Rating: 
Summary: Well-written, Interesting, But Impossible Solutions
Review: "Tired of Being Tired: Rescue, Repair, Rejuvenate" is a bright new entry by authors Jesse Lynn Hanley, M.D. and Nancy Deville. It's main question posed to the reader is "Do you have adrenal burnout?", meaning, is your diet and lifestyle so "modern" that you're all out of adrenaline? Or, is your body actually not responding to it own secretions, or did you just run out without knowing it? Is your body so full of toxins that you're going to die before your time? These are very important questions we must ask, presented brilliantly and adeptly. But we must seriously question the questions.The text of "Tired..." covers three parts over 18 chapters, from "The Adrenaline Rush Lifestyle" to "Music for Calming the Central Nervous System." Hanley and Deville have bitten off quite a bit for their main subject, nearly getting off course. Included in the up-to-date research is the role of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin, and hormones, namely, the title's theme of adrenalin. The tone is meant to sound convincing, and it is to a point. Some of the key argument they present, however, are far from conclusive and can possibly lead the reader into a state of panic. For example, Hanley points out the dangers of silver fillings, in that they contain mercury, which can be responsible for allegedly causing birth defects, spontaneous anger, Parkinson's and Alzheimers diseases, among many cited others. Immediately I called my dentist, and she made it clear that the FDA has known about mercury for decades and that there is no conclusive evidence to support Hanley and Deville's claim. So the authors and the FDA seem to be at complete odds there, and my dentist spent quite some time reassuring me that, contrary to what the authors indicated, that I do NOT need to have my silver fillings removed. The authors support a procedure called "EDTA chelation," both lengthy and expensive, and therefore undesirable. The authors did not conceive of that idea, they got it from another book, "Toxic Metal Syndrome," by Richard Casdorph. Other points the authors indicate are not only inconclusive, but preposterous. We're supposed to give up all processed food when we shop, "sticking to the periphery of the supermarket" where the fresh fruits and vegetables are. We're supposed to avoid everything from processed foods, to heavy metals, cellphones, televisions, telephone poles (they call it "electropollution.") But we have already known since the beginning that fruits, vegetables and nuts are "good for us." The problems are that the foods we buy today, even though they are highly processed, is that they taste so darn good. But that's not all. We're supposed to get rid of our fluoridated toothpaste, switch entirely to organic foods and throw away all our household cleaning products that have "harmful chemicals." This is preposterous, since we have been using these products for decades (and longer) we still have been able to live long and prosperous lives. As if we didn't know? If we lived according to their directions it would be a wonder if we would ever again have a day of fun our whole life. Are all of us going to switch to bottled water? No! Do all of us suffer ill-effects "heavy metal toxicity?" Are we never again going to be able to simply watch television without someone haranguing us about its ills? I read the references in this book, which that authors were highly reluctant to reference, and most of them are sketchy at best, being mere THEORIES and memorandums not available to the general public. Some things she proposes could never be done. How are we supposed to completely rid ourselves of the very toxins that are not only in our bodies, but all around us? We still have a reasonably good chance of living a healthy life. In this sense, the book is contradictory in nature. This a fresh, provocative work that, although the authors would love to take credit for having the final answers, probably won't be able to convince everyone. Here again, we have thousands of doctors advising us on how to live under a new regimen, many of them contradicting each other and leaving the reader, again, hanging in the middle to decide who is right. Some of the answers Hanley proposes, no matter how noble they sound, are just plain impossible. Sure, we'd love to live in an absolutely pure world, free of poisons and sundry evils. But let me have sweets once in a while, and let me keep my toothpaste. I'm not afraid to drink tap water, either. Most of us choose foods with a longer shelf life over those that require preparation. I love ice cream, and I'm not going to quit because someone says it has an artificial flavor enhancer. One conclusion I inferred is that we cannot trust the FDA, but I do trust them. Between this and other "health" books, they are all making the same basic conclusions. "Rescue, repair, rejuvenate." Our authors wanted to say they had the three "R's" in something. Catchy, but I can't see many people shaping their lives around it. If this book was truly original or helpful, it would be at the top of the charts.
Rating:
Summary: Good concepts, but unrealistic solutions
Review: Hanley and Deville offer some good tools for thinking about our driven pace of life, and the crutches that we use to keep it up. They tell us to get rid of these crutches, both the physical--caffeine, sugar, etc., and the mental--"I must do better," "I'm not good enough." Those who follow their advice will probably find themselves more relaxed, balanced, and at peace with the world. But some of the concrete solutions that they offer are downright unrealistic, if not dangerous. For example, taking human growth hormone?! Isn't HGH among the substances banned for athletes? And GABA? Even those who have sworn off conventional medicine might pause to consider that doctors don't prescribe those brain- and body-tinkering chemicals in droves, and for a good reason. The range of hormones, amino acids, and natural herbs form a formidable medicine cabinet and would surely deplete the average person's pocketbook. My advice: read it, think about it, and certainly follow the concepts, but don't take it all too seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Good concepts, but unrealistic solutions
Review: Hanley and Deville offer some good tools for thinking about our driven pace of life, and the crutches that we use to keep it up. They tell us to get rid of these crutches, both the physical--caffeine, sugar, etc., and the mental--"I must do better," "I'm not good enough." Those who follow their advice will probably find themselves more relaxed, balanced, and at peace with the world. But some of the concrete solutions that they offer are downright unrealistic, if not dangerous. For example, taking human growth hormone?! Isn't HGH among the substances banned for athletes? And GABA? Even those who have sworn off conventional medicine might pause to consider that doctors don't prescribe those brain- and body-tinkering chemicals in droves, and for a good reason. The range of hormones, amino acids, and natural herbs form a formidable medicine cabinet and would surely deplete the average person's pocketbook. My advice: read it, think about it, and certainly follow the concepts, but don't take it all too seriously.
Rating: 
Summary: Workable Information
Review: Having read this book, I feel that I have the tools needed to get to where I'm going - health.
Rating:
Summary: By far, the BEST health book around
Review: I read all the new fad health books when they come out and have not found a better book than this one. I could not put this book down! It is well written in plain English, with excellent and clear explanations of all the health jargin. This book shocked me as I realized how many harmful toxins are in the products I use and the foods I eat and feed to my kids on a regular basis. It is also very informative as to which vitamins to take for your personal routine. The protein shakes are my favorite - and it's full of recipes for healthy meals that taste delicious! I've been trying them every day and am shocked that such nutritious food can taste so amazing. The authors use ten very easy solutions to get your health and eating habits on the right track - solutions anyone can follow. Plain and simple, this book is a great read for anyone interested in revamping their health. Well worth the purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Much Information
Review: Much of what appears in this book is good sound advice, but I suppose it could also be interpreted as just plain old common sense. The information is far too detailed, extensive, and at times intimidating--perhaps even questionable.
Rating:
Summary: great for guys too
Review: My wife brought this book home for her..I thought great, another book for women by women. I thumbed through it and to my pleasant surprise it was not at all what I expected..it's great for guys too. In fact, I read it before my wife. All I can tell you is that after following the advice on how to eat and live for the past year I feel stronger, and have fewer allergy and related problems. I am very active and find I now have more energy. I refer to the book often and have found it to be invaluable.
Rating: 
Summary: Great writing by Deville
Review: Nancy Deville's clear, simple, lively prose brings Hanley's voice to the forefront and keeps things moving along in this must-read for anybody interested in new ways to improve long-term health.
Rating:
Summary: Makes you think twice about what you are doing
Review: Once I was able to get past the "sky is falling" attitude that I feel permeates the book, I found it full of useful information. I have been loosely following the plan outlined in the book and have found myself with more energy and less mood swings. At first glance some of the ideas are amazing and they contradict what we have learned for the past 20 years. However, after looking at her meal plans and the general overall thoughts it really rings true. She basically states that by eliminating processed food and eating closer to the source, as well as eating balanced portions of protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables you can have more energy in life. This is something folks like Julia Child and the Surgeon General have been supporting for years. So take some of the book with a grain of salt and realize that some of the facts may be slightly off, for instance that a marathon is 25 miles long (it is 26.2) but the overall ideas and direction is great.
Rating:
Summary: A very well-written, well-organized book
Review: There is plenty of evidence that the basic elements of a healthy life involve eating good food, getting enough sleep, exercising in moderation, and avoiding toxins. Yet every day the average person violates these simple guidelines. What makes this book so great is that the authors give us specific steps we can take and they are presented in clear, concise chunks. The topic organization and writing style make the guidelines easy to understand and follow. The authors also clearly explain the consequences of ignoring our health year in and year out. I appreciated having the symptoms of adrenal burnout explained as phases so I could relate them to my own situation. As for depression: indeed, that could be a factor in adrenal burnout, either as cause or as result. But keep in mind that some the first questions any health practitioner should ask are: how is your diet? how are you sleeping? are you getting any exercise? If you are ignoring the basic guidelines for any one of those it could be a wild guess for a healthcare professional to determine whether your unhealthy lifestyle is a cause of your depression or a result of your depression. If you are seeking help for depression, there is no reason not to use the guidelines in this book to be sure that you are doing everything in your power to mitigate some of the known causes of it (which include poor diet, losing sleep, abusing alcohol, and not getting enough exercise). This book is a great support for taking care of oneself!
|
