Holistic Home: The Homemaker's Guide to Health and Happiness

Based in south-west London, Maxine Fox is a complementary health therapist and holistic design consult who works with her clients to resolve their physical, emotional, and spiritual stress through a holistic approach. In "Holistic Home: The Homemaker's Guide To Health And Happiness", Fox addresses how anyone's residence can work against their emotional and physical well-being, and how that same residence can be transformed to support and enhance the lives and well-being of those who live there through the careful application of holistic life principles. From cleaning up the premises from chemical contaminants, to eating properly, to the use of color, and more, the health supporting aspects of any home and life style can be improved. Of special note is the section devoted to Active Healing and addresses the issues of community, market-place, the global environment, 'Animal Magic', gardening, 'The turning of the Year', the cosmos, and 'The Self/The Whole'. Enhanced with references, a bibliography, and a 'user friendly' index, "Holistic Home" is a welcome addition to the growing library of Alternative Medicine & Life Style titles, and is especially recommended for non-specialist general readers wanting to incorporate holistic principles into their lives and homes.

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Home, School, and Community Collaboration: Culturally Responsive Family Involvement

I come from a state where there is quite a lot of diversity from race to religion and this book

is well written. How vital it is to support children's families.

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Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Livin

"It is snowing outside right now and I am writing a book review for a wonderful volume that I can highly recommend.. It is called Mama's Home Remedies, and is written by Svetlana Konnikova, formerly a journalist in the Soviet Union.

It is a How-to-Autobiography that recounts not only a wide variety of natural remedies, but how they were learned at the feet of her mother and grandmother, with a wonderful potpourri of folk and fairy tales, and modern and ancient natural science interspersed between.

Most books like this, when something is wrong, you go into them, find the subject in the index, and then look up the suggestions for helping alleviate it. This book does that too, but in addition, when life is stressful and you are looking for relief, you can open this book and escape into the fairy tales, folk stories and life's adventures of Svetlana and her family, along with fascinating explorations of such things as ancient Druid beliefs about trees or the instincts animals have for healing themselves that we can learn to emulate in our lives as well.

Mama's Home Remedies is so well organized, with everything arranged in bullitted boxes, numbered lists, (also boxed,) and boxed sidebars containing the stories, that everything is ridiculously easy to find. Usually you have to dig through a book to find a fact remembered but not bookmarked. Not so here. All you need to do is remember the topic, or chapter. Once there, a quick thumbing through the pages will take you directly to the right box, and there you are. It is a model for the way I am going to lay out my upcoming books.

In the few short weeks I have had the book, it has earned a place on the bookshelf right next to my computer, so that when I need a break, it is right at hand. It is a marvelous vehicle for stress relief. She has a whole chapter on stress, but nowhere does she mention picking up her book and reading a few pages as one of the ways. She should. "

Secrets to staying healthy in day to day life when constantly seeing a doctor isn't practical the secrets put forth in "Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living". Boasting almost eight hundred folk remedies and the superstitions, folktales, and legends behind them, offering something to heal the spirit alongside the body. Some of the remedies are not just that, and can serve as marvelous snacks and meals sure to uplift anyone who is down on their life. For being packed cover to cover with non-stop invaluable wisdom, "Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living" is highly recommended to anyone who wants that edge in health and for community library collections on the subject.

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Despite the mantra of the 1950's when Father Knew Best, we all know Mama's the one holding the apron strings. The wisdom of mothers' hands has been passed down from one generation to the next, through food, spices, herbs and home-made medicines better than any pharmaceutical solution. If you've ever tasted my mother-in-law's homemade chicken soup when you've had the ickiest cold since time memorial, you'll know -Mama really does know best.

Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living is a tribute to the old wives' wisdom that transcends modernity. It will inspire you to reach for your vegetable pantry before you head for the pharmacy. Among other things, the instrinsic magic of beets, potatoes, and wine grape leaves are revealed in these pages. Written by Svetlana Konnikova who grew up in the vineyards of Moldova, this book tells us to return to our roots literally.

Part natural living guide, part naturopathic treatise, Mama's Home Remedies offers all kinds of advice women used to glean at the kitchen table as they nourished their families' hearts, bodies and souls. Cabbage leaves applied to the forehead can alleviate headaches. Inhaling the steam from potato water drains your sinuses. My all-time favorite for the winter blues: pomegranate juice.

As we speed along in our rapid-fire lifestyles, we're lucky to have Ms. Konnikova's immense knowledge wrapped in Mama's Home Remedies' 314 pages. The next time I'm faced with a health challenge, I will seek a gentler solution straight from Mother Nature, the world's first and only true healer.

~Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff and Sahm I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in Europe, is a PR consultant and freelance writer who lives near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children.

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The word "unique" is terribly overused in our society and rarely is true. In the case of Mama's Home Remedies, unique is an understatement. First and foremost, it contains a wealth of information, including some I've never seen in any of our many books on the topic of natural health and healing.

There are several types of material in this book, from remedies to recollections, quotes, fables and more. You soon discover that each has its own special format. It's odd to focus or even notice the design of most books, but the very layout with illustrations is in itself a healing element.

Open the book and your eyes, and then the part of you starving for something only nature provides, draws you in. It sounds crazy, but it's visceral. I can't open the book without feeling transported to another time and place. . . one that is tied deeply to the earth itself.

We can attribute that to author Svetlana Konnikova's Russian background. She opens a wondrous world that is almost magical compared to our streamlined, cut-to-the-chase culture. It's Narnia for health nuts.

Knowledge is woven with wisdom. With this book as a trusted compass, you'll soon see how far off course our modern world has gone, and find the path back with simple, practical remedies from nature.

Read it with a purpose to find a specific remedy or open to a page and start reading. Either way, you'll find a treasure.

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The Men's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Stronger Body--in 15 Minutes a Day!

The basic idea of this book is to work the body in about 15 minutes.

Here's how you do it. You focus on a few key exercises and move quickly from one exercise to another, with mininal rest time between exercises. Then, you repeat the exercises in a circuit, again with minimal rest.

These workouts work on increasing strength, by building muscle and strong bones, thus burning more fat. These workouts emphasize getting a lean strong body, rather than bodybuilding, and is, therefore, not a general bodybuilding book.

In the number and variety of workouts, this book is excellent. It contains 78 workouts, all 15-minutes long. Some workouts are bodyweight or require dumbbells. Others use a pull-up bar, a barbell, a kettlebell, a medicine ball, a stability (Swiss or large) ball, an exercise band (tubing), a foam roller, a jump rope, a BOSU, a bench, a cable machine, a step, and so on.

Instruction and exercises for each of the workouts vary, but in general, one may do a circuit of 3 to 7 relatively intense exercises, with little or no rest between each exercise. Then, rest for 60 between each circuit. Finally, repeat 2 more circuits.

All exercise photos are large and in color, clearly showing their positions, with descriptions.

~~~

Here's a detailed list of the 78 workouts or exercise plans. I have listed the exercises for a few of the workouts.

TOTAL BODY WORKOUTS

Bodyweight exercises

1. Beginner: strength and agility workout

Judo pushup

Seesaw lunge

Wall slide

Plank reach

2. Intermediate: your body is your barbell 1

Y squat

Spider-man pushup

Squat and jump combo

Single-leg romanian deadlift

Spider-man lunge

3. Intermediate: your body is your barbell 2: (bench or step used)

Squat

Tucked-elbow pushup

5-second forward lunge

Stepup

Jump

4. Advanced: belly off! No gym classic 1: (bench or step and a pull-up bar used)

Shoulder press pushup

Single-leg bench getup

Mountain climber

Wide-grip pushup

Inverted row

5. Advanced: belly off! no-gym classic 2: (bench, large ball, & a pull-up bar used)

Front-foot elevated split squat

Walking offset pushup

Stability ball leg curl

Single-leg hip raise

Chinup

Dumbbell workouts

6. The single: dumbbell blast workout 1

Woodchopper

Arms-out squat

Standing pressout

Towel row

7. The buildup: dumbbell blast workout 2

Straight-leg deadlift

Thrusters

Bent-over row

Squat thrust

8. Fast and furious: dumbbell blast workout 3

Incline bench press

One-arm snatch

Seated calf raise

Chest-supported row

Dumbbells, a barbell, and/or a barbell plate used.

9. Muscle definer workout 1

10. Muscle definer workout 2

11. Classic Powerlifter Workout

Jump rope used.

12. Total-body stress-buster workout

FAT BURNING WORKOUTS

Dumbbells, barbell, and other tools used.

13. You're melting: A

14. You're melting: B

One dumbbell used.

15. Strength, stamina, speed, and sweat

Pull-up bar, dumbbells, and other tools used.

16. Superhero workout

Dumbbells, bench and large ball used.

17. Supersweat Supersets

ABS & CORE WORKOUTS

Medicine ball and one dumbbell used.

18. No crunch core workout

Medicine ball and other tools used.

19. Six pack abs workout 1

Large ball, slanted bench, and pull-up bar used.

20. Six pack abs workout 2

Dumbbells used.

21. Obliques obliterator workout

Mix of tools used. Bodyweight workouts possible.

22. Build your own 15-minute core workout: choose 5 out of 19 exercises to create your own workouts.

SHOULDERS AND ARMS

Dumbbells, bench and slanted bench used.

23. Dumbbell total arms workout

Concentrated curl

Seated triceps extension

Wrist curl

Alternating grip hammer curl

Cross-shoulder extension

Standing scaption

Barbell, slanted bench, and cable machine used.

24. Arms and dangerous

Barbell, dummbells, cable machine and bench used.

25. Deltoid Definer workout

Dumbbells and barbell used.

26. Shoulders and arms combo 1

Dumbbells and cable machine used.

27. Shoulders and arms combo 2

Dumbbells, rowing station, and slanted bench used.

28. Shoulders and arms combo 3

CHEST AND BACK

Dip bars, barbell, bench, dumbbell, and barbell plate used.

29. Chest pound workout 1

Dip

Barbell bench press

Incline dumbbell fly

Seated Single-arm external rotation

Single-arm dumbbell row

Weighted pushup

Dumbbell, bench, cable machine, dip bar, and pull-up bar used.

30. Chest pound workout 2

Barbell, squat rack, dumbbells, and pull-up bar used.

31. Back attack workout

Bodyweight exercises. No equipment used.

32. Strong and steady

Cable machine, dumbbells, bench, and squat rack used.

33. Chest and back combo

Bodyweight and TRX suspension straps used.

34. Perfect pushup circuit 1

Box and medicine ball used.

35. Perfect pushup circuit 2

BOSU, bench, and box used.

36. Perfect pushup circuit 3

LOWER BODY WORKOUTS

Dumbbells, barbell, large ball, and bench used.

37. Flat butt fix

Dumbbells and large ball used.

38. Iron glute workout

Dumbbells and barbell used.

39. Ready for liftoff

Dumbbells and other tools used.

40. Total lower body blast

Cones and boxes used.

41. Lower body leaps and bounds

Bench and circular band used.

42. Protect your assets

SUPERFAST CARDIO: HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

Basically, go fast for short periods of time, to burn more calories.

Treadmill workouts

43. Workout 1: speed demon

44. Workout 2: HIIT the hills

Running workouts

45. Workout 1: dash it off

46. Workout 2: flying laps

Cycling workouts

47. Workout 1: Lance Armstrong

48. Workout 2: rolling hills

Elliptical workout

49. Boredom beater

Swimming workout

50. Interval medley

Jump rope workout

51. Skipper 2

SPECIAL GEAR WORKOUTS

52. Kettlebell workout 1

53. Kettlebell workout 2

54. Exercise band workout 1

55. Exercise band workout 2

56. Medicine ball workout 1

57. Medicine ball workout 2

58. Stability ball workout 1 (large or Swiss ball)

59. Stability ball workout 2

60. Sandbag workout 1

61. Sandbag workout 2

IMPROVING YOUR STAMINA WORKOUTS (actually called better-sex workouts in the book)

Dumbbells used.

62. Stamina workout

One dumbbell used.

63. Over the top workout

Stability ball used.

64. Man on a mission workout

65. Pretzel position workout

Dumbbells and a sandbag used.

66. Four on the floor workout

HEALING WORKOUTS

Dumbbells, stability ball, cable machine, and slanted bench used.

67. Shoulder stretch and strengthen

One dumbbell used.

68. Knee saver

Bodyweight exercises. No equipment needed.

69. Lower back booster

Box or step used.

70. Age eraser workout

71. Foam roller workout

SPORTS WORKOUTS

Dumbbells and medicine ball used.

72. Golf workout

Dumbbells and low step used.

73. Tennis workout

BOSU, dumbells, step, medicine ball, and barbell used.

74. Ski and snowboard workout

Barbell, bench, step, and plate used.

75. Running race workout

Hyperextension station used.

76. Triathlon workout

Dumbells, bench, and step used.

77. Cycling workout

Dumbells used.

78. Basketball workout

~~~

I did workout #3 (bodyweight) and I was breathing heavily during the exercise and I did a modified version of workout #7 (dumbell blast 2) and it was intense and made me sweat. I loved the concept of 15 minute workouts and I liked this book.

~~~

If you liked this book, try the women's version of this 15-minutes book. This shows more bodyweight and dumbbell workouts.

If you want just bodyweight exercises, (with no equipment), get this book, "You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises" by Mark Lauren and Joshua Clark. This is excellent in the range of exercises which, again, do not require equipment.

As a young father, my Wife and I do not have much spare time anymore to exercise nor do outdoor trips (hiking, mountain biking,etc.).

We felt very sad about that.

This book of optimized exercises helped us being motivated again by gaining results as impressive as if we were training 3 times longer !!

But don't imagine these are miracle recipes... the basis is that you don't lose time resting between the workouts, so the 15mn are very, I mean very efficient...

Results do come fast and after 2 weeks (training 1 day out of 2, as suggested in the book), I am already feeling my abs recovering their former strentgh, more durably than before. Needless to talk about the thighs and arms and shoulders...

The workouts in this book won't help you build "big" muscles, but they will help you gain EFFICIENT muscles, EFICIENT strength, and endurance.

You just have to complete your weekly workout by one "HIIT" (High Intensity Interval Training), ideally outdoor (in my case: skysurfing/paddling : ) ) and you're done.

And the main benefit is that you have... more spare time to rest between the daily workouts and after each day's workout !

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for awesome (and motivating because of the variety!!) workouts, especially if they don't want to spend hours excercises because of her/his busy lifestyle !

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Not to go all Zen on everyone, but the concept of this book and its companion book for women is what's most important here. It's well laid out in chapter 1 "The Genius of the 15 Minute Workout". Simply put, shorter (but very high intensity) workouts are optimal in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Hands down. This book gives you tons of workouts that fit that bill. If you buy in to the concept (as I do), this book is for you. If you prefer to spend your time on the elliptical, then, well, you should still buy this book and change your approach to training :).

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I totally agree with the philosophy of this book and have found short, intense workouts to be MUCH more effective in building muscle and burning fat than long, drawn-out gym sessions. (The saved time is quite a plus too.)

This book gives some great circuit routines that will get your heart pumping and your muscles working. There are gym-free total body workouts, which also are great cardio; dumbbell workouts for your upper and lower body; barbell workouts meant to build maximum muscle mass; ab workouts; cardio routines; and more.

I've already tried several of the workout and was surprised at how challenging they were! This book doesn't disappoint!

P.S. I also highly recommend Muscle Myths: 50 Health & Fitness Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making (The Lean Muscle Series) because it straightened out a bunch of confusions I had about how to build muscle, lose fat, and be healthy. I was making quite a few mistakes and didn't even know it!

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I've liked the Men's Health Big Books, but they are big. I tried out the Kindle edition here and it works well all workouts and exercises are hyper linked so that you can quickly get to them. Their pictures display well on my second generation Kindle (with the keyboard). Each exercise does not fit on a single screen even if you make the text small which is a bummer, but less the book's fault.

This is going to be great for traveling. I already have my Kindle and in the hotel, I have many options for working out regardless of the "fitness" room quality and enough variety to make it interesting just what I wanted for this book.

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Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner - A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfyi

Feeding the Hungry Ghost by Ellen Kanner is about cooking great food, and savoring the experience of a good meal with family and friends. The recipes included are vegan, but that doesn't mean you have to be in order to enjoy them. Try the recipes, enjoy the stories, and have fun and truly enjoy food again.

Feeding the Hungry Ghost is a beautiful mixture of stories with recipes to feed your body and soul. This is a vegan book that reminds us that food is meant to be shared with family and friends, and enjoyed. Food is good and even better when it is bought locally when it is in season.

Although the author does stress going vegan, it is not something that is for everyone. However, everyone can enjoy the recipes and stories included in the book. Make some of the recipes for yourself and see if you like them, and want to incorporate them into your meals throughout the seasons.

Some of my favorite recipes included in the book:

* Lavender Tea

* Down and Dirty Rice

* Unconventional but Seductive Veggie Paella

* Moroccan Carrot Salad

I enjoyed reading this book and discovering some truly new and tasty recipes. If you like food (and honestly, who doesn't?), try this book and the recipes in it. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Feeding the Hungry Ghost, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In all honesty, I tend to read recipes in a cookbook more than the book itself. That would be a mistake with this book. It really is a book about eating, the role that food plays in being happy and healthy (not self medicating with food, nurturing your soul with food and the process of creating serious food). A lot of the recipes feature ingredients that do not nurture my soul particularly well, but many do. I am not going to list the recipes I like because I really think you should read the book not jump to the food that speaks to me. This book is personal, comes across as authentic and encourages a healthy relationship with your food. It is also well written. What more can I say beyond "read this book."

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Kale chips rock. I am always interested in great cooking and this book delivered. Great ideas on food for the soul

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What a great book! This is somewhat of a self-help recipe book. It's not your typical recipe book and it's not meant to be. Ellen Kanner provides the reader with the most wonderful stories that surround the recipes and they blend so well to feed not just your body but your very soul. It's a fun read. The recipes are easy and inspiring. Although I am a cook, I believe this book will inspire anyone who reads it to take time to cook delicious food. Bringing back the ritual of breaking bread with those you want to be with is really quite easy and this book shows you that you can do that for yourself and those you are with in a way that does not consume a lot of time at all.

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This book has a wonderful story and great guide lines to learning to eat healthier. Plus fantastic recipes! Great read.

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Smart Packing for Today's Traveler

I have been a traveler for 30 years and each time I pack, I make the same mistakes and end up with a sore back from toting to heavy a suitcase, until I read Susan's book. Her packing tips are foolproof..and I admit being the fool! However what helped me the most was her checklists. For example on page194-95, she gives the reader lists of important documents like one's medical history and information on drugs that you take daily and reminds you to make copies of all you take to leave behind with your support person, in time of emergency. Her emergency takealong medicine chest list worked for me and for once I got on the plane feeling competent on my way to Bali that I wouldnt need to see a Doc unless it was a fourstar emergency. Simple as it may seem, Susan's instructions on in-transit creature comforts, page176, saved me so much grief up during my trip. I trashed my vanity and showed up for an international flight sans makeup..and for the first time, I had sense to use lotion, waterspray and lipbalm instead and emerged energized at the end of my flight. Thanks Susan. If you can do it, I can do it. Fly like a Pro that is...

I have bought and read numerous books on packing, packing light, packing tips, etc. No, I'm not bizarrely obsessive, I have just traveled to Europe twice with way too big of a suitcase with far too much stuff in it. After learning my lessons the hard way, I was determined to reform. I bought books from Fodor's, Anne McAlpin's packing book, read websites, and researched packing thoroughly.

This book far and away outdoes the other resources. Susan Foster not only has walked the talk and traveled extensively, she covers everything from how to travel on business in a hot country, in a cooler climate, packing on a cruise, to how to pack for a family. This book doesn't just have the usual tips on security procedures and the like, it actually has illustrations drawn that show the types of suitcases, the pros & cons of each type, what to buy for what kind of trip, etc.

What I found especially helpful were the diagrams that showed how to make 6-7 pieces combine into 10-15 outfits. You know how in the magazine articles they always show a capsule wardrobe and only demo about 4 combinations and then you're dying to know what you're supposed to wear the other 3 weeks of the trip? This one shows all the combos and how to layer for weather.

I also learned good tips on the electronics to pack, good travel companies to use and what you need in your laundry kit to do laundry on the road.

I used these tips on a 3 week trip to Europe Summer '06 and I was thrilled. I managed quite nicely on 3 prs of pants, 2 skirts, 1 pair of shorts, 5 tops and a couple jackets. Also a few pairs of underwear and socks. And I managed to be covered for evenings out, dinners, casual sightseeing and the whole gamut. Great resource, insightful book. I will use this book for years to come as it has chapters for cruises, beach vacations, skiing & adventure travel, etc.

A must-have book for the traveler.

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I have been doing what a travel writer lives for traveling. I packed for a three-week trip to France (one week in Paris, the balance in Provence) in a 22" roll-aboard bag plus a small tote. Using all my best tips from Smart Packing, I had everything I needed or wanted and easily traveled by plane, train and very small car. It works! ~ Susan Foster

When I was getting ready for a trip to Seattle a few weeks ago, we were told that the dress would be business casual. Well, since I am working from home, I needed to figure out what would be acceptable. I tend to overdress for all occasions and this time I decided to do research. After reading through the wardrobe sections, I decided to go a step below business casual and it felt right.

So, are you planning for a cruise? Part III: Customize Your Wardrobe is going to save you so much time and you will have more fun shopping for the clothes you will actually want to wear. The words: "less is best" is pretty foreign to me. I pack enough for three weeks at least. Just taking a backpack would be horrifying to me. Yet, this is what some people learn to do while traveling. Whether you are traveling light or taking it all, this book has something to offer. I went with the "One Week Trip, Casual Business Wardrobe" idea.

Susan has divided her book into four main sections:

1. Plan Your Perfect Trip Planning for weather, travel fabrics, packing perfectly, etc.

2. Pack Smart Airport Security, choosing the right luggage, checking or carrying bags?

3. Customize Your Wardrobe Business, Cruise, Adventure, Resort, Sports, selecting clothes for your kids.

4. Travel Safely in Comfort and Good Health Things to do before you leave home, worthwhile travel gadgets, money matters and travel insurance.

Some of the helpful tips included:

How to use a paper shopping bag to make unpacking easier. Great idea.

How to layer clothes so they don't get wrinkled.

Tips for not getting your luggage stolen when going through security.

Saline Nasal Spray Helps you not to get sick from being on a plane.

Tips for traveling with infants and younger children

Take-Along Medicine Cabinet

Resource Guide Lists of online sources for travel clothes, accessories/luggage, publications, organizations.

Smart Packing is more than a packing guide, Susan will show you how to travel in comfort and style. Without this book, I would have felt so lost. This book gave me the confidence I needed to go shopping for the right clothes and taught me a thing or two about packing for a business trip. I still pack too much, but hey I have wheels on my luggage. On the way home, they made me move some items to another bag because I went over the 50 lb limit. Um, oops. Yeah, I went shopping.

~The Rebecca Review

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This book is an absolute must for those of us who want to take the world along when we venture away from home. My husband and I take 2-3 major trips each year, along with a couple of weekend getaways, and previously always took too much along, returning home with several neatly packed items that had never been worn. I read this book over the summer and used it to pack for an Alaskan cruise in July. The chapters on choosing the right clothes and being prepared were especially helpful, and with them I managed to put together a versatile and functional wardrobe for both 80 and 45 degree days...and we did have both. My husband, who once again lugged far too much, was so impressed that he used the book this fall for our Mediterranean cruise and land tour. It made a huge difference! The system works, and that alone was worth the price of the book for me. I also found the money matters chapter invaluable, as I took it with me to the Mediterranean. (It was worth the space!) There's nothing more disconcerting than being unsure of how to pay for cabs, meals, etc. This chapter left me far more prepared for the nuances of foreign ATMs, and where to get the best exchange rates. Buy this book and take it along..you won't regret it.

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I'm a travel writer and I created the CruiseDiva.com web site to share my personal packing lists. Packing for a cruise is different than for any other vacation style because of suggested dress codes. Some of the questions I receive most often are, "How formal IS formal?" and "What's 'smart casual' anyway?" Then there is the matter of how to pack wrinkle-free, which luggage to pack your wardrobe in, and all the little details that can make or break your trip. While I have my packing system pretty well in hand, I'm always open to new ideas and suggestions. It was my recent good fortune to read Smart Packing for Today's Traveler.

Even an old hand at cruise travel (or travel in general) can certainly learn new tricks and Susan has every one of them covered in her book. She even includes a beautifully illustrated "Packing for a Cruise" section. Susan outlines "layering" for climate changes, takes the worry out of security and health issues, and so much more. Don't just take my word for it, though. Read the sample pages of her book and you'll see how useful it truly is. Susan Foster is the PACKING DIVA! I can't recommend her book strongly enough.

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When a Parent Has Cancer: A Guide to Caring for Your Children

When my husband was diagnosed with cancer our children were 5 and 7 years old. This book gave us the tools to use to talk to them about cancer. Illness, chemotherapy and even death were topics that we suddenly had to confront. Dr. Harpham's book provided insight in dealing with a frigtening topic in a calm and reasuring manner.

When my husband was diagnosed with cancer our children were 5 and 7 years old. This book gave us the tools to use to talk to them about cancer. Illness, chemotherapy and even death were topics that we suddenly had to confront. Dr. Harpham's book provided insight in dealing with a frigtening topic in a calm and reasuring manner.

Buy When a Parent Has Cancer: A Guide to Caring for Your Children Now

Not only does this book deal with a very sensitive and difficult topic in a very intelligent, straightforward, sensitive, and psychologically healthy manner, but it teaches extremely valuable skills for parenting and coping with ANY troubles life may throw your way. The companion book for children does the very same thing, and very effectively teaches children coping skills in an encouraging, realistic, and safe way. Both books excel in highlighting and addressing differences between the ways adults process thoughts and emotions and the way children do this.

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I came across this book after I was asked to give a presentation to parents at Gilda's Club about talking to children when you have been diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Wendy Harpham has lived the experience she writes about. This book is a remarkable resource providing invaluable information and help to anyone wondering how to tell his/her children he/she has been diagnosed with cancer and how to help the children deal with the ongoing challenges a family faces when a parent is fighting for his/her life.

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This book is realistic and upbeat. The author writes from experience and addresses all kinds of issues that are faced by the family, from care to physical changes. The book at the back for children is not so much a story for kids, as a narrative of suggestions to help the child(children) understand and be a part of the care process. I am sorry that I don't have more detail to share, as I've already sent it to my sister. She told me it was a great help.

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Hair Loss and Replacement For Dummies

Apart from the textbooks, written for professional, there have been many books on hair loss and replacement written for members of the public. I have read at least a dozen of these over the past 30 years and they are all quite informative and, for their time of publication, reasonably accurate and helpful.

Hair Loss & Replacement is no exception in this but it is a considerable cut above the rest. Firstly it is very up-to-date and contains a vast amount of information all exceedingly well organized in 7 sections containing 18 chapter,

IGetting to Know your Hair,

IIThe Root of Hair Loss,

IIICreative Techniques for Concealing Hair Loss

IVPhamaceutical, Laser and Topical Therapies

VAdvanced Hair Loss Solutions (60 pages about hair transplantation)

VIThe Part of Tens (10 myths about hair loss, pros and cons for wigs, hair treatments and transplants)

VIIAppendicesthis include a Glossary of scientific terms used in the book. In addition the reader is provided with the addresses of all the well known hair-loss websites and support organizations and many more. There is also an outstanding Index running to16 pages.

Throughout the book important points to remember are clearly marked with an icon in the margin, as are tips and warnings. The reader is even alerted by another icon to technical paragraphs that he can safely skip without losing the thread of the chapter.

Now a warning. Although this book is designed for those with little prior knowledge about hair, it is certainly not recommended for "dummies". It is a very well written and technical book, authored by two of the acknowledged "gurus" of our field, Bill Rassman and Bob Bernstein, The previous scientific writings of these two men are already at the top of any reading list on hair replacement surgery. Far from being a text for the "everyman" the book would be an ideal primer for any doctor wanting to know more about hair loss and its replacement, before committing many months to a specialized training course in hair replacement surgery.

Every aspect of hair growth, hair loss and hair replacement is covered concisely in this book in reasonably simple language and I could find few faults within the text. Perhaps even then, they were just minor differences of opinion between experts, rather than faults.

There is no attempt to "talk down" to the lay reader and in fact the only concession to the layman is that each of the 18 chapters is fairly well self-contained and if he only wants to know about, diseases that cause hair loss, hair transplantation or hairpieces, then he can be well informed in a self-contained section.

Summary. This is a really outstanding book for the beginner who has a considerable degree of education but no place for a true "dummy" to be browsing. Perhaps someone will do a 50-page comic-book version for these individuals who, judging by popular book sales and TV ratings, make up a considerable proportion of our population.

Dr Richard C.Shiell, Melbourne, Australia

As far as hair loss and treatments are concerned, this book was one of the most helpful and comprehensive guides I have read. It is NOT a sales pitch for hair transplants. It is an all-in-one source of knowledge for those either worried about their hair loss or for those who are thinking about a hair transplant. If you have little to no knowledge on the subject or are just starting to see what is available, this book is a GREAT starting point.

It really dispels a lot of the myths about hair loss that are so commonly found on the internet. The book is organized well and is easy to read. Each chapter is pretty much self-contained, so if you don't care about a particular topic (like Wigs for example), then you will not miss a beat if you decide to skip that chapter. I am very glad I received a copy of this book.

I would also like to add that I visited Dr. Rassman's and Dr. Pak's office and I was treated with the utmost courtesy and respect. In addition to the guidebook they gave me, I was also given a great deal of useful information during my visit. They saved me time, money and a lot of heartache. I am very, very glad that I decided to visit their offices and that I read this book.

Buy Hair Loss and Replacement For Dummies Now

What can I say? Well, I am a 52 year old newly divorced woman living in Los Angeles, the vanity capital of the world, and I understand there are some makeovers I can do for myself, and some I cannot. Now I am in the 50+ dating scene, and I have to admit it but I could use some help. I'm not just talking about a oil change and lube job, I think I need a complete overhaul.

So I'm browsing online the other day I find Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies by Dr. William Rassman. Needless to say, my biggest area of makeover concern is my thin hair. Actually, until I read the reviews of this book, and then bought it and read it, did I find out I have options. Until now I didn't know I had options. Being divorced at this age is difficult, but then I have to deal with hair loss which has been devastating for me for years. Never mind that fact I need a few things tightened, and Dr. Rassman gave me referrals to a reputable and well-known plastic surgeon.

What I liked best about Dr. Rassman's book is that it was easy to read. We are all aware of the Dummies books and the light-hearted manner in which serious topics are discussed.

This book covered psychological effects of hair loss and pharmaceutical and topical treatments, transplant surgery, and it talked about hair loss myths. It also talked about how to avoid being scammed. To me it objectively showed me the pros and cons of various treatments. While reading this book, I felt like I was in private consultation with Dr. Rassman.

Then I Goggled Dr. Rassman, found his New Hair Institute website, made an appointment for a consultation, and scheduled my procedure. During my personal consultation with Dr. Rassman he was very informal, caring and especially attentive to my concerns. He asked a lot of questions.

So my recommendation to any one suffering in the same manner I have suffered for years, because of hair loss, I suggest you get this book, digest it, and do what you have to do to take care of yourself. Until now I thought I had no choices, but now I have found a solution I look forward to to a new self-confidence and a renewed outlook on my life. The future is my friend!

I though I'd shared some information about Dr. Rassman, so here it is taken from his website. I hope he doesn't mind.

About The Book's Author

William R. Rassman, M.D.

Dr. William Rassman graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in 1966 where he received his Doctor of Medicine. He completed a surgical internship at the University of Minnesota and obtained a cardiovascular fellowship with Dr. C.W. Lillehei. Dr. Rassman completed a residency in general surgery at the Cornell Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical Center. He served in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of Major. He was stationed as a surgeon in the Republic of Vietnam. The American Board of Surgery certified Dr. Rassman in 1976.

In 1991, Dr. Rassman founded the New Hair Institute (NHI), and quickly became a world leader in hair restoration surgery and in hair transplant technology. This technology enables NHI surgeons to perform hair transplants with large numbers of grafts in single surgeries. These high graft counts were previously thought possible only with four to ten surgeries. His many innovations in techniques and equipment have been presented at medical meetings around the world, and published in industry newsletters and prestigious medical journals as he pioneered these advances. He developed a strong stance on the ethics involved in hair transplantation as he condemned doctors who used salesmen to take advantage of naïve, panicky patients. He attacked the use of scalp reductions as an illogical and often damaging procedure that put the patient at risk, and he debated the issues related to scalp reduction procedures at medical meetings around the world. Because of persistent opposition from Dr Rassman and others, and the introduction of improved transplantation techniques, the procedure has been largely abandoned. Dr. Rassman pioneered the Megasession in 1992-4 (he was the first to do 2000 grafts, 3000 grafts and 4000 grafts in single sessions, reporting these advances in the Hair Transplant Forum), dense packing of grafts, and the Fast Track® method of hair transplantation whereby a patient's restoration can be completed in just one or two sessions. With Dr. Robert Bernstein, he developed techniques that have proven to be the gold standard for hair transplantation around the world: The Follicular Unit Transplantation. He and Dr. Bernstein published these results in a series of peer-reviewed articles in major medical journals.

As a professional inventor, who holds both U.S. and worldwide patents, Dr Rassman invented the Densitometer(tm) for the precise measurement of hair density and hair quality. Such precise measurements are now the standard, required of all ethical medical practitioners in diagnosis of the balding patient. Three other inventions in medical instrumentation have U.S. Patents, either granted or pending, in the hair transplantation arena. He holds multiple patents in an artificial heart device, other medical devices, computer software, and, more recently, in the biochip field (patent pending), an area where he has great interest.

Dr. Rassman has presented more than nineteen scientific papers before national and international societies, such as the: International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, International Society for Hair and Scalp Surgery, Annual Global Convocation of Hair Restoration Surgery, American Academy of Facial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, and Merck Committee Meetings.

Dr. Rassman's dedication to the dissemination of knowledge is clear in the more than twenty articles on hair transplantation and related issues that he has published in highly regarded medical publications such as: Dermatologic Surgery, International Journal of Aesthetic and Restorative Surgery, Hair Transplant Forum International, and Journal of Dermatology, Surgery, and Oncology. In 2001, NHI published the sixth edition of The Patient's Guide to Hair Restoration. This book explains, in layman's language, what causes baldness, how baldness is diagnosed, the best medical and surgical options available today, the proper use of medication, and how to repair the poor results of older surgical procedures. The Patient's Guide's extensive photo section includes more than 100 color photographs of patients in various stages of hair restoration.

Dr. Rassman continues to push the state of the art in hair transplantation forward. In the summer of 2001, he announced a breakthrough in the field: Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). In this technique, individual follicular units are extracted directly from the donor area without the traditional linear incision in the back of the scalp. An enabling technology, presently in a 'patent pending' status, has been developed to make this breakthrough more practical. The advantages of FUE are that these procedures can be performed on patients with very limited donor hair, and, healing is fast, without visible scarring in the donor area.

Dr. Rassman is motivated to make a difference in whatever he does. He strives to be the best and is never satisfied with the status quo. He is a visionary and has never allowed his goals to be limited by current thought on any subject.

Read Best Reviews of Hair Loss and Replacement For Dummies Here

This Dummies selection offers a lot of information for those of us suffering from continued hair loss. There is a lot of information to digest and I would recommend this book if you don't have a lot of answers for how to deal with hair loss. This book was a little long, and I found this other hair loss book for those of you short on time that deals with many of the same elements in this book called Hair Loss (Hair Today Gone Tomorrow: Causes, Prevention, and Hair Treatments Using Organic Kitchen Products). What I found useful was the organic kitchen products for hair that they recommend. Either way, you can't go wrong.

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The book is basically "building" you to believe that there is no solution for hair loss except a hair transplant.

The writer keeps telling you that nothing will surely work, mentions side effects, and keeps doing so for chaaapters. Then, after he gets you, he starts telling you about how amazing a hair transplant is. A hair transplant is a solution that should only be considered when a person is completely bald. Anyone in their early stages should consider other stuff. If you are rich enough, then try a PRP, not a hair transplant!

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Stress Management for Dummies

This book is FILLED with information presented in a fun and completely intelligible format! Although I've read numerous articles and books on stress, I've never found one as practical and clearly defined as this book. There are mini-questionnaires throughout the chapters that are quick and fun to take, and very worthwhile. In addition Dr. Elkin cites and summarizes the most recent studies and literature. He has a talent for explaining complicated concepts in a way that reaches the reader. I was previously familiar with some of the literature that was mentioned in the book, such as Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, but Dr. Elkin's explanations crystallized the concepts for me.

I particularly enjoyed the section about worrying! Dr. Elkin's words explained it, made me laugh about it, and then gave me wonderful suggestions for dealing with it. A book like this can actually change your life!

I read this book over 5 times, and it just amazes me how this book is so clear about clearing up stress in my life. There is a wonderful sense of humor in this book. The author, Alan Elkin, must be a funny guy. I hope that he will write many more books. If you have any stress in your life, or if you even just want to laugh hysterically over and over again, please read this book!

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I was feeling stressed out so I saw a psychiatrist (with my insurance a psychologist is not reimbursed). The only thing he could propose me was a few sessions of relaxation (I won't call it hypnosis). It helped me relax, but as soon as I left his office back into the stressful world I realized that it didn't really help me. So I ordered this book. My coworkers made fun of me but I don't care, they're all stressed out right now and I'm not. One of my coworkers even told me that I'm not showing that I'm committed. I guess people think you're really committed to your project when you stress out over all the things overwhich you have absolutely no control.

This book is great. He covers all the major areas of stress management and gives plenty of concrete ideas for reducing stress. The book is very practical, meaning you can practice it and improve your health. I read it about 6 months ago and I think I'm going to go back and read it again. If you're feeling stressed out I highly recommend this book.

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I'm still reading this one, but so far I love it! It's got humor and helpful info, so I can de-stress while I'm reading about how to further de-stress. This may sound sad, but I think this has got to be one of my favorite books! It seems to have covered every place that stress can derive from and it gives useful and reasonable tips on how to handle it when it comes up or even before. It actually helped me to get through a would've been flaming-arguement with my husband without losing control and yelling at him when I read the section on venting beforehand. He wants to borrow it now. lol The tips in this book are easy enough so that you don't get stressed out even more trying to do them. There's nothing there that I've read so far that tells you that in order to deal with your stress better, you must first go to a field in the countryside over in Japan and be one with the grass and the air and the flowers and the birds. No crap like that. Just humor and help. My job isn't stressful but the trip to and from it here in Atlanta is, so that's where my stress areas begin. I carry this book from home to work with me and then back home and around the house to do more reading. I highly recommend this book!

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You don't have to be a dummy in order to manage the stress in you life. There are a lot of things in life that can stress you out. This is an excellent book on stress management. It describes the causes of stress and various things that you can do to prevent or reduce the amount of stress, like breathing exercises. Did you know that a messy house can stress you out?

How about rush hour? The cartoons also help to de-stress you! How can you be stressed out when you are laughing?

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Therapeutic Exercises Using the Swiss Ball

I love using this book. It is very easy to read and follow directions. The book offers both beginning and advanced exercises that are very fun to perform. This book is a valuable tool in the clinical setting due to the ease of making a home exercise program. I recommend it to anyone wanting to use swiss balls for alternative exercises.

My therapist recommended this book for me to use in my own rehab program after I had finished 6 months of formal rehab for spinal rod and disc surgery. There are different levels of difficulty. My therapist was kind enough to go thru and mark the exercises accordingly and it has greatly extended my range of motion and flexibility without undue stress on the rest of my body. I am imobile from the neck to the waist and I use these exercises everyday. I would highly recommend this in conjunction with a prescribed phisical therapy rehad program

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This is a great book!! It provides with clear detailed instructions, purposes of exercises and demonstration pictures of how to perform each exercise. It is simply an excellent reference to provide your patients with a challenging but fun exercise program. Highly recommended!

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This is a great book!! It provides with clear detailed instructions, purposes of exercises and demonstration pictures of how to perform each exercise. It is simply an excellent reference to provide your patients with a challenging but fun exercise program. Highly recommended!

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I am a physical therapist and have found this book very handy for learning exercises on the theraball, and creating a home exercise program for patients. Very useful!

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Healing Childhood Ear Infections: Prevention, Home Care, and Alternative Treatment

My 4 year old daughter was diagnosed with reduced hearing 7 months ago; turned out she had fluid in both ears. The ENT (ears, nose, throat specialists) put her on antibiotics. Did nothing. Then we went away for a month and upon our return, we had her checked again. Fluid had decreased in 1 ear but was still strong in the other. ENT feared it would impact her learning (the decreased hearing) and lead to ear infections (they couldn't believe she hadn't had any, to my knowledge,since she was about 2). In the meantime, my 1.5 year old son also had 1 ear infection after the other, and when we returned from our trip he also was checked fluid in both ears, plus a lingering infection they treated with antibiotics. They strongly urged me to get tubes in their ears. Our niece had them inserted and my sister as well as everyone else said it's no big deal, the worst part is seeing your child unconscious as it's general anaesthesia, but they bounce right back. I made the surgery appt and then my dad sent me an article from the Wall Street Journal citing studies that concluded the tube surgery is done way too often, and unnecessarily. Since this was coming from my very conservative dad, I thought I'd better question establishment. So I got this book, "Healing Childhood Ear Infections" by Dr. Schmidt. After 1 chapter I canceled the surgery. Instead, I got them into chiropractic care, removed dairy (cows milk) from their diets, and took them to a naturopath who put them on 3 supplements: minerals for their immune systems, and something to thin the mucous. Today I took my daughter to the ENT for a check-up (1 month after trying alternative treatments) and they were shocked no more fluid, perfect hearing! You should have seen how proud she was when they told us. My son still remains to be checked, but knock on wood, has been infection-free since I started all this. The kids love the chiropractor my son screams when his turn is over and there are plenty of dairy alternatives out there (soy is also to be avoided or at least moderated but my son loves goats milk yoghurt). The supplements mix in with their juices so they don't even notice them. Anyway, I'm telling you this so that you question your own kids' treatments. According to this book, once a kid is on antibiotics it's very likely he'll develop another infection (ear) soon thereafter. In most countries, they're not even prescribed unless the baby is under 1 or has had a high fever (over 101) for 3 days. Plus, this book stated that most US children have a very nutrient-defficient diet and in particular lack minerals such as magnesium & zinc, which are very important for the immune system. Hopefully you can all benefit from this and although I don't know which of my 3 forms of treatment did the trick with my daughter, I'm going to continue all 3. Thank goodness for this book, which gave me the tools and the courage to try safer alternatives.

This book was just what I was looking for! My son was battling repeated ear infections and I knew there had to be other options than antibiotics and ear tubes. I am so glad I read this before we progressed to surgery. I am now an active homeopathic user, and my son has been earache free for months!

I thank the author for presenting all the options available.

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This a book I should have reviewed a long time ago. I am really writing a review on the first version of this book which was published about 20 years ago! Imagine that.

I still remember the day I realized my son was reliving *my* life as a child. I was sick with upper respiratory infections almost since the day I was born. The only difference is that no one thought this was unusual now. It was that thought combined with the difference of opinions about treatment between the pediatricians seeing my son and the pediatricians I worked with that sent me looking.

I went to a store that sold herbs and alternative remedies and this book was there. I read it that night and we began using the options in the book. What a change. No more stuff dripping from his nose, no more weepy eyes, no more crying, no more trips to the pediatrician (which of course can lead to more illness because that is what most kids are there for of course), no more vomiting (some of the antibiotics are not always well-tolerated), no more sleepless nights sitting up in the rocking chair, we could turn of the humidifier.

We were all much happier and healthier too. It is quite important to note that a key factor in what everyone calls alternative medicine is that it is taylored to each person and their specific needs. Unlike aliopathic medicine which seeks to find that one magical solution to all woes, alternatives *can* take some time. This because so clear to me when I asked the pediatricians I worked with for a second opinion. Doctors tend to base their prescriptions and treatments based on what *they* know and what they believe works, not necessarily what the patient is needing.

We used what we learned with our first child and our second son bypassed all of that misery. My oldest is now just shy of 20 and is quite healthy and happy. I also want to share some information related to learning disabilities. I believe the repeated fevers and infections played a role in some minor learning disabilities my son displayed as he went through elementary school. Again, though because of what we learned about alternatives from this book, we sought out treatments and today you would never even know he had issues.

As a side note, I must also say I was lucky enough to meet the author as he lived nearby at the time the first edition of this book was published. He is intelligent, kind, thoughtful, and very conscientious.

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OK, I do not do reviews that often. But, this book needed one!! My son had 4 double ear infections between 3-5 months of age. We met with the ear doctor on 5/7. She said he needed tubes asap b/c of some hearing loss due to the fluid in his ears. We set the surgery for tubes up for 5/15.

I got the book that afternoon and read it on the 7th and 8th. I scheduled an appointment for the doctor and I to sit down and talk on the 9th b/c I decided that maybe tubes was not the answer....yet. After meeting, the doctor was still set on tubes. I thought about it over the weekend and on Monday 5/12 I cancelled the appointment for the 16th. It is now the 23rd and the fluid has gone away in one ear completely and the other still has fluid but it has only been a few weeks.

This book not only tells different things to do to alleviate the problems it also tells you the risks involved. The doctor did not tell us these things and when I brought them up, she downplayed them. Two of the risks were weakening of the eardrum in up to 40% (I think) of the patients which could lead to ear drum rupture later in life. My husband had had 3 ruptured ear drum incidents and he had tubes as a child. Hmmmmmm. The other was issues with scar tissue hardening around the incision. I don't know if I am explaining that right. I don't have the book in front of me. Anyway they were serious issues.

So, I am having his ears monitored for 4-8 weeks and if they don't get better, I will have the tubes put in. But, one is better already.

READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU PLAN THE SURGERY!!!!!

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Loved the opportunity to read a book that suggests alternate ways to address ear infections. We had been searching for answers and recommendations other than the standard medical response. We tried many of the recommendations, against the recommendation of our MDs, but unfortunately they did not work for our child. We changed our diets, stroked the lymph nodes religiously, added supplements, etc. We even tried chiropractic with a highly recommended person with 50% pediatrics in their practice, but our child ended up with long-term complications (numbness in extremities, dizziness, neck pain imagine this is from compressed spinal cord/brain stem but 10 months later we are still trekking from MD to MD trying to get the complications improved since there is NO way we will have him adjusted again and risk permanent paralysis). I would recommend people try techniques in this book because maybe they will work for your child, but PLEASE be careful with spinal adjustments, particularly working around the occiput!

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Between Home and Nursing Home (Golden Age Book Series)

This book is very informative. It's a good guide for families that are considering nursing home care for a love one. This book tells you how to deal with the stress of making the right choices for you and your love one. A lot of families feel guilty about sending their love ones to nursing homes. They try to take care of them at home, and it all become so overwhelming. In this book, you learn how to handle all your mixed emotions.

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Sleep Safe in a Toxic World: Your Guide to Identifying and Removing Hidden Toxins from Your Bedroom

I am amazed that such a scientific, fact-filled book is also so easy to read! It's appalling how toxic mattresses can be and the seemingly endless "greenwashing" is no help. "Sleep Safe in a Toxic World" has not only boosted my knowledge but my confidence as well, I know now what questions to ask and which verifications are legitimate. This is my new favorite reference book in my effort to lead a less toxic life for my family and myself.

Recently a friend gave me the book, "Sleep Safe in a Toxic World" by Walter Bader. She knew I was looking for a mattress for my three-year-old son. I am so glad I read this book, as I had no idea about the health risks of mattresses made with synthetic, non organic materials. I also was disappointed to learn that the mattress I was originally considering purchasing contained flame-retardants with known carcinogens. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to educate themselves about the health risks of sleeping on a chemical mattress. It's an easy, worthwhile read, filled with really important information!

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Sleep Safe in a Toxic World: Your Guide to Identifying and Removing Hidden Toxins from Your Bedroom Excellent book!!! Should be a first approach before shopping for a new mattress.

The upholstered furniture and mattresses I had as a child nearly 70 years ago presented no known health problems or allergens. But, now, everything has changed. My husband and I had a dry hacking cough presumably from the upholstery materials or the flame retardants used today.

Reading the book, I googled some of the ingredients which make up the polyurethane foam widely used in petrochemical created cushions and mattresses. No wonder my eyes smarted and my sleeping was constantly awakened with a hacking dry cough leading to hoarseness every morning. I don't want to continue living with these toxins in my ambient environment.

Because of what I've read, I'm now searching for a mattress made from natural materials from trees, certified organic cotton which is not laden with tons of toxic pest controls or treated with other petrochemical poisons; preferably certified organic wool not grown, produced, or treated with synthetics or petrochemicals. These are more expensive, but so health and prevention is the key to disease.

I'm not alone. Over 2/3 consumers are especially concerned about petrochemicals in products they purchase. Petrochemicals, come from petroleum, and are agents of war and violence in our bodies. Of the 84,000 chemicals used in commerce today, 64,000 were grandfathered-in in with the passage of the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Many disrupt the hormones in our body, the inflammatory process is provoked, and often our bodies are dump sites for these chemicals that we inhale or that enter our skin day and night through indoor air pollution of unregulated and often untested petrochemical poisons.

We are naive to think all latex comes from the rubber tree. Be it Dunlop or Talalay latex, it may come from the tree, or it may be made from synthetic petrochemical plants, the same as the memory foam in mattresses and cushions, which are highly inflammable and are then treated with equally toxic fire retardants, which themselves present serious damage to public health. They were not tested for human safety and have made many people seriously ill. Wool from sheep is a natural insulator and a natural flame retardant.

Having health care does not guarantee good health. Sleep without drugs is necessary for a healthy immune system. Personal responsibility must be taken along with wisely researched purchases. I thank Walter Bader for his research and bringing the information to us. Now, it's up to me to find and purchase a far safer mattress.

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A Healer In Every Home: Family Care Guide

I love this book! It is short, but it is crammed full of all kinds of useful and interesting information and is a great read. A real gem. In just a few months, it has proven itself invaluable. A friend used the tips to recover from surgery and needed no prescription or over-the-counter pain pills whatsoever. My husband had a fungus under his fingernail for years. He followed the tip on soaking it in the homeopathic remedy, thuja, and it started clearing up right away and has stayed clear for many month since. A friend was still very distressed months after shocking bad news. The "emotional first aid" section led her to ignatia, and when she took it she saw an immediate improvement, even though it was months later. My niece was in a car accident. While technically unhurt, she was traumatized and having difficulty functioning during the week that followed. Two hours after one dose of arnica she was "much much much much better!" She was amazed. You will be, too, when you start treating yourself and your dear ones with these remedies that can be found for about $8 in any health food store (or ordered online right here at Amazon!). I bought extra copies of this book for friends and my MD. Everybody who uses it has found something that will benefit them. Whether you have used homeopathy before, as I have, or are new to the idea, you are bound to find solid practical advice that can be put to use right away. Excellent Resource Section, too.

From the back cover:

"What happens when you take a top Harvard grad, give her a passion for natural healing, and put her in a natural food store for fifteen years where she finds out what works for thousands of customers? Answer: This gem of a book.

* Use the best-kept secrets of natural remedies you can find in any natural food store to help save you hundreds,

even thousands of dollars in doctors' visits and drug co-pays for yourself and your family.

* Break the cycle of infections stop getting sick all the time.

* Save time lost from work for family health issues.

* Use remedies that you can feel working right away that

o -are approved by the FDA even for small children

o -have a long track record of safety

o -are "hidden in plain sight" in your natural food store

* Save the cost of this book the first time you use it to treat yourself instead of going to the doctor.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard University, Begabati Lennihan practices at the Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine in Cambridge, Massachusetts."

The chapter headings are:

Introduction: Let's Get Started; "Help, Mom!"; First Aid Remedies, Bumps; Bruises and Sports Injuries; Cuts, Scrapes and Surgery; "Mommy I'm Bleeding"; "Ouch! My Nerve Endings;" Emotional First Aid; Drippy with a Cold; Droopy with a Flu; Sick to Your Stomach?; Stings and Hives; Sprains, Stains, and Creaky Joints; Teething; Resource Section.

The Resource Section includes: Cell Salts (Tissue Salts); Safety Guidelines; Partner with Your Doctor; Find a Doctor to Partner With; Find a Professional Homeopath; How the Remedies Work; What to Say to a Skeptic; Dive-Deeper Reference Materials; Books to Enjoy Reading; Books on Specific Topics; Websites to Explore; Support Your Body's Healing Energy.

This is a quick and accessible guide for many everyday health issues. Utilizing her extensive experience as a wholefoods store retailer and as a homeopath, the author simplifies the selection process for a variety of natural remedies easily found at your local health food store. No matter whether you are dealing with a teething baby, a kid with a scraped knee, a wicked case of the flu, or a loss or some unexpected bad news Lennihan explains how to deal with it naturally and effectively. There are so many everyday ailments you can safely and easily treat yourself without the expense of a doctor visit.

The author's writing style is delightful you feel as if she is in the room chatting to you with great sincerity, warmth and enthusiasm.

These books are jam-packed with healing wisdom that you can immediately put to use in your own life.

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Every home should have one. Written with such ease and simplicity for everyone to understand and use. Very useful for those who are new to Homeopathy and those that know it well. Just gave my copy away and am buying more as gifts.

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Facelift Naturally: The At-Home or Anywhere, Painless, Natural Facelift for Men and Woman That Reall

I read this book in one sitting I couldn't put it down! There are so many great tips on how to help you create a natural facelift even while walking my dog! Now it can't get any easier than that! The authors have really researched and explored every aspect of facial characteristics that need lifting for both men and women and offer the steps in a very succinct, easy to read and follow process. Avoid the botox, avoid the expensive trips to the spas, just buy this book it's all in here!

I am so so so excited. BEFORE, nothing ever worked and it made me feel like a sucker to buy all this stuff and do these regimens. I tried so many expensive informercial kits and zapper machines and whatnot because I hate looking like an older version of my very sexy (much younger)self. Finally, now I look like an AFTER photo. Julia Busch has me looking like the young me and it was so damn easy and pleasant to do.

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I'm 34 and starting to get signs of aging that bother me, in particular around the mouth. I work out intensively and follow a healthy diet. With intense workouts comes high metabolism that is great for the body but makes options like Botox and fillers ineffective as they get flushed out in no time. I read about facial acupuncture as an alternative to Botox. After some research the results seemed promising but the cost not so much. Having it done by a professional would cost almost as much as Botox and fillers. Then I found out about accupressure and decided to try it. Got three different books on Amazon. This one was the best by far with really easy to follow instructions. I've been doing the treatment daily for three weeks now and the results are great. I look five years younger only after three weeks and it keeps improving. The routine takes me about 20 minutes now (started at about 30 minutes). I do it right before bed with a couple of drops of essential oil rubbed into my hands (lavender works the best for me). Added benefit relaxing combination of a facial massage and your favourite scent. Lighting a candle works great too, creates a perfect "me" time. Like with anything persistence is probably most important. I'm looking forward to further improvement and highly recommend the book to all.

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I originally found this book at the library when I was looking for info on acupressure. This book is so to the point, you can get through it in no time.

I have headaches & sinus problems & the techniques in this book have helped a lot.

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I truly LOVE this book. I read it purely from an aesthetic viewpoint in other words, I wanted to make sure my face did not "go south" too soon. As is turns out, I started to feel much more relaxed all over RIGHT AWAY. Now I will be happy if my face does "lift" ever so slightly. Really though, feeling so much more relaxed is a wonderful thing. I practice my "facelift" exercises in the middle of the night if insomnia comes, and I go right back to sleep. What more could you ask??

Myrna Martin

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Eat This Not That! for Kids!: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block!

Readers familiar with the popular Eat This Not That!: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More! will find this book similar in formatexcept this time the content is aimed at kids.

The book consists of seven chapters. Here's a brief rundown of what you can expect from each:

-Chapter 1 covers "8 rules of kid's nutrition" which includes such advice as "never skip breakfast" and "snack with a purpose"

-Chapter 2 discusses choosing the right foods at fast food restaurants such as Arby's or Applebees

-Chapter 3 talks about "menu decoding". Since the book can't cover every restaurant you'll ever eat at, it teaches the reader how to read a typical menuwhat to look for, what choices to make. It does this by going over general menus of Chinese restaurants, Mexican restaurants, etc.

-Chapter 4 goes over making proper buying choices at restaurants. Here the reader is taught how to read labels.

-Chapter 5 covers eating at schools, which means, of course, the school cafeteria. Vending machines choices are also included because most schools (unfortunately) have them.

-Chapter 6 discusses eating at home. A nice touch here is the sample menus and recipes.

And last but not least, Chapter 7 talks about exercise. Included are sample activities to keep your kids fit. I personally suggest trying a pedometerkids like to fiddle with them and counting steps is fun too.

All-in-all, I found this to be a great little book and actually quite fun to read with its many pictures. With good knowledge in hand, the only other obstacle a parent faces is getting their kids motivated to carry out the advice in the book.

In parenting as in life, it's all about making good decisions. The trick is knowing which choices are the right ones. This small colorful book tells you very simply which food choices are the right ones. It not only tells you, but also shows you with hundreds of color photos. Although it is supposedly for kids, the information is useful -and fascinating -for anyone.

We've all heard the scary statistics about the rise in obesity, especially in children. Food marketers are doing everything they can to keep that trend alive. According to the Federal Trade Commission, kids ages 2 to 11 will see 26,000 TV ads this year, 22 percent of them marketing food. "The message -that junk food equals instant happiness -is one that sticks with a child for all his life." Eat This Not That! gives sound advice on how to combat this problem.

The first chapter has eight simple rules for kids and families to follow:

Rule #1: Never Skip Breakfast. Ever.

Rule #2: Snack with Purpose. (A good idea: popcorn; not the kind saturated with butter and salt, but natural popcorn. Another good idea: Kids must ask permission for a snack, but never need permission to reach for a piece of fruit.)

Rule #3: Beware of Portion Distortion. (A good idea: Buy smaller bowls and cups.)

Rule #4: Drink Responsibly. (A good idea: Keep cold, filtered water in a pitcher in the fridge.)

Rule #5: Eat More Foods and Fewer Science Experiments. (A good rule of thumb: The shorter the ingredient list, the healthier the food.)

Rule #6: Set the Table (A good idea: Keep mealtimes as structured as possible.)

Rule #7: Kick the Sugar Habit. (A good idea: Eliminate foods with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup at the top of the ingredient list.)

Rule #8: Eat the Rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple foods have a multitude of benefits.

You'll be surprised, finding out whether some foods are on the good or bad list. Learning that Applegate Farms organic uncured turkey hot dogs are on the Eat This! side isn't so surprising. But José Olé shredded steak taquitos? Breyer's Double Churn creamy vanilla bean ice cream? It seems "Double Churn" is Breyer's code word for low-fat, which makes this dessert a go. Oscar Mayer bacon scores a Yes, while Oscar Mayer turkey bacon scores a No, because of the extra sodium in the supposedly more healthful turkey option.

I had to wrestle Eat This Not That! out of my 14-year-old daughter's hands to write this review. She was captivated, poring over it exclaiming on the different foods we now eat that we should swap for others. She wailed when she saw the Cadbury Creme Egg as the very worst in the "Worst Candy" section. And she can kiss those Hershey's Kisses goodbye. Oh no! Sun Chips are on the Not That! list! Some of her favorites were on the Eat This! list, though: Marshmallow peeps, Tootsie Pops, Boca burgers, Eggo Nutri-Grain low-fat waffles, MultiGrain Cheerios, Egg McMuffins and Kraft Tangy Italian spaghetti dinners.

I could go on and on about this book. It covers school cafeteria food, fast-food restaurant food, vending machine snacks, kid-friendly recipes, how to read nutritional labels, holiday meals and fun exercises for kids of different age groups. Each food lists its complete nutritional information, including the portion size, calories and grams of fat and sugar.

Other books I recommend on this topic: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, and Deceptively Delicious.

Here's the chapter list:

1. Feeding the Future; The 8 rules of kids' nutrition

2. At Their Favorite Restaurants; The best and worst meals at 40 fast-food and chain restaurants

3. The Eat This, Not That! Ultimate Menu Decoder; Strategies for eating right at any restaurant

4. At the Supermarket; The complete Eat This, Not That! For Kids! grocery list

5. At School; How to survive and thrive in the cafeteria and beyond

6. At Home; Making your home the healthiest in the neighborhood

7. A Legacy of Fitness; Shed pounds with your kids with these fun family activities

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I bought the kids version of Eat This, Not That because I regularly eat kids meals at restaurants. My theory was, if its for kids, the calories have to be less and the portions better controlled, right? No!

This book showed me that not only do the kids meals often have just as many if not more as the adult meals, but in the wrong combinations and can quite bad for you.

For example, I often eat the PB&J at Panera Bread, with the squeeze yogurt on the side. Organic peanut butter and grape jelly, organic yogurt...what could go wrong? 470 calories, 17g fat and 19 grams of sugar is crazy!

Who knew that McNuggets are better for you than the hamburger in a Happy Meal? Not me.

It is great that the book has easy to make substitutions and ideas to get the most nutrition you can out of a fast food meal. This is a great book for any family to keep in the car for those meals on the go. Everyone can make the most informed choice possible!

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This book, like the original is entertaining, but not exactly the best nutritional advice. It is important that the reader understand that the Author of both of these books compares similar products and decides which is better between the two. That being said, something listed in the "Not That" page such as Danimals Yogurt on pg 169, is not necessarily worse to eat then the Nacho Doritos on page 186 listed under "Eat This". If you understand the authors intent, this book may help you to choose between two very similar products. Realize, however, that "Good" and "Bad" are relative in relation to the two particular products being compared.

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I absolutely love this book. I thought I was making healthy food choices before (and I was, for the most part). But this book opened my eyes to some shockingly bad food choices I was making. It also surprised me to find out how deceptively some food was marketed as healthy when it was anything but. (Organic "health food" cereal with as much sugar as a soda, for instance .. who would have thought??!!!)

I'm so glad I bought it .. you will be, too! I was so impressed that I even bought extra for other family members!

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Bone Building Body Shaping Workout: Strength Health Beauty In Just 16 Minutes A Day

I bought the hardcover edition of this book used from Amazon and am very pleased with it. This is a very readable book, with most things clearly explained. When I say 'most', I mean that I still have questions as to WHY the pyramid method works better than other methods, and I also think it should be explained WHY the exact order of the workout matters (by body part, not by specific individual exercises within a body-part group). I am confused too because other books say to constantly vary your routine or to even change it completely every other week, where-as this book says that you must follow this exact routine every time. Aside from those points of confusion, the explanatory material is quite good. The work-out itself is excellent, and well suited to the woman who prefers a good at-home dumb-bell workout. Joyce must have the routine memorized, and do it without any rest periods at super-speed in order to finish within the time she says it will take. I have the extra time to put into it, so that is not a problem. If your goal is to build bone to prevent osteoporosis, this is a great program, or even if you just want to have a nice dumb-bell routine to build strength and re-shape, I also recommend it.

This workout is great, although you may want to do ALL the designated warm-up exercises at the beginning of the workout, in order to avoid wasting time picking up and putting down the dumbbells between sections. If you do this I think it would be much easier to get the workout time down to where the book claims it should be.

I own The 12-Minute Total Body Workout book, and in one respect, this book is better in that it contains a photo chart of all the exercises involved, which "12-Minute" does NOT have. I recommend that you buy a copy of this book, make a copy of the chart, then cut it up and paste each exercise onto index cards, so that you can mix up the order of the exercises every few weeks or so, as well as putting the warmups at the beginning of the workout.

Both books are great.

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I bought this book because I have the 12-minute Total Body Workout by Vedral and I wanted to see if she had updated her excercises. I was very pleased with this book, the exercises are easy to learn and they work! However, there is no way you can do it in 8 minutes a day without sacrificing proper movement and form. Plan on spending between 15 and 20 minutes per day for four days, 30-40 minutes per day for two days, or about 1 1/2 hours for one day. In the 12-Minute book, you did 2 body parts, 2 exercises each, for 3 reps. In this book, it's 3 body parts, at least 3 exercises each, 3 reps each plus stretching. How on earth did she think you could do it in 8 minutes?

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I was so glad to see this book available. I have used Vedral's programs in the past and know they work. No gimmicks, no frills, etc.

The book includes the valuable wall chart of exercises. The pictures are easy to follow and simple hand weights are all you really need.

Thank you!!

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This is a great routine and the book is an easy-read that I found quite motivating. I was a bit discouraged, however, when I discovered how long the exercises actually take. It takes me 30 minutes to complete the "8-minute" routines. I would have actually felt more motivated had I been more adequately prepared to allow for the necessary time. That said, I commend Joyce for this book, which also includes a chapter on diet and a chapter on aerobic exercise. I am very encouraged that I may be able to prevent osteoporosis, and am recommending this book to my mom, who was recently diagnosed.

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