The UltraMind Solution: The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind

by Mark Hyman

Is your brain broken?

We refer to our broken brains by many names—depression, anxiety, memory loss, brain fog, ADHD, autism, to name a few—and although we can’t see it, this silent epidemic affects more than 1 billion people worldwide.

If you can answer yes to any of the following, you may have a broken brain:

Are you depressed, feeling down, and don’t have the drive to do anything?

Do you find it next to impossible to focus or concentrate?

Do you get anxious, worried, or stressed-out frequently?

Does your mind feel foggy, unable to experience the world clearly?

All is not lost. In The UltraMind Solution, New York Times bestselling author Mark Hyman shows that to fix your broken brain, you must heal your body first. Dr. Hyman presents a simple six-week plan based on the emerging field of functional medicine to restore health and gain an UltraMind—one that’s highly focused, able to pay attention at will, has a strong memory, and leaves us feeling calm, confident, in control, and in good spirits.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Nutrition, Food, Psychology, Brain

447 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2007

About the author

Mark Hyman, MD, believes that we all deserve a life of vitality--and that we have the potential to create it for ourselves. That's why he is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. Dr. Hyman and his team work every day to empower people, organizations, and communities to heal their bodies and minds, and improve our social and economic resilience.

Dr. Hyman is a practicing family physician, an eleven-time New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his field. He is the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. He is also the founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center, chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, a medical editor of The Huffington Post, and was a regular medical contributor on many television shows including CBS This Morning, Today Show, CNN, and The View, Katie, and The Dr. Oz Show.

Dr. Hyman works with individuals and organizations, as well as policymakers and influencers. He has testified before both the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Senate Working Group on Health Care Reform on Functional Medicine. He has consulted with the Surgeon General on diabetes prevention and participated in the 2009 White House Forum on Prevention and Wellness. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa nominated Dr. Hyman for the President's Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. In addition, Dr. Hyman has worked with President Clinton, presenting at the Clinton Foundation's Health Matters, Achieving Wellness in Every Generation conference, and the Clinton Global Initiative, as well as with the World Economic Forum on global health issues. He is the winner of the Linus Pauling Award, The Nantucket Project Award, and was inducted in the Books for Better Life Hall of Fame.

Dr. Hyman also works with fellow leaders in his field to help people and communities thrive--with Rick Warren, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Dr. Daniel Amen, he created The Daniel Plan, a faith-based initiative that helped The Saddleback Church collectively lose 250,000 pounds. He is as an advisor and guest co-host on The Dr. Oz Show and is on the board of Dr. Oz's HealthCorps, which tackles the obesity epidemic by educating American students about nutrition. With Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Michael Roizen, Dr. Hyman crafted and helped introduce the Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 to the United States Senate to provide for reimbursement of lifestyle treatment of chronic disease. And, with Tim Ryan in 2015, helped introduce the ENRICH Act into Congress to fund nutrition in medical education. Dr. Hyman plays a substantial role in a major film produced by Laurie David and Katie Couric, released in 2014, called Fed Up, which addresses childhood obesity.

Reviews

[Skylar Burris · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I read “The Ultra-mind Solution,” I was continuously reminded of a joke a friend and I used to tell in the 80’s anytime a certain commercial for a Home Remedy book would come on television: “Have cancer? Try a banana!” Only in this author’s case, it’s more like “Have autism? Try a glutten-free diet in combination with eliminating all sugar and caffeine and all food additives, and don’t get within two feet of mercury!”

I almost hate to give this book such a low rating, because there is a great deal of good advice to be found within it. The problem is that the good advice is mixed up with so much misinformation, nutritional extremism, misapplication of statistics, self-promotion, and redundant writing that I cannot allow myself to increase the rating.

I think this author makes a number of valid criticisms of the way we do medicine, particularly psychiatric medicine, today. But he ventures too far into the realm of pseudo-science and greatly discounts the value of pharmaceuticals. The primary problem is that there is no way to scientifically verify his assertions, since in his view the prescription varies so widely from person to person and involves a web of dietary, behavioral, and environmental changes that are entirely specific to the individual and that cannot heal the person’s mind-body problems unless made all in conjunction with each other. This is more like divination than science. (No wonder he charges his patients a $2,000 consulting fee--or so I've heard.)

Despite Dr. Hyman's criticism of a one-size fits all approach to medicine (Have this disorder? Take this pill!), he takes the same approach to nutrition at times: EVERYONE should IMMEDIATELY eliminate “any form of sugar” from their diet. Really? Everyone? Immediately? ANY form? Yes, of course, for sugar is a “toxin.” Yes, it’s probably a good idea for just about everyone to reduce their intake of sugar to more moderate amounts. It’s not such a good idea to shout that the sky is falling and it’s made of toxins.

Sometimes this guy is unintentionally funny, such as here: “So the next time you’re stressed out, think about how you’re killing your brain cells and take a deep breath.” Because whatever I was already worried about wasn’t enough…

Hyman’s book includes a series of self-tests you can take to determine from which nutritional deficiencies you suffer (and these deficiencies are certainly causing any medical or psychiatric problems you may have). Then you can buy the supplements from which he profits to make up for those deficiencies. Here’s how a typical test goes (I’ve crafted this as a partial parody, but it’s not far from what he actually writes):

VITAMIN BS QUIZ

Check all that apply and then total your score.

1. I feel like I have more energy after I drink coffee.
2. I have autism, ADHD, depression, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, indigestion, allergies, asthma, PMS, frequent colds, OR headaches.
3. I drink three or more alcoholic beverages a week.
4. My nails are brittle or soft.
5. I feel tired in the morning when I wake up.
6. I sleep less than nine hours a night.
7. I want sex less often than I used to when I was young and it new and exciting
8. I drink tap water or bottled water.

0-2 points: You may have a mild BS deficiency. Follow my six-week program religiously.

2-4 points: You may have a moderate BS deficiency. Follow my six week program religiously and supplement with BS rich foods (outlined in Chapter 23) and the BS supplements I sell.

6+ points: You may have a severe BS deficiency. See your doctor and talk to him about my book and my supplements.

If you didn’t already have a mental disorder, you might develop one thinking about how all those various “toxins” such as gluten and sugar and food additives you’ve been consuming for years are slowly killing you and trying to figure out which six or seven vitamins or nutrients you are deficient in and adding them to your diet and then figuring out what nine or ten foods or chemicals are contributing to your health and mental problems and then entirely eliminating them from your diet and environment. I mean, it’s hard enough dealing with a proven, tested nut allergy.

Before I end this review, I’d like to leave you with a prime example of Dr. Hyman’s use of statistics.

“Recent research has found that homicide mortality in the UK increased dramatically with the increase in concentration of linoleic acid from soy. The same thing happened in the U.S., Australia…” COME ON! Soy oil is responsible for the increased murder rate? I mean, I agree they put too much soy in everything (and, since my daughter has a soy allergy – a tested one, mind you – I’m well aware of how many things unnecessarily have soy in them), but, really – have you ever heard the adage “Correlation does not necessarily imply causation”? Might there have been one or two or three OTHER factors contributing to the increased murder rate, and isn’t it possible soil oil had, well, absolutely nothing to do with it?

I think it may be time to give up on these health books. There is such a web of contradiction in the advice of doctors and nutritionists. Too much meat is killing you. Too little meat is killing you. Carbohydrates are bad. You need carbohydrates to feed your brain. Gluten is the source of all of our modern medical evils. You need more whole wheat in your diet. Soy is altering our hormones and causing problems. Soy is a great source of nutrition. Here’s all I know for sure: it’s better if I exercise more than I currently do and to eat fewer sweets and treats and fried foods.

[thewestchestarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Better brain bull****. Instead of a critique, I present a rough synopsis. Your brain is busted!!!!! You are having trouble reading this review not because it is semi-articulate tripe but because your brain is buss’d!!!! You have stopped paying attention to this review and are thinking about your genitals not because it is a semi-coherent rant but because YOU BRAIN IS BUSS’D!!!!

How do you get your brain to work? Simply avoid the following: sea bass, football, white wine, prescription drugs, playing soccer, trans-fats, over-the-counter drugs, cell phones, aspirin, baseball, mold, children, swordfish, tea, stress, air pollution, getting up early, antacids, lead, television, mixed drinks, going to bed late, sushi, anti-inflammatory tablets, soda, marriage, violent video games, car exhaust, coffee, boxing, high-fructose corn syrup, anti-psychotics, hard work, tuna, anti-depressives, Chinese coal-fired power plants, electro-magnetic fields and although Hyman (author) doesn’t specifically say, one would presume holding your breath until you pass out is also a no-no.

So what is not on the broken brain prohibition list? That amounts to sleeping and sardines (no seriously he recommends eating sardines). Fail to follow Hyman’s advice and you will continue to meander about lost in your present paralyzing mental fog and your boss will continue to work on organizing for you and your fellow brain dead colleagues commuting program using short yellow buses.

[Lionkhan-sama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot put into words how incredible this book is.
I plan on buying a copy for every single person I care about in life.

You can't not know this stuff. It's essential to every single person alive.
It's information that has been hidden from the majority for far too long.

Say goodbye to disease as we modernly know it!

[Skylar Burris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a one-star review, so right away you know it’s going to be very, very long. If I were giving a five star review, I would of course limit my comments to one or two paragraphs.

As I read “The Ultra-mind Solution,” I was continuously reminded of a joke a friend and I used to tell in the 80’s anytime a certain commercial for a Home Remedy book would come on television: “Have cancer? Try a banana!” Only in this author’s case, it’s more like “Have autism? Try a glutten-free diet in combination with eliminating all sugar and caffeine and all food additives, and don’t get within two feet of mercury!”

I almost hate to give this book only one star, because there is a great deal of good advice to be found within it. The problem is that the good advice is mixed up with so much misinformation, nutritional extremism, misapplication of statistics, self-promotion, and horrible, redundant writing that I cannot allow myself to increase the rating.

I think this author makes a number of valid criticisms of the way we do medicine, particularly psychiatric medicine, today. But he ventures too far into the realm of pseudo-science and discounts completely the proven value of pharmaceuticals. The primary problem is that there is no way to scientifically verify his assertions, since in his view the prescription varies so widely from person to person and involves a web of dietary, behavioral, and environmental changes that are entirely specific to the individual and that cannot heal the person’s mind-body problems unless made all in conjunction with each other. This is not science. This is divination. (No wonder he charges his patients a $2,000 consulting fee--or so I've heard.)

Despite Dr. Hyman's criticism of a one-size fits all approach to medicine (Have this disorder? Take this pill!), he takes the same approach to nutrition at times: EVERYONE should IMMEDIATELY eliminate “any form of sugar” from their diet. Really? Everyone? Immediately? ANY form? Yes, of course, for sugar is a “toxin.” Ah! Toxin! My favorite pseudo-scientific word. It’s amazing the human race has managed to survive long enough to procreate while eating this toxin for the last several thousand years. Yeah, it’s probably a good idea for just about everyone to reduce their intake of sugar to more moderate amounts. It’s not such a good idea to shout that the sky is falling and it’s made of toxins.

Sometimes this guy is unintentionally funny, such as here: “So the next time you’re stressed out, think about how you’re killing your brain cells and take a deep breath.” Yeah, because whatever I was worried about wasn’t enough, I’ve got to think about how I’m killing my brain cells too.

Hyman’s book includes a series of self-tests you can take to determine which nutritional deficiencies you suffer from (and these deficiencies are certainly causing any medical or psychiatric problems you may have). Then you can buy the supplements from which he profits to make up for those deficiencies. Here’s how a typical test goes (I’ve crafted this as a partial parody, but it’s not far from what he actually writes):

VITAMIN BS QUIZ

Check all that apply and then total your score.

1. I feel like I have more energy after I drink coffee.
2. I have autism, ADHD, depression, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, indigestion, allergies, asthma, PMS, frequent colds, OR headaches.
3. I drink three or more alcoholic beverages a week.
4. My nails are brittle or soft.
5. I feel tired in the morning when I wake up.
6. I sleep less than nine hours a night.
7. I want sex less often than I used to when I was young and it new and exciting
8. I drink tap water or bottled water.

0-2 points You may have a mild BS deficiency. Follow my six-week program religiously.

2-4 points You may have a moderate BS deficiency. Follow my six week program religiously and supplement with BS rich foods (outlined in Chapter 23) and the BS supplements I sell.

6+ points You may have a severe BS deficiency. See your doctor and talk to him about my book and my supplements.

If you didn’t already have a mental disorder, you might develop one thinking about how all those various “toxins” such as gluten and sugar and food additives you’ve been consuming for years are slowly killing you and trying to figure out which six or seven vitamins or nutrients you are deficient in and adding them to your diet and then figuring out what nine or ten foods or chemicals are contributing to your health and mental problems and then entirely eliminating them from your diet and environment. I mean, it’s hard enough dealing with a proven, tested nut allergy.

Before I end this review, I’d like to leave you with a prime example of Dr. Hyman’s use of statistics.

“Recent research has found that homicide mortality in the UK increased dramatically with the increase in concentration of linoleic acid from soy. The same thing happened in the U.S., Australia…” COME ON! Soy oil is responsible for the increased murder rate? I mean, I agree they put too much soy in everything (and, since my daughter has a soy allergy – a tested one, mind you – I’m well aware of how many things unnecessarily have soy in them), but, really – have you ever heard the adage “Correlation does not necessarily imply causation”? Might there have been one or two or three OTHER factors contributing to the increased murder rate, and isn’t it possible soil oil had, well, absolutely nothing to do with it?

I give up on these health books. There is such a web of contradiction in the advice of doctors and nutritionists. Too much meat is killing you. Too little meat is killing you. Carbohydrates are bad. You need carbohydrates to feed your brain. Gluten is the source of all of our modern medical evils. You need more whole wheat in your diet. Soy is altering our hormones and causing problems. Soy is a great source of nutrition.

Here’s all I know for sure: it’s better if I exercise more than I currently do and if I eat fewer sweets and treats and fried foods. And I should probably keep it under three bottles of red wine a week. (That “I have more than three glasses of alcohol a week” question was in every one of his stinking self tests. Three GLASSES? Come on! Have you ever heard of Europe?) That’s all I’m aiming for right now.

[Judith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eat right, exercise, get the appropriate amount of sleep, eliminate caffeine, alcohol, sugar, white flour, gluten and hydrogenated fats from your diet. . . . stop me if you've heard this one before.

[Pete Brigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. It shows how toxicity is the problem—and explains how to address it. Learning about the amazing detoxifier glutatione, and our ability to stimulate its production by taking NAC, was a big take-away from the book. Overall, it comes down to a plant-based diet, no matter how you look at it. We are trying Veganuary for the first time this year, and not missing our cheese. (OK, not much!)

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my guiding principles has always been: Never read a book that has the word "ultra" in the title.

However, interesting perspectives on diet & health intrigue me, & when I saw endorsements from such respected doctors as Dean Ornish, Christiane Northrup & Mehmet Oz, I decided to break my rule and plunge into The UltraMind Solution.

I'm glad I did, for this book is an engaging read that's full of cutting edge science & practical advice. Dr. Mark Hyman has been on a mission to do medicine & health differently since conventional medical thinking failed him in his own debilitating illness twelve years ago (Mercury poisoning). He convincingly argues that maintaining the body's health is essential for the brain's well-being, and that many mental & psychological disorders can be rooted in physical, biochemical derangements in the body's health & metabolism.

In part one of the book he details the background: his personal story which led to his changed philosophy & practice of medicine. He is an advocate of what is termed functional medicine, a relatively new discipline which focuses on not the established "label the disease, give it a drug" approach but "find what's functionally wrong behind the patient's symptoms, then correct the body's metabolism back to optimum function."

The second part of the book contain the outline of his "Seven Keys to Ultra-Wellness". He covers optimizing nutrition, balancing hormones, reducing inflammation throughout the body, fixing digestive tract problems, enhancing the body's detoxification, boosting energy metabolism, & calming the mind itself. The third part of the book covers a six week plan to initiate many of these changes, while the fourth part goes into specifics for each of his seven key areas.

Ok, so what's the bottom line? There's a lot of intriguing information and sound advice in the 400+ pages, & I saw nothing that I absolutely disagreed with. Like any diet or health book, he has his own viewpoint & focus, & some of his strategies & recommendations will work better for some than others. This book was a major swing factor in my own decision to try a vegan gluten free caffeine free water only lifestyle, which was difficult but very beneficial for me in multiple areas. I can see this book being useful for two groups of people: First, people who are suffering from problems such as anxiety, depression, "brain fog", adhd, migraines or other brain related problems might find something helpful or even life-changing in his plan. Other people, like myself, who are interested in new approaches & optimum health will certainly find new concepts & tools that they can implement in their own healthy lifestyle. Either way, an excellent book to read.

[Saadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Hyman uses the latest scientific discoveries to re-affirm the influence of environmental toxins and the food we eat on our health. He specifically details the direct pathways affecting our health at the cellular level in the nervous, digestive and immune system. It can be frightening to some but ultimately at the end of the book, one understands that health is at one's fingertips, i.e. self-care, and Dr. Hyman gives the 6 week program to cleanse and detoxify one's body. Of course, I already knew much of what is covered but in bits and pieces: no sugar, no processed flours, avoid food allergens, additives, toxic metals, etc. but this book ties it all together in a very clear and up to date presentation. I really like the inclusion of relaxation techniques as well as exercise.

[Desinka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very up-to-the-point, solution oriented book. I've read a couple of others on the subject an this one impressed me with offering clear explanations, easy action steps and an overall sense of achievability:)

I listened to this and I liked the author's narration.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH. This book is not only terrible but dangerous. A blogger I like recommended it, and I was hoping it might have some good information on how diet affects mood. If it were just about that, it might have been halfway decent, but instead, the author goes WAY too far, saying that many physical and mental illnesses "don't exist" and that most medicines are unnecessary- ignoring that in many cases, medication for mental illness is life-saving. He also spouts a bunch of bunk about how "toxins" are responsible for a whole host of conditions, including autism. While he does say that he doesn't think vaccines cause autism, he cites Andrew Wakefield, gives a lot of misleading information about mercury in vaccines, and gives a bunch of unproven claims about toxins and autism. He has all these checklists that you're supposed to use to see if you might have some kind of deficiency or chemical imbalance, but the items on the checklist include a lot of things that practically anyone could check yes to, like taking ibuprofen or birth control, and it always tells you that you might at least have a "mild" deficiency. More often than not, the example stories he gave about people who were magically cured of their problems by changing their diet made me say, "Uh, yeah, that happened."

The diet he recommends is basically Whole 30 except two weeks longer, but he acts as if gluten and dairy are harmful for everyone, not just those who have celiac disease or are lactose intolerant. If you don't have celiac but feel better after not eating gluten, it's because you're eating fewer carbs and less sugar, not because of the lack of gluten. And he's so anti-dairy that although much of this book talks about healing gut inflammation with probiotics, he never once mentions that foods like yogurt and kefir are great sources of probiotics. (And the fact that yogurt and kefir are good for you is something I've heard directly from a professor I work with who is literally a world-renowned expert on the gut microbiome.) He'll also mention that there are tips on following the diet in a supplemental book, which isn't included here because he "ran out of space." Uh, sure.

Yes, everyone should strive to eat healthier, and improving your diet may have a positive effect on your mind, but please don't believe the claims made in this book. Diagnoses are not the enemy. Pills are not the enemy. Gluten, dairy, and moderate amounts of sugar are not the enemy. If you have what he refers to as a "broken brain," see a doctor- don't think that this book will help you.

[Robertderryck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite its hyperbolic title, this is one of best medical resource books I've found for dealing with chronic ailments. Having suffered for a number of years from chronic problems that conventional doctors have been incapable of explaining (something that unfortunately is occurring more and more frequently in our modern society), I'm heartened by the extensive information and recommendations provided by Dr. Hyman. The focus of the book is on what has, until recently, been unfortunately completely ignored by conventional medicine: the strong interplay between our core bodily systems - digestive, neurological, immune, metabolic, etc. The increasingly specialized approach of modern doctors has left most of them clueless when it comes to treating ailments whose causes fall outside the specialists' narrow fields of expertise. As the book suggests, there is hope for the future, as medical school programs begin to explore this promising new field of integrative medicine.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book discussing what everyday eating habits can do for or against your overall health. I learned a LOT, and I come from a family of health care workers.

Even if you choose not to go for the full plan, making the overall changes suggested will help you feel much better. My husband and I have been sleeping better, not crashing at the end of the day, and seen other improvements in our health (not "major" things, since doctors would already say we were healthy, but small changes, such as reduced blood pressure and blood sugar levels).

If you have health complaints that your traditional doctor can't seem to solve or you don't agree with the suggested treatment (ex: antibacterial ointment for acne), try this out. It's very likely that this minor problems are symptoms of some bigger nutritional problem.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who is battling with a child with autism, This book seems like it can be a benefit for you to read. There are suggestions on what you can do to help and possibly reverse autism. It is helpful for those of us that want to prevent any health issues or just to be healthier. The book gets you thinking about how our society is slowly killing us. It took me a while to get through this one. At times it was very dry reading, but I stuck with it and it gave me some things to consider. I might try the "diet" at the back of the book. It is not a typical diet to lose weight, but more to help make your mind work at its optimal state.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific book for anyone with allergies, food issues, etc. I read it in one sitting, which is unusual for a book like this. We started following advice and so far I have lost 18 pounds, my husband has lost 12, taking the supplements, avoiding certain foods, etc. We feel like different people. Or at least the same people in different bodies. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in an alternative to Big Pharmas, etc.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! A book that tells you WHY your body doesn't need white flour, suger and dairy; and how much it DOES need fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish oil and vitamins--and what happens when you do or don't take them. A very fascinating read, and one I want to have as a reference book.

[Zulu Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information contained within the book is both excellent and fascinating, and I would encourage everybody to read it if it were not for the repetitive style and self-promotion contained within. It does feel as if the book easily could've been half the length.

A wary reader will find plenty to chew on though. I've experimented with a lot of the advice and must admit I feel MUCH better for it.

The companion pdf guide to the book is freely available from Hyman's website and I'd recommend potential readers have a look at that first when deciding whether to read the book proper.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is very controversial, so Dr. Hyman is either a genius or a nut job, I am leaning toward genius.

Just finished it, and it has given me a lot of great information and ideas. Definitely worth a 6-week trial to see if these techniques work as well as predicted (most topics I have heard for years, just never had the motivation to execute on them).

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strategies and principles in this book work! Since incorporating them a year ago, I have lost 15 pounds and my complexion is clearer. I plan to continue a gluten-free and dairy-free lifestyle and limit my sugars and grains indefinitely.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three weeks on my way to UltraWellness and I'm seeing noticeable improvements in my brain power and mood. Maybe I will have more to say in another three weeks.

[Luiza2002 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid fuck ass book

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ultra Mind solution is a good companion to read AFTER Ultraprevention (by the same author). There is some repition, but they are good points and so making them stick would be beneficial. Dr. Hyman does explain and define his terms used in both books very well in ultraprevention, and so if you do read that one first you would go into ultra mind with a better understanding. While ultraprevention focused on getting healthy in order to live a disease free life, ultra mind of course focused on getting healthy in order to achieve mental wellness. He explains how the mind and body are inadverntently connected, and that if you want to fix your mind you must first fix your body.

The only thing keeping this from a five star rating is that Dr. Hyman constantly referred to the ultramind solution companion guide that you are supposed to be able to download for free at ultramind.com/guide. It of course wasn't there any more, but I did find it here: http://www.ultramind.com/files/guide.pdf . It is in my experience that people listen to audiobooks because they don't want to or can't read the actual book. So it was more than a little odd that he kept referring the reader to a 200 page guide! It was very discouraging when I found it - I would much rather it be a quick 5 pager.

[Shellie (Layers of Thought) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was basically interesting in a challenging sort of way. It describes a diet/way of life/vitamin program that essentially cleanses the system of toxins and helps with brain chemical imbalances. Hyman also describes many of the chemical processes which occur in the brain as a result of normal/healthy/unhealthy eating and living practices. These process are desribed in "laymans" terms, but are difficult to follow. I skipped through most of these described process even though I have a very basic knowledge on the subject from pre-nursing courses.
The diet itself is a tough one which most people would find extremely difficult to follow. It looks as if it would also be expensive and time consuming. This book is for the truly ill and desperate as well as those whom have the time, money, and ability to follow this rigorous diet.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book 5 stars because it was the launching pad for me to finally get to the bottom of my health issues and for that I am sooooo grateful. However, the writing is horribly redundant and I found myself saying "ok I get it just tell me what to do now!" I finally realized that it's likely because the author knows not everyone is going to read it cover to cover as I'd planned. And honestly, I skipped about 100 pages in the middle.
I think it's good for a starting point for people interested in helping some of their ailments cease! And though I can't buy into the idea of everything he mentions being becUse of deficiency in diet, I do believe the help looking for starts there.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

My diet is terrible. I eat out at restaurants all the time. The rest of the time I order take out. No fruit. Not a lot of vegetables. I drink lots and lots of Coke. I trained for and ran a marathon but afterwards my brain still felt foggy and my body felt weak.

So I decided to start learning about nutrition and this is book #1. It has scared the shit out of me.

[Alex Murygin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't recommend this book now as i haven't finished the program mentioned in this book. But I've started and looks like it's kind of fantastic. I'll update status as only i finish the program.
I think this will be interesting for everybody who'd like to live healthy life )

[Devon Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a loooooong book. For me, it was life-changing and made it onto my list of Books That Changed My Life. But Dr. Mark Hyman could have written it with a lot less words, and this comes largely from repetition (and also from technical details, but that might be necessary). Not everyone is going to want to read a rather thick book filled with case studies about managing one’s mental health with lifestyle changes. But it’s an important book, and has definitely been life-changing for people besides me.

Dr. Hyman has an empire of Functional Medicine which includes several books and a clinic. I heard him just last week on The People’s Pharmacy (on NPR). His Ultramind Solution is just a variation of his whole body and whole life solution, though I believe it started with his approach to mental health. The idea is that most of disease can be tracked back to what we’re doing to our body and also that any part of our health functions as part of a whole. In this particular book, Hyman argues mental health (including autism, ADHD, bipolar, etc.) back to the body. He doesn’t dismiss genes (although sometimes he seems to make light of them) but says that they can be “turned on” or “turned off” by what is happening to the rest of our body. As for the “Solution,” Hyman resists magic bullets and instead outlines the Seven Keys to UltraWellness and even a six-week UltraMind program (Ultramind Solution) to help cool down the body, identify stressors, and move you into a lifetime of great choices and health (The Ultramind Lifestyle).

The Seven Keys to UltraWellness are:

Optimize Nutrition (food and supplementation)
Balance Your Hormones
Cool Off Inflammation (including identifying allergens)
Fix Your Digestion (not just probiotics, but cofactors, etc.)
Enhance Detoxification
Boost Energy Metabolism
Calm Your Mind
Which includes, obviously, eating well, resting well, and exercise, the triumvirate of healthy living. He also addresses many environmental toxins and stressors—some of which may just happen to us and some which we may be able to eliminate or at least reduce.

I like Dr. Hyman’s multifaceted approach, which rings true with me. I am hesitant to believe that our modern mental woes are over, though he has had many successful cases. And let’s face it: he’s not promising anything except better health and pointing out the connection between and complexity of our body’s many systems. He’s kind of saying, “This is what we’ve got to work with in our currently toxic and stressful world full of pitfalls and dangers galore. What do we know about the human body that can help us feel and operate better?” And then here comes the respect for the whole body and its communications and sensitivities, as well as long-term damage and various symptoms for more universal problems (as well as several digs against the DSM-whatever-number-we’re-on, traditional diagnoses and medication, and medical specializations).

Hyman’s other books are:

Food Fix
Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? (alternately, Food: WTF Should I Eat?)
Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? (cookbook)
10-Day Detox Diet
The Blood Sugar Solution (series of three)
Eat Fat, Get Thin (and the Eat Fat, Get Thin Cookbook)
Ultra-Metabolism
The UltraSimple Diet
Ultra-Prevention
MARK HYMAN BOOKS

There’s also plenty of information at his WEBSITE, including a podcast.

My experience with this book has changed over time. I first read it about twelve years ago. I was unable to use it to completely get everyone in my house off of meds, which is what I really wanted. But we have used it as an occasional detox and to check periodically for allergies and sensitivities. I read it most recently because I have been reigning in my diet to deal with some symptoms from vitamin deficiencies while also going through a series at church that encouraged body, spirit and soul wellness. Re-reading UltraMind Solution was really helpful. It re-educated me on things that I had forgotten. It underlined the importance of many of the things I had been implementing (like exercise and resting) and reminded me that there is still work to be done (like taking all those vitamins, and meditation). I actually feel tremendously better, with only my sinuses still really bugging me. My only hang-up, really, is getting to someone who will actually test me for things (like hormone levels and whatnot), but I did get a mediocre vitamin, heart, and thyroid panel done sort of on accident, so that helped. I really just feel like I don’t have the resources (including money) to manage everything it would take. And yet, I love implementing the majority of what is in Hyman’s books. And while my kids complain that there are no pretzels or chips in the house, I have lost ten pounds “on accident.”

I also want to note that the book is structured nicely and is fairly user-friendly. You wouldn’t even have to read the whole thing, though I found it interesting. There are quizzes to give you ideas where you (or your family members) might be having a struggle. There is a section for implementing the six-week plan and a section for practical steps to take for the long haul, as well as specific sections based on what you specifically need to work on (like inflammation, detox, etc.). There are no recipes here, but there are some online (along with a six-week meal plan) and obviously in his new cookbook. I’m far from done with this book, and I think next I will get Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?

And if you already know this book (or one of his other books) isn’t going to be your thing, I can leave you with his advice: if you do nothing else, stop ingesting high fructose corn syrup and trans fats. Those two things alone could make quite an impact.

____________________

QUOTES:

I underlined like half the book. Here are a few highlights.

“A very few fundamental problems exist that explain nearly every disease” (p42).

“Our goal in medicine should be to find the right ‘medicine’ for each person, without prejudice, whether it is a drug, a nutrient, diet change, detoxification, a hormone, exercise, or exorcism!” (p46).

“Interestingly, one of the reasons most people eat refined carbohydrates or sugars is to boost serotonin levels temporarily … then they crash, which sends them out hunting for something starchy or sugary. Unfortunately, this ultimately makes us feel more depressed and causes us to gain weight—not a very effective strategy” (p104).

“There is really no such thing as junk food—there is just food, and then there is junk” (p113).

“Many of the day-to-day complaints we think we have to live with as we age are the result of nutritional deficiencies” (p117).

***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***

[Hendrik Nõmmeots · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know, being not too savvy in the medical area I might recommend taking this book not with a grain but with a block of salt. Some things are so over-enthusiastically spoken. Some things are not specifically explained but just recommended as:
"Never eat standing up." Well, why not?
In many cases though the Dr.'s claims are backed by references and having a unhealthy lifestyle the book might steer you on the right track. I'd like to see some opinions on this book by doctors from other parts of the world. I'll give it three stars as it means "I liked it", but I'll be honest some claims made me cringe and scratch my head in confusion.

Spoiler alert: He reaches "I have nothing against vaccines" in about the middle of the book.

[Nichola Gutgold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Dr. Hyman's podcast, so I thought I'd read one of his older books. I am a big believer in the body and brain wellness working together. His advice is sound and the more I eliminate sugar the better I feel. I recommend this book. I also recommend trying to go easy on sugar and bread and just see how you feel. It has made a difference for me, even though I was not a big consumer. A little temperance goes a long way!

[Melanie Maloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very science heavy but informative

[Shelley Warticki · Rating 5 out of 5]

game changer

This is a must read for everyone with any kind of health problem. Wouldn’t you prefer to fix it with food than pharmaceuticals?