How to Build a Healthy Brain: Reduce stress, anxiety and depression and future-proof your brain

by Kimberley Wilson

A groundbreaking science-based guide to protecting your brain health for the long term.

Whatever your age, having a healthy brain is the key to a happy and fulfilled life. Yet, for both young and old, diseases of the brain and mental health are the biggest killers in the 21st century. We all know how to take care of our physical health, but we often feel powerless as to what we can do to protect our mental well-being too.

How to Build a Healthy Brain is here to help. Written by a passionate advocate for the importance of mental health, Chartered Psychologist Kimberley Wilson draws on the latest research to give practical, holistic advice on how you can protect your brain health by making simple lifestyle choices. With chapters on Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise and Meditation, Kimberley has written an empowering guide to help you look after both your physical and mental well-being.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Health, Mental Health, Science, Audiobook

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2020

Reviews

[Pippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part textbook, part instruction manual, this book teaches you the basics of what is going on in your brain and about aspects of our lifestyles that affect it. It is full of helpful advice on how to care for your brain health and it is not patronising nor is it "dumbed down" - to the point where I found myself having to read a couple parts two or three times to get a better understanding. However, that isn't to say that Wilson's writing is not accessible and understandable. I appreciate her viewpoint while writing this and the that Wilson shows her work i.e. everything in the book is backed up by studies and her years of experience unless otherwise stated. When reading this you get the feeling there is no motive behind writing it other than to allow people to better their brain health on their terms and learn a bit more about what is going on up there. Really enjoyed it, learnt a lot and have started to implement some of her advice.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but was particularly pleased to see the chapter on understanding research, what studies can and can't tell us and how to recognise reliable science. Pseudo science is unfortunately common in self-help and this was a welcome relief from that

[Ali Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book clearly explains the key components to good and poor brain health as demonstrated through evidence-based practice and research. It's written in a really accessible way and contains manageable information to help people integrate achievable steps to improving brain and mental health. It gives a new perspective on what it means to be healthy and is written with complete compassion and a 360° awareness of the people who may be reading it. I would fully recommend reading this book ASAP and beginning to implement some of the recommendations.

[Lady Poppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of interesting suggestions on how to improve your brain health and actionable steps to take. Will definitely be implementing!

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars //

This book is overall quite engaging and informative, yet feels a little bit patched together.

The book starts off rather dry with a rundown of the general structure of the brain, but becomes more 'practical' in later chapters. The author thereby touches on many different aspects of life that influence brain health overall (nutrition, mental wellbeing, socio-economic factors) and her honesty and candidness with her readers is a noteworthy strength that lends credibility to her writing.

Of particular interest was the chapter discussing therapy and its positive impact on brain health. Wilson provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of different therapeutic approaches and their potential benefits, carefully touching on difficult subjects such as racism, which is not commonly found in books of this nature.

I also want to compliment the way the author is straight-up with the reader throughout the book - she has no agenda, no bias and nothing to sell.

However, I must acknowledge that there were some areas that could have benefited from further refinement. At times, the book appeared to lack a clear direction, which resulted in certain sections being somewhat difficult to follow.

Nonetheless, my overall impression of "How to Build a Healthy Brain" is positive. It effectively covers a wide range of topics pertaining to brain health and provides insightful advice. While some structural improvements may have enhanced the reading experience, the valuable information and Wilson's genuine approach make it a worthwhile read for those interested in understanding and optimising their brain's wellbeing.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for everyone by being evidenced-based, clear, and most importantly action focused. Kimberley has done a fantastic job of highlighting the importance of brain health and helping you to instigate change.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent - but the ebook version I read doesn't display on kindle at all well. Most of the tables and diagrams are unreadable. It's such a shame but I honestly think I will buy a physical copy as well for referencing.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was easily set out, which made it easy to follow. This book gives you the advice on how to keep your brain healthy, which is backed up by scientific theories. She even includes opposing views but explains why and how these can be debunked. For those non-scientists, she describes all the scientific terms needed at the beginning, which she refers to throughout the book. Definitely, offers practical advice for your wellbeing which I will be taking on board. I will be keeping this out and referring to it all the time.

[Miriam Knot · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 35%. I am not convinced by the research for this book. I noticed some contradicting statements to what I learned before by Michael Greger’s books about food. And I know Michael Greger is really good at noticing which researches haven’t been done right and which ones are good enough to take conclusions from. Therefore I didn’t trust the information in this book enough to take it by heart.

[Anni ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only gave this 3 stars since it was a little tedious to read, not because I don't think everyone should read this book. I liked Wilson's book _Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat Is Fuelling Our Mental Health Crisis_ a lot, and the message within the covers of them both are important for *everyone*.

Some of my highlights from this book:

"It's not that medication is not a valuable tool, but perhaps we have been so focused on it that we have forgotten to check what else might be in the toolbox." p. 9.

"A brain that is struggling will begin to show impairments in ints functions; it just so happens that the brain's functions are mood, personality, planning, decision-making, information processing and memory." p. 12.

"The human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe." p. 26.

"...from a psychological perspective it does not make sense to try to conceive of thought as distinct from feeling. In fact, it doesn't even make sense biologically when we look at the physical structure of the brain." p. 31.

"...emotions are a crucial part of our ability to reason, including making decisions." p. 32.

"...every day we have valuable opportunities to nudge the odds slightly more in favor of long-term brain health." p. 49.

"The strong impact of the immune system on emotions and behavior demonstrates that mental health is the health of the whole body." p. 50.

"...chronic inflammation is associated with serious physical and psychological illness." p. 53.

"Stress might be psychological, chemical and physiological, but it is always biological. That is to say, whatever the source of stress, it creates measurable changes in the body. - - ...the perceived separation between mind and body is both arbitrary and false, and, as you will see, biological processes are real, as are the physical effects and no matter the source, stress should be taken seriously." p. 56.

"...frequent hormetic (=good stress, e.g., exercise) stress and recovery build resilience to negative and chronic stress." p. 65.

"The journey to a more resilient brain and improved mental health starts in bed." p. 67.

"But it isn't just wakefulness and sleep that are governed by this daylight/darkness pattern; metabolism, the gut microbiome and even wound healing all follow this cyclical course." p. 68.

"...there is a substantial overlap between sleep disorders and cognitive decline. -- Just one night of poor sleep can disrupt immunity, making you more susceptible to viruses." p. 73.

"For some people, clutter and mess can increase levels of arousal/stress" p. 85.

"While food also has measurable effects on the brain, its impact is gradual, building up over time. -- ...your brain makes up around 20-25 per cent of your daily energy requirement." p. 90.

"Food is one of the quickest and easiest ways to start improving your brain health" p. 91.

"...high-sugar diets are linked to cognitive impairment, and insulin insensitivity/impaired glucose metabolism in the brain is a feature of Alzheimer's disease." p. 123.

"movement protects the brain." p. 145.

"...exercise is the closest thing we have to the fountain of eternal youth." p. 147.

"Having the ability to take and objective look at what we are feeling, to make and attempt to understand the trigger for it and then, crucially, to describe this to someone else in the form of negotiation is one of the most fundamental aspects of democracy and civilization." p. 175.

"...suppressing your emotions increases and prolongs distress, worsens mood, inhibits recovery and makes you less resilient." p. 186.

"...anger suffers from a huge amount or misunderstanding and bad PR." p. 190.

"Most people do not realize that our relationships are the major contributing factor to quality of life, above work and income." p. 207.

"you are the company you keep." p. 211.

"people who are physically fit express less physiological reactivity (lower heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones) when they are exposed to a stressful life event." p. 212.

"...what is important is not avoiding failure but learning from it." p. 220.

"...simply looking at your phone may have negative effects on brain power." p. 245.

"Disagreeing with someone's ideas should not mean dismissing them as a person." p. 252.

"...understand the difference between when you are dealing with the pain and when you are creating suffering." p. 270.

"...the body and the brain are one system. Attempting to treat psychological distress without also attending to the body and lifestyle ever limits the efficacy of that treatment." p. 292.

"Prevention (in psychiatry) means helping the public to understand the known risk factors of psychological distress, empowering them to intervene where they can and enacting policy for the social determinants of health." p. 293.

"We tend to see change as 'all or nothing' terms -- change is a process." p. 297.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

It was an interesting read but I have to admit I struggled to focus at times. There was a lot of science talk and big words, not enough you'd get lost but it did make it harder to read for me.

There were some good pointers for the future but I have to admit I won't be doing all of them. The idea of going to a sauna multiple times a week sounds like a nightmare to me. But I will be doing some of the recommendations going forwards.

It will most likely be something I read again, I might enjoy it more due to understanding more the second time around.

[Alana Verbiest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very useful. It gives specific things that you can do to make your brain healthier. It also explains clearly why this is important. I also really like that it talks about the importance of mental health. If feel like this isn't talked about nearly enough in books like this, so this is great.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite non fiction book of this year so far! Great balance of science and things that you can actually implement into your daily life. The volume of little gold nuggets in this book might be a bit overwhelming so might re-read it annually. For now, here are my key takeaways:

- sauna reduces symptoms of depression, reduces markers of inflammation, protective against brain aging, reduces risk of dementia & altzheimers, going multiple times a week is best
- a study of IBS patients showed that yoga is as effective as a low-fodmap diet
- meditation slows down brain aging
- the more years you spent in eduction the lower your risk of dementia -> keep on learning new things
- the ability to concentrate on a task is reduced by having your phone on the table, best thing to do: keep it in a different room
- when it comes to diet, think more about what you want to add, such as berries, oily fish, nuts, etc.
- breathing exercises are efficient ways to reduce stress

[Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title states, this book is chocked full of research/science-backed explanations and actionable tips to prevent mental decline and strengthen your brain. It’s a reminder that your body and mind is one ecosystem, and that to care for one is to care for the other.

So timely. 🫶🏻

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting, informative, and highly useful book of instructions for making choices that help lead to the most optimum health of our brains and bodies for the duration of our lives. A great resource with lots of easy to understand findings regarding cause/effect upon health in general and brain health in particular and steps to take to insure the best aging process available to us.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge wealth of information on the various factors impacting brain (and to some level mental) health and positive steps you can take to address them.

[Karl Tammik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the books that touch the topic of brain, do it only in some aspects but go into a lot of detail.
I like this brain book because it goes over all of the activities that effect brain daily and in enough detail for a regular reader. Not too much , not too little.
In a easily understandable manner she helps us understand what activities are good for your brain and which are bad. And the activities are, easily doable things you can do everyday do prevent and ease all commonly known mental disorders and make your brain epic power house of a brain.
Easy to read, super useful for all.
9/10

[Teele Piibemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very impulsively bought this book because it seemed to be exactly what I needed. And guess what, it WAS in fact, EXACTLY what I needed.

There is nothing I hate more than being told what to do but having no idea WHY I have to do it.
That is why I loved that this book included numerous examples from real life experiments accompanied by scientific explanations and schemas in basically every chapter.
With that, it taught me so much about not only myself but humans in general, like thought patterns, health tendances, environmental factors, etcetera. All in all, I learned how to keep my health in check and make changes to my life that will make me a lot happier in the long run.

In addition, when I started reading this book I was really into neuroscience and the first few chapters of this book basically gave me an enormous overview of the brain and how it works, so also, in a way, the domain. Really really cool (but I'm not going to study neuroscience).

Only warning I'm gonna give is that if you rather feel like reading a short tip book and not getting very deeply into it/ if science talk bores you, don't read this one. It was, at times, hard to get through just because you have to be very present when you're reading it in order to actually understand.

I will now go fill an entire notebook with notes from this book.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

really appreciate this collection of scientifically-grounded best practices for making the brain healthier and more resilient. the author’s voice is grounded in a very practical, evidence-based reality. i did find some of the formatting and editing of this edition to be frustrating - charts that don’t flow well over multiple pages, greyed out text boxes with impossibly small typeface, bulleted “takeaways” that introduce new ideas that hadn’t otherwise been covered in the relevant chapter. despite those bumps, the content of this book is actionable and will be a great resource going forward.

[Elsa Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new. The book title is ‘how’ to build a healthy brain but there’s so little that’s practical.

[Helin-Mari Arder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autor on varajasest noorusest alates olnud perekondlikel põhjustel teadlik erinevatest vaimsetest tervisemuredest. Nagu ta ise tunnistab, hakkaski ta tänu sellele omandama haridust antud alal ning tundma järjest rohkem huvi erinevate aspektide vastu, mis meie ajutegevust ja vaimset tervist mõjutavad. Kuna viimaste aastate jooksul on depressioon nii noorte kui vanemate hulgas ning näiteks ka haigestumine Alzheimeri tõppe plahvatuslikult suurenenud, otsib ta selgitusi sellele, miks nii on juhtunud ning kuidas üldse oma aju paremini hoida, et elada õnnelikumat ja täisväärtuslikku elu. Kuigi aju tervis ning õige töötamine on väga olulised, toob autor välja, et veel senimaani peetakse vaimse poole ja ajuga seotud terviseprobleeme vähemolulisteks füüsiliste probleemide kõrval. Ometigi on peamiseks surmade ning toimetulematuse põhjuseks viimastel aastatel saanud just aju ja vaimse tervisega seotu.

"One of the reasons for the disparity between how mental health conditions are treated in comparison to physical illness is the erroneous belief that mental health conditions are not "real", that they are solely a problem of psychology and not biology. It's so important to remember that the brain is an organ; it's just an incredibly complicated one with some very special functions. For example, we all know that for our heart to work properly we have to look after it by eating well, excercising, avoiding smoking, and so on. A heart that is not properly cared for will begin to show impairmengts in its function through changes in blood pressure, palpitations and pain. These are the clues that our heart needs some extra attention. The same principle applies to the brain. A brain that is struggling will begin to show impairments in its functions; it just so happens that the brain's functions are mood, personality, planning, decision-making, information processing and memory. These are the clues that the brain needs some extra attention, but too many people brush these symptoms off as incidental, or worse, something to be ashamed of and ignored.

The idea that mental illness is somehow "less real" than physical illness, doesn't make us stronger. In fact, quite the opposite. We know that recovery from mental healt conditions is best if you intervene as early as possible, during the first episode or when symptoms are mild. However, the misunderstanding and stigma around mental illness means that people sit on their symptoms of brain distress for weeks, months, and sometimes years. By the time the symptoms are bad enough for them to seek professional help, the illness is much more entrenched and more difficult to treat."

Autor kirjutab huvitavalt ning selgelt, rääkides tehtud uurimustest, ajakirjanduse ning blogijate kaudu edastatud informatsioonist, aju ehitusest ja toimimisest, haiguste ja immuunsüsteemi toimimise seotusest depressiooni ja psüühiliste probleemidega, une tähtsusest aju jaoks.

Unega seotud osa on väga konkreetne, pakkudes nõuandeid neile, kel une kvaliteedi ja uinumisega probleeme on. Autor leiab, et kõikidele ei toimi samad lahendused ning igaühel on oma päevarütm, millega peaks ka une puhul arvestama, samas on siiski olemas teatud eeldused, mis toimivad kõikide puhul, aidates paremini uinuda ja sügavamalt magada. Kui magama minnes või öösel ärgates vaevavad muremõtted, on tal ka selle kohta hea soovitus:

"Everyday anxieties (a task you have to do the next day, items you need to remember) can be effectively managed with a worry book - keep a notebook beside your bed and write down any last-minute tasks or reminders that have a habit of cropping up just as you decide to go to bed. This way you can be reassured that you won't forget them but they won't be turning over in your mind all night."

Autor leiab, et kui psüühiliste probleemidega inimesel on ka uneprobleemid, tuleb esmalt püüda just nendega tegeleda, sest uni on aju normaalsele toimimise jaoks ülioluline. Lisaks hoiatab ta, et hommikul peaks vähemalt 20-30 minutit jääma tõeliseks ärkamiseks, sest sel ajal võib inimene olla veel liiga inertne ning kiire tegevusse sööstmine võib olla otseselt ohtlik. Hommikupoolikul või päeval soovitab ta viibida ka vähemalt pool tundi loomulikus päevavalguses, et toetada keha loomuomast päevavalgusele reageerimist. Neile, kes üle muretsevad, ei pea ta heaks unega seotud äppide kasutamist, sest tulemus võib olla soovitule vastupidine - nii muretsetakse oma une/unetuse pärast veelgi enam ning magatakse varasemast halveminigi.

Põnev osa on muidugi toidu mõjust ajule, sest hoolimata suurest infoküllusest on siiski palju asju, mida üldiselt ei teata. Aju nimelt nõuab töötamiseks päris palju toitaineid - lausa 20-25 protsenti meie päevasest energiavajadusest ning samuti on talle tarvis õigeks töötamiseks vitamiine ja mineraale. Autor pakub välja variante, kuidas näiteks oma toiduvalikusse kala lisada - nimelt on rasvane kala ideaalne toit aju toetamiseks. Kuigi uurimustes on soovitatud liha söömist vähendada, leiab autor, et kõige tähtsam on koguse asemel jälgida toidu kvaliteeti, süüa mitmekülgselt ning võimalusel oma toiduvalikut mitmekesistada, võttes punase liha asemel menüüsse linnuliha vms.

Iga päev väike kausitäis tooreid või 4 supilusikatäit kuumtöödeldud rohelist (peedivõrsed, brüsseli kapsas, endiiv, kale, rucola, rooma kapsas, savoy kapsas, nori, spinat, vesikress jne) kaitseb aju, sest neis sisaldub mitmeid bioaktiivseid toitaineid: beetakaroteeni, folaate, vitamiini K, luteiini, magneesiumi, kaaliumi. Neile, kes pole suured rohelisesõbrad, soovitab autor näiteks külmutatud spinatit, mida võib tema ettepanekul vabalt lisada pea ükskõik kuhu (smoothied, supid, pastad, kastmed, riis, karrid, hummus jne), ilma et see oluliselt toidu maitset muudaks, ent samas oleme oma ajule head teinud.

Pähklid on olulised, ent autor toonitab, et soolamata-röstimata kujul, ning mitte ka "piimajookidena", kus pole enam alles kõike vajalikku. Nad sisaldavad alfa-linoleenhapet ja polüfenoole, mis aitavad organismis toota fenoolhappeid, mis vähendavad põletikke ja oksüdatsiooni. Sisaldavad ka E-vitamiini. Autor soovitab ka erinevaid pähklivõisid (mandli, metspähkli, india pähkli), mida saab kasutada salatites, kastmetes, suppides ning seemnete lisamist putrudele, küpsetistele, salatitele jne.

Marjade kohta tuuakse näiteid mitmest uurimusest, kus need parandasid näiteks juba tund pärast tarbimist (200g mustikaid) tähelepanuvõimet ning lühiajalist mälu. Sarnaseid tulemusi on saadud näiteks mustsõstardega (tähelepanuvõime, vastupidavus), kirssidega (paranenud vaimne paindlikkus ning sujuvam üleminek ülesandelt teisele) ning granaatõunaga (parem pikaajaline mäletamine, mäluaukude vähendamine).

Vürtsid ja maitseained - on tähele pandud, et maades, kus neid rohkem kasutatakse, esineb oluliselt vähem dementsust ja Alzheimeri tõbe. Ajutegevusele mõjub hästi nende igapäevane kasutamine toitudes - kollajuur ehk kurkum, rosmariin, safran, pipar, ingver, kaneel, kardemon, nelk, koriander, tshillimaitseaine, cayenne pipar, sidrunirohi, sinep, muskaatpähkel, paprika, tähtaniis, vanilje, wasabi jt. Taimedes ja vürtsides on tuhandeid koostisaineid, mis võivad tõsta tuju, aeglustada aju vananemisprotsessi, ergutada verevarustust, vähendada põletikke, ergutada uute ajurakkude loomist. Lisaks salatitele, toitudele, kastmetele lisamisele soovitab autor teha teetõmmiseid, lisada sobivaid vürtse oma kohvisse ning võtta igal kuul ette katsetus mõne uue idamaise retseptiga, et leida oma menüüsse uusi, põnevaid ja tervislikke toite vürtsidega.

Oad, laugud, täistera ning külmad süsivesikud - nende puhul on oluine, et kiudainerikastena nad toetavad seedesüsteemi tööd ning seega ka immuunsüsteemi ning aju tööd.

Tee, kohv ja kakao - fermenteeritud toiduainetena kaitsevad aju, nendes olevad polüfenoolid teevad veresooned elastsemaks, aitavad samas ka seedesüsteemi. Kohv tõstab ajus teatud ensü��mi taset, kaitstes dementsuse vastu. Tume shokolaad parandab aju verevarustust, parandab töömälu ning visuaalseid funktsioone. Vedelikutarbimine on üldse oluline, nagu kõik teavad, ehkki stabiilse veetarbimise harjumuse puudumisel on lihtne seda unustada.

WATER - It would be remiss not to also mention hydration. Your brain is around 80 per cent water and even small percentage drops in hydration are associated with increased fatigue, poorer cognitive function and worse mood. Pewople often do not notice how thirsty tehy are, so a visual cue can be helpful. Place a refillable bottle on your desk, or wherever you spend most of your time. Having water in easy reach will help you to keep you effortlessly hydrated.

Autor mainib, et viimased uurimused on näidanud, et mitmekülgselt toituvad inimesed ei pruugi lisaks toidule vitamiine võtta, ent erandiks on D-vitamiin, mida heledama nahaga inimesed peaks võtma sügisel ning kevadel 10 mikrogrammi päevas ning tumedama nahaga inimesed aastaringselt.

Autori äratoodud ajule kasu toov toitumissoovitus, 1 portsjon = kaks kuhjaga supilusikatäit:

- täisteratooted: 5-8 portsjonit päevas
- köögiviljad: 6 portsjonit päevas
- puuvili: 3 portsjonit päevas (eriti soovitavad on marjad)
- oad/laugud: 3-4 portsjonit nädalas
- väherasvased ja magustamata piimatooted: 2-3 portsjonit päevas
- soolamata ja röstimata pähklid: 1 portsjon päevas
- kala: vähemalt 2 portsjonit nädalas
- väherasvane punane liha: 3-4 portsjonit nädalas
- kana: 2-3 portsjonit nädalas
- munad: kuni 6 tk nädalas
- oliivõli: 3 spl päevas
- vein: kuni 2 keskmist klaasi päevas, eelistatavalt punast
- extra(d): magus, rafineeritud teraviljatooted, friteeritud toit, kiirtoit, töödeldud lihatooted ja magusad joogid: 3 portsjonit nädalas

Nii. Siinkohal sai minu konspekteerimise jaks otsa, et ikkagi jõuaks ka raamatu lõpuni läbi lugeda. Väga soovitatav teos kõigile, kes oma tervisest huvituvad. Uurimused näitavad pealegi, et isegi vanas eas on veel võimalik oma aju seisukorda parandada. Muidugi mõista just kõigi nende asjadega, mis meie tervisele ka muidu kasuks tulevad! Nii et tegelikkuses siin mingit raketiteadust pole, peab lihtsalt väikeste sammude kaupa toimetama ning jaksama - toitumine, uni, füüsiline aktiivsus, kognitiivne treening / uute asjade õppimine ja sotsiaalne suhtlemine - need ongi kõik abiks. Autor soovitab kindlasti planeerida ja ette mõelda, ning teha plaanid sellised, mida suudad järgida ka siis, kui oled väsinud, motivatsioonipuuduses või pahas tujus. Plaanid ei tohiks olla liiga suured ning endale tuleb muidugi andeks anda kui kõik ei õnnestu, sest uute harjumuste omandamine tähendab automaatselt, et ikka tuleb plaanidesse sisse ka kõrvalekaldeid.

Internetist leiab ka Kimberley Wilsoni koostatud tabeli, mis pakub välja väikesi igapäevaseid samme (kolm tükki, valida erivatest kategooriatest), mida tehes saab oma harjumusi jälgida ning tasapisi muuta.

[Courtney Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Book 1/52 for 2022 – 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠/5 📚

I read a lot of self-help books, enough that I've had to start being really discerning about which I add to my to-be-read list. I'm glad "How to Build a Healthy Brain" by Kimberley Wilson made its way onto that list. I was expecting it to be good, but it's always nice to kick off the year with a five-star read!

You may remember Wilson from the 4th series of "The Great British Bake Off" – I certainly did as her positive energy shone through along with her talent for baking. She is also a psychologist with expertise in nutrition, making her the perfect person to write this book. Its aim is to share practical tips on how you can keep your brain healthy over your lifetime, as well as the science behind them. Wilson covers a wide range of areas including nutrition, sleep, exercise and more. She explains the science in an accessible way and cites plenty of publications. Even better, she includes details such as how large the studies were and whether they were performed in humans or animals, something all science communicators and journalists ought to be doing. The whole book emphasises not promoting the pseudoscience that is so rife in this area, including a handy guide to critically analysing information.

Obviously I love the science bits, but I also love that this book goes beyond theory to provide clear advice on what you can do now to help your brain in the future. Wilson ends each chapter with a summary to make it even easier (one of my brain's favourite things in non-fiction books!). While the suggestions are manageable and simple, Wilson avoids the common trap of becoming patronising. Instead "How to Build a Healthy Brain" left me feeling empowered to make a change.

My one and only gripe relates to the UK Kindle format, which is a bit skewwhiff. It's not terrible, but some diagrams are hard to read and I found some headings had ended up in the wrong position. Since I enjoyed this book so much I'll probably buy it in hard copy for ease of browsing. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone in possession of a brain and the desire to keep it healthy for as long as possible.

[Hannah Waddington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I chose to listen to it and it is narrated by Kimberley herself, who does it beautifully. I tend to this to listen to non-fiction, and 'read read' fiction....but I am starting to mix it up a bit in 2021!

Kimberley does what a lot of these kinds of books don't manage to do, and that is teach you a huge amount without being patronising, and you do feel inclined to change your ways in manageable chunks after finishing. She is not preaching the impossible, and also there is no 'waffle'. She really gets to the point in each chapter, and I really like the way she summarises each one at the end.

It is very enlightening to learn so many ways we can stave off what is sometimes seen as the inevitable - Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whilst also looking after your own mental health and creating a better, healthier life more generally. As well as enlightening, it is also slightly terrifying how little we are aware of what is in our control when it comes to our brain health. We forget it is an organ, just like our heart. We need to look after it.

This book is so much more than its title suggests. Kimberley takes you through a number of small actions you can take to truly LIVE your life rather than float through each day (which is especially easy at the moment). This can be done by our own actions, eating right, exercising more, trying new things, even breathing differently. You are not expected to do all of these things at once, but small habits can gradually bring about big change.

The only reason I have given this book 4 stars rather than 5 is because I did struggle a little with the scientific element. I truly appreciate why this is in there, and maybe I might have followed this better had I been reading the physical book. Also, maybe if I had concentrates more closely in science at school!

[Annie Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m finding this one hard to rate and review because
1. There were parts of this book I found useful and accessible
2. There were parts of this book I found inaccessible and boring.

This book is part-textbook, part-useful advice. I found the first half incredibly difficult to access as there was a lot of complex neurobiology and biochemistry. I have an interest in those subjects, and don’t shy away from trying to read up on those topics in a way that is applicable to my everyday life (how to release certain brain chemicals to lift my mood for example) but this was a bit too complex for me and it felt like I was learning for a degree.

The second half of the book had a lot less of that and there were some passages I found useful. But I would have had a more enjoyable reading experience if the information was given in a way that was more accessible to the average reader.

Another thing that infuriated me about this book, no fault to the author, is that this is one of only ten books on mental health and well-being approved to be in prisons for people to read. I don’t think this book is accessible enough for it to be one of the limited few resources to the entire prison population of the UK. For one, it focuses a lot on women’s health over men’s health and the language is so complex that is just doesn’t seem appropriate for such a wide range of people.

I’ve given this book 2.5 stars, not because it was bad, just because I could only access half of this book with the knowledge and understanding I have. I definitely took away new information from this book that I can apply to my life but a lot of it has gone way over my head, and I presume it would for most people.

[Mérida Macondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!

On the one hand, I really enjoyed this book because of the ease of reading. Its been a while since I was this captivated by a book, it really radiates a sense of coziness.

On the other, not only it was a pleasurable read but also it has been very good for my mental health. It explains in a very approachable way basic neuroscience and many of the factors that contributes to anxiety, depression and Alzheimer's deasease. After 10 years of wandering around with poor mental health and trying to understand what was going on and slowly learning from inadequate, varied sources in the path to recovery, I've finally found a Mental/Emotional Health 101: this book!

If anything, I would have liked a little more in-depth information in all the sections. Like, I understand its written for a general public, but I was really craving more information written by Kimberly.

If you have suggestions for me to read on this topic, please do so!

Now, I'm off to re-read it. Bye :)

[Sue Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the factors that influence brain health, complemented by practical tips on how to make changes to your lifestyle to help protect the long-term health of your brain. Far more wide-ranging than I was expecting, this book covers aspect such as money management, heat exposure and dental health, as well as the more widely known topics of nutrition, sleep and physical activity. Well referenced and researched, although let down slightly in a few places by the production team - there's no separate caption style, with illustrations being integrated into the main body of the text, which causes confusion at times. This is more than made up for by the quality of the information and the practical and useful tips and exercises for building brain-healthy habits into your everyday life. This is an important, accessible book about an overlooked area of health. Definitely recommended.

[Plymouthian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough and informative approach to maintaining the health of our brains. The book is broken down into specific areas that influence our brain health. Each section is highly readable with accompanying proof from studies and neat summaries of take away learning at the end. I suffer from post concussion syndrome and found this an easy way to access the wide range of ways in which I can actively take care and hopefully improve my brain connections. I’m particularly liking the fact that adding walnuts, blueberries and plain chocolate and more greens to my diet will help. Understanding that there are non dietary ways of maintaining the brain such as having hot baths, reducing stress, paying close attention or approaching problem solving differently is reassuring. The book is easy to read and written from a most helpful perspective by the author who clearly wants to share her professional knowledge for the betterment of readers brain health. Systematic and relatively easily understood and backed by science and real life experience.

[Anna Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a history of depression and anxiety, and several cases of Alzheimer’s exist in my family, so when I saw this book, I had to grab it. Figuring out ways to improve my brain health is a huge thing to me.

I found the book well-structured and easy to read. The author did a brilliant job giving simple, actionable steps anyone can take to improve their brain health in everyday life. I loved the details on how the human brain works and how everything connects. The book left me feeling optimistic and empowered. I'm trying to apply the things I learned, and it feels good. Earlier, I was worried I'd be doomed to get Alzheimer's because it runs in the family, but now I'm confident that even if I can't outright prevent it, I can at least actively reduce the chance of getting it. Same goes for depression and anxiety.

I loved this read and I think it delivers what it promises. Highly recommended!

[Gerry Grenfell-Walford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that's squarely based on facts and practical advice. Those more used to theoretical and abstract principles in the self-help field might find this hard going but I actually liked the clarity and focus. You can rely on what it says here. No nonsense. Nothing that's not empirical and replicable.
Nutrition, physical health, biology, history, mental hygiene, and how all of these interrelate, along with pointers for good practices to invest in a life-time of good brain health.
This is a book that is full of useful things to know (the link between dental hygiene and brain health was completely unknown to me!) and bear in mind going forward. I was pleasantly surprised at how this book actually works with and corroborates a good deal of the more rigorous schools of Mindfulness- literally where you consciously invest your attention in life is where your power is, and this is the ultimate trick to brain health, and a qualitative existence.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it's rare to find a popular science book that isn't pushing some kind of agenda and is just full of helpful tips and things which may help. Wilson manages to highlight the severity and randomness of various mental health issues while also taking you through research which investigates how certain mental health issues can be prevented or alleviated without the need (or in combination with) drugs. I particularly liked how she presented that any mental health issue should be approached with a "whole body view" so not just concentrating on the brain, but any physical implications what a person is going through has as well. Similarly that could be said the other way round, when you have a physical ailment we should always be considering what that's doing to the brain.