Medicine Books

While I am more of a fan of 5HTP than St Johns Wort,this book goes beyond the plant. This book does a great deal to talk about depression and teach people natural ways of improving their minds and lives.

As the Alternative Health guru at Lifetips.com, I am constantly looking for books and products to share with visitors to my site that can help take the mystery or confusion out of alternative/natural healing. This is definitely one of those items.

If you're looking for an easy-to-understand and well-researched book on a natural approach to dealing with depression, then this is the book for you. Dr. Cass shares case histories many might identify with and she has done her homework in deftly explaining the important factors one must understand to deal effectively with depression. She also provides great tips on nutritional steps and lifestyle changes that must go hand-in-hand if one is serious about defeating depression. This wonderful book CAN offer help to those struggling to get a handle on dealing with depression naturally.

I have found this common sense guide to using & understanding St. John's Wort invaluable. This ancient herbal remedy for lifting mood without the high cost of prescription drugs & their often debilitating side effects is the best treatment available for those who will follow Dr. Cass's guidelines. I have shared this book with friends & family. I can't think of a better gift for loved ones who needlessly suffer from Depression!

This is a great guide to the healing effects of an ancient medicinal plant that has gained great popularity in the last decade based on scientific findings. The author first looks at the problem of depression by discussing the biochemistry of the brain and the relationship between mental and physical health.

St John's Wort (hypericum) offers a gentle way of treating depression and other nervous disorders. Cass discusses the scientific proof of the efficacy of this herb as measured against synthetic antidepressants. The research is indeed encouraging and the plant's mild side effects provide a great advantage over the synthetic medicines.

The author explores the correct dosage for various problems like sleep and seasonal affective disorders (SADs) whilst pointing out the herb's anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing properties. Besides the well-known hypericin, St John's Wort also contains a host of other phytochemicals that play vital roles in protecting cells from damage, in repairing damage and in regeneration.

These ingredients include GABA, carotenoids, flavonoids, hyperforin, limonene, lutein, phytosterols, quercetin, quercetrin, rutin and xanthones. All parts of the plant, the flowers, leaves, stem and the oil are used in healing. One of the possible side effects of taking St John's Wort is sensitivity to the sun in certain people.

The book includes a bibliography, a natural medicine resources list, a protocol for switching a patient from an anti-depressant to St John's Wort and the regulatory status of St John's Wort in various countries. It concludes with an index. I also recommend Mind Boosters by Ray Sahelian and The A to Z Guide to Supplements by Phyllis A Balch for further information on herbal medicines.

I bought this book (and a bottle full of St. John's Wort!) after two deaths in my immediate family pushed me over the edge of depression. It talks about the different forms of depression, how St. John's Wort helps with the symtoms and who should or shouldn't try the herb. It gives a lot of study cases of people Dr. Cass worked with and also offers some statistical information on research. All of it is put in a very readable and enjoyable form and I finished the book in a couple of bedtime reading sessions (definitely important when you're reading about something that you hope and pray will help you with your current state of depression!) I highly recommend both the book and the herb to anyone thinking they may suffer from depression.

I am 62 years old and have always worked hard at leading a healthy life. I work out six days a week, train with weights, and play full court basketball three days a week. I have limited my fat and salt intake since I was 40. But I have had some problems that seem to come with older ages. This book really opened my eyes to all of the things I could do that I didn't even know about. I've only just finished the book and already I've added new things to my diet and adopted many of the wisdoms found therein.

I haven't been paining for at least one whole month. I was really shocked too. I have been to 3 doctors and had them check my legs so by reading this book I found out I had cold in my bones and arthritis. So thanks to this book, it really helps me.

If this tells you anything, to date I have bought 20 of the "Super Life, Super Health" books from Amazon. It is such a well written and informative book. I absolutely had to give this book to many people I know. I'm with Subway ("Eat Fresh") area corporate, and, as everyone knows, people go to Subway to aid in their quest for a healthier life. I do plan to buy many more of this same book for others. Health is more important than wealth!

I am a healthy 50-something male, with strong interest in preserving his health. But I cannot recommend this book too highly for the excellent quality of the writing. It gives a thorough, balanced, but easy to read, account of each topic. (Whoever the writer is, he/she comes across as an extraordinarily honest, balanced, decent, well-informed individual-- a saint and a sage rolled into one!)

Even the most esoteric medical research is presented with terrific clarity, and free of all unexplained jargon--this has got to be some of the **finest** medical writing for the laity i've ever seen. Neither does the author pitch to dummies--like so much of the advertising copy of the vitamin catalogs--for he has nothing to sell, nor does he speak over the heads of his readers.

This book contains much information for improving one's health and possibly extending one's life. Perhaps the problem with this is that there is so much that can be done that one does not know where to start. For example, there are numerous vitamins and supplements listed. Is one supposed to try to take them all? There are things as diverse as Vitamin B, Coenzyme-Q10, green tea, garlic, ginger, and selenium emphasized. No attempt is made to prioritize the supplements.

Exercise is listed as the closest thing to an antiaging pill. There is also a practical list of stress-busting activities that one can do at home.

There is a good table provided for substitution of foods with high fiber in place of foods with low fiber. Other tables give the vitamin contents of various foods. This book favors the low-fat over the low-carb approach to health. However, the hazards of a high sugar diet in terms of acceleration of aging are mentioned.

Not everything in this book is something one can do without a doctor's prescription. Apropos to this, there is a section on hormone replacement therapy for both men and women.

A safety net for anyone performing orthopaedic procedures weather a trainee or a specialist. Great detail and points out nicely potential pitfalls in a much better and more effective way than similar books. Very expensive but money well spent

Every resident needs to get this book. Excellent information and anatomy gives you a leg up and makes you look good in the operating room.

As a fourth year orthopedic surgery resident this book has been of invaluable help in learning and reviewing the classic surgical approaches to the muskuloskeletal apparatus and its associated anatomy. Its lenguage is clear and concise, further supported by superb graphics. The fact that this book is in almost every orthopedist's library probably speaks for itself. This is an absolute must.

This is a great book with most of the surgical approaches that I've come in contact with. It combines concise descriptions of the anatomy with graphics in a nice, easy-to-access way.

The arthroscopic chapters are a little lame but the classical, exposures are simply a must for any resident that want to learn the different exposures.

When comparing, I find that the latest edition hasn't added that much to the book and I wouldn't recommend getting the latest edition unless your very into colors.

I believe all hospital libraries should hold a copy of this excellent book. The price is rather steep for an individual and therein lies my only crib against this book. I had to fork over almost a month's pay to get my copy. On to what I think of the content.

Clear descriptions aided with crisp colour drawings make most exposures a breeze. This is an ideal book to look through before stepping into the OR. It is also I believe the only effort to approach anatomy from the orthopaedic surgeon's point of view. All good.

Bottom line: Con your hospital/department to buy it for you. If they refuse to play ball, start saving because you want this one on your desk.

I work in public health and struggle to find resources that are useful. This is a great book for everyone. There is no magic pill and there is no easy fix - but there are LOTS of ways to make things worse. Until we have changed our social norms, our environment, and the availability and ease to make healthy choices, it's going to be a long, tough road. This book is a great read that describes what it's like to struggle with weight - good for those of us who are lucky and think our 5-8 pound struggle is horrible, as well as those who struggle with real weight challenges and are ready to hear the painful truth of a child's experience. Well done, Abby.

An honest look at America's obsession with weight loss and how it affects the younger generation. The author, a former fat kid and fat camp survivor (though not a parent, as she acknowledges) explores various ways to lose weight from fat camps to nagging to behavior modification and surgery, among others. Sadly, there is no quick fix or even well-planned diet and exercise program that works for all, or even some. Due both to lack of willpower or incentive, and physical factors beyond the dieter's control, often the weight is lost then gained then lost again.

"Teenage Waistland" lets the young subjects speak for themselves. It is a fascinating look at a controversial subject.

Prepare to laugh, cry and cringe --- but also to learn --- as Abby Ellin leads us through the landscape of obese teen life. First, though, a confession: When I volunteered to read this book, I feared that I was facing a hard, long slog through a dry tome packed with scientific studies on how to help an overweight kid drop a few pounds. Instead, I could barely put down this lively read. Ellin keeps a page-turning pace as she skillfully weaves her own story as a heavy, weight-obsessed teenager through the stories of other such adolescents.

Ellin begins with her own family, who courageously support her by not challenging her right to tell the unvarnished truth about the ways in which her home contributed to her weight problems and food fixations. Interestingly, the family's attitudes toward weight resulted in the author's sister becoming anorexic. Even as Ellin grew larger and larger, her sister began dieting by third grade.

Ellin's grandmother was a major influence on her self-image, withholding affections when Ellin gained weight. On visits to Grandma's house in Florida, Grandma weighed Ellin daily. At home, Ellin's mother obsessed over her own weight, restricted her diet and exercised before stepping on the scales each morning. She taped a photo of an obese woman on the refrigerator door. Both grandmother and mother repeatedly drilled into Ellin and her sister the dangers of gaining weight. As a child, Ellin was devastated when her grandmother told her she couldn't come to Florida for a visit at Christmastime unless she lost 15 pounds. The ploy didn't work. Nothing really did, for many long, sad years.

Ellin spent six years at weight-loss camps. She lost weight but also learned more about dysfunctional eating and how to do it (one counselor sneaked Ellin out to buy a cart full of candy and cookies because "Your body's getting used to the diet. You need sugar to give it a jolt."). In describing her fat camp days, she tells us the story of the owners of weight-loss camps, beginning with her visit as an adult with the man who ran the first weight-loss camp Ellin attended. During her visit, she talks with young campers, giving us the first of many insightful conversations with teens seeking to lose weight. What they say about their parents can make a reader weep.

In TEENAGE WAISTLAND, we learn what has helped teenagers lose weight and, (heartbreakingly) more often, what has either not helped them or made them worse. Experts --- from fat camp leaders to directors of weight loss programs to bariatric surgeons, researchers and fat activists (and more) --- represent a variety of attitudes as each discusses the best way to help heavy adolescents. Ellin compassionately presents suggestions to parents on ways to support an obese child, all based on respect.

Although there is not a single solution to such a complicated problem, reading this book is informative and helpful. It is a horrifying and fascinating study in our culture's warped attitude toward food and weight. Even if you don't have a child with weight issues, TEENAGE WAISTLAND is an engrossing read.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)

This book was extremely helpful to me and my family. As the parent of an overweight child, Abby Ellin's insight as a "former fat kid" is a hands-on "what to do/"what not to do" primer for any parents dealing with these sensitive issues. You're never really sure what to do until you're faced with it head on and Ellin's book showed that it's the sensible approach that makes the most sense. Don't panic; don't over react (as is the most instant impulse). Just act sensibly. Well done!

Simply put, Abby Ellin "gets it". She had a childhood relationship with weight, food, and family that stays with her, regardless of what the scale says today. She candidly tells her story, which isn't always a happy one, but it's often hilarious. When it comes to the "fat kid epidemic", the author doesn't claim to have all the answers, but is very willing to explore a variety of solutions. Teenage Waistland is tragic, eye-opening, humorous and true. Once you read the introduction: Fat Kid Blues - you'll be hooked, just like the author is on Hostess cupcakes!

Ditto everyone else's 5 star reviews. A fantastic book for parents and extended family members of the food allergic child. Sicherer write in a clear and concise manner, explaining all one needs to know. My child has food allergies, including Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), and I've done a lot of research and am active in an online FA support group. This book explains it all, even stuff I didn't already know. His FPIES section is excellent. I keep this book on out for quick access, as I often use it as a reference.

This is a great book! It's a fabulous reference guide to have if you have a child with food allergies. It addresses case studies of children with multiple food allergies and questions that real parents have! It details out different diagnosis processes, treatments and day to day living. If you are raising a child with food allergies - you must read this book.

As a seasoned mom, but a new one to the food allergy world, this book provides a lot of technical info all in one source. If you want to understand why our bodies react to certain foods and how to proceed, this book is for you.

My three-year old son has severe food allergies. This book -- written by a world-renowned pediatric allergist -- is one of the best food allergy books I've come across. It provides all the latest statistics and medical background regarding food allergy, and is easy for the lay public to digest, e.g., those of us without medical degrees. Another great book for parents learning to cope with their child's food allergies is: The Parents Guide to Food Allergies -- Clear and Complete Adivce From the Experts on Raising Your Food-Allergic Child. It's written by a parent -- who was a professional writer before discovering her child had food allergies. It's easy-to-read and covers some of the more emotional aspects of raising a child with this very unique and special need.

We have been managing my child's food allergies for the past 5 years - I have read many, many books on the subject. This one is the absolute best! As much as I understood about food allergies, I still had many questions. This book has helped to clear up most of them. Many of the books on food allergy create a sense of panic, especially when you are new to the situation. The information in this book takes some of the anxiety out of everyday life - our children can have normal, healthy, fun-filled lives!

I'm recommending this book to all my clients. It provides a 'scientific' confirmation of parents' inner wisdom, and many people need that.
Trusting and knowing how to access our own best instincts (and sometimes that instinct is to seek help from a professional or other outside source) are solid and effecive parenting tools. I'm glad to have more confirmation that learning to express love and affection in all its many forms to our offspring is the essence of good parenting.
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I've found this book a great insight to many areas of human brain development and all its "issues".
This book should be read in conjunction with many other books which also look at psychology. I do not feel this book will answer questions standing on its own as you will get a one sided view - as in the author talks about her situations within her life. But in saying that MANY people will relate to what she is talking about and many people will find her scientific information very interesting.
I enjoyed this book and found that I was able to explain to many others who "poo poo" our parenting methods the reasons why...but you will always need more information so don't stop at just this wonderful book.

An excellent source of information for everyone. Would be extremely helpful for mothers-to-be. Helps you understanding your developmental psychology. Gives you more information on you and why you turned out the way you did. Should be required reading for high school students who will be parents of the future. It would give them a better overview on how to interact with their children in a more positive way.

This book really opened my eyes to the fundamentals of brain development in infancy. I had no idea how much the actual physiology of the brain is affected by infant experience, not just the psychological. Sources are well cited, ideas are well backed up in scientific research, and the information is presented in a way which benefits lay readers as well as researchers (with an introduction about brain structure and development).

I suggest every parent-to-be get a hold of this book. One reviewer was dissapointed by the lack of specific exercises to play with. However, I don't think they are necessary because this book gives specifics about why certain strategies affect infants. I think understanding why certain types of parenting work better than others makes parents more likely to come up with the kind of adaptive spontaneous strategies which come out of such a way of thinking. You could also check out Brazelton for more specific info about exercises to do with your baby.

As a side note, once you read this book and make decisions about parenting based on the exhaustive research cited within, you will not only feel more confident about your parenting, but you will be able to defend against attacks from helpful but persistent grandparents, in-laws, and friends - should you want to engage in such discussions.

Why Love Matters offers an eloquent overview of the latest scientific research on attachment. The author has accomplished the formidable task of linking the concrete language of neurochemistry to the more abstract area of attachment theory. In so doing, she has greatly clarified the nature-nurture argument. Her book beautifully establishes the critical importance of close emotional attachment for optimum brain development in childhood, and one's subsequent capacity for love and trust in adulthood. Why Love Matters is an essential new work in the field of attachment.

Jan Hunt, author of The Natural Child: Parenting From the Heart

Many workplaces seem quite safe. There are no open mine-shafts to fall into, no baths of sulfuric acid to spill, no explosives lying about ready to be ignited. And yet, according to professional safety consultants Dan Hopwood and Steve Thompson, every workplace needs a detailed, current and well-documented program to protect the health and safety of employees. While the hazards have changed, the risk of injury remains. Rather than spiraling down a mine-shaft, a worker might get a repetitive stress injury. Rather than spilling acid in the doughnuts, a worker might pull a muscle lifting a heavy box. Rather than dropping a cigarette onto some dynamite, a worker might inhale an irritant that causes a chronic lung condition. In each case, the results can include missed work, disrupted lives, insurance claims that increase your premiums and fines for regulatory violations. This brief book will help you avoid all that, whether you are just starting your safety program or re-engineering it. Many checklists and useful appendices nicely complement the text. We feel safe recommending this sensible guide.

Steve and Dan have written a concise book that outlines step-by-step what all new safety professionals need to know in order to create a positive safety culture within their organizations. The Appendix, References and Resources sections are the best I have ever seen. For any person given the responsibility of safety management and who want to "save lives, prevent injuries and illnesses and protect their companies from financial harm", this is the place to begin. Thank you Steve and Dan for this contribution to protect our workforce, and help to ensure that everyone has a chance to go home safe each night to their families.

Dan and Steve successfully put together not just a well-written book loaded with many outstanding hints and ideas, they also included so many practical tools that the small to medium sized business can begin using immediately to improve workplace safety. It should be a "must read" for any business if they are really serious about this often overlooked issue. If just some of the ideas suggested by Dan and Steve are implemented, it can have a dramatic impact not only on employee safety and morale, but bottom-line profits as well. Thanks Dan and Steve !!

Finally . . . a user-friendly, efficient, and effective risk managment and loss control tool for everyday business. Workplace Safety will actuall save lives, prevent injuries and illnesses, and help every reader to avoid the financial hardship and administrative nightmare associated with any injury. Thank you Steve and Dan for bringing safety out of the classroom and putting it on the front line where it belongs.

Steve and Dan have written a book that is a "must have" for those looking for a comprehensive but easy to follow resource around which to build an effective workplace safety program. It provides the perfect mix of well-thought-out strategy and practical tools to address illness and injury in the workplace. It is an easy read but it has the depth necessary to make a difference. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in creating a safe working environment.

This book is great! I love it already and I have only had it a week. I injured my knee skiing over a year ago and am still having knee pain, stiffness and instability. Physio was costing lots and achieving less. I highly recommend it. Be prepared for long descriptions! I have only done the excercises three times and my knee already feels substantially better! Thanks Sandy!

After doing a lot of PT for my knee and going nowhere, I decided to buy 3 books about knees. I liked this one very much and also "The knee crisis handbook", which has explanations about several types of knee injury. My only complain is that some asana explanations (Warrior, Triangle) talk about the front knee, and says nothing about the rear knee, which can be misaligned as well if you let your knee drop (which normally happened to me).

I had knee pain due to runners knee (patella tracking) and started physical therapy. I did PT twice a week for 4-5 months and the pain worsened and became chronic. I could not exercise and even sitting at work was painful. I went to an orthopedist and had x-rays and a MRI to rule out other issues and he found nothing other than the patella tracking issue and suggested me to continue on with more PT. At this point I decided to try yoga, even though the PT felt it would be a waste of my time. I got this book since it was specifically for knees and went through the full routine for a week and felt much better and went cold turkey on PT as it was doing nothing other than thinning my wallet. Within a month I could exercise again (not run though, too much pressure under the kneecap still). After 3-4 months I can run again with no discomfort. For maximum sustained benefit Yoga needs to be practiced consistently and I do find if I go too long my knees will both me slightly, much like the author warns of. The poses in this book are basic and were not intimidating to me with the exception of Hero Pose which I did not attempt for a few months, but now I can comfortably hold the pose for a few minutes with no support. Explanations are excellent and pictures are sufficient. Overall a must buy for those with knee pain.

Excellent Book. Well illustrated and easy to follow. Well designed for people with joint problems, who want to strenghthen their bodies through yoga.

Knees bees. Whatever. Just got this book a week ago, so as far as helping knees per se, don't know, but most impressed with it. These few yoga exercises limbers up the entire hip, leg area. It identifies which side is tighter. She even rightly points out to go barefoot often to strengthen feet that have been too conditioned to shoes.

I'm not a fan of static stretching, although athletic and engage in speed skating, weightlifting, running, hiking, but this book could stand alone as a stretching book, utilizing yoga.

For such a cheap price, it's a steal.

This book is wonderful...just browsing through it gives me a sense of calm. The sequences, or routines, are separated into groups focusing on specific benefits (clarity, renewal, comfort and freedom...to name a few) and this is how I choose my routine each time. I'm fairly new to yoga and I find each sequence clearly demonstrated. Both text and photographs define proper technique and also encourage me by stressing the benefits I can expect to experience as I follow this practice, referred to by the author as "the gentle power of yoga".

kristie's book is a wonderful book for all levels of yoga. the descriptions are clear and concise. the photographs, layout and entire book are a beautiful representation of yoga. everyone should take a look at this book. once you do, you will want to take it home with you! i can't wait to work through all the poses and try out all the other suggestions the accompany the poses. it is a very holistic approach to yoga, one that is not often done (if ever! i have yet to see another!).

The best thing about this book is the photographs that accompany the text. Each position is clearly mapped out for you in clear, colorful pictures so that even a beginner can do advanced positions after reading this book. Each chapter is set apart by different techniques and it is an easy size to carry with you if you are on the go. I highly recommend this book for yoga enthusiasts of all levels. For example, I work in a library and this book is always checked out, even though we have a wide variety of other books on yoga and stretching.

This is the best yoga book I have ever seen. Beautiful design, clear and honest writing. I've seen guests in my house -- with no yoga experience -- pick it up and before long they're on the floor doing the Downward Dog.

I received this book as part of a gift package from the Body Shop, and I wasn't expecting much. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that this is an extremely well-thought out book appropriate for beginners to more advanced levels. The book begins by reviewing some of the basic tenats of yoga, including the importance of breathing as well as the purpose of the healing chakras located throughout the body. It then goes on to introduce the sun salutation series, a basic series of poses which forms the foundation of most practices.

Following this, the book is divided into approximately 20 chapters, with each chapter containing instructions for approximately 4-5 poses centered around a particular theme. For example, the "Renewal" practice is a series of poses which can be done at your desk to restore your energy while you are at work, the "Stability" practice focuses on back exercises to strengthen your midsection--other themes include waking up in the morning, warming up prior to a workout, attaining calm, increasing concentration and mental focus, strengthening your muscles, and many more.

Each series takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, so they can be done in isolation or mixed and matched to form a custom practice. All of the poses in the book are at a beginning level, but most have both modifications and more advanced versions. Furthermore, the bottom of each section includes tips on breathing, meditation, and/or general wellness. I have really enjoyed this book, expecially given that it has helped me to incorporate more yoga into my fitness routine.

The book was full of wonderful, easy to accomplish things that boost your spirit and nuture your soul. Every parent or caregiver should take the time to read this book.

Thanks to Asia for reminding us of this important fact: How can we take care of others if we do not care for ourselves? The book is beautiful and easy to read, for all of us who don't have time - you have to make time for this one - you time.

This is such a beautiful book and it makes a wonderful gift. I gave it to a friend with a jar of bubble bath and she told me later how much she enjoyed her "You Time". If you have anyone in your life who needs to spend a little more time with herself (or even himself), the ideas in this book will remind her how. I like the easy-to-read workbook style. It's a thought-providing, useful resource, as well as being visually beautiful.

I love this book it is so true, We spend most of our time worrying about careing for our children. And then before you know it our parents need our help.
I took care of my Mom at my house with also taking care of my son. And there was no time left for me which left me stressed I wish I had this book sooner but I still love reading it and useing the ideas. So thank you Asia for having the time to write this book.

Lisa Shand

This book serves as a gentle reminder of the importance of nurturing self so we as women, wives & mothers can better take care of those who mean so much to us. It is beautifully written and motivated me to give myself time and attention.
Thank you Asia Sharif-Clark, your words are an inspiration.