kaplan and Rucklidge have been the leaders in that work.
From a consumers perspective or, said differently, from the perspective of a person who just wants to know what they should do to improve their brain health via nutrition, there’s a real practicality to this book that you may not get in books that have lists of whole foods and recipes. Until the day that I have a private chef, I’ll be supplementing my diet with nutrients and what I love about this book is that it gives me the tools to take action now, by finding a broad-spectrum formula. (There are a few formulas the authors reference in the book.)
If brain nutrition, especially brain nutrition for treatment of mental health, is your interest, this book is required reading. You’ll be glad you did.
Patrice Clark (verified owner) –
Informative and interesting. Common sense that better food choices will help with mental illness, but we are stuck in a fast food nation. If you want to look further into nutrition as a way to help heal, read this. It’s a jumping off point.
Rebecca Clark (verified owner) –
There is so much revolutionary thinking in this book that it cannot be understated!! I have been following Dr. Rucklidge’s research for a while now and I was excited to read this book and to share it and her research with others. What I like most about this book was the great questions she asks and the data-backed answers. I was floored to learn that blood tests don’t predict if broad spectrum multinutrient vitamins will help or not. The research she has done on mental health is revolutionary and helps us to understand how the vitamins in her research can help those who suffer from anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, trauma, and more. Great suggestions about eating better and how to do it, including recipes!! But should you get all your nutrients from food? Well, our food has less nutrients than in the past. Should we only rely on supplements? Well, a GREAT POINT, is that so many foods contain many properties that haven’t even been identified yet! There is NO supplement that covers everything, because we don’t know them all! This book is researched-backed and easy to read and understand. It will change the way you think, the way you eat, the way you look at supplements, the way you talk to your doctors and what you feed your children. Most importantly, it will give you the WHY and that will help you with your choices more than anything else. I highly recommend this book for any human being wanting to be healthier in mind and body.
Heidi Jo (verified owner) –
This book brings to light what is really happening to us when we don’t have proper brain nutrients. This book gives me sooo much hope!!! Thank you, Dr. Bonnie Kaplan!!!!
Heather (verified owner) –
This book was the answer to prayers, and the dream of my life to find a link between mental health and nutrition. I want to buy dozens to give out to my friends and family. I have to give a little of my story. I’m the daughter of a mom with bipolar 1 and psychosis. All of my young life I watched my mom suffer from debilitating depression, hallucinations, manic periods, and multiple suicide attempts. I had friends and family who instilled in me an interest in natural holistic health, and tried in vain to get my mom to try to improve her health and mental state with natural ways. I learned much from my uncle who was a self-taught nutritional guru and I couldn’t get enough of learning about how health was affected by nutrients in diet and supplements. I went to school for psychology and planned to also get a degree in nutrition so I could combine them. I was certain there was a correlation with mental health, but I didn’t have the opportunity to get through all the schooling to do what these women have been able to do.
Sadly, My mother passed away just as I found a company that offered these types of micronutrients. I found the one that sells the Empower plus. But my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and a mood disorder and I have been so grateful for the knowledge and the nutrients that have changed our lives! It is like night AND day!! Everyone in the family can tell when she is taking her nutrients and when she has been off of them for a few days. I wish I could follow the Mediterranean diet all the time, as the book suggests is the best diet for mental health. I have been big on making sure each meal has about 2 vegetables, and have reduced processed food drastically over the years. But I can’t make sure that we get all the nutrients missing from diet without help.
Though it’s not first a cookbook, the book has a few excellent recipes that are simple and easy to get started on a more balanced diet. The research is fascinating, and the tips for resources I hope will help people find where to get these.
Please understand that regular vitamin and mineral supplements do not give the same results for mental illness. There is a real science to the ratio of each nutrient as a supporting cofactor. And there is a proper method to switch from pharmaceuticals to nutrients that you must work with a qualified professional and those who understand the nutrients and process for coming off before trying the micronutrients. So if you are interested in looking into these for help for you or your loved ones, please contact the resources that these Dr’s suggest.
Myra Tan (verified owner) –
Absolutely brilliant book about mental health and nutrition based on many double blinded placebo controlled studies. So interesting! Well worth the read. Great tips for eating well on a budget. Made me very motivated to consider how well I am feeding my brain each day. Highly recommend.
Dottie Pickett, LMFT (verified owner) –
I have been a licensed mental health professional for 25 years. I have never been more encouraged than I am after reading and sharing the information in this book with my clients, friends and family! I believe The Better Brain should be required reading for all health professionals especially mental health professionals. (I must have bought and distributed at least 10 copies! ) Thank you Bonnie and Julia!!! I am forever indebted to you! Dottie Pickett, LMFT (attackingdepressionandanxiety.com)
Brenda Longhurst Christensen (verified owner) –
The principles and research behind this book are astounding. Once I replaced prenatal vitamins with broad-spectrum micronutrients (and started feeling like myself again), I had to find out why they worked (and others didn’t). The information in this book explains it! It explains how brain nutrition can heal brains and help people overcome mental illness. I personally know many people who have been able to get off medication thanks to nutrition. Really a marvelous book and well-worth the read.
The JuJuBe (verified owner) –
The Better Brain looks like a simple book about mental health, but by the first chapter, you will probably be completely stunned. I know I was.
This book not only explains with multiple clear and concise studies and stories how people, who suffer from completely varied mental illnesses, can heal with better nutrition and suppliments, it also explains in horrific detail why people who are currently suffering, never learn about these simple steps to improve their mental health.
I myself haven’t had any of my bipolar symptoms for over 9 months, at the time of this review, I have also witnessed others heal from other psychiatric conditions thanks to nutrient dense foods by using the principles of this book in my private practice.
To say the every mental health practitioner should read this book, is the greatest understatement of all time. The fact that this book and all of the peer reviewed scientific research has been ignored for years while people continue to die and suffer from severe psychological disorders, is the worse kind of professional negligence imaginable. I myself will strive as long as I have breath, to champion Bonnie’s and Julia’s book and tell everyone I meet that there is hope.
Please read this book, and help as many others as possible 🙏
Stephanie (verified owner) –
There’s so much great information in this book. They’ve made it easy to read and understand. It’s amazing what They’ve been able to do with their combined years of experience. So great full they wrote this book and are willing to share their vast knowledge!!
Patsy Deerhake (verified owner) –
Read this in one sitting. Evidenced based and easy to understand. Cited resources for additional information. Highly recommend this book.
Stephanie Folkens (verified owner) –
I work in public health and found this book to be well grounded in research with manageable steps to action. It also motivated me as a new parent to do what I can to provide healthy foods for my family. Quick read, highly recommend.
Michelle (verified owner) –
I really enjoyed reading about the connection between mental health, the brain and nutrition. As someone who has struggled with mental health disorders, I appreciated having practical steps I could take to ensure whole body health for me and my family. The Better Brain helped simplify those steps and made it easy to implement. Highly recommend!
Aaron (verified owner) –
This book should be on every table instead of the Bible. Completely life changing.
Gina Maier (verified owner) –
A clear, easily digestible book filled with an incredibly researched, finger-on-the-pulse, un-sensationalised, accessible route to improved mental health. A refreshing and hopeful resource for parenting in this age of Gen Rx. Thank you to the authors.
Shreya (verified owner) –
An Awareness Book on Supplement and hope we as a society have from them
– liked: how processes are described , how examples are captured
– disliked: It can have gave little more detail on nutrition one by one, instead of always talking it as Micronutrients and Macronutrients.
Chris Perrucci (verified owner) –
The Better Brain provides an excellent, compelling and comprehensive summary of the need to rethink our treatment of the mental health epidemic our world faces. The initial step in the treatment of mental illness must focus on providing a good quality nutritional plan with a multivitamin/minerals supplement before prescribing serious medication. Better Brain provides example after example as so many patients making a full recovery after simply providing enhanced natural vitamins and supplements. There is no downside to encouraging patients to eat healthy Whole Foods, eliminate processed foods and incorporate critical vitamins and minerals in our diet. These can prove more useful than the serious psych medications which sometimes do more harm than good.
Bill Blanke (verified owner) –
I am a Family Physician in Evansville, IN, and this book was recommended to me by a friend who is a Child Psychologist. After listening to the book and discussing the principles with many of my patients, I realize how many people I have prescribed meds for over the years are doing “OK” but not “great!” Many have been very open to the idea of supplying the body, therefore the brain, with the necessary vitamins and nutrients so that the body can manufacture the necessary brain chemicals, rather than me tweaking those same chemicals with prescription medication. I am not giving up prescribing meds, but my approach has been altered to encouraging nutrition supplementation first, THEN pharmaceutical agents if there is not a satisfactory response. Even the cost of supplements has not been a deterrent as the cost of Rx co-pays as well as office co-pays can be substantial in the long run. I am eager to see patients in follow-up to see how many take this nutritional supplementation approach and track outcomes.
The Rigor (verified owner) –
Informative book to all people having problems with the right kind of foods. Very descriptive of the foods that needs to be eaten on a regular basis. Keep you inform what to do to keep your brain healthy.
Tatiana Matias Guimaraes (verified owner) –
I recently had the pleasure of reading “The Better Brain,” and I must say, it’s an absolute gem for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of ADHD and explore the fascinating connection between micronutrients, gut health, and cognitive well-being. This book has been a game-changer for me and my family.
“The Better Brain” provides a comprehensive and accessible exploration of the role of micronutrients and gut health in relation to ADHD. The author’s expertise shines through every chapter, presenting a wealth of scientific research in a way that is both informative and easy to grasp, even for those without a medical background.
What sets this book apart is its practical approach. The author doesn’t just stop at explaining the scientific concepts but also offers actionable advice and strategies to optimize brain health. The information provided here has empowered me to make informed choices about nutrition and lifestyle changes that can positively impact ADHD symptoms in myself and my loved ones.
One aspect I particularly appreciated about “The Better Brain” is its balanced perspective. The author acknowledges that while micronutrients and gut health are important factors in ADHD, they are not a standalone solution. Instead, they are part of a holistic approach that includes therapy, medication, and overall well-being. This nuanced approach is refreshing and shows a deep understanding of the complexities of ADHD.
The writing style is engaging and conversational, making it an enjoyable read from start to finish. The author’s passion for the subject matter shines through, making the book both informative and inspiring. Additionally, the inclusion of real-life case studies and testimonials adds a personal touch, making the content relatable and resonant.
In conclusion, “The Better Brain” is a must-read for anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of ADHD and take proactive steps towards better brain health. Whether you’re a parent, a caregiver, or an individual with ADHD, this book offers valuable insights, practical guidance, and a sense of hope. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in optimizing brain function and improving their quality of life.
Thank you to the author for compiling such a comprehensive and enlightening resource. It has truly been a game-changer for me and my family!