Book Review: The Upgrade
How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond by Louann Brizendine, MD
Written by Theresa
If you’re looking for a soft entry reading about moving through the transition of middle age, put this on your list for a later time. If you’re looking for a radical reframing of how women experience and communicate about middle life - pick this up now.
From the author of The Female Brain, Louann Brizendine, MD gives us The Upgrade, How The Female Brain Gets Stronger And Better In Midlife And Beyond. Dr. Brizendine has documented this wealth of information as a resource for women navigating middle life chapters. Whether reading this proactively or for present health, this is a tool for your toolbox.
If you want to know more about:
How inflammation affects your changing body and brain
Sleep health
The patriarchal system that established our understanding of female health
Hormone management
Brain health
The microbiome
How hormones impact the brain
The discovery of purpose…
Dr. Brizendine tells us relatable and compassionate accounts from her patients who share struggles and triumphs in navigating their aging bodies and identities. Through these stories she offers middle life as the time to dig deep and know ourselves. That this is the time to make room for understanding the importance of purpose and creating space to develop a purpose-driven mindset. She breaks down what’s happening on the other side of the fertility phase of our lives. That there is more room for prioritizing ourselves, relationships, eliminating petty worry, developing our purpose, and better understanding and loving our designs.
With the extended timeline of late adolescence now stretching into late our 20s (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/extended-adolescence-when-25-is-the-new-181/) we are shifting gears pretty fast in our 30s and no wonder there’s a mental block on transitioning to our middle life chapters. But we can’t fight biology. It’s happening regardless of our mental status and mental age. To assist us in preparation or real time, depending on when we pick up her book, she gives us resources to minimize the crisis, support our health, and uncover the authentic person waiting to emerge. She provides tips and educational guidance for our nutritional, neurological, physiological, and social wellbeing as well as understanding and nurturing our evolving identity. And she introduces the topic of reframing our relationship with death.
There is a lot of information. She gets technical and pulls in all aspects of our health in a very digestible, empowering, and insightful voice. I constantly wanted to reread, highlight, or take pictures of passages. It’s a guide book that I will be turning to repeatedly.