Thursday, November 2, 2017

TLC Book Tours - The Psychobiotic Revolution







The Psychobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food, and the New Science of the Gut-Brain Connection 

by Scott C. AndersonJohn F. CryanTed Dinan

Format? hardback

Source? provided by the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Why?  the link between gut health and mental health isn't an idea that's new to me.  I've read a lot about, see the connections clearly, and want to learn as much as I can.  I was trained to be a researcher so I'm constantly looking for answers, explanations, or even just more questions.

Title?  not really much here that would have pulled me in...the sub title is helpful for sure.
  
Cover?  Meh...I kindof expected more from National Geographic.

What Now?  

I've already looked in the grocery store for yogurt without added sugar...guess what?  I haven't found much of it.
I think it's time we pay a lot more attention to what we are buying and blindly consuming.  I know I am.

Golden Lines

It takes a germ to fight a germ (14).

Properly established, a compatible biofilm can lead to a lifetime of gastronomic bliss, unburdened by inflammation and its frequent companions, depression and anxiety (22).

We have long comforted ourselves that breast milk is pure and antiseptic, but we now know it is a microbial balm for your vulnerable baby gut, full of bacteria (71).

In short, your body hobbles your immune system while it deals with stress (124).

The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that depression and anxiety will be the top cause of disability for the coming decades.  That the rates are increasing even in the face of escalating usage of psych meds, indicates that we don't yet have a good solution in hand. 140-141

Many studies, both quantitative and anecdotal, confirm the age-old adage attributed to Hippocrates: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" (179).

Nothing is an instant fix (192).

The only exercise some people get is operating the remote control (222).

Modern processed foods were developed, for the most part, in the United States.  We have a tradition going back only hundreds of years and resulting in a mixed, poorly vetted, inconsistent cuisine (243).

Summary

We've long been told that what we eat is the foundation for everything.  We don't want to hear it; we want a pill or some other easier answer to getting our lives back on track, feeling better, and taking control of our brains.  The authors of The Psychobiotic Revolution present clear research that we are indeed what we eat and that our lives would be much more enjoyable if we could balance our gut health in order to balance the rest of us.


What I Liked

The charts and drawings similar to what we used to trace in middle school...I'm a visual person so charts, photos, graphs, drawings are a must for me...I do wish there had been more color.

the history of penicillin and other antibiotics - "mold juice" (32).

the boy in the bubble

medical history intertwined with the science...another successful way to keep the reader going!

the similarity between broad spectrum antibiotics and chemo. 
"...taking antibiotics is like dropping a bomb into your guts" (205)

adaptive immunity
how immunity works and what happens when it doesn't
the vagus nerve
sugar cravings as "microbial longings" 

the very specific discussion of "bad" bacteria and "good bacteria" and our propensity today to think of all bacteria as something to be rid of.

the birth to death discussion of our microbiota 

the humor...amidst the deep scientific discussion, a "boop" of humor would bop me on the head and make me chuckle...just enough to keep going.  I had to give myself permission on several occasions to not be worried about the fact that I really wasn't sure exactly what the authors were talking about.

"Our evolutionary history, which included very few pastries rolling across the savanna, didn't prime us for glazed doughnuts" (87).

the discussion of the Mediterranean type diet, fiber, and a Japanese diet...although I do with there was more of this kind of application information.

the discussion of the American diet of being exactly opposite of what our microbiota need...the authors don't just tell you this; they show you.  It makes perfect sense.  There were several places where I thought, "no wonder I feel bad when I eat that."

the discussion of the nervous system and its divisions...reminded me of high school biology...I remembered a lot of the info in these chapters from the "good ole days."  I guess I was paying attention after all.

the case studies used throughout the chapters to illustrate the theories

the very specific discussion of the types of psychobiotics and where they can be found...the mixtures of certain ones, and why or when you would want to be sure and eat them

Chapter 7 - My Favorite Chapter - very specific information on how to add more psychobiotics to your diet.

the brief information on intermittent fasting - I'll definitely be reading more about this.

Whether we want to heart it or not, many of the major ailments of the present are directly related or exacerbated by the food we eat or don't eat...including IBS, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac and Gluten Sensitivity, eating disorders, obesity, Diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Heart disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

I'm a geek so I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Appendix, the Glossary, the Notes, the Further Reading page, and the Index.
I'm not even sorry for liking these things ;)


What I Didn't Like

animal research :( - transferring fecal matter and such...ew.

the phrase "highly associated with depression and anxiety" is repeated more than multiple times...I almost started counting.

The science is thick...not that I didn't like it...but I do think the average person won't want to wade through all of it. 

Overall Recommendation

This book is for you if you wonder if you'll ever feel ok, and you are ready for a serious discussion about the food we eat and why and how it affects our mental health via gut health.


The Authors 

About Scott C. Anderson

SCOTT C. ANDERSON is a veteran science journalist with specialization in medical topics and computer programming. He was one of the creators of Lego Island, a computer game, and his work has combined computer programming with medical research. He runs a laboratory called Freedom Health that studies bacterial health in racehorses and has developed prebiotics for animals and humans. He lives in Hudson, Ohio (between Cleveland and Akron), was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and recently lived in Sonoma, California.

About John F. Cryan, Ph.D.

JOHN F. CRYAN is professor and chair of the department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork. A principal investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a leading-edge institute researching the role of microbiome in health and disease, he lives in Cork, Ireland.

About Ted Dinan, M.D., Ph.D.

TED DINAN is professor of psychiatry and a principal investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at University College Cork. He was previously chair of clinical neurosciences and professor of psychological medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. He lives in Cork, Ireland.


Other Stops on the Tour

Wednesday, November 1st: Sapphire Ng
Thursday, November 2nd: Peppermint PhD
Monday, November 6th: Based on a True Story
Thursday, November 9th: Jathan & Heather
Monday, November 13th: Instagram: @caitlyn_block
Tuesday, November 14th: Literary Quicksand
Thursday, November 16th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Friday, November 17th: Instagram: @leahbhealthy
Monday, November 20th: Instagram: @wellnesswithedie
Tuesday, November 21st: Dreams, Etc.



Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday - l'appart by David Lebovitz






Linking up with Wishful Endings today :)

Every week, I skim through the "Coming Soon" list at Barnes and Noble for the following week.  
I love looking at the covers and selecting finalists for my upcoming favorites.
Yes, I'm a book nerd.

If I find a cover that interests me, then I open it up and read the blurb...there are way too many books to read for me to waste one more second, so a book has to grab me...where I am in that moment.
And most of the time, I can't even predict what that moment looks like.
It's up to the book really ;)

I force myself to stop at 1 choice.
1
That's it.

Without further adieu, here's my Can't Wait choice among the "Coming Soon" selections on Barnes and Noble for the week of Nov. 6, 2017:



l'appart by David Lebovitz



Here's the synopsis from Barnes and Noble: 

(I've highlighted in red the parts that yell at me loud and clear that I must read this book!)



L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home 
by David Lebovitz
Bestselling author and world-renowned chef David Lebovitz continues to mine the rich subject of his evolving ex-Pat life in Paris, using his perplexing experiences in apartment renovation as a launching point for stories about French culture, food, and what it means to revamp one's life. Includes dozens of new recipes. 
When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with the famously inconsistent European work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country—under baffling conditions—while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there.
I'm a sucker for a book about "HOME." 
What do you think?

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday - Halloween Freebie


Ahhh, the glorious Halloween post!
I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for my favorite meme in the blogging world, past, present, and I'm sure future! 



I like the dark Classics for Halloween better than the slash em ups of today.
I like a little more mystery in my mysteries rather than blood and gore or 85 different ways to torture/kill your victim that seems rampant in some of today's offerings.
How is that even fun?
You won't catch me at a Saw movie.
But give me Sleepy Hollow every year!

I have been a lover of all things vampires and witches since I was a little girl, so my selections today show that trend isn't going away anytime soon.

Without further adieu, I give you my Halloween favorite reads:


The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova


"As a historian, I have learned that, in fact, not everyone who reaches back into history can survive it.  And it is not only reaching back that endangers us; sometimes history itself reaches inexorably forward for us with its shadowy claw." (ix)

I read The Historian with Nat over at Coffee and a Book Chick.  It was my first readalong in the blogging world and a chunkster at that!  I couldn't get enough.  I'm linking my review above.


The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

"With what fairer and nobler emblem could any man desire to shadow forth his character?  Ah! but in some low and obscure nook, - some narrow closet on the ground-floor, shut, locked and belted, and the key flung away, - or beneath the marble pavement, in a stagnant water - puddle, with the richest pattern of mosaic-work above, - may lie a corpse, half decayed, and still decaying, and diffusing its death-scent all through the palace!  The inhabitant will not be conscious of it, for it has long been his daily breath!"



Give me classic American literature all day everyday and I may never show my face again.  A cold day, a blanket and my big fluffy socks, and a spooky old house...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.
I'm linking my review of this one above as well.


Dracula My Love by Syrie James

"Some relationships, no matter how real and vital, are too extreme, too dangerous, too exhausting to survive." (457)




Dracula. My first foray into the horror genre and one I still can't get enough of.  I'll read just about anything that touches on the classic story...from different perspectives, with history, furthering the reach of the story, etc.  I'm not a fan of romance as its own genre usually, but I did like this one...it's much more than a romance.
My review is linked above.


Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent


"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me.
The Carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
-Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet" (305)

I completely forgot about Violet Morgan, undertaker, until I was perusing my archives for today's post.  This is the first installment in this series and at the time of my review, there were no others.  Since my initial read, there have been at least 4 more published! Can't wait, can't wait!
My review is linked above.



Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell


"Beyond Coldbath Fields Prison, the smoke from London's half-million chimneys mingled with the yellow fog spreading from the Thames, obscuring the city.  Ash drifted down.  But even without the concealing presence of the fog, the artist of death would not have attracted suspicion" (161).


Heads up, children! This is the way a murder mystery should be done!
Old London, fog, a murderer who actually hides, stealth, secrecy, Victorian society, clouded minds...yassssssss...AND, 2 more novels have been published since my review of this one! 
Whoop Whoop!
I'm filling up my Amazon cart with selections from my own list this week.
I'm linking my review above.


The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones



"Charlotte's expression, adoring - either those she gazed upon or herself - altered of a sudden to something like horror.  She could not disguise it.  Her fingers, which has been resting lightly on the doorknob, a crystal one, gripped it whitely, and she fixed her eyes on the gentleman traveller.
"You," she said.
"Yes." Their visitor's tone was easy, but his catlike stillness was menacing." (111)


The Uninvited Guests is another understated mystery...that will send chills up your spine when you start putting all the pieces together.  
My review is linked above.



We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirley Jackson


Oh Shirley Jackson, y'all.  If you haven't test these waters, go on and test them.
My review is linked above.


Dracula by Bram Stoker


I actually own this beautiful Annotated Hardback edition of Dracula...sure do.
A classic.
Read it.


Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay


"While the coffee brewed, I checked for the newspaper, more out of hope than expectation.  It was rare for the paper to arrive before six-thirty, and on Sundays it often came after eight.  It was another clear example of the disintegration of society that had so worried Harry.  Really, now: If you can't get me my newspaper on time, how can you expect me to refrain from killing people?"
(170).

Dexter is the only "serial killer" I give exception to...he's just a nice, likeable guy...and the only people he kills are people who deserve it.  If that's not a likeable serial killer, then I don't know who is. ;)
I did watch this entire series on tv but only read this first book.  Now that some time has gone by since the television series ended, it might be time to read through the rest of the series of books.
My review is linked above.


The Witching Hour by Anne Rice


Another chunkster...that I adored.  With Ann Rice, I tend to enjoy the first novel or two in her sets of series and then wander off.  That would definitely be the case here.  By Taltos in this series, I was done and truly disliked that particular "ghost" story.
But give me witches, like vampires, any day...I'll read about em.


Now I shall spend the rest of my day reading everyone else's list!!