When Your Body Gets the Blues: The Clinically Proven Program for Women Who Feel Tired, Stressed, and Eat Too Much!

by Marie-Annette Brown, Jo Robinson

Millions of women don't feel their best and don't know why. They're not outright depressed, but they aren't really happy either. They eat too much or have gained weight lately. They find it hard to concentrate or have trouble sleeping. They feel tense, anxious, or irritable, or they're highly sensitive to criticism. They're tired and not very interested in sex (or even everyday life).

When Your Body Gets the Blues offers a clinically proven solution. A simple, drug-free treatment known as the LEVITY program-- Light, Exercise, and Vitamin Intervention TherapY-- can help women think clearly, sleep soundly, cope easily with stress, reduce anxiety and depression, and lose unwanted pounds-- in 8 weeks or less!

The author's easy-to-follow program includes self-quizzes, tips for increasing exposure to light and getting mood-elevating exercise even on dark or rainy days, and six recommended vitamins and minerals proven to relieve the Body Blues.

Marie-Annette Brown, Ph.D., R.N., tested the LEVITY program on real women, and they improved significantly-- far more than women who took placebo pills. In fact, many participants cut their feelings of depression in half.

One woman who completed the LEVITY program said, "I know that if I ever feel blue again, I have my own way of feeling better-- I won't have to run to my doctor for a prescription."

Now, for the first time, When Your Body Gets the Blues offers the groundbreaking LEVITY program to women everywhere.

All it takes is a small investment of 20 minutes and a few pennies a day. With this clinically proven program, any woman-- young or old, active or inactive-- can regain control over her mood and her life.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2002

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some of this book online at GoogleBooks. I've been telling DH for years that he could tell what my mood was going to be (ie -- will I be cranky or will he get lucky) by the time of the month it was. He thought I was crazy, but eventually realized I was right. This book explains how hormones affect mood and how it relates to your menstrual cycle. I especially liked the contrast with men's hormone levels: "There is no male equivalent to the rise and fall of hormones that women experience with each menstrual cycle." It explains a lot about why men can not understand why women are weird sometimes. There's simply no frame of reference.

Anyway, I guess I'm narrow-minded enough to like books that validate me. This one did, and I may ask DH to read it. It helped me feel less concerned about those times when I randomly feel anxious. Nothing's wrong, but I FEEL like something is. It's hard to combat those feelings with rationality. I hope understanding more about how hormones affect mood can help.

As far as the LEVITY cure-all promised in the book -- I'm not down with popular self-healing stuff. Wouldn't try it, so can't say if it works. But the studies were interesting.

[JHM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that the very simple actions recommended by the researcher authors of this book could have a profound, positive impact on the lives of thousands of women: get more natural light, go for twenty minutes walks five times a week, and take specific easily-obtained vitamin and mineral supplements. What makes the book even more valuable are its structure and tone.

The authors gracefully, gently, and convincingly blend their own scientific research, the findings of other researchers, the experiences of the participants in the LEVITY study, actionable advice, and tips and tools for helping to overcome obstacles to present a plan that I am determined to start.

On a specialist note, this is an excellent example of research translation and dissemination: taking the results of a scientific study and the peer reviewed paper that it produced (which they include in the very last section of the book!) and then writing up the results in a way that is accessible and actionable for the ordinary people who could benefit from it.

[Libbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I followed the LEVITY formula - Light,Exercise,and Vitamin Intervention Therapy during the winter of 2006 and it made a remarkable difference to winter blues.
In fact, writing this quick review has reminded me to look out for the first signs of the blues and get the appropriate vitamins - either through a supplement or dedicated diet additions.

[Alise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This woman did a study in Seattle on women who were not depressed and had them walk outside 20 minutes a day (or light box + indoor excercise if not able to go outside) and took certain vitamins and their moods all improved. I haven't tried any vitamins but I definitely feel happier when I get outside and excercise!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found this book to be very helpful in dealing with the winter blahs. I definitely recommend it.

[Sotteria Wetsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

My doctor recommended it. This book saved me! It is the natural way to fight depression.

[Laura J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interested in testing this out and seeing if it makes a difference.... seems simple enough. :)