The Feel-Good Diet    by Cheryle Hart & Mary Kay Grossman Order:  USA  Can McGraw-Hill, 2006 (2006) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Jessica Weaver In the midst of what seems to be a popular trend of make-you-happy diets comes The Feel-Good Diet by Dr. Cheryle Hart and Mary Kay Grossman. The two co-authored a previous diet manual entitled The Insulin-Resistance Diet; they promote their new book as an updated version of their previous endeavor. The Feel-Good Diet centers on boosting serotonin, a chemical in the brain that boosts your mood. The authors claim that most dieters quit within weeks or a few months because most modern diets bring on depression, carbohydrate cravings, and lowered sex drive. Their plan consists of a three meal, two snack menu that combines foods that both boost and lower serotonin to achieve a healthy balance. The authors provide adequate charts detailing the eating plans. There are three options that depend on gender and level of exercise. The book also has a lengthy section of sample menus and recipes, which I found very helpful. One of the best features is that the book is divided into two sections. The first discusses the science of serotonin and weight loss. The authors say that if you are interested in the science, you should read that part, but if not they put highlights at the end of the chapter and condone just reading the second half detailing the actual diet plan. Unfortunately, the authors don't include a section on how to maintain your weight or what problems you might encounter. Also, some of their ideas made me quite skeptical after many years of dieting and reading fitness magazines. However, they do have quite a bit of research and references listed. If you often get depressed while dieting, this may well be the eating plan for you. Listen to a podcast interview at WrittenVoices.com Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews