Book Review: Tips on Staying Alive

At the beginning of the month, I reviewed a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. Now, I'm highlighting a book called Tips on Staying Alive by L. Neal Pearcy. I met the author at an author fair and we enjoyed good conversation. Pearcy is a ten-year cancer survivor. His little book can be broken down into two sections. The medical half is insightful; the story half is inspiring.

Tips on Staying Alive is an articulate, well-organized book. It provides tons of leads on places to secure information if you are battling illness. In fact, if you purchase the eBook version you can more easily follow the many provided links. Pearcy hooked me in the first sentence:

"The average life expectancy in the United States is 76.1 years, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

I began calculating how many more years I may have left if the CDC estimation is close. Since I'm facing a significant milestone year, it was unsettling. I read with interest the explanations of terms, outlines of treatments, and suggestions for staying alive longer. I fully intend to create some encouraging promises (or statements) to post around my computer and other areas in the house to encourage a positive outlook.

My favorite chapter, though, was the final one. What an interesting and unusual life Neal Pearcy has lived! He has triumphed over astonishing adversities. This makes his wisdom in the first half of the book credible and valid. He offers the heartfelt story of his challenging childhood. If someone can withstand and overcome parental death, abandonment, isolation, and low self-esteem, they can overcome illness with that same determined spirit. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Pearcy's book.

Compilation: A Baker's Dozen Health and Nutrition Books

As we approach the Christmas gift season, I wanted to provide a compilation of outstanding daily devotionals. It is a great time to give the gift of a devotional that covers every day of the year. Alas, I can only recommend two, despite owning and working through many more. It came down to Paul David Tripp's New Morning Mercies and Bob Hostetler's The Shakespeare Devotional. Since 2 books hardly made a compilation, I shifted gears and chose to highlight health and nutrition books.

One would think I'm a fit and thin individual, given the number of nutrition and health books I read. One would be sadly mistaken. I love to read about this subject. Implementing what I read is something of a struggle. Again, though, it is that time of year when gifting reflects best intentions for resolutions. Or perhaps, like me, you just enjoy reading books about getting healthy (sometimes more than actually getting healthy). I cannot say these are the best books on the subject, only that they are ones I have reviewed (although I didn't take much time compiling this list and didn't go back further than a few years except for ones I remembered well enough to call forth again). I have marked the most memorable and meaningful books with an asterisk (*).

1. Clean Gut by Alejandro Junger MD
2. Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Moss *
3. It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig
4. The Patient's Playbook by Leslie D. Michelson
5. Brain Maker by David Perlmutter MD *
6. The Aging Brain by Timothy Jennings MD
7. The Clean 20 by Ian K. Smith MD *
8. The End of Alzheimer's by Dale E. Bredesen MD *
9. The Lose Your Belly Diet by Travis Stork MD
10. The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda PhD *
11. The Fast Diet by Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer
12. The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan by David Perlmutter MD
13. Intermittent Fasting for Women Over Sixty by Lauren Grant

Happy Thanksgiving, today, and here's to happy, healthy eating in 2025! May I keep off the 19 pounds I lost in 2024, in preparation for my son's wedding. What are your favorite or most impactful health and nutrition books? Do you struggle with implementing what you read when you read in this subject?

Gaining a Daughter

Ever since May 2023, when our oldest son Bryce proposed to his girlfriend Elizabeth, we have been fixated on the final weekend in September 2024. The flurry of preparation was minimal for us (primarily, finding suitable mother-of-the-groom attire and losing weight before the event), but Elizabeth took on all the details with great care and calculation. She is a highly driven and organized person. I marvel at her skill for planning this elaborate event.

My anxiety level was intense. I worried about so many details. Would our prodigal be able to participate appropriately? (Due to recent events connected with his addiction, he did not attend.) Would I lose enough weight to be comfortable with the time-sealed photos of the event? (I lost 19 pounds between January and the wedding.) Could I find a dress comfortable enough for my dress-loathing personality? (Thanks to a kind Von Maur associate named Diedre, I found my very comfortable and flattering dress and knew it was "the dress.") Could I endure the dreaded mother-son dance, when all eyes would be on me and my lack of dancing skill would be evident? (My hairdresser suggested a strategy. I spent the whole time in riveted conversation with Bryce. It worked and eased my nerves.)

After years of cheap haircuts at Great Clips, I was determined to find a hairdresser I could afford and appreciate. Thankfully, I found that at a men's hair salon, of all places. I have been getting outstanding senior women's cuts from Amelia at Manscapes Salon. She gave me a sense of confidence I lacked and helped me settle on a style I was comfortable with and capable of maintaining. I tried to time the cut, but may have been off by a week (it looked best one week prior to the wedding, sob).

Formal events scare me. While I'm not a country bumpkin (despite living in a rural enclave), I'm not comfortable in high society. The wedding took place at the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, Texas. It was absolutely stunning and gorgeous. Elaborate glass sculptures hung from the ceiling. Large canvas art adorned the walls. I felt a bit like an imposter, an ugly duckling among swans, but was surprised by how much I enjoyed the proceedings.

We flew into Dallas on Thursday evening and, apart from our experience at a sketchy McDonalds nearby (sought for a close, quick, inexpensive meal), enjoyed our Home 2 Suites stay and breakfast. Friday morning, we took an Uber to the tux shop with luggage in tow (another ugly duckling among swans experience as we looked a bit homeless amid the grandeur of Culwell & Son). Next, we headed for Hotel Crescent Court. John waited for our room's availability and Sean and I attended groomsmen/bridesmaid luncheons. (My meal at Sixty Vines was so delicious that we ate there for lunch again on Saturday with my father.)

Now that my mother is deceased, my father is free to travel for weddings. He safely drove all the way from Florida to Texas for my nephew's wedding in July, so he felt confident in making the trek again for Bryce's wedding. This time around, however, he left on Wednesday 9/25, just a day ahead of the expected landfall for Hurricane Helene. I was nervous on his behalf, but he managed to get ahead of the storm. (Although, he did arrive later than I'd hoped and missed the initial moments of the rehearsal where we discussed his entrance, given his current use of a power wheelchair.)

After the rehearsal, we paused for photos (snapped by their outstanding professional photographer, Sami Kathryn Photography):

The rehearsal dinner took place at The Henry, a restaurant with a great patio view of the Dallas skyline. It was, perhaps, the best meal I've eaten in a very long time. The meal started with an appetizer of house made pretzel balls with fondue. This was followed by a Caesar salad. For the entree, I ordered the braised short rib with bourbon caramel, roasted mushroom, fourme d'ambert, and smashed potatoes. The meat was so tender it melted in my mouth. Just when I thought the meal couldn't get any better, they brought out the dessert: a chocolate fudge torte with peanut butter crunch, milk chocolate mousse, and candied peanut caramel. Knowing I needed to fit into my dress, I intended to only eat half, yet somehow bite after bite cleared the plate clean. If you're ever in Dallas, this dessert deserves a special trip!

Saturday's wedding was beautiful, memorable, and fun. Here's a family photo taken by the photographer:

Here are a few snapped with my camera:

The wedding was held in the courtyard with an expected crowd of around 100-125 people. I wanted Bryce and Elizabeth to be able to invite their Purdue and work friends. It was an adult only affair and there are 19 cousins/spouses on my side, several with small children. Thus, the only cousins invited were on my husband's side (4). Family members who were able to attend really had a great time! They enjoyed a delicious meal, wedding cake, and dancing. John and I sat watching most of the festivities and wondered how our youngest knew words to all the dance songs. He had a great time dancing in the ballroom with his brother and new sister-in-law. I enjoyed snatches of conversation with Bryce's two close high school friends, Cameron and Dylan.

At 10:30 p.m., Bryce and Elizabeth strode down a tunnel of guests for a fake send-off (my photo). 

Then everyone but us returned to the ballroom for an afterparty that ran until midnight. John and I were happily in bed in contented sleep by 11. And now, I have a daughter-in-law. Yippee!

(This beautiful bridal portrait was taken by the professional photographer, obviously)

Bryce sent this photo from their honeymoon in the Maldives:

Thanks to the storms in our area after Hurricane Helene, we were somewhat concerned we'd return home to find no power to open our garage door. We thanked God when we found our home safe and sound. The following morning, however, we looked out the window to this shocking sight:

You can see in the first photo how dreadful it could have been if it fell in another direction and hit the power line by the roof. The second photo barely shows the extensive destruction of the fence to John's garden. We are grateful to the Lord for a blessed weekend, safe flights, protection over our home in our absence, and for the joy of gaining a daughter-in-law.

Compilation: Science

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash

In skimming my book reviews over the past decade, I found 20 science reads, most of them focused on the brain or genetics. I list them in no particular order:

1. The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee - hefty tome on cancer
2.  The XX Brain by Lisa Mosconi, PhD - preventing Alzheimer's in female brains
3. The Body by Bill Bryson - an often humorous field guide to the intricacies of the human body
4. A Molecule Away from Madness by Sara Manning Peskin - when brain molecules go errant
5. Biohack Your Brain by Kristen Willeumier, PhD - boost cognitive health, performance, and power
6. Remember by Lisa Genova - the science of memory
7. Twelve Weeks to a Sharper You by Sanjay Gupta, MD - guide to building a better brain
8. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD - healing from trauma
9. The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda, PhD - the importance of what and when you consume
10. An Elegant Defense by Matt Richtel - the science of the immune system
11. The Aging Brain by Timothy R. Jennings, MD - preventing dementia and sharpening your mind
12. She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer - the science of heredity
13. The Genius Factory by David Plotz - the science/history of genetic engineering
14. The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee - hefty tome on the science of genetics
15. Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot by Richard Restak, MD - enhancing your brain's potential
16. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot - powerful impact of HELA cells
17. The Human Blueprint by Robert Shapiro - the science of genetics
18. The End of Alzheimer's by Dale E. Bredesen, MD - prevent and reverse cognitive decline
19. Brain Maker by David Perlmutter, MD - how the gut heals and protects the brain
20. The Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen, MD - explores the challenges of undeveloped adolescent brains

If I had to select my five favorites from this list, they would be: The End of Alzheimer's, The Gene, She Has Her Mother's Laugh, The Body Keeps the Score, and The Circadian Code.

Book Review: The Year of Less

I enjoy learning what others are reading via Goodreads updates. A friend highlighted this book as one she wanted to read. It sounded intriguing. Cait Flanders is the author of The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store. As if to emphasize less, the title is all in lower-case lettering. Of course, the length of the subtitle is more. Crazy!

This book (part self-help, part memoir) is a fascinating tale of paring away inessentials and analyzing what drives us to buy when we don't need and cling when we should release. Since my goal is to pare down my belongings, I thought this book might provide insight and motivation. Flanders explains how emotionally fraught our purchase patterns are. Some people (myself included) overeat when they avoid feelings, some people binge watch movies (myself included), and some use retail therapy. For years, Flanders used alcohol, food, and pointless spending to assuage feelings of insufficiency. After success in getting sober and losing weight, she addressed the money/belongings issue.

As her bio on the back cover proclaims, she is "a former binge consumer turned mindful consumer of everything. Through personal stories, she writes about what happens when money, minimalism, and mindfulness cross paths." Her writing is fluid and easy to follow. She provides expert insight into her addictions. (Her biological father should be strung up for his role.) Her self-examination and her willingness to sit in the pain causing those behaviors endear her to the reader. 

Although I am not a binge shopper, I am often lured into purchases under the guise of saving money. My frugality isn't economical when I buy what I do not need. Hopefully, by reading this and other minimalism books, I will get a handle on the excess in my life and strip down to a more meager existence. In some ways, I have no choice. If we move after our youngest graduates, we will not be seeking a home along the scale of what we now maintain. 

Indeed, we would not have selected this house if we weren't meeting family needs by taking residence. Previously, we lived in a two-bedroom bungalow in DeKalb, Illinois. Our oldest son's room wasn't big enough when our middle son came along, so Trevor's crib was in the dining room. Now, after years of filling the extra space we have, I am tasked with going back to a bare-bones existence. We shall see if reading books helps me face this challenge. It is easier to read about minimalism than to implement it. Thankfully, I will have my husband to hold me accountable.😇

Book Review: Reset

Perhaps it is because I am involved in counseling at the moment. Or perhaps it is because starting a new year often triggers a desire to turn over new leaves. My new leaf involves slimming down for my son's upcoming wedding in September. It is really driven by a second goal, though; I am fearful of being diagnosed with diabetes or heart issues (my dad struggles with both). And third, I am determined to forge healthier relationships. Those are my reasons for seeking Debra Fileta's book, Reset: Powerful Habits to Own Your Thoughts, Understand Your Feelings, and Change Your Life. And that is why, after completing this book (similar to what I did with Gary Thomas' books), I checked it out again in e-book form, so I could take notes and digest more fully the wisdom within the pages.

Reset begins with this premise: "Thoughts lead to feelings; feelings lead to behavior." The book structure follows a month-long process to alter old patterns that fail to serve well. Fileta outlines 31 steps to take in this process, things like pause, acknowledge, decide, and plan. Last year, my goal was to pray more. I learned how important the planning process was in making that behavioral change. As Fileta observes, "The success or failure of your ability to act on your desire for change hinges on how much you've prepared for it.... Wanting it badly enough won't magically get you to a better place... you're going to have to spend some time preparing." In order to be intentional, I created prayer cards for each individual, cataloguing every need and request. I set aside 3 times a day to focus on those cards and individuals. This year, I'm trying to be intentional, as well. I track my food intake, my fitness activity, my water consumption, and my intermittent fasting hours.

I know I need to tackle a few steps outlined. She recommends identifying your default mode and negative thoughts, then doing it differently. I will need to spend plenty of time on practice 11: Call out the lies. The last steps all include self-care practices like finding mind/body outlets, filling yourself up (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually), unplugging, resting, and breathing. My biggest challenge will be to tackle practice 29: connect with God and others. Connecting with God will be easy; connecting with others is something I find more challenging. Just as I learned years ago in my phone life-coaching with Mike, I need to repair some of the missing social spokes.

I wanted to take the Holmes/Rahe Life Stress Inventory the author mentioned as available on her website, but I could not find it. It would be interesting to assess my stress levels. She also mentioned a book I would like to seek, Holy Noticing, by Charles Stone. Not sure if I can find that and doubt I want to purchase it. If you are attempting to meet new goals this year, Reset just might help you tackle and change patterns of behavior that hold you back.

Book Review: Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess

I've said before how much I despise cleaning, that thankless task that needs to be done ad nauseam. No sooner are the dishes back in the cupboards than the counter is full again. As soon as I fold the last pile of laundry, one is crying out that a particular garment is unavailable because I haven't washed clothes. Frustrating! Yet cleaning has to be done. We can't sit around in filth, let dishes pile up, and wear the same clothes all year. [Side note: They did in Elizabethan times. This is the source of the term "spring cleaning." All winter long, individuals would bind feathers around them to add warmth. Once the temperatures calmed, they would go down to the river and remove the feathers and clothes for their annual cleaning. I learned that in a lecture given at Anne Hathaway's house.]

So, too, your brain can get messy. Anxious thoughts can take control and threaten your peace and sanity. Dr. Caroline Leaf is convinced, after years of research and counseling experience, that what you think determines how you feel. Of course, I picked up this book because I sought advice on how to rid myself of invasive thoughts. The advice is sound. The steps probably work. My difficulty is in mustering passion enough to put in the work. Just like housecleaning, it seems an endless and repetitive task. Indeed, she insists that in order to establish new habits of thought, you should practice her "neurocycle" steps for 63 days.

So, what are the steps, you ask? They didn't show until 168 pages in. The first half of the book provides background information on the brain and how it ends up in a mess. 1) Gather, 2) Reflect, 3) Write, 4) Recheck, and 5) Active Reach. While I want the promised results, I lack enthusiasm for pursuing the steps. If you have more willpower than me, you can even access an app that helps you establish these habits. Keeping a spotless home, a trim waistline, and a peaceful brain takes work. There's no easy way. I believe the steps outlined in this book will help. However, believing is not enough to make it happen. Every chapter ends in a testimonial. I'll let you know if I ever have one to share.

Book Review: 12 Weeks to a Sharper You

Once again, I was in the library with only moments to spare for perusing the audio selections. This book, by Sanjay Gupta, MD, was short and looked interesting. I needed a short book because I was due to leave on my FL/TX trip soon. This is a very practical and accessible guide to making changes for your brain's health. Each week focuses on establishing new habits in things like diet, sleep, movement, and challenges. Since I waited to write this review after returning from my trip, my brain is not as sharp - ha! I did jot down a few notes after listening. Here are my brief blurbs from the book:

- "Forgetting is as important as remembering."

- "Neurons wire together if they fire together."

- "If you've met one Alzheimer's patient, you've met one Alzheimer's patient."

If brain health is important to you, this is an excellent book with practical steps to improve not only your brain health, but by extension, whole body health. I think with my recent trip I tackled one of his suggested goals: try to do something scary every day. If you don't stretch yourself, you'll never grow. Take care of your brain; it's the only one you'll ever have!

Book Review: Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 60

One problem with receiving so many e-mail book recommendations (Bargain Booksy, BookBub, etc.) is that I jump quickly and purchase, then ignore the books in my Kindle for PC app. This book, Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 60: The Ultimate Guide to Lose Weight, Boost Metabolism, and Increase Energy, by Lauren Grant, was an exception. Despite not reaching 60 yet, I've been reeling again from verbal blips and mental lapses. The need to resume my anti-Alzheimer protocol (Dr. Dale Bredesen, The End of Alzheimer's) is strong. What I lack is willpower. Even when I know resistance is the best thing for me, I succumb to the lure of the foods I enjoy eating. Thus, I was eager and ready for a pep-talk. Lauren Grant's book came at just the right moment. While it is not "the ultimate guide," it is certainly a perfect pep-talk if you want to resume time-restricted eating.

The book was a quick read. Nothing new to line my arsenal but encouraging to get back into the swing of things. I bookmarked a few of the recipes at the end of the book: Italian Keto Meatballs with Mozzarella Cheese, Pizza Omelet, Keto Tuna Salad (surprised by this one since I normally ignore tuna recipes), Keto Salmon Quiche, and Egg Cups. At the end of the book, the author offers free resources to help you begin your lifestyle changes. Although I didn't copy many of these, I intend to use "The Food and Fasting Log," "The Habit Tracker," and "The Monthly Sleep Tracker." Those forms will be helpful as I begin anew to alter my lifestyle with healthier food and fasting choices.

Book Review: Biohack Your Brain

With due date looming, I skimmed this book one afternoon. I continue to make verbal mistakes and brain blunders. It is hard not to see dementia hiding in every corner when such things happen. The other day, after putting down a new rug in Sean's room, I quipped, "Now we need to iron it." Of course, I meant "vacuum" it, but the faux pas made us snort with laughter. Underneath the laughter lies the terrifying question of a future similar to my mother's. If anyone is eager to "biohack" the brain, it's me.

Kristen Willeumier is a neuroscientist who studied NFL football players and the results of concussion. Even those most debilitated were able to reinvigorate their mental faculties. Willeumier declares that no matter what your age, there are easy steps you can take in the hopes of better brain health. She includes several excellent lists, like 10 ways to change your brain in 10 minutes: walk, eat dark chocolate (okay, I'm game), sit up straight, write with your non-dominant hand, eat blueberries, learn a new word, visualize ways to improve your day, spend 10 minutes away from devices, breathe essential oils, and keep a gratitude journal. Then there's a list of 10 brain games for a sharper mind: read, learn a new word a day, computer brain games, learn a new language, create art, volunteer, write creatively, do crossword/jigsaw puzzles, vary your way to work, and try something new.

Willeumier's book is full of dietary advice, exercise encouragement, supplement suggestions, and hydration advocacy. While I already follow much of her advice, I could be more intentional. She gears these steps toward the everyday individual. You don't have to shift everything in your life, but small steps will lead to change. As she exhorts: set realistic incremental goals, track your progress, have an accountability partner, and - most of all - enjoy it!

Book Review: Blue Shoes and Happiness

Blue Shoes and Happiness is the 7th novel in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I am enjoying my second time around with these delightful novels narrated by the excellent accent and tenor of Lisette Lecat. I noted, on the back cover of this audio book, that Ms. Lecat is also a playwright. Interesting! In this 7th installment, Mma Makutsi wonders why her fiance fails to appear for dinner one night, the traditionally built Mma Ramotswe goes on a diet, and Mr. JLB Matekoni purchases a chair from Phuti Radiphuti. It is interesting to note that I have complained in the past about authors who write out the entire names of characters repeatedly. Somehow, given Lecat's rich narration, this habit thrills me instead of repelling me. Ha! Despite this, and a formulaic tendency, I love this series.

Book Review: The End of Alzheimer's Program

I’m experiencing a renewed interest in battling the potential enemy of dementia. Hard to fight an enemy if you’re not sure it truly exists yet, but I can certainly take steps to fortify and protect my personal home, my body. Dr. Dale Bredesen’s End of Alzheimer’s book was on mylist of top reads last year. Reading the book mobilized me to begin the protocol. I followed a make-shift regimen, based on what I had read, from March or April of last year until Christmas. In January, I attempted to go back on the plan. Alas, my father broke his arm, and I went to Florida to provide care. It seemed too difficult to maintain while in someone else’s house. Then, with the initial lockdown, I lost sight of the goal. I gained back the lost pounds and resumed some memory issues.

Bredesen’s plan works. I will say that at the outset. When I follow the plan, I notice a marked change in my well-being. While it requires devotion, he never says you have to follow his protocol 100 percent. You can make your own attempt and do what works for you. So just what is this plan? He calls it a KetoFLEX 12/3 diet. But it is so much more than a diet. It is a lifestyle shift. The plan involves 12 hour fasting (16 hours recommended for those with the Alzheimer’s gene) and recommends finishing your evening meal at least 3 hours before bedtime. Although it is ketogenic, it provides room for flexibility. Bredesen encourages readers to identify what triggers and risk factors they face so they know what to emphasize. The disease stems from a myriad of factors (diet, toxins, dental habits, inflammation, infection, etc.). Thus, the battle plans vary.

Here are some of his suggestions I’d like to attack while going back on the lower carb/plant-based diet. I’ve already resumed the fasting periods. I am attempting to break my fast in the morning with a cup of black coffee containing a small spoonful of coconut oil. This is a real challenge. I hate black coffee (crave my Coffee Mate hazelnut creamer – groan) and hate coconut. Thankfully, the oil is tasteless, just leaves an oily shimmer on the coffee. I now take milk thistle. I’m trying to focus on things I like: spinach, broccoli, pistachios, eggs, strawberries and blueberries, beets (yep, I like ‘em), avocados, and Brussel sprouts.

Although I would love to take the cognitive tests, I am still loathe to enter a doctor’s office. Besides, I'm unsure how I would respond if I learned I carry the Alzheimer’s gene. It would be great to purchase a pulse oximeter and rule out sleep apnea (I’m certain my oxygen levels are declining during sleep). If I knew how to go about it, or even if it would be valuable, I would look into having our home tested for toxins. I believe that the mold in my parent’s home led to some of my mother’s dementia. Purchasing a HEPA filter is another goal.

Don’t feel overwhelmed. You can attack as much or as little as you like and track your improvements over the weeks and months. This book is easy to digest (although the original End of Alzheimer’s book was easier). The only thing I would have liked to have seen in this book would have been a meal plan guide (but there was a small version in the original book and I purchased that, so I could review it). All in all, I’m a big believer in Dr. Bredesen and this plan. I think he is onto something. Anyone experiencing cognitive decline would do well to give it a whirl. There’s nothing to lose (well, weight) and much to gain.

Book Review: The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan

Since I loved Dr. David Perlmutter's book, Brain Maker, I checked out a neighboring library's copy of the audiobook, The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan. A year ago, I was doing well. I followed the ketogenic diet paired with intermittent fasting as suggested in The End of Alzheimer's book. Dropping eighteen pounds is no small feat. Yet I persisted with the diet and schedule until I reached my goal weight. Sadly, as I approached the winter holidays, I eased up on my fierce adherence. By the time the lockdown occurred in March, I had given it up entirely and it didn't take long to replace the lost pounds (after all, I was baking bread with the masses).

I doubt I will follow Dr. Perlmutter's protocol from this book. Even still, listening to his advice was beneficial. It put me in the mood to take control once again and avoid carbs. I'm finding the scheduling aspect more difficult this time around. Many nights, I cannot eat early enough because Sean is out with after-school activities and our dinner gets pushed later. While I don't mind eating by myself and finishing by 4:30, it alienates my family when I'm eating separately. So, this is a wrinkle I still need to iron.

Instead of listening to the last chapter (the recipes), I returned the audio book and checked out the physical book. It felt like a wasted effort. None of the recipes looked appealing, and I already know what works for me with meals and snacks. I prefer simple and easy as opposed to elaborate and exotic meal plans. Still, I'm glad I checked out the book so I could copy down several of the listed meaningful quotations (he presents a list of thirty in the support strategies section).

My next goal, when all of this hullabaloo blows over and going to the doctor doesn't seem like a life-threatening option, will be to request a sleep study. I'm certain I have sleep apnea. My husband says my snoring is very loud. I wake often during the night to use the restroom. Dr. Perlmutter recommends many helpful things to focus on, and sleep and stress are as important as diet and exercise. Even if you don't plan to follow this book's diet protocol, the encouragements for a better lifestyle can only be beneficial.

Book Review: The XX Brain

I looked forward to this book when I put my name on the library hold list. The sub-title reveals why it might appeal to me: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. I'm all about brain study. I'm deeply interested in preventing the Alzheimer's that plagues my mother. Yet, I completed this book with no sense of empowerment or vision of a secret unveiled for staving off cognitive decline.

Lisa Mosconi, PhD, is the director of the Women's Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medical College. She's an expert. As the title hints, the book's major thrust decries how medicine has treated women up to this point, failing to recognize that a woman's brain differs from a man's brain. It's not that I'm arguing her point, but I expected more emphasis on practical steps for women to boost their brain health than on a political analysis of the medical establishment. Give me the facts, ma'am! I finally arrived at Chapter 9, 150 pages in, where the book begins with advice about diet, stress, sleep, etc. Yet, I still couldn't seem to engage with the material.

I skimmed through the rest and briefly glanced at a handful of recommended recipes (none interesting enough to copy). The most significant benefit was a reminder to make better food choices when ice cream calls and the fruit looks insipid. Ha - this makes me think of my mother-in-law, who always offers fruit for dessert, and I stare in wonder because I don't consider fruit a "dessert!" Dessert is something sweet and tasty and bad for you (cake, pie, ice cream, cookies). Then again, she is almost 92 years old, so fruit as a dessert is probably not a bad call!

Biding Our Time

We are, predictably, spending our pandemic-prompted-down-time in the following ways:

Baking:

I have made six or seven batches of bread. I'm not an outstanding bread baker and shy away from yeast breads (too difficult for this non-cook), but this recipe from Celebrating Sweets for Honey Oat Quick Bread solved a few dilemmas (solidifying honey and soon-to-be-outdated flour):

Plus, Trevor is on a cookie baking binge - we've made chocolate chip cookies, chocolate white-chocolate chip cookies, funfetti cookies, and sugar cookies, plus several batches of buttercream icing. Needless to say, we are also

Eating:

Good Lord, it seems like every time I turn around someone is wanting something to eat again (given the late hours of the boys, it is like running two different schedules of meals, so I think I prepare food and clean the kitchen about six times a day, seriously!). Food bills climb and waistlines expand. I am sad to say, almost all the weight I lost doing the time-restricted ketogenic plan has managed to find its way back to my mid-section. Groan. For the life of me, I cannot stay away from the fridge or all those baked goods we keep making. I tell myself I'll go back on the diet, but every day I put it off one more day.

Puzzling:

I've seen several families post photos of their puzzle adventures on Facebook and we are well behind the curve (indeed, saw images of some 40,000 piece Disney puzzle - insane). I like to choose puzzles with lots of different colors and patterns (i.e., easier!). I enjoyed this doors puzzle:

But, this White Mountain 1000 piece book covers puzzle was my all-time favorite - such fun!

Zooming:

Can I tell you how much I hate Zoom? I loathe it. You either get two extremes - nobody talks or several begin speaking at the same time and then you're scrambling to see who will take the floor. The connections feel artificial. Conversation feels forced. I have yet to find a location in my home that has a decent background (yes, I know you can add artificial backgrounds) with adequate lighting and little foot traffic. But, for now, I continue to attend my weekly Bible study group gathering (thankfully, we only have a few more sessions and then I may swear off Zoom altogether).

I thought, perhaps, it was a matter of limited connection.You know, if I zoomed with my family - people I share more intimate connections with - would it flow better? Well, nobody in my family suggested a zoom meeting for Easter, but I recently saw an invitation from some old Salvation Army friends. Even though it had been years since I'd been in contact with the initiators of this group, I had high hopes. Sadly, only twelve individuals participated and I only knew 5 well, 2 peripherally, and the rest not at all. I was trying to figure out if we were mostly officer's kids, but don't know for sure.

While it was better than the Bible study sessions, I still don't think I'll join in if they schedule a second session of the get-together. I'll just be happy when we can go back to regular group gatherings and not the artificial, technological gatherings of Zoom.

What I have NOT been doing - cleaning or writing. Nothing will ever induce me to seek cleaning as a past-time, ha! (My poor husband breathes a sigh of frustration - all this time on my hands and no motivation to Marie Kondo our house or scrub our floors - ha!) Besides my morning pages, I cannot focus or concentrate on any writing. My mind is too cluttered with daily doses of depressing news (my cousin, a professor in Massachusetts, posted that his university is considering holding off on the resume button until January of 2021 and if they do, will others follow suit?; CBLI has been cancelled for 2020 - sob; options for a 30-year-anniversary trip dwindle daily - we weren't planning anything major, but perhaps a getaway to Mackinac Island; and they have begun work on the new development of homes coming to the field across from our meadow).

Book Review: The Circadian Code

Having recently devoured The End of Alzheimer's by Dr. Dale Bredesen, where I first encountered twelve-hour fasting, this book by Satchin Panda, PhD, sounded like a supporting work. I am determined to give the recommendations outlined in both books a joint effort to see what results might come. Bredesen's protocol is a ketogenic diet with a twelve-hour fast. Panda recommends creating a time-restricted eating (TRE) window of twelve, eleven, ten, nine, or eight hours. His ideas encourage the reader to align behaviors to match the needs of the circadian rhythm.

The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight is a fascinating look into our individual body clocks. So often diets and health plans focus on what you consume, while this book shows it is equally important to focus on when you consume. The book encourages readers to seek the best time of day or night to eat, sleep, exercise, work, and learn. Panda argues that you can avoid certain ailments and super-charge your body and brain by following a strict schedule. If you learn to follow the rhythm of your body's circadian code, you will align for the best health results.

The book raised many sensible points. Both physical exercise and time in the sun will improve your sleep. "A change to any of the three core rhythms - sleep, timing of food, and activity - can affect any one of your organs." He encourages you to address snoring: "Mouth breathing reduces the amount of oxygen that goes into the brain. That also puts the brain in a hypoxic, or low-oxygen, state, which can increase the chance of getting dementia and various brain-related problems like memory loss." (I have taken up his suggestion to use Breathe Right strips at night and have found it improves my sleep.) Stick to a schedule of regular mealtimes. The book claims "TRE reduces the drive to make and store excess fat, improves fat burning, normalizes cholesterol level, and reduces inflammation." And finally, "You can maintain a robust clock and preserve your normal brain function by following four simple habits: sleep, TRE, exercise, and the appropriate exposure to daylight."

Even beyond attempting to narrow my TRE window, I have been recommending the book's advice to my boys and my husband. I read aloud bits of the discussion about screen exposure before bedtime. I encouraged my boys to spend more time outside in physical activity during daylight hours. My biggest struggle has been convincing Trevor to stick with a strict sleep schedule that doesn't alter on weekends (that boy loves to sleep until noon on Saturday mornings). But, then again, teens have a natural need for more sleep. (I think I don't mind the sleeping in, as much as the staying up late).

This was a fascinating read and I recommend it to anyone who might be interested in attempting to lose weight without necessarily cutting favorite foods. Besides reading the book, you can sign up to take part in a 14-week research study using his app: mycircadianclock.org. It sounds easy to use. You take photos of what you eat and record sleep and exercise times. In this manner, you will not only recognize your own circadian rhythm, but will provide valuable data for further research.
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Follow-up: I limited my eating time to a twelve-hour window (between 7:15 a.m. and 7:15 p.m.) for two weeks (between St. Patrick's Day and the boys' spring break - one reason I gave the TRE experiment a break). I didn't alter my diet, apart from having a salad for lunch most days, and I might have fared better if I had. After two weeks, I lost not a pound of weight - groan. Indeed, I had difficulty sleeping (of all things - nothing on my mind, yet I tossed and turned and woke repeatedly). Crazy, that following the circadian rhythm disrupted the circadian rhythm. Moreover, I struggled with waiting for my coffee at 7:15, when I normally drink it upon waking between 5 and 6. So, while I leave this review as it was when I first wrote it, my enthusiasm for the approach has diminished. I will try it again, paired with the ketogenic flexitarian diet Bredesen recommends at a later point. For now, I'm enjoying spring break and eating whenever I please.

Book Review: The End of Alzheimer's - Highly Recommend

This book might become a health Bible for me! With an endorsement from Dr. David Perlmutter (author of Brain Maker - my review here), and a subject close to my heart, this book hooked me. How had I missed reading it before since it was published in 2017? The book appeals not only out of interest for my mother's mental decline in dementia, but also for personal reasons.

We have noticed small signs of my own cognitive decline and while it could simply be a psychological bent stemming from my mother's diagnosis (have I talked myself into believing I'm headed down the same path?), it also could be a valid concern. The most notable difficulty I'm experiencing is the inability to call forth words when I need them. I make the craziest word substitutions. We might convulse with laughter when I say "here's your meatloaf" while handing my son a piece of chicken, but the frequency of these mental blips leaves a taste of fear.

As I read Dr. Dale Bredesen's The End of Alzheimers: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline, I saw myself in several of the milder case studies. Indeed, I had paid no attention to the increased stress I experience when it comes to driving, especially to destinations that are unfamiliar. I didn't think of the implications of cognitive decline. When I approached Sean's football coach to introduce myself, he informed me that we had already met (he's the father of one of my son's friends). I had no recollection of that. Moreover, I'm aware of my difficulty retaining new faces and names. But, are all these minor incidents that fall under the cloak of normal aging or do they bear greater significance?

Bredesen's main point is that one pill will not fully treat Alzheimer's and dementia illnesses. They are a cluster of reactions and actually a healthy response to physical threats. The three significant metabolic and toxic threats are: 1) Inflammation; 2) Decline of Supportive Nutrients, Hormones, and Brain-Supporting Molecules; and 3) Toxic Substances (mercury, mold, etc.). I have been in a hormonal imbalance ever since the birth of my third son. But, I found the third cause especially significant, because shortly after the onset of my mother's decline they dealt with a significant mold issue in their kitchen and remained living in the home throughout the mold removal. Of course, my husband was quick to ask, "Why, then, didn't your father develop dementia, as well?" But, I wonder if his mental acuity is as sharp as it had been. He has mentioned that he doesn't get a charge out of new technologies like he used to because he cannot keep up with or understand how to make the things work (gadgets on his Prius, etc.). And if he declines, who will care for my mother?

The author explains the all-encompassing nature of Alzheimer's with a word picture of damage to a roof. Hail might have created 36 different holes and it will not address the problem if you only focus on one hole. He claims there are "36 metabolic factors that can trigger 'down-sizing' in the brain." He has created a treatment plan called the RECODE protocol. It includes an extensive array of supplements, dietary changes, and physical lifestyle shifts. He recommends undergoing a cognoscopy (a host of tests to determine triggers of decline, or what he calls "dementogens"). He calls his anti-Alzheimer's diet "the Ketoflex 12/3". It combines a ketogenic, flexitarian diet with a 12-16 hour over-night fast (also aimed at promoting ketosis).

I was so enthralled with his theories and prescriptions for preventing further cognitive decline that I purchased a Kindle copy of this book (moreover, I plan to recommend it to my father). The true question is whether I can follow parts of the protocol (I know it would be unrealistic to think I could implement everything the book recommends). I intend to give it a shot. I had already made several month's worth of progress with altering to a plant-based diet when I felt a threat of gall-bladder issues. Of course, with the holidays, I eased up on my resolve and returned to my normal lax dietary habits.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a loved one battling dementia or Alzheimer's. Or to anyone who recognizes elements of cognitive decline in themselves. It certainly cannot hurt to attempt to prevent further disease by making lifestyle and dietary changes. The book claims hundreds of patients have seen a reversal of symptoms while following the protocol. Even doctors who poo-poohed Bredesen's approach have had to eat their words in response to recognition of visible improvements. I don't want to put myself or my family through the harrowing experience of mental decline. Regardless of whether I carry the ApoE4 gene that implicates Alzheimer's (am fearful to take those genetic tests, because who wants to know such a future awaits), it cannot hurt to make changes now to stave off debilitating alterations later. So, this critically important book (only $1.99 on Kindle - how can you pass it up?) truly may become my health Bible!

Book Review: The Clean 20

When it comes to eating, I crave simplicity. Ha! That's just a euphemism for "I'm too lazy to take the time to prepare healthy foods, so I snack on unhealthy things that are easily available." Plus, I'm horribly ineffective. While I love to read about making changes, I seldom apply what I read. Thus, on the heels of the pep talk in The Aging Brain, I read another book on simple changes to improve diet and health. For me, my reaction to raw vegetables is similar to Cookie Monster's reaction on this hilarious t-shirt my boys found and purchased on a recent thrift store run:

In The Clean 20, Dr. Ian K. Smith supplies a list of 20 simple and easy clean foods to incorporate into your diet for 20 days. It sounded easy enough for even me! The inside cover shows photos of the twenty healthy foods and they look inviting. As he introduces each one, he provides information about the selection process and the benefits accrued. I was sure I could incorporate most of these into my diet:

1) Avocado; 2) Berries (I love strawberries and enjoy making smoothies); 3) cheese (somewhat surprised this made the list because I consider cheese fattening, but thrilled I didn't have to squelch my cottage cheese consumption); 4) Chicken; 5) Chickpeas; 6) eggs (I ate many spinach and cheese omelets); 7) Kale (the author allows spinach as a basket buddy alternative); 8) Lemons (a no-go for me); 9) Lentils (another food where I can add spinach); 10) Nuts and seeds (I fudged and snacked on Dark Chocolate-covered Almonds whenever I needed a treat); 11) Oatmeal; 12) Quinoa (no-can-do); 13) seafood (I consumed salmon); 14) Squash (or basket buddy alternatives: carrots, zucchini); 15) Sweet potatoes; 16) tomatoes (fresh from our garden); 17) Turkey (surprising); 18) Whole-grain bread; 19) Whole-wheat pasta; and 20) Yogurt.

The book gives daily pep talks and meal plans. I skimmed the 60 recipes at the end of the book and copied eight. Although I enjoyed several of the recipes, a few of them flopped in my incompetent hands. The baby spinach omelet, the green smoothie, the egg and turkey casserole, and the baked sweet potato fries turned out well. I tried the author's easy recipe for making kale chips (it sounded simple enough that even I could tackle it). Alas, it was a bust. Perhaps I didn't distribute the olive oil evenly enough because I ended up with a mix of dry chips and wet. I didn't care for the baked apple oatmeal cups even though they sounded delicious and were simple to prepare.

The author provides an ample list of clean snack possibilities, so it was easy to make healthy choices. I turned to things like mashed avocado on whole wheat toast, hard-boiled eggs, frozen grapes, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cheese sticks with apple slices. Again, I fudged and used regular peanut butter instead of the author's suggested organic. Plus, I applied regular dressing to my salads (cannot abide the healthier oil-based dressings).

Dr. Smith ends the book with a section on exercise, but I didn't incorporate his exercises. I stuck with my daily treadmill time. Still, other readers might enjoy the challenges he provides in that section.

For my final analysis, I liked the ease of incorporating the small list of clean foods into my daily diet habits. It was a simple plan to follow. After a while, it felt limiting, but I pressed on and even lost four and a half pounds during my 20 day experiment. Even now, I turn to the ideas of the book when contemplating what to eat. It can't hurt to apply the mantra on the back cover: "Eat Clean. Live Lean!"

Book Review: The Lose Your Belly Diet

If I had only seen the main title to this, without the subtitle, I may not have checked it out, but I'm fascinated with the idea of health stemming from the status of your gut. This book, The Lose Your Belly Diet: Change Your Gut, Change Your Life, provides all the arguments for improving your gut health found in the wonderful book, The Brain Maker, but also includes prescribed recipes. Like Dr. David Perlmutter's book, Dr. Travis Stork's book points to the importance of the microbiome for all aspects of health, mental as well as gastrointestinal. Moreover, Dr. Stork breaks it all down into easy analogies and accessible language.

As the inside cover proclaims, "This plan is built around a very clear, research-based concept: Eating food that nourishes and protects the microbiome in your gut paves the way for weight loss, a slimmer middle, and better overall health." Stork begins by explaining current research into the gut environment known as the "microbiome." He goes on to outline many things you can do to improve your gastrointestinal health (things like eating fruits, vegetables, and pre-and-probiotics, while avoiding c-sections, formula-feeding, unnecessary antibiotics, and hyper-sensitivity to germs and bacteria).

While none of this information was new to me (having read Perlmutter's excellent book), I was impressed with how accessible Stork managed to make it all. Moreover, he does provide actual weekly menu suggestions and recipes (although I wasn't enticed by many of them). If you are looking for a plan to improve your diet, you couldn't go wrong in turning to this book. And if you are interested in learning more about how your gut influences the rest of your bodily functions, this is a good place to start. I still enjoyed Perlmutter's book more, but this book certainly offers up practical steps and tangible guidance.

Book Review: Brain Maker

This book's subtitle drew me in - Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain - For Life. Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the New York Times Bestseller Grain Brain, asserts that the state of our microbiome, the environment of our gut, determines the state of our mental and emotional health. He hooked me from the start when he began by talking about the amount of money our nation spends in caring for dementia patients compared to that spent on heart disease and cancer patients (twice heart disease and triple cancer). Dementia isn't simply a problem for my own family, with the decline of my mother, but it is a national epidemic.

I had a three-fold interest in the information presented in this book. First, I was interested in what dietary changes could assist my mother in fighting off dementia and could help me fight off depression and chronic fatigue. Second, the statistics for anxiety disorders intrigued me, since the main character in the novel I am writing suffers from an anxiety disorder. And finally, I wanted to know how the gut influences those who suffer from migraine headaches (another ailment of my main character). The information was fascinating, even if the proposed program seems daunting (perhaps not as daunting as the whole 30 program, which suggested the elimination of so many things I enjoy). I think the biggest hindrance to adopting this dietary plan is the prevalence of fermented foods.

The basic premise is that the state of the microbiome is the key to human health. I took great interest in a small section devoted to a relatively new science, epigenetic medicine, or the science of how diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management influence the expressions of our DNA and, eventually, our brain health. After this brief introduction to the importance of one's microbiome, the author provides a questionnaire to help the reader determine the level of dysfunction in their microbiome. As I read all the things that can be detrimental to one's brain health, it surprised me that my oldest son is as healthy as he is. He struggled with many of the factors mentioned on the questionnaire. He was born via c-section (meaning he did not get the vaginal birth transfer of healthy maternal gut bacteria). I received antibiotics, passed to him, to prepare for the c-section. He breastfed for less than three months and suffered from frequent ear infections, requiring antibiotic treatment and the eventual placement of tubes. We, as a society, have been so eager to eliminate bad germs and bacteria, that we often destroy the good along with it and then wonder why we are sick.

Another interesting, though slightly disgusting, tool the doctor recommends is FMT, or Fecal Microbiota Transplantation. This process involves taking the healthy stool from someone with a healthy microbiome and transplanting it into the gut of an individual suffering from various ailments (it is primarily used in the U.S. to treat C. Difficile infections, but many of Perlmutter's patients went to other countries for the procedure and found it helpful in battling things like Tourette's Syndrome, Autism, and a range of other difficulties). They say it is very helpful for individuals suffering from Crohn's. I can see where placing samples from healthy individuals might battle the unhealthy elements in the gut of a patient plagued by health difficulties. Even though it sounds gross, it also sounds promising.

So what does the doctor prescribe? His plan involves six steps: 1) Choose foods rich in probiotics; 2) Go low-carb and embrace high-quality fats; 3) Enjoy tea, coffee, chocolate and red wine for polyphenols; 4) choose foods rich in prebiotics; 5) Drink filtered water; and 6) fast every season. This sounds far more do-able than the strict eliminations many current dietary challenges propose. But even so, I'm not sure I'm ready to eat sauerkraut to balance out my gut environment with healthy bacteria. I will recommend the book to my parents. The ideas are intriguing and remind me of a similar informative book I read, Clean Gut. Even if the information only helped me contemplate the character in my novel, it was worth the read. Moreover, I'm now off to read an article he referenced entitled, "Mind Altering Microbes: Probiotic Bacteria May Lessen Anxiety and Depression," by University College Cork (I see now that this information is old news as it came out in 2011). Next, I intend to head to the author's own website, www.drperlmutter.com, to see what other resources he has available.