Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America

Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial AmericaI was so excited when I got this book as I am highly interested in plants that were used during colonial times in America. I am especially interested in what the plant useage was (food, medicine, construction etc) and was hoping to discover some new information on both native and introduced plants during that time.

Oh how HIGHLY disappointed I was! The introduction was the only part of the entire book that was written in adult language. I discovered that this is an unedited reprint of a book written as a compilation of information by a group of women in the 1970s. I don't know who they are, but this book should be rewritten at minimum for the writing style.

The information presented is also unclear and often incorrect. In many places, the authors fail to distinguish between actual use and function of a plant and folk lore and mythology. The processing of plants to useful forms (poultices, tinctures etc) is misinterpreted by these authors, and the pictures associated with many of the plants are often useless unless one knows what the plant looks like in reality.

Over all, this books could be MUCH better than it in fact is.

This little book was a great find. It's a Dover reprint of a much earlier gem that might otherwise have been lost. It is pleasant to read and makes a great reference, as it is well researched and documented. Particularly useful if you are researching early plant uses, early gardening, and early folk medicine in the colonial U.S.

Buy Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America Now

This is a great little book with full descriptions, etc. of herbs. A nice read and handy to take along on RV trips to shop and identify herbs. Thank you. A great add to my herb book collection.

Read Best Reviews of Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America Here

This is a very good reference book on herbs grown in Colonial times. Carefully researched by the Colonial Dames of America, it gives you some very interesting facts and plant lore about the herbs grown in those times and how they used them. It also contains a sketch of each plant. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that it does not give you planting instructions or zones where each herb can be safely planted. If you are an herb lover you will enjoy this book.

Want Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America Discount?

This slim volume not only identifies herbs commonly found in colonial American gardens, it also tells why our ancestors grew them. Whether medical, mystical or culinary, everything in the garden had a purpose. I enjoyed that the authors provided historical lore for each plant as well as descriptions on how it was used or prepared. For instance, liquor distilled from lily of the valley "smeared on the forehead and back of the neck makes one to have good common sense."

Save 6% Off

Super Nutrition Gardening

Super Nutrition GardeningWhile I do not agree with a few of the techniques that are put forth, i.e. double digging, it has some useful information and is worth havingjust research methods before you implement them because some are actually harmful to the soil food web.

this book is rare, but most of the novel information is contained within a few pages, i recommend finding it and photocopying those pages.....with legal permission of course wink wink

Buy Super Nutrition Gardening Now

Style Eyes

Style Eyesthis is a fun yet slightly predictable book. It starts off with the basics of eyes, the tools, eye shapes, false lashes etc. It is fairly repetitive of other makeup books in that respect but Chang keeps it quick and to the point, I like that. She then goes into the fun stuff, she does more than just your basic smokey eye look and your daytime work look. She uses bright and vibrant colors, i believe there is a look with some rhinestones on it, and some fun lip looks. As for step by step looks, she only has 2, and they are how to acheive the smokey look. The other eye looks in the book simply give you the color she uses and a tool to apply it. So for beginners looking on a how to, this might not be a really helpful books, but for those who have the basics of makeup technique down, replicating the looks is easy to do. Througout the book, she has a variety of eye shapes but not a variety of skin tones. Overall it isn't a bad book to have in the collection, I can see myself looking at it for a nice quick and easy look if i'm in a makeup rut.

I got this book as a gift and plan to buy 3 more for all my makeup junkie friends! I'm a busy mom of 2 beautiful and super active boys who never gave up her love of makeup. I don't have time to go to the Mac counter to learn how to do a smokey eye and now I don't have to. Chang-Babaian lays it all out for you. She also states that you don't have to throw out your shimmery eyeshadow just because you're 35 plus. As a Latina, I like the fact that women of all ethnicities are included. The women look real and beautiful instead of model-types. I know this is a book I will return to again and again.

Buy Style Eyes Now

I really liked this book when I got it, and then I realized why I liked it. I already own it. Actually -twice. This book is essentially parts of Kevyn Aucoin's "Making Faces" and "Face/Forward" but with no acknowledgment for inspiration. Everything from the fonts, to the photography, to the names of the looks is all Aucoin. I'm not saying the author did this on purpose, but I bet that she is familiar with these beauty tomes which unwittingly guided her when she started to design her own book.

It's too badbecause the book is filled with great tips and easy-to-follow instructions. However, Aucoin died a decade ago, so he doesn't have a voice in this. I feel that it's only fair to acknowledge his work.

Read Best Reviews of Style Eyes Here

This is a great makeup book! I would say it is one of my top makeup books that i own. I own alot!!! She does eye makeup beautifully and explains how to do each look. And she explains it very well! I definitely recommend this book to whomever would like to learn how to do gorgeous eye makeup and beautiful eyebrows!

Want Style Eyes Discount?

This book is a pretty big disappointment. I was expecting lots and lots of ideas on different ways on how to wear eye make up with different colors and different types of eye shadows matt, shimmers, and glitters. But, sadly there are just a few and they are not special at all. The only real step-by-step that includes several photo's for each step is the part on smokey eyes. That's it. I'm really shocked why so many people rate this book so high.

Save 31% Off

Age Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your Life

Age Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your LifeJust a great little book written by two physical therapists. The idea the book is based upon is that the antidote to aging is activity. So what kind of activity do you need?

To answer this question, the book begins by having you evaluate your physical performance so you can identify those areas that you need the most work in. Thus, you complete five tests that assess your posture, strength, balance, flexibility, and enduranceor what the book calls "the five domains."

After finishing these tests, you should have a pretty good idea of what areas you need the most work on. From there, you just go to the posture chapter or the balance chapter, or the strength chapter and so onwhatever chapters you need the most.

Each chapter contains additional "tests" for the reader to do to further hone in on problem areas. These are kinda neat and very easy for just about anybody to do. After these specific tests, easy-to-do exercises are provided. For instance, the posture chapter contains a lot of stretching exercises. the strengthening exercises use a theraband which comes with the book, the balance exercises (there are eight) are simple i.e. stand on one leg, flexibility exercises which cover your neck area down to your legs, and endurance exercises such as walking, jumping rope or cycling.

The book ends with a brief chapter called "Putting It All Together" which ties up loose ends such as coping with soreness and staying consitent with exercise.

All-in-all its a neat book with a wealth of evidence-based information and simple exercises you can do with little or no equipment. Other books I liked in the body repair genre include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem or rotator cuff tear that keeps you from exercising. Good luck with the tune-up!

Three times in the last several years, I have had physical problems bad enough to require a PT (physical therapist). Each time, the PT helped me get back to health. Two of these times, the PT allowed me to avoid surgery. I came away with great respect for the philosophies, skills, and knowledge that PTs have.

Now I find that, while I don't have any major physical problems, I need something to keep my body at its best. There are many books about staying fit past 50. I wanted one written by a PT. I could find two, this one and another book Marilyn Moffat wrote with Steve Vickery. This is by far the better book.

This book breaks fitness down into 5 categories: Posture, Strength, Balance, Flexibility, and Endurance. For each category, the book offers a series of simple self-evaluations. Then the book offers several exercises for each of these five categories. What makes this book particularly helpful is that exercises are targeted according to the results of the self-evaluations. I was able to find those areas where I need the most help, then target the exercises that help me the most.

Buy Age Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your Life Now

As an exercise trainer myself, I was delighted to see a book on exercise by physical therapists, the real exercise specialists. Because they have the medical background to safely prescribe exercises which respect our aging joints, I highly recommend this book to those over 50 and those under 50 who want to embark on an exercise routine. It is well written, clear, concise and easily understandable and useable. Given that it is so necessary for all of us to work on maintaining good posture and balance, this book maps out exercises with precise instructions and photos to specifically focus on these areas. It provides an excellent explanation of the aging process and the changes that occur within our bodies, and then prescribes exercises to counteract and work with these changes. The exercises will help those who want to gain strength and endurance, increase flexibility, and improve balance. My personal recommendation (after you have read the book) is to suggest hiring a physical therapist to come to your home to help you fine tune your program, see that you are doing the exercises correctly, and to offer a few alternatives as well.

Mady Goldstein, M.S.W., NYC

Read Best Reviews of Age Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your Life Here

This is a book that will help ease you back into fitness. I recommend it to friends who would like to get started on a fitness program and don't know where to start, as well as a few who have injured themselves and want to continue exercising. To date, I've purchased three copies for myself and close friends.

Here's my experience with Age Defying Fitness. I purchased a copy after reading a NYT review with the goal of improving my posture. Upon receiving the book, I read the first seven pages then skipped to the chapter on posture. The next morning I took the posture self-assessment tests and got a baseline reading. Next I started through the chapter "8 Great Exercises for Posture". The exercises were challenging but doable and, before I knew it, I was doing them every day!

The improvement in my posture in the next three weeks was astounding, according to both the self-assessment tests and feedback from friends. I was so inspired I decided to work on my core muscles using the "8 Great Exercises for Neck and Trunk." Before I knew it my abs were strong and physical things I enjoy doing, like gardening, just got easier and easier.

I've made so much progress that I no longer regularly see my chiropractor for neck adjustments. Now I know how to release neck tension and have strengthened my back and abdominal muscles to the point that my body stays in good alignment every day. I've also been able to leverage what I learned to help me deeply relax at night. When I go to bed, I use one 10 second repetition of exercise 1, 4 and 5 from "8 great exercises for posture" and one repetition of each of the neck strengthening exercises from "8 great exercises for neck and trunk" (there are four of them) as a 3 minute relaxation sequence which prepares me to sleep.

I haven't made it through the other chapters yet. My physical progress resulting from the posture and core muscle training inspired me to start using my Bowflex again (which had become a sweater holder in the past year). However, I still do the posture and core muscle training from Age-Defying Fitness three times a week and my relaxation sequence every day to keep my posture going strong.

If you know you need to exercise and are wondering how to start, I recommend you buy this book and work your way through it. The self-asessment tests help you document your baseline and progress. Exercises are clearly written and there are photos that illustrate proper positioning for each one. Plus, each section of the book (there are five: posture, strength, flexibility, balance and endurance) starts with an explanation which helps you understand what was going on with your body as your fitness level declined over time and how to reverse the trend.

Get fit! You know you can do it. And when you do, you'll be telling others about this springboard to fitness.

Want Age Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your Life Discount?

To stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible is the goal of most of us . This book is aimed to help us in this quest. Its focus is on exercising as a means of improving our physical health. It recommends we begin by going to a physical therapist and assessing our physical health in five areas, posture, balance, flexibility, strength and endurance. After the assessment is made we then can begin to seek out the customized health plan we need.

According to the authors even the very old can improve their physical health by the proper forms of exercising. The book contains carefully described exercises to improve our situation in each of the areas involved. It also provides vital information regarding the areas concerned.

Its approach and recommendation is activist. Its implication is that leaving ourselves alone is not good enough. The physical processes of deterioration which take place for instance in bone density, and joint flexibility requre that we try to offset them through exercising.

There is no doubt that careful reading of this book, and application of its lessons will improve the health of most.

Save 31% Off

Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils

Sailor Jerry's Tattoo StencilsThis wonderful book not only includes the images of Sailor Jerry's celluloid stencils but also an overview of Sailor Jerry himself and the process and growth that the tattoo industry sustained under his keen eye. The stencil images are priceless and a true must for any true tattoo enthusiast or Sailor Jerry fan. As a bonus, the pages are perferated for easy tracing or even framing. A wonderful book.

I feel that every single tattoo artist,inspiring tattoo artist, or any kind of artists and even art historian should,must own this book. I will admit that when I read the first 15 pages cause thats all there is with any writting on. I had a tear in both my eyes. Every single page back to back is covered with Jerrys tattoo stencils. Also every page is in a very heavy duty paper and they are perforated so you can take each page out and laminate them and use in your shop or portfolio of flash to use for you customer/clients. Every page is full of history. I highly recomend this book and the otherjerrys stencil books they are a very big must have specialy for you buisness/shop you will be so excited to look at the tats not to mention the money you will make from the stencils. I noticed that every single Tattoo magazine has countless tattoos specialy the women are covered in this art. I recomend this book in a big way.

You are very welcome for the big tip.

Buy Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils Now

I purchased Sailor Jerry's tattoo designs books for my son, who is a very picky kind of guy when it comes to tattoo designs. He was really surprised and delighted with this book. It is really part of the history of the tattoo specifically the designs popular for the "traditional" folks who always liked having tattoos when they weren't popular with the younger crowd they decorate today. Sailor Jerry's designs are still "in", and many artists have started their craft doing designs that Sailor Jerry created. To me, this is really a part of the history of art, whether you want to put it on your skin or not. We highly recommend this collection of designs for anyone who wants to see variety not just the tribal stuff that one sees so much of today.

Read Best Reviews of Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils Here

How can you go wrong with a book full of stencil designs from Sailor Jerry Collins? You can't, and I highly recommend ANY book on the original Sailor Jerry. I also recommend:Revisited A Tribute to Flash from the Past (Tattoo Flash Book) and Vintage Tattoos: The Book of Old-School Skin Art and Advanced Tattooing Techniques A Guide To Tattoo Realism

Want Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils Discount?

I was looking for Pin Up Art Styles and found it all in this book. All the styles are for men & women. When You go into a tattoo shop and look at all the art work on the walls and books; this book has it all summed up. This cool book has it all.

Save 24% Off

Help Me To Heal

Help Me To HealBernie Siegel and Yosaif August have based their book on three main principles:

1. You have the right to heal, no matter what your life experience has been.

2. You can create a healing team.

3. You can learn to become the master of your life's time.

This book is divided into three main sections:

Part I: A Patient's Survival Guide This section explains how you can form a healing team, protect yourself in a variety of ways (including making sure the people caring for you wash their hands) and speaking up about anything you feel might be a mistake. Chapter 3 explains what you need to know to prepare for a hospital stay. I liked the list of healing objects you can take into the hospital to make you feel less stressed. This could range from a favorite quilt to favorite music, photos, healthy snacks and your laptop computer. This section addresses issues like having a private room or sharing a room, dealing with aromas and intrusions.

Part II: Healing Strategies for Family, Friends, and Caregivers This is a section for those who are looking after someone who is healing.

Part III: Healing Ways An interesting section on bedside yoga, breathing exercises, stretching and massage. Instructions are given for helping the healing process with the healing power of touch.

There is an extensive resource section with ideas like "bedscapes" that can be put up on a wall to help patients feel less closed into a room.

Bernie Siegel and Yosaif August have created a beautiful gift for patients and caregivers. I also hope doctors and nurses will read this book so they can observe care from the patient's perspective.

~The Rebecca Review

The coming together of Yosaif August and Bernie Siegel is truly a match made in heaven. If you or a loved one is ill, chances are you will be needing strong, wise and compassionate allies. And you'll find them through the voices of these two wonderful, often hilariously funny, always compassionate and most importantly eminently practical men. If you want to learn how to be militantly on your own side -when doing so could save your life read this book!

Buy Help Me To Heal Now

I love Bernie Seigel and his books are always wonderful and inspiring. An enjoyabole read. Cannot lose with his books.

Read Best Reviews of Help Me To Heal Here

This book is one of the most imformative and reassuring books on this topic that I have read. I highly recommend it to patients, family members and caregivers.

Want Help Me To Heal Discount?

I have a couple of other books by Bernie Siegel. They are well written and helpful to both the sick patient and the caretaker. This one is particularly good. I bought 7 of them to pass around to my friends.

Save 25% Off

Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life for a B

Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life for a Better Body and a Kinder WorldAnother fabulous book from Kim Barnouin, I truly appreciate the research she did to write this one. I had never thought about all of the chemicals lurking in my home and the book provides insight and solutions to all things toxic. I really appreciated the section on beauty products, it's unbelievable what is lurking in an innocent looking tube of lipstick. Thanks to this book I will be able to clean out my home and get rid of the products I had lying around that are potentially harmful. After reading this you will understand how to rid your furniture of nasty chemicals, clean out your old stash of harmful beauty products, create your own compost bin and grow an organic garden (even with limited space!). I highly recommend this helpful book.

So I'm a pretty healthy girl, but I had NO idea what creepy stuff was lurking in my home, beauty products, my BED, and other totally obvious places. Kim gives it straight, with no BS, which I love. I've heard about some of the concerns mentioned in this book, but she does a really good job of explaining things in a simple way (while also backing things up with research). I LOVE the Skinny Bitch books and this is just another great example of why we need to get our homes clean (in addition to our bodies!). I also found her website , that talk about all this kind of stuff as well super helpful for me personally and if you want to learn more about these topics. Definitely don't regret buying this book. I think everyone can benefit from it.

Buy Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life for a B Now

I didnt love Skinny Bitch. But this book is pretty eye opening and already I am making small changes in my life: changing my sponges (biodegrable now), new soap for my daughter, different face cream for myself, using white vinegar to clean windows, and considering others. I have recommended it to other people too. Its a book that is not a cover to cover read, but rather something to look through before bed or on the throne :)

Read Best Reviews of Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life for a B Here

I can't say enough how incredible this woman and this book is!! I have decided to change my life this year. For my son and myself. I no longer want to just live each day going through the motions and buying things because they are on sale. I want to know exactly what I am putting in and on the outside of our bodies. This book is just what I needed!!! So far most of it is shocking to me and I find myself just sitting and crying because I feel naive and I just can't believe the horrible things going on in the world and the CRAP we put in our bodies and our homes! But this book is incredible and I am so thankful that she wrote this book. I am going to recommend to everyone I know!

Want Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life for a B Discount?

Any book that tells us what is in beauty products and cleaning agents should be owned by everyone. I, myself, found out that SLS (which is in almost all shampoos and even some of the organic ones (with a different name or as a derrivative) was making me lose my hair!!! No kidding!!! Thank you, Kim, for this book!! America needs to open it's eyes. We have become a "chemical nation".

Save 60% Off

Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)

Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers SafeI hate reading anything that makes me feel anxious and initially this book sat on the shelf for weeks before I actually picked it up. I was so glad I did because there is such valuable information in here and I actually feel better about my child's safety than I did before.

Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe and Parents Sane is about how to teach your child to trust her instincts when it comes to safety. Since 90% of child abuse and abductions occur by people well-known to your child, teaching her to talk to strangers just doesn't work. Instead, the author gives you detailed and logical steps to take, starting as early as toddlerhood, so you'll know how to help your child learn to follow her instincive feelings about whether someone is safe or not.

Crucial information about how to be prepared for (God forbid but we should all be prepared just in case) the event that your child may be seperated from you in public. Examples include making a daily detailed mental note of the clothing your child is wearing, keeping large photocopies of your child's picture and name in your purse/wallet so you can hand them out to security personel within seconds of your child's disappearance and an action plan for immediate implementation.

There is SO much in this book every bit of it worth reading so you can protect your child and I can't recommend it strongly enough. Read it NOW and be prepared.

I enjoyed most of this book but was quite surprised by the information in the back that children with autism can be dangerous and may become dangerous adults. First of all, most children with autism are extremely literal and incapable of lying or deceit. They are also unlikely to plot an attack or to be bullies of any kind because they tend to be shy and wary of people and the last thing they would want to do is initiate a contact.

Autistic children often do have sensory issues, and they might RESPOND inappropriately, i.e., if you accidentally (or deliberately) bump an autistic child at the water fountain they may overreact by yelling, screaming, or pushing/hitting you back. But this is still quite different from an autistic child masterminding how to hurt another child or being a predator something that I seriously doubt has ever happened. And if it has, then it is less a symptom of the child's AUTISM and more a symptom of other problems the child might have the same problems that would motivate ANY child to hurt someone else.

Well anyway, on balance I think this is a very good book with useful ideas about trusting your instincts.

Buy Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) Now

While expecting our first baby and then as new parents, my wife and I received loads of excellent advice from friends and family regarding childbirth, doctors, baby-care, day-care, formula brands, etc. Last week, as a father with 8 weeks of experience in parenting, I had my first opportunity to offer advice to an expectant parent. I suggested she visit two day care centers I had liked, visit the pediatrician my wife and I chose, and read Protecting the Gift by Gavin de Becker.

Gavin de Becker makes his living predicting and preventing violent behavior. His firm provides security and consultation to celebrities, athletes, world leaders, the CIA, U. S. Supreme Court and other security organizations around the world.

In Protecting the Gift, de Becker introduces parents to startling statistics revealing the violent reality of our culture: one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually molested by the time they reach adulthood; 90 percent of sexual abuse is committed by someone the child knows; the most common age that sexual abuse begins is when the child is three years old. Most parents live with a mindset that denies or ignores this reality. But as de Becker shows in his book, our children are living in this reality everyday.

De Becker's purpose in this book is two-fold: 1) to hit parents in the face with the real dangers awaiting children, and 2) to teach parents how to avoid fruitless worry and to take meaningful steps to protect children. On both points, de Becker succeeds.

Parents are raising children during an age when an FBI child-pornography sting indicts teachers, coaches, pastors and judges. It is an age of guns and date-rape drugs. At the same time, many parents experience an urgent need for help in raising children, often from the age of six-weeks onward. Parents look for family, day care workers, sitters, schools, nannies and friends to provide support in raising children. How can parents assure their children's safety?

De Becker addresses this question by first focusing on the fact that violent behavior can be predicted. The book teaches that children can be taught skills to avoid dangerous situations and people. He emphasizes the development and use of intuition as a parent's key resource in recognizing threats. He cites numerous stories of people avoiding harm by listening to intuition and others who ignored intuition and became victims.

De Becker shares many practical lessons. He teaches what to look for in safe child-care workers and sitters. He lists the signs that indicate a dangerous stranger versus a friendly stranger. He also illustrates ways that well-meaning parents do things that increase a child's vulnerabilities.

The Bible teaches that wolves dress in sheep's clothing and that evil-doers masquerade as angels of light. Nothing fits this description more precisely than a sexual predator of children. De Becker teaches that pedophiles and rapists often gain the confidence of their victims through being overly "nice" and "helpful." They have to do this. How else can a pedophile convince parents to trust him or her with their children. Over and over, we see that pedophiles go to where they can have access to children and, like chameleons, blend in perfectly.

I think people in the church today are especially susceptible to this type of criminal, because the presence of evil has been downplayed and we are usually willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and accept them at face-value. De Becker shows parents how to remove doubt and to know who can and cannot be trusted.

There are several other topics in this book that I think are important to parents. The book cover summarizes one of de Becker's purposes in writing it: "By showing what danger really looks like-as opposed to what we might imagine it looks like-de Becker gives parents freedom from many common worries and unwarranted fears."

A lasting impression I take from the book is that the people with whom I and my family interact are who they are not who I want them to be. I know that some people are influenced by perverse and evil desires aimed at children. Because of this truth, I think it is important that parents read this book. I also suggest that adults, especially women, read de Becker's bestseller The Gift of Fear.

Craig Stephans, author of Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays

Read Best Reviews of Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) Here

You'd think, being a 25-year-old girl with a peaceful past (aside from having a loving, unviolent but drug-addicted mother--thankfully blessed with a single, first-time father who somehow knew how to do everything right), that this book wouldn't serve me at all. I have no children yet, and have experienced blessedly minimal trauma in my life. Few deaths in my small family, even from natural causes, have spared me from the fear most have earned from the terrible experiences that life has to offer.

But it seemed all of my life that fear prevailed. It was the fear that preceeded the constant, daily worry that I was long overdue for something awful to happen to me, and that the only thing I couldn't prevent was the outside interaction of some terrible predator.

Gavin de Becker's books were recommended to me by my new boss, and I have to say I have rarely gotten such sage advice in my life before. Though I am not a parent, this book (along with "The Gift of Fear") have provided me with one vital piece of information that has all but cured me of my irrational worries about the world: we are human, but we are far more capable of protecting ourselves than we realize, and protecting our children is just as simple.

Having read this book, I who was once a girl terrified to leave the front stoop of her home know that I can not only live my own life, but someday have my own children and know that I am capable of not only raising them in a healthy, aware existence, but know that I am fully capable of someday being the fierce lioness that protects them.

Want Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) Discount?

Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe and Parents Sane by Gavin de Becker is another excellent book on the protective signal of intuition and how you can use it to remain safe in a dangerous and oftentimes violent world. All of us are born with intuition yet some choose to ignore this early warning alarm designed to alert us to potentially dangerous or lethal situations. We must learn to honor this intuition and realize that it is a protective mechanism that something is wrong.

In this book de Becker goes into detail on how to harness the power of intuition and use it to your benefit and as a tool to protect your children. There are many stories provided to emphasize and demonstrate key points within the book.

Parts of the book that I really thought were beneficial are:

Signals of Denial:

This section of the book talks about why we make excuses for the bad guy or completely stick our head in the sand and refuse to believe that evil exists.

-Rationalization

-Justification

-Minimization

-Excuse-making

-Refusal

Survival Signals

These are techniques that a predator may use to put you at ease so that he can build your trust and confidence.

-Forced Teaming

-Charm and Niceness

-Too Many Details

-Typecasting

-Loan-Sharking

-The Unsolicited Promise

-Discounting the Word "No"

The Test of Twelve 12 items your kids must know

The chapter on babysitters had excellent information that parents must know before leaving their kids with a sitter. It is absolutely crucial to interview the baby sitter, don't make a decision immediately, and always check reference even if the sitter comes highly recommended from a friend. The same applies when choosing your childs doctor.

There really is an abundance of good information provided by a very qualified expert in the field of violence. For instance, "No" really means "No" and women especially should not begin a negotiation with a person when their answer is "No". In addition, it a girl does not want to date a pushy boy she does NOT owe him an explanation why she doesn't want to date him. Tell him "no" and leave it at that. If he continually calls do not answer the phone, do not return message...the key is no further communication.

The one negative aspect of this book that I do not agree with is de Becker's firm anti-gun stance. Considering his childhood and background I understand his perspective. Gun violence is a huge problem and if you choose to own a firearm for defense then have it properly secured from children, learn how to properly use it, continually practice and periodically attend additional training classes. Responsible firearms ownership is the answer if you own a firearm.

If you have children get this book. I would also highly recommend The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker.

Save 31% Off

Reversing Gum Disease Naturally: A Holistic Home Care Program

Reversing Gum Disease Naturally: A Holistic Home Care ProgramI read The Oral Health Bible before reading this book, so already knew quite a bit about gum disease, its causes, and its potential negative impacts to the entire body.

The author of this book starts off by discussing, at length, how gum disease begins and progresses, why most oral health care products on the market can make the problem worse, and how taking a holistic and natural approach to oral hygiene can help save your teeth and gums. She even suggests finding a dentist or hygienist who will take the time to use natural products during your teeth cleanings.

Not unlike The Oral Health Bible, the author recommends natural products and supplements to help us care for our teeth and body. I take many of the recommended supplements now, and started using all-natural toothpaste and mouthwash and have noticed a dramatic improvement in every aspect of my own oral health.

The take-aways for me after reading this book: how to improve my flossing technique (I had no idea there was a "wrong" way before reading this book), and how to really enjoy the oral care process.

The author touts a home care spa concept which, when put to practice, is really quite a lovely experience. As suggested by the author, morning and night I lay out all of the tools I will use to care for my mouth, and then I turn my bathroom radio on NPR, the classical station or plug my iPod into the stereo. Although my oral care regimen takes longer now than it did before I started reading books on oral care, the process is enjoyable because I see it as a time to do something good for myself at the start and end of every day, and I can listen to the day's events or some good tunes while I do so. ;)

The book is a soft touch to a scary subject. The author's tone is warm an reassuring which is quite nice when you're reading a book on how to save your teeth. For that reason, and for the information on monitoring changes in your mouth in an oral health diary, on creating a home care spa, and the recommendations on natural products and supplements, the book is well worth it.

This is an excellent book written by a very dedicated dental hygienist who does her best to impart her years of acquired wisdom, so that we can take responsibility for our dental health and protect our teeth. The author teaches us that most people lose teeth as they get older, not because of tooth decay, but rather because of gum disease.

She explains what happens and why, and goes on to teach us how to look after our gums, whether they are currently good, or in bad shape. She show us how to set up an at-home hygiene center for looking after our gums.

This book contains lots of very useful information, not just from an understanding viewpoint, but from a practical self treatment viewpoint as well.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to prevent or treat gum disease.

Buy Reversing Gum Disease Naturally: A Holistic Home Care Program Now

The book has good tips and info that I found helpful reminders I already knew but needed to be refeshed about them I realized. A few things mentioned in the book I found worthy of pen highlighting. However, from the reviews I thought it to have something very outstanding I or most people wouldn't normally or have never known/heard about. Maybe perhaps too on a deeper level this is what I and many others are looking for...a miracle. Perhaps I have to be a bit realistic as well. I think for others who are totally new might find this book enlightening and helpful guide. Having been familar with Perio process first hand, natural heatlth remedies, and veganism...I didn't find the book all that unique or earth shattering. It is a nice, straightforward, primer/overview of some basic things. It is good too for those new to Perio issues that it offers chapter on what happens with a Perio exam what to expect...and so forth. The book explains also what, how, and why gum disease starts. It has a tooth chart but not very helpfull for me in that I would have appreciated an actual mouth drawing like the lay person is familiar with...even having Perio experience first hand doesn't make me an instant dentist. On earlier pages there is a whole run down as to what tooth relates to what parts of the body. However, there is no reference to the fact that a tooth chart exists later on. In fact, the earlier run down has the number and technical name of each tooth..yet not very helpful to the lay person if there is not a useful visual to refer to that corresponds to the numbers and technical names easily. In other words "Tooth Chart for Dummies". The book offers consistant mention of foods that are good for the health of the gums and so forth. It also makes reference to illness and life changes that may involve gum disease...and again it takes the time to mention foods, supplements that can help. The standard mention of the maintainance of good diet, excercise, and such is in the book.

Read Best Reviews of Reversing Gum Disease Naturally: A Holistic Home Care Program Here

When a new dentist told me I had gum disease, I was distressed. The dentist wanted to schedule advanced cleaning which seemed unpleasant, expensive, and perhaps unhealthy. For me, it was a last resort.

So I bought this book and implemented many of the suggestions. Now, four months later, after another dentist visit, my gum issues are quite reduced and advanced cleaning is not recommended. The positive, can-do attitude of this book really helped.

Want Reversing Gum Disease Naturally: A Holistic Home Care Program Discount?

I bought this book because I was seeking alternatives to scaling and root planing. The title called "Reversing Gum Disease Naturally" suggests to me that invasive procedures by a dentist would not be necessary. That is the information I was seeking. However on Page 18 she says if you have been diagnosed with pockets of 4mm or deeper, a prerequisite for gum disease, you must get scaling and root planing but that manual cleaning (versus laser) and the use of oil of oregano (a natural antibiotic) is better. She does not really say why laser is not good. Based on the theme of the book, I would guess it is because the gum may not reattach as well? So, I guess it depends what you are looking for and how you read the title. I think the title should be "At Home Care Following Holistic Periodontal Root Planing and Scaling." That would match what this book is. I have no way to judge whether the methods in this book work or not yet. I am pursuing a three month method based on further investigation through google and amazon. I am opting the periogen cleanse with the waterpik first. I will couple that with an oil of oregano rub with a rubber massage instrument. Update following in a few months or sooner.

Save 29% Off

Gymnastics Equipment For Home

I just started my youngest 6-year-old daughter in gymnastics. She’s very excited about gymnastics; however, we’re not jumping into the sport wholeheartedly because she’s still exploring her interests. My husband and I have been letting her decide what sports and hobbies she wants to try and so far gymnastics has been fun and keeping her very active. In our home, we have an extra room dedicated to workout machines and equipment. Because she’s been so excited about learning new gymnastics techniques, we decided to turn the workout room into her very own gym for practicing. I didn’t want to spend a fortune on some basic gymnastics equipment for the new room, especially since I already had to make some purchases for her class. Her coach suggested that she wear leotards to class and wear some protective gear such as gymnastics grips for bars.

Practice Makes Perfect

My husband and I thought that some gym mats and a low balance beam would help her practice a few of her moves since the balance beam and floor were her favorite events. We visited a couple of local stores, searched online and found great deals at the online store www.gymshorts.com. We ordered the rainbow panel mat and Nastia Liukin pink foam beam. We even ended up getting her a pink polka-dot “Gymnastics” hoodie for her to wear over her leotard before and after class. The gymnastics equipment arrived with no problem and we arranged the spare room to be Kylie’s very own practice gym! She loves to practice her splits and turns on the pink balance beam. She’s mastering her back walkover, handstand and round off.

Great Values

I’d recommend www.gymshorts.com for discounted sports equipment. They offer any array of products including clothing and training accessories such as gymnastics grips for bars and wrist supports. Schools and gyms would benefit from their larger pieces of equipment such as trampolines, bars, mats, ropes, vaulting boards, blocks and beams. They even specialize in baseball, basketball, volleyball and cheerleading equipment.

Reaching for the Stars

When Kylie’s practicing moves and routines at home, she tells me about how she sees the other girls tumbling across the floor and swinging from the uneven bars. She can’t wait until she can get to learn more so that she can perform and even compete. I can already tell she’s going to be a determined and competitive little athlete, which makes having her own practice room and equipment worth having. We may just have a future Shawn Johnson on our hands!