health Books

We should bring our new babies into the world with care and compassion, rather than violence and suffering. It is that simple, and that obvious. Even if you already know that, reading Dr. Leboyer's short but poetic title, will help you tune into the natural rhythm and pulses of life. I highly recommend it.

If you want to continue a non-violent and caring way for your child after birth, I wrote a book about early infant and toddler care, based upon indigenous wisdom across the globe Healing Our Children: Because Your New Baby Matters! Sacred Wisdom for Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting (ages 0-6)

Back in the '70's when I was still delivering babies, before epidurals replaced empowered birthing, this was, and still is, the best set of directions for welcoming a baby into planet earth's atmosphere.

An unanticipated plus for me, was seeing the fathers connect with their new babies floating in body temperature water, while mom got tidied up.

Alot of these father's were carrying their newborns into the office for follow up the next days and weeks, too. Quite an approach, and I sent this book to friends expecting this summer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Although I first read this book 30 years ago, its message is still as vital today. I highly recommend it to all expectant parents as well as those medical and mental health practitioners interested in a simple way to bring more peaceful and less traumatized children into the world. As a soon-to-be grandparent, Birth Without Violence topped the list of "must-haves" for my daughter.

This is such a calm and loving book to read. Seriously. I think all pregnant women should be given a copy. Simply lovely!

Heather mama of 5

This is the best book I have read on all the 20 or more pregnancy books I have read recently ! It is a masterpiece! This French man brought to the world an amazing, most touching, revolutionary way to honor the sacredness of childbirth. This book has brought to me reverence for the baby's needs, and has hlep me understand the importance to create a sacred space for the baby and the mother.

Thank you Frederick LeBoyer for your incredible contribution to this world!

I love this book...I can totally relate to the stories-I have a
8yr.old daughter with Cerebral palsy-she has been my worst heartache
and she has givinen me the most joy-she has taught me a lot...I am
glad they have this book-no one really knows what its like unless
they have a special needs child....I recommend it to anyone...
kathleen younce

I am a special educator who is always looking for new inspiration for my on-going teaching. This book warmed my heart. I could relate to the stories as if I had written them myself. Like the other Chicken Soup Books I have read, the editors have truly chosen a nice sample of stories of people who have achieved much, struggled long and hard, and continued living their lives to the fullest. This book can help people who wonder what special needs people can do. This book is a source for inspiration to help special needs children to live their lives to the fullest. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

I was so excited to receive this book. I read it cover to cover in 3 days. The stories are all very good. They help "connect" anyone who knows or cares for a child with "special needs". I would see little glimpses of my 8 year old son in different stories and if not the "same" I could relate to the situations and the emotions. On those really rough days, it helps to know that there are others out there that know just how you feel. It gives the inspiration to keep going. "Special Needs" kids definately are SPECIAL.........they help us to remember what is important. Thank you for this collection of stories.

Wonderful book! I love that the beginning starts with the story Welcome to Holland. I have a daughter with special needs and reading Welcome to Holland expresses what having a child with special needs can be like. My daughter is such a beautiful blessing to our family and a spot of sunshine to all who meet her. You could be having the worst day and a smile from her will turn you around. You can't help but smile back.
I would recommend this to anyone who has a child with special needs no matter what the age. It will inspire you. To any one who knows someone,is friends with someone,loves someone or cares for someone with special needs you will be inspired and touched reading the wonderful stories.

I was so excited to get this book right when it was released but was generally disappointed in it. There were many VERY good stories that I absolutely loved, but overall there was something about it that lacked the really personal connection and everyday stories. I found myself skipping over stories and still never finished the book to the end. I have 2 kids with special needs one with Down syndrome and one currently undergoing testing for Autism, and I SO desperately wanted to Love this book.

I guess I expected it to be written from a Caregivers perspective (parents, grandparents, teachers, etc). When it seemed like more than half of the contributers have already had their stories published by Chicken Soup books or other big name publications, not just your average person. And I caught the names of 2 contributers in this book that each have 2 of their stories in this special needs edition. (many already published in MANY other Chicken soup books)

To me it almost feels like the creators of Chicken Soup sent out a staff email asking for any stories involving a person with special needs... I remember reading one story written about a typical person's high school days and her encounter with a girl with special needs and what she wishes she would have talked to her. Nothing about reaching out to her and building a friendship, even if years later. As a parent, I would have loved to read about how this person affected a persons life, not how she felt guilty about being afraid of a disabilty (that's exactly why I want to shelter my children)- Didn't leave a warm and fuzzy feeling. But I guess her article was accepted because her career happens to center on people with disabilites???
I know there are millions of people out there that could contribute more personally touching stories. I just wanted more "average people" doing great things stories. Just by compararing random biograpies of the stories I wanted more people like the contributor Chynna Tamara Laird- average mom advocating for her child. In the bio of contributer S. Thompson it states "she has had stories in 10 Chicken soup books" and her job is writing, not advocating for disabilities or living it first hand.

It does have some great stories, but I just couldn't relate to the book overall and I expected to not want to put it down. I felt like I would read 2 good stories then 2 stories that lacked connection.... SORRY... I really wish I could Love it.

Dr. Fitzgerald's "Detox Solution" is a practical and effective resource for healthy living in our industrialized environment. More than just a good reference manual, this book explains the supporting background information in clear, easy to follow language, providing a sense of confidence and understanding along with specific prescriptions. Dr. Fitzgerald recognizes that good health begins in our environment, and she provides simple ways to avoid bringing toxins into our personal space. This book is a "must read" for urban living.

Patricia Fitzgerald's The Detox Solution warned us about the dangers of trans fats long before the issue was getting much attention. Now trans fats info is being added to our food labels and restaurants are switching to trans fats-free oils. Open up these pages to learn many other health secrets for achieving a well body, greater longevity, avoiding disease and supporting a vibrant spirit. A must-read for those who wish to remain at or achieve the highest levels of well-being!

This book is probably the best book on health that I have ever read. I have travelled all over the world over the past several years and this book stays with me everywhere I go. I haven't ever used this book as a detox program per se; I choose instead to use it as a reference book in daily life. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a true book of wisdom on purifying your life.

This book is a must read for all who are interested in the integration of body/mind/spirit. Dr. Fitzgerald leads the reader through a comprehensive and in depth journey of health and healing that encompasses all three elements into an easy to follow and understand program of fundamental wellness.

This book answered many questions for me and helped me to understand that I can achieve optimum health with ease, grace and a gentle progression of healthy lifestyle and dietary changes that I can live with and incorporate into my life.

I now understand the importance of keeping my body tuned and free of toxins, and how to do that. It empowered me take dominion over the harmonious interaction of my body/mind/spirit for a greater sense of wellbeing and joy.

Thanks to Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald for writing her book The Detox Solution. It's full of the answers to the questions I've had about changing my lifestyle for optimum health. I'm so glad this book has found it's way into my life. It's an amazing resource. I've already begun to use some of the suggestions on a daily basis and am already noticing a difference.

This book taught me so much. It's not one big thing you can do to be fabulous, its a bunch of small things. I really enjoyed it and how it covered may different subjects. It's not the same old stuff like chew with your mouth closed. It goes into so many subjects and issues. I recommend this to ANY woman, no matter what age. It's also a guide you can briefly scan over before going somewhere. Highly recommended!

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

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

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

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

I cannot recommend this book enough. The day I received it from Amazon, I stayed up until 3 am to finish it in one sitting. I cried my eyes out the entire time. I plan on sharing it with my mom next, in hopes that we can learn to relate to one another. The author displayed incredible courage and strength in giving infertility a voice. I couldn't agree more that infertility is less about the statistics, and more about the person. This is a must read for anyone struggling with infertility and the family and friends who struggle to understand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The key to this little gem is that it gets at the root of the problem, rather than offering another "six-step plan to transform your family" or the like. And, most importantly, it recognizes that the root is a spiritual one. Trying harder to fix your family isn't helping because it's part of the wrong system.

The basic thesis is this: In the garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, all was right with our relationships because we depended on God as the source of our wholeness and each other as resources. When sin entered the world, so did "The Curse," which has created a system of idolatry where everyone tries to control everyone else's behavior in order to meet their own needs. So instead of looking to God to meet our needs, we try to fashion the people around us into little gods that will do that. Following so far?

Here's the worst part: Christians are often no different. But instead of trying to get people to just do what we want blatantly, we tend to spiritualize it. Like a wife trying to get her husband to lead family devotions or a husband telling his wife to submit to his selfishness, or parents trying to get their children to do impressive things or behave in a certain way. Christian books on marriage and family are often filled with ways to try to control behavior without changing the heart.

But the "Grace-filled" family is different. The grace-filled family is based on a few root principles: First, that each person is responsible for him/herself, second that each person finds fullness and value in Jesus, and finally that love is given and not earned by behavior. So substance (how things really are) matters more than appearance (how things look).

When you think of it, it's a revolutionary concept for Christians to stop trying and start relying on God to be our source. But, theologically and psychologically, it totally makes sense. I've got highlighting on nearly every page already and this book has a permanent home on my bookshelf!

I love this book. It taught me the shameful messages I received as a child and the ones I was dishing out to my children to get them to perform to my standards. Try it.

This is a wonderful book to read and apply to your own life or give to others without having to worry that you will look pushy. It does have the "don't" section and the "do" section like a lot of other books of this type, but I found this book to have the most ideas and suggestions that stayed with me. Very inspirational without being holier-than-thou.

I believe this is the most insightful book of its type I have read and really poses questions and provides answers for parents and married couples that would not only improve all relationships, but more importantly it sets the basis for individual self confidence, happiness and satisfaction by substituting a win-win approach for the normal win-lose situation we find in families and society today. As a Christian, I found the book held the key to really building strong happy people and families. Unfortunately I followed the wrong formula when I was raising my family. I can't do as good a job now with my family but it's never too late to start to make things better. That's what the book is about.

As a mother of two very young children, this book was recommended to me as I began my research on grace based discipline. I was excited to find it addresses not only the parent-child relationship but the husband-wife relationship as well. I learned so much from this book. I couldn't put it down. I definitely think that it should be read more than once, as it has some heavier parts and it can't all be truly digested in one read. Highly recommended!

All I can say is that I am disappointed with this book.

We're expecting our third child and I picked up this book because I liked the title. I figured almost two years worth of information in one book would be nice since we already kind of know about preganacy and the baby's first year. I wouldn't have to read too much with my busy schedule and maybe get one or two good tips I didn't get before. Was I wrong!

This book is not thin, total 317 pages. And yet, it reads so easy and fast (even considering my first language is not English). As I was reading this book, I was amazed how much information this book is packed with! This book covers not only the generic facts on how your baby grows, but also suggests what you can do as parent(s). It also has many wonderful photos.

Dr. Greene covers physical stuff such as nutrition, but also covers how you act and think may affect your baby. He also covers in detail how the baby develops - very informative and I had to read several passages to my husband. His respect and love for the life also can be felt throughout the book which also increased my own respect, awe, wonder, and love for our third baby.

I love to read and I've skimmed through many books on pregnancy, but this one is the best one and I am reading this thoroughly. This is like an all the best books on pregnancy and first year combined in one!

Although I read this book late in my pregnancy, I would recommend it to any expecting parents! I thought that his insight was more direct (and aligned to my own personal philosophies) than most expectant 'mom' books. Dr. Greene's other book, Raising Baby Green (my personal favorite), encouraged me to pick up this one, and I feel as though many moms and dads have a lot to learn from his experience as both father and pediatrician. Every question from should I eat organic to which diapers to use are covered- don't miss out on this book (it would also make a great shower or congratulations gift!)

My wife and I recently were blessed with the birth of our first child. Being new parents we often have felt overwhelmed and extremely inexperienced. Dr. Greene's book has proven informative and comforting in those moments when we needed a little helpful advice. "From First Kicks to First Steps" is easy and fun to read, and is a great resource for anyone with a little one at home or on the way.

Dr. Greene has put together a remarkable guideline that takes expecting couple from pregnancy through toddlerhood. Much like his award-winning children's health website, DrGreene.com, he does this in an engaging style with well-researched information.

Expectant mothers (and fathers) should look no further. This book is destined to be the "must-have" book for parents-to-be.

Daniel Z. Sands, MD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School

I found this book very relatable and interesting. I felt like she was talking about me which was incredible. If you are trying to come to terms with an eating disorder of your past this is the book for you. I was anorexic in high school and as an adult I finally needed to recognize the problem fully. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand an eating disorder, especially anorexia.

This was a fantastic and inspiring book. Aimee gives a good mix about real stories from the women she knew growing up with eating disorders as well as some new research in the field of eating disorders. Brilliant writing, and for people who feel lost like I do, this book gives a glimpse that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I will definitely read this one again.

When I started reading this book, just a quarter of the way into it, I was very excited and hopeful that this could be one of the best books out there on EDs because it focused a lot on recovery, and using real life examples. Reading about solutions instead of just epidemics and hopeless stats was refreshing.

The insight into people's personality traits was especially helpful. I bookmarked many passages with little post-it flags because so many things were right on.

I had to knock off two stars for one reason only--the height and weight stats of most the women she interviewed. At first I didn't notice but the more into the book I read, it became very distracting. First of all, height and weight does NOT paint an instant mental picture of what someone looks like to me, anyway. I am not one of those carnival game workers who is trained to know what that looks like. I didn't understand why she couldn't have just described them as "underweight" or used adjectives instead of stats, or whatever.

I couldn't believe it when she ACTUALLY listed the height and weight of the DAUGHTER of a woman with ED and inserted the following commentary--"far from excessive". You could almost hear the subtext after that, "but, could still stand to lose a few pounds." Instead, she lets the quote of the mother's opinion to speak what the author is thinking. And I'm thinking, how many girls who happen to weigh MORE than that and are SHORTER are going to feel when they read that? Never mind that she goes on to say how our bodies are functional and don't define who we are and how fathers can help daughters feel good about themselves--the seed of self-doubt could be planted somewhere.

I noticed she also talked a lot about her own weight numbers throughout her various life stories, as though this says something on its own. It obviously does to the author, since she had an eating disorder and weight represents what was going on in her life at that point, but it doesn't mean a whole lot to the general audience. If she said, I was at X weight at that point I would think, so? I'm sorry, I forgot to memorize your height and I don't know what that means and how that adds to the story. All I needed to know was how healthy she was, really. And it was triggering to start thinking about my own height and how it compared, and I had to consciously tell myself to stop doing that.

It was disappointing that for all the self-awareness and sensitivity the author brings to the subject, this detail escaped her attention. I don't think she meant anything malicious about it, of course, just a sad side effect of how an ED mind operates, unfortunately, even after the harmful behaviors have ceased.

(if the author had any input in the ironic cover art--a photo of a bone-thin model in a joyous leap in a sheer dress on the beach--this would get two stars, especially because there is a whole chapter devoted to how media images equate thin women to success, health, and happiness)

As someone working towards recovery from an ED, this book is an amazing read. I can relate to the experiences of the author. Beyond that, the information (some scientific, some observational, all GOOD) she presents and her retrospective look at her previous book from the '70's, is golden information. Considering how uncertain people feel about the future after an ED, a window into what it could be like instills hope! Thanks!

I recommend this book to anyone with a history of anorexia or bulimia nervosa. It is well written and promotes healthy insights about one's condition, psychological predisposition and family context. I have read Caroline Knapp's book - Appetites, which I found to be excellent too. I also recommend Sensing the Self. All the others I have seen are not worth the time... This one, if not the best, is among them... Aimee Liu intertwines stories, including her own, in a way that holds you close, helping us also 'connect the dots' while reading the book. It helps us be more open in finding out about our own stories and how it matches this growing population of people with eating disorders. I found extremely useful!

This is a great book for developing a positive mindset, the can be kept as a reference book to be read or reviewed as frequently as the reader desires. My opinion is this type of book is a necessary foundation reading for those intending to move on to a successful life and career.

I have read many many books in my lifetime, but this one at first seemed like just another good read. In the middle of the book I read about having desire and how you should measure desire and it has literally changed my life. I wake up in the morning understanding that if I want or desire the changes or results in my life bad enough things will change. Most say they want to be successful, but what are you willing to sacrifice, willing to change, in most cases the words are just idle thoughts that come out sounding sincere. I know now that if I improve incrementally everyday in every way I will be OK. In closing for anyone that wants to be inspired, read this book it can and has changed many lives.

This is one of the best books I've read in my life! Brilliant! a perfect tool for life; I recommend this book to everyone that can read and those who can't read have someone read it to you. Your life will be transformed!

This is a great book! A step by step guide that is easy to read and follow. I gave this book to all my '20 something' cousins for Christmas. However this book is for all ages. A reference for the rest of your successful life!

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Get this book... I can't stop reading it.

Gave this book to the L & D nurses and midwives where I work as a doula and they loved it.
Julie

This is such a great book for any Moms or Moms-to-be. The pictures are so funny and it lets you have a good laugh about some of the trials of pregnancy and motherhood. I bought a bunch of them to give to all of my friends who are new moms.

This book made me laugh soo hard. I recommend it for any fellow new moms who need some levity!

Perfect gift book for a new mom, experienced mom, or first pregnancy, though it's definitly funnier after you've already had kids than before.

I love love love Sloane Tanen. I have every single one of her books including the ones for children. Sloane is a great author. Her books make excellent gifts for the women and children in your life family as she also writes some children books. Sloane as promised, here is my review! Thanks for signing my books!