The author nearly discredited himself during a chapter on providing a health care program for a church and calling it the "Daniel Program" after the so-called prophet and not himself. Subtract that bit of garbage, and the rest pretty much falls in line with other health/longevity books I've read.

The author, head of the Amen Clinic, a group that helps rehabilitate brain injury, both those externally inflicted (as in playing football) or self-inflicted (such as whiskey on your corn flakes). He pimps his clinic a lot, but that's more of him talking from a position he knows best. He advocates everyone get a brain scan to show where they are so they can plan on how to get where they want to be. It turns out that some brain injury is reversible,. or can at least be mitigated. However, the seeds of dementia (such as Alzheimers) can be planted 40 years before symptoms appear -- so it's never to soon to pay attention to brain health.

Dr. Amen covers physical, emotional, and dietary causes of brain injury and suggest plans on treating these injuries. He is not one of the doctors who advocates a few glasses of wine per day -- in fact, his position on moderation is one would never suggest taking cocaine or heroin in moderation, so why approve alcohol, sugar, salt and flour (the latter three he calls "the white powders"). This book has ample case studies illustrating some of the doctor's success stories. Of course, he doesn't dwell at all on the failures, nor does he provide particular success rates for given treatments.

I would probably be more successful following the advice of books such as this if I read them at a time where my stock of junk foods and beer are depleted. I've been conditioned since a child not to waste anything...so I'll start as soon as the junk and beer have been consumed. Now it's time to go shopping....oh, I and I need to stop at the Booze Barn.... ( )

On the one hand, the author has been pretty much called a quack by reputable physicians, and he makes a lot of money from the SPECT scans that he advocates, and he comes across as a snake oil salesman. But, on the other hand, nearly all of what he recommends is very sound (lose weight, eat more vegetables, get exercise), and he is really good at providing inspirational examples and concrete and realistic advice about how to actually live a healthier life. I couldn't handle finishing the book, because it was so incredibly repetitive and I am already pretty much doing all of the things he recommends. But, I just can't give this book a bad review, because it really stands out from a lot of these self-help books in sounding quite convincing that making changes in your diet and exercise regime can really matter. I think this book could be perfect for someone who needs an extra kick to get going on a healthier life. You just can't read this book and then go eat a bowl of ice cream! ( )