health Books

This is a wonderfully inspiring and reassuring story. Mary Jo has given us a generous and lovely gift, sharing so much of her journey. And the writing, with the collaboration of Mary Harper, is superb. I know the writing is very good when I can imagine that I am right there in the experience.

As a psychotherapist and art therapist, I was impressed with how Mary's near-death experience brought her to what we call a "teachable moment," that space in which we suddenly perceive life in a radically different way. The book reinforces the value of connectedness--within ourselves, to our families and friends, and to God, however we might perceive God to be. I found myself grateful for Mary Jo, and the grace that she is able to extend by being present to people she encounters during their teachable moments. This book is short and simply written, yet speaks volumes. I recommend it to anyone in the health profession seeking to understand the connection between health and spirituality.

Mary Jo Rapini's intimate story of suffering and recovering from a brain aneurysm is nothing short of inspirational and speaks of the important role played by family, friends, and health care professionals in the healing process. Even those of us who identify as agnostic or atheist can respect and learn from Rapini's need to put her faith in a God as she bravely confronts her own mortality. Is God Pink? Dying to Heal, is a beautifully written and carefully constructed book. A worthwhile read for anyone who has ever faced a serious health crisis.

Mary Jo Rapini's book is a must read for anyone who works with illness, lives with or cares for ailing loves ones, or anyone facing or reluctant to explore one's own mortality. This work left me inspired, hopeful and humbled.

It's difficult to say that I 'enjoyed' this book ---- it's hard to read about someone's near death and about cancer and find it enjoyable; but, am so glad that I did read it! Mary Jo's experiences are definitely interesting, heart wrenching, and understandable. I've been telling lots of folks about this book and even bought additional copies to give to people. I would strongly encourage anyone to buy this book!

I have had four miscarriages and through this book and finding a new doctor who is mentioned in this book...i have finally been able to figure out what the cause is...i have high natural killer cells and will need IVIG treatment for our next pregnancy...which hopefully will be soon...so if you have been TTC for a long time or have had repeated miscarriages I SO RECOMMEND this book! its NOTHING like regular doc books!

WOW! Dr. Beer is way ahead of his time and I throughly enjoyed reading his book and understand more about the world of miscarriage and infertility! The only down fall of this book is the medical terminology that most may not understand. Some parts were over my head...but Dr. Beer's theories make complete sense in how the author explains them.

The book has some very interesting ideas as to why failures happen. It can be pretty boring and repetitive at times though, very dry. It doesn't seem to be really written by Dr. Beers, it just has quotes from him every once in a while.

This book was extremely helpful! I read it cover to cover in a matter of days. Dr. Beer et al have certainly made it easy to understand and explain reasons for unexplained infertility and loss. I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered through either infertility and/or recurrent miscarriages. In the reference section it lists the clinics which provide the type of care he discusses. I made an appt immediately with Dr. Kwak as she is the closest to our home. She is a gift to work with!

If your best friend was a book it would be this one. Dr Beer describes in easy to understand words how the immune system can go into overkill in some women. The result is miscarriage, IVF failure and infertility. But these outcomes can be prevented with the right tests and treatments. I read this book and found it technical when necessary but with lots of human interest stories and studies to back everything up. The authors did a good job making this book accessible to ordinary women and also credible for when they take it to show their doctors. It is not dry like the other reviewer said, it is factual and makes a complex subject understandable. The book is ahead of its time and will make infertility and miscarriage a far less frequent event if only it was more widely known to the medical profession. I had twins as a result of Dr Beer's treatments. I wasted many years and many $s consulting with narrow minded doctors before finding him. I recommend this book with all my heart to all those women who were once suffering like I was. The tests and treatments are out there and this book tells you where to find them.

If your planing to run a marathon is would be one of the best books you'll read for training. Training is very important because with out training what would be the point of running. This book will give u tips on running, eating, keeping track of your running, how to set little goals, and how impotant it is to finish. A marathon is not some thing you do when you wake up in the morning. You have to training consistently.

The concept of this book was very appealing to me. Not only does the book take you through a very simple approach to fitness for "busy" people, it seems to be a perfect program for the average person who doesn't enjoy "working out". What can be easier than a program that teaches you to run, but if you are too tired; walk! This program teaches you to be the judge of your own progress. I liked the way author, Sue Ward, told some success stories of "average" people who followed the program and what a thrill it was for them to achieve their goals. The section on stretching and exercising was very easy to follow with just the right combination of pictures and words. This book combines a total fitness guideline (including eating) that I belive is simple to follow and easy to stick with. Especially, for someone who isn't a "super" athlete.

Sue Ward has written a book that can get anyone up off the couch and out the door to get active. Age doesn't matter. Whether a person wants to develop his or her own walking program, or whether someone wants to become a marathon runner, this book works equally well. "Just Cruising--Simple Fitness for Busy People" is the best motivator and guideline for fitness that we have seen.

Sue Ward's philosophy of exercise and healthy eating mirror our own. In our cookbook, we teach people how to eat healthy food and how to get active. There are no "magic bullets" that will make someone healthy; it's up to the individual to take action. That doesn't mean that exercise and healthy cooking need to be difficult chores. "Just Cruising" shows people the easy way to get fit. Thanks, Sue.

This is a very well written approach to the common sense of staying fit. Not only did it give me a simple and efffective program to follow but, Sue wrote it in a way that made me feel like she was right there with me. Whenever I needed a lift , I just went back to chapter 1 and "Joyce". The pressure is off! Enjoy this book.

This book is truly inspiring. I am an avid exerciser but never ran a marathon. I have cycled done step aerobics, weight trained,and swam at my health club. This book has gotten me to hit the pavement outside and enjoy another form of exercise. All of the warm up exercises can be used for any form of exercises even walking.

Arrived promptly. Book in excellent condition. Very happy and satisfied with book and service. Would purchase from again.

I struggled for a long time trying to lose weight. Once I got this book, I realized that although I was exercising and eating a decent amount of calories, I was eating WAY too much fat. I cut back to the requisite amount for my height and frame, and voila!, I started losing weight immediately. I've lost almost 20 pounds in the last 11 months, and I feel much more knowledgeable and in control now that I'm armed with the information I learned from this book. I always recommend it to people I know who are trying to lose weight.

After seeing so many great reviews of this book here, I borrowed it from the library. The book is a 10-week plan to improved fitness and is more geared to women. Each week, Kathy focuses on one nutrition concept and one body part--for example, Week 1 is "Fat and Abs." After a few pages describing the concepts for the week, there are a series of worksheets to help you keep track of your exercise and eating for that week. This format continues for all 10 weeks, which means that the bulk of the book is made up of the worksheets rather than actual information. At the end of the book, Kathy has included sections on stretches and toning exercises for the entire body. Both sections are nice illustrated with pictures of Kathy performing the moves, and each move is described in detail.

Being someone who has exercised regularly for years and who knows basic nutrition, I didn't feel like I learned anything from this book. However, I did like the idea of keep specific logs of my eating and exercise habits, so I might try to incorporate that from this book. Even though this book wasn't really for me, it would be great for someone wanting to get started on the path to healthy eating and exercise but who has no idea where to begin. Kathy is extremely non-threatening, and she takes you through everything you need to know step-by-step. However, you should be aware that if you follow Kathy's plan, you will need to obtain a separate book that lists fat and calorie contents for foods; Kathy makes several recommendations for these at the start of her book.

While I wouldn't call this book an unqualified success for me, it's definitely one of my most valued resources for fitness for the strength training aspect alone.

I have several books on strength training for women, but this one is definitely my favorite. Each week of the ten calls for a slightly different set of 12 toning exercises. Every week Kathy emphasizes a particular body part/muscle group - for example, abs, back, or shoulders - and there may be several exercises that week for that particular body part. Each week also includes exercises that work just about every major part of your body. By doing the full ten-week cycle, you'll have worked each muscle group pretty well, and there is plenty of room for improvement by adding weights, sets and/or repetitions.

There are clear black-and-white photographs demonstrating how to perform the exercises. All you need are three sets of dumbbells to start with (e.g., 3 lb., 5 lb. and 8 lb.), a chair, and a firm pillow. The calf exercise calls for a step (like those used in aerobic step programs), but if you have stairs in your home that will work fine, too.

The other aspects of the book - nutrition and diet advice, stretching, etc. - round out the information and give you a complete basis for fitness, although I don't focus on cutting out total fat grams as much as Kathy suggests. I've come to believe that keeping track of total calories, combined with striving to meet the USDA's food pyramid diet guidelines, is best, with fat being given secondary consideration. But that's just me.

The logs are handy and would be great if you just want to treat it like a ten-week "course curriculum," but I have been logging my food and exercise independently of the book and just using the book as a reference. Still, even though I'm not using the logs or adhering strictly to the ten-week program, I find this book invaluable for my basic strength training routine.

I've just ordered my third copy of this book, because I love it so much. I really helps to teach you about fitness and nutrition gradually, rather than throwing everything at you at once -- it's all about life style changes, not a quick fix. It's also been a great way to get me on track when I've slipped a little bit, or need to refocus on nutrition. It's a wonderful tool!

Long after completing it, the rich canvas Mr. Correa paints in this page-turning thriller is still vivid in my mind. Highly recommended!

This is an excellent book, a real page turner... yet the author did his research regarding the Hepatitis C Virus. He combines fiction (or is it?) with reality.

If Kokopelli Theory is any indication of his talents, here's to hoping that Kevin Correa has a long career as a fiction writer ahead of him. His first novel is about as tight, well thought out, plausible and just plain exciting as I have read in years. Intrigue, international cover-ups, murder, you name it. This is a page turner in the truest sense.

I never have taken the time to write a review, but I felt I HAD to after reading The Kokopelli Theory. What a fascinating premise! The book spins a wonderful suspense involving the origins of the deadly Hepatitus C virus. It was all very convincing, though I know it is fiction. There were excellent twists that made this one of the best reads I've had in ages. This book kept me reading and reading until I finished--In a single sitting! A friend recommended it to me, knowing I loved this genre, and I've been spreading the word ever since. Hard to believe this is Kevin Correa's first novel. He reads like a very seasoned author. I've been checking the listings, hoping for a second book! Thank you Mr. Correa for such a fantastic ride.

Deftly written by Kevin Correa, The Kokopelli Theory is a dark and compelling novel about conspiracy, and one man's quest to bring the truth to light. When graduate student Sean Graham pursues his theory considering the true origin of the Hepatitis C Virus, he finds himself drawn into a maze of rituals, blackmail, and ruthless hidden figures that threaten his life and test his resolve. An exciting saga with twists and turns, The Kokopelli Theory is original and highly recommended reading!

I read this book with my wife each taking assignments and reporting back after a day or two. What an incredible read and experience. There is a wealth of challanging material in this book to help anyone wishing to expand themselves into a more thoughtful person.

A pure blessing that has potential and material to make a substancial upswing in one's life.
Rocco

I have been a fan of the Merills, since their synergistic work with Stephen Covey with "First Things First".

I am not married yet, nor do I have a job, but I find this book so practical and I am convinced as I grow up into the various future stages of my life, the wisdom within it, will become more and more obvious.

I really like the idea that balance is not in "balancing the scale" but in "balancing".

The sections that deals with Time Matters and Money Matters, is worth more than the price of the book. When I was browsing through the book, and got to read the Money Matrix diagram, I almost jumped out of my skin. I always felt the Time Matrix is always applicable to one's personal finance. I was so delighted to know the Merrills felt the same and has wrote and developed it further in this book. The book also feature a quote from my favorite personal finance guru, Robert Kiyosaki.

If you have a friend who is getting married, this would be an excellent gift to a newly wed couple. I recently gifted one to my best friend. Since the book is quite expensive for us living in India, I along with a group of friends, decided to give it together.

It's a book worth to be made a family heirloom. I am sure anyone would find it helpful. Its a rare diamond in the overly cluttered world of self-help books. Most self-help books offer advice, but ended up with platitudes and rehash of ideas. We need books like this one.

Another beautiful aspect to this book is the author's recognition that more than offering answers to people, it is more important to help people develop their ability to find the answer within. This is what they called navigational intelligence. It is the effort to develop personal conscience, and listening to it.

Its a book that will never leave my reading desk and will be refered to again and again and again, till I end this life and buried six feet under.

Thanks Roger and Rebecca for an enduring legacy for generations to come. I pray more and more people will embrace your message. If we all do the world will be a better place to live in.

New books telling you how to improve your life come off the presses every week, maybe every day. Some are bad, and you realize you have wasted your time. Some are average, and you might learn a few new things, but they aren't all that memorable. Some are great, and you go back to them again and again. "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" is one of the great books. Years later people remember it, talk about it, and reread it.

"Life Matters" is a great book. It covers a lot of good ideas, the thoughts and observations are well presented, and the book reads quickly.

The first chapter starts off talking about what is important in life. The authors focus on four areas: work, family, time, and money. They have a quiz to help in your self-assessment of how you are doing in each of these four areas. A big message of this book is there doesn't have to be conflict between the four areas.

The next chapter covers three things you have to do in any area of your life. The three "gotta do's" are:

1) Validate your expectations. You have to confront reality, for if you have an unrealistic expectation you will be frustrated. The authors make the point that the direction you are heading is more important than how fast you are going.

2) Optimize Effort. Look for ways to get the maximum benefit for your effort, and make sure your decisions are aligned with your goals.

3) Develop your "Navigational" intelligence. This is the ability to be aware of your changing environment, so that what looked like an important task at the start of the day may have to take a back seat when your boss gives you a new assignment, or a child needs attention.

The next four chapters are on: work, family, time, and money, with a chapter on each area. The authors weave each of the above three "gotta do's" into each area. For each area they explore different ways people see the area, for example how do you see your family, or your money. And then they discuss what is the reality. They have a list of "optimizers" which are techniques for getting the maximum benefit for your effort. And they talk about how to be flexible when situations change.

"Seven Habits" mentions a Time Matrix, which is a two dimensional matrix based on how important something is, and how urgent it is. Many people waste time on things that aren't important, or get caught up doing things that are important and urgent. Stephen Covey explores why doing things that aren't urgent, but important, can make a great difference in your life. For me one of the gems of "Life Matters" was exploring this same matrix in relation to money. The Merrill's point is that it is best to invest your money with the same Quadrant II focus, things that aren't urgent, but are important. For me, that idea alone was worth reading the book. There were a number of similar gems scattered through the book.

The last chapter was titled "Wisdom Matters" and here the authors explore why wisdom is important, and how to improve your wisdom. One of the points they strongly make is to develop an ongoing daily self-important program. The idea is to spend a few minutes each day improving your understanding of life, and how to make better decisions.

This is a great book. If you are interested in improving your life, buy this book, read this book, and then reread it. It will help you get better control of your life. For as the Merrills say, life does matter.

This book is one of many that build off Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," and is a more in-depth discussion of prioritizing (Living in Quadrant II for those who speak Covey). This book is divided into four sections that reflect the four biggest concerns Americans face--the workplace, the family, time, and money. The basic message of the book is that one must think in terms of "investing," whether it be money, time, or effort. It is important to examine what one invests in so that maximum returns can be paid on that investment. As an example, investing money in a car yeilds a much lower return (a negative return) than investing in a mutual fund. Investing time in televison watching yields a much lower return than helping your child with his homework. Investing in effort in a long-term project that is still months away yields a much higher return than filling out some pretty-unnecessary paperwork. Other commentators are correct when they say that the examples of theory-in-action can be fairly unrealistic (even though they really happened!), but they illustrate the authors' points well. I would first recommend the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. If you find that helpful (and I imagine you will), this book is an excellent follow-up to it.

Prioritizing the building blocks of life - family, work, money and time - is paramount to happiness. Some people do it unconsciously by living within their intellectual and monetary expectations. Others need a framework for balance, such as the one that authors A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill provide. To achieve personal balance, the authors suggest becoming a better team player, working more effectively, learning about finances and setting home and work priorities. They establish the goal of building a strong family, centered around parental "family leadership." Do they successfully address the knotty issues they raise? Yes, in a folksy way. This is a useful self-help manual with checklists, self-assessments and personal anecdotes, which are sometimes touching, but sometimes impractical or saccharine. Though the management advice dons motivational language, the sections on family and work are particularly worthwhile. The authors deliver a solid antidote to misplaced modern values, albeit wrapped in some fluffy trappings. We recommend this book to corporate officers and human resource personnel, as well as to individuals seeking balance.

Long Goodbye: The Deaths Of Nancy Cruzan by William H. Colby is the in-depth and true story of a judicial trial concerning Nancy Cruzan, a woman who was thrown from her vehicle and suffered horrific injuries. Since that tragic accident, Nancy has remained in a coma for five years, until her family abandoned hope for her revival and requested the removal of Nancy's feeding tube so her life could end peacefully. But the state intervened and denied the family's wishes. Thus began a extended legal battle began over who had the authority and the right to authorize the end of medical intervention with respect to a patient like Nancy. Long Goodbye is a profoundly emotional story of striving to do what one hopes is the right thing, in accordance with the wishes of those who cannot speak for themselves -- and the role of government to intrude into family and medical issues. This is a profoundly important issue that plays out in our hospitals and nursing homes every day. At the crux of the matter is the right to life, the right to die, and who has the final authority over a loved one caught up in a plight similar to Nancy Cruzan and her family.

no matter the side you take in the persistent vegetative state, this book exposes you to the intricate details of life and death matters. William Colby is not only an outstanding lawyer but a great author. the book is detailed with facts and carries you into a world that we dont normally think about or decide to ignore: the world of legal matters concerning death and what happens if this is a personal matter. you'll learn a lot from this book aside from it being an interesting and engaging read!!!!!!!!!

I really am enjoying this book. Although I am reading it as an assignment, I believe I would have read it regardless.

Despite this book being written by the lawyer who represented the parents of Nancy Cruzan who wanted feeding apparatus to be withdrawn and thus to have Nancy die, this book presents the issues and the struggle fairly and even-handedly. This is shown in a way since after reading it I conclude the U.S Supreme Court's decision was right--in the circumstances shown the family could without monetary loss have permitted their child to not be starved to death. The account of the trial and of the appellate history of the case is absorbing and shows the author is an able lawyer, admirable in representing his clients. I have no hesitancy in saying if it had been my child I would not have gone to the efforts which Nancy's father went to in order to have his child die. But psychologically Nancy's parents wanted the living death to end and their lawyer was right to seek the relief his clients desired. An extraordinary book.

During my training as a chaplain at Baylor University Medical Center, it was considered part of the "dues" of training that one would take lots of being on-call at the hospital for handling of emergencies. To that end, there was a "call room" where a chaplain could catch a little sleep, while waiting. On one of those sleepless nights in the call room, I viewed a Frontline special on the story of Nancy Beth Cruzan. She was a young woman, fully alive, who, as a result of a terrible accident, would become a test case for end-of-life matters for years to come. After seeing that special, I was deeply touched by the need to convey what our wishes were for the ends of our lives.

The Nancy Beth Cruzan case took the better part of ten years before resolution. The lawyer who fought for her right to be disconnected from the feeding tube was William Colby, the author of this outstanding book. Those of us on the front lines of trying to help families prepare for the issues they will face at the end of life will find insight into the ramifications of that case, as well as grist for the mill of the work that we are doing.

Colby is a highly readable author (at times, I felt like I was reading a Grisham novel), the Cruzan's case is deeply compelling, the story is truly tragic, and readers will come away with an appreciation of the law and concepts that are involved in pursuing these matters. There are several important story lines running throughout this volume: There are the lawyers, one who pulls an unexpected punch; the politicians, aiming for re-election; the Cruzans, especially Nancy's father, Joe, a salt-of-the-earth laborer, broken to the core over the loss of his little girl; a common sense probate judge, just trying to do the right thing; and the right-to-life movement (with whom we generally have sympathy, but not in this case). Indeed, under the skillful telling of Mr. Colby, law itself becomes a character, fickle at times, inflexible at others, and, at the last, compassionate.

ElderHope heartily recommends this excellent book.

A very easy book to read with great, realistic exercises to get yourself going after having a baby!

This is very easy to read and fun to do the exercises.

Lose That Baby Fat: Bouncing Back The First Year After Having A Baby: A Mom-friendly Fitness Program by La Reine Chabut is an informative exploration and encouraging mapping and reference for women worried for not being able to lose their post-natal additional weight. Diligently guiding its readers through the expertise and knowledgeable strategies of the author, Lose That Baby Fat offers a thoroughly "reader friendly" understanding of how and what makes a body work to loose fat and weight after having a baby. Lose That Baby Fat is very highly recommended for all mothers and soon-to-be mothers as an easy-to-follow, helpful reference for quick and effective post-natal weight loss.

this book is written with a great sense of humor and highlights a new body part to work on each month which makes it easy to discover you can be successful with your goals.

I had two babies 14 months apart and I can tell you that this book can and will improve the fitness life of even the busiest moms. It's great alone as a comprehensive fitness plan or even as a supplement to an already established routine. The workouts are simple, practical, and efficient, producing maximum results with relatively little effort.

I had pvc's and pac's for 14 years. Was told by a group of doctors at one of the best hospitals on the east coast that I might have 6 months left. They gave me all the usual heart meds, stomach meds, and over 100 ekg's, heart monitors, halter monitors, a recorder I pressed to my chest...etc. All of which would only record sporadic painful arrythmia's

I tried Magnesium, Centrum, Vitamin C, Accupuncture (helped more than anything else), meditation, and even a psychologist. If I heard the word "psychosamatic" or "in my head" one more time...

I started MagOx in the fall of 2005 and 48 hours later my symptoms went from over 4000 (not a typo, yes, somtimes 4000) pvc's a day to 2 or 3 a week. I can exercise again and no longer have 90% of my chest pain.

I don't know about all the other symptoms, but if my story can help just one other person (I suffered horrendously for years) than I highly recommend just trying this supplement. It can't hurt. I take 400mg a day, which is about the same as what you receive in 2 cups of Broccoli or such.

Oddly, I haven't had the flu since I started it now that I think about it.

I have no affiliations with this book or the writer or any medical agency. I sell Servers and network setups in Washington D.C.

Chad Laibly
Annandale, VA

I can hardly add anything useful to all the other reviews here, except to say that I admire the heck out of late Dr. Seelig, who has contributed so valuably to the magnesium literature.

Scientists who do basic research in the not-so-sexy fields of vitamins and minerals are our unsung heroes. They aren't motivated by the glamor, that's for sure, or for the big bucks. And because so much is already known about vitamins and minerals, there's little chance for a "break-out" discovery that will shoot their name to stardom. Instead, they keep patiently refining what we already know, applying it to more and more biological processes.

I can only imagine that their motivation is helping us all to stay healthy and avoid the suffering that comes with diseases. And, perhaps it the elegant simplicity that draws them. Imagine....preventing or curing so many diseases that are endemic in our society with a simple element that will not harm us. What pharmaceutical can claim that? (I'm grateful for the "miracles" of pharmaceuticals, too, but it's hard to argue that most don't come with side effects.)

Mildred Seelig was such a scientist. And we owe her so much.

This book should required reading in high school health classes. It could prevent so many problems later in life.

Gina Pera, author
Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Stoppingthe Roller Coaster When Someone You Love Has Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHDRollerCoaster.com

I had "burn out" more than a year ago. The symptoms were similar to panic disorder and agoraphobia. My doctor believed that antidepressant, tranquilizers, beta blockers, sport and time are good enough treatment. The situation did improve with that, but very very slowly.

After about six months I was able to quit REGULAR tranquilizer usage, with the help of beta blockers. After that I have been able to reduce somewhat the beta blocker usage, but I still needed to use it several times per week. And I was not able to quit using the antidepressants. My trials for reducing it led always to very wild and scary heartbeats.

Then something happened. I found this book and it changed my life immediately!!! I have not needed the beta blockers after the very same day I started to take magnesium&kalium supplement. It really makes my heart run smoothly, I don't feel it beating anymore in a strange way for example when trying to sleep! And my dizziness is gone. And the situation seems to get better and better all the time! I just reduced the antidepressant usage a couple of days ago and I'm very confident that now I can slowly quit using it!

I have been using quite huge amounts of magnesium now in the beginning. The last four days I have taken 1200 mg per day, and I'm feeling just great! Even the last 200 mg or so in the evening makes me feel better. But I suppose I have to reduce the dosage soon.

It was this book that helped me to find out that my body was suffering from lack of magnesium! It is nice to know that after all there is nothing wrong with my head :-)

This is book is very informative. The studies done by these doctors is well written and understandable. Lot's of info. you should know. Great as a study tool as well. You all should read it!!!

When I found I was suffering from many of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, I looked on Amazon and found two very highly rated books - "The Magnesium Factor" and "The Magnesium Miracle". Unable to decide between the two, I ordered them both.

Both books are great resources on magnesium but there are some very important differences between them:

"The Magnesium Factor" spends a lot of time discussing the results and debating the conclusions of magnesium research. It also goes into great detail about the biochemical processes that are involved in various magnesium-dependent reactions in the body. While this is important data, it may be overkill for the average reader. In my opinion, this book would be better suited to health professionals or those with scientific backgrounds who need and/or want more detailed information.

"The Magnesium Miracle" by Carolyn Dean provides the pertinent research and biochemical information in a concise and easily readable format that would likely be more accessible to the layperson. This is the book I would recommend to family and friends.

I think "Making Love Again" is a must for couples that are about to go through Prostate Surgery. I wish we would have had Keith and Virginias story to read when my husband went through it. It was so informative and true. We were not told enough by our Doctor either. We never really knew enough about the outcome and no one told us of the shots that now we do use. The psychological side is so very important for both husband and wife, it certainly should be addressed before, so you know what to expect.
Thank you all for writing the book. It's not so lonely out there with others sharing their feeling with you.

Rhondabe

This book is written by a husband and wife who continue to experience permanent impotence as a result of prostate cancer sugery. The book is structured like a "diary" with dated entires over a several-year period written separately by both husband and wife who are honest about their fears, disappointments and frustrations. It does not dwell on the surgery itself, but focuses on the post-surgical successes and disappointments as they try to engage in sexual relations using various options. It focuses on the loving relationship between the spouses, but it is also realistic about sexual needs -- from both partners' perspectives.

My husband is a young 65 and I am 46; we read this book out loud together about 9 months post-prostatectomy surgery, and it was tremendously helpful to both of us. After the surgery, the doctor had told us that impotence was unlikely in our situation, so we were not prepared for it. The book was particularly helpful with dealing with the disappointment we both felt in this regard. The book also helped us to see that most couples have to struggle with several alternatives for intimacy over a lengthy period and that not every option works for every couple.

The book was not at all preachy, but instead was subtly encouraging to my husband to be open to trying a wide variety of options that we probably would not have considered otherwise. (It does not suggest anything kinky). It gave us information that allowed us to resume [drug-induced] intercourse, which we believed was physically impossible.

A big relevation for me was that impotency is not always an "all or nothing" concept. I had no idea how discouraging it can be for a male who simply doesn't know whether he can or cannot physically perform -- or whether he will ever be able to.

The theme of the book is not to quit looking for satisfactory ways to experience intimacy and sexuality -- whatever that may look like in your personal situation. It does discuss a very intimate topic, but it does so in an honest way and it was not as difficult to read outloud together as I had expected. It gave us detailed information that we did not know and that we would never have felt comfortable asking for from our physician. Having read the book, we knew what the doctor was talking about when he suggested various options.

I definitely recommend this book, regardless of the reason for the impotence issues. I think it would be most useful for a couple -- it is written by and for heterosexual couples, but it would be equally applicable to homosexual couples as well. In my opinion, the book would be less useful for singles, although it could be helpful for a single female who is considering or is in a relationship with a male with impotence issues.

14 years after my husband's first diagnosis of prostate cancer I learned several facts in this book, but, most important, for the first time it has made me begin to believe that things CAN be different for us if we both choose to work at it.

Diagnosis. Treatment he chose and I said I'd support was radiation and we *thought* we'd been told about all the possible longterm effects. NOT SO! Six years later I saw a vital, athletic, physical man feeling totally becoming afraid of, tense about, uninterested in our previously-fabulous sex life. Finally, this week when I read this book, we learned that some impotence develops much later from radiation than from surgery, but it *will* develop!

Then depression. Deep. Sullen. Withdrawal from interests and from me. Our physician prescribed medication and counseling. The counselor saw him *once* and said, "Go home and don't be so passive!" Flat, flat affect. No joy. But he kept *trying*, bless him!

Then four years ago recurrence! It took my husband
over 6 months to choose a treatment and he only did so then because our doctor and I insisted on it! Surgery. At our city's outstanding cancer center. SUCCESS. His PSA is undetectable.
He does have some mild incontinece.

The surgery team introduced us to Muse. It worked 90% for us and the team was very excited for us. We used it once. Once in 3 1/2 years! From then on my husband has just refused to act on sex, talk about sex.

I've tried everything. I've begged my husband to return to the team and ask them for direction. He couldn't bring himself to do that. We grew farther and farther apart. My heart was breaking. I felt unattractive and sad and rejected.

Last week I read this book. I finished it in two sittings. And I was deeply touched and am now full of hope and new courage. When I handed it to my husband I only said that it was the most important thing that has happened to us in 14 years. I said it has touched me deeply and asked him to read it this week so we can discuss it next weekend. He promised he will read it tonight.....but, interestingly, he has gone to bed early not feeling well. Whether it's another "avoiding" or a real headache I won't know but a few days. But I really believe that when he does read it he will see he's not alone. He'll see we are not alone.

Right now I'm going to order several copies. I'll give one to each of our adult children so they'll know where we've been in our marriage. One will go to our surgery team to share with patients. Another will go to our family doctor so she can read it and have more personal knowledge of what prostate couples go through.

This is one of the five most important books in my life.

This is a great book on the subject of impotence. I am an 8 year Prostate Cancer survivor and this book tells it like it is. Virginia and Keith are to be commended for sharing the intimate details of their recovery.

This is great information for anyone dealing with the effects of prostate cancer. It provides a roadmap for working through the side effects of most prostate cancer treatments.

For Virginia the decision seemed easy, Keith's fear of becoming impotent from the prostatectomy was irrational in relation to the possibility of dying. How could he even think that being able to have sex was as important as living? For Keith the decision was not as easy. With his male ego wrapped up in the decision and the importance of being able to have sex with his wife it just was not as simple. After deciding in favor of the operation there was a lot of adjustments to be made and Virginia found that things were a lot more complex than she had imagined.

In "Making Love Again", Virginia and Keith Laken invite the reader into their personal lives and the difficulties they faced as a result of his prostatectomy. Their thoughts, fears, hopes, and disappointments are laid bare to the reader as they openly discuss deeply personal questions and feelings. If you ever wanted to know what it is like to deal with impotence in a marital relationship this book deals with the emotional struggles that are not normally discussed openly. The power of a loving commitment, strength for the challenge, and hope shine through as well as a true commitment to help others through the copious listing of sources of help in the appendix.

Readers should be cautioned that because this book necessarily discusses sexual intimacy between two people some may find it too graphic at points. On the other hand, it shows the extent to which the authors are letting the reader into their personal lives. "Making Love Again" is a very highly recommended book for those going through concerns about a prostatectomy or any sudden impotency of a permanent or temporary nature.