Book Review: Female Brain Gone Insane
How many times have you asked yourself the following question?
“What is wrong with me?!”
Work is good, home life is good, kids are good. And yet, we feel anxious, weepy, irritable, fatigued … you name the not-so-nice state of mind and we are feeling it. So, when I was asked to review Mia Lundin’s Female Brain Gone Insane, I leaped at the opportunity based on the title alone.
Ms. Lundin is a registered nurse and nurse practitioner. At the age of 34, she suffered severe post-partum depression. She found immediate relief through injections of natural progesterone. This peaked her interest in the connection between hormonal balance and brain chemistry. She went onto become the founder and director of the Center for Hormonal and Nutritional Balance.
I am very big on listening to our own bodies, and that is what this book is all about. Too often I hear stories about women in their forties and fifties being prescribed anti-depressants. But nowhere in the telling of the tale is any talk of being perimenopausal and menopausal. No talk about eating habits. No talk of exercise habits. Just “I felt bad and my doctor gave me Prozac. Now I feel okay.”
Not, now I feel great. Just okay.
The Female Brain Gone Insane is about tuning into the natural rhythms of our bodies, and associating our state of mind to those rhythms.
It is a practical guide which provides an explanation of how our hormone levels fluctuate throughout the month, and throughout our lifetime.
The book first describes our hormones and how their fluctuating levels affect our state of mind. Then the pros and cons of synthetic versus bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are explained. And finally, we get a Four Step Guide to return us to the sane being we know we really are.
I have read several books on the connection between hormonal balance and state of mind. However, Female Brain Gone Insane is the first one that suggests that I, not a doctor, have the wherewithal to figure out what is going on in my own body.
By using the worksheet included in the book, I can track my moods every day of the month, and look for patterns. Based on those patterns, treatments in terms of supplements and bioidentical hormones are proposed.
Fully armed with my mood patterns and suggested treatments, I can then go and partner with my health care professional.
Granted, this is going to take effort on my behalf. I have to develop the habit of recording my daily moods, as well as my menstrual cycle. I have to do the analysis, and I have to take the necessary steps to feel better.
Female Brain Gone Insane has given me all the tools and information to figure out why I am feeling out of sorts. This will enable me to take control of my body and emotions.
Sounds like a little effort for a lot of gain.
Suggested reading:
You can learn more about the Female Brain Gone Insane at http://www.femalebraingoneinsane.com/
Female Brain Gone Insane is available for purchase through Amazon by clicking the Silver & Grace book recommendations.
To find out what other people are saying about this book, check out the following TLC Book Tour reviews:
January 11: It’s All a Matter of Perspective
January 12: Hope Springs Eternal
January 13: Quest for Balance
January 14: Family in Shape
January 19: Truth 2 Being Fit
January 20: Luxury Reading
January 26: Patricia’s Wisdom
January 28: Happy Lotus
Book Review: Someday My Ship Will Come In by Alex Fayle
Do you have a Someday? Someday I will write that book. Someday I will learn to paint. Someday I will de-clutter twenty years worth of accumulated stuff.
For me, it was Someday I will find a job I truly love, and Someday I will pursue a writing career. I had actually gotten to the point that I burst into tears at the thought of going to work in the morning. And my creative side was so malnourished, I felt like a robot.
Then I worked my way through Alex Fayle’s Someday My Ship Will Come In book and associated worksheets. By the time I was done I:
- identified the job that was right for me, and switched to it;
- created a personal blog;
- launched Silver & Grace.
Here’s what you can expect to find in Someday My Ship Will Come In:
Personable and Personal
Reading this book is like having a conversation directly with Alex. It’s not preachy, nor does he set himself up on a guru pedestal. As a matter of fact, he is quite honest about his own struggles and foibles.
“I don’t like working hard, I like starting but not finishing projects, and I get distracted easily. Lots of things interest me and I get super-duper excited about new things. The moment it becomes work, however, I get bored and want to move on.”
Bite size pieces
We are all very busy, and if I have to spend thirty minutes reading a chapter, then another thirty minutes doing an exercise, I won’t do it.
The book is divided into nine chapters, each with several sub-sections. I could read a sub-section in less than five minutes, then do the associated worksheet in anywhere from five to twenty minutes. I could also pick up the book whenever I had time and not lose the flow of the lessons.
Different angles
Quite often, when I am working through a problem, I need to have information come at me from different angles. Alex employs several techniques to help it all sink in.
- He discusses the focus of the chapter, adding his own experiences;
- Each chapter has an inspirational quote reinforcing the key concept;
- The chapter summary puts another spin on the ideas;
- The worksheets employ lists, charts, free flowing essays, and diagrams.
No sugar coating
Alex takes a no nonsense approach to self-help. While he is all in favour of self-discovery, he firmly advocates it’s pretty much for naught if you don’t actually take action. So, while my initial reaction was “Ouch!’:to some statements, my follow up reaction was always, “yep, that’s so true”.
eBook format
Someday My Ship Will Come In is an eBook. I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of reading a book online, so I printed it. It is 94 pages, so I highly recommend setting the printer to black and white, as opposed to colour. However, if you don’t mind reading online, you could simply print off the worksheets.
To be honest, when I started the book, I expected to unearth a few more of my weaknesses and make the usual promises to myself to do better. At the end of the book, however, I had a:
- clear vision of what my real Somedays were;
- thorough understanding of what was blocking me from achieving them;
- list of my support networks;
- plan for working towards turning my Somedays into Todays.
I highly recommend this book if you are ready turn a Someday, big or small, into a Today.
Someday My Ship Will Come In is available on this site, by clicking the ‘Stop Waiting.Start Living.’ button.
Your turn
- What are your Somedays?
- What would it take to turn your Somedays into Todays?
Joining the ranks of the Sandwich Generation
I had my children very young, and my parents are still hale and hearty. So, unless my adult children boomerang back home, I will not find myself looking after both my children and my parents simultaneously. However, many people do find themselves in this situation. These people form the Sandwich Generation.
Who makes up the Sandwich Generation?
The average age range of people caring for both children and elderly parents is between 45 and 64. Here are some related stats:
- one quarter of American families currently take care of elderly parents
- one third of those families also have unmarried children under the age of 25 still living at home
- eighty percent of these Sandwichers work outside of the home
- in the next 10 years, 2/3 of the baby boom generation will be caring for an elderly parent
Why is the Sandwich Generation membership expanding?
There are several reasons why concurrently caring for children and parents is becoming more prevalent:
- We are having our children later in life, such that we still have school age children well into our forties, and possibly fifties
- Our children are living at home longer, not leaving until well into their twenties
- Our parents are living longer, with the average life expectancy now surpassing 80 years old
What kind of care will our parents need?
The type of care depends on how healthy and independent our parents are. From simple help such as:
- transportation to appointments
- household maintenance
- cleaning
- cooking
To more involved help such as:
- physical assistance with bathing, dressing and feeding
- monitoring proper medication use
- managing their financial and legal affairs
Are women more involved in elder care than men?
Yes, we are. On the average, women spend twice the amount of time as caregivers than men. And we are more likely to make changes in our job to accommodate care-giving. And while men tend to help out with home maintenance and transportation, personal care still traditionally falls to women.
What are some of the challenges faced by caregivers?
Care-giving, especially when looking after two generations, can create a strain that leaves the caregiver mentally and physically drained. As well, there can be a financial strain caused by additional expenses, and increased absenteeism at work.
Is there a way to make this work?
Yes, there is. Here are some ways to make sure everyone remains as stress free as possible:
- Talk to siblings – be very specific about what is involved in elder care, and set clear expectations on who is going to do what
- Take care of yourself – make sure you make time for yourself, socialize, and maintain a healthy lifestyle with exercise and proper nutrition
- Don’t be hard on yourself – elder care, like parenting, is a case of learning as you go, so expect to make mistakes
- Get respite care – hire a professional geriatric care manager, and use support programs in the community
- Keep the lines of communication open – with your spouse, your children and your parents
- Respect your parent’s dignity and independence – make sure your parent has their own privacy and space, and feels free to contribute to the household
Is it as bad as it sounds?
No, actually it’s not. 95% of Sandwhichers feel satisfied with life in general, and 70% have developed stronger relationships with their parent. Not to mention a stronger bond that forms between the children and their grandparent in an intergenerational household.
The key to being in the middle of caring for children and parents is preparation and communication. With the entire family, including extended family, involved in decision making and workload, taking care of aging parents can be a very rewarding experience.
Suggested Reading:
The Sandwich Generation
The Sandwich Generation: Juggling Family Responsibilities
Study: The Sandwich Generation
Your turn:
- Have you discussed elder care with your aging parents, and your siblings?
- If you are looking after an aging parent, are you finding it a positive experience or a negative one?
