The Upgrade, Louann Brizendine, MD
The Upgrade, Louann Brizendine, MD
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The Upgrade
How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond

Author: Louann Brizendine, MD

Narrator: Nancy Linari

Unabridged: 12 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/19/2022

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

Welcome to the better half of your life. The New York Times bestselling author of The Female Brain explains how a woman’s brain gets “upgraded” in midlife, inspiring and guiding women to unlock their full potential.

“This is an important book. I want all women to read it. I wish I had read it years ago!”—Jane Fonda

Dr. Louann Brizendine was among the first to explain why women think, communicate, and feel differently than men. Now, inspired by her own experiences and those of the thousands of women at her clinic, she has a message that is nothing short of revolutionary: in the time of life typically known as menopause, women’s brains are reshaped, for the better, in a way that creates new power, a bracing clarity, and a laser-like sense of purpose if you know how to seize it.

With guidance for navigating the perimenopausal and menopausal storm while it lasts, and actionable, science-backed steps for preserving brain health for the rest of your life, The Upgrade is a stunning roadmap, told through intimate stories, to a new brain state and its incredible possibilities. Dr. Brizendine explains the best science-backed strategies for:
 
• Hormones: If timed and handled properly, hormone management can save your life. Brizendine cuts through the controversy to give you the latest guidance for HRT.
• Exercise: Leg strength correlates directly with healthy brain function at age 80. Here are the strategies for maintaining your strength.
• Sleep: It’s critical for maximizing the Upgrade, and Brizendine shares how to achieve healthy rest during challenging transitions.
• Mindset: Brizendine shows how to seize the opportunities of your midlife brain changes by shifting your mindset and vision with intention.
• Brain Health: The Upgraded brain requires special care when it comes to sugar, alcohol, inflammatory foods, and the microbiome. Here’s advice for fueling and maintaining cognitive function for decades.
 
The Upgrade amounts to a celebration of how women step into their power and an entirely new—and radically positive—understanding of aging.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of diagrams from the book

Reviews

Goodreads review by Trishwah on July 19, 2022

I liked that this book addressed symptoms beyond hot flashes (sleep disturbances, trouble concentrating, etc). It’s given me a lot to think about, especially given a family history of dementia. I agree with her that longevity isn’t necessarily the goal. I, too, want to optimize the last half of my l......more

Goodreads review by Vicki on May 15, 2022

Where do childless women fit in? Or where does most of the population fit in? Great insights, but it ignores the fact that many women had no children. What does the Upgrade mean for them? And, more to the point, this book has me shaking my head. Upper-middle class women can go and have their HRT tweak......more

Goodreads review by Nancy on April 20, 2022

Good for Some Women, Not So Much for Others Menopause is a point in life that encourages women to take stock of where they are and where they are going. If you take advantage of the transition, as the author suggests, it can be liberating. She presents several important strategies to navigate menopau......more

Goodreads review by Literary on March 14, 2022

The Upgrade by Louann Brizendine, MD Rodale Inc., Harmony Pub Date: 19 Apr 2022 A unique look at women's lives post-menopause, suggesting that physical changes -- i.e. less estrogen -- free a woman from seeking caregiving roles and instead, allow her to come into her own, say "no" more, and focus on wha......more

Goodreads review by Danna on March 23, 2022

Stats: 38 years old. Frequent night sweats. Hormonally-induced amenorrhea. Amount of time spent on menopause research or knowledge prior to reading the Upgrade? Nearly zero. I was invited to review this book by the publisher based on reading history. I’m glad because I would never have picked it mys......more


Quotes

“Dr. Louann Brizendine’s The Upgrade is uplifting and upbeat about the physical, mental, and social health of women in the upper chamber of the life cycle. As she did in The Female Brain (a bible for all women), Dr. Brizendine writes clearly and jauntily, this time explaining why, generally, we get happier as we age. The Upgrade is an engrossing read, rich with science and psychology and hopefulness.”—Leslie Stahl, correspondent, 60 Minutes

“This fine book integrates information from many fields of studies. It is holistic, filled with useful insights, and inspiring. Brizendine is one of America’s great cultural educators.”—Mary Pipher, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Women Rowing North

“Dr. Brizendine is a trailblazer and in her groundbreaking, science-backed new book, she not only shows how much we can do naturally to optimize the menopausal brain but also explains why the mature brain is so much better than what came before. Read this book and you’ll learn how to seize the possibilities afforded by your amazing brain.”—Anna Cabeca, DO, bestselling author of The Hormone Fix and MenuPause

“The author’s mastery of scientific research impresses, as does her accessible and authoritative delivery. Blending academic rigor with self-help practicability, this is an optimistic and well-observed take on the benefits of life’s second half for women.”Publishers Weekly