Reviewed by Dr. Joseph S. Maresca

This work is an excellent reference for life-long health planning and maintenance. Early in the book, the authors present a fairly comprehensive health risk assessment which covers the essentials of  controlling vices, stress, lack of exercise, junk food etc.

Exercise is said to boost the metabolism by 20-30%. Core exercises are presented; such as, chest, abdomen, back, shoulders and thighs.  Long term goals are formulated for fitness, stress reduction and nutrition.

The basic food groups are set forth. These are grains, fruits, veggies, meat, fish, poultry, good fats and sweets. Personally, I find that cinnamon, stevia and sugar- free candies are good substitutes for white sugar.  In addition, a high quality probiotic formula will help to maintain general gastrointestinal health along with high fiber.   Milk thistle can be a good liver tonic.

The BMI (body mass index) is discussed with the norm ranging betwen 18.5 and 24.9.  Caloric expenditure is set forth. For instance, walking burns 200 or more calories.  Weight lifting can burn up to 300 calories and running expends 350 calories.   These facts comport with my own personal experience.

The maxim "Change your thoughts and you change your mind,"  is quoted from Dr. Normon Vincent Peale. The author advises to do away with anxiety and be less concerned with matters not under our direct control.

Stress is discussed at length. Stress can lead to increases in the heart rate, blood pressure increases, blood flow migration from the gut to the skeleton and increases in blood sugar. Fatigue also begets chronic inflammation .

From personal experience, you should check the C-reactive protein, SED rate and other markers for potential inflammatory states. These tests would be done in the blood chemistry in rhematology, cardiology or a comprehensive physical check-up.

The allergen blood panel is another place to examine for inflammation from foods we consume regularly.  i.e. egg white IgE, cow's milk IgE, codfish IgE, wheat IgE, corn IgE, pea IgE, peanut IgE, soybean IgE, shrimp IgE, tomato IgE. Your gastroenterologist can order an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy to get more precise visual information pertinent to existing inflammations in the gastrointestinal tract and colon.  The Pillcam is another useful tool which produces visual images in a video format.

Exercise, eating regularly, 8-9 hours of  quality sleep, slowing down and nurturing yourself  will help to de-stress. The authors cite a 3-hour window to break-up clots amd restore blood flow from strokes. In addition, I would ask about a Doppler test of the head/neck area to gain some assurance about the likelihood of a blood clot breaking up randomly.  In addition, stroke prevention strategies include good diabetes care, low cholesterol, blood pressure monitoring and no smoking.

Diabetes may be controlled by diet via high fiber foods, veggies, non-fat yogurt, whole grain breads, quinoa, brown rice, beans, peas and lentils.  Exercise is another condition precedent for controlling diabetes along with reduction of binge eating and trigger foods.

Much is said about weight loss and control. The authors advise to maintain a log, spread calories throughout the day, eat fruits and veggies,  eat complex carbs and protein and control alcohol intake ideally.   Remember, alcoholic beverages may contain high levels of sugar.

Overall, the acquisition of this book would be a worthy addition to any personal library.

Kelly Traver, MD received her medical degree from Stanford where she also specialized in Internal Medicine. During an additional year as chief resident she won the Excellence in Teaching award and currently serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor of medicine at Stanford. Dr. Traver has been practicing medicine for more than seventeen years, but her background also includes research in biochemistry, teaching in a Stanford neuroanatomy lab and a brief public health study in South Africa while in medical school. She recently served as medical director at Google and is currently on the board for the Institute for the Future. Dr. Traver is the founder of Healthiest You, a company that works with corporations, health care organizations, and the government to help individuals become more empowered and engaged in their health.

The Program: The Brain Smart Approach To The Healthiest You (Atria Books/2009)  by Dr. Kelly Traver MD and Betty Kelly Sargent

Book Review: Living Well Emotionally by Montel Williams

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