Fitness Books

This is a refreshingly open-minded source of health and medical information by a person's whose medical training began with the most traditional of medical approaches and expanded because of his receptiveness to his own intuitive sense and compassion. Tremendously valuable source of information and plan to follow.

I received the item in good condition. Well packaged and in a timely manner. D.Caradine

This is the best book on self-cure and healthy living, period.
It's easy to read and easy to follow. A friend of mine recommended this book to me a while ago and now I am recommending this book to anyone who believes in healthy living.
Dr. Frank Lipman provides detailed scenerio, and cures for 20th century health issues that he has helped his patients to overcome. I loved 'total renewal' book so much that I've been buying it for my friends and family members. The best part is that you don't need to 'join' website subscription if you are looking to cure your 'condition' like Kevin Trudeau's book on 'Natural Cure' does. In fact, I was quite shocked to see how Kevin Trudeau of 'Natural Cure' book never tells you about how to cure any illness in his book unless you become a member for his website which ranges from $10 to $500, which is just another way of making quick money.

I must, at the outset, declare an interest in my review. I am a diabetes sufferer currently being treated with a regimen of drugs living in a country where the foods one buys from any supermarket are diametrically opposed to the maintenance of good health.

My concern here is with the book per se as opposed to the beneficial effects that I may have gained from following the guidance contained within. It should not, therefore, be taken as a testimony about the good works of the doctor's method.

Given these qualifications, the authors, Dr. Lipman and Stephanie Gunning have done an excellent job. Essentially the focus of the book is that western medicine has become too narrowly focussed on the treatment of the symptoms of diseases throught the widespread use of manufactured drugs. Dr. Lipman's background has led him to explore alternative methods of dealing with the diseases themselves and found that some of these methods have generated results which are hard to ignore.

The book chronicles a series of steps which people should follow in order to restore a sense of balance in our bodies and in our lives and thus enable us to be fit and well.

I would stress that Dr. Lipman is not advocating a wholescale rejection of western medicine. Instead he embraces a holistic paradigm which incorporates best practices from everywhere, utilising approaches from yoga and acupuncture as well as herbalism and other areas in concert with the traditional enlightenment medical science perspective. He advocates utilising our physicians as partners in our health which we need to take personal responsibility for and advising us to be assertive with our medical practitioners if we feel that our concerns are not being addressed.

There are some drawbacks however, to implementing some of the steps he advocates. Firstly, in my experience, it is not easy being a vegetarian in the United States even though he is not advocating a vegetarian approach. Similarly, for working parents in corporate America, there is often not the time nor the capability to prepare food in the right way. To those who say that one must make time, I would only say that those people have the means to sculpt their schedules the way that they want or they do not have to be like the other rats in this particular trap because their partners are bringing home enough money to allow them that luxury. The main issues are essentially twofold. The lesser of the two is the lack of provision of retail outlets where health foods and specialist vitamins can be purchased over the counter. For instance, although I only live thirty minutes away from the New York metropolis, the nearest health food store is a twenty-two mile, thirty minute car journey away. The more serious negative factor is the sheer volume of sugar and calories contained in foods of all descriptions which are available from supermarkets and food outlets all over the country. At a back to school night last week the principal was boasting of the replacement of colas in the drinks machines with healthy drinks, and healthy snacks instead of chips and candy, while across the street from the school the catchment are parents continue to chop for food at the local supermarket, totally oblivious to the damage these foods do to their health.

That aside, some of the practical problems of instituting such a program, the central point is one with which I do not dissent whatsoever. The key to a long and healthy life is clearly a sense of balance, a yin-yang from which many in the world have strayed. A recent study in England, reported in the Financial Times indicated that Britain is now the fat man of Europe indicated by the huge volume of people who are now considered morbidly obese. This problem has severe implications for life and health but also for healthcare costs directly and indirectly.

Total renewal is one guide to avaoiding such problems and I have no compunction about heartily recommending this book to all readers.

This is an excellent rendition for total self-improvement. The volume covers holistic exercises; such as, triangular stretches,
the wall pose, half dog pose and many more. The volume lists
strategies to reduce stress, maintain bone density, neutralize
blood sugar, decrease body fat percentage(BMR) and improve
aerobic calistenics. Regenerate the body with Glutamine, Gamma
Orizanol- (rice bran oil compound to heal intestines ), Omega 3
fatty acids,flaxseed oil, Gamma-Linolenic Acid, Licorice Root
and Aloe Vera. Products which help leaky gut are Glutagenics,
and Perm A vite. Colostrum may be utilized to assist the immune
system in operating optimally. The author provides good protocols
for treating insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes.
He treats insulin resistance with a low-glycemic diet, limiting
intake of grains/cereals, exercise, non-starchy veggies and
Omega 3 , Omega 6 fatty acids and Glucobetics. A sluggish
thyroid may be treated with Thyrosol from Metagenics. Adrenal
exhaustion may be treated with Magnesium 300-500 mg.,
Zinc, Licorice Root, Siberian Ginseng and Ashwaganda (Indian
ginseng ). The authors deal with parasitic infections via
Grapefruit extract 300 millgm, Candibactin BR or Paraguard.
There is a resource section at the end of the book which shows
where to purchase the supernutrients. The book is an excellent
value for the price charged.

A Very complete guide that will help any athlete and an excellent resource for baseball players searching for how to train for their sport.

This text represents a comprehensive look at the application of current principles of conditioning and training for the baseball player. It is an extremely well written text. Dr. Coleman does an excellent job of blending both the theoretical aspects of training with the practical aspects he knows to be viable because of his years of experience working with, not only major league players, but also younger players. The application of the concept of periodization to baseball conditioning is extremely important for the development of strength, power, speed, and agility. With improvement in these areas, the ability to enhance performance is optimized. The use of humor throughout the text also serves as a good buffer between the various theoretical sections. The Forward to the book by Nolan Ryan and the Introduction to the ýPhysical Demands of the Gameý set the stage for an extremely thorough look at the various aspects of conditioning that are involved in developing the baseball player. The examples of different players who developed at different rates indicate that players of all levels can benefit by applying the theories and programs presented in this text to their individual programs. Dr. Colemanýs presentation of a year-round periodization model blends the theoretical aspects of this type of training with the reality of the baseball season. By defining the plans as he has, Dr. Coleman provides the individual with an idea of what is expected throughout each training regime.

Specifically important in the first section is the workout order. Many players train very inefficiently. By Dr. Coleman delineating the optimal order for performance enhancement, players gets an idea of how to best plan their entire training program.

In Chapter One on Postseason training, his presentation of the dietary needs of the athlete for training is very concise and straightforward. He presents a good plan for maintaining fitness during this period of time. By organizing his Off-season training program (Chapter Two) by positions, he deals with one of the primary aspects of physical development--specificity of training. He shows that although there are general exercises that all can do, there are certain exercises that are position specific. In this section he presents a simple yet thorough presentation of dietary needs, which is quite important to the individual.

By including baseball specific drills in Chapter Three, Preseason One training, he again focuses on the need for specificity of training. The section on avoiding arm problems is very important because oftentimes players are overzealous about trying to get ready for the season. This can cause setbacks rather than getting them ready for the upcoming season. His concluding comments on fueling the body with supplements are extremely well stated. He writes, ýEating a diet high in carbohydrates and training hard are the best ergogenic aids available. They are safe, cheap, and effective.ý So many players today are looking for a quick and easy way to develop their physical abilities. In reality, the best way to do it as Dr. Coleman suggests is to eat right and work hard.

Also in this chapter, his baseball ratings test is a good guideline for players to use to see how much they have improved. Although his criteria may not be appropriate for the specific player, individual players can use this to measure gains over time. Monitoring themselves on these various parameters can provide two checks: 1) if their conditioning program is effective and 2) if they are over training and/or stale.

The Preseason Two chapter further emphasizes specificity of training when he discusses simulated innings training and fueling the body. His ten best food tips are a realistic look at the current state of society. Although it is ideal for people to prepare meals, in many cases this is not possible. His suggestions are well taken.

His In Season program (Chapter Five) focuses on the importance of maintaining what has been gained. At this time many players, because they are working on game specific drills, neglect things such as speed and agility. It is critical that Dr. Colemanýs comments be heeded in this section.

Under the section on running, he states, ýThe key to strength is intensity not volumeý. This relates to another important training concept ý overload. He focuses on how critical it is to be efficient in your training. Teaching players to train (and perform) better, not harder, is a critical element of successful coaching. An example with pitching is if you want to learn to pitch fast you should practice pitching fast.

The section on eating in popular restaurants discusses how important it is to eat a good diet. His examples of foods to order and foods to skip are quite good.

Part 2 of the text presents the meat of the material. Although I feel that this could have been placed at the beginning to give the reader an idea of what was to follow, I am sure Dr. Colemanýs decision to place them in this order is based on his background and skill in the field. He presents 16 principles at the beginning of Part 2. These are so critical in developing a sound philosophy of how to train. It is important that these be read and reread before a training program is developed.

Chapter Six discusses the importance of warm-up and cool down in the development of flexibility and in the optimization of training. It contains a series of game specific activities that can help prepare the performer. The use of diagrams and the description of these exercises are quite thorough and build a good base for his training program.

Chapter Seven on core strength training is quite well done. He describes circuit weight training; multiple set training, pyramid training, and four-day split training, along with six day split training. Although a little more detail could have been included in some of these descriptions, enough is presented for the reader to at least ask a conditioning coach for suggestions for developing an individualized program. He presents a concise model for designing the components of your strength program discussing the specifics of sets and reps.

Again, following with the practical nature of the book, the section on the ýdos and donýts of crunchesý is quite well stated. The pictures and descriptions of the daily core are very thorough and very informative. His use of various mediums including medballs and plyometrics points out how complex the field of training is today.

Chapter Eight dealing with the development of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and hand is quite necessary for the development of throwing for both fielders and pitchers. His cautions about the exercises that can hurt your shoulder are very important. His rotator cuff program is very specific to the baseball player.

Speed (Chapter Nine) is an area that is often overlooked. His five key components to the development of speed concisely present all that is necessary for the individual. His description of the components of running helps the individual player in a very simplistic way ý what needs to be done to run fast. This goes back to specificity of training ý in order to run fast you must run fast.

Finally, Chapter Ten on power and the plyometric element of training to baseball is important. The use of medballs and bounding are quite critical to the complete development of the baseball player.

In conclusion, I feel that this is an excellent text that deals with a number of elements that the player must consider in conditioning. Baseball is not something that is just played during the season. You do not get better by just fielding more grounders or taking more swings. The physical abilities necessary to play the game must be developed. Fitness and conditioning for baseball must be a year-round project.

Applying exercise science to a ritually traditional sport is what Dr. Coleman has done with 52 Week Baseball Training. Excellent sections on scouting and seasonal training methods. I enjoyed the division of training into 5 phases with gradual intensity and specificity of training during those phases. Any strength trainer, exercise physiologist or coach that works with baseball/softball players will feather the pages of this book because it will be used and referred to so much. If only it came in hardcover!

Gene Coleman's 52-Week Baseball Training is a definitive, practical, effective program for the aspiring athlete to achieve and maintain top physical conditioning for baseball, whether competing for a spot in the major or minor leagues, or just enjoying softball league or sandlot games. Coleman provides day-by-day, week-by-week, season-by-season workouts (including resistance training, total conditioning exercises, and position-specific activities) in a training plan that can be applied in high school, college, and summer-league schedules. Highly recommended for all novice as well as seasoned players, Coleman's 52-Week Baseball Training is laid out in four sequential phases: Postseason (active rest and recovery); Off-Season (fitness training); Preseason (training to play); and In-Season (training to win).

Having trained both amateur and professional baseball players, I can say that Dr. Coleman continues to be at the forefront of strength and conditioning, particularly with respect to baseball. This book will be a useful resource for any player or coach wanting to reach peak baseball performance through improving strength, speed, and agility. I highly recommend this book!

The book never arrived at 3 weeks, so canceled the order and hope the charge is reversed on my card. Woody's books was nice about the problem and sent me a $5 check to aid in buying the book at a higher cost in a local book store.

This is a fantastic book for the newly-diagnosed breast cancer patient. It was given to my by my surgeon's office. It does a great job explaining things on a level that the average person can understand. It also has great diagrams, lists of questions to ask your medical team, glossary of terms, websites to check out and comments from breast cancer survivors and/or significant others of survivors. I highly recommend this book.

We give this book to surgeons in our area to distribute to women diagnosed with breast cancer. Before purchasing it, we had a group of 4 breast cancer survivors review and rate 3 separate books on breast cancer. This book "won" hands down, based on numerous criteria -- everything from its explanation of breast cancer treatments, to its index and glossary, to its discussion of life after cancer. It is clear and easy to read, provides comprehensive information on types of breast cancer and corresponding treatment alternatives, has wonderful graphics and photos, and provides interesting anecdotal stories of actual patients in its sidebar. Highly recommended!

I was introduced to this book at work and am now giving it to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. I am on oncology certified nurse in the radiation oncology department of my cancer center. In January 2007 I also became our Breast Cancer Patient Navigator. I find this book gets excellent reviews from patients and their families alike. It is a great source of information, covering all the topics from diagnosis to living life 'after cancer'. I only wish I would have had this book when I was on my personal breast cancer journey! I highly recommend this book for someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

"Many experts believe that Herceptin represents the future direction of breast cancer drugs, because it targets a particular protein on the cancer cell, rather than attacking all cells at random. As research progresses, scientist hope to make all anti-cancer drugs as specific as possible." ~ pg. 97

Designed to compliment the book, the DVD provides an environment of understanding with explanations for all the procedures and various situations that will occur after a diagnosis. New treatments like Immunotherapy are discussed and there is an extensive resource section with additional CD options, including a CD-ROM program that is an interactive guide to treatment.

Helpful up-to-date information about why you may not need a mastectomy and only a lumpectomy is encouraging and gives hope. Radiation and Chemo is also discussed in detail. Throughout both the DVD and book, women tell their stories and that gives a sense of the range of experience. There are over 150 color photographs and graphics to illustrate important points.

A variety of questions are given in each section so you know what to ask your doctor. The stages of breast cancer are given so you know exactly what your doctor is talking about. The main sections include:

Facing Breast Cancer - Your feelings, support groups, healthcare teams and overview of treatment options.

Breast Cancer Basics - Types of Breast Cancer

Diagnosis and Staging - Tumor Testing, the Pathology Report, Additional Tests, How Stage is Determined

Surgery - Reconstruction, Lumpectomy and Mastectomy options, Lymph Nodes

Reconstruction - Choosing a Plastic Surgeon, External and Internal Options

Radiation Therapy - How treatment is given, Brachytherapy

Chemotherapy - Side Effects, Common Chemotherapy Drugs

Hormone Therapy - How Treatment is Given, Who should be Treated, Side Effects

Immunotherapy - Future Therapies and Herceptin

Clinical Trials - Participation Ideas and getting the newest treatments...

Life after Cancer - Emotional Recovery, Physical Recovery

The Guide for Your Partner is a special section your partner can read. If possible, watching the DVD together would be ideal because it explains all the basics in the book.

Be a Survivor is an excellent resource because it gives you all the questions you need to ask and answers a number of pertinent questions any woman will be asking the moment she is diagnosed.

Vladimir Lange, MD is one of the most respected doctors in this field of study and this book came into being after his own wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

~The Rebecca Review

I can also recommend "Reconstructing Natalie" by Laura Jensen Walker.

This book is absolutely amazing. I am pregnant with my first child. My doula service recommended this book. It is modern, easy to read, realistic, will give you some laughs & is extremely informative. I am grateful for this modern book that empowers women to feel good about the ability to give birth.

This book is excellent! It has all the information that you need for the birth of your baby. I'm preparing for my 3rd child, and I wish I could have read this book during my other 2 pregnancies. This book is very useful, espically if you are not planning on taking a child birth class. After reading this book I feel much more prepared than I did before (even after birthing 2 other kids!) Very well written, an easy read, no medical jargon, plus its not boring! It also doesn't have the graphic pictures in it, unlike majority of birthing books. I recommend this book to any soon-to-be-mother!

I am interested in trying natural childbirth, but what to know about all of my options. In looking at books on getting through childbirth naturally most of the books seemed very anti-doctor and anti-drugs. I just wanted to know all of my options without having to consider the hospital the enemy. I have found that this book is open minded and not preachy. The focus is on techniques to get through labor without drugs, but then there are sections on the drug options and the possible effects. It has great diagrams and information about everything that will be happening inside and outside of your body during birth. I'm so glad that I read it. My pregnancy books had short sections on the actual birth, but I feel much more informed reading an entire book about what might happen and why.

I'm a childbirth educator, really like the tone of this book. Ordered a copy to send to my stepdaughter who's expecting her first.

I really enjoyed this book. It gave me so much information regarding managing pain naturally, various pain medications (and their side effects), and natural and surgical birth. The author does seem to favor natural childbirth, and after reading the book, you probably will, too. However, she does present LOADS of instances when it is necessary/good to take advantage of medical advances, and many stories of women who had all different types of birth are included. If you're at all interested in learning about natural childbirth (or why it might not work out and what might happen, if so), I HIGHLY recommend the book.

This is an interesting and informative book for husbands whose wives have been diagnosed with cancer. A lot of the book is common sense but it has informative passages that help with the awkward social situations that come up in conversations and with friends. It helps take some of the stigma sting out of answering stupid questions that people ask. I liked this book a lot and recommend it for reading.

I think it is a bit overly long but a good weekend with a 6 pk. of cold Bud Lite will easily get you through the entire book.

This book is well-written, thoroughly researched, and a much-needed addition to the cancer information/support literature. It's informative for both male and female readers (to know what's written & how your individual situation might differ from what's suggested). I found this book to be very approachable in its style and format, and full of useful suggestions and tips. All in all, a good investment.

This was the most helpful book I read after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Everyone is different and reacts differently to treatment. Instead of this book saying "here is how I survived" it covers how quite a few different people dealt with important issues. The book helped me anticipate some of the problems we might have during chemo and radiation. And more importantly, it gave me a lot of ideas to try and many of them worked for us. My wife just had her 2 year checkup and scan and is cancer free. Keep a positive attitude - you can get through this and this book can help.

A book written for husbands to help their wife and her family get through this tough time in each individual's life. The book discusses in detail of how to react to the news, to how to help your wife cope with hair loss. An informative book to help both parties get through such a horrible time as best as they can.

This is a wonderful book for anyone supporting a loved one through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is written in a very engaging style(the author is a journalist), making it very easy to read while still conveying important information. The book offers numerous tips on coping, both from the author's own experience and from other husbands. My only complaint is that the title is too limiting. This is a valuable resource for family members, friends, significant others, etc.

Indispensable for the armchair herbalist

I just bought my second copy of The Complete Medicinal Herbal (my first was lost) and am so happy to have it back again!

Ms. Ody certainly knows her herb uses and she shares that knowledge in a straightforward, understandable manner. The images are plentiful and make plant identification easy. Luckily, while this book is currently out of print, it can often be found used, for an affordable price.

Be you an armchair herbalist, a writer in need of common sense reference or just curious, this book is well worth the having.

I use this book often. The illustrations are great and clarifies
which parts of the herb to use. The instuctions covering how to prepare assorted concoctions is essential.

I thought this book was the most complete herbal book I have ever seen. Why? The A-Z listings with the pictures were great. She breaks down the several ways each herb can be used and for what along with making it easy to understand. She includes dried herbs, oil, tincture etc. She shows a picture of each, what to do with each and how to do it. With illustrations she shows how to harvest and dry, how to make herbal remedies, (again with picture instructions) Tinctures, infused oils, along with and creams and ointments. I thought it was extremely detailed and designed for the beginner. I am a true believer in natural medicine and the use of essential oils and herbs but I don't want to take classes or do a huge study to know what or how to use them. This is the answer. Simple, good pictures, complete as I will ever need and for the beginner and advanced alike. This book is a must have!

A must have book! If looking for an exhaustive herbal, you might try the German monographs, and others (although I've yet to see an all exhaustive on herbology), but for home or professional use, this is an awesome book! Has some projects, and many uses for the herbs that are in this wonderful book.

A library wouldn't be complete without it!

The book is lovely as far as pictures goes, but she leaves out some basic stuff that a beginner wants to know. I managed to figure it out, but it wasn't easy. For instance, she tells you to use a simple, but then doesn't explain the term.

I bought the book specifically to make eucalypus oil and a cough syrup, but she really doesn't tell you which method, hot or cold. With the herb Comfrey, she tells you it's a hot infusion and with Marigold she tells you it's a cold infusion. Being a beginner, I didn't know the difference between an infused oil and an essential oil, which caused alot of frustration. If she had devoted a couple of sentences under the infused oil section explaining that essential oils are very different and need specialized equipment, it would have saved me some frustration and less disappointment of the book. I had to find this out by searching on the internet.

She is from the United Kingdom and all her recipes are in european measures, so they all have to be converted, and I really had a hard time with that, maybe you won't. Although she does give you a conversion table for dosages. I did manage to make a cough syrup but I had doubts about my calculations. My husband is still alive, by the way.

She mentions Cherry bark as one of the remedies for coughs but doesn't have Cherry bark in the visual directory, which means there is no information on it at all.

After having said all of that, the descriptions and pictures of each plant is wonderful. Also, she lists combinations that are good together, like for coughs. There are 85 herbs listed in the book. It makes a good reference, but I will definately need another book to supplement it.

Patti Lawson examines her own life with honesty and gives the readers an insightful view of her metamorphosis from stress and unhappiness to the joy of living through the loving and caring for her beloved dog, Sadie. In so many ways I identified with the emptiness an accomplished life cannot fill and the error in thinking that food can. Patti found the answers to regaining her health and inner peace and shares with us a sustainable path to a healthier life, physically and emotionally. She gives us a positive uncomplicated approach to caring for ourselves in good times and bad, simple, tasteful and healthy options to our toxic eating patterns and a warm and humerous story of how a small dog caused so much disorder she adapted to survive and found herself thriving. Any dog lover will appreciate her story and commitment but the life lessons and suggestions are for us all and I highly reccommend it. This is also a book I'm giving as gifts to those "hard to buy for" and no one has been disappointed.

This is one of the best books I've read recently. It has you rolling in the floor laughing and might even bring a tear as you connect with the writer and Sadie. I challenge any dog lover or someone who has tried to lose weight not to love this book. It is wonderful!

This a very cute book regarding a professional woman who after two bad relationships decides to get a dog. She adopts a dog from a shelter and it really changes her life for the better. The author tells how the dog helped her lose weight, by changing her eating habits and making her exercise more. The dog not only helps her lose weight, but also lose weight in a fun manner. The author has a very humorous style of writing. I found this book very enjoyable to read and I highly recommend it. Besides for a humorous read, this book also has some good diet and exercise tips.

If you liked John Grogan's "Marley and Me" about a man, his family and their 'bad' but lovable dog, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this book. However, like Grogan's chronicle, this is NOT about how to raise a dog. For that sort of book, you'd do much better to check out something along the line of Cesar Milan's book, and/or watch him as "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. (This is especially true if you are looking at rescue dogs or at acquiring a male dog from a dominant breed--Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, etc.)

That said, Patti Lawson makes some excellent points about dogs, how they view life and what they can teach us. She catalogs her own story of how her relationship with a pup took her on a journey from self-involvement to being present in the world, with a new appreciation for everything from smells to simply being in the present moment. Her description of standing at a buffet of Indian food and smelling it appreciatively is one that I will remember for a long time.

I enjoyed her story and the summary boxes within it about the lessons she learned.

I loved this book! I really enjoyed reading it and I got some great dieting ideas (and life perspectives). For example, I am now implementing her idea of having a salad box. Actually, I have two of them that are about the size of shoeboxes that I bought for $1 each at the 99cent store.

Now, as soon as I buy my salad veggies, I clean them, chop or remove whatever leaves I need to, and put them in the salad boxes with a paper towel on top...and turn the box upside down (to let the extra moisture go into the paper towel).

Since I eat salads (with sprouts) every day, this has really helped me save time. Also, I find that I am throwing out less wilted lettuce and spinach or other salad veggies. So I am not wasting food and I am saving money.

This sweet book also shows how important animals can be in our lives...and that instead of complaining about having to clean up after them or take care of them...to realize...amoung other things...that you are burning more calories taking care of your pets...ha!

Thanks Patti for your inspiring book.

Despite being paired with "Skinny Bitch" on the Amazon site, this book is much nicer in tone and much more helpful. It's fun and entertaining to read, in addition to offering advice that's hard to come by but very effective!

OK, maybe the part about keeping one's, er, nether-regions trim wasn't written with me in mind (at least directly), but: Esther Blum's common-sense approaches to diet & exercise are just as effective for us fellas as they are for the ladies. Equally important: They are a breath of fresh air in this self-starvation, spin-till-you-pass-out compulsive world. Esther has rescued "Happy" and returned it to its rightful place alongside "Healthy". The infectious mirth of her writing style makes this as enjoyable a read as it is informative. Brava, Esther!

WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK! NOT ONLY IS IT FULL OF FANTASTIC ADVICE, IT IS HYSTERICAL. I LEARNED SO MUCH AND HAD A LOT OF LAUGHS. GREAT BOOK!

This book is full of great information and is great fun to read. The sassy attitude keeps it interesting and the pages turning. This is a great book for anyone who wants to live and eat well without torturing herself or himself. The book has a lot of very good information on nutrition from the right foods, to the right drinks to the right vitamins. Those who follow Ms. Blum's advice with feel better inside and out.

Every single person who has checked my copy out has run and gotten their own and loved it! Esther is so much fun and a total expert, and the book is rigorously full of new tips and secrets that you can't find in magazine articles and other books. Definitely need to get you and your girlfriends a copy of this!

This was OK, but contained nothing new or groundbreaking - what I would call "Master of the Obvious" advice. I was really disappointed that the author even had a chapter advising that improving your looks would make you feel better. What was bad about the advice was she used as examples a man who got a face lift and a woman who paid a professional shopper to completely overhaul her wardrobe. Come on, Mira, get a grip!!! It was at this chapter that I lost all respect and to me the book lost credibility. I still can't believe she would include something so shallow. I'm just glad I didn't pay full price for this.

Bought this after reading her other book "Is He Mr. Right?" which I recommended to my girlfriends. I briefed it and thought it was too simplistic so I was going to give it away. Then 1 night I couldn't sleep and read the book backwards and it was very good. So good that it was used in my meeting w. employees and it motivated them to be better. I plan to re-read, take notes, then pass this book on to others who will benefit from it. Looking forward to reading her 3rd book too "Too good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay".

We all know people who drag around, whine and complain and can't take the initiative to make things happen in their lives. A copy of this book might be a life saver for them.
It's a good one for even high-energy people to have on hand. Every now and then things get you down, but dipping into this book gives ideas to jump start your enthusiasm again.
When you read a section, you say "of course," but it is good to be reminded of these. Some concepts may be new to you.
Examples of these "secrets" are:
*negative people bring you down
*unfinished business is an energy drain
*embrace the present
*never envy anyone
Mostly the book benefits you by giving you perspective. We all have a lot going on in our lives, but keeping it in perspective makes it much easier to deal with. Attitude is everything!

Here are the teachings of this book summarized. Here is how to have more energy:

Quit worring about other peoples expectations. This is a huge drain on energy. Live up to your own standards.

Do things daily that are meaningful. What are your priorities?

Pray in a meaningful way, have a dialog with God.

Do what you really want to, stop doing what you do not like.

Imagine what you will be like with emotional energy. Make it real in your mind.

Look forward to a bright future.

Have fun in life!

Don't cry over spilt milk, move on.

Envy is poison and Guilt is Stupid.

and much more, very basic teachings that are common sense but we all need to be reminded of these things. If you want to examine these areas buy the book, if you know all of this, keep looking else where. This book is very basic.

Run, dont walk and get your credit card. You ,may think- I cant I have no energy. Well after this book, you WILL. You will literally feel the weight being lifted off your shoulders as you read. You will not believe how incredible this book is. Ever wonder why you are feeling blah? I couldnt figure it out either. I thought there was something wrong with me. I exercise, eat well, take care of myself but I felt too pooped to pop. This book will literally wrap you in a big hug and slap you upside the head as well. I could feel myself feeling lighter as I read. EVERY possible thing you could possibly think of that you think is bringing you down can be tied to emotional fatigue. Mira addresses every issue.... And what to do. If that doesnt work or you cant do a particular solution, she offers another. I cant even begin to tell you how great this book is. You will feel like your old self and feel full of energy again. I feel like I can be me again. Thank you Mira!!!!

What a wonderful book! Thank you Jenna and Mike for putting words to all of those feelings that are so difficult to express. Being an "infertile" myself, this book had me laughing, crying, and nodding along the whole way through. I feel like running out and buying this book for all those friends and family who are either struggling with infertility themselves or struggling to understand a loved one who is going through a difficult time.

Struggling with infertility is challenging all by itself without the added emotional struggles that must be faced. In my personal situation I've found that not many people, even family members, can relate to or understand what I've been going through. Even a relative whose gone through IVF doesn't understand. I found that Jenna wrote this book not just for me, but for those who love me. Both myself and my husband breezed through the book and feel as if the stories are about us. My mom has also read it and developed a greater understanding of what we're going through. Next we'll have the family members who can't understand why we don't attend children's birthday parties or baby showers read it. Jenna gives such wonderful advice on all of these situations that make us feel so irrational...and reminds us we're not! This should be a MUST read for anyone who is just beginning their infertility journey or has been on the journey much too long.

One in six couples will experience difficulty conceiving a child, yet the isolation of infertility can be overwhelming. Jenna and Mike's story is uniquely their own; however, any infertile reading this book will be struck with the similarities to their personal journey. Jenna does a fantastic job of bringing to the surface the raw emotions (hope, despair, anger, jealousy, and shame, to name a few) that an infertile struggles with every day. Mike's contributions to the story give a welcome male perspective and show just how important a team effort is to surviving this disease.

For those on the sidelines, this is as real as it gets. Jenna's depiction of a "typical" IVF cycle was dead on - from the Day 2 ultrasound, through the pharmacy of medications and their side-effects, to the longest wait of your life after which you find out if all you've invested (physically, emotionally and financially) has finally paid off.

The list of "dos and don'ts" written for those close to someone dealing with infertility is, perhaps, one of the most important parts of this book. If you read The Empty Picture Frame because you know someone living with infertility, pay close attention to this section and take Jenna's words to heart.

Thank you, Jenna and Mike for having the courage to educate others by putting your story out there for all to see. Best of luck to you both!

This book tells the truth, the raw, unadulterated truth about what it's like to walk the path of an infertile couple, trying again and again without success. If you're not infertile, you'll realize empathy and compassion in these pages, and learn what not to say. If you're infertile, you will see yourself here. Jenna holds nothing back. She doesn't make it pretty or cute or lighthearted. She invites you to experience the emotions along with her. This book is an invaluable emotional resource for infertiles and those who care about them.

I first saw Jenna on the Oprah Winfrey show. I immediately felt connected to her because of her struggle with infertility. I could totally understand her pain. She was the first person I had seen that I honestly felt I could relate to.

So when I saw that she had written a book about her story, I just had to buy it. This book is an amazing resource for infertility! It gives the full picture of what it's like to go through all the stages of infertility, from before "trying to conceive" all the way through many IVF attempts. Jenna has given the reader an inside glimpse into the life of an infertile.

The way she tells her story (along with her husband's two cents every so often) is so compelling. It really was hard to put down.

This book is not only a great resource to someone personally struggling with infertility but also to those who who know of someone else who is struggling with it.

After I finished the book I gave it to my mom so she could get a glimpse of what I was going through. And most importantly, so she could read the helpful hints Jenna talks about at the end of the book as to how to best support someone going through infertility. These suggestions are so dead on! I wish I would've given it to her years ago.

Overall, I just can't recommend this book enough!