book review: This Is Your Brain On Joy

I’ve always been a pretty firm believer that you can judge a book by its cover. And the cover of This Is Your Brain On Joy has a pretty spectacular cover, so my hopes were high as I cracked open the cover.

My theory, as usual, was not incorrect. Dr. Earl Henslin’s book examines the concept of joy, not only the emotional aspect, but also the physical, environmental and nutritional factors that contribute to the joy we all seek. It’s too easy to beat ourselves up due to the lack of joy in our lives, and write it off as a spiritual deficiency. Dr. Henslin tells us that there are other contributing factors to a lack of joy, and presents us with a plan to reintroduce joy to our lives.

The book starts with some fairly technical language, but once you get past the initial introduction to the regions of the brain, there is an assessment you can take, which will help you see which area you may want to focus on. Then, the following chapters outline the ways that you can improve your brain health through diet, exercise and supplements.

My personal favorite aspect of the book is that it goes farther than the usual things to improve your health. There are music, book and movie recommendations to aid in the process, both for adults and children. The book definitely takes a holistic approach to the rediscovery of joy.

If joy seems to be eluding you, I wholeheartedly rencourage you to pick up this book.