Supercharging Yours for Better Health - and Sex

Some good information, but I really resent links to websites that I need to pay money for membership to get information that I thought would be in the book. Further to that, there are a number of QR codes. I'm reading this on a Kindle Fire which is my only "smart" device that can read a QR code. Very frustrating. He couldn't have put the actual links to the free content? Really? This book is just a bunch of bait to hook you into the cult of Dr. Amen. Not saying his information isn't valid, it' s clearly well researched, but the self-congratulatory tone is just not pleasant and the pay wall to help people become healthy is really obnoxious.

Personally, I was thrilled to finally hear a Doctor tell the truth about hormone replacement. This book is filled with everything a woman needs to know about her own physiology and the road to wellness! I've been telling everyone for years but they wouldn't believe me! To access the worlds first, premeasured, single-dose, affordable, all natural, bio-identical balancing cream and immediate relief, go to: [...] and get yourself and your sexy back. See Connected Consciousness on FB for on going sharing of info, excerpts of Unleash the Power of The Female Brain and other consciousness raising ideas. Feel free to post any questions :)

I am building a library for myself and am collecting books for the library that I will have some day. This is one such book. I haven’t read it yet but I think it will be fascinating and am looking forward to reading it.

I've studied natural health for over 40 years, and this brings a new perspective and brings everything together that I believe about health. It's well expressed and easy to understand. It gave me incentive to do the things that I already believed were necessary for my health. I bought several sets and gave some to the people I love.

UPDATE: one and a half years later, this is still one of the books I am most glad to have read

***

While Daniel G Amen's plan for supercharging the female brain for better health, energy, mood, focus, and sex in his new book, Unleash the Power of the Female Brain is basically the same as most self-help books, he provides invaluable tips and expert perspectives on how to actually achieve those goals more successfully making Unleash the Power of the Female Brain an important read not so much for WHAT to do but HOW to do it and sustain it and to a higher standard.

If you have read a couple of nutrition books and have common sense, you already know the plan which requires:
* keeping your brain safe by avoiding toxic foods, chemicals and drugs, and staying away from dangerous activities that could traumatize your brain
* stabilizing your weight at a healthy level
* getting exercise that keeps your blood flowing - especially to your brain
* getting sufficient sleep every night, and resolving issues like sleep apnea
* avoiding bad fats and eating good, healthy fats like olive oil, and omega-3s (through supplements or eating toxin-free fish)
* keeping your brain flexible and active by exercising it and learning new skills.
* Resolving issues like ADHD, depression, anxiety, and stress
* surrounding yourself with a network of supportive people who will encourage your efforts and help you stay on your healthy program

Amen covers these over and over again in his book Unleash the Power of the Female Brain by organizing the material in the following manner:

Introduction: The Female Brain Unleashed

1. FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR FEMALE BRAIN: Care About Your Brain More than Any Other Body Part
Hour 1 Exercise - Boost brain envy - Hang anchor images of why you want to have a healthier brain

2. HARNESS THE UNIQUE STRENGTHS OF THE FEMALE BRAIN: Use Your Intuition, Collaboration, Empathy, Self-Control, and a Little Worry to Give Yourself a Great Advantage
Hour 2 Exercise - Recruit Your Team and Make Your Worries Work for You - this is what I would call a form of the Serenity Prayer which is a consistent go-to in my life

3. ADOPT THE AMEN CLINICS' METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE FEMALE BRAIN:: Know Your Brain, Important Numbers, and the Four Circles for Ultimate Success
Hour 3 Exercise - Get Assessed: CBC and on Amen's website (SPECT optional)

4. BALANCE YOUR HORMONES TO BOOST THE FEMALE BRAIN
Part One: Balance Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone
Part Two: Balance Thyroid, Cortisol, DHEA, and Insulin
Hour 4 Exercise - Take the Hormone Questionnaires and Inventory Your Healthy and Unhealthy Hormone Habits

5. FEED THE FEMALE BRAIN: Flatten Your Tummy and Boost Brain Reserves by Healing Your Gut and Eating Brain-Healthy Superfoods - Treat Food as a Drug because it is one
Hour 5 Exercise - Provide Therapy for your Kitchen (Food/Diet)

6. SOOTHE THE FEMALE BRAIN: Put an End to Anxiety, Worry, Depression, and Perfectionism
Hour 6 Exercise - Get ANT Therapy and Answer the Work's Four Questions

7. GET CONTROL OF THE FEMALE BRAIN: Conquer Cravings, Weight Issues, and Addictions
Hour 7 Exercise - Embrace Your Failures (Turn bad days into good data)

8. UNDERSTAND ADD AND THE FEMALE BRAIN: Learn to Treat the Hyperactive "Boys'" Condition That Ruins Female Lives
Hour 8 Exercise - Know Your Focus and Energy Robbers and Boosters

9. BE BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE AND OUT: Learn Strategies to Help Your Brain and Body Look Amazing - Stop the Negative Chatter and Make a Plan to Look and Feel Amazing
Hour 9 Exercise - Get a Massage and Enjoy a Sauna

10. UNDERSTAND SEX AND THE FEMALE BRAIN: Optimize Your Brain for Greater Pleasure, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Love
Hour 10 Exercise - Be the Director of Your Pleasure

11. GET YOUR BRAIN READY FOR BABIES AND CARING FOR THEIR BRAINS ONCE THEY'RE HERE: Prepare for Pregnancy - and Unleash the Power of Your Daughters' Brains
Hour 11 Exercise - Indulge in Special Time

12. CHANGE YOUR FEMALE BRAIN, CHANGE THE WORLD: Realize That It's Not About You - It's About Generations of You
Hour 12 Exercise - Create Your Own Genius Network

APPENDIX A; NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP YOU UNLEASH THE POWER OF YOUR FEMALE BRAIN

I must confess that I have read hundreds of books in this genre and Unleash the Power of the Female Brain stands out in the forefront as Daniel Amen quickly demonstrates that he not only talks the talk but walks the walk and successfully so and teaches others as how to do so as well. This is what I find so valuable about Unleash the Power of the Female Brain. I became familiar with Amen probably a couple of decades ago and as I follow his career I must convey how impressed I am with his genuine ability to lead others helping to create better health in a sincere compassionate way. I have a lifetime of practicing the optimization of my own health and others and still learned many valuable tips and perspectives from Amen in Unleash the Power of the Female Brain that are worth many times the price of this book.

When I first became aware of Amen's practice, he prescribed the more powerful psychiatric medications consistent with what every other psychiatrist was prescribing based upon pharmaceutical rep recommendations and medical studies; as he began using SPECT brain imaging and saw the effects of these pharmaceuticals on the brain itself, he revised his protocols. I don't know if you are aware of this, but it used to be that the pharmaceutical medical studies were performed by the government, universities, and other independent objective professionals but now they are performed by the seller of the drug. The tobacco industry even came out with a medical study saying we should all smoke cigarettes because it would postpone alzheimers for several years. To have the input of what a medical expert not employed by the pharmaceutical company sees in SPECT brain scan imaging with different protocols is invaluable in my opinion and why I hold Amen in such special regard. It is rare to find someone who leads innovatively, thinks for themselves, and appears to be trying to honestly do what is in the best interest of his patients; I think his input on the effects on human brain as shown in SPECT scans is invaluable.

Some criticize Amen that he is too commercialized but if you listen to him about how to help the most that one can, he explains that many people need all the support, plans, information, and such that he offers and I would have to agree. I like that I can pick and choose what I am interested in (tailored more to my interests such as Unleashing the Power of the Female Brain) and am not required to subscribe to costly websites, brain imaging or join a church that has Daniel groups or whatever they are called but I like that he offers that support to those who want it. Amen is not just another author who read alot of books and is writing a regurgitation of that information like so many other newly-published books; he has unique input from his years of treating patients and his family and he writes about that unlike other authors who may have never had success treating a patient but are simply regurgitating the same books you and I have read like they have something new to say but are simply summarizing the books they have read maybe combined with the marketing information they have received from the pharmaceutical and supplement industries which are soon become one in the same as pharmaceutical companies are purchasing the supplement companies.

One of my favorite things I learned from Amen in reading Unleash the Power of the Female Brain is: "I think of calories like money, and I hate wasting money. If you have a high metabolism, like having a lot of money, you don't have to worry much about calories. If you have a low metabolism, which happens to a lot of us as we grow older, you have to be very wise in how you spend your calories.... When you overeat, you bankrupt your brain and your body." Amen also wrote an article available on his website "100 ways to Leave Your Blubber." While I am a nutritarian and look at getting the most nutrition for each calorie, I have not done so with the diligence I use when not wasting my money; I am looking forward to viewing calorie splurges in a more healthy light following Amen's perspective/tip.

I also really like how Amen discusses anxiety in a non black/white terms and applies them to gender. "Men tend to have less anxiety and thus they tend to get themselves into more trouble. In my lectures I often talk abut the need for "enough" anxiety. For example, if someone gets the thought, "I think I'll go rob the grocery store," the very next thought should be "That's a very bad idea; you'll spend the next twenty years in jail." Some anxiety keeps you out of trouble. Too much, of course, can make you sick."

I also would love to see Amen's ANT therapy taught in all of our schools to all of our children as well as in all our workplaces. "One of the techniques that is the mainstay of helping our patients at the Amen Clinics is what I call ANT therapy, or learning how to kill the Automatic Negative Thoughts that you feel you have no control over. Learning how to not believe every stupid thought you have is a critical skill to ending the unnecessary suffering experienced by so many women. ANTs pop up in your brain automatically, seemingly out of nowhere, and when left unchallenged, they bite, nibble, torture, and infest your mind. When the ANTs ar left unchecked, they steal your happiness and literally make you feel old, fat, depressed, and feeble-minded."

I enjoyed Amen's perspective on weighting and viewing emotions appropriately. "Thinking with Your Feelings - A key female strength is knowing what you're feeling. But the dark side of that strength is thinking with your feelings. For example, "I feel like you don't love me." Or "I feel like I'm being treated unfairly." Maybe you do feel that way, but is it true? Sometimes feelings lie, especially when you are tired, hungry, worried about something else, under a lot of stress, deprived of the brain chemicals you need or struggling with a hormonal issue. Don't let your negative feelings rule your thoughts. Write them down and look for the evidence behind them."

I also thoroughly enjoyed Amen's view on how "your female intuition enables you to see things that others miss and to know a great deal without being able to explain exactly how. Used correctly, your intuition can be an enormous strength. But it also opens you up to a great deal of worry and anxiety. If you believe your intuition without checking it out, you might end up "knowing" a lot that isn't true. Yes, sometimes you are right, but sometimes you've just invented your own reality, which is perhaps colored by lack of sleep, low blood sugar, or brain chemistry that has run amok. You run the risk of living in a world colored entirely by your own negative thoughts and free-floating feelings, which creates a lot of unnecessary anxiety and disrupted relationships. And you become prey to the fortune-telling and mind-reading ANTs." I would also like to add that when my own intuition and/or feelings are off from the truth, I can use that as a gauge to how well I am taken care of myself that moment and try to come back to balance/harmony/truth/divine source.

The biggest light-bulb moment for me in Unleash the Power of the Female Brain was probably in Amen's simple sentence "ADD is an American invention, made up by a society seeking simple solutions to complex problems." There is often no simple solution or magic pill to get us the Brains/Health/Life/Goal we want, we need to practice, practice, practice leading a healthy lifestyle and Amen successfully teaches how he's been doing it and leading others to do it and more successfully. I whole-heartedly recommend Unleash the Power of the Female Brain by Daniel G. Amen, MD.

+++
Dr Amen, if you are listening, I would like to request you publish a book on SOOTHING the ALLERGIC and/or AUTO-IMMUNE BRAIN answering questions on how to do so including:
* what effect does ingesting allergens that are healthy for most people (such as strawberries, fish, peanuts...) on brain SPECT scan in healthy vs allergic brains?
* what effect does gluten have on brain SPECT scan in healthy vs allergic brains?
* what effect does dairy have on brain SPECT scan in healthy vs allergic brains?
* what effect does excitotoxins such as Nutrasweet have on brain SPECT scan in healthy vs allergic brains?
* do people with gluten-intolerance and/or auto-immune disorders such as Celiacs and Hashimoto's have different brain SPECT scans than others and how to optimize?
* how to best address brains responding to otherwise healthy items as allergens?
* how to best address brains that are currently on auto-immune disfunction?
I think there is a great need for this book and that it would be a best seller. I also think there is a high need for your input into autism. I would also find it interesting to read what effects different fats have on our fat-based brains in your opinion based upon your many years of reading SPECT brain images and knowing what makes brains healthier. Thank you for your work and making the world a better place to live.

+++ UPDATE July 2014
I still highly recommend this book. Everything I learned from it, I am still using with great results.

You can get this information anywhere. He is not a scientist or qualified to convince you to change your life. How he got PBS to promote him is beyond me. They have been duped, TED has been duped. He wants you to spend your money to go to his clinics and pay him thousands of dollars. He has a staff of lawyers ready to threaten any article that doesn't think he is the most wonderful person on the planet. Your insurance will not pay for most of the tests, so be careful. The much touted SPECT scan has NOT been shown by any scientist to be in any way a predictive of disease. He sells propriety pills that you can go to any store and get it for more than half of what he charges. His giant claims are not false, but he isn't selling you anything information or services that you can't get from your own family MD. My feeling is he wants to be a guru. The first half of the book is only about all of the success stories of his patients. All claiming his clinic saved and/or changed their life. If you commit to any program your life will be changed. If you stick with it, it will be changed forever. I feel that people are vulnerable to someone who comes out and says he has found a obscure scan that PROVES you have a terrible brain and HIS program (and only HIS program is implied) will improve your life. Let's face it, if you exercise, eat a plant based diet, and cut down on alcohol and sugar you will increase your life span incredibly. I resent that he is doing this for money. I don't see anything that is out of any compassion except the compassion to fatten his wallet. Please, readers, take care of yourself and be careful how you spend your money on healthcare. Medical care has become prohibitively expenses; make sure you can afford this.Otherwise save money for the real proven medicine that you might need someday...

Being female, this book caught my attention right away. Women have always had powerful brains, they just were not recognized for it. This book tells women how to get the most from their brains. The author starts with the fact that women have to care about their brains and how they take care of them. If the brain is properly taken care of it can do some pretty amazing things. He goes on to talk about female strong points like intuition, empathy, collabaoration, self-control and a little worry. These strong female qualities can help women perform their best mentally. He goes on to discuss hormones, nutrition, stress reduction and how to deal with failure. For folks with ADD there is a chapter on that and how to quiet the negative chatter. There is a chapter on sex and the female brain, and pregnancy and how both the female can prepare her brain and the brain of her baby for the best performance.

This book is a good one for women. Too long we have been told that we are inferior to men, when in reality women are very capable of dealing with life's problems, and serving in areas of leadership. We in America recognize this and American women have many advantages over women in other parts of the world.

A quick glance at the author's bio and you see that he has spent his life surrounded by women. He can speak from personal experience as well as from a research point of view. I give this book 5 stars because women need to be appreciated for the amazing power they have when the female brain is unleashed. -- Valerie Lull, Author, Ten Healthy Teas

This book contains a lot of information regarding the intricacies of the female brain. How since the right and left sides connect together more, women are more prone to negative thoughts (ANTs) and suffer from depression more. However, there are many positive aspects of the female brain. How we are able to empathize more. And he even has a section on the pregnancy brain, which was very interesting. As the female brain shrinks during pregnancy, but it is being rewired so when the pregnancy is over, the brain returns to its normal size, but with more neural pathways and so forth. It turns out, there really is a reason why "Mommy knows best." What is especially fascinating about this book, are the pictures included comparing normal brains to a person who has been exposed to mold or other mind altering conditions. Those pictures are most impacting and really do make one develop "brain envy" and try to improve their brain. Many of the suggestions for improving one's brain given in the book are similar to the suggestions for gluten-free diets, sugar-free diets and the like. Pretty much the all organic, gluten-free, and fresh fruits and vegetables way of eating are the key to the healthy brain. But, somehow, it is easier to think of nutrition for one's mind rather than fretting over nutrition for weight purposes. The only reason I don't give the book the full five stars is because I found it to be a slow read. Not because of advanced medical terminology or anything like that, but rather because somehow it just doesn't flow. The information is worthwhile, but one really has to be determined to plod through the material to read it.

This book contains a lot of information regarding the intricacies of the female brain. How since the right and left sides connect together more, women are more prone to negative thoughts (ANTs) and suffer from depression more. However, there are many positive aspects of the female brain. How we are able to empathize more. And he even has a section on the pregnancy brain, which was very interesting. As the female brain shrinks during pregnancy, but it is being rewired so when the pregnancy is over, the brain returns to its normal size, but with more neural pathways and so forth. It turns out, there really is a reason why "Mommy knows best." What is especially fascinating about this book, are the pictures included comparing normal brains to a person who has been exposed to mold or other mind altering conditions. Those pictures are most impacting and really do make one develop "brain envy" and try to improve their brain. Many of the suggestions for improving one's brain given in the book are similar to the suggestions for gluten-free diets, sugar-free diets and the like. Pretty much the all organic, gluten-free, and fresh fruits and vegetables way of eating are the key to the healthy brain. But, somehow, it is easier to think of nutrition for one's mind rather than fretting over nutrition for weight purposes. The only reason I don't give the book the full five stars is because I found it to be a slow read. Not because of advanced medical terminology or anything like that, but rather because somehow it just doesn't flow. The information is worthwhile, but one really has to be determined to plod through the material to read it.

I am always interested in learning more about my health, and I am a firm believer that our bodies (including our brains) tend to be tied together in ways that we don't always understand. I saw this and thought it sounded interesting, so I thought I would give it a try. It quickly became more of a frustration than a learning experience.

I will concede that the book does have a lot of information in it - much of it a rehash of things that can be found elsewhere, but some new (to me) information and a lot more explanation of the science involved. But barring that, the main advice in the book can be broken down into 3 main parts:

1. Get lots (and lots!) of expensive testing done - much of which insurance will not pay for unless there is a specific health related issue needing further testing. This includes a brain scan known as a SPECT.

2. Log into [...] - repeatedly. Oh, but you can only access all of the information referred to in the book if you join (and pay). The first two weeks are $1, I don't know how much after that. I wasn't willing to try it out, only to potentially deal with the hassle of canceling later.

3. Eat well, get plenty of rest, take a multivitamin (along with fish oil, calcium and vitamin D), use probiotics, exercise, and find a way to truly relax (meditation and spirituality). There are some other specifics listed for certain conditions such as PMS and menopause, but this is the general scope of things.

Honestly, I probably would have found much more value within the book itself if I hadn't gotten so frustrated at being told, repeatedly, to go do something on the website that I couldn't access without joining, or to go have some optional test done that I would have to pay for out of pocket. That kind of money is just not available to me in any capacity.

I'm certain there are people who will get a lot from this book, and to them I wish the best. It just isn't for me.

Daniel Amen's book is an excellent manual to help women to fall in love with their brains. Additionally, he says that it is more important for women to boost their brain reserves so, because we're more at risk for Alzheimer's and dementia illness than men are. Amen also speaks about the unique strengths and challenges facing "the female brain".

Some tips Amen gives to help increase their brain's reserve are to balance their hormonal levels, since the brain runs on hormones. In one part, he discusses how to balance estrogen, progesterone and testosterone within the body. I actually enjoyed this section, especially his dietary advice to balance hormone within the female body. Amen says that different vegetables can help improve the conversion of estrogen to be more easily metabolized. He notes "ligniin," as one of the dietary fibers that accomplish this, found in green beans, peas, carrots, seeds and Brazil nuts. He says that lingin attaches to the harmful excess estrogen, and expels it through waste. He also notes how to tell whether you are suffering from an excess in these different hormonal areas (i.e physical symptoms), which, to me -- is worth the price of the book itself, since I'm constantly dealing with this issue.

Amen also recommends that women take vitamin D, fish oil, probiotics and Black Cohosh to balance hormones. He also talks about quieting the mind through learning how to kill Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS). Amen also provides different profiles of patients who have implemented some of his techniques to function better within their lives. Overall, a good book.

Dr. Amen explains how the female brain work different and needs to be treated different. If you have read many self-help and health books you will already know most of these techniques. The book is broken down into 12 chapters, with an exercise to go along with each chapter. Some of the chapters have scan codes. Unfortunately most of them did not work(it might be because it was an uncorrected proof). I would have loved to do the tests, but you have to subscribe to the website.
Chapter four was the most interesting chapter. It talked about Balancing hormones, supplements, and effects of hormone imbalance.
This book was interesting enough to finish. If I wouldn't have read multiple other health books it would have been more helpful. I did not like the fact, that you have to sign up with the website to take the tests. I also checked out the cost of a brain scan. A bit high at $2000. A helpful book if you are new to the health community, but mediocre for those who read them regularly.

I am a frequent reader of books on similar topics. This book was disappointing. It was

- a different compilation of facts thrown at you
- advertisement of products found on Amen clinic website
- buzz words, branding of the products

What it DID NOT have was

- pieces of advice/action plans/activities I could use to help my brain on my own

It was NOT a sincere effort at helping. It was sad to realize that someone with so much knowledge and experience will use that to sell products and make money instead of helping those in need. I have read books from other professionals which actually try to help you and not to sell you stuff. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

This book has a lot of useful information which I appreciated. It's also the first book I've read from the author. However, I was disappointed as many of the resource links in the book lead to a very poor user experience. Either I was taken to a page where I needed to join or buy something. In other cases, I was taken to a page that was useless.

For example, there are links in the Kindle version for audio meditations such as http://www.amenclinics.com/unleashthepowerofthefemalebrain/30-unleash-the-power-of-the-female-brain/152-meditation. But when you get to that page, there is no audio to listen to.

Fortunately, the overall reference page works.

One of my favorite pastimes is reading about health, wellness, and fitness topics, so I have a small library of books covering topics related to the female body and health and wellness issues. I wasn't sure if this book would provide any new information for me, but I learned a lot reading it, and would recommend it to readers who want to learn more about the female brain's myriad capacities.

A key concern I had about this book before I started reading it was that it was written by a man. A book on the female brain written by a male doctor? While I try to be open-minded in terms of gender, my own experience has always shown me that female doctors have a better understanding of the unique hormonal issues that women face. That being said, I was happy to see that Dr. Daniel Amen has a really solid understanding of the whole range of female experience; in fact, on the very first page of the book, he talks about all of the strong women in his life and how they have shaped his own medical practice.

This was my first exposure to Dr. Amen (I had never heard of him before reading this book), and I find his writing style to be interesting, engaging, and positive. He has a great ability to explain complex neurological topics in a clear way that is easily accessible to the average layperson. The inclusion of photos and graphics (from things like SPECT scans of the brain) were also really interesting.

I definitely recommend this book for an interesting read!

This book is an incredibly comprehensive and fascinating look into the workings of the female brain. Through brain imaging comparisons, personal stories, descriptions of strengths and challenges, and how to take advantage of each, Dr. Amen provides answers to dispel myths and support the incredible strength and uniqueness of our brain. Unleash the Power of the Female Brain is the ultimate instruction manual, and is a must read for women who want to remain active for their family and to model behaviors and educate future generations. In particular, I enjoyed Chapter 7, “Get Control of the Female Brain”. Half, no most, of the battle to improve female brain function is in the initial planning and strategies. Self-soothing the female brain is a huge part of controlling it. A myriad of tips, including strategic placement of “anchor images”, what supermarket aisles to avoid, placement of items in a menu, and boosting decision-making power, all were enlightening and let us know the lay of the battlefield. This is an all-inclusive, entertaining, factual, scientifically accurate tool that we, as women, need in order to make a serious commitment to our brain health and the health of our families for generations to come.

I respect Dr. Amen and have benefited from his books, but this book is misleading. First, most of the book is basic information that works for all humans, not just females. His suggestions on diet, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy apply equally to both biological sexes.

The parts that do relate to a "female" brain fail to acknowledge that brain anatomy is on a continuum. Researchers believe 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men are "bridge brains" falling in the middle of the spectrum. So lumping all females into one type of "female" brain is perpetuating what science calls a "tyranny of the mean." There aren't "two" brain types (male and female). There are infinite variations on a continuum.

The other information he directs specifically to women is about hormones, but again, that's about hormones, not about brain differences. The rest of the book is more sociology than neuroscience, pseudo self-help babble about how women should be ok with taking care of themselves because it makes them better mothers and it's women who will influence the world by raising brain healthy kids. That part was rather offensive, actually. 1 in 5 women do not give birth, and many men are raising children. Plus, it's rather presumptuous to speak to women as if we need to be given a justification for taking care of ourselves. If women let their self care lapse because of their families, that's not being "female," that's being co-dependent.

Dr. Amen relies on much research by others to justify a "female" brain, which he implies is "natural." But the research of Lesley Rogers in "Sexing the Brain" goes a long way to dispelling the idea that any sex differences we observe between male and female brains are biologically determined. Epigenetics and neuroplasiticy alone cast doubt on the reliability of talking about a biologically "female" brain in a gender binary culture. Dr. Amen himself gives an example of this in the book, when he points out that men score similarly on empathy tests when their attention is drawn to it. That's consistent with brain research that shows that we are more likely to develop skills we pay attention to developing.

Finally, I think it's misleading to say "women scored higher on 70 variables" without talking about how much higher. What kinds of differences are we talking about here and are they big enough to warrant perpetuating the pink and blue thinking that men and women are from different planets when it comes to brain function? Putting a pink cover and the words "Female Brain" on a book may help sell more copies, but it doesn't help humanity to see what's common to us all bringing us together and not continue to focus on our differences to keep us apart

Dr. Amen writes in a scientific manner without talking over the reader's head and he doesn't talk down either. This book is full of basic information regarding what goes on in our body at each stage of life, and what it does to our bodies and brains. He offers help on his website, advice for getting tests to verify what is going on and what to do about it.

Knowing why we should lose weight, change our diet, change some behaviors and more give the reader a reason to do it. And, Dr. Amen has followed his own advice and changed his life and is an example of what it possible.

I'd highly recommend this book if you'd like to improve your health, life and general outlook, at any stage of life.

This book is excellent like all the other Amen books. When I first started reading his books I couldn't get used to his style and arrogance, so I put them down. Now I've read them all 3-4 times including this book. I like to re-read when I need a kick in the pants to take care of myself. I would recommend this book to all women.