Why Isn't My Brain Working?: A revolutionary understanding of brain decline and effective strategies to recover your brain’s health

by Datis Kharrazian

Losing your memory? Can't focus or concentrate? Do you have brain fog or tire easily? Have you lost your zest for life or motivation? Do people tell you this is all a normal part of aging? If so, your brain may be growing old too fast, or degenerating. Modern diets, a stressful lifestyle, and environmental toxins all take their toll on the brain. This doesn't just happen to seniors-brain disorders and degeneration are on the rise for young and old alike. The good news is the brain is extremely adaptable and wants to get well. You simply have to know how to feed and care for your brain. How do you know if your brain isn't working? See if some of these signs and symptoms of brain degeneration apply to you: Memory loss • brain fog • depression • anxiety • difficulty learning • lack of motivation, drive, or passion • tire easily • poor focus and concentration • fatigue in response to certain chemicals or foods Brain degeneration affects millions of Americans of all ages. The destruction sets in years or even decades before Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, or other serious neurological diseases can be diagnosed. Learn how to spot brain degeneration and stop it before it's too late. Why Isn't My Brain Working? will teach you strategies to save and improve brain function. You will learn how simple diet and lifestyle changes and nutritional therapy can profoundly impact your brain health and thus the quality of your life. Don't waste another day wondering why your brain is not working. Learn what you can and should do about it. Why Isn't My Brain Working? harnesses cutting-edge scientific research for safe, simple, and truly effective solutions to declining brain function.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Self Help, Brain, Neuroscience

765 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 22, 2013

About the author

Dr. Datis Kharrazian a research fellow at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focuses on toxicology, neuroimmunology, and autoimmunity.

Reviews

[Cavin Balaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an incredibly educational read! In May of 2011, I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and was diagnosed with a Diffuse Axonal Injury. 90% of people with this injury never regain consciousness. Those who do wake up will often remain significantly impaired or in a vegetative state. I am a case study in this book (my name is changed to Colin). I began working with one of Dr. Kharrazian's colleagues, Dr. Tom Culleton, about 6 months after my TBI. I have regained so much and am currently studying to get my BSN with aspirations to go on to become a neurologist. My story can be found here: www.LightsComaAction.com

[Eve Dangerfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

Turns out this guy is a chiropractor who unironically recommends putting hot organic coffee up your asshole. I'm not joking, these java enemas are lovingly explained in a blow-by-blow paragraph I can only describe as 'real fucking gross.'
He also thinks every problem you have can be solved by cutting out gluten. WHAT ABOUT THE BIG FUCKING HOLE IN MY ROOF, YOU NON-MEDICAL DOCTOR?

I narced on this guy to Maintenance Phase. Hopefully, they do an episode. Lord knows he fucking deserves it.

Also, this book starts with the standard cop-out disclaimer "The medical information in this book is intended as general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."

ANNNND YET here he is, giving fantastically detailed advice on how to bathe your digestive tract with caffeinated beverages BUT THIS ISN'T MEDICAL ADVICE, UNDERSTOOD?!?!! DON'T DO WHAT I SAY! ANYONE WHO HAS AN ADVERSE REACTION TO SELF-BLASTING their intestines with espresso is WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THAT!

"A coffee enema is very easy to do. First you need to purchase an enema bag with an anal insert tube and a lubricant such as KY Jelly. Then make organic coffee and cool it to room temperature. (Do not use instant coffee as many brands are contaminated with gluten.) The next step is to fill the enema bag with coffee and lubricate the anal tip of the tube. You will then need to lie on your right side. It is best to perform this in the bathtub in case you spill anything. Then insert the tube into your anus and raise the bag with your hand so it is higher than your head. The higher you raise the bag the faster the bag will empty. Once the coffee has drained from the bag into your intestines try to hold the contents in your bowel for five to 10 minutes. You will have urges to have a bowel movement, but hold the contents as long as you can. The coffee will stimulate the cholinergic receptors in your intestines and activate motility as well as stimulate your vagal system to develop plasticity. The cholinergic stimulation from coffee will also cause your gallbladder to contract, helping release liver metabolism end-products into your bowel for elimination."

Mmmm, my vagal system is tingling already.

Sidenote: the coffee asshole stuff is questionable enough but I should add that old mate has a lot to say-or rather imply-about things he seems VERY unqualified to talk about including clinical depression, Alzheimer’s, and Autism.

I have found in my practice that autism is often the result of an autoimmune attack in the brain. Addressing the underlying immune imbalances can, in some cases, significantly improve autism symptoms.

"Most people who have brain impairment and even early brain degeneration suffer from fatigue, depression, and lack of motivation, and they eventually lose some sense of self. Jackie was expressing early signs of brain degeneration and early Alzheimer’s disease symptoms."

Everything about this guy reads 'quack' to me and the lack of negative or even critical reviews on this book is disturbing so PROCEED WITH ALL OF THE CAUTION OR MAYBE JUST DON'T FUCKING TAKE THIS DUDES ADVICE, HE WANTS YOU TO LATTE YOUR ASSHOLE, REMEMBER?

Sidenote to the sidenote: this book was recommended by Nicole LaPera AKA The Holistic Psychologist, a person in the mental health field I've always had a lot of time for and subsequently feel very disappointed by.

[AdultNonFiction Teton County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

TCL Call#: 616.807 Kharrazian D

Madeleine - 4 stars
And only 4 not 5 because WHAT am I to DO with all this information. So much of this book applies to my health situation and my family's but it's so expansive there is no way a lay person can extrapolate any treatments out of it themselves. This book educated me but left me feeling beyond inept at applying any suggestions he offers other than go gluten free. I found the book’s message so directly applicable to my health that I wanted to find a practitioner to assist in decoding what I needed to do. There’s 1 a state away from me with the strict disclaimer that this is not a referal - just someone who has attended the Dr.'s lectures. I tried contacting Dr. Kharrazian’s office to zero response.
In short, read the book and get blown away. Then wonder what to do about it.

[Gry Ranfelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information in this book is hands down phenomenal. There's so much information I never heard of before in this book, and I consider myself pretty well-read in this whole health-minded subculture. So many things are explained in this book which made questions I'd been wondering about for years click for me. For instance why many initially feel better on a vegan or raw vegan diet and then crash. Why some people will not get better no matter how "right" they eat - why some people can eat what seems like anything and never feel the repercussions.
I highly recommend it for anyone with autoimmune, injuries from accidents or brain disorders or ... you know ... anyone who don't want to get any of those disorders ... which means anyone. Yeah.
The chapters are pretty well structured with anecdotes spread out through them. At first I thought there were too many anecdotes, but then when he got to the chapters I was personally concerned with I appreciated all the anecdotes, so I'm sure someone will appreciate those I didn't. Which goes to show how solid a book it is - there's no one solution for anyone and different people will take different knowledge from it.
That being said, I felt the "stabilize your blood sugar and cut out gluten" mantra got old by the end. As someone who has done both for years I would've liked to see more on the cases of those people who eat a good diet but still have health issues. But maybe that's too individual for him to make a book about.

One very interesting tidbit of information was the explanation for WHY so many people are gluten and wheat intolerant compared to years back. Apparently gluten has been altered so much it's barely the same molecule anymore, creating vastly different reactions in people than fifty years ago.
But you'll have to read it to find out more about that ;-)

[Elizabeth Disalvo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think every human should read this book. I can't say enough. I have been a patient in the alternative medicine world for about 25 years (because basically NO ONE in the western medicine world could help me or tell me that there was anything wrong. My major sufferings were a mouth full of mercury amalgams that all but ruined my life and then 10 years later, Lyme disease that got my brain-for the most part.) I have done, and seen, it all in my quest to get my health back. I have come a REALLY long way but sort of got stuck at 80 to 85% better. Then I found this book. It is now my bible.
Whether it is your brain, your very low energy levels, your mood, your irritability, depression, sensitivities to toxins, perfumes, allergens, or any other myriad health issues that no normal practitioner will acknowledge- this book gives you MAJOR clues to what is wrong. It is the first truly comprehensive book that I have found that pulls it all together and shows you how the body operates as one complex system. If I had known any of the stuff in this book 10 years ago I would be a different person today...and I would have saved a tremendous amount of money.
The only hard part is finding a practitioner in my area (CT). The book is a bit overwhelming in the quantity and complexity of information, (which I think is great, really) and Dr. Kharrazian does try to make it simple at the end of the book so if you really need to go it on your own you can follow a straightforward protocol. I did follow it (it’s been about 6-8 weeks now) and I feel almost 95% back to perfect health. Thank you Dr. K!

[Marguarite Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very interested in alternative medicines for treating the body and the mind. This is definitely worth reading if you are feeling mentally and physically "off" and want an alternative approach to the overly prescribed antidepressants and other prescription drugs that our doctors push on us. Our healing all starts with nutrition.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loads of great info about all things functional neurology related- how autoimmunity, hormones, inflammation, injuries, blood sugar issues, lack of oxygen, etc. affect brain health. It's encouraging to see how much can be done to help the brain to recover and improve.
However, now I'm a little paranoid whenever I have brain farts because I know that it's nothing to ignore.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot on this topic, but this is the most organized and thorough title I've read. It seemed to answer questions I had about why my past attempts at anti inflammatory eating (Whole30) didn't work. It explained why just taking 5-htp and l-tyrosine didn't work. Personally I'm tackling fibromyalgia, depression and anxiety. I now have a new approach I can try. I've looked some online but haven't found yet whether there are any practitioners in the Atlanta area that are knowledgeable in these areas. As someone who's had no luck with the medical establishment (taking an rx got me in this mess), I'd love help but have no idea where to go.
I organized a list of what seemed to apply to me and I have to say, I'm rather overwhelmed at what to do. It's A LOT of supplements. They do so many things and so many listed for each thing, I'm not sure how to narrow down. I can't take 40 things. I wish I knew if some were more highly recommended or if certain combos seemed best. Are you just supposed to pick a few from each category? The author says now and then that taking the sets of supplements works well but I don't think he always said that. I admit I'm confused on how to proceed.

[Joanne Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family and close friends may get very tired of hearing me recommend this book. After years of trying to find a doctor who really understands my autoimmune disorders, I finally stumbled on this book and its very knowledgeable author. Now I have located a nearby practitioner schooled in his functional medicine approach. I recommend the book to anyone who has brain fog, head injury, depression, autoimmune disease or a neuro-degenerative illness (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc.) or anyone who is just interested in maximizing brain health. The author does a great job of making very complex concepts about brain function understandable to lay people.

[Kaitlin Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this book was deeply insightful full or research knowledge and tips. However, I would not recommend it if you are not somebody who already has a strong working knowledge of the body. The only exception to his would be if you have clear symptoms and know what you're looking for and use it as a reference book. And this would be an excellent reference book. Otherwise, if you're reading it for fun the answer to Why Isn't My Brain Working will probably be "Because I'm reading this book."

[Andy OBrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

The case studies in this book are profound. They should be studied as the first semester of all allopathic medical qualifications. Simply stunning how the author can resolve the most complex chronic issues by way of joining the symptoms dots & uncovering and addressing the root cause. All solutions involve natural solutions unsurprisingly.

[Kara Palley · Rating 4 out of 5]

hE’s jUsT a cHiRoPrAcToR 🤡

I just love these kind of reviews. Yes, he’s not a doctor. But no, he’s not actually trying to sell anything, or force you to do anything. But even if he was, aren’t most medical books written by people trying to sell things?

Perhaps all these reviewers should go read page 480 “in conclusion: the brain health attitude and approach“ There he explains what he’s trying to do with this book.

“my books are merely stopping points along the way, adding to an ever-growing pool of health awareness. This book is also not anti-medicine. Do not doggedly refuse medical treatments that could improve your quality of life or prevent worsening of your health. Instead, this book is about exploring the underlying causes of wire brain isn’t working, why you have a chronic health problem, why you don’t feel as good as you once did.”

And so on.

If you are already skeptical of alternative approaches, then stick with your doctor and all your pills, but then don’t complain about why you still don’t feel better.

Please don’t merely chalk things up to being “old” or any number of other things you don’t have control over (other people, your genes, etc).

You can at least understand how your brain works, and understand that there has been an explosion of chronic conditions in this country and the world. Conditions that pills most likely will not help, although they will dampen the symptoms for a time.

I have to admit even I did think this book was a little much at times, but amazingly, I skipped over those parts. Anyone can do that!

Or they can criticize a book that can be extremely informative and helpful to people, not to mention the huge number of people he and the group of professionals who have gone through his programs have helped.

Don’t wanna do a coffee enema?
Don’t do it.
He’s only offering general information and general recommendations.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It starts out promising some really interesting explanations regarding brain chemistry, cause and effects of diet, and different related diseases. Unfortunately it reads overall as a marketing scheme to get people to go see a chiropractor for needs which should be met and explained by a general health practitioner.

Its a book to use as a jumping off point for discovery, but because all advise has to be carefully sifted through, it is not the best introductory book. If anything, it's a reminder to question your doctors and ask specifically if other types of treatments are available. As I have found, as the likely audience for such a book, information can be very hard to come by.

Contains 'case studies' which read like this:

X came into my practice because of Y factors. I put them on a gluten-free or AIP diet, gave them supplements, and they were better in 3 to 12 months. It casually mentions that your GP should still be consulted.

Basically, take this advice with a grain of salt.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have any hypochondriac tendencies, don't read this, it will drive you further insane.

If you are thinking to read this as an audiobook- forget it, it is too dense and there are too many hormone, and drug names in here for none practitioners to follow. ( my mistake )

Fundamentally I found too many potential symptoms and worries that would be found in any normal human to be able to differentiate if this is science or quackery. The author is convincing but also uses many tricks of the charlatan and snake oil salesman to feel comfortable.

Ultimately I am torn though perhaps convinced that a full blood screen would be useful. It was a lot of pages for that result.

[Nailin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best practical books I've read. What the book says makes a lot of sense and reminds me to start watching my diet. I already feel the difference just by avoiding certain food mentioned in the book for a week. Highly recommended if you want to keep your brain sharp and have a higher quality life.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really scared me, but it was full of great information. I thought it was readable also considering how complicated the subject is. I still feel confused about how to implement a plan without being able to see a doctor that understands this as well, but I got a lot of great ideas to try.

[Midge · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much good information - it's one of those books I'll go back to read sections over and over. I can think of so many people that I want to read it and I wish I had read it years ago.

[Frode · Rating 4 out of 5]

Datis Kharrazian authored Why Isn’t My Brain Working? It is written for the layman, but it still includes lots of terms most folks, me included, are not familiar with. The last hundred pages include references to various studies and an index. The first 481 pages are broken into 21 chapters with the last chapter being a reference guide. Each chapter has a focus on some particular factor: blood sugar imbalance, serotonin, brain gut axis, and so forth. Each chapter generally includes at least one case study relevant to that chapter, and at the end there is a brief summary of the main points. These summaries compose the bulk of chapter 21.

For me, this book was very informative. I am a layman with no formal training in medicine or psychology, so this was not an easy read for me. I had to stay focused and engaged with the material. However, the author does explain things quite well, so most anyone can get something from the book. He advises over and over again to not use the book for self medication purposes. He encourages readers who recognize symptoms in themselves or others close to them to seek professional help. On the other hand, the book does help an ordinary person realize certain behaviors and their origins.

The case studies are from a variety of doctors scattered about the US. The mixture of real life case studies and explanatory text make the book interesting. Sometimes people write their own stories, and sometimes the doctors write up the study. The studies are observational and not at all technical. They are human interest stories. Some are quite remarkable in the outcomes; others reveal that certain damages cannot be resolved, even over time when following rigid protocols. The author states early on that he and his fellow practitioners can’t help everyone, but they can help many. Sometimes the help restores a person to normalcy, but sometimes their help is limited to stopping the deterioration of the brain. So, I think the book is hopeful but realistic.

What can you expect when you read this book? You will find out how brain health affects other parts of the body and vice versa. You will realize there is no one size fits all model; we are all different in multiple ways, so there are no ready-made solutions offered. In other words, what works for one person isn’t the model for everyone else, you included. You will find way more information that you can absorb, but you can always go back to the chapters that seem relevant and helpful to you. He does harp on diet a lot, but along with diet there are numerous supplements and so forth that are mentioned. I recommend the book, and you should recommend it to your ND or alternative health practitioner if they have not read it.

[Todd Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to review this book because it's more of an instruction manual than a typical book with a plot. For the most part, the book is a series of real-life stories of people with rather severe medical conditions that often, but not always, were successfully treated by changes to their diet with the help of supplements. As the author states towards the back of the book, this is a complicated topic and solving one's own medical issues isn't going to be as easy as "follow these 3 simple steps." As such, I finished the book thinking that I'm a bit more confused than when I started!

I'm on a continual search to improve my brain health and don't have any particular issue I'm trying to resolve. As such, two key takeaways for me from the book was that I'm going to try the "gaba challenge" and am going to look for fish oil supplements that are much higher in DHA than the ones I'm currently taking. I also started taking ginkgo biloba as the book discusses that if you have poor circulation, noticeable by constantly having cold hands and feet, you are also likely not getting proper circulation to the brain. The theory is that ginkgo biloba can help increase blood flow... we shall see!

The book is full of tips and suggestions... so many that it's hard to remember them all which is why I suggest getting a print copy of the book in addition to the audio version (I listened to the book).

[Cj Sime · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, so, so close to a 5 star rating but the excessive testimonies littered throughout the book began to feel like the author was BEGGING me to believe what he was saying, it was just too over the top. Truthfully if he had just 5 testimonies or examples in the first chapter and then possibly 2 testimonies in the subsequent chapters, I would have found the book just as valid. Then when I got to the final chapter the summaries of each protocol really made me feel like wading through the rest of the book was unnecessary. It was like he said, you need to change and here is why, and I responded, yes I totally agree, how do I do that? And he said, you need to change and here is why and how. Over and over for 443 pages. Just too redundant.

That being said, I found the book immensely helpful and am making many adjustments based on the information found in this book. Will post an update with results.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

And only 4 not 5 because WHAT am I to DO with all this information. So much of this book applies to my health situation and my family's but it's so expansive there is no way a lay person can extrapolate any treatments out of it themselves. This book educated me but left me feeling beyond inept at applying any suggestions he offers other than go gluten free. I found the book’s message so directly applicable to my health that I wanted to find a practitioner to assist in decoding what I needed to do. There’s 1 a state away from me with the strict disclaimer that this is not a referal - just someone who has attended the Dr.'s lectures. I tried contacting Dr. Kharrazian’s office to zero response.
In short, read the book and get blown away. Then wonder what to do about it.

UPDATE: I got in contact with Dr. Kharrazian’s office. They were lovely. However, we could not afford their services.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging from the very beginning till the end. Definitely a book to come back very often. Very well written and explained. Loved it. As we understand so well it is easy to connect with the things you may be passing through and do something about it, you gain a power over your not so well working human existence and transform your life. For the things you need help from your doctor to do, you gain knowledge to seek from him and debate what you are feeling and what you are needing. Loved that it has so much case studies, one can truly connect with. Loved the way it explains how the things work, has case studies, and what you can do to help you feel better in that matter, telling you what supplements and in what measures to take. Complete. A true doctor 😊 you can really see how passionate Datis Kharrazian is with the subject. Bless him for having written this book 🙏 Recommend it 💯 % Enjoy, feel better and get old healthy with a big smile ☺

[Amy Alpert · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most comprehensive health books I have ever read. It took me some time to get through because, well....my brain isn't working! And while he simplifies very complicated concepts, there is a lot of material to digest. But this is the sort of book you may need to reread. This isn't the first book I have read that deals with a holistic approach to health but this book stands apart from most and is one of the most empowering books I have read. I think it should be required reading for every doctor and psychologist. Dr. Datis seamlessly integrates how nutrition and lifestyle has a dramatic impact on brain function. He provides a very clear blueprint for anyone to navigate their way towards a healthier brain.

There is a summary at the back of every chapter which is helpful as most of his readers surely have short term memory and concentration difficulties.

Also he supports everything with research. 72 pages in the book were devoted to scientific research.

The caveat is while the book is a very comprehensive guide, the subject nature it is far too complicated for people to just pick up this book and start self diagnosing. I think it's best to use this book to understand that the symptoms one is experiencing has an origin and there are some things that a person can do which is possible for most people's budget (assuming the person who picks up this book isn't on food stamps) but a doctor of functional medicine will probably need to be consulted especially if food allergy testing, hormone and salivary panels are required. And my problem with this is that these doctors are a huge investment. It's a rich persons doctor or someone who had the means to take out a loan just for the first visit. One doctor referenced in the book wanted to charge over 300 dollars for the first consultation not including costs of tests and then for the follow up visit charge 90 dollars for every 15 minutes with the possibility that the appointment would last about 2 hours. And there is no guarantee that the doctor could help. it's not something I could afford unless I took out alone. They should be more accessible to people whom may not have the financial means.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a ton of information in this most of which md’s may argue against
The book is a walking advertisement for holistic medicine and naturopathy.
A lot of people may be turned off by that, but I’ve found that my naturopath is always more thorough than my primary care physician .... having suffered from insomnia for many many years this book really helped spot big causal relationships in my diet and behavior to the insomnia.
I’ve always written off my “memory “ to age 50 and getting worse as I age but I believe that if you read this book you’ll find a lot of preconceived notions like that are debunked

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just learned that many of my health issues have been due to an autoimmune disorder, I found this book to be extremely helpful in giving many ideas and suggestions of how to help keep my body from attacking itself and how to feel better over all. Putting them all into regular practice is another story, of course. It will take time to adjust and incorporate the many suggestions (old dog, new tricks...), but the ones I’ve already begun thanks in part to this book have proven to be noticeably beneficial already!

[Kelli Emge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book is so misleading! This is a book about whole-body *health*. This book is about brain function, anatomy and physiology, all the aspects of health that affect brain function, and the many physical ailments that are actually brain problems at the root of the matter. This was gifted to me by a functional med practitioner, who said Dr K was brilliant and one of his heroes. I can understand the sentiment, after reading his work. Dr K really has a good handle on neuroscience, it seems. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking to upgrade their health and brain function.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this book. It could have been 400 pages shorter and would have benefited from less "patient experiences." Some of the advice is weird and a little dangerous (unsupervised coffee enema?) There is some good basic "how the brain works" information that will help those with cognitive problems understand how and maybe why they are having problems. Best bet if you are in this category, and looking for information, go see your medical doctor and be your own advocate.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a scientific explanation of possible causes that can contribute to issues so many suffer from. Dizziness, headaches, anxiety, depression etc… You don’t need to read from front to back, you can look up your challenge and learn how the brain works, chemicals are supplied or deficient, potential solutions that can be used to help. I read this when I was struggling with all of the above and I still use many of the suggestions in the book.

[Jed Merrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book was not relevant to my immediate health, it is a really important book for people dealing with or at risk for auto immune disorders, hormone imbalances, brain fog, chemical sensitivities, and many other issues that are not reflected in the title. Adding it to HealthAware.blog alongside comparable book Never Be Sick Again.

[Yycdaisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource for anyone with an autoimmune disease, brain injury, or neurological condition. The bigger problem will be to find a functional medicine practitioner to help you apply the advice. Readers with autoimmune diseases might be able to do more on their own following Amy Myers "The Autoimmune Solution" or even Terry Wahls "The Wahls Protocol".