Swamy's Reviews of Health Books
I am giving below a few book reviews in the category of Health. I have included a few Medical Mysteries, which could also be included in fiction. I am keeping a copy of the review there too.
Title: Yoga in America
Editors: Deborah S. Bernstein & Bob Weisenberg Publisher: www.lulu.com ISBN: 978-0-557-04633-1 Genre: Non-Fiction / Yoga
The book is a collection of articles on Yoga, written by various experts and edited by Deborah and Bob. The content and style of the articles is so variable (especially since each contributor was given full freedom) that the editors had their task cut out to bring some semblance of continuity in the book. Even after their best efforts, the result is a little disconcerting to the reader. But if you persist and finish the book, you are sure to get a really wide perspective of the state of Yoga in America.
If you are already into Yoga, you may find confirmation of what you are doing and also fresh perspectives of the other systems of Yoga practices. If you are new to Yoga, you will get a sort of guided tour and you can pick the style that appeals to you.
I would have edited the book a little differently at some places and there are a couple of errors that slipped the keen eyes of the editors, but overall, they have done a very good job of keeping errors out.
I recommend this book to you in either case. You may also like to take a look at the three other books on Yoga that I reviewed, viz. "The Hatha Yoga Pradipika", "The Gheranda Samhita" and "Music as Yoga"
Title: Shared Stories From Daughters of Alzheimer’s
Sub-title: Writing a Path to Peace
Edited by: Persis R. Granger
Publisher: iUniverse Star
ISBN: 9780595297269
Genre: Non-Fiction / Health/ Memoirs
Presentation: Soft Cover
This
book is a collection of personal stories shared by daughters of
patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The shock, the anger, the
grief, the stress etc. are brought out with sincerity and honesty by
the different authors. The editing by Percis R. Granger is by and large
excellent and the book is highly readable (though my sharp eye caught
some slips, they won't interfere with the reading). The book is not
easy to read because of the emotions that are shared but is a valuable
addition to the growing literature on Alzheimer's disease, a
progressive and as of today incurable form of dementia, whose final
diagnosis can only be made through a postmortem!
More and more
people are becoming victims of Alzheimer's (partly because of
increasing life span) and caring for them when they fail to recognize
themselves and their care givers is no easy task. Relationships get
affected apart from financial difficulties. Sending the person to an
institution for care is one of the toughest decisions and the stories
give an intimate look at the emotional trauma of the care givers. The
book is thus moving at many places. In a country like India, where
elders are supposed to be taken care of by children and there is no
real infrastructure for their separate living, the relationships are
affected severely due to the stress and strain of chronic illness and
consequent burden on the care givers. Some of the stories in the book
will thus strike a chord for such readers too!
Though the book
focuses on Alzheimer's, any chronic illness that makes the person
dependent on others causes similar problems and thus the book would be
relevant to patients and caregivers of other chronic and debilitating
diseases.
The book has a foreword by Pat Jimison, an
introduction by Kathleen Adams and resources section at the end.
However, alternative, holistic treatment options if any are left out
and it is hoped that the future editions and a website will carry such
information (as of now there is no specific website for the book). A
lot of research on the role of antioxidants and herbs in delaying the
onset of or improvement of Alzheimer's is now coming up and the book /
website could have covered that.
I went through many emotions
as I was reading this book since my own mother passed away in 2003 at
the age of 89 and I felt (and feel even now) that I could have been a
better son as far as her care is concerned. Her presence in the house
was not stress free and many times I felt helpless! Journalling as
suggested in the book is a good and effective way of coming to terms
with the emotions that one cannot process immediately.
I
recommend this book to all caregivers and even to chronic patients to
give them an idea of the life ahead for those in early stages of
Alzheimer's.
Title: Rupture
Author: A. Scott Pearson
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-933515-23-6
Genre: Fiction / Medical Mystery
Rupture is a medical mystery. An implant, that is supposed to save the lives of patients by preventing the rupture of aneurysms starts becoming a killer. The best efforts of the surgeons fail. And the mystery becomes deeper when a blame game starts. The main players Dr. Eli Branch and the pathologist Dr. Meg Daily get sucked into the malevolent plot of a company that tries to protect its interests at any cost. In that process, a lot of information is presented about surgical procedures, stem cell therapy etc. A few other topics, not so good are also touched upon (necrophilia for example). If you are rather squeamish, better keep away. The story ends well with the hero Dr. Eli Branch becoming a national hero and suggests the rather controversial topic of a permanent cure for juvenile diabetes by stem cell therapy.
The book is written in an excellent style. The details of the medical surgical procedures and the details about the cells, stem cell therapy etc. are interesting to those with a little background. Even if one does not understand the terms, one can probably appreciate the story for its suspense and human drama.
Since I received an uncorrected copy (ARC), I cannot comment about the final print quality. I did not notice any major editorial mistakes but some editing might have been done to improve the text.
My impression of the book is that it is a very good read. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to more offerings from the author.
Title: Nick's New Heart
Sub-Title: The True Story of Love, Strength, and Courage
Author: Susan May
Publisher: Tiger Iron Press
ISBN: 0-9787263-2-4
Genre: Biography, Medical, Coping
Presentation: Hard Bound with dust jacket
I love medical books, especially the ones written by laymen and those written for laymen by doctors. So, when a chance came to review this book, I agreed readily and I am happy that I agreed!
Susan writes well and the editors also did a wonderful job in keeping the flow smooth. The story is gripping and the saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction" is so true in this case. The problems with Nick (Nicholas) start early, almost immediately after his birth and continue into the childhood, culminating in a heart transplant surgery 17 years ago! The book is about the drama, the trauma and the wonderful doctors and the support groups that helped the baby live and that too with a fairly high quality of life!
There are a few typos but they won't distract you, the reader (I could not help seeing them because I am a reviewer and editor myself). I was left wondering why Susan did not write this book earlier when pediatric heart transplants were not that common and when her book could have reached out and gave new hope and courage to thousands of affected parents all over the world. Now, pediatric heart surgeries including heart transplants are much more common and there is lot more information in the form of books, articles etc. I was reading a wonderful letter from Dr. Devi Shetty of Bangalore (Bengaluru now), a leading pediatric cardiac surgeon who has performed 4000+ surgeries on children and the letter was addressed to the children. Ask me for the link to that letter if interested. He does the surgery free!
All in all, reading this book was moving and inspiring. I recommend the book strongly if you or some one you know have any interest in health matters, especially relating to children, surgeries etc.
Title: F.A.T. Balance Diet
Sub-Title: 10 Steps to Weigh Loss Freedom
Author: Kevin Jones
Publisher: Fitness Lifestyle
ISBN: 978-0-9768998-3-9
Presentation: Paperback
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health and Fitness
The title is catchy in the sense that it gets read as FAT Balance Diet and almost all the struggle of those who are trying to lose weight is with the fat in the body. The author has imaginatively created an acronym from that simple word. F.A.T. stands for Frequency, Amount and Type. And it is applied to Food and Exercise, the two key factors that affect our intake and expenditure of calories and thus decide our weight.
An innovative approach of using life stories of ten different people to explain the important concepts of life style management (weight and fitness management finally comes to that only) makes the book very readable. In fact, I liked the stories far more than the following explanations, which are readable but appear like lecturing at places. I felt that the life stories could have been expanded a little more and the points incorporated therein.
The book is edited and printed well, except for one error on page 102 (Iris decides to take stairs instead of elevator and not as written).
The book comes with a glossary, 50+ recipes (typical american recipes since the book is meant for US readers though the principles are useful to others too) etc. and is a good value for the money.
I would have preferred to see this as a hard-cover book and also as an e-book, with links to an online journal.
That in spite of good advice from many people including US government, nearly 65% of people are overweight indicates that life-style management has become a big issue in USA. It is hoped that this book will help some of them regain the control over their lives.
Title: UnBreak your Health
Author: Alan E. Smith
Publisher: Loving Healing Press
ISBN: 9781932690361
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Information
Presentation: Soft Cover
Unbreak your Health by Alan E. Smith is a good compilation of various complementary and alternative healing systems,
some of them based on medical systems (like Ayurveda, TCM, Homeopathy in lower potencies...) and others non-medical
(acupuncture, Reiki, Bach Flowers, EFT...), also called energy based healing systems.
The author does not claim an expertise in any of the fields but has made a wide and fairly deep search partly
to help himself and then to help others.
The user experiences and testimonials are taken from various sources including the respective websites. The
selection of websites could have been wider. For example, in the case of Homeopathy, www.hpathy.com, arguably the
largest portal could have been included. Similarly while making a passing mention of Bach Flowers (the author
assured me that he is planning to add a separate section on Bach Flowers in the revision), www.bachcentre.com could
have been mentioned. In the case of Reiki, there are many other wonderful sites, including www.reikipath.org, a
free site.
The book is quite useful and with some minor improvements, will be even more useful for patients, and their health
professionals and care givers.
About the reviewer: Though not a qualified medical doctor, the reviewer is a qualified Reiki Master and is also an
amateur homeopath of long standing. His other interests are Tissue Remedies and Bach Flower Remedies, crystal
healing, spiritual healing etc. He is actively involved in teaching and healing. Title: The Sinatra Solution - Metabolic Cardiology
Author: Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D, F.A.C.C.
Publisher; Basic Health Publications Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-59120-158-8
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health
This book is a really welcome addition to the growing field of metabolic cardiology (the role of food nutritional supplements to improve heart health - not a dictionary definition).
Author's Biography: The author Stephen T. Sinatra is a Board Certified Cardiologist, a certified bioenergetic psychotheraist and a certified nutrition and antiaging specialist. At his practice in Manchester, Connecticut, USA, he integrates conventional medicine with complementary nutritional and psychological therapies to help heal the heart. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and is the author of several books, including Optimum Health, Heartbreak and Heart Disease, Heart Sense for Women, and Eight Weeks to
Lowering Blood Pressure.
About the book: The book gives detailed information, backed by many case studies and other published research papers the role of Coenzyme Q10, L-Carnitine,D-Ribose and Magnesium in maintaining and improving heart health and also diseases of the peripheral blood vessels, muscles and conditions like Fibromyalgia etc.
The introduction by Dr. James C. Roberts, M.D, F.A.C.C. is really excellent and gives a good idea of the subject. Chapter 8 and the Conclusion also are helpful in allowing you to decide whether the book will be helpful for you. Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 deal with the four supplements in detail. The book has a glossary, Resources, References and an Index.
An excerpt:
In congesive heart faiure (CHF), like other caardiovascular and many other disease syndromes, he actual root causes can be quite varied, from weakened heart muscle, to overly tight or overly loose heart valves, and so on. And while it is is definitely appropriate that cardiologists (and other medical practitioners) use the conventional drugs mentioned to treat CHF - because they work - consideration toward adding powerful nutritional supports like L - Carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and D-Ribose is equally judicious.
Only by adding the these three nutritional supports will practitioners be treating symptoms as well as directing nutrition to the cellular level, where it can make a real difference on the underlying pathology. I have watched from the side lines as the simple addition of these nutrients has affected my patients' quality of life most positively... and has even helped them live longer than expected with their heart conditions.
(From Pages 93 and 94, Chapter 5)
End of the excerpt
I would suggest that you check out the Introduction, the Chapter 8 (Sinatra Solution) and the Conclusion.
About Writing, Editing and Printing:
Very good. The subject is very difficult to explain in layman's language but the author and editors tried their best. Printing is very good.
For whom the book is meant:
Patients and their care givers. Many health professionals will find this a good handy guide to the field.
Recommendation:
An excellent buy for preventive and maintenance care of the heart and general health. Will make an excellent gift to your family members, friends and their cardiologists and of course to yourself too!
Title: Laughing Sickness A Medical Mystery
Author: Anne Black Gray
Publisher: Bridgeway Books
ISBN: 978-1-933538-93-8
Genre: Fiction/Medical Mystery
The author grew up in semi-rural West Virginia, studied physics at Carnegie Mellon and then migrated to Southern California for a career in Aerospace Engineering. After retiring, she too up her second career (novel writing) at the same time that she was learning of the plight of victims of rare, hard-to-diagnose diseases. The needs of these patients became the inspiration for this, her first novel. The subject is very interesting and has been dealt with beautifully. It indeed reads like a good mystery and the reader is certainly kept waiting for the final diagnosis and to know how the patient fares.
The book gives the reader a good tour through the modern medical system, as experienced by Jessica Shepperd, the heroine of this novel, a sufferer from a hard-to-diagnose illness. She finds that when confronted with the apparently solvable problem, doctors who usually speak with science-backed authority can become irritable, evasive, dismissive and doubtful of the patient's mental soundness. If they can't find a physical reason, "it must be all in her head!" sums up the attitude of some of them.
Her illness changes her relationships with many, and she breaks up with her boyfriend, a doctor himself and who is a control freak. Jessica, on the other hand is obsessed with individual freedom. After a series of wrong diagnoses and after going on long disability leave (which affects her financially), she finally gets the right diagnosis (cataplexy) and hope is rekindled that the right treatment will enable her to lead an almost normal life. She also finds that she can write her experiences well and share with other sufferers. She also finds other people suffering similar problems and enjoys the friendship.
One small excerpt from the book:
Laughter and tickling inevitably cause attacks in over ninety percent of cataplectics.
Like her. May be all her life. When she was a little girl, if someone tickled her or told a joke, she fell. That could have been a precursor to her present condition.
She found little information on the physiology or neurology of cataplexy. It was simplistically described as a mistake, in conjunction with with narcolepsy, where the brain believes it's asleep and dreaming and, just as in normal dreaming, inhibits the body's ability to move. She read that narcolepsy and cataplexy are thought, but as yet not proven, to be autoimmune or autoinflammatory. Nothing was mentioned about sensations of switches flipping in the brain. Or about collapses after acceleration or deceleration.
End of the excerpt.
The books is extremely well written and beautifully printed. The style is engrossing and the suspense is kept up. I could put down the book only with a lot of difficulty and finished the book in 2 or 3 days. There is a lot of useful information about many medical conditions and diagnostic procedures. At the same time, it is entertaining too.
All in all, an excellent read.
Title: The Journey to a pain relief - A hands on guide to breakthroughs in pain treatment
Author: Phyllis Berger
Publisher: Hunter House Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-89793-469-5
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Pain Management
The book is both a complete handbook of pain-management options and a detailed introduction to specific cutting-edge techniques. The physiology of pain, the effects of fear, stress and worry, and the importance of the right attitudes that help you in tapping the body's ability to heal.
Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, magnetotherapy, homeopathy, herbal treatments, prayer, TENS, Electropuncture, Modified Direct Current treatment methods etc. are covered.
The author is a qualified physiotherapist and acupuncturist. She has considerable personal experience with the methods described while trying to get healed from pain.
The book has a very good preface and 12 Chapters on various topics, followed by 3 Appendices, End Notes, Glossary, recommended reading, Resources and an Index. Thus it is a comprehensive manual of pain management and will be useful for patients, care givers and health professionals too. Chapter 3 (Patient, Heal Thyself), Chapter 6 (The Pain Pathways), Chapter 10 (Multimodal Approaches to Chronic Pain) and Chapter 12 (Coping Skills) are especially useful. Other chapters deal with specific techniques like Acupuncture, Electricity in pain management etc.
I would have liked to see Reiki and similar energy healing techniques also discussed, since from my personal experience as a healer, I can attest to their effectiveness.
The book is very useful for sufferers and caregivers alike and is strongly recommended.
Title: Supercharging Quantum Touch - Advanced Techniques
Author: Alain Herriott
ISBN: 978-1-55643-654-3
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Healing/Bodywork
Quantum Touch has become quite popular in the recent years and I was somewhat familiar with the topic but did not really know much about it. So, when an opportunity came to review the book, I was very much interested. The preface by Richard Gordon puts the whole book in the right perspective. The ability to sense the energy in one's own body or other is the key to the success of QT healer.
Mary Derr has also contributed to the development of some of the techniques and the whole subject has been presented in an interesting and easy-to-follow way by Alain Herriott. But you would first need a good exposure to the Quantum Touch method and the best way is to use the Quantum-ouch Interactive Video Workshop Package and get some hands on experience of the technique.
A small excerpt from the book:
Imagine a piece of flexible fabric, similar to the ribbing of a sock or cloth with an expandable weave that fits snugly. You can imagine it like an energetic "Ace" bandage. The woven mesh is made up of the basic building block colors: Copper, Silver, and Gold. This elastic light bandage blankets the area of the body where you hold the U-NAN pattern to maximize the healing effect in that area, making it last longer and affect the tissue at a deeper level. You can wrap the area internally, externally, or both. Visualize the are wrapped in this woven pattern and then "shrink wrap it" or make the bandage, snug, but not too tight.
Tip: The flexible body parts, like an elbow, should be wrapped more loosely to allow for greater movement. A disc or a vertebra, however, is not very flexible; therefore wrap it somewhat thickly, above and below the injury site. This gives added support to the weakened area. The same rule applies to broken bones.
End of the Excerpt.
I hope you get a good idea of the book from that. I was taught some similar techniques in my Reiki Classes (Reiki Surgery and similar techniques). I enjoyed going through the book.
The editing and printing of the book is very good.
All in all, it would be a good addition to QT practitioners and others interested in energy healing work.
I have no hesitation to recommend this book strongly along with other resources given at the end of the book. See www.quantumtouch.com and www.thelifeforceproject.org
Title: The Foundations of Shiatsu
Author: Chris Jarmey
Publisher: Lotus Publishing, North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 978-1-55643-639-0
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Massage
I have only heard of the word Shiatsu but had no idea of what was involved. However, as a healer, I was certainly interested in knowing a little about the technique and I was thus happy when this book came to me for a review.
What is Shiatsu? Shiatsu is a Japanese bodywork therapy - a natural healing discipline from the same ancient oriental medicine principles as acupuncture. Shiatsu works by stimulating the body's vital energy flow in order to promote good health. The practitioner uses palms, thumbs and fingers, elbows, and even knees and feet to apply pressure and stretching to the energy lines known as channels or meridians. Thus it is also similar to acupressure, Sujok and Reflexology.
A short excerpt (Page 65)
Two-hand Connection
The techniques that have the most profound effects upon the receiver's Ki are those that involve having both hands in contact with the receiver's body. The hands are your most sensitive Ki imbalance detectors and Ki projectors. Therefore it stands to reason that two hands should be twice as effective as one hand. Two hands are even more effective if they are separated while in contact, rather than one overlapping the other. ......
End of the excerpt.
It is somewhat similar to the hands-on healing practised by Reiki practitioners.
The book covers the theory and practice of Shiatsu. Also, a comprehensive overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as applied to basic shiatsu completes the picture.
The author Chris Jarmey is the Course Director / Principal of the European Shiatsu School.
I confess that I or for that matter any one else cannot become a Shiatsu healer by simply reading the book, excellent as it is. The practical work has to be learnt by working with a Master like Chris.
But if you are interested in learning the technique, you would get a good idea of what is involved by reading the book and thus this book is a good investment and helps you decide whether it is for you.
If you are a massage therapist, an acupuncturist or acupressurist etc., you may consider adding the techniques taught in this book to your practice.
The book is edited and printed beautifully and the number of photos are add a lot of value to the text.
Strongly recommended.
Title: Secrets from the Sofa
Sub-title: A Psychologist's Guide to Achieving Personal Peace
Author: Dr. Kenneth Herman
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9780595414321
Genre: Non-Fiction/Psychology/Self-Help
Key Words: Psychology, Change, Coping, Improvement, Self-Helf
'Secrets from the Sofa' is an attempt by a board certified clinical psychologist to share the lessons that he learned from nearly 50 years of practice. In his long career, Dr. Kenneth Herman had the opportunity to listen to the problems of many people and thus gained a deep understanding of human nature and he shares with us the readers, that understanding.
Change is difficult but is not impossible. That is the message that this book gives. The blurb on the back cover says, "With motivation and determination, you will find that your personal peace plan can make a change for the better completely possible. Secrets from a Sofa can lead you to a happier, more fulfilling life. And if you really put your mind to it, it will." I agree with that statement.
The book has eighteen chapters spread over five parts. Part One is titled, "Understanding Why", Part two is titled, "Gearing Up", Part three is called, "Your Personal Peace Process", Part four deals with "Your Emotions and Feelings" and the final part is "Emerging Stronger"
Chapter six has detailed checklists to help you understand yourself better.
The book has a number of case studies and the style is easy and interesting. Names have been suitably changed to protect the privacy of the individuals. It is easy to relate to many of the problems (lack of confidence, indecisiveness, anger etc.) faced by the people in the book.
Additional resources are listed at the end of the book to help you explore specific topics in more detail.
The book is edited and printed well.
The book makes an useful addition to the many self-help books in the field and is recommended.
Title: Reiki Without Rules
Product Details:
Printed: 231 pages, 6.14" x 9.21", perfect binding, black and white interior ink
ISBN: 978-1-84799-866-8
Publisher: Lulu.com
Rights Owner: Keith Beasley
Copyright: © 2007 Keith Beasley & Pintados Healing Art
Language: English
Genre: Non-fiction/ Health/ New Age/ Self-Help
Reiki Without Rules is an excellent effort by a Reiki Master Keith Beasley to explain what Reiki is, the history of Reiki including the myths that circulate about the origins of Reiki, the need for symbols, the question of charging and all other details.
There are several books on Reiki and each author has rightly presented the material from his/her own perspective. Keith also does the same in this book and thus adds a sincere personal touch to the subject.
The printing of the book is good. A few editorial corrections (very minor) were in order.
The book will appeal to all those interested in Reiki, whether they are beginners or are Masters. I certainly enjoyed Keith's personal journey through Reiki.
I strongly recommend the book.
About the reviewer: Swamy is a Reiki Master from Hyderabad, India and has written articles on Reiki.
Title: High Performance Health
Sub-title: 10 Real Life Solutions to Redefine Your Health and Revolutionise Your Life
Author: James W.Rippe
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: W Publishing Group (May 29, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0849901820
ISBN-13: 978-0849901829
The credentials of the author are very good. He is a board certified cardiologist, he is the author of several books including “Healthy Heart for Dummies” and is also the editor of “Irwin and Rippe’s Intensive Care Medicine” and “Lifestyle Medicine”. He is also the founder and director of Rippe Lifestyle Institute. This book is based on research on thousands of patients treated at that institute and also at Celebration Health, owned and operated by Florida Hospital, the largest hospital in USA.
The book has 2 parts. Part 1: Diagnosis and Understanding has 10 chapters and Part 2: Action Plan has 2 chapters. I am giving below the chapter titles for your information:
1. You will protect what you love
2. Achieve your best health now
3. Mastering the basics
4. Build your high performance health team and environment
5. Transform your life through high performance thinking
6. Revitalize your health through emotional well-being
7. Stop to rest and heal when your body and spirit need it
8. Overcome the seven main barriers to high performance health
9. Use high performance health as a springboard to high performance living
10. Find your purpose and embrace your destiny
11. Ten steps to achieving high performance health
12. A personal journey to high performance health
You may be able to browse through the book and read some excerpts online or at your nearest brick-and-mortar bookstore.
I found his approach quite holistic though he doesn’t use that word, which has been overused and abused and also has come to acquire a connotation with alternative medicine. The book has a very engaging style and is highly readable. The author comes through as a sincere and caring human being. The editor Mary Abbott Waite deserves to be congratulated and well deserves the thanks of the author, which he offers in a special Author’s note. The reader would benefit from the appendices and notes. A companion workbook available may also be worth taking a good look at.
Dr.Rippe could have added more value by integrating the alternative medical (and non-medical healing) systems also in to his holistic approach to health. Modern medicine has its limitations as he surely knows.
I strongly recommend this book from Dr. Rippe.
Title: Dr. Bach’s Flower Remedies
Sub-title: Tapping into the positive emotional qualities of the chakras
Authors: Philip Salmon and Anna Jeoffroy
Publisher: Lotus Publishing, Chichester, UK and North Atlantic Books
Genre: Non-Fiction/ Health/ Alternative Therapies/ Flower Remedies
ISBN-10: 1-55643-640-8
ISBN-13: 978-1556436406
Presentation: Soft cover and high quality art paper.
I requested and received this beautiful book from NAB’s publicist after seeing an excerpt on the net ( a .pdf file) and the printed book is equally good or even better in its get up and print quality. This book combines the wisdom of Dr. Edward Bach whose 38 flower remedies have established an excellent reputation from many users since their inception, with the Chakras of Kundalini and their effect on human mind and emotions. The authors are reflexologists and are also knowledgeable about Flower Remedies and Chakras. The remedies have been grouped into 7 groups corresponding to each chakra, its color and its qualities. I am giving below the table of contents for your ready reference:
1. Edward Bach
2. The Journey of Consciousness Through the Body
3. Chakras and Physical / Emotional / Mental Development
4. Balancing Positive and Negative
5. Crown Chakra and Remedies
6. Brow Chakra and Remedies
7. Throat Chakra and Remedies
8. Heart Chakra and Remedies
9. Solar Plexus Chakra and Remedies
10. Sacral Chakra and Remedies
11. Base Chakra and Remedies
12. Using the Remedies
13. Journal Keeping with the Remedies
Quick Reference to Remedies
Quick Reference to Remedies in Alphabetical Order
Some Suppliers of Remedies, Books, Audio Tapes and Posters
The Bach Remedies and the Chakras
Bibliography
Thus you can see that the book is a good welcome addition to the already extensive literature on Bach Flowers.
Water Violet, Heather and Impatiens are clubbed with Crown Chakra and are especially indicated for Loneliness. Similarly, Chicory, Vervain, Beech, Vine and Rock Water are clubbed with Brow Chakra and are indicated for “Overcare for the welfare of others” and so on. Each chapter has illustrations of the plants and flowers, discussion about the chakra and is followed by detailed discussion of each flower. For each flower, the illustration of the flower, Qualities of the flower, Chakra qualities are given on the left hand page and Positive qualities, Negative state and The Action of the Remedy are given along with the illustration for the chakra and the color on the right hand side page.
This book will be a welcome refresher to students and practioners of Bach Flower Remedies and of course will be a good introduction to the subject of flower remedies for others. Even though, I already knew most of what the authors wrote about the flower remedies, I enjoyed reading the book since it refreshed my knowledge and gave a few new perspectives on some of the remedies. I also enjoyed looking at the beautiful illustrations of the plants and flowers as well as the color indications for various chakras. Being a Hindu well exposed to some esoteric knowledge, I am of course already familiar with chakras and their role in our mental / emotional well-being.
I strongly recommend this book to students and practitioners of alternative medicine. Patients too will benefit if they lack access to a good holistic healer in their areas. I also recommend to such people to also make use of my free online course on Bach Flower Remedies at the following address: http://floweressencesintro.onlinecourse.com
Title: Hypoglycemia The Other Sugar Disease
Author: Anita Flegg (Foreword by Dr. Ron Rosedale, MD)
Publisher: Book Coach Press (September 30, 2004)
ISBN: 0968034748
Genre: Non-Fiction/Medical/Diet/Self-Help
No. of Pages: 237
Having read "Overcoming Runaway Blood Sugar" by Dennis Pollock, I was wondering whether I should take up yet one more book on blood sugar problems, especially hypocglycemia (Dennis's book is also dealing with the same problem) , but then I took it up to see the difference in treatment of the same subject by a different author, who, incidentally shares with Dennis the unfortunate similarity of being a sufferer.
Anita's book under review treats the subject very comprehensively and gives the various forms of hypoglycemia and the causes for them. The treatment protocol is more or less similar and is largely based on elimination of refined carbohydrates and sugar (in all its forms like cane sugar, glucose, fructose, honey, etc.). A diet largely based on complex carbohydrates, fats of the right kind, proteins and fiber (very important) has been found to minimise the spikes in blood sugar and thus minimise the incidence of hypoglycemia and thus help minimise the onset of adult diabetes, which is caused by insulin resistance.
The book under review provides a good discussion of the various popular diets such as the no-fat diet, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, The Zone Diet, etc. and suggests a diet aimed at hypoglycemics, which incidentally also helped many of them lose weight and which eliminated the mood swings etc.
The author gives the life stories of other sufferers in their own words at the beginning of each chapter and follows up their stories with a good analysis. This feature has added a lot of authenticity to the book. She discusses various problems like fatigue, fibromyalgia etc., associated with hypoglycemia, in Chapter 9, with the notable exception of hypochlorhydria (the symptoms of which were described by Michel in Chapter 4).
The work book at the end adds value to an already good book and Anita provides the reader with two or iterations (cycles) to check how they are doing. If the workbook is photocopied before being written up, the same can be used in the unlikely event of the reader not being able to reach the desired state of health in the first few cycles.
All in all, I found the book a good read with a good style and very good editing.
About the Book (From the inner flap) - Mayday! is a medical odyssey journal revealing the thought, feelings, humor and spirituality of an American physician during months of hopitalization. Rising on swells of optimism and tugged down by pain, infections, operations and adverse outcomes, he drifts through waters too deep to stand in and too dark for him to see hidden dangers. The illness ends in New Zealand, two years later. This body, mind, and spirit experience of dying and returningto health is a personal and universal journey.
A little more about the book (as I understood after reading) - It is a good indepth account of the doctor's struggles with illness, fortunately for him, an acute problem and not chronic illness. He was operated for removal of some intestinal polyps and the post-operative infections and the resultant complications required three more surgeries to restore his body to a semblance of normalcy.
What I liked about the book - The intensely personal narrative and the good style. Since it is a relatively short book, it could be read in a day. Since I always had an abiding interest in medical matters (though I became a metallurigst), I enjoyed reading the details of the treatment and the operative procedures, his emotions as he was struggling with pain and a very real chance of prolonged illness or death!
What did not appeal to me - None.
What else I would have liked to see - A fuller account of his younger days, and his own mom's struggle with Hodgkin's disease etc. His estrangement from his biological father probably pushed him to mature spiritually since he searched and found his father first in senior friends and later in God through Christ. I would also have liked to read a more detailed account of his treatment.
Title: Overcoming Runaway Blood Sugar
Author: Dennis Pollock
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ISBN: 0-7369-1721-7
Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Self-Help
Presentation: Paperback
No. of Pages: 217
Overcoming Runaway Blood Sugar is a good self-help book written by a layman for laymen. The author is a Christian Preacher and found the right keys to open the secrets of good health when he was struggling with wildly swinging blood sugar levels. Diet, exercise and weight management - these are the three keys for effective management of blood sugar levels in Diabetes Type 2 - also called NIDDM (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus) or Adult Onset Diabetes. Dennis rightly emphasises the main factors for the early onset of this type of diabetes in urbanised developing/developed societies. Poor eating habits and lack of exercise leading to obesity is the main cause of this type of diabetes. Refined carbohydrates (starches and sugars) without enough fiber is the main cause of the swinging blood sugar levels.
Dennis has a good style and the book is easy to read. He writes in a simple yet convincing style and he has done enough research to give the reader an accurate account of the factors that cause fluctuating blood sugar levels, which lead to diabetes if left untreated.
As a believing Christian, the author encourages Christian readers to believe in Jesus Christ. Readers of other religions can leave out that portion, if needed. The rest of the book is quite secular and provides a good road map for effective management of blood sugar levels, weight and general health through aerobic and resistance exercises.
For pure vegetarians (those who don't eat eggs, fish and meat etc.), the recipes and diet suggestions in the book are of limited use. However, by following the general principles of the low-carb diets and ensuring adequate fiber, vegetarians also can manage their blood sugar levels. What not to eat is more important in their case.
All in all, a highly readable and informative book for those who are diabetic and or overweight.
Title: Tattered Flesh, Resilient Spirit
Author: Craig H. Collison, M.D.
Publisher: Llumina Press
ISBN: 1-59526-169-9
Genre: Medical/Self-Help
Presentation: Hard-bound with dust jacket
No. of Pages: 171
When I read the press release about the saga of survival of the author, a medical man himself from flesh-eating bacteria's ravages, I was very much interested in learning more about the interventions that helped him. So, when an opportunity to review the book came up, I was very happy. And I am not at all disappointed with the result.
The author succeeds in holding the reader's attention all through with a fairly detailed and at the same time, highly readable account of the main factors that proved critical in his pulling through a gruesome and potentially fatal illness. The excellent medical care, the support of the family, esp. his wife Michelle and his own grit pulled him through the ordeal. Faith and prayers played an important part (that is the support part) and Dr. Collison is now quite willing to share these aspects with all patients and thus help them in their own recovery.
I would have preferred to see a more detailed account of the disease and the reconstruction (with possible figures, sketches and photos), since a picture is worth a thousand words. Also, the author could have discussed the possible source of his infection to alert the readers about similar possibilities. The photographs of his family inside the book could have been in color.
The book is very well written and the editors should be complimented. A few typos remained in the book, possibly escaping the proof editor's eyes. I felt that the price is a little on the higher side.
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