Note – I received a copy of this book from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
About The Psychobiotic Revolution
Written by the leading researchers in the field, this information-rich guide to improving your mood explains how gut health drives psychological well-being, and how depression and anxiety can be relieved by adjusting your intestinal bacteria.
This groundbreaking book explains the revolutionary new science of psychobiotics and the discovery that your brain health and state of mind are intimately connected to your microbiome, that four-pound population of microbes living inside your intestines. Leading medical researchers John F. Cryan and Ted Dinan, working with veteran journalist Scott C. Anderson, explain how common mental health problems, particularly depression and anxiety, can be improved by caring for the intestinal microbiome. Science is proving that a healthy gut means a healthy mind–and this book details the steps you can take to change your mood and improve your life by nurturing your microbiome.
My Thoughts
A little known fact about me: gut health has been on my mind for awhile, now. I have relatives who have had issues related to gut health. I come from a family that (now) eats sauerkraut–or some other fermented food–with every meal. I’m not on the sauerkraut train–I can’t even stand the smell of it–but when a gut health-related issue hit another member of my family, I started taking a probiotic and realized that I felt so much better. I can always answer the “what’s a prebiotic” question and I’m a big proponent of taking care of your gut health, because I’ve seen so many issues that might seem unrelated to gut health actually stem from it.
So, when I heard about The Psychobiotic Revolution I thought this would be a fascinating book to read. I know that gut health impacts you physically in so many different ways, so let’s see how it impacts mental health and mood. If you’re worried the message in the book might be, “Get rid of the meds you’re taking for your mental health!” I didn’t get that feel at all. While he does take a look at some of the medicines that are being used, I found his message to be one of: let’s see how much of a factor gut health is in the mental health of each individual and go from there.
This isn’t my usual type of read, so there were times I’d find my mind wandering, but the topic itself is something that I have an interest in and it’s one that I think people should look into. Gut health might be affecting you more than you think, and it’s something worth looking into.
Even though my mind wandered here and there, I thought the book was incredibly fascinating. It’s also one that I “shared” with people in my life more than I usually do. I took of a picture of a passage that referenced something my dad and I had talked about recently and sent it to him. After reading Chapter Three: Your Microbiota, From Birth to Death, I sent a few tidbits to a friend of mine who’s pregnant, to which she responded, “What are you reading? 😂” Like I said, it’s not my usual type of book. I’m glad I read it, though, and I would recommend it.
What about you? Do you have an interest in the fascinating world of gut health?
Purchase Links
National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About Scott C. Anderson
SCOTT C. ANDERSON is a veteran science journalist with specialization in medical topics and computer programming. He was one of the creators of Lego Island, a computer game, and his work has combined computer programming with medical research. He runs a laboratory called Freedom Health that studies bacterial health in racehorses and has developed prebiotics for animals and humans. He lives in Hudson, Ohio (between Cleveland and Akron), was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and recently lived in Sonoma, California.
About John F. Cryan, Ph.D.
JOHN F. CRYAN is professor and chair of the department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork. A principal investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a leading-edge institute researching the role of microbiome in health and disease, he lives in Cork, Ireland.
About Ted Dinan, M.D., Ph.D.
TED DINAN is professor of psychiatry and a principal investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at University College Cork. He was previously chair of clinical neurosciences and professor of psychological medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. He lives in Cork, Ireland.
