I WASN'T HOME WHEN THEY DELIVER THE BOOK, SO THEY SENT IT BACK. SO I NEVER GOT MY BOOK. PLEASE DELIVER IT AGAIN OR GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY.

Let me cut to the chase, there are numerous supplements you can take to keep your mental facilities in top working order, but if you are looking for the ONE thing you can do that will provide the best overall results - take a multivitamin daily.

Ms. Carper has provided another fine study of the current research (circa 2000) related to the human brain and the effect of various supplements or lack thereof. If there is one complaint that I have about the book, it is that it is dated, continued research in the field would argue for an updated edition of the book.

The four sections of the book cover the workings of the brain, what to eat, what supplements to take and how to prevent vascular problems from affecting your brain. True to her usual form the author presents the research for each topic, broken up by nutrient or supplement, further broken down by details of the impact on the brain of a shortage and the research data to support claims that the nutrient or supplement may correct the problems, and how much to take for full effect.

The discussions are intriguing in that the author's conclusions require so little action on the reader's part to correct or prevent the stated neurological problems (topics range from depression to aggression to forgetfulness to age related problems like Alzheimer's).

One of the reasons I bought this book was because I was heading back to grad school (in my 40s), and I wasn't quite sure I was up to it. Having completed 13 semester credits in biological and chemical sciences over two 6 week summer sessions with a flawless 4.0 grade average, I can say that I feel at the top of my mental game and ready for admission to grad school. My current set of supplements include: a multivitamin with minerals, coenzyme Q10, Omega 3 fish oil, ginko biloba and grape seed extract.

Getting back to my initial statement, unless you have a perfect diet (be honest), you need a multivitamin with minerals to ensure that you are providing the basic nutrition for a healthy brain, once you are there you can look into the other supplements for further improvement. P-)

This is an excellent book. It is a "must have" item for anyone wanting to improve the functioning of their brain. I purchased one copy of his book for myself and another copy for my best friend. I feel certain that I made a vey wise choice in purchasing "The Miracle Brain"

A main thesis of this work is that food can impact the brain
either favorably or unfavorably. The author explains that
men have brains that tend to shrink faster than women.
In addition, high blood pressure tends to reduce brain size.
Stress also damages the brain. There are juices which have a
positive impact on brain chemistry; namely, grapefruit,
tomato, orange and blueberries. Cranberry, spinach, kale,
strawberries and plums have maximum ORAC units. Raisins and
prunes are top anti-oxidants. Spinach, beet greens, tomato,
orange juice, cantaloupe, squash, sweet potato and avocado help
to minimize strokes. B vitamins and Vit C help to keep the
brain young and preserve cerebrospinal fluid. Selenium
boosts the brain and a deficiency can upset brain function.
The stone age diet is best for people. It consists of 65%
veggies, fruits, nuts and honey with 35% lean meat, eggs and
fish. DHA is found in seafood and EPA is found in a fish diet.
Linoleic acid is found in leafy green veggies and olive oil.
Brain fat busters are saturated animal fat, whole milk, butter
and cheese. This book will be a good addition to any personal
health library

This book is a treasure chest of extremely valuable information on how to preserve your mental capabilities and to protect yourself from disease with the right diet and the right supplements and amounts of them. Did you know that people taking vitamin C or E supplements are shown in general NOT to develop Alzheimer's? Did you know that blueberries, strawberries and spinach are brain-savers? Did you know that you can control and possibly prevent insulin resistence by eating a low "glycemic index" diet. Did you know that eating foods equalling 5500 ORACs a day will protect your memory and motor control? (A cup of black tea brewed for five minutes contains 1200 ORACs.) Did you know that vigorous walking for an hour, five days a week will lower your risk of stroke by about half (p. 331), as will fruits and veggies and tea (p. 323)?
Jean Carper discusses the importance of Omega-3 oils in fish for pregnant women who want to optimize their children's mental capacities, as well as for the rest of us. She discusses the B vitamins, folic acid and the other, and their vital importance.
She gets down to specifics with doses to take and appropriate combinations.
I heartily recommend this book. If you buy only one book this year, buy this one.
The writing is energetic and enjoyable. The glycemic index and ORAC tables contain invaluable compilations for charting an optimal daily diet. I posted copies on my refrigerator door!
I've given this book to several people, all of whom cherish it.