summary ofChange Your Brain, Change Your LifeBook by Daniel G. Amen, MD

first KEY POINT

Your brain controls everything you think, feel and do — look after it!

It’s easy to think that you should go on a diet and lose some extra pounds if you’re struggling with your weight. You might assume getting enough sleep every night isn’t that big of a deal. It’s easy to think that being a little unorganized or always running late is just a character quirk.Have you ever stopped to question whether there might be something a little more complex behind all of this? After all, the human brain is the most sophisticated machine out there! Scientists and researchers still don’t completely understand the scope and total ability of the brain, so it stands to reason that maybe overall health could be affected by how the brain is feeling.Daniel Amen made it his mission to prove that brain health has a massive and undeniable link to how healthy or unhealthy a person is. When someone is eating all the wrong things, not sleeping enough, or thinking negatively, this can adversely affect the brain and its general function. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be addressed to ensure overall health, happiness, and wellbeing.Suppose you’ve long suffered from anxiety or forgetfulness, maybe depression or obsessive thoughts and behaviors. In that case, Daniel Amen suggests that you focus on soothing the correct part of your brain and see what result that brings to you. After all, a happy brain means a happy body.The other good news is that looking after your brain also means increased happiness in your general life. When you look and feel good, your happiness levels increase. All you need to do is learn how to soothe the specific parts of your brain that need it.