This book sets out to demonstrate that physical health and sickness and the spiritual life, happiness, depression, grief, optimism, despair, etc are closely related. The author contests the claims made by conventional medicine by showing that by the time breakthrough cures for diphtheria, and tuberculosis were discovered, rates of death had already dwindled by up to 90%. He claims that antiquated European medical methods that are scorned by modern medicine had a large measure of success as do tribal cures in Africa that succeed by offering comfort and sympathy and by holding out faith. The author's previous books include "Multimind", "The Mind Field", "The Amazing Brain" and "The Psychology of Consciousness".
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Joining the reaction against Cartesian separation of mind and body and belief in "magic bullets," Ornstein (The Amazing Brain, etc.), Stanford University professor of neurobiology, and Sobel, director of protective medicine at Kaiser-Permanente Health System, contend that the brain's primary function is not to think but to maintain and restore health to the body. The brain also activates the body's own immune system and alleviates pain using hypnosis or morphine-like analgesics. Medical intervention, they claim, is less vital to disease prevention than are nutrition, hygiene, environment, behavior and social stability. The brain alone is aware of and stimulated by all these factors, and using a combination of regulators like the hypothalamus and chemical and electrical impulses, it coordinates the body's inner functions and relates them to the external world. Above all, the authors maintain in this highly readable, informative book, social support and a consistent set of beliefs and positive attitudes help the brain adapt to or minimize negative effects of genetic traits on health.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Neurobiologist Ornstein (The Amazing Brain ) and physician Sobel review current research on the relationship of the brain (i.e., psychological, emotional, and social factors) to health. "The primary functions of the brain," they say, "is health maintenance." In a readable and entertaining style they discuss how the brain functions in emotional and perceptive experience, its relation to the immune system, and how positive attitudes, strong social connections, unselfishness, and healthy emotional expression affect our resistance to and recovery from disease. The authors feel obliged to defend the stance that psychological and social forces are critical determinants of disease; indeed, some findings challenge traditional views. A valuable progress report for most public libraries. Nancy B. Burrell, U.S.F. / New Coll . Lib., Sarasota, Fla.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good intro to the most interesting item in the universe.,
By frostansuz@aol.com (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Healing Brain: Breakthrough Discoveries About How the Brain Keeps Us Healthy (Paperback)
Robert Ornstein is a neurobiologist and co-author David Sobel is an M.D., and together they can write. This is a clear, readable, informative introduction to the brain and its impact on human health - surely one of the most fascinating frontiers in medicine. I read the 1986 edition of the book; some smart paperback publisher should get Ornstein and Sobel to write a new chapter summarizing the latest research in this fast changing field.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tremendous Insight Into The Mind,
By
This review is from: The Healing Brain: Breakthrough Discoveries About How the Brain Keeps Us Healthy (Paperback)
This book provided me with a great deal of insight into the connectivity between the brain and the mechanics of the body, the power of thought in reference to brain chemistry, and the tremendous influence of brain chemistry over the actions and reactions I take. A must read in conjunction with this book is Healthy Mind Health Body the Handbook.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
First Rate;Speculative,Positive, and Reflective:,
By
This review is from: The Healing Brain: Breakthrough Discoveries About How the Brain Keeps Us Healthy (Paperback)
I bought this book for the sake of research without a referal.Not only was it a wealth of facts, its operational premise, which could be stated as "the brain studying the brain" has to be both medicinal and evolutionary. I have had great insight and fun with the observations of lizard brain versus mammalian brain.
Neural, social, enviromental,anthropological,modern, ancient,philosophic, profound and chatty, it is good to have a whole brain that insists on healing itself it the sane context of getting at the meaning of life."Emotions existed before we did" is past brilliant. Thank you Orstein for thinking outloud!
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