Medicine Books

History writers often fail at the task of presenting great stories in an interesting, organized and readable form. Todd Tucker has not failed in this account of a little-known chapter in the great story of World War II. He presents the work of Dr. Ancel Keys, a University of Minnesota scientist who used the unique combination of circumstances presented by the availability of volunteer conscientious objectors, military funding and the looming famine in Europe to study the multiple effects of starvation.

The success of the book is the easy flow of the story of the men who starved for science and the background of the times. The reader is informed of the history of pacifism, the politics of promoting democracy in Europe, the state of research ethics, and the backdrop of the war while following the personal stories of the men in the study. This a case of great editing.

It becomes clear that a similar study of starvation could not be done today. Perhaps the biggest reason is that it would be difficult to find a group that possessed the motivation, dedication, and altruism that these men displayed.

The Great Starvation Experiment is a great read! The doctor and the men involved were courageous. The contribution that these men and Dr. Keys made to mankind and science is amazing. It had to be very hard to do what they did; starve themselves and watch what happened.

The author delivers the story of this experiment with an intelligent writing style. He covers the scientific and ethical reasons for reasons for the experiment. The personal stories of the men (guinea pigs) makes their experience come to life for the reader. There is humor and sadness.
Starvation has always been a threat to man. It is interesting to see starvation faced head on - on purpose!

I recommend this book to anyone interested in history, medicine, nutrition, science, conscientious objectors or WWII.

As an alumnus from the Univesity of Minnesota, it was incredibly interesting to see how my alma mater factored into this important research. I heard whispers of this story while in school at the U, but never enough to be able to piece the entire story together. I couldn't put this book down! Plus, it was fun to be able to read about what the campus was like during this period of American History.

Nope it's not about anorexia, but it is fascinating! All manner of details about hunger, calorie restrictions, who loses weight, who doesn't, and why! This study, run by Dr. Alan Keys (who also invented the K ration) is the seminal (and only) work on human starvation. This book is its story and the story of the men who participated to make the study possible. As someone who is firmly opposed to the taking of any life I can relate to the characters motivations and be inspired by their perserverence.

Mr. Tucker does a wonderful job of bringing all the characters to life. One stylistic trick I really enjoyed was his blending of characters' colorful descriptions right into the authors narrative so that for a moment the narrative becomes an illustration of the attitude of the person being discussed.

Highly Recomended

-Ian

Tucker writes a history story as well and Ambrose or Bradley (Flyboys and Flags of Our Fathers). This little known WW2 story is one I could not put down.

I never could find an EKG book that presented a stepwise comprehensive approach to reading EKGs until my senior resident lent this to me during my intern year. The only drawback about this book is that it's only available on the internet!

Dr. Brose's book is an amazing tool for mastering the EKG. I have personally used this text each and every day on rounds and seeing patients in clinic. It is easy to read and contains what every student/intern/resident needs to know. I implore all of you out there that haven't conquered the EKG, to purchase this book and learn how to become a master at interpretation.

Dr. Brose's "Guide to EKG Interpretation" is a resource that all physicians in training should seriously consider acquiring. It is an extremely thorough book, and its size is deceptive. You wouldn't think a small pocket-size book could pack this much information! As an illustration, I had a question on my Part II board exam about a "J wave", something I had never heard of, even after my EKG rotation and delivering a few EKG lectures. As it turns out, Dr. Brose's book addresses the J wave, while many other resources make no mention of it. Also, the material is presented in a way that is clear and very easy to follow. Full of cross-references, you can quickly gain a solid understanding of virtually any issue you'll encounter when interpreting an EKG. I believe that medical students, interns, residents, and attending physicians alike will benefit from owning this book. Certainly, it is something that medical students and interns should have in their pockets (it is not cumbersome...it's a perfect size).

This book has good illustrations and is written in some color. It breaks-down all of the common disrhythmias and explains much of what you need to know. Also illustrates the areas of the heart that is effected with certain types of disrhythmias. One of the better books I have found at this point. I think they should print a bigger textbook size of this book, it would be even more useful.

Great Ekg pocket!!. Very straight, not boring and easy understanding of the Ekg. Really helpful and time saving. Not a headache anymore on reading Ekg. From simple explanation to more complicated but easy to understand. Great for interns and residents.You should have it!.

People with epilepsy come up to me all the time at walks, in clinic, at events, and tell me that "Dr. Devinsky's book changed my life." So I read it, and it changed mine, too. I am now working for an epilepsy research study that Dr. Devinsky is leading called the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project, and my daughter is a participant. Together, we're working with Dr. Devinsky to try to make better diagnoses and improve treatment for people with seizures.

I'm sure some of our findings will be included in future editions of the book. Anyway, to sum up, an excellent book by an amazing physician, this book is written for people with no medical background. You definitely won't feel overwhelmed with scientific jargon; Dr. Devinsky breaks it down into ideas and terminology that is easy to understand. This book will also make you more effective if you must discuss your or a loved ones' epilepsy care with your physician.

This is a very informative book. I would recommend to both freinds and family members of Epilepsy patients.

I found this book very beneficial and loaded with many important facts and information for lay people to comprehend.

Great for patients/families with a new diagnosis of epilepsy or someone that has had epilepsy for many years.
Excellent handbook to have available.

This book offers a great overview of epilepsy. I found it up to date and informative. I would highly recommend it for anyone who is newly diagnosed or who has a family member diagnosed with epilepsy.

Great pediatric book. If you have any interest in pediatrics, this book is well worth looking into.

The reference I use most at work as a nurse practitioner. I especially love the drug guide, vaccine charts and info, peak flows, and vitals norms for ages.

This book is ubiquitous. Everyone has it. Not everyone needs it. Students don't need it. Sub I's don't need it. So don't buy it. Interns need it-Hit the milk man/lady up for a copy. It's a great reference, but not the only one. Schwartz' clinical pediatrics is better for students and sub-I's. Plus i think Schwartz has a bit more info on diseases and differentials that Harriet. They serve different purposes though. Hospital for sick children has a great book too. The Harriet formulary is helpful, but not always the best source for doses or side effects. I like the skyscape version best. Palm better than pocket PC.

I recommend that you take this book to kinko's, have them split the book in half-i divided mine into the disease section and formulary section. Have them spiral bind it and place plastic covers. It will last longer and you can carry around whichever half you need or put one in each pocket to even out the weight.
This a great book for interns.

This book is a must for anyone who cares for children in their practice.

This book is all you need in your pocket during Pediatric Rotations. Great quick references, every drug dosing.

Life saving information is in this very well written book. I learned smokers can develop bladder cancer besides the norm such as heart disease. Get this book if you are past 40 and/or avoid seeing a doctor for checkups. There are many easy to read articles in this book which you may feel too embrassed to discuss with your doctor.

This book is packed with information on men's health. It covers everything from diet and exercise, through men's maladies (prostate, bladder and problems of the genitals). It covers everything in an easy-to-understand manner that includes many charts and diagrams. In particular I appreciated the section on exercise and stretching, and have revamped my exercise regimen based on this book. I am glad I got this book, and recommend it to all men.

My husband I found this book to be very informative. The material was presented in a lucid and engaging fashion. We found the chapters on diet, exercise, and prostate especially helpful.

This is an excellent medical reference book for men. The information is very well organized into three separate parts: 1) what makes men different, 2) what makes men healthy, and 3) men's main diseases, how to prevent them, test for them, and treat them. The book is quite long at 470 pages. But, it reads easily. And, it makes for an excellent medical reference to go back to when you want specific scientific information on various men's health topics.

The best part about the book is that it is based on extensive medical studies. The advice provided is the result of statistically significant conclusions derived from these studies. Thus, the objectivity, integrity, and intelligence derived from this book is so much greater than from any of the medical authors positioning themselves as the current diet or health care guru.

The book confirms the value of EFV. The ultimately healthy lifestyle consists of a lot of Exercise with a diet that includes lots of Fruits and Vegetables. These three factors (exercise, fruits, vegetables) appear to be universal protectors against all age related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Similarly, the high risk factors regardless of the health risk considered seemed to be always the same, including: smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, lots of saturated fats and trans fats in the diet.

The book has a ton of information besides the self-evident basics mentioned above. There are lots of tables, graphs, and summaries that make the information easy to retrieve. These include info on BMI, PSA test levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, recommended frequencies of screening tests, recommended dosage and toxic levels of vitamins and minerals, Glycemic index, life expectancy charts, and lots more interesting stuff.

With the medical knowledge derived from this book, you will be in a far better position to take care of your health and initiate a mutually productive dialogue with your general practitioners and specialists. The World is getting increasingly complex. Technology and science evolve rapidly. Nowhere does this increasing complexity have a greater impact than on healthcare. This book will help you understand your health, risk factors, relevant testing, and cures to be considered.

As we age, we will invariably be faced with some challenging options and decisions. This book is a great road map to help us out along the way. If you are well informed, it takes a lot of anxiety out of the equation. That takes care of a major health risk already [stress and anxiety]. This book is good for you!

Along the same line of excellent health related information, I also strongly recommend another great book from Harvard Health Publications: "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" by Walter C. Willett. It is the best book on diet and nutrition I have ever read. And, that is also because it is based on scientific studies, and not on subjective opinions from egocentric blowhards.

I got the book to restore peace to my health club workouts. As my friends have turned 50, many have been asking "Dr. Joel" about prostate cancer. I'd be glad to answer, but it's not exactly my end of the body, since I'm a dentist. I read the two chapters on prostate cancer, but then I went back to read the rest of the book. I don't want to be an instant expert, but I now have a quick answer to all of the questions: read The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health for yourself. It's really an excellent book.

OK, I do not do reviews that often. But, this book needed one!! My son had 4 double ear infections between 3-5 months of age. We met with the ear doctor on 5/7. She said he needed tubes asap b/c of some hearing loss due to the fluid in his ears. We set the surgery for tubes up for 5/15.

I got the book that afternoon and read it on the 7th and 8th. I scheduled an appointment for the doctor and I to sit down and talk on the 9th b/c I decided that maybe tubes was not the answer....yet. After meeting, the doctor was still set on tubes. I thought about it over the weekend and on Monday 5/12 I cancelled the appointment for the 16th. It is now the 23rd and the fluid has gone away in one ear completely and the other still has fluid but it has only been a few weeks.

This book not only tells different things to do to alleviate the problems it also tells you the risks involved. The doctor did not tell us these things and when I brought them up, she downplayed them. Two of the risks were weakening of the eardrum in up to 40% (I think) of the patients which could lead to ear drum rupture later in life. My husband had had 3 ruptured ear drum incidents and he had tubes as a child. Hmmmmmm. The other was issues with scar tissue hardening around the incision. I don't know if I am explaining that right. I don't have the book in front of me. Anyway - they were serious issues.

So, I am having his ears monitored for 4-8 weeks and if they don't get better, I will have the tubes put in. But, one is better already.

READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU PLAN THE SURGERY!!!!!

This book reviews many different alternative medicines and therapies for healing ear infections. It covers the over all health and nutritional needs of children and how they relate to the healing process of ear infections. The homeopahtic information was a bit generic and left me needing more information on which medicines to choose from. Over all I found it to be a very good book.

My 4 year old daughter was diagnosed with reduced hearing 7 months ago; turned out she had fluid in both ears. The ENT (ears, nose, throat specialists) put her on antibiotics. Did nothing. Then we went away for a month and upon our return, we had her checked again. Fluid had decreased in 1 ear but was still strong in the other. ENT feared it would impact her learning (the decreased hearing) and lead to ear infections (they couldn't believe she hadn't had any, to my knowledge,since she was about 2). In the meantime, my 1.5 year old son also had 1 ear infection after the other, and when we returned from our trip he also was checked - fluid in both ears, plus a lingering infection they treated with antibiotics. They strongly urged me to get tubes in their ears. Our niece had them inserted and my sister as well as everyone else said it's no big deal, the worst part is seeing your child unconscious as it's general anaesthesia, but they bounce right back. I made the surgery appt and then my dad sent me an article from the Wall Street Journal citing studies that concluded the tube surgery is done way too often, and unnecessarily. Since this was coming from my very conservative dad, I thought I'd better question establishment. So I got this book, "Healing Childhood Ear Infections" by Dr. Schmidt. After 1 chapter I canceled the surgery. Instead, I got them into chiropractic care, removed dairy (cows milk) from their diets, and took them to a naturopath who put them on 3 supplements: minerals for their immune systems, and something to thin the mucous. Today I took my daughter to the ENT for a check-up (1 month after trying alternative treatments) and they were shocked - no more fluid, perfect hearing! You should have seen how proud she was when they told us. My son still remains to be checked, but knock on wood, has been infection-free since I started all this. The kids love the chiropractor - my son screams when his turn is over - and there are plenty of dairy alternatives out there (soy is also to be avoided or at least moderated but my son loves goats milk yoghurt). The supplements mix in with their juices so they don't even notice them. Anyway, I'm telling you this so that you question your own kids' treatments. According to this book, once a kid is on antibiotics it's very likely he'll develop another infection (ear) soon thereafter. In most countries, they're not even prescribed unless the baby is under 1 or has had a high fever (over 101) for 3 days. Plus, this book stated that most US children have a very nutrient-defficient diet and in particular lack minerals such as magnesium & zinc, which are very important for the immune system. Hopefully you can all benefit from this - and although I don't know which of my 3 forms of treatment did the trick with my daughter, I'm going to continue all 3. Thank goodness for this book, which gave me the tools and the courage to try safer alternatives.

I was so impressed with this wonderful treatment of every aspect of the causes and treatments of this common childhood ailment. A "must" for every parent's library!

This book was just what I was looking for! My son was battling repeated ear infections and I knew there had to be other options than antibiotics and ear tubes. I am so glad I read this before we progressed to surgery. I am now an active homeopathic user, and my son has been earache free for months!
I thank the author for presenting all the options available.

I am a existential psychotherapist and have been seeking the way for myself and others to lead a being vs. having lifestyle.Thank you Mr. Chard for showing me the way.This book is so well written and has such a powerful message it should be the prerequisite reader for anyone interested in the newly formed ecotherapy movement.It is also written so that both the professional and lay person can benefit.His preface alone was great!

I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual seeker and avid outdoors person and I have been looking for a way to bring these aspects together. Phillip Sutton Chard's book "The Healing Earth" has shown me the way. Chard not only applies psychological insight to the practice of psychotherapy but actually uses nature as the "therapist." His case studies illustrate how nature has the power to heal and change our lives, validates our own experiences and empowers us to use the natural world in the practice of psychotherapy. Chard's book redefines "sanity" as if the whole world mattered.

This book deserves much more attention. I intend to recommend it to my career coaching clients. The author emphasizes that we don't always figure out what we need by "mouth aerobics." Getting out and experiencing nature will help us find where we are.

As psychotherapist Philip Chard beautifully and compellingly writes in his deeply touching book, The Healing Earth, "all of us are looking for home." After reading this book, I am filled with a sense of awe at the many lessons Mother Earth can teach us about our lives and ourselves. I am sure your soul--your true home--will too be touched in a profound way as you read his words, experience his poignant and effective exercises, and renew your connection with the earth. I loved this unique and exceptional book! Enjoy these pearls.

Reading this book brings forward some of my most wondrous moments with Mother Earth. One cannot be touched by the Grand Canyon or a 360 degree turquoise and magenta sunset without being changed forever. I have always known that my "spiritual home" exists outside in the fresh air amongst the perfection of flower faces. Philip Chard shares these feelings and more, and does it so eloquently.

I have perused many books about magnet therapy and found this one to be the best. Unlike other books on the market covering this topic, "Healing Magnets" explains the complicated science behind magnetic healing clearly and concisely. I appreciated the comprehensive documentation and practical applications for a therapy that has worked for me but remained a mystery as to why until I read this book. I encourage anyone who is using magnets now or is wondering if they should for health reasons, to get this book and use it.

My patients often ask me questions about magnet therapy. This book answered all my questions and then some. I recommend it both to my patients and colleagues who want a clear explanation and well-documented resource.

Sherry Kahn has written a very readable, thorough and informative book on a complex subject. As a fellow medical writer who has authored a book on the perils of electromagnetic pollution and our ever-increasing ambient radiofrequency exposures, I often get questions from people who are confused about how magnets can be used therapeutically if EMFs are supposed to be dangerous. Ms. Kahn sorts through these, and many other questions well, giving the reader a comprehensive understanding. Although caution is warranted with very strong magnetic fields (such as those used in MRI diagnostics), the human anatomy has been found to be fantastically responsive to low-level steady-state magnetic fields. The problems arise in energy fields with the introduction of artificial characteristics not found in nature -- alternating current, digital pulsing, unusual wave forms, and exposure strengths unlike anything we've encountered before in our evolutionary history. We -- and all other species -- have evolved within the protective cradle of the earth's own steady-state magnetic fields. How arrogant to assume it wouldn't be an important factor in our well-being, or that abnormal inbalance wouldn't adversely impact our health. Although energy medicine is considered ancient knowledge in eastern cultures, it is only now coming to the foreground in western medine. But energetic healing modalities can be quite powerful. People should not use strong magnets willy-nilly or without guidance. That's where Ms. Kahn's book comes in. No one considering magnets should be without it. For a slim volume, it packs a lot of punch.

If you're going to buy one book on magnetic therapy, this is the one. It is very clear and makes the science easy to understand. It is also very well organized so that you can find out what is known about the use of magnets for various conditions. I found the buying and treatment guidelines particularly useful.

If you want to quickly get your arms around magnet therapy, read this book. Having first used magnets a few years back, I knew they worked - but I didn't know how or why. There was very little accessible information on the topic then, and I ended giving up on understanding why I was having such great results. This book does a fantastic job of explaining the hows and whys in language I can easily understand. So many people say there's not much evidence that magnet therapy works. Maybe not yet in the US, but this book summarizes studies from around that world that prove that it helps a far wider range of conditions than I ever imagined.

It's comprehensive, well-researched and easy to understand. Two thumbs up!

This is a book that will be useful to both health practitionners as well as patients.The book challenges us to look at our body, mind and spirit in a new way.I discovered that what I was thought in school and what I had learned in life through countless hours of studying and post doctoral work can be repositionned in a new way.This book is a shift of paradigm on many levels.

In Healing Myths, Healing Magic, Donald Epstein examines the deeply ingrained stories and myths we commonly hold about how our bodies heal. Some these myths may actually inhibit healing. These myths have a powerful, magically suggestive effect on the way we interpret our symptoms, the way we heal, and the quality of life we experience. Epstein argues that our capacity to heal is more often affected by society's collective myths than by our personal circumstances, symptoms, or disease. Our myths can create the magic of healing in our lives, or they can stop the magic completely. Healing Myths, Healing Magic is a seminal, breakthrough treatise that divided healing myths into four categories: Social, Biomedical, Religious, and New Age. He then exposes each myth individually and suggests an alternative statement or "Healing Magic" to help the reader reclaim his or her own body's natural ability to heal. Healing Myths, Healing Magic is important, highly recommended reading for students of alternative medicine, traditional medicine, and mind/body metaphysics.

I highly recommend Donald Epstein's most readable book, Healing Myths, Healing Magic.

Pick any chapter that appeals to you, read it, and it stands on its own.

Like most anything Donald does, it is absolutely profound and thought provoking; so for me reading a chapter or two and then digesting the information for awhile works best.

Inevitably, in this book, Donald will label a myth something that you have held as fact, and this is where you will need some time to digest, but don't discount what he is saying too readily: Having attended Donald's seminars for years, I can tell you that sometimes it takes me two years to really understand something he has told me.

Donald Epstein created the most profoundly elegant and amazing healing system on the planet, Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) about 20 years ago. I have been learning how to practice NSA for the last five years.

Every practitioner, whether MD, DC, DO, PhD, LMT, or any person interested in healing needs to read this book. I have a whole library of books related to healing, and this book is the star of the collection, you need this book.

God Bless,

Hans Conser

Alternative medicine hits the mainstream as more people integrate and use complementary methods to restore and replenish well-being. The challenge arises when someone uses the new age blame game to force some kind of healing. A common example is when a person diagnosed with cancer is told by some holistic practitioner that they caused it. Maybe yes, maybe no, and this book provides some grounded advice on the matter. Quacks abound in the realm of metaphysical healing and Dr. Epstein offers wisdom to tell genuine assistance from downright silliness. We are repsonsible only for our own behavior and not anyone else. If you are into the whole mind-body scene on well-being this is a great guide to separating myth from fact and staying grounded by keeping yout intellect in place. Many people throw their intellect out the door when entering an intutive phase ... and this is a costly mistake. Dr. Epstein gives a blend of intellect and intuition as he cracks the common myths around healing.

Myths and stories surround the healing process - myths which can inhibit healing. From circumstances where healing is difficult or impossible to choices not followed, Healing Myths Healing Magic examines healing myths and exposes and religious, social and medical frameworks for their origins. An important survey.

I found the description of what to expect in a treatment session especially helpful. I just started chiropractic treatments recently and, even though I did not go to one of the practitioners listed in the guide, I still knew exactly what to expect and felt more comfortable starting treatment. Thanks you for relieving some anxiety!

As a bodywork practitioner presented with the dilemma of offering help and services to clients confronted with the trial of their lives, I had high expectations of this book. I wasn't disappointed. This book is solid, well researched, and substantive. I will recommend it without reservation to my clients. Not just clients facing cancer, but any client troubled by a chronic or acute physical condition or discomfort who seeks resources to improve their health and well-being. This takes effort, education, information, and resources. What this book offers is a structure and framework to evaluate "what's out there", and help a person to decide "Is this for me?" "Is this for me now, or later?"

What I especially appreciate is the author's emphasis on trusting your own intuition---and backing that up with succinct, well-organized information to facilitate rational decision-making in support of one's intuition. This book isn't just another nice book about a cancer experience; it's a well thought out resource to think through and make decisions on developing your complementary health care. Thank you, Carole O'Toole!

This book describes many complementary alternatives to conventional breast cancer treatments. Having been through conventional treatment myself, these alternatives are NEVER presented by mainstream practitioners and it is a pity that many people never hear about these potentially effective options. This book is a must for anyone who is interested in saving their life.

This book is such a gift, written with authority, clarity, and empathy. For anyone who wonders what to expect from different complementary therapies, this book is invaluable. For those facing decisions about maintaining health while fighting cancer, this book is a blessing. The author transforms her struggle to stay alive and maintain well-being into a resource for the rest of us.

This book offers the reader a factual, non-biased compilation of available complementary therapies. As a cancer survivor, she teaches us that when facing a cancer diagnosis and standard allopathic therapies, we can, no we must, be an active participant in assessing all the possible treatment paths as we make our decisions and choices in our path to healing. Not only do we hope to understand what is happening to us, we must take an active role in regaining our good health.

Ms. O'Toole teaches us that we must trust our selves and our abilities in this process. For when we do, we make the best possible decisions for our lives. This book is a wonderful guide for those facing treatment as well as their loved ones.