Customer Reviews

The Program: The Brain-Smart Approach to the Healthiest You: The Life-Changing 12-Week Method

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not just another book on stuff that I know I should do to get and stay healthy but ultimately fail to do for one reason or another. (Why does change for the better always seem so hard?!) The Program, by Dr. Kelly Traver, helped me make the connection between my behavior and the way my particular brain works. This understanding was key to unlocking my resistance to change and allowed me to use the tools in this program to make positive adjustments in my life.

This is not a one size fits all program...it is a program that fits all sizes! I highly recommend it, particularly for anyone who needs help to outsmart their change-resistant brain.

Life Changing- 12 Week Method- The Program
by Dr. Kelly Traver MD and Betty Kelly Sargent
Published 2009 by Atria Books

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
between 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 rheumatology,
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 and 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.

Dr. Joseph S. Maresca

This book was both informative and a really enjoyable read. The author first explains, in very understandable terms, how the brain works, how human beings are motivated, along with anecdotes so you can relate without being a medical student or scientist. Then she goes on to help you relate it to your life, week by week, with a different task each week. I'm excited to work through "The Program" and see if I can improve my health habits. I liked the way the author wrote in a non-judgmental tone, as if she's saying "I know, I get it. I struggle to maintain good health too. It's because we're human. Here's how to work with our biology instead of against it." With health care costs in the United States skyrocketing, it seems that focusing on disease prevention and creating health lifestyles will be one of the themes of this upcoming decade. I would recommend this book to all people who are looking to get motivated to get healthy and stay healthy.

Wow! Just started reading this book today and can't put it down. Any questions I have about my health and happiness are answered in simple, practical terms that I can put into practice immediately. In the course of two hours, I have come across at least a dozen discoveries. And I am someone who has been hunting for answers for many years. I look forward to having this book as a guideline to more satisfaction in my life for many more years and updating this review over time.

I gave this book two stars because it does have good information and is well written. And I did enjoy the sections on the various parts of the brain and their functions. However, and this is a BIG however, there is nothing new here that has not been said over and over. Unless you have been living in a cave for the last several years, 95% of what she says has been in the news, written about, talked about, etc, etc until we are blue in the face! To put it short, exercise more and eat sensibly, more fruits and vegetables. I thought the book would explore ways to circumvent the force field in my brain that keeps me stationary and not moving. Not so. She suggests that you exercise 30 minutes a day to start and move up to 1 hour three times a week. Well, duh! I guess I didn't know that - not that Oprah, Jillian and every fitness guru hasn't said that. In addition, current thinking says that high intensity interval training will give as good as, and probably better, results for any exercise program. She also gives examples of how real people used the program - such - "well, I think I will give up desserts for two weeks." No suggestion how to do it, "just do it". Well that counts as will power in my book and I know, if no one else does, that will power alone will not cut it, not for me anyway! I wish I had checked the book out of the library first as I feel like I wasted the money. There is a lesson there, although learned the hard way.

This book is well written by a very knowledgable author. My only criticism is that it is very basic. Perhaps working with the author personally or online would allow some "fleshing out." However, anyone who has been researching these fields for any length of time will find it to contain too many generalities, basic instructions and recommendations to "consult your physician or health care provider for more information."

Based on years of study of her patients in her Menlo Park, California clinic (and her MDHealth Evolution organization), Traver's book, `The Program: The Brain-Smart Approach to the Healthiest You' is a 12 week plan for insuring or reclaiming one's optimal health through what can essentially be described as a behavioral re-wiring of the personal health game-plan emanating from the human brain. Beginning by describing twelve characteristics of the brain (the emotional brain, the rational brain, the adaptable brain, etc...) Traver assembles a self-reliant plan covering topics like mastering stress, maximizing energy, outsmarting heart disease, diminishing diabetes, curing sleep loss, preventing cancer as well as looking at how to age successfully. Throughout her program, Traver's directives and style are both warm and understandable while allowing the reader to track their progress through easy to monitor progressions. Traver spends ample time discussing both preventative and remedial measures that are based on her own studies as well as widespread medical data. It is a program that has had demonstrably successful results but more importantly, it is presented in a way that could not be easier to follow. Traver's work is a breakthrough in presentation and therefore highly recommended.

I just finished reading this book and was very impressed with how clear the mind and body connection was made. There are 12 key topics to this program which makes losing weight and feeling healthier doable, attainable and sustainable. This is actually a healthy approach that I know I can do. The Program is well written, clear, full of common sense that, quite frankly, I just have never wanted to incorporate before now. I'm sending a copy to my mom who has been battling weight and poor eating habits and I know she's going to get a LOT out of it. Thanks for a terrific book, Dr. Traver!

I have read health and diet books my whole life, but this one is head and shoulders above the rest. The Program breaks health into 12 key topics that allow each reader to maximize his or her potential. As Dr. Traver explains issues such as nutrition, stress and maximizing energy, she provides me with a personal profile, interesting facts and simple ways to make changes for a healthier lifestyle.

Dr Traver has nailed it. Her common sense approach and easy to read and understand format gave me new insights into managing my health that gave me hope. Dr. Traver starts with change theory and fundmentals about how the brain works and processes change. Understanding these concepts made the implementation of the lifestyle changes much easier. Her brain information is a summary of all the new research in neuroscience so be prepared to be amazed by all of the new information that gives us an understanding of how to make lasting change (from your brain's perspective).