Build Powerful Nerve Force: It Controls Your Life-Keep It Healthy [Paperback]

What is Nerve Force and why should you care about it? According to the Braggs, Nerve Force is a type of "life energy". It is energy stored in the nerves. It exists as a vital energy in the muscles, organs and mind. The more Nerve Force you have and the quicker you're able to re-charge it, the healthier, happier, stronger and more satisfying a life you will lead. So Nerve Force is right up there with chili cheese dogs for maintaining an optimum healthy lifestyle. (Haha, you can tell I'm joking because as anyone knows it's chili cheese dogs with extra onions that contribute to an optimum lifestyle.)
Ahem, yes. Sorry. Anyway, if the idea of Nerve Force makes sense to you, and you are looking to increase it, then you might want to give this book a shot. It's modestly priced. The Braggs wrote everything in a very simple language, if you can digest "People Magazine" then you could probably work out the ideas in this book. And it's brimming with helpful hints, some of which actually are helpful. For example:

Chapter 1 has such sub-chapter headings as:
***The Secret of Nerve Force
***There is no mental health without powerful, healthy Nerve Force
***Danger Signals of Low Nerve Force
***A strong mind in a strong body
***Make your body worry-proof
***Good posture promotes healthier nerves

Chapter 2 has such sub-chapter headings as"
***Physical and Mental deterioration
***Impaired metabolism causes body imbalance
***Feed your nerves, don't destroy them
***There are six basic fears
***Faith vs. Fear
***Your body's command center
***Lower your blood pressure naturally

Chapter 9 has such sub-chapter headings as:
***How to relax the nerves
***For easier flowing bowel movements
***Steps to conserve your Nerve Force
***Avoid Arguing
***Happy feelings are internal smiles
***Learn to live joyously with yourself

There are 9 other chapters that cover topics like sleeping, diet, deep breathing, spiritual health, proper bathing and the biochemistry of mental health.
The information here is mostly sound as far as I can tell, but it's nothing new or original. The Braggs advocate healthy eating and sleeping, exercise, use of support groups, spiritual development and other common sense methods for improving one's health and outlook. They discuss supplements a bit, and pepper the book with inspirational quotes from great minds like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Hippocrates, Epictetus, Ghandi, Jonathan Swift, and Thomas Jefferson. They warn against aspertame and chlorinated water and anything they consider unnatural and enjoin you to take cold showers and brush your skin with a vegetable brush, as they feel both are natural tonics and will build Nerve Force.
There are a couple of red flags. The book was published in 2002, so I'm not sure how up to date all the info is. They recommend drinking distilled water, but I've read that distilled water, lacking natural minerals, is not very healthy for you. It may also have an acidic Ph level.
Also, the few photos of Paul Bragg look sort of...retouched. They just don't look right. He almost looks like a wax figure in some of them. What could demonstrate the effectiveness of the program better than some clear, unimpeachable photographs of the program's creator?
Another red flag is that they don't mention in the book that Paul Bragg is dead. I've read that he died of a surfing accident at the age of 95. Why isn't this mentioned in the book? Sure if he died after the 2002 printing they may not have wanted to run off another printing just to mention that little fact. But it seems like they should have. The book doesn't seem like it was written by Paul Bragg, but by his daughter Patricia. Paul is usually mentioned in the past tense. It's just odd enough to make me wonder.

All in all I'd say you can find about 90% of the info in this book in a year's subscription to a magazine like Men's Health, which also has trendy recipes, sex and money articles and interviews with cute female athletes. But it's convenient to have all this info collected together in one place. And the Bragg(s) advocate the simpler, healthier lifestyle that would probably improve the lives of most Americans. So go ahead and give this book a look-see. For the price you might find it helpful, and if you don't you can always return it.

Each of the Bragg books has a subject, but all you need is one of their books to get the general idea that runs through and is repeated in all the Bragg books. If you have the money buy 'em, if not just one book will be sufficient. The info and motivation in the books will peak your interest though the health plan may not be everyones cup of tea.

This reads more like the Farmer's Almanac the way it's laid out. There's a lot of information here, but it's scattered about, intermingled with quotes and quips. There really isn't much out there that hones in on the topic of nerve health sadly. So this is a worthwhile book to get...even more worthwhile though, would be for someone to write on this topic in a well organized book. I'm glad I bought it as I was still able to get some helpful information from it in spite of all the Bragg ads.

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