Health Books

This book is brilliant. Not only is it written in a way a 9 year old can understand and follow, it's also presented well for adults. Full of great information, recipes and activities - packed with information. We've already baked the fantastic ginger cookies and enjoyed the experience of lemon balm tea together. Definitely recommended for kids starting on their herbal journey.

Seriously this book is great! It was wonderful ideas for the garden, crafts, the seasons, herbal stuff. It is just fun, cool, great!

Heather mama of 5

I purchased this book for my 7yo son because we do use a lot of herbs at home. He likes the book very much but my 4yo dd LOVES it! She loves making the recipes, learning about the plants and how they work, and hearing the stories. It has become her favorite book. I love the recipes as well since they are wonderful to give to children. I can't recommend this book enough.

I bought this one because we homeschool and my son is really into plants and such. I have to agree with the other mom who said that the kids had to wrestle it away from her! The first couple of things we found that was really fun are recipes for homemade rootbeer and marshmallows. We are totally going to try these. To be honest, we haven't gotten that far into it yet, but I have flipped through it and found so many interesting things that I can't wait to dive back into it this week with my son!

This is a good book and my son and I both enjoyed the fairy tale-like stories in each chapter about how the herbs came to be known for their healing qualities. There are a lot of recipes and activities for each herb but it's not what I personally was looking for. I was hoping there would be more different kinds of herbs listed and what they are used for.

This is by far the most comprehensive book I have read regarding personal health care. It is easy to follow, no nonsense and provides practical information. I've re-read it and highlighted areas for the rest of my family to follow. Now I am instituting Jon Barron's advice in my own life.

I stumbled upon Jon's previous book, Lesson's from the Miracle Doctors (LFTMD), two years ago (I'm 35 now) and I can easily say that it has changed the life of me and my family (two boys aged 4 and 7). At the time, I was traveling abroad and I was curious about the eating habits of the Japanese, French and the Germans - as compared to a typical American diet and also how our respective healthcare systems differ. Long story short, Jon's first book was a quick read and very informative but, it left me wanting to learn more.... So, decided to broaden my lens a bit and go deeper with the following books:

- The Omnivore's Dilemma - A natural history of four meals by Michael Pollan
- Animal vegetable miracle - Barbara Kingslover
- The Detox Book by Bruce Fife
- Fit for Life I by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond
- Fit for Life II by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond
- Gorgeously Green by Sophia Uliano
- Ultimate Juicing by Donna Pliner Rodnitzky
- Juice Fasting and Detoxification by Steve Meyerowitz
- Food Politics by Marion Nestle
- What to Eat by Marion Nestle
- Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
- 8 weeks to Optimum Health by Andrew Weil
- Spontaneous Healing by Andrew Weil

They were all sending the same message with different levels of detail; each author came at it from a slightly different angle (i.e. ex-FDA, nutritionist, botanist, environmentalist etc). What's great about LFTMD is that it's extremely well-written and the information is easy to digest (pun intended) for the lay person. I've also become a frequent reader of everything within Jon Barron's website. After reading his first book, I've become fond of his writing style and the way he approaches the current affairs of the medical and healthcare establishment. That being said, I've read ALL of the content on [...], all of his podcasts and am current on all of his blog and newsletter entries. I can't find any hidden agenda's other than his desire to educate people on a how to create a healthy lifestyle. What Tony Robbins is to mental health, Jon Barron is to physical health.

I'd also like to touch on the topic of alternative medicine (specifically, those formula's created by Jon himself). Yes, he does promote his own products but he also outlines the key ingredients that people need to look for in said product. We live in a world where anyone with a website can be project themselves as being an authority on health. There are lots of other "Internet" doctors out there who seem to rely on pitching/endorsing products in every bit of content they distribute (Dr. Mercola comes to mind). Not the case with Jon Barron.

He will recommend ingredients and products that he has no affiliation too -- but in most cases, his company (Baseline Nutritionals) has a formula that addresses that problem. I use several of his products and they have been called some of the most "potent" on the marketplace. For instance, I do a yearly colon cleanse program with the products from Baseline and while they are simply NASTY to drink -- as they should be, no fruity flavors to be found -- they are very effective. I also take the SuperViragon product -- which is also NASTY to drink (what do you expect with concentrated Garlic, Ginger, Onion and Horseradish). When I get the sniffles and a runny nose, I know that a virus has caused my immune system to react. I take 3-5 droplet of SuperViragon in a glass of water (2 times a day) and after three days, the sniffles/runny nose is gone. The virus never got any stronger and thus I didn't need to take any sick-days from work. I've followed this pattern with SuperViragon for the last 14 months and have yet to take a sick day. I'm impressed and convinced of the healing power of Jon's formula's.

I'd also like to add that in the last 2 years (since I started reading Jon's first book: Lesson's from the Miracle Doctors and following Jon's colon detox program etc), I haven't needed to consume any pharmaceutical products (no asprin, no cold medicine, no allergy medicine...NOTHING). It's amazing if you really think about it.

Jon's book(s) have opened my eyes to how we all should approach a health lifestyle. To that, I am grateful.

The new edition of LESSONS FROM THE MIRACLE DOCTORS is a magnificent book that will repay its cost a thousandfold over the course of your long and healthy life. If you currently suffer from diseases or degenerative conditions, the advice in this book will help you to heal your problems, and then maintain
excellent health. Buy yourself a copy, and then sit down and read it SLOWLY, with a red pen and yellow highlighter at hand.
When a passage resonates with you, highlight it, and give it one or more red asterisks.
By the time you get to the final page, your copy will be completely
marked up.
Then it's up to you to incorporate Jon's valuable suggestions into your life.
I read the first edition of this book about ten years ago.
It changed my life for the better. I'm in radiant health at age 69, and I give Jon and his partner and wife, Kristen, much of the credit for that. I also use a variety of his nutritional supplements on a daily basis. I never plan to be without them, especially
the Ever Young. Jon's magnificent book will open Doors for you that need to be opened.
Trust your deep intuition, and buy yourself a copy. You will never regret it.

I came by way of Jon Barron years ago after suffering a spinal injury..I was hunched over every morning...dreading sleeping because I was in so much pain. I was looking up osteoarthritis on the internet and I was only in my early 30's! I had been through chiropractors, used guided imagery , painkillers..I was so fed up!!! I was already into natural medicine, I was a long time meditating master yet somehow could not get over this hurting back thing?! I tried Jon's Triple Jointed formula for a week and have not looked back..the one product I tried gave me instant relief. I was hooked then. I have used his website as another "google" resource because of his awesome search engine on the site. I love his humor, his approach that "all our bodies are not the same and will not react the same, no magic bullets" I love this so much I use it everyday on other areas of my life! Like relgion? Why is their one for everyone and why would it be the same? Jon is amazing and this book !!!WOW!! I have not read a book like this in years..I feel like I have that "Secret" back. I am absorbing information that only scientists and Amazon Shamans might know about...yet here I am..with front row seats...Jon is so candid and always looks at the whole picture. He truly wants us 'the little guy' to be able to take any health problem we may face and get the information so we can take back our bodies and our lives and not leave it to chance or Doctors who sometimes really do not know what ails us. I love the TRUTH!!! I love this book! Thank you Jon Barron!

My hippie parents were always preaching to us kids about the "white plague" (white bread, white rice, white sugar, etc) and other food sins, but were never really able to explain "why" they were so bad. After reading Jon Barron's book... I finally get it! A light bulb went on for me while reading this book and I will never look back. This book makes all the pieces of information I had about health and how the body works a complete picture and best of all the info is delivered with humor. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderful book along the lines of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which these authors contributed to. However, it is more for your personal life and it really encourages you to establish the guidelines it discusses into wisdom rather than textbook knowledge.

I read this book with my wife each taking assignments and reporting back after a day or two. What an incredible read and experience. There is a wealth of challanging material in this book to help anyone wishing to expand themselves into a more thoughtful person.

A pure blessing that has potential and material to make a substancial upswing in one's life.
Rocco

I have been a fan of the Merills, since their synergistic work with Stephen Covey with "First Things First".

I am not married yet, nor do I have a job, but I find this book so practical and I am convinced as I grow up into the various future stages of my life, the wisdom within it, will become more and more obvious.

I really like the idea that balance is not in "balancing the scale" but in "balancing".

The sections that deals with Time Matters and Money Matters, is worth more than the price of the book. When I was browsing through the book, and got to read the Money Matrix diagram, I almost jumped out of my skin. I always felt the Time Matrix is always applicable to one's personal finance. I was so delighted to know the Merrills felt the same and has wrote and developed it further in this book. The book also feature a quote from my favorite personal finance guru, Robert Kiyosaki.

If you have a friend who is getting married, this would be an excellent gift to a newly wed couple. I recently gifted one to my best friend. Since the book is quite expensive for us living in India, I along with a group of friends, decided to give it together.

It's a book worth to be made a family heirloom. I am sure anyone would find it helpful. Its a rare diamond in the overly cluttered world of self-help books. Most self-help books offer advice, but ended up with platitudes and rehash of ideas. We need books like this one.

Another beautiful aspect to this book is the author's recognition that more than offering answers to people, it is more important to help people develop their ability to find the answer within. This is what they called navigational intelligence. It is the effort to develop personal conscience, and listening to it.

Its a book that will never leave my reading desk and will be refered to again and again and again, till I end this life and buried six feet under.

Thanks Roger and Rebecca for an enduring legacy for generations to come. I pray more and more people will embrace your message. If we all do the world will be a better place to live in.

New books telling you how to improve your life come off the presses every week, maybe every day. Some are bad, and you realize you have wasted your time. Some are average, and you might learn a few new things, but they aren't all that memorable. Some are great, and you go back to them again and again. "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" is one of the great books. Years later people remember it, talk about it, and reread it.

"Life Matters" is a great book. It covers a lot of good ideas, the thoughts and observations are well presented, and the book reads quickly.

The first chapter starts off talking about what is important in life. The authors focus on four areas: work, family, time, and money. They have a quiz to help in your self-assessment of how you are doing in each of these four areas. A big message of this book is there doesn't have to be conflict between the four areas.

The next chapter covers three things you have to do in any area of your life. The three "gotta do's" are:

1) Validate your expectations. You have to confront reality, for if you have an unrealistic expectation you will be frustrated. The authors make the point that the direction you are heading is more important than how fast you are going.

2) Optimize Effort. Look for ways to get the maximum benefit for your effort, and make sure your decisions are aligned with your goals.

3) Develop your "Navigational" intelligence. This is the ability to be aware of your changing environment, so that what looked like an important task at the start of the day may have to take a back seat when your boss gives you a new assignment, or a child needs attention.

The next four chapters are on: work, family, time, and money, with a chapter on each area. The authors weave each of the above three "gotta do's" into each area. For each area they explore different ways people see the area, for example how do you see your family, or your money. And then they discuss what is the reality. They have a list of "optimizers" which are techniques for getting the maximum benefit for your effort. And they talk about how to be flexible when situations change.

"Seven Habits" mentions a Time Matrix, which is a two dimensional matrix based on how important something is, and how urgent it is. Many people waste time on things that aren't important, or get caught up doing things that are important and urgent. Stephen Covey explores why doing things that aren't urgent, but important, can make a great difference in your life. For me one of the gems of "Life Matters" was exploring this same matrix in relation to money. The Merrill's point is that it is best to invest your money with the same Quadrant II focus, things that aren't urgent, but are important. For me, that idea alone was worth reading the book. There were a number of similar gems scattered through the book.

The last chapter was titled "Wisdom Matters" and here the authors explore why wisdom is important, and how to improve your wisdom. One of the points they strongly make is to develop an ongoing daily self-important program. The idea is to spend a few minutes each day improving your understanding of life, and how to make better decisions.

This is a great book. If you are interested in improving your life, buy this book, read this book, and then reread it. It will help you get better control of your life. For as the Merrills say, life does matter.

This book is one of many that build off Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," and is a more in-depth discussion of prioritizing (Living in Quadrant II for those who speak Covey). This book is divided into four sections that reflect the four biggest concerns Americans face--the workplace, the family, time, and money. The basic message of the book is that one must think in terms of "investing," whether it be money, time, or effort. It is important to examine what one invests in so that maximum returns can be paid on that investment. As an example, investing money in a car yeilds a much lower return (a negative return) than investing in a mutual fund. Investing time in televison watching yields a much lower return than helping your child with his homework. Investing in effort in a long-term project that is still months away yields a much higher return than filling out some pretty-unnecessary paperwork. Other commentators are correct when they say that the examples of theory-in-action can be fairly unrealistic (even though they really happened!), but they illustrate the authors' points well. I would first recommend the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. If you find that helpful (and I imagine you will), this book is an excellent follow-up to it.

This beautifully written book captures every detail of the Cruzan case so that the public has a chance to witness the events unfolding and how Nancy's family is impacted. Used as a course text book, this invaluable tool has taught students the basics of the laws in place regarding end-of-life care, terminology used in end-of-life situations, and the emotional impact of the finality of decisions made as a person nears death.

I have read this book several times and could keep reading it....

Long Goodbye: The Deaths Of Nancy Cruzan by William H. Colby is the in-depth and true story of a judicial trial concerning Nancy Cruzan, a woman who was thrown from her vehicle and suffered horrific injuries. Since that tragic accident, Nancy has remained in a coma for five years, until her family abandoned hope for her revival and requested the removal of Nancy's feeding tube so her life could end peacefully. But the state intervened and denied the family's wishes. Thus began a extended legal battle began over who had the authority and the right to authorize the end of medical intervention with respect to a patient like Nancy. Long Goodbye is a profoundly emotional story of striving to do what one hopes is the right thing, in accordance with the wishes of those who cannot speak for themselves -- and the role of government to intrude into family and medical issues. This is a profoundly important issue that plays out in our hospitals and nursing homes every day. At the crux of the matter is the right to life, the right to die, and who has the final authority over a loved one caught up in a plight similar to Nancy Cruzan and her family.

no matter the side you take in the persistent vegetative state, this book exposes you to the intricate details of life and death matters. William Colby is not only an outstanding lawyer but a great author. the book is detailed with facts and carries you into a world that we dont normally think about or decide to ignore: the world of legal matters concerning death and what happens if this is a personal matter. you'll learn a lot from this book aside from it being an interesting and engaging read!!!!!!!!!

I really am enjoying this book. Although I am reading it as an assignment, I believe I would have read it regardless.

Despite this book being written by the lawyer who represented the parents of Nancy Cruzan who wanted feeding apparatus to be withdrawn and thus to have Nancy die, this book presents the issues and the struggle fairly and even-handedly. This is shown in a way since after reading it I conclude the U.S Supreme Court's decision was right--in the circumstances shown the family could without monetary loss have permitted their child to not be starved to death. The account of the trial and of the appellate history of the case is absorbing and shows the author is an able lawyer, admirable in representing his clients. I have no hesitancy in saying if it had been my child I would not have gone to the efforts which Nancy's father went to in order to have his child die. But psychologically Nancy's parents wanted the living death to end and their lawyer was right to seek the relief his clients desired. An extraordinary book.

Since having Martha Bartfeld's Magic Mandala book in my waiting room, I now have some patients come early for their appointments just to color in the book. I recently opened the book to find nearly all the pages colored in. Both adults and children delight in the beautiful mandalas. This book is a must for any physician's or therapist's waiting room. It is also the perfect gift for someone of any age.

this coiled book can be folded over for ease of coloring. one must use pencil crayons; not felt as it would bleed through the pix on the other side of the page. these mandalas are small and so comforting as can be completed in a short amount of time. i find i add auras and go over the lines in different depths of color as i go thru the book - i started at the beginning of the book and see my progress of colors and styles. Being coiled, it's idea for photocopying. i color this book and have another mandala coloring book i ask my friends to color a mandala for me (we color together; me with my book and the one i picked for them). we listen to tapes while we color or just chat. They date the mandala they have colored (so so i). I will cherish my friendship book 4-ever. of all the mandala coloring books i ordered, i kept this smaller one just for me. it has lots of mandalas but is smaller than an 8X11 sheet. i highly recomend this book.

This coloring book has 200 mandalas and they seem to be made for every occasion. I have found that some of them make me feel more relaxed, others more energized. I've also found that at some times I feel more drawn to specific mandalas - so if you happen to feel the same way - perhaps you'd photocpy them and then you may also feel inspired to use different colors on same designs. If you color in this book, you need to use color pencils or crayons else the color will bleed through the pages.
The author suggests to hold your left hand over the mandala for a while to absorb / align with its energy. I have found, though that whether I hold my left hand or not, I can feel the designs act in a certain way to different parts of my body (not only on my mind or emotions), some relaxing and calming, other energizing. All in all it has been a very interesting experience.

"I find myself coloring your captivating designs while saying my rosary and it has developed into a meditative ritual, stirring long-ago blocked memories from my childhood. Although these memories are painful, they have miraculously offered me some insight into the bewildering images, issues and nightmares I have been living with all my life.

"I have even found the courage to talk with my younger sister about it and we ended up comparing notes. Many of these closed doors we both utilized to shut away memories of abuse at our father's hand have started to open and pour forth their secrets for her, too!

"Now we can begin the long journey of healing our hearts from these devastating events which have all but ruined our lives without our even knowing or understanding their origins.

"And, to think, it all started with your mandalas. Thank you so much for bringing us these guides to a better life and a peaceful soul."

It's fascinating to see Martha's mandalas, and it's more fascinating to communicate with them. On day I had the urge
to know these mandalas better. Instinctively I moved my open palm back and forth over the mandala, and I felt frequencies coming up to my open palm. My hand picked up frequencies, my soul translated this message to my mind through my nervous system. I was thrilled that this could happen this way.
And this can happen to each mandala. It helps to be in an altered meditative state at first, but once one knows how to work with this language, it becomes easier. These messages
are intergalactic because of the messages they release to the person holding it and wanting to receive the message. Intent is important. Intelligent beings can understand each other through an exchange of these mandalas. This is a grand gift to planet Earth for human beings'initial communication once more to the Universe.
Thanks to Martha Bartfeld.

Must read if you want to feel empowered about helping your child get all the resources he/she needs in the school and in the community.

This book will walk you through the process of getting your child evaluated and the steps needed to insure your child gets the best schooling that is available. It will cover your rights as a parent and how to work together with the school system. Prior to getting this book, I had already taken the necessary steps and was armed with lots of knowledge on the subject but I still learned a lot from reading it. If you're new to ADHD or not sure of what your entitlements are, this book is a must have. Worth every penny.

I saw this book on the shelf at Barnes and Noble, but passed it up with its long title. My bookclub friend who also has a boy with ADD told me it was "the best", so I went back and got it. I have now read it cover-to-cover, made lots of marks in the margins, flagging the sections that are right on the mark for me.

The book is like a how-to guide, giving problem-solving tips in each of the areas that I've been challenged by: getting the school system to work with me, and to give my 9-year old son additional resources (the letters on how to request additional help from the school were fantastic!), making a book to help me organize all of the records; helping him find friends, and even working with my boss, who had given me a hard time for missing work for Martin's medical appointments.

The tips and examples from other parents from other parents like me were VERY good, and for the first time in the last 3 years since his diagnosis, I am hopeful that we're going to make it, seeing how other parents have done it.

Thank YOU, Dr. Jensen!!

Moms and dads, buy, beg, borrow, or steal this book. I've read about 12 books now, but this was the one I needed from three years ago. Lehcy

Of all the ADHD books I have read, about 8 at this point, I have learned the most from this one. It is practical, and has lots of tips. I now have a binder that I use that I take with me to all of my child's meetings, and to my visits with the Sammi's doctor. My book is almost completely marked up, and in the margins of about every 2nd or 3rd page, there is an underline, or a "do this."

IF YOU WANT THE BEST FOR YOUR CHILD WITH ADHD, AND WANT TO TAKE CHARGE OF HIS FUTURE, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. TOMAS

I have read numerous books and articles on ADHD to become as informed as possible on my son's ADHD. Most make me feel better by realizing I am not alone in my struggle to parent a child with this disorder. This book went beyond making me feel better and gave me practical guidance to get organized and be proactive when dealing with teachers and my son's school. I now have an accordian file with a handle that I take to all my meetings related to my son. I refer to this book frequently as needed. It has been a resource to me over and over. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all parents with an ADHD child.

It was somewhere in the mid-90's when I first was introduced to a Dr. McDougall book. I now own all of the books he and Mary have written. I remember how I reacted, upon the first reading of this book. It wasn't good. The diet regimen described frightened and depressed me. I, like so many Americans, was raised in my mother and grandmother's kitchens and learned to nuture through food, ahem! through the Standard American Diet. I loved the tastes of our S.A.D. diet! But, included in the SAD diet we did eat fresh salads, we ate the more substantial breads, we ate the best cuts of meat, we ate a lot of cooked vegetables and fresh fruit. We even ate oatmeal and did not eat cold cereal for breakfast. However, we ate and drank dairy products at every meal and, of course, we ate eggs and meat, poultry or fish every day, except on Fridays during Lent. And, we were all crazy about home baking. We loved our desserts. I was a smoker. Consequently, I developed allergies, asthma, ongoing and severe sinusitis. In my mid-twenties, I began to be plagued with every cold and flu virus that came around. I developed chronic bronchitis. I took a medication called, Respaire, daily, to unblock my sinuses. The medication was so hard on my heart that I developed severe and frequent palpitations and underwent both a cardioversion (my heart was stopped to return it to a normal sinus rhythmn) and a cardio-ablation to correct the areas on my heart causing the palpitations. I also underwent sinus surgery. I also had shortness of breath where I would become dizzy in the warm and humid weather. I stayed away from mammography because the first time I had one performed, it was done incorrectly and brutally. A couple of decades later, I had an area of suspicion on my breast and underwent 18 mammograms and calcifications were found. Then I had to have an open biopsy. Well, I didn't have to. I didn't have to go through any of the above IF I had eaten the way Dr. McDougall prescribes. I am a retired R.N. and I witnessed enough of the criminality of the medical community to never want to return. But, now knowing of the life saving diet that they could be prescribing instead of horrible (and often cancer causing) medications and invasive (and, often cancer-causing) procedures...well, I know I would never want to be a part of that community again. I kept coming back to that first McDougall book and finally, knew this was the only way to go. I wasn't perfect. I cheated through the years. But, every year I become more committed and, now I don't cheat at all. I don't even eat birthday cake or holiday food. I want to live long and vibrantly until I die and to die when I am very, very old. I have lost 43 lbs through the years and now I have a new goal. There is a chart for what we should weigh in one of Doc MdDougall's books and I want to get down to the low end of the parameter of weight for my height. I will lose the last 12 lbs. now. I cannot tell in words what this program has done for my life. I feel better than I ever felt. My mind is clear, I have boundless energy. I am no longer an allergy sufferer, I don't have asthma, my abdomen is flat, my sinuses are clear, I never experience bronchitis, I haven't smoked in 17 years, I am 58 and I don't need glasses, I run up stairs and never experience shortness of breath, my total cholesterol, at the last testing, was 112. I work out 2 hours per day and feel great doing so. I am not on any medication and when I think of the possibility of going to a doctor, I experience the same kind of fear I would if someone were to tell me I had to meet Satan. My last comment might appear insane to those who have not witnessed what I have witnessed or who have not experienced the things I have from the medical community. I could write my own book on those things alone. Please, read Dr. McDougall's books and summon up your strength and challenge yourself to do this, for yourself and your loved ones. Try it. Ponder the material and the consequences of NOT changing your ways. Then, if your still not convinced, go on the VegSource.com website and read the dicussions there, maybe get into purchasing and sharing the dvd's they provide from the yearly health conferences they hold, featuring speakers like Dr. McDougall, Caldwell Esselstyn, John and Ocean Robbins, T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrmand and too many other big names to mention here. Go on to read The China Study, Dr. Dean Ornishes newer books, John Robbins's books, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrman's books. Visit the websites of these doctors and researchers. Learn the truths that are being, actively, hidden from us. Oh, and above all, get a copy of Mike Anderson's DVD's EAT and Curing Cancer from the Inside. The DVD Eat is included, for free, with the purchase of a copy of his book The R.A.V.E. diet and lifestyle book. If you don't have a lot of time to read then these DVD's are a must and what an education is to be had, on many levels, through these DVD's. Go for it...this is your life and that is what you have to lose or gain...it's all up to you. This is long but I know it can help to encourage. Thank you.

I found Dr. McDougall's website while surfing for vegetarian recipes with Vegetarian Times website as a starting point. It definitely sounded interesting, if not completely do-able for the average person.

A couple days ago I spotted the book in a local second-hand store, and snapped it up, to get a better idea of Dr. McDougall's research and background info. You see, I am a lifelong vegetarian (lacto-ovo, not vegan), and I am married to a doctor who is not vegetarian, and scoffs at veganism (but loves my vegetarian cooking).

I don't think I've ever come across a health book that was this hard to put down. Every chapter has a plethora of numbered references citing an amazing array of highly-respected medical journals (some of which, my husband subscribes to) to back up the sweeping and often surprising claims McDougall makes. It also offers case studies of individuals who have wrecked and/or healed their bodies through food. I, being a visual type, found the numerous lists, charts and diagrams helpful as well.

It almost inspires me to go vegan. Almost. The evidence against cage-free vegetarian eggs and organic range-fed milk is not strong. But then, in the early eighties, most people didn't have access to these. Also, the only thing he has against yogurt is that it is made of milk and has no fiber (although he gives medical evidence that it may not be as helpful in digestion as it is touted to be). Also he says pasteurized cheese is not especially harmful, except in that it's fattening. So, I'm not eliminating yogurt or cheese from my diet, or the occasional fresh egg from my friends' chicken coop.

But, it is an extremely engaging book. Reads more like a popular college nutrition lecture than a sermon, definitely. It is unprejudiced and helpful, patient, and offers a variety of options for different types of people. Recommended.

At last an honest view of diet and health. If you wish to avoid the common diseases of the western junk-food culture get this book and follow it.

I have never met a doctor more concerned with the public health than Doctor McDougall. His book is honest and backed up with decades of factual knowledge.

Do yourself a favor and read this book!

Written in the early 1980s, this book was one of the first to establish the nutritional superiority of a diet free of animal products. Dr. McDougall documents his assertions with extensive references to scientific studies and medical journals.

However, the diet as set forth in the book is not accessible to many people, due to its extremely low fat content. Dr. McDougall maintains that one "won't feel hungry" on his "health-supporting diet"; in fact, its lack of fat makes one ravenous. I myself tried for years to make it work, without success.

An instructive anecdote: the day I bought this book I was so inspired by it, I cooked myself up a batch of its Vegetable Stew, ate heartily, and--an hour later consumed half a gallon of ice cream. If you want to avoid such binges and make a vegan diet work for you, you need to adjust it to your needs. (McDougall Porridge-- oatmeal without salt and milk, with only a few raisins or currants added, equals mutiny.)

So, while I recommend this book for its scientific and nutritional information, I also suggest buying some other vegan cookbooks that contain better recipes. I also share my own adjustments to the McDougall program:

I disregard the book's cautions about high-fat plant foods, and eat them in moderation and as needed for satiety. I eat more protein-rich plant foods than are recommended by the book. I add some extra-virgin olive oil to the recipes. I add a little salt.
The diet should serve the person, not vice-versa. Good luck.

This is the first book of Dr. McDougall's that I read. I consider this book the "owners manual" to the human body. This book really helped me to understand things that I was experiancing and the relationship to the food I was eating. All the doctors I had seen, would say "we don't know what causes it, but here is a medication to help with the symtoms,"to the questions I would ask. After reading this book and begining to change to a plant based diet, symptoms started to disapear. I no longer have digestive issues. Although I have tested the system, by reverting to some of my prior diet habits from time to time, I find it doesn't take long for the symptoms to return. I think this is refered to as McDougall's revenge. The work that Dr. McDougall has done in this book, & others has helped me to be much healthier than I would otherwise have been. So far I have avoided developing the diseases that are in my family, and I have reversed all the intestinal issues that I was diagnosed with. If you really follow what he says all the way, it does work, and health is worth the effort!

MENOPAUSE PINK offers wisdom and inspiration to those of us who are going through perimenopause or menopause itself. It is nice to hear the good things that happen and not just the bad. During this time of life when physical and mental discomforts seem to take over our lives it is helpful to have books like this one to give us hope and realize we are not alone.

My personal favorite is the story by the 85 year old man about what he would do if he had a second chance at life.

Menopause Pink is a book of chuckling aphorisms, cartoons, quotes & stories by & about women passing through the time of their lives & coming out the other end happier, funnier & full of wisdom, vim & vigor!

Terri Malucci's message is timely, lighthearted & heart felt - menopause can be a new beginning. Her visions, candor & humor along with those of many other women, are much needed now so let them lead you laughing on your latest journey of self discovery.

An amusing & thoughtful gift to give your friends when they make the Big 50!

Terri Malucci lends a refreshing humor to the subject of menopause. Laughing at the experiences related in this book will make it easier to laugh at yourself.

It makes a great gift for the friend who is reaching that time of life!

Terri Malucci was unable to find any book about menopause that would help her feel optimistic about entering middle age. During her search she did find clinical data describing the health issues involved with menopause, often focused on health risks, disease, physical deterioration, and the downside of being menopausal. After talking with her mother, grandmother, friends and strangers about their menopausal experiences, she wrote her own book about being in "The Change Of Life". Menopause Pink is the perfect, optimistic, even inspiring introduction to the menopausal experience and highly recommended reading for all women who are anticipating menopause, entering menopause, menopausal -- and their husbands who love them.

What a wonderful book it is. It has really given me great insight into the problems of menopause and the wonderful way that the women in our (men's) lives handle this chemical change in their bodies. I laughed and cried while reading it, and I suspect there are other men who did the same. There may be two important times in a woman's life: birth and menopause, and this book really went a long way towards helping me understand the latter.

I have seen her website and think that it truly expresses the beauty and humor of her book.

Great job!

I laughed aloud. I couldn't help myself. William Douglas Little's book MEXICAN BOWL FISHING and Other Tales of Life is full of humorous parables about life and the events that make us blush with embarrassment, simmer with rage, cause a bruised ego or bring us that comeuppance we somehow earned along life's journey.

From the first story of Eddie's superglue fiasco, to being outwitted by a pet and the lesson not learned in the final story Mexican Bowl Fishing, I laughed. We have all been there and done things similar, but William Douglas Little writes it so well, and tells it so honestly. His writing takes away that feeling of stupidity, it removes the hit to the confidence because laughing out loud is therapeutic and knowing that you aren't the only one - well what is more equalizing than knowing that at some time or another the rest of the world has hit that sliding glass door head first.

Thank you for the laughter. This book is a must read especially on those days where patience is lost and anger ties you up in knots. Laugh aloud and feel the warmth of camaraderie.

If suspension of disbelief is required for most movies and books of fiction in order to entertain us, prepare to be both hugely entertained and greatly surprised by unbelievable incidents from real life.

The 26 short stories form a true page-turner of a collection: some I loved, most I liked - and the few I did not care about were over quickly. The stories are amusing, the writing is witty and the overall result is guaranteed to improve a bad mood. After all, we all have had one of those days: if they do not make us wiser, at least they can make us laugh.

RECOMMENDED!

William Douglas Little is a columnist for Motorcycle Product News. This book of short stories is based on that column. The stories are humorous and based on true events. Some of the subjects covered in the book include how not to use Super Glue; car problems; the art of shopping; growing up; animals; phishing; and waiting for the satellite TV guy. All of the stories are funny and several have little life lessons summarized at the end.

"Mexican Bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life" is author William Douglas Little's very funny, somewhat exaggerated look at his life. Some of the stories are about things he's done as an adult, others about what he did when he was young and all are equally funny. The very first story, "Eddie's Bad Day" is a very funny story that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Other funny stories include "The Snowball Effect", "Shopping Abroad", "About Ten Minute", "Confessions of a Reformed Delinquent", "Possum in the Cathouse" and "Bury the Cat Slowly". While some of the stories are obviously fiction based on fact, readers will certainly identify with stories about trying to get as much mileage out of your tires as you can, a spouse complaining about your driving habits, pranks you pulled as a teenager, and the unpredictable behavior of pets. A few of the stories are more serious than others - "Life Lessons of Childhood" is a thoughtful essay on trying to recapture the joy of childhood and not letting stress overtake our lives; "Grabbing Branches" is about the tendency to rush through life without paying attention; and "Saying What We Mean" is about disclaimers companies put on things we buy. The serious stories were a nice break from the humor, although "Saying What We Mean" didn't quite fit in with the overall tone of the book.

"Mexican Bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life" is a delightful short story collection.

William Douglas Little
Author House, 2008
ISBN: 9781434382580
5 Stars
Humorous...
William Douglas Little has enjoyed writing since he was a child. When he saw his first article in print, he was hooked. He continued writing and landed a monthly column with MPN. Mexican bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life is a collection of his short stories. Each of the 26 stories are filled with humor and written in a conversational style.
From Superglue to little old ladies driving a Cadillac to parking tickets, what seems improbable really can happen. While these stories may seem over-the-top, "truth is better than fiction." The best story in this book has to be the one about Superglue. The second best one is the little old lady and the Cadillac. I was laughing out loud at both. Mexican bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life is a great read.

I was a big fan of The Darwin Awards in an earlier, more misanthropic phase of my life. Nothing was funnier than some of the idiotic escapades of people who "do a service to humanity by removing themselves from the gene pool." Now, older and wiser, I'm more likely to wince in sympathy and look for a lesson to be learned.

Author William Douglas Little's hugely entertaining MEXICAN BOWL FISHING: And Other Tales of Life bridges the gap between these two mindsets. Billed as "a collection of short stories," the book reads more like a set of essays in which we find people -- often the author -- behaving mindlessly with disastrous results. Test your dog's shock collar on yourself? Buy a series of ever-more-expensive self-immolating cars? Play chicken on the highway with your wife and mother-in-law in your vehicle? Super-glue yourself into four-point restraint while naked in your bathroom? These stories and more are told with wry humor, but the payoff is the life lesson woven into each disaster.

My favorite tale is "A Dog's World," in which Little matches wills with his Malamute, the incongruously named Joy, and loses badly (refer to the shock collar incident). I laughed out loud at "Panic Situations," in which Little and his family were involved in an "EVAC situation" at Disney World's Splash Mountain. "Lessons of Childhood" is a primer on "approaching your work witih the enthusiasm and new-world interest that you had as a child." The title story, "Mexican Bowl Fishing," describes a church mission trip to build houses in Juarez, but Little manages to infuse that heart-warming tale with hilarious self-revelation; you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what kind of fishing he did in Mexico!

Little is a motorcycle dealer and a monthly columnist for an industry publication. This is his first book -- a lifelong dream turned into reality -- and you can't help cheering him on. He's a terrifically engaging writer and we all want more! He finishes his book with these wonderful words: "Reading is a passion, a pastime, and a sport that exercises the mind and the imagination. I'm honored that you've included my book in your most sacred of activities..." Believe me, the honor is ours; and by the way, do you need to ride a motorcycle to subscribe to Motorcycle Product News?

Linda Bulger, 2008

Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents' Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers Recommended by many pediatricians, I'm sure. Give this as a gift to your patients' parents, sleep more at night (less calls)! It's an excellent resource for new parents, and anyone who helps with infants and toddlers (like grandparents, baby sitters, etc.) Great baby shower gift too, I'm sure. If you are a new, or not so new parent, I highly suggest you get this book.

Like unbiased media, good solid baby information is very hard to find. Dr. Tanya does a very good job of giving "just the facts". We have a (currently, they grow too fast!) 20 month old and a 6 month old, and find this book to be very helpful with the basics.

I saw Dr. Tanya on the Today Show and loved her straightforward advice. This book is great because I can look things up and have more information before I decide if I need to call the pediatrician for an appointment. I'm definitely going to use it whenever my kids have a fever or stomach flu or anything I'm not sure about.

What belongs in a diaper bag? What is the best way to let other children be affectionate towards your new baby? How do you hydrate a vomiting baby? Dr. Tanya's tips answer these questions and many more. Mommy Calls is a gift to parents and doctors alike, with quick access to the most common concerns arise with young children. The only advice Dr. Tanya left out is to make sure you have an extra copy of Mommy Calls to pack in that diaper bag!

As a first time mother I have made a point to find the best resources when it comes to carring for my daughter. A friend told me about Dr. Tanya's book THE WONDER YEARS which has been so informative to me. Then I happened to see her on The Today Show so I couldn't help but get her most recent book MOMMY CALLS. I consider these books my all in one resource for child rearing!