When Your Body Get the Blues

This book is a rarity - science-based,yet easy to read, and loaded with helpful examples. Dr. Brown, the author, writes with compassion, and enthusiasm, sharing some of her own experiences with the program she and Jo Robinson devised. It made me wonder how many women might have been misdiagnosed as clinically depressed, and medicated, when only their BODIES were "blue". This is a cheerful, inexpensive, and eminently do-able program that makes sense and works. I received a number of inquiries from friends who'd seen my copy of the book, so it's making the rounds now!

Being a 33 year-old, divorced professional who is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds, I am the quintessential "AVERAGE" American woman. This book was a huge success for me. I calculated my "Mood and Symptom Inventory" score over the past 6 weeks. Here's the breakdown:Week 1: 24.5Week 2: 35Week 3: 39Week 4: 35.5Week 5: 41.5Week 6: 45The higher your score, the better you feel. Pretty amazing, eh? I was so tickled that I wanted to share it with you. Jo (one of the authors) sent me the downloadable Daily Journal which has been a huge help. Oh, and I, like so many others have lost 5 pounds without even trying.

I was very pleased to find out that someone has looked at women's health in a holistic fashion. The authors have done their homework and integrated information about exercise, light therapy and vitamin therapy so solve a problem that is pervasive and brings together a whole constellation of symptoms of malaise.The Body Blues book not only is easy to read, but it is based on real verified science-- something one rarely sees in the self-help category. As a scientist myself I especially appreciate this.With the exception of vitamins (which can be bought at any drugstore), all the authors' recommendations can be followed at no cost to the individual. This makes it even more surprizing that the authors have refused to sell or be involved in the sale of the vitamins they recommend. Not only holistic thinkers, but public-minded too. A breath of fresh air.

One of the things I love about this book is that it makes good common sense. Our bodies need to move; they need sunshine. Staying sedentary and closeted will leave "our bodies feeling blue". The abundance of research in the book supporting the importance of exercise, nutrition and sunlight reminds us what we intuitively know: that most of us can make a difference in how we feel. We simply have to work a bit at it. Gratefully, Robinson and Brown make the "working at it" very do-able, and even enjoyable. Their approach is empowering and effective. The one existing reviewer of this book seems to have missed the point that the authors say clearly that they do not benefit from the sale of Levity vitamins. Additionally, they encourage readers to simply supplement the individual vitamins they may currently be taking with those that have been shown to be associated with improved mood. This is another example of their down-to-earth approach. As a psychologist, I have been recommending this book to my clients and they are already reporting significant changes. As for me, I'm looking for ways to move my exercise outdoors, to grab that extra walk at noontime, and, yes, take my vitamins.

I had the privilege of attending a Body Blues workshop given by Brown and Robinson, the authors of this book. When I left the workshop, I felt better already. Having read "When Your Body Gets the Blues," several things stand out about this program: 1) It makes sense. 2) It's "do-able." (I haven't found anyone yet--no matter how busy they are--who can tell me with a straight face that they can't fit this program into their lives.) 3) It works. It's a joy to banish those bouts of "fuzzy thinking" that leave you wondering if you're losing it.I'm fifty, and many of my friends and coworkers (some of them much younger!) have the symptoms of "the body blues." In fact, it seems that maybe 25% of my female friends DON'T have the body blues. I sent a copy of this book to one of them. She read the first chapter and said "I see why you thought I needed this. This is me!" This book is now #1 on my list of birthday presents for female friends (and the men who love them?)I wanted to add a word about the previous reviewer's concern that the authors were hyping "their" miracle vitamin pill. One of the things that impressed me about the authors at their workshop was their integrity, and I feel obligated to set the record straight. I think the confusion comes from the fact that Brown and Robinson's study was called the LEVITY (Light, Exercise and Vitamin Intervention TherapY) program. For their study they asked a company to produce a supplement that contained six specific vitamins and minerals in an easily swallowed tablet; these same tablets can now be purchased in stores and is called the LEVITY(TM) Mood-Elevating Formula. The authors, who understand how important it is that the program be easy to follow, recommend this product for its convenience. However, as they point out clearly to their readers, neither author benefits from the sale of these supplements. In fact, the six vitamins and minerals are all common substances and readily available, and Brown & Robinson provide readers with all the information they need to put this formula together on their own.