Silent Takeover by Jacquelyn Sheppard

The mind and body are related. We might be familiar with how the mind affects the body, but what about the effect of the body on the mind?

Sheppard was inspired to investigate this subject because of her poor physical health, starting from childhood. She has included the fruit of her fifty years of study in this book.

She covers many, many subjects: effect of genetic inheritance, effect of diet on the mind, links between nutritional deficiencies and mental disorders, side effects and risks of antidepressants, the role of positive and negative ions, oxytocin and the mind, watching television and the effect on brain neuron development, and more.

She writes about taking steps to correct what is malfunctioning in the body, including choices and commitment. She notes it may take years for brain cells to rebuild. She includes the importance of sleep, how inflammation “is now considered the cause of most diseases” (110), the role of thoughts, sugar, chemicals in women's makeup and in cookware.

Sheppard includes a spiritual aspect to her book, noting the effects of prayer, music, worship, and the peace that comes from Christian belief.

Sheppard has done a massive amount of research. She has twenty five pages of footnotes. She says with the new understanding of how the body determines to a great extent how the brain functions, that what we know about mental illness and addictive disorders will be “completely revolutionized in the next decade.” (113)

I recommend this book to those interested in understanding the relationship of the body to the mind. I do wish there would have been bullet points at the end of each chapter highlighting four or five major points. This is the kind of book where you might want to take notes so you can put in to use the information that is given.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jacquelyn Sheppard is a mother, grandmother, educator and writer. She and her husband live on a ten acre farm in Missouri. You can find out more at http://www.jacquelynsheppard.com/.

Destiny Image, 250 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.