Health Lit Café, NYC

The Molecule of More; How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity - And Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD

• Why are we obsessed with the things we want and bored when we get them?
• Why is addiction “perfectly logical” to an addict?
• Why does love change so quickly from passion to disinterest?
• Why are some people diehard liberals and others hardcore conservatives?
• Why are we always hopeful for solutions even in the darkest times - and so good at figuring them out?

The answer is found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine. Dopamine ensured the survival of early man. Thousands of years later, it is the source of our most basic behaviors and cultural ideas - and progress itself.

Dopamine is the chemical of desire that always asks for more - more stuff, more stimulation, and more surprises. In pursuit of these things, it is undeterred by emotion, fear, or morality. Dopamine is the source of our every urge, that little bit of biology that makes an ambitious business professional sacrifice everything in pursuit of success, or that drives a satisfied spouse to risk it all for the thrill of someone new. Simply put, it is why we seek and succeed; it is why we discover and prosper. Yet, at the same time, it’s why we gamble and squander.

From dopamine’s point of view, it’s not the having that matters. It’s getting something - anything - that’s new. From this understanding - the difference between possessing something versus anticipating it - we can understand in a revolutionary new way why we behave as we do in love, business, addiction, politics, and religion - and we can even predict those behaviors in ourselves and others.

In The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—And will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, George Washington University professor and psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, and Georgetown University lecturer Michael E. Long present a potentially life-changing proposal: Much of human life has an unconsidered component that explains an array of behaviors previously thought to be unrelated, including why winners cheat, why geniuses often suffer with mental illness, why nearly all diets fail, and why the brains of liberals and conservatives are different.

Over a decade after its publication, one book on dating still has people firmly in its grip,” reports The New York Times. In our world, science guides our choices in diet, exercise, and sleep. So, why not apply scientific principles to enhance our relationships?

In their groundbreaking book, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine, along with Rachel Heller, delve into the science of why some individuals effortlessly navigate relationships while others struggle. They bring to light the concept of adult attachment, the most advanced relationship science to date, showing how it can be the key to finding and sustaining love.

The theory of attachment, pioneered by psychologist John Bowlby in the 1950s, suggests that each person approaches relationships in one of three distinct ways. Anxious individuals are often concerned about their relationships, fearing their partner's reciprocation of love. Avoidant individuals view intimacy as a threat to their independence, striving to keep a distance. On the other hand, secure individuals are comfortable with closeness, often exhibiting warmth and love.

'Attached' is more than a book; it's a guide. It helps readers identify their own attachment style and that of their current or potential partner. This understanding paves the way for building stronger, more fulfilling relationships, offering a comprehensive roadmap for deepening the connections we value most.

Preeminent psychologist Lisa Barrett introduces groundbreaking ideas in her book, fundamentally challenging how we think about emotions. Her work has the potential to revolutionize not just psychology but also health care, the legal system, and our overall understanding of the human mind. The Wall Street Journal describes it as “Fascinating... A thought-provoking journey into emotion science,” while Scientific American praises it for its fresh ideas and bold, clear presentation.

Daniel Gilbert, the best-selling author of 'Stumbling on Happiness', hails it as “A brilliant and original book on the science of emotion, by the deepest thinker about this topic since Darwin.” Barrett's research is leading a revolution in the science of emotion, comparable to the discovery of relativity in physics and natural selection in biology.

Contrary to long-standing beliefs that emotions are automatic, universal, and hardwired in distinct brain regions, Barrett's research reveals that emotions are constructed through a complex interplay of brain, body, and culture. Her book, 'How Emotions Are Made', is a lucid report from the forefront of emotion science. It unveils the significant real-world impact of these findings, extending to diverse fields like neuroscience, medicine, law, and national security. This book lays bare the immense implications of what can be considered our latest and most intimate scientific revolution.

#1 on the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER list, this groundbreaking manifesto offers a fresh perspective on living longer and healthier lives. It challenges conventional medical thinking about aging and introduces a new approach to preventing chronic diseases and extending healthspan. Steven D. Levitt, author of the bestselling 'Freakonomics', calls it “one of the most important books you’ll ever read.”

The book proposes a question: Wouldn’t you want to live longer and better? Dr. Peter Attia, a visionary physician and leading expert in longevity, uses the latest scientific advancements to present innovative nutritional interventions, techniques for optimizing exercise and sleep, and strategies for emotional and mental well-being.

Mainstream medicine, despite its successes, often falls short in combating the diseases of aging like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and type 2 diabetes. It typically intervenes too late, focusing on prolonging lifespan at the cost of quality of life. Dr. Attia advocates for a shift from this outdated model to a personalized, proactive strategy for longevity, emphasizing early action over waiting.

This approach isn't about "biohacking"; it's grounded in science. Dr. Attia’s strategic and tactical methods aim to extend lifespan while also improving physical, cognitive, and emotional health. His goal is not just to instruct, but to guide readers in how to think about long-term health to create the best individual plan.

In 'Outlive', readers will learn why a regular cholesterol test doesn’t fully assess heart attack risk, uncover a common yet underdiagnosed liver condition that could lead to chronic aging diseases, understand why exercise is the most potent “drug” for longevity, learn to move away from diets and focus on nutritional biochemistry, and realize the importance of balancing physical health with emotional well-being.

The book concludes with an empowering message: Aging and longevity are more within our control than we might think. With the right guidance, we can chart a new course for our lives, one that allows us to outlive our genes and make each decade better than the last.