health Books

Finally, a book about diet that isn't a diet! Instead, it's a compilation of all the information about losing weight and keeping it off through lifestyle changes. Easy to read, nicely presented, this book set me on a one-year plan to lose those last 10 pounds -- one habit at a time.

I enjoyed this book because it was not specifically about weight loss. The focus was on nutrition and it really made me want to be healthy!

If you're looking for a gimmick, a quick fix, or a flashy fad diet, keep looking. 10 HABITS THAT MESS UP A WOMAN'S DIET is a book based on solid nutritional research and the author's interviews with people who have done a lot of thinking about women and weight.

Elizabeth Somer, RD, has a funny and engaging style, but she's not afraid to serve you the facts straight up. The result is one of the smartest guides to nutrition for women that I've come across in years.

The author explains the situational, chemical and emotional contributors to overeating or poor eating. She recommends different strategies that fit the different triggers or causes. Read this book to get the right tool for your situation. Maybe it will be a food journal, healthy munchies, calorie tracking, ways to love veggies, but it definitely won't be a fad diet.

Habit 1: Mindless Eating
Invisible Calories
Eating on Auto-Pilot: The Down-Side
Nibbling Is OK
Mindful Breakfasts
Kick the Habit
Choose a New Habit
Mindful Eating
Habit 2: Putting Other's Needs Ahead of Our Own
Love 'n' Marriage: Together in Eating
Babies and Weight Gain
Mealtime Peer Pressure
Dining Out Can Do Us In
Kick the Habit
Keep Your Diet in Perspective
Habit 3: Not Being Honest
Fessing Up Is Hard to Do
Portion Distortion
Kick the Habit
How Much Exercise Is Enough?
It's Within Your Grasp
Habit 4: Skip the Broccoli, Eat the Fries
Nothing Is Better for You than Produce
How Much Are You Eating?
Which Ones Are the Best?
Produce to Avoid
Kick the Habit
Ya Gotta Love 'em
Habit 5: Setting Off Without a Plan
Kick the Habit
Outside the Box
Two "Must-Have" Habits
Practice, Practice, Practice
The Only Way to Get Better Is to Change
Habit 6: Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
You Can Change
Kick the Habit
Take Responsibility
Habit 7: I'm Moody, Let's Eat!
Food for Solace or Sustenance?
Food and Mood
Dieting = Weight Gain
Kick the Habit
Your Mood Is More than Just Diet
Habit 8: Give Me the Quick Fix, Now!
Tell Me Again Why Diets Don't Work
Diet Myths Debunked
Kick the Habit
Commit to Health
Habit 9: Drinking Away Our Waistlines
Silent Calories
Cola Calories
Josephine Six Pack
The Dark Side of Alcohol
Kick the Habit
Think Moderation
Habit 10: The All-or-Nothing Approach to Dieting
Why the All-or-Nothing Mentality Fails
All-or-Nothing and Your Weight
Self-Talk: The Inside-Your-Head Chatter
Kick the Habit
Give Yourself Some Slack

I checked this book out at the library and liked it so much I puchased it. Not anything I don't already know, but to see, in actual print, all the reasons why and how you cheat on a diet is much more motivational than you would think. Ouch! The truth really hurts but it's also really helped.

I have enjoyed cooking health items for my family from this book. Some are a stretch for our normal habits, but I think that's good. Forces us to be good about the intake of our food.

Easy recipes, nothing complicated. Most of the ingredients are ordinary things that most people already have in their kitchen, and anything a little out of the ordinary is easy to find at the supermarket.
The recipes are very low-fat, but full of flavour. The desserts are not overly sweet, just enough to satisfy that little craving.

I was amazed that the professional reviewers of this book had such a "bah-humbug" attitude about them! The program is hardly "draconian" as one reviewer put it -- you eat all you want of healthy, good tasting, real food. My mother discovered McDougall ages ago, before any of these glossier books came out -- and at 83, she still takes no medications and at her last check-up, the nurse commented that her "heart was like a teenager's!" The hardest part of staying on McDougall is that you have a whole culture working against it -- all those high-fat foods or this strange culture of the "high protein" diet. People think you're some kind of "weirdo." But the usual American diet isn't weird, right? We can buy meals in minutes with 1200+ calories and 69 fat grams and never even have to leave our cars! Read the reviews by the people who have actually tried McDougall -- they loved it. Even people who are enticed away from this way of eating area always wanting to go back to it. It does take some dedication at the start -- one is breaking some very old habits. But it's worth a try. McDougall has decades worth of healthy patients to reinforce what he's been developing since his earliest days as an MD. He's still a practicing doctor, still a researcher, and continues to grow and learn about nutrition, health and the vegan diet. Atkins died overweight and very sick. John and Mary McDougall are still healthy and robust -- and so are the people who actually follow his nutritional advice. Does that say something? Within the past couple of years, my brother-in-law, inspired by my mother's experiences on McDougall, tried it out. He was widowed, had had a heart-attack, and was looking for a better way to eat and be healthy. A couple years later, he's healthier than he's ever been in his life and wishes he hadn't waited so long. Of course, McDougall's real secret weapon is his wife, Mary McDougall. She's the true reason that John McDougall can convince people that they can still 'eat well" on a vegan diet. She's a nutritionist by training, and after so many decades, is no doubt one of the foremost vegan chefs around, always coming up with new recipes for both old and new favorites. I applaud them both for helping so many people discover a health and way of life they never knew they could. I recommend an earlier book, "The McDougall Program: 12 Days to Dynamic Health" as a better "starter" book than his later cookbooks. Give the McDougall program a try. You'll be amazed how fast you start feeling better, even if you felt pretty good before!

Having just recently started a low fat, low sodium, plant based diet this is just what I have been looking for. Being a meat and potatoes all my life I had no clue as to where to go as far as recipes.

The McDougalls... what can I say? I started this program over a month ago and my Cholesterol went from 237 down to 170. These recipes are awesome!!! I don't feel like I'm following a diet when I find recipes like this that I can use.

Joan Pagano does it again. Her workouts in this book are fast, fun and functional fitness for everyone, not just women. You can do one workout at a time or combine them in different ways if you have more time. The beautiful photography that accompanies the workout, the foldout summary, and the DVD accurately illustrates the proper form and the targeted muscles. No guesswork here! The book's "frequently asked questions" section at the end of every workout and the total body roundup at the book's end should answer all your fitness questions. I don't know what took her so long to add a DVD to her books, but I'm glad she did one for this workout. I'm lobbying for an DVD based on her previous book "8 Weeks to a Younger Body." If you haven't read that one, be sure to check it out. It also has short and effective total body workouts based on age groups. It uses different fitness equipment including a step, a balance ball, free weights, and bands. Like I said before, Joan rocks because her workouts are easy to do at home and, more importantly,they work! 15-minute Total Body Workout,
8 Weeks to a Younger Body

I worked out with it couple of times, and found it easy to follow and nice to be able to see in the book the right way of doing the moves. It is like having your own gym couch at home.

I was surprised how much of a workout you get in 15 minutes. I like it because of its simplicity. Anyone can do it and not be rough on your body. My favorite one or should I say ones are Beach Ball and Lunge around the Clock workout. I used a small ball (4 lbs) and I just recently purchased a 6 lbs small ball and I can really feel it in my abs. If you want a total body workout and you only have a short period of time to workout, try it.

I have recently tried several different exercise videos and I love this. The workouts are short (which is nice) but still get my heart rate up. At 15 minutes a day it is much easier to keep up an exercise routine. Felt a difference within only a few days. Loved it so much I'm getting one for my sister.

For starters, I do not like to exercise and going to the gym classes takes up too much time to keep me motivated. So, I finally decided to look for some simple exercises that wouldn't require special equipment, would be simple enough to do by myself and would not require 1 hr of exercising every day.

I was standing in front a shelf in a bookstore, looking for a book with simple exercises and out of the whole shelf of texts on "perfect body" routines, written only to those who go to the gym 3 times a day, this one (and only) book seemed to offer what I was looking for.

There are 4 sets of different routines that are each 15 minutes each. And they are JUST 15 minutes each. The exercises are very simple and clearly explained. The video is very well done. And best of all (to those who like me don't really like to exercise...) -- the routines don't have to be done every day, just every other day, 15 minutes, that's all you need to get yourself feeling good :)

Though I would not have expected it with my rigorous and traditional Reiki background, I was inexplicably drawn to this book one day out of the blue. Currently, I am in a period of self-study and examination before I move on to the mastery level/ shinpiden teachings in Usui Reiki Ryoho. This book has valuable tools for the practical side of a Reiki practice, including an inventory of qualities demonstrated by healing facilitators and teachers, tools and tips for teaching classes in Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki, sample consent and client info forms, templates for passing on attunements and wonderful meditations, and lots of personal stories dotting the writing.

Although I may never study this or any related branch of Reiki/energy work, this book is still greatly enriching my experience as I alk the path. The tools are great for anyone, no matter the path. I have been thankful to be exposed to a lot of newer western Reiki techniques in my training, all the while maintaining a deep connection to traditional practices and historical applications of Reiki. This book builds upon the modernized New Age-y methods with many more tools to add to this category. Any teacher or practitioner, whether your methodology may be Usui Reiki Ryoho, SSR, aromatherapy, crystal therapy, or anything else, may enjoy this book for what it contributes.

Diane Shewmaker has a lot of heart in this book. I am sure that you will feel the blessings of healing as you work through it.

Diane shares not only the ancient art of Reiki but also a wealth of experiences and techniques that are readily available not only to Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki and SKHM Reiki, but across all borders of the Reiki lineages. Diane teaches you that there are no limitations as Reiki is constantly evolving through every individuals' own experiences; in turn, creating All Love.

I thought this book was very well written. It's very detailed in it's explanation of the SSR energy matrix. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more on this Subject

One day, I looked up and saw this book sitting on my home bookshelf. Don't ask me how it got there, but the timing was perfect: I discovered that just a few days hence, the author would be teaching at a local bookstore, and I already had the text in hand. It was just one more step on an amazing journey I couldn't have even begun to have predicted.

Shewmaker has infused this book with such love and compassion that it is not uncommon to feel the healing energy moving through your body just as you sit and read. She walks healers through every step of SSR (Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki), from the origins of its three facets, through all of the symbols and the initiation process, and even into the more mundane matters of healing as a business.

This book is a valuable tool on so many levels, whether you're completely new to energy healing or a seasoned master. I, too, am looking forward to the release of the teacher's manual!

As a SSR Master Teacher, I've been using this manual for my own Sekhem/Seichim/Reiki practice. The atunements in the back of the book are especially powerful and filled with love. For anyone interested in energy work, I would consider this required reading. Even if you have never been exposed to Reiki before and are interested in learning more about it from one of the best teachers out there (she attuned the woman who attuned me), this is a great book for novices as well as seasoned professionals.

This book was so inspring when I first read it when it litteraly first came out and it always lifted my spirits, I still use it while i'm in the teen yars.

If you have a young girl in your family circle, I urge you to give her a copy of Real Beauty: 101 Ways to Feel Great About You (American Girl Library.) I promise you that the benefits will be of lifelong value! If more girls had this sense of self-worth, we would have fewer eating disorders, schoolyard bullying, distorted body images, and other issues that plague the lives of teens -- and adults.

Simply put, this book is worth its weight in gold.

We all know where 'Real Beauty' comes from. Why not start your young lady out early in learning that beauty is more than skin deep? Help the preteen in your life be more selfconfident and beautiful by knowing how to accomplish this elusive trait.

I read it first, and I am looking forward to reading it again with my granddaughter.

Whenever I feel bad about myself, hating myself, etc, I pick up this book and start reading it. Then I feel good about myself. Of course, though, I don't really need braces yet but I will when I'm 12! The book gives you lots of information on how to eat healthy, exercise, and if you are maybe 10-15, it tells you what to put in your back pack if you get pimples, your period starts, etc. I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! P.S I am ten years old.

With dignity and eloquence, Linda Blachman tells the stories of mothers challenged by serious illness. What they reveal is a gift for everyone: sick and well, male and female, parents and non-parents. The mothers' passion, grief and wisdom elucidates the true meaning of courage and selfless love. I laughed and cried and, in the end, regretted leaving them.

Linda Blachman's project (Mothers' Living Stories Project) is a brilliant idea, enriching the listeners as well as supporting the mothers. As a reader, I became something of a listener too. Another Morning is an important and moving work.

Another Morning is a very powerful, moving and inspiring book. As a retired manager of a radiation oncology center, I believe that this should be required reading for all health care professionals who work with mothers dealing with cancer while raising their children. I admire these mothers for their courage and the volunteers and Linda Blachman for their compassion.

This book slows down and allows the stories of these women to unfold. As each story is told and as each woman goes through their individual journey with illness, the reader is brought into each life and bears witness to the gravity of daily decisions - of preparations for life and for death. Linda Blachman deftly guides the stories, providing insight and context, but allows these real, three dimensional, flesh and blood women to tell their own stories in their separate and unique voices. This book was obviously a labor of love and the time and care taken by the author with each of the featured women is evident from the the first word to the last.

I was able to listen to Linda Blachman at an author reading in Menlo Park. I was struck with her personal history of dealing with pain and of being a mother while undergoing excruciating treatment for her ailments. Here is an author who can listen and convey empathy without being overbearing and who can transmit the stories of mothers, leaving their voices intact.
I am a Stage IV cancer patient with two boys, ages 8 and 11. I have long struggled with the knowledge of my imminent death and how to deal with my feelings of guilt over the abandonment of my kids. Even though I will leave a very caring and compentent father in the care, I still cannot shake my guilt over leaving them motherless. Linda's book has given me the stories of mothers in the same situation and feelings. It has been a great relief for me to find a place where I can find understanding for my own feelings. Linda's book has prompted me to work on my Ethical Will (I have, long ago, together with my husband, signed a Living Will) and to reflect on my own life story and my expectations for my children. Thank you Linda for one of the most worthewhile books I have ever had the pleasure to read!

As the parent of an adolescent child with Asperger's, I found this book to be just what was needed -- a no nonsense approach to helping our kids with a sense of humor. This is the second book by this author that I have purchased. I will purchase more, I am sure.

This book is one of the best I've seen about the transitional issues that arise when someone with Aspergers reaches their teens. With my son, we find each developmental step has its own challenges, but the movement into middle school, with the increased expectations of self-management and the early teen student issues among peers has been a bigger challenge than most. This book helped me frame these issues as they apply to my son, improving my understanding. Then I could apply many of the ideas provided both directly and through the school. My biggest problem is that this is such a slow read ... not because it is hard to read (to the contrary, its very understandable and straightforward.) Its a "slow go" because of all of the underlining and page marking I am doing to track the "good stuff." Dr Bolick has done those of use living in these situation a major service with this work! I fully recommend it.

More and more books are addressing the problems ASD kids encounter in their latter years . Teresa Bolick has written a well thought out and structured book that answers many of the concerns that parents and teachers have. Would you need another book dealing with this area ? I would say...yes. It is such an important time in these kids lives that a comprehensive knowledge is needed by all those that care for these yound adults.


reviewed by Special Education Teacher and father of ASD child.

I have a son with Aspergers. This book is a great help!

I haven't finished reading this book, but so far what I've read completely fits. My AS teen needs all the help he can get with organization, social skills, etc. This book gives real life examples and excerps from real parents and adolescents with AS. This book is helping me to better understand my child and to help him develop strategies and coping mechanisms so he can have a successful life. Definitely a good addition to my AS library!

Ms. Webber does a wonderful job of bringing a topic to the light that many find difficult to discuss. She talks about how some shy away from colon cleansing (enemas) due to unfortunate experiences as a child or from an uncaring medical professional. The enema does not have to be a painful procedure and can be very beneficial in a healthy lifestyle. Brave individuals allow themselves to be photographed to allow for clear and easy to follow instructions. The CD is very informative and I highly recommend it for anyone slightly interested in improving their colon health.

My husband and I have practiced colon health for many years and fully believe that it has led to our better general health and well being. I saw Edith Webbers book listed and decided to see what she was offering and I must say that she has handled, what to some is the taboo subject of enemas in a manner that is dignified, professional and non threatening. Her use of models to show the practical aspects of enema administration is to the best of my knowledge a first outside of collegiate texts and has been done in a tasteful dignified manner. Her knowledge and the breadth of the subject leaves the reader with a clear understanding of the process fully explaining the need for good colon health and guiding the novice and experienced alike through proper, safe enema administration outlining what may be effectively taken in regard to mixtures and quantity, safe procedures and identifying readily available sources of equipment that can be used and the proper care of equipment to assure healthful sanitary practices. By following her recommended procedures an enema need not be threatening, embarrassing nor uncomfortable. Well done Edith even with our experience my husband and I learned some new things; bless you for your fine work.

I agree with every word the reviewers ahead of me have said about this CD Guide. In my lay, but experienced opinion, it covers well the fundamentals regarding in-home enema therapy and professional colonic irrigation. This CD is indeed a users manual for colon cleansing. It is written in clear and simple english that greatly informs the person new to this therapy. It helps them to make an informed decision regarding their own health path. It points out how the colon therapist health care professional can assist in colon care decisions.It also provides information for those who are advanced in the therapy. I have decades of experience and research on the subject, but found myself learning more. Even though I feel I have written creditably on the subject in fiction form, I could only dream of presenting such a fine manual. Also, the illustrations are truly informative and clear, yet tasteful. You walk away after viewing this CD again wondering why colon cleansing is not part of more peoples lives. It depicts and confirms decades of my positve experiences with in-home enema therapy and colonic irrigations. It certainly brings a clean heart and soul to the subject matter. I just want to thank all of those who were involved in this important project. It is obviously a work of the heart!

This CD-ROM presents a very comprehensive discussion in an Adobe reader format of detailed slides with text. The Adobe pdf format reader is free and most easy to use. I found this to be a most serious, very helpful work that taught me a great deal step-by-step for my own colon care program. In this presentation containing numerous chapters and hundreds of photos (most slides with multiple photos), the author balances the delicate need to be explicit about the subject matter and the related photos with beautifully framed presentations avoiding sexual and erotic overtones but, rather, focusing on her obvious expertise in repect to the healthful benefits of colon cleansing through enemas taken and/or administered in the privacy and relaxation of one's home. In the times we live in with our rushed lives and often poor diets, colon cleansing is becoming important, and this work is both stunningly clear and highly informative, leading the reader to overcome trepidations and begin to think of 'giving the colon a bath' in a serious yet gentle context. More people should have the courage of this author to forthrightly take on this subject. The only suggestion I have is that the publisher eventually do a print version.

This CD has hundreds of classy photos of men and women doing home enemas (way more than warrented or in good taste) and they all are anatomicly correct if you know what I mean. I am imberrased to have this on my computer screen because people going by think I'm on a porno site. The information is accurate and informative but if you order this CD be prepared for much more photographic reality than youd expect.

I enjoyed reading it and learned some interesting things but I've also gotten lots of mileage out of using it as a business or thank you gift.

This book should be read by all parents/adults. Educate your children on how to keep germ free and be consistant with that teaching. Many illnesses/deaths can be avoided by following the simple steps given in this book.

This book is chock full of great tips. It's breezy and informative style is definitely geared for those who love trivia and for the compulsive worrier! It's attractively packaged and fits into a stocking.

BE SAFE is a safe gift that I am giving to all my loved ones. It is a humorous approach to many of the kinds of problems that you want to save them from without being preachy.

This book is brimming with tons of useful and eye-opening tips that channel the hypochondriac in everyone. The author has done an exhaustive amount of research on the hazards of our day to day choices--many of which I have never even thought twice about. The mini packaging makes it an adorable and handy gift.

Definitely a great book for a beginner juicer! You CANNOT imagine how great some juices taste! The recipes are simple and straightforward to make and after you see some of the recipes, you almost feel like trying new ones on your own. For those of you who have never tried anything other than bottled juice, this will definitely be a pleasant change. The only thing I find missing in this book (which is why I gave it 4 stars) is some kind of calorie count for the juices. It is certain that the primary source of calories for all juices (not smoothies) will be only carbs and they may not be too much but it will be definitely a lot easy to add a juice to your diet plan if only you knew how many calories the glass of juice contains. Since there is very little information for each of the juices given in the book (and a lot of empty space around it), it will be a real plus if approximate calorie count is added (since calorie count will depend on the quantity of juice extracted which in turn depends on the size of the fruit or vegetable). But otherwise, definitely recommended!

Just received this book with my new juicer. This book is great. It is well organized, grouping juicer recipes according to primary ingredients. It also gives ratings for each juice recipe according to its potential for boosting immunity, detox, etc. A great book for any juicer, novice or veteran.

What a great little book! As a beginning juicer, this book was exactly what I needed to put our family on the road to better nutrition. With few ingredients and a clear explanation of the benefits of each "concoction", we are thoroughly enjoying our first introduction to the juicing world. Highly recommended for not only its simple recipes but also for the attractive presentation.

I wont ever need another juicing book (nor do i want one). This book has everything a newcommer to juicing, like myself, or even an experienced juicer could use.
The recipes aren't too simple to where its like, "Duh, i know you juice lemons to make lemon juice.", but they aren't too complicated either. There is such variety in here that anyone is likely to find something that they would like. Natalie Savona even leaves helpful litle descriptions on each recpie of the juice (or smoothie) and even goes so far as to leave the vitamins in each recipie as well as a rating of 0 to 5 stars of the value it has pertaining to; energy, detoxification, immunity, skin health, and digestive health.
If you are into to juicing PICK THIS UP. I have read enough crappy reviews of other juicing books to fill this lengthy post up 100 times. Don't waste your money on anything else.

I just love this book. The first great thing is that it is spiral bound so you can leave it open to the recipe while you make it. There are hundreds of recipes for juices, smoothies, frozen fruit slushes, fizzy quenchers and even some fruit infused teas. Every drink has a side bar on the things it is good for ie: detox, energy etc. and in the back it lists various ailments and which drinks are good for them.On top of this all the drinks I have tried so far have been wonderful. I am very pleased with this book.