Medicine and Health Books

I purchased the Mosby's Medical Dictionary and I am extremely pleased with it. It has many color photos throughout the book so you can see examples of diseases, skin disorders, etc. It is a great book, well worth the money, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Item came just as described and on time. I would definitely work with them again.

I really like this dictionary, I wish I could get this much info in a pocket dictionary!

I got this book because it had such awesome reviews. I'm going to be taking a test in the near future, and you're allowed to use a medical dictionary, and I picked this one.

I've been taking practice tests. On the first practice test I took, the first 6 out of 7 medical terms I tried to look up weren't in the book. I was stunned, and several of them were pretty basic words that I just wanted to get a very clear definition of.

I'm not sure it's even going to be worth lugging this book to the test, or even keeping the book. I may just sell it and try another book.

Jane

I'm in a medical school, and I find this book insanely useful...even for very elementary things. It has EVERYTHING in it and I don't regret buying it for a second :).

As a yoga instructor I look at yoga books with a critical eye. I love this one. In fact after reading it and going through some of the yogafit sequences, I actually signed up for and took a yogafit teacher training. This is now the only style I want to teach. It is a blend of Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga.

This book has very clear, large photos and easy to follow instructions. I use it almost every day. Modifications for almost each pose are given to make it easier.

This is an outstanding reference for those new to yoga as well as a more seasoned practitioner. The information is clear, concise, does not confuse and overwhelm you with too much detail. There is enough information provided to move you safely through the asanas and suggested sequences at the end. I especially find the book layout quite handy for quickly locating the pose I am interested in. All the photos appear on the left page, with the text information on the right so you can fan quickly through the book to locate what you are looking for. The back section includes complete sequencing for three levels of practice, and the final portion shows asanas that will particularly enhance several sports activity that you may be engaged in. Having personally heard some of the really weird ideas people have about what yoga is and does, I applaud Beth's fresh and unintimidating presentation of the physical benefits of this practice.

I liked the book a lot. It's a great reference. I noticed some of these books reviews refer to silly negative postings but I didn't see them anywhere. Sounds like some jokster posted a bunch of silly stuff so kudos to Amazon for taking action. They sounded hilarious though.

Anyway, great book. I like YogaFit a lot. It's just a basic Yoga practice for people like me who need some help with the lower back and hips without all the philosophy behind it . I already have a philosophy about life and like to reap the benefits of hatha yoga without necessarily subscribing to anything. I think YogaFit is a genius program.

Bravo Beth!

Don't listen to the negativity being thrown around by some about either Beth Shaw or her program. Shaw has built a program of real Yoga for ordinary people seeking to start down the path of Yoga. Yes, her program attempts to simplify Yoga by removing Sanskrit and chanting -- but that doesn't mean her variety of Yoga is any less authentic. I see it as no different from what other Yoga instructors have done around the country by using English translations of poses and focusing on communication of the health and energetic benefits of Yoga poses.

And, by the way, YogaFit teachers do train in the esoteric aspects of Yoga (meditation, Chakras, philosophy, ancient texts and Sanskrit) when they participate in Shaw's Yoga Alliance approved program.

Shaw has built quite a following, with people traveling all over the country to take classes with her. Her style is simple, elegant and easy to understand, just like this book!

Namaste!

A great help. Full of factual information and practical tips from parents who've "been there." It's a valuable resource for those of us who have a child who has been diagnosed with leukemia.

I was loaned the 2nd Edition in the hospital after our son was diagnosed with ALL. This book is so valuable to the family to help you learn and weather through all the processes you could face during this difficult time. I knew I had to have my own copy and bought a second copy of the 3rd edition to share with other families through the hospital. Many other members of our family intend to buy their own copies of the book as well.

If you are hungry for information, buy this book. It calmed my nerves and made me a better team member in my son's fight against cancer.

Our Son was diagnosed in April of 2006 with ALL Leukemia. Trying to understand all of the terms, meds and schedules is hard enough. This book is written by a Mom with the help of her Doctor's expertise. It puts very scary helpless feelings in laymen's terms. This Mom goes into detail on how to comfort and successfully treat your child. She gives you her experiences on what works and what doesn't and what to expect. It is also an up- to- date book, whereas many books were written years ago. As a Mom who has gone thru 7+ months of this diagnosis, I wish someone would have given me this book the moment our Son was diagnosed. It's great for the whole family to read as well.

As a grandparent of a recently diagnosed 3 year old with ALL leukemia I have found this book an important resource for me to understand the treatment for this terrible disease. The descriptions of the types of chemo used and its side-effects have been particulalry valuable during the early months since the diagnosis. The book is comprehensive with all aspects of the disease and is full of anecdotal and suggestions for coping with this disease at all phases of treatment. It also offers lists of available resources to be accessed. I highly recommend this book for parents, family members and caregivers.

I have been a survivor of ALL Leukemia for 23 years now, and really wish there were books like this then. But now is when all these books are coming out, I am trying to find a book or information on how long term survivors can cope with the long term issues we face.

Topics like planning for college, buying a home, saving for retirement. These are issues my mother addressed with me, and now it is too late to start addressing these issues for me. For others it is not to late. We are surviving longer, and this is a new arena for the doctors and social workers need to address.

This is a good, basic handbook/manual for herbalists. It's not difficult to follow and has clear instructions.

If you want a good guide for herbal medicine making this book is for you!
Each method of medicine preparation described is easily understood and mastered.
I reference this constantly in my studies under Jo Powell([...]).

AWESOME BOOK!

Good beginner's guide ,no heavy processing ,no knowledge of chemistry needed. If you're going to play with this stuff you aught to also have a herbal PDR.

This man's witty guide to do-it-yourself herbalism is both entertaining and informative. Very interesting and useful guide.

This book seems to be "the authority" on this topic, however, I would NOT have bought it had I known that...

1) ...the hippie-dippy thing was so prevelant. Ok. So anyone who is looking for a book about making their own herbal preparations is a bit of a hippie anyway, but the new-agey spiritual practices and views promoted compromise the integrity of the book. Because I don't really plan on communicating with the plants I harvest, as the book recommends. It felt as much a spiritual textbook as herbal preparation texbook. I have several "herbaly" books, but this leans a little more "fruitcake" than the rest. Knowledgeable and experienced fruitcake, but fruitcake nonetheless.

2) ...the amount of information was much more than I, a hobbyist, could possibly ever use. For those pursuing herbal medicine more seriously, the abundance of specific information is fantastic. I typically enjoy "too much information", but this was one time I found the info and amount of detail difficult to wade through. And the design/layout didn't help. Do not consider this book as a "simple overview" on the subject.

3) ...the book had no specific information on several of the herbs I had wanted to use. There are 35 most commonly used herbs that are featured for preparation and use. The simplification is largely appreciated...unless the herbs you want to use are not on the list. That said, the list of 35 did contain the majority of herbs I had wanted to prepare.

So yes, this book has (almost) all the information you'd want on preparing your own herbal medicines, which would normally have earned it five stars. But the flaws I mentioned reduce its value significantly, and for that I do not plan to keep it in my collection.

This text is by far the most readable book on statistics I've ever read. In addition, the software written by this author (GraphPad Prism) is also the most user-friendly and intuitive package available. In my opinion, the major benefit of this book is that it gets the reader to understand the conceptual basis of various experimental designs and statistical analyses, rather than blindly dumping data into a statistical package and hitting "go".

This book goes straight to the point, assisting you in making the proper decisions with the statistical tests you need to use. Well written, well organized. A really good book coming from the same person who brought us a really good software (Prism).

One of the best handbooks I have ever seen in any subject. Since statistics or generaly mathematics is pretty hard for biologists to lern, it require special teching aproach designed to demonstrate logics behind statistical concepts. This book is uniquely doing exectly that. I have used several books in statistics for biologists, including small intorductory material and heavyweight Biometry, as well as numerous online stat dedicated sites. This is the book I strongly recommend for the bigginers interested in lerning statistics.

A really nifty book for anyone--and that's most of us--interested in what basic statistical tests mean and how to use them. Even someone with a pretty advanced knowledge of statistics may not understand all of the intuitive concepts described in this book. Consistent with its title, it is probably best suited for those in the biosciences, rather than engineers, for example, but I'd say that people in those more technical fields may very well benefit greatly from reading it. It's written in a conversational manner that is easy to digest. I'd say a lot of thinking by the author went into creating it, because he seems to guess what the reader may be thinking and then answers those questions. He's big on the confidence interval, too. Readers who need more specialized, detailed info on a particular topic, such as two-way ANOVA, probably need to consult an additional text. Overall, a great introduction to fundamental statistical concepts and tests, that will be of interest to biological scientists and many other folks, too. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

Dr. Motulsky is an MD who is also a Professor of Pharmacology and President of his own software company. The book's title suggests that he can make biostatistics intuitive for non-statisticians (e.g. physicians, clinicians and nurses). After reading through it he has made a believer out of me! He introduces concepts through examples and touches on most of the important statistical methods that are used in the medical literature. While the book could be used as a classroom text, it seems to me to be more suited as a reference source for medical researchers who want to understand the statistics described in research papers. Although not a statistician by training, Dr. Motulsky has a good understanding of statistical methods and principles and exhibits his wisdom and experience throughout the book. He is deliberate at keeping things simple and to the point. He points out that he intentionally uses fake examples and modifies real examples for simplification of exposition. He avoids mathematics as much as possible. the preface and the introduction are very well written and the reader should read both before reading the rest of the text.
My usual concern with such books is that concepts are oversimplified and the presentation is too cook-bookish. Amazingly that is not the case here. Professor Motulsky carefully explains concepts such as confidence intervals, p-values, multiple comparison issues, Bayesian thinking and Bayesian controversy in a way that should be understandable to his intended audience.

Proportions and the binomial distribution are introduced early. Advanced topics such as sequential methods, survival curves and logistic regression are tackled. These subjects are important in medical research but are often avoided in elementary books. To his credit he also does a very good job of introducing the concepts of sensitivity and specificity. Hypothesis testing is introduced at the same time which makes a lot of sense since for a particularly hypothesis test the specificity and the sensitivity are related to the type I and type II errors. It is a good way for those familiar with medical applications where specificity and sensitivity may be intuitive concepts, to become comfortable with the less familiar null and alternative hypotheses and their associated error probabilities.

Professor Motulsky writes eloquently and this appears to be appreciated by the readers, judging from the other reviews that I have seen on Amazon. Having said all this you might wonder why I didn't give it 5 stars. I found a few things that could have been done better.

I am not completely happy with the way probability is introduced through the binomial distribution and here the wording could be improved. He writes "Mathematicians have developed equations, known as the binomial distribution, to calculate the likelihood of observing any particular outcome when you know the proportion in the overall population." Actually the binomial distribution is a probability distribution (which he has not yet defined as he first uses the term distribution). The equation is a statement that the probability of an event (e.g. exact 7 heads in 10 coin flips) is given by equation (2.2) on page 19 with N=10 and R=7 and p=1/2 (assuming a fair coin).

Another area that could be omitted or else improved is the discussion of Bayesian ideas. Bayes theorem is presented in a limited context related to the example of sensitivity and specificity. While I do think that some Bayesian ideas are well brought out the breadth of applications is missing. Some comparison of the frequentist and Bayesian approaches and philosophy are correctly described but the discussion is too brief to provide good insight. The p-value is strictly a frequentist concept. Motulsky relates it to the Bayesian idea of posterior odds for the null hypothesis to be true. While there is such a formal mathematical relationship, they are conceptually quite different. This is just like relating likelihood to posterior probability. Mathematically the likelihood and posterior probability are related through Bayes theorem as posterior = likelihood x prior but although likelihood is an acceptible frequentist concept posterior probability is not. A real understanding requires some knowledge of the sample space for a frequentist and the treatment of parameters as random quantities by Bayesians. I think this may be something that requires a little more mathematical sophistication than is intended for this readership.

There are a few topics that get little or no treatment but deserve more in a biostatistics texts. These include missing data, resampling methods, hierarchical Bayesian models and longitudinal - repeated measures data. Perhaps we will see intuitive descriptions of some of these topics in the second edition.

I took one look at this book and bought it immediately. The idea that one person's metabolism is probably different than another person's makes a lot of sense to me. And why do all these fad diets assume that they work for every type of person on the planet?

First you take a self-test in this book to determine your type. Then you can figure out a diet based on relative amounts of certain nutrients you need. Apparently, certain nutrients have exact opposite effect in some people--a high protein, low carb diet may be absolutely WRONG for you. I sure would like to know that BEFORE I decide on a diet plan.

I also like the fact this book includes exercises, breathing exercises and recommendations for supplements and vitamins. The calorie levels are also set so you can pick one that suits your size and sex (not everyone should eat an extremely low calorie diet.) Of course the book also has sample menus, which are always helpful. Finally, the paperback edition is a reasonable size to fit in a purse or in a briefcase, meaning it can go with you anywhere.

I wasn't sure if I was Atkins, Pritikin or NO KIN to any of these (turns out I am mixed, so that is why I had trouble) This book is really excellent and I can recommend it to anyone who wants to lose weight and eat right.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT DIET FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND FOUND OUT I AM THE MIXED TYPE ACCORDING TO METABOLIZE.BINGO! I NAILED IT. THE WEIGHT HAS COME OFF FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT A STRUGGLE. I AM AMAZED THAT THIS CONCEPT ISN'T SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. METABOLIZE WILL HELP YOU LOSS WEIGHT WITHOUT GIESSING IF YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT DIET . METABOLIZE IS GOOD SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM. BEEN ON IT EXACTLY 1 YEAR LOSY 31 LBS THE FIRST 4 MONTHS AND HAVE NOT GAINED BACK ONE POUND! GIVE METABOLIZE A TRY!

I always wondered why I couldn't find a diet that worked. Now I know! I have tried for years to lose weight. My last effort was the high protein diet because it was all over the news and best sellers list. I gave it 100% effort for 6 weeks and couldn't take it anymore. I was misearble and constipated! After deciding to forget about dieting I ran across Metabolize on Amazon and decided to give it a go. Best diet I ever tried! I found out why the high protein diet didn't work for me and why it will not work for many people. I found out I am lean metabolizer who can enjoy carbohydrates and lose weight with them. I feel great and my energy is high. No more constipation!!!! I lost 49lbs in 5 months and found it easy to stick with the diet. I think everyone should try Metabolize. Thanks for reading my review! Monica

WHAT MORE CAN I SAY IT WORKED FOR ME ,MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER, MY MOTHER IN LAW AND MY MOM AND DAD. I WOULD GIVE IT MORE THAN 5 STARS IF I COULD!

I didn't even get past the diet. First, there are all the different ratios of proteins, carbos, and fat, depending on your type. Then there are different foods depending on your type. Then you can factor in blood type to make this even more complicated. If you are single this may be great, but I am cooking for a family and not everyone is the same. Way too complicated for me.

In depth reaseach on post polio and related viral diseases. Must read if you or someone you know has this. Explains why you feel rotten and what to do about it.

Not a good first read. Mr. Bruno is depressing. I suggest Dr. Silver's book Post-Polio Syndrome, it is excellent!

I had polio at the age of 5. I was so much luckier than alot of Polio Survivors. I got Dr. Bruno's book from the library and read it and read it at least 3X. I have recently ordered the book through Amazon and I am so excited to receive it.

He is an exceptional man, who writes so we can all understand. I will be meeting with Dr. Bruno and his team the end of March, I do not know where my new journey will lead me but I know that I will be safe and in the best of care. I recommend this book to anyone who has had Polio or has unexplained weakness, pain and fatigue everyday.

Reading this book I felt like someone had entered my life and could see my thoughts and frustrations. It was strange. It is so true- we were taught avoidance of the issue.As a nurse I learned about polio in the past tense, and had read few articles on PPS. I had seen polio survivors, even gone to school with a couple but never talked to them and when problems started did not even know who to talk to.
Dr. Bruno covers just about every physical and emotional aspect-- now if I can just retrain myself to take care of me.
I was able to go to the Clinic and meet with Dr. Bruno and he is as genuine in person as he seems in the book. All the built up anxiety came tumbling out in a rush-- because this book showed he has pulse on my life as a post polio patient and seemed to CARE!!.
I think this book should be required reading for all in the medical field.

"Ah ha!" are the words I'd suck in as I read Dr. Bruno's book. After a year's research on my own, I found the PPS Institute and Dr. Bruno's book. Those of us who had Polio (or didn't know that "it" was Polio) only knew one thing - we were over it and had to get on with life and catch up ASAP. We had fear at our back door, and it pushed us onward, every minute of our lives. For me, after cancer, I kept thinking "Its just the chemo" but I had been told in 1982 I had PPS and "Use it or lose it" was the theory protocol, so I kept going like I was short in the back with a "22" fearing I'd lose some dendrite that would nourish a neuron, and the first symptom I had (in '82) would come back. Instead, I became worse - the results were what drove me to discover Dr. Bruno's book and go to the Institute: hundreds of falls, broken bones, lacerated head injuries, tripping for the past 50 years and feeling like a clutz, when I was known as the regional "Happy Tom-Boy" BP (before Polio).

By the time Dr. Bruno told me to just "rest - chill for a few weeks" I had to do it; nothing else worked. It DID. I read the book again, and again...trying to find a glitch in his neuro-networking and neurology statements, but I couldn't. So, I did go to the Institute.

Everyone who knows anyone who's had Polio, or any sudden onset illness, or even as my little sister, used to drip food out of her nostrils at age 2 (it was Polio - 1954), must read this book. Be prepared to talk to doctors - they must have PPS as part of their required CMEs NOW. Post Polio surivors can no longer accept mediocre care, and repeated anesthesia "accidents (as I did)." With or without insurance, humans have a basic right to respect and care. I had Polio - I knew I did - and the fears associated with going "back" into it were at times paralyzing in itself...thus I kept swimming daily - often for three hours and lifting weights, anything to avoid breathing problems again, or the horrid stiff neck, or ... seeing my arm next to me and not moving even when I yelled at it!

Post Polio Paradox will give the reader the information needed to take to the medical professionals, and to educate themselves, and . . . gradually, safely, comfortably, change their lives from the fatalistic Type A personalities (which did get us through the horrors of Polio), but paradoxically - aptly put, can destroy us now. IF we are real, we will be able to see our 'worn' parts, accept them, and move on to another phrase in our lives - taking care of ourselves. "Polio Class of 1950"

Michael Greger's "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" is more terrifying than anything a horror writer could imagine, since it depicts a real-life doomsday scenario that seems poised to occur very soon; indeed, the new H5N1 strain of influenza, known as "bird flu," has mutated into a form that can be transmitted by human contact, though not yet on a massive scale, meaning a mass outbreak is more a question of when, not if.

Whereas humans generally contract the disease by ingesting contaminated birds, or being in frequent contact with them, bird flu could blanket the globe when the virus has learned to jump easily from human to human. The author writes: "One day soon, experts fear, with more and more people becoming infected, the virus will finally figure out the combination -- the right combination of mutations to spread not just in one elevator or building, but every building, everywhere, around the globe. One superflu virus. It's happened before, and experts predict it many soon happen again."

Dr. Greger sets the stage for what could come by giving readers a grisly account of a previous avian influenza outbreak: the 1918 flu pandemic, in which 50 to 100 million humans perished. These were gruesome deaths, with blood oozing from eye sockets as the victim's lungs liquefied. Fatalities were so abundant that officials were unable to keep up with burying the corpses. It seems this was merely a sample of what's in store for humanity. "As devastating as the 1918 pandemic was," Dr. Greger writes, "on average the mortality rate was less than 5%. The H5N1 strain of bird flu virus now spreading like a plague across the world currently kills about 50% of its known human victims, on par with some strains of Ebola, making it potentially ten times as deadly as the worst plague in human history." One reason, he explains, is the 1918 virus attacked only the lungs, whereas H5N1 shuts down all the internal organs.

"Bird Flu" eloquently contextualizes the subject, giving us a greater understanding of the virus' origins and our critical role in it. The director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States, Dr. Greger examines bird flu from every angle, creating a meticulously researched work that traces how agricultural, scientific, environmental, political and economic forces have conspired to transform a virus that once threatened only waterfowl into a "highly pathogenic avian influenza" destined to lay waste to large segments of human population.

Among the stops on the author's bird flu reality tour is President George W. Bush's decision in April of 2006 to lift the ban on poultry products from China -- a country well known for its recent outbreaks of avian influenza -- possibly in return for China's agreement to drop its mad cow disease-related ban on U.S. beef imports. (One disease for another, perhaps? No trade deficit there.) Other troubling highlights include the world's inadequate hospital capacity and the inability to create a vaccine, or enough of it, to combat a virus that kills half its victims. In other words, we are as ill-prepared for avian flu today as we were in 1918. And, as Dr. Greger notes, not only is H5N1 worse than what our grandparents faced, but 21st-century transportation means a virus can travel around the planet in 24 hours, not a year.

The book is also a sobering lesson in how many of our human ailments, from the common cold to AIDS, have come from our oppression of animals, especially the practice of breeding and raising them for food. (Dr. Greger notes that human influenza began with the domestication of ducks 4,500 years ago.) Yet authorities refuse to confront the obvious cause of this "virus of our own hatching," preferring instead to devote their resources to containing the outbreak by culling chickens and turkeys and extolling the virtues of well-cooked meat.

Even without the looming pandemic, "Bird Flu" reminds us that eating animal flesh can be deadly. Dr. Greger writes: "For the same reason that people don't get Dutch Elm Disease or ever seem to come down with a really bad case of aphids, food products of animal origin are the source of most cases of food poisoning, with chicken the most common culprit." He notes that although the USDA asserts that proper cooking methods kill all viruses, including bird flu, 76 million Americans still suffer food poisoning every year and an estimated 5,000 die from food-borne illness. The average American kitchen, it seems, has become a biohazard, with pathogenic bacteria found on food-preparation surfaces, sinks and utensils. Dr. Greger quotes flu expert Albert Osterhaus, who concluded that "the gastrointestinal tract of humans is a portal of entry for H5N1."

Although pandemics seem inevitable, Dr. Greger's landmark book suggests an obvious (some might say radical) solution: the elimination of intensive poultry production. Perhaps this is more wishful thinking, given the world's ever-growing appetite for cheap animal protein, but others in the scientific community are also supporting this recommendation, so we may at least see improvements in the way agribusiness operates. "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" could herald dramatic changes in farming practices, finally driving decision-makers to critically examine not only how this virus came to be, but how we can curtail it and future diseases lurking within animal factories around the globe.

Mark Hawthorne, author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

I didn't want to read this book. Maybe you don't either. But you must. And when you do, you'll find that the author has made it easy, and even entertaining, for you to learn everything you never wanted to know about bird flu.

Michael Greger writes in an engaging and accessible style that will keep you turning pages as he guides you through the history of zoonotic (animal-based) diseases and explains how contemporary factory farming and meat-packing practices not only make the emergence of new diseases more likely but also place consumers at risk of food poisoning by everyday microorganisms like E. Coli and Salmonella. Despite his somber subject matter, Greger is upbeat, giving us the bad news in a way that energizes us to do something about it.

It can happen here. It has happened here. The 1918 influenza pandemic that killed more Americans than World War II was a bird flu. The next pandemic will be too. We all need to know what we might be able to do to prevent or mitigate that pandemic. You need to what to do to protect yourself and your loved ones when the pandemic comes. Read this book now and make sure that the public policy makers who are supposed to be looking out for you read it too.

Watching a pandemic unfold and take shape before your eyes is like watching paint dry. It is an agonizing process, slow and painful. But at the end, the product is there for all to see.

This is the book to read while watching the paint dry. Like Mike Davis' excellent "The Monster at Our Door," Dr. Greger has done a lot of the heavy lifting for you. He has read countless books, scientific papers, newspaper and magazine articles along with medical/scientific journals and produced the definitive work on avian influenza for the lay reader, decision-maker and concerned citizen.

Along the way, Dr. Greger also shows us the principal underlying cause of the spread of H5N1 (factory farming of chickens and other poultry) and supports his theories with mountains of data, opinion and observation -- much of it directly from the commercial poultry industry he takes to task for putting the world in the shape it is in, bird flu-wise.

Certain passages contain the most relevatory things about food production I have read since Upton Sinclair. It would not take much more to turn me into a vegetarian! I now seek free-range chickens to consume.

Speaking of consume: Once you have read (in order) The Great Influenza (Barry), The Monster at Our Door (Davis) and Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own hatching (Greger), you are ready to dive into the scientific literature yourself. Have a go at all three of these excellent books.

It is amazing how much is hidden from the public eye. This author does a great job of explaining how the avian flu is VERY probable. You will never want to eat chicken or eggs again after reading this one and learning about overcrowding, filth, and treatment of chickens and how the avian flu is mutating because of the conditions that we (humans) create. I highly recommend this book.

BIRD FLU: A VIRUS OF OUR OWN HATCHING opens not with H5N1, the modern day "bird flu virus" which has the potential to mutate into the deadliest pandemic that the world has ever seen, but with H1N1, the influenza virus responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic. In just two short years, an estimated 50 to 100 million people perished as World War I raged on.

As described by author Michael Greger, MD, in chilling detail:

"What started for millions around the globe as muscle aches and a fever ended days later with many victims bleeding from their nostrils, ears, and eye sockets. Some bled inside their eyes; some bled around them. They vomited blood and coughed it up. Purple blood blisters appeared on their skin. [...] [The Chief of the Medical Services, Major Walter V. Brem] wrote that `often blood was seen to gush from a patient's nose and mouth.' In some cases, blood reportedly spurted with such force as to squirt several feet. `When pneumonia appeared,' Major Brem recounted, `the patients often spat quantities of almost pure blood.' They were bleeding into their lungs."

Yet, H1N1 had a "low" (relatively speaking) mortality rate of 2.5% to 5%. Compare that to H5N1, which thus far has killed 55% of those infected - and one must wonder why the possibility of bird flu pandemic is confined to occasional media reports that are quickly dwarfed by the latest Hollywood gossip. Is bird flu-inspired panic just another example of media sensationalism?

Not so, argues Greger. From 1918 he transitions seamlessly to the research laboratories of today. Greger, who is Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at The Humane Society of the United States and "an internationally recognized lecturer on public health issues", launches into Viral Biology 101, explaining in layman's terms how a virus reproduces, spreads, mutates, and interacts with its host. Though he's dealing with (arguably) dry subject matter, Greger manages to keep the discussion engaging via the liberal use of colorful analogies and sharp, witty prose. This isn't your high school bio textbook.

Once a basic understanding of viruses has been established, Dr. Greger addresses modern animal agriculture, specifically, how it's especially conducive to the transmission and evolution of avian influenza. Animals, particularly "broiler" (meat) and "laying" (egg) hens, are packed into windowless sheds by the thousands; by the time they're fully grown just 45 days later (in the case of broiler hens), they don't even have enough space to spread their wings or turn around. Chickens are selectively bred for fast growth or maximum egg production - much to the detriment of their immune systems. Rather than improve the birds' ability to stave off disease (which would come at the expense of their "energy efficiency"), large-scale corporate "factory farmers" opt to pump their livestock full of antibiotics, thus contributing to bacterial resistance in humans. Add to this mix the fact that chickens literally spend their short lives wallowing in their own feces (and sometimes even that of previously butchered flocks), and you've got the perfect environment for a virus such as H5N1 to thrive.

And thrive it has. The billions of chickens, turkeys, and pigs raised and slaughtered for food annually act like "petri dishes" in which avian influence can mingle, swapping genetic material in order to mutate, gradually evolving into a strain more lethal and infectious to humans. Their compromised immune systems and unsanitary and stressful living conditions only facilitate this process. Despite numerous attempts at eradicating the virus - for example, by wiping out entire flocks of chickens, to the tune of millions of birds at a time - H5N1 (along with additional viral strains) can still be found on many farms, throughout the world.

While some critics - particularly those in the animal agriculture industry - dismiss this as scare mongering, Greger argues his points convincingly, and offers a wealth of evidence to support his claims. Indeed, his "Reference" section spans an impressive 90 pages! Throughout the text, he quotes a myriad of experts in the field, including Robert Webster, Kennedy F. Shortridge, and Michael Osterholm, as well as health professionals from the USDA, CDC, FAO, and WHO. Even "food scientists" admit - in the comfort and familiarity of their own trade journals, mind you - that the industry is flirting with disaster. The general - nay, unanimous - consensus seems to be "when, not if."

A pandemic is inevitable, that is, unless we swiftly and dramatically move away from factory farming methods towards less intense animal agriculture methods, such as free range farming. Additionally, this must be preceded by a temporary global moratorium on meat and egg production, in order to eradicate the bird flu virus(es) already present in farm animals worldwide. None of which is bloody likely to happen.

Thus, Greger urges readers to take precautions before a pandemic hits. He recommends obtaining and filling a prescription for Tamiflu (the more effective of two antivirals used to treat avian influenza), as well as stocking up on necessary groceries and such - TODAY. Greger also advises readers on how to purify water with bleach, and concoct cheap, homemade hand sanitizer. Oh, and do make sure you have plenty of liquor, cigarettes and ammo on hand, just in case the world reverts to the barter system! Though Greger reiterates and even elaborates upon government-issued pandemic guidelines in this last section, I didn't exactly walk away with a sense of empowerment. The rest of BIRD FLU was so horrifying that stocking up on canned veggies and medical masks won't do much to ease my troubled mind.

Whether you're a vegan, a carnivore, an average Jane, a state Senator, an animal welfarist, or a hunter, BIRD FLU is one book you can't afford to ignore. For too long, we've been playing chicken with our food supply - and nature may soon see fit to reward our taste for cheap meat with a global pandemic.

A collection of short stories and traditional medical treatments. Reading for entertainment. Choose this book if you find comfort in other peoples problems or want to know if your symptoms could be lyme disease. Not very well written, more a collection of chart notes. If you need ideas on where to turn next, you may want to read this book. If you are well informed about lyme disease you will find this book a waste of time.

The patient stories are eye opening, to say the least. It's puts in perspective what the Lyme patient has to go through to get diagnonsed, and get coverage from Medicare or insuranrce companies (not!!). Everything is out of pocket. Read about Joan, the last patient, a Canadian, who has to deal with her government, and the U.S. Very frustrating!!

This is an incredible book. It might not be for someone that has just been diagnosed. But if you care for someone with this disease it helps you to get a sense of what they are going through. Once you are committed to getting better it is important to see that others have had to deal with some similar hardships and that you are not alone.

This book is excellently written. As a student of public health, it's great to see a book that shows the effects of lyme disease on those who have it. It's a great resource for contacts if one contracts this chronic illness, and builds empathy for those who have contracted it. Most importantly, it delivers the message that treatment for lyme disease must be sought immediately, and that the current methods of treatment are often times ineffective. Overall, an enlightening and excellent piece.

This book is incredible. It highlights the extent of suffering and the strength of spirit of the people who weer affected so terribly by such a misunderstood disease. I would highly reccomend that you buy this book-- even if you yourself are not in any way impacted by Lyme disease, this book is an inspiring and educational one.

This book is based upon solid research of a natural substance that is nuturing every living thing. It is found in your own body.

One of the reviews here mentions the name "Bill Rich." Many of the statements about him are true, but he has nothing solid to do with MSM, other than he stumbled upon it and tries to sell it.

This book and Bill Rich should not be mentioned together (forgive me). Mr. Rich does not speak for MSM, anymore than a bad teleevangelist speaks for God.

Get the hardback edition of this book, it will change your life for the better!

I've been trying alot of things against my severe allergies since 1982.Tested in 1972 up-down my back.Nurse left for a min.I Turned Super-Red outside Burning up inside.Doc gave me a big shot of adrenaline.

In the 1990's those symtoms started to come back.On 5-11-2003 i went to Rainbow Grocery store.They sell alot of Herb type items there.I told the lady there i needed something really good for my allergies.She took me over to MSM quickly!

She also showed me the little handbook by Dr.Ley "MSM On our way back to Health With Sulfur".I started with 3 grams on 5-11-03 i now average 20 grams of MSM per day.It really helps w/allergies.
I'm 50 years old.When tested allergic to ALL Molds and Pollens.

Mold is hardest to Beat.MSM is helping against it too.

I've ordered 5 of The Miracle of MSM By Dr Jacob and Dr Lawrence.

Thank You amazon.com for the good prices on those Books!!!!!

MSM is wonderful for me. I have taken MSM for nearly 2 years now (off and on). I would quit taking it, just to see what would happen. It wouldn't take long before my pain and stiffness would return to my knees. I wouldn't want to go through life without MSM. I am able to go through life without pain in my knees when I take MSM on a regular schedule. I have had no problems taking MSM and I take 12,000 mg. a day. I use a powder MSM that I put in my water, which also encourages me to drink the water I need daily. I even use a MSM soap and lotion for my skin. It has helped my skin alot. I can't say enough good things about MSM. This is the first book I bought about MSM and would recommend it to anyone. I've also read many other papers and articles on MSM, plus I've read alot on the internet about MSM. In fact I've bought this book to give to other people. I am always telling the wonders of MSM to people. I wish you well and happy health.

This title by Drs. Jacob and Lawrence is by far the best word on MSM (along with product manufacturers dmso2.com etc).

I, also, prefer the hardback version of this book. It is out of print but I found that it is still available at the distributor (msmsupplement.com as mentioned by someone in another review).

I hope that there is a new, updated version of this book on the horizon, because I know that MSM is helping so many people with a variety of problems (e.g. Arthritis, Allergies, Energy, Joint and Muscle & Nerve Pain, Skin Conditions ...). I even give it to my dogs and cats now!

By the way, Dr. Lawrence (on of the authors) is the doctor of the famous actor James Coburn. Mr. Coburn now attributes his recovery from crippling arthritis pain to benefits derived from MSM.

This book is the best that you will get on MSM. It is written by the "father of MSM" (IMO), Dr. Stanley Jacob. Co-written by Dr. Ronald Lawrence, doctor of famous actor James Coburn...

Get the hardback edition - it costs less than the not-so-well-bound paperback. You will use this book as a reference for natural dosage, et cetera, so definately get the hardback.