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Physical Best Activity Guide: Elementary Level - 3rd Edition

This book is a must have for any elementary PE teacher! I've found it very helpful bc of the printables. I have switched to using mostly station lessons bc of large class sizes and this book and cd has been a life saver!! It is also great if you are including standards in your lesson plans bc they are already listed for you with each lesson! So glad I spent the money...only wish I would've done it sooner. I also received it within a few days:)

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Cure Tooth Decay: Remineralize Cavities and Repair Your Teeth Naturally with Good Food

I noticed some deterioration in my teeth last year, so I started searching online to find out whether anyone knew anything about healing teeth. I found Rami's website and decided to buy his book. Although I had heard of Weston Price and Nourishing Traditions before, it was through Rami's book that I really came face to face with that information. It made a lot of sense to me. Especially thought-provoking for me was Rami's message to vegetarians (I had been one for 15 years). It was also helpful that he had actually set down a dietary protocol whose specific objective is to help teeth heal, which Dr. Price reportedly did not do. The protocol is challenging for me, but I have been introducing elements of it to the best of my ability.

Then I lost a filling. The first dentist I saw diagnosed decay and a probable need for a root canal, and said that the tooth might already be dead. Her pronouncement caused me untold agony over the next several weeks. Then a holistic dentist determined that the tooth is alive and recognized that it has totally re-enamelized. He simply replaced the lost filling. He told me I am lucky, because most people are not able to get their teeth to re-enamelize like that. Well, I am now a believer. Nourishing Traditions is for real, and it was with Rami's explanation and guidance that I found a way to help my body contain the damage in my teeth. My relief at this outcome is immeasurable.

We have been conditioned to believe that the only opinions worth having are those that come from people who have been formally trained and licensed, but I believe that formal training can be restricted and biased, and does not necessarily consider all possibilities. Here is the work of someone who questions the knee-jerk assumptions of the industry and who has taken the trouble to do the research and the self-experimentation in an effort to find a better way. I am very appreciative that Rami has chosen to share his findings, relieving us from each having to go through the whole process of trial and error from scratch. And he brings some much-needed balance to a subject that is approached by so many from a place of fear.

Why is our modern society so plagued by tooth decay? Did indigenous people from primitive cultures suffer as we do, with rotting teeth? Knowing the cause of the problem is always the first step in correcting it. Ramiel Nagel, in this book about curing tooth decay, addresses these questions and much more. Ramiel does an excellent job exposing the root of the problem. He explains the difference between true prevention and just temporarily treating the symptoms.

The author is not a doctor or a dentist, but became intensely interested in the subject of curing tooth decay due to his young daughter's badly decaying teeth. This situation caused him to be fearful and it was this fear and his love for his daughter which motivated him to find a solution to his daughter's pain and suffering.

I have come to learn through much negative experience with the mainstream medical system, that knowledge acquired through medical school, which is mostly funded by the drug companies and other corporations, is not designed to serve the public's best interests. It is instead designed for profit. Discouraging natural preventative and curative treatments, while promoting only symptomatic treatments, allows the disease process to progress underneath the surface and provides an avenue for future profits. Ramiel Nagel reveals how this conundrum is especially relevant to modern dental care. I love the following example he uses to illustrate this concept.

" In this example, imagine that a tooth is an orange. Imagine a rotting orange, with a small moldy spot. The moldy spot is equivalent to tooth decay. The equivalent of a dentist placing a dental filling would be removing the moldy spot with a knife and filling the spot with glue. Once the mold is removed, the decay process temporarily slows down. A few more days sitting out, and another moldy spot forms. This is just like how, over time, tooth decay continues to progress even after you get a filling." Ramiel travels a bit farther with this comparison, including the root canal procedure.

The author's purpose in writing this book is to share information with readers which will aide them in taking responsibility for their own dental care and for the dental care of their children. Nagel has researched the groundbreaking works of Dr. Weston Price, a dentist who traveled the world, comparing the health of indigenous people eating their native diets, to those in or near the cities who were consuming refined foods. Dr. Weston Price found, without exception, that those eating the unrefined natural foods had very strong constitutions, moral character and well formed facial and jaw structure. Their health was so excellent that there was no need for doctors or prisons. Those eating the denatured foods, in the more "civilized" areas, had to deal with deformed sinus and jaw structure, rotting teeth, increased crime and increased susceptibility to infectious disease.

Nagel stresses the importance of fat soluble vitamins and activators. He explains what they are and what foods supply them. Activators are natural substances, which are not usually present in our modernized diets. They are needed to aide the absorption of important vitamins and minerals. He talks about the importance of eating some foods raw and fermented, including dairy products and organ meats. Fish liver oil also plays an important role in dental and overall skeletal health.

The book provides a daily guideline or protocol for curing and preventing tooth decay. Ramiel lists the foods which are important in helping to form strong teeth and bones. He also lists food to avoid. He tells us it is not possible to regrow a whole tooth but decay can be stopped and hard dentin can be formed over the pulp of a decayed tooth, which prevents pain and the need for a root canal. Our body's calcium phosphorus ratio needs to be in balance and so do our blood sugar levels. I'd like to include one more quote from page 37 of "Cure Tooth Decay"

"The longer your blood sugar is out of balance, and the greater the imbalance, the more the calcium and phosphorus ratios are altered, and thus the higher the likelihood of tooth decay. This explains why frequent snacking on sugar causes significant decay; the blood sugar remains out of balance for a longer period of time, causing more calcium to be removed from the bones. This also illustrates that even natural sugars from fruits, natural sweeteners, and alcohols can contribute to tooth decay. All of them can place the blood sugar level out of balance."

Nagel also includes discussion on root canals, fillings, the dangers of fluoride, xrays and a special section on children's dental health. I found this book to be packed with helpful common sense information. I will keep it close by as a personal guide to not only achieving superior dental health but also general overall health. Our teeth are one of the outward visible manifestations of the internal balance and health of the body.

Ramiel Nagel has no conflicts of interest, no products to sell, except his book, which he hopes will reach and help many overcome and prevent tooth decay. This is a very different type of health book, written from the heart. The information provided is rooted in trial and error experience along with extensive research into the works of Dr.Weston Price, dentist Melvin Page, anthropologist Leon Abrams, and others. The dietary advice put forth in this book is not only crucial for preventing tooth decay but for preserving the health of the human race.

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About a month ago I noticed that my enamel was stripping off. I don't believe this was typical enamel erosion. I don't eat citrus fruits or drink soda, don't have gerd or acid reflux, and I'm not bulemic. I have patches and dull strips where there used to be shiny enamel. I bought this book and changed my diet immediately. Within a few weeks the stripping of the enamel stopped. And all of a sudden in a matter of days, I started noticing vast improvements in the surface of my teeth. I read that tooth structure is lattice like, and it really is. You can really see it! For a couple of days, I actually watched it re-knit, and some of the patches have shrunk, by refilling with shiny enamel. I cheated on my birthday and the progress slowed for several days and I didn't notice daily improvements. I am just starting to see them again. There will be no more cheating. I don't want to slow this down.

My daughter just started getting her permanent teeth this spring and they don't have any shine to them at all. She is also getting some enamel finally. Hers doesn't have the appearance of lattice, yet. She is just now getting her first vertical lines. If I could capture this, I'd probably just post the pictures online for the whole world to see that dentists are wrong! Everywhere you read online, "enamel does not grow back..." But, it does. I don't think this is just the enamel "like" glassy coating that Rami refers to. I really believe this is actual enamel re-knitting.

My husband is getting improvements in his teeth as well. A couple of his molars appeared to have black decay in them, and the blackness is fading away.

A bonus from this diet, is that I am finally starting to absorb my nutrients. Both myself and my daughter suffer from deficiencies caused by malabsorption. We are both doing better. And the proof for me, besides my teeth healing, is that my prematurely gray hair is reversing. Premature gray hair is caused by a lack of minerals. So, I must be absorbing some finally.

This book shows you how important proper nutrition is, not just for teeth but for all health. The teeth are not just for eating. They are not unnecessary and expendible. They are keys to your health. They can tell you when something is wrong in your body. Dentures can't do that. If you have cavities, or enamel issues, it's not just a "dental" issue. It's a HEALTH issue. And fillings are just a bandaid. You MUST take responsibility and take control of your health. Only YOU can do that. No doctor or dentist can do that for you. It is hard work. Change is not easy, and not always fun. But it is SO WORTH the effort. Not only will you feel better physically because you're getting proper nutrition, you will feel good knowing that YOU did this for yourself. No bandaids, no magic pills.

I also recommend Sally Fallon's, Nourishing Traditions book along with your purchase of Ramiel Nagel's, Cure Tooth Decay. Her book will help you keep with the guidelines that Rami suggests in this book.

I just want to add a thank you to Rami for his hard work and dedication to writing this book.

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When his daughter's teeth began rapidly decaying, the author embarked on a journey to find a solution. Through the writtings of Weston A. Price and Marvin Page, and his own experimentation, he found that tooth decay can be prevented or stopped by diet.

The book starts with a brief denunciation of modern dental notions then reviews the work of Price and Page, paying special attention to their recommendations on diet. Next the author presents his own recommendations on diet (including both the "best" protocol and an alternate vegetarian protocol). The book continues with more detailed discussion of tooth decay, dentistry, and prevention of childhood tooth decay.

Being based on large part on the work of Price and Page, the book's main theme and basic findings are solid, but the author, while railing against modern dental theories that, in his assessment, parade as "science" demonstrates his own poor understanding of the subject matter and inadequate critical thinking skills. As a result, the book is of somewhat dubious value.

For example, on page 6, he rails against the supposed contradiction of the "experts" by quoting the website of the American Dental Association in which they state that tooth decay is caused by sugars and starches in our foods that contact our teeth and PROMOTE bacterial growth. He then quotes the Sugar Association's website where they say that sugar DISABLES bacterial growth. He states, "Basically, what I am saying is that if you leave a bowl of white flour and sugar outside next to a piece of raw fish, in a few hours or days the fish will be ridden with bacteria while the flour and sugar remain the same, nearly impervious to bacterial destruction." He neglects to notice that the DRY item remains while the one with moisture is the one that decays. Drying foods has long been a method of preserving them. (Beef jerky, anyone?)

He also makes some mistakes in summarizing the research of Weston Price. For example, on page 27, he lists the principle sources of fat-soluble vitamins that Price identified in the diets of indigenous groups immune to tooth decay. He states that the third source is "Organs of land animals." In fact, Price names the sources in his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration which on page 282 lists the third source as, "the organs of animals, and the eggs of birds, wild and domesticated." While few Americans eat organ meats, the vast majority do eat eggs, making this omission non-trivial.

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with Page's research, so I cannot comment on how accurately the author portrayed this research.

Pros:

* The idea that tooth decay can be halted or prevented by diet, coming from the research of Price and Page, is an important idea to get across to people, and this is the book's main point.

* The book is engaging.

* The author's own experience with diet and tooth decay and what he has found to work for his family and others is useful.

Cons:

* The author's lack of clear thinking and resultant logical mistakes.

* While the author ridicules the idea that bacteria are the cause of tooth decay, he fails to realize they do in fact play a role, if not the most critical one.

Rather than reading this book, I would recommend reading Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Price and perhaps a book by Page. If you can get this book at a library, you may find chapter 4, in which the author presents his dietary recommendations, thought provoking.

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My 8 year old daughter has been plagued her entire life by consistent tooth decay. By 8 years old she has had 19 fillings, 6 root canals with silver caps and 5 extractions. In May 2011, we went for her 3 month cleaning (we took her every 3 months). Big surprise, 3 more cavities. Only this time, something in me said no to fillings. She'd had enough. I went home and called my sister upset over the news. She said to me, you have to read this book. She ordered it for me off of Amazon that day. When it arrived I read it cover to cover, taking notes along the way. Then I did it. I changed everything. I threw out our toothpaste for fluoride free. I started buying raw milk from a local farm. I started buying only grass fed meats, cheese and eggs. I gave her the cod liver oil every day...I cut back on phytic acid rich foods like whole grains...I KNOW what you're thinking...but if you only knew what those whole grains are doing. I began sprouting and fermenting my grains and legumes. Then in September, I went back. By now I was ready for the dentist to say to me...see I told you so. Only she didn't. She paused. She looked at the xrays 3X and then looked at her teeth and then finally, at me. She sat up and said "I don't understand...her cavities have hardened over...this is impossible." I began shaking...I really did. I was instantly as high as a kite. We discussed the new diet for 15 minutes as she took notes and then she said something she never thought she would say, "I don't see a need to fill these cavities at this time." The BIG bonus? I've lost 20 pounds while eating a ton of healthy, raw fats!! Who knew just switching from corn fed meat and dairy to grass fed would make such a difference on my waist!! But it was never about me...it was about saving my daughters smile. Thanks you to the moon and back for this book.

Home Massage Therapy, Book 2 (Dahnhak, the Way to Perfect Health)

The book is broken down into easily understood sections. The illustrations are nicely detailed. It is easy to pick up a technique or two each time you pick up the book without devoting hours of study. Best of all the information is useful and gets results. I also have book one.

Naturally Fit: You can Get in Shape and Stay in Shape by working out at home and walking

Walter Walter has hit a home run in his latest book.

The man with the plan is Walter Walter, who is a fitness enthusiast and scientist. I read his The Chemistry of Food and Weight Loss Book too.

It appears he is specializing in basic information for those that are starting out with fitness and weight loss as Naturally Fit is a very good but very basic book. I would like for him to do a more advance book on the topic.

In any case, I believe he has a knack of breaking stuff down to make sense to a layman like me and he clearly employs simple thinking which I love! Overall I am pleased especially with the walking section so I will recommend this book.

The main idea behind this book is that getting fit does not have to require intricate exercise routines or strenuous workouts at a gym. We all have the capacity to stay fit naturally the way nature intended us to by using our own bodies.

This is another simple book by Walter Walter that I enjoyed. There is something to be said about reading basic information that actually works. Will share my copy of this book and offer advice to my friends so I'm not selling this one back to amazon.

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Babies and Other Hazards of Sex: How to Make a Tiny Person in Only 9 Months, with Tools You Probably

When I first read this, before I had (or even considered having) children, I assumed that it was intended as humor, and I laughed (a lot) at what I imagined were its comic exaggerations. Now that I have a child, I realize that this is in fact a no-nonsense, completely serious and accurate description of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing.

While other baby books mislead you with emotional descriptions of the joy and wonder your "little one" will bring, Dave Barry pulls no punches in his hard-hitting, gritty portrayal of baby behavior. There is a quiz early on whose purpose is to deter prospective parents who may be weak of heart or stomach, with questions such as "How many diapers will an average baby go through before it is toilet-trained?" or "What is the most repulsive thing a baby would put in its mouth?" Those of you who are parents will know the answers. Those of you who are not, be warned: you may think Dave Barry's answers are too outrageous to be true, but you're wrong!

Anyway, this book is an excellent source of information for anyone who is considering having children, or who is considering not having children. It is also useful for those who already have children, as it will reassure them that they are not alone -though they may wish they had read (and heeded) it sooner.

Hi all you expectant parents out there. If are like my wife and I, as soon as we learned that we were pregnant my wife immersed herself in Dr. Spock and other "reputable" child care and parenting books. Being of a somewhat different ilk, I undertook my own brand of pre-baby training with this wonderful primer about babies, where they come from, what happens when they get here, why they do what they do, and how to cope with it all as a parent.

Know what? Dave Barry's book is the most readable, enjoyable, and useful introduction to the little people who show up at our homes that I have ever seen. Move over Dr. Spock!

Dave gives advice about diapers and dealing with unsolicited advice on parenting. He also explains in perfectly understandable detail why babies spit up their food (it's the "food-return loop" that causes it), drool, and other typically unexplainable baby behaviors. In addition, there are tips to fathers about when diapers need to be changed, etc.

Read it and weep or laugh out loud, depending on whether your baby's already home or still on the way. This book presents real life...no sugar coating here!

This book also makes a great wedding present!

5 stars, no doubt about it!

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There are two things that will assist you in getting the full enjoyment from this book. First, you have to appreciate Dave Barry's sense of humor. Second, you have to have experienced the "birth process" as well as seen those formative years involving toilet training, preschool selection, first words spoken, and taking a kid to a restaurant or on a plane.

And if you haven't done these things, you still may find this book entertaining!

There were four times a laugh/sob just escaped spontaneously as I was reading this book:

As part of a quiz to measure whether you have the knowledge to become a parent, Barry asks, "What do you do if your two-month-old baby is screaming in an airplane and refuses to shut up and is clearly disturbing the other passengers?

a. Summon the stewardess and say: 'Stewardess, whose baby is this?'

b. Summon the stewardess and say: 'Stewardess, this baby is very interested in aviation. Please take it up and show it around the cockpit for the duration of the flight.'

c. Summon the stewardess and say: 'Stewardess, please inform the captain that this infant has just handed me a note in which it threatens to continue crying unless it is taken to Havana immediately'" (p. 3).

In selecting toys for the newborn: "You don't want so-called educational toys that claim to teach 'spatial relationships,' because the only spatial relationship newborn babies care about is whether they can fit things into their mouths. This means you want toys that will fit safely and comfortably in a baby's mouth. The best way to select such toys is to try them out in your own mouth, bearing in mind that yours has eight times the volume of baby's. When you go to the toy store, ask to see eight of each potential toy; if you can stuff them all comfortably in your mouth, you should buy one. Remind the salesclerk to sterilize the other seven, so as not to pass infectious diseases on to the next shopper. The clerk will appreciate this thoughtful reminder" (p. 21).

On naming your baby: "In recent years, it has become fashionable to give children extremely British-sounding names, such as 'Jessica.' I think this is an excellent idea. Despite the fact that Great Britain has been unable to produce a car that can be driven all the way across a shopping mall parking lot without major engine failure, Americans think that anything British is really terrific. So I recommend you give your baby the most British name you can think up, such as 'Queen Elizabeth' or 'Big Ben' or 'Crumpet Scone-Hayes'" (p. 38-39).

On kids learning to talk: "I remember once my wife called me into the living room, all excited. 'Watch this,' she said. 'Robert, where's your head?' And by God, Robert pointed to his head. I was stunned. I couldn't believe what a genius we had on our hands. Then my wife, bursting with pride, said, 'Now watch this. Robert, where's your foot?' Robert flashed us a brilliant smile of comprehension, pointed to his head, and said, 'dog'" (p. 70).

Too close to home! Be prepared to have your funny bone tickled.

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My wife got me this as a gift, and my only complaint is that my youngest is now eight, and I could have used this a long time ago. Dave Barry hits the nail right on the head with this book.

In this book, Barry puts a very serious subject in a humorous tone, but he still speaks the truth. Yes, this book is intended as humor, but his reasoning and descriptions are pretty dead on true. I seriously could relate to a lot of the situations he described. This book was hysterical.

Jerry O'Brien's illustrations are hilarious, and, as always, the perfect compliment to Barry's book. For any new parents or expected parents, this book is definately for you. Not only will this book not pull any punches, and tell it like it is, but it is very enjoyable reading, and will help ease some of the axieties that you may already have. Yeah, it might add a few as well, but hey, at least you'll laugh so hard, you'll forget about labor pains.

Dave Barry is easily the king of comedy, and this short book even illustrates this even more. You won't be disappointed.

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My husband and I are thinking about trying to conceive soon, and we thought this would be a great humorous view of the whole process. And, it is! As always Dave Barry brings such true humor to the process. I especially love the recounts of conversations he's had with his child, espeically the ones that revolve around the word "Why?".... (e.g., "That's a goat." "Why?") My only gripe is that there isn't more to this book, a lot of page space is dedicated to only mildly amusing pictures.

Overall though, a fun read which you can finish in one or two sittings.

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Back to Eden: Classic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Natural Food and Home Remedies Since 1939

I have a 1964 copy that I love. I ate what was recommended to a small degree of my ability and within a month my skin was clear and glowing, my mood was balanced, and I didn't get upset about much. I also didn't get sick, and I was often sick. I am re-reading this book now that I'm a mom so I can start making graduated changes for my family's health. I also liked that it is a natural health/herb book written by a Christian.

Almost 30 years ago I stumbled across this book on a shelf in a clothing/health food store in Branson, Mo. I don't know why I bought it but in retrospect I recognize that angels were watching over me.

I was following in my mother's footsteps as a carton and a half a week chain smoker. When I read Jethro Kloss's 12 day detox program for addictions (which included smoking)I decided to give it a shot. I loved smoking. I loved the last cigarette I smoked on June 3rd 1983 but I knew my children and I would be healthier if I could quit even though their father (my husband)did not chose to follow suite.

I committed myself to those 12 days with only one infraction of his program. It was to have a bite of cake for my 35th birthday. I have never gone back to smoking again even after going through a divorce (wasn't over cigarettes :-) ) and a career change that had me working as a bartender for 5 years.

My mother continued to smoke until her doctor told her she had sinned against her body all she could. She was on oxygen for the last 3 years of her life and finally died by drowning in her own lung fluid.

This book has probably saved my life. I am now a naturopathic doctor and offer much of the same guidance as J. Kloss did to my clients today.

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An excellent book. A must have for all those who want to get back to Natural Healing Herbs.

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The book will be here for generation to come it's all the thing we have forgotten. I became very ill with high BP and my father remember using this book and said he wished he still had a copy, so I said amazon would have it and this story is history.

Thanks amazon

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THE BOOK CONTAINS ALL THE TRIED AND PROVEN THINGS THAT ARE GOD FOR WHAT AILES THE BODY.

Healthy Eating for Life for Children

This book is really great! I like it because it addresses my questions as a Vegetarian, but isnt strictly so. It's for everyone. Most of the books out there dont go so far as to tell you about nutrition, and mainly give recipies and are mostly for meat eating diets. My son hates vegetables, and is a picky eater and I found that this book helped me with those issues instead of glossing over it and then providing recipies with veggies and things he wouldnt like anyway. The recipies are really good, and easy to prepare. Healthy and tasty, to boot.

I reccomend this book to anyone, no matter your diet. Its easy to read and very informative. If you have a baby, I would reccomend 'Super Baby Food' by Ruth Yaron to go with this.

These to books are awesome if you want your children and yourself to eat health consiously.

Lots of good information that unfortunately is not readily available through normal sources. Information from pregnancy right up through teen years. Could help parent avoid doing something that would promote Type 1 diabetes in their child, as well as many other lifelong diseases. Even has a chapter(11) for the athletic child.

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This book has good information on nutrition for pregnant women, babies, children and teenagers. It has a chapter for athletic children and teens. This actually works for me because I have a teenage daughter who is a swimmer. The book has delicious recipes very easy to prepare.

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Very informative, but not too scientific that the average person would get lost in the science. I gave it to my two daughters one expecting shortly and one with a 2 year old. They were very happy with the book.

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I love this book! It gives a parent the facts about what to feed a child and how to go about it.

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Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection

I'm probably Jacobs' biggest fan. I have all of this books and have read, I think, all of his articles. With nearly every other author, I am loth to paid extra money for hardback and will simply wait until the book comes out in paperback. With Jacobs, however, I will immediately pre-order through Amazon as soon as I hear that he's about to publish a new book.

However, I think I've turned a corner with Jacobs and am starting to tire of his approach.

This book, while it was interesting and a page-turner, is something I would never read again.

Basically, Jacobs tries to be as healthy as possible for two years, trying out various philosophies and strictures of the health movement.

Although this "I did something kooky for a while and now I'm writing a popular book about it"-approach worked with the Bible thing, the George Washington thing, the cognitive biases thing, etc., it doesn't work so well with this material.

In short, I guess I was disappointed with this book and am starting to run out of patience with Jacobs. I accuse him of not treating his material fairly (at least here) and not taking his material seriously.

This project should have taken him 5 years, but instead he rushed through it in just two. Unlike Jacob's previous outings, you get the feeling on nearly every page that his real goal was to write and sell a book, not seriously explore the different philosophies, which is what really interests the reader.

Specifically, a lot of the health, diet, and wellness approaches required more than a friggin' afternoon to really take on board! I'm sure that the proponents of these various approaches -almost to a man -are probably frustrated with the book and feel that Jacobs sold them short. Like I'm so sure you can try a Macrobiotic diet for 3 days and start drawing conclusions about it.

One exercise philosophy that's looked at, for example, is the "Paleo" workout: basically imitating the exercises that cavemen would have engaged in.

Interesting. But Jacobs works out with them for about two hours and never sees them again. I'm sure that those guys, not to mention the other proponents, would say that you didn't give us a fair chance. Our approach takes weeks -sometimes months -before it starts bearing fruit in your life.

And then there are directly conflicting philosophies; Jacobs cannot possibly do justice to them both. One holds than men should retain their "essence;" another, than men should spill their "essence" as often as possible. You try out one for a few days and think you've made a fair (or even an informative) go of things?

Since Jacobs is rushing through hundreds of different philosophies and approaches in about two years, you get the feeling that he never really gives anything a fair chance to improve his health. At least with the Bible thing, you got the feeling he was seriously interested in dispassionately investigating to what extent it was possible to live as literally as possible by the Bible. And when the project was done, we learned something: 1) No; it isn't: at some point, you have to make judgment calls; and 2) Rituals influence your mind.

But with the wellness thing, you get the feeling he's simply not serious about investigating anything, so the book ends up being unsatisfying.

I never thought I'd use that word to describe a Jacobs book, but there you go.

Magazine writer A.J. Jacobs calls it "experiential journalism." He takes on seemingly ridiculous, yet intriguing, challenges. He reads the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. He lives the Bible, even the apparently trivial parts, such as not shaving your face. He outsources his life to a team of personal assistants in India.

He learns along the way and shares his discoveries. It's very entertaining. Jacobs has an easygoing and, for someone who writes almost exclusively in first person, surprisingly non-egotistical style. He works hard at his projects, preparing ahead, and doing research throughout. He's a real pro at being an amateur.

In his latest undertaking, he attempts to become healthy. This is more difficult than it sounds. He plans to go from slightly overweight and out of shape to heroic fitness. And that's not all. He also intends to improve the condition of all of his body parts: skin, nose, hands, etc. All this in two years!

One of the first roadblocks he runs into is the sheer volume of information and theories on how to be fit. The second obstacle is that much of the information is contradictory. There is no agreed upon, guaranteed path to health. Even trusted experts don't agree with one another.

But the main impediment to super health is self control. No surprise there. Jacobs manages to overcome the problem with a variety of methods. When he has trouble giving up a favorite snack, he writes a large check to the American Nazi Party and vows to mail it next time he gives in to temptation. He finds this kind of negative motivation very powerful.

Another trick that works for Jacobs, though not as dramatically effective as the negative motivation, is to digitally age a photo of himself (there's an app for that) so that he can better imagine himself in the future. Being able to picture his future self ("old A.J.") helps him to stick to his goals.

He also finds inspiration in two examples in their nineties his own grandfather who remained involved in community affairs long after his formal retirement, and fitness expert Jack La Lanne, who kept a busy professional schedule, spreading the word about healthy living, right to the end.

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The promise: "I am on a quest to be the healthiest man alive."

The reality: "I am going to spend TWO YEARS talking to folks with fringe health ideas and sampling most of them so I can share my reflections in a book."

Jacobs' does not even take himself seriously, instead spending his book advance to try it all. He has his teeth whitened (even the folks who sell this service don't claim it helps health) and he took pole dancing lessons (since it is claimed to be good exercise--wink, wink). He does not stick with anything, which is of course rule #1 of getting healthy; instead he flips and flops from idea to idea. Grins, nods, but really, so what?

I was really interested in what a man truly attempting to become a perfectly healthy specimen might look like. That would be a good story. This one...not so much.

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I have read and loved all of Ajs books and eagerly looked forward to the release date of this book. Even better, I was going on vacation and had uninterrupted time to sit back and enjoy. Unfortunately, this volume seemed formulaic and stale, like I had read it before. The jokes and twists were predictable. I didn't laugh out loud constantly like I did with the know it all etc. Still love you aj, but I think it's time to find a new genre. You are a good writerlets see something different!

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Jacobs seems like a nice guy from this book, but a very regular, ordinary, frankly uninteresting guy. I suppose this is why he does these " experiments" as they help make him interesting. The book's advice is unremarkable (Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating or Younger Next Year have much better information) and the various experiments he does are not particularly interesting or funny. I am in the minority here but if you enjoy things with a bit of an edge, don't appreciate trite homespun " wisdom" and a weak sitcom version of family life or if you like humor that is funny stay away. By the way I question some of the five star reviews, so many of them are so absurd (one reviewer wrote this was the best nonfiction book she had ever read!) and so strongly advise you to buy the book that it makes me feel they are written by friends of the author or perhaps by people who have some interest in its success. Maybe not, maybe some people are just more easily amused or have not read other health books, but this reader says stay away!

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Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think And What We Can Do About It

I would highly recommend this book to both parents and teacher alike. Healy maintains an interesting writing style throughout the text, and actively engages her audience. While I do feel the text is rather long, it doesn't dissolve into random banter. The book stays focused until the end, providing many provoking lines of thought. For instance: Since the introduction of standardized schooling over a hundred years ago, the rate of literacy has radically declined. How did we go from a nation of unschooled but highly literate people, to a nation of overschooled and illiterate people? Such illuminations, beg discussion.

If you are an advocate of letting your children watch "good TV", like PBS, this book will be a hard pill to swallow. I read it years ago, and loved it. I occasionally go back and reread a passage or two.

She discusses brain development in children at great length. She cites some of the studies that indicate that children who view Sesame Street on a regular basis, express shorter attention spans than those who do not view such programming.

I liked much of the in-depth physiological brain developmental information.

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Healy's basic premise in this book is that human minds undergo actual physical changes with external stimuli, with different kinds of learning and stimuli producing different effects. She also attempts to show that while the human mind is pretty plastic, it is not infinitely so in that some physical characteristics of the brain are more or less fixed by the time the child reaches adolescence.

With this premise, she attempts to relate how a juvenile mind constantly exposed to fast-paced but unmeaningful visual stimuli (the average TV show) is not prepared adequately to face the demands of school. Thus the worsening of reading skills of today's schoolkid, the increasing prevalence of ADHD and tuned-out kids, or kids who just don't think.

Her arguments are often backed with scientific research, although a good amount of the evidence is anecdotal where scientific data is lacking, mostly gleaned from neuro-scientists and educators with strong suspicions. Her case on the whole is rather strong and convincing.

The solution in short for parents: good ol' fashioned reading and spending time on meaningful communication with your kids, and turn off that TV! Okay, at least severely limit TV-time, since Healy does name a couple of suitable children's shows (Sesame Street is NOT recommended!).

I would recommend this book for parents and educators.

For parents, if you REALLY care for your kids, and are willing to make sacrifices for them. Otherwise don't read this book.

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What is amazing about this book (and I am referring to the first edition) is that it describes Generation-X. This book was originally published in 1991, which means that it dealt with children who lived in the eighties. In fact when you read what the children were like in those times (I was one of them...in fact I graduated from High School the year the book was published)and then you relate it to what is written about Gen-X you find an incredible parallel. Has indeed the dominance of television in the first MTV culture (Gen-X) created a generation of people who are not able to truly utilize higher-level thinking abilities? When you compare Healy's work with what we see today it seems that Healy was indeed onto something when she originally wrote the book.

But the book continues to be timely in that television, and "busy" parents, have not disappeared. The influence of both continues to occur, but what do you expect from Gen-X parents who grew up with this?

As one who not only ministers to youth, but has also taught in elementary education and has friends who are teachers, I can tell you that this book is still on target. The scary thing to me is that I think the "restless" nature of kids today is much worse than the past. I believe that ADD and ADHD are "problems" that have developed primarily out of a "television" culture and a culture of "hurried" parents. And until parents start to limit their children's television viewing and spending more time interacting with them, playing with them, and allowing them to be children, the problems will not disappear! I am a parent so I know the challenge!

This is a great book! Every educator and parent should read this!

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The difficulty I had with this book is the impression I got that the author did research on a variety of areas relating to brain development and then loosely connected these areas in broader sections. I got lost in some of the data and conclusions, and would sometimes forget what the point of a given section was. She seemed to take too many different directions to prove her point, as opposed to having information that built upon itself.

Having said that, I did find many of Healy's conclusions important, e.g., what is taught in school today is not what is important, but what is easy to measure. She also educated me on the importance of "Whole-language" learning for children, which I don't necessarily agree with and is controversial in my state, Massachusetts. Concerning television, she devotes a whole chapter to condemning Sesame Street. I agree with this assessment, but thought the subject was better exposed in Marie Winn's "The Plug-In Drug" mainly because the latter described the marketing techniques employed by the program.

My favorite chapter was the last, where she explores the future of human brains. Some provocative food for thought is mentioned like: "now, with a flood of data available, the educated mind is not the one that can master facts, but the one able to ask the winnowing question."

The detriment of television on developing children is difficult to prove, I'm learning from reading this book and other similar material. The lack of research on the effects of television is alarming to the author and to me. She has convinced me that television does affect brain development and needs to be better understood. But even the steps to proceed to more understanding are not being taken, which is suspicious.

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The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer's Disease: A Guide for Caregivers

I got this book to review a while back and it took some time to get through. Not because it's a bad book at all, but because it has a lot of information that kept me busy online researching.

My dad has Parkinson's Disease induced dementia. It is different from AD in how it affects the brain physically but the symptoms are almost identical. This book was very helpful in it's advice; a lot of it I knew already but some was new.

This book is divided into 3 parts: Getting Ready, Day by Day, and Additional Resources

Getting Ready explains how to prepare for patients with AD, such as financial help, legal help, how to pay for care and how to prepare your home.

Day by Day explains how to set up schedules, avoiding burnout, understanding behaviors of AD patients, etc.

This is a good book for anyone who is caring for loved ones with AD or dementia. The amount of online help advice in this book is incredible.

It is the desire and preference of most elderly men and women to live out the last years of their lives in the comfort and familiarity of their homes or the homes of their children. It is almost always the preferred option, delaying the necessity of placement into an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Specifically designed as a guide to caregivers of Alzheimer patients, "The Comfort Of Home For Alzheimer's Disease" is the collaborative work of Maria M. Meyer, Mary S. Mittleman, Cynthia Epstein, and Paula Derr intended to help aging men and women to remain safely at home for as long as possible. The focus of "The Comfort Of Home For Alzheimer's Disease" is to help caregivers understand the difficult behaviors that arise from the affliction of Alzheimers, to make the home safe and comfortable, to reduce the chance of frustration-born conflict and make everyday activities easier for their charges, for dedicated caregivers to take care of themselves with practical self-care tips, to work with the health care providers in behalf of their charges, and to decide when and if nursing home placement is appropriate. Of special note is the necessity for understanding end-of-life health care needs and the necessary documents to guide caregivers when the time comes. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Comfort Of Home For Alzheimer's Disease" should be considered an essential study for anyone charged with providing care for a loved one suffering from Alzheimers. Also very highly recommended from Care Trust Publications is the companion title "The Comfort Of Home For Chronic Lung Disease: A Guide For Caregivers" (9780978790318, $24.95) by Maria M. Meyer, Paula Derr, and Mary E. Gilmartin.

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My maternal grandfather died of Alzheimer's. As he was going through the later stages it was hard for my grandmother and mother to deal with the extreme changes in memory and ability. This book would have been a wonderful resource for them to refer to. It takes you through all of the steps of dealing with this awful disease, from early stage identification to the difficult decision of when to put your loved one in a nursing home.

It includes dozens of resources where you can learn more about the disease, find local support groups and learn how to care for the family member with AD. It also talks about your own well being, pointing out that in order to provide the best care possible to your loved one, you need to be in top shape, mentally and emotionally. It goes into great detail on little things that you might not consider. It would serve as an excellent reference for anyone caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease.

Although I don't have to deal with it yet, there's no telling when AD will strike again in my family. If it does, this book will be an invaluable resource.

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I wish I had this book a few years ago. My partner's family had a relative who was living with Alzheimer's Disease. It can be confusing for both the family and the patient. This book explains everything that can be done to make living with and caring for an Alzheimer's patient easier and better. The advice encompasses everything from writing living trusts to daily activities you can engage with them. However, it is good at letting you know that every patient is different in their needs and the stages of Alzheimer's are not identical. Even if you aren't living with an Alzheimer's patient, it would be a good book to help you understand what that patient needs for their everyday as well as long term care.

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Making Transparent Soap: The Art Of Crafting, Molding, Scenting & Coloring

This is an essential guide for anyone wishing to make transparent soap. The author guides you seamlessly through the complex soap making process with step-by-step instructions color photos & a very helpful troubleshooting section.

The book starts out detailing the properties, advantages & disadvantages of each soap ingredient. Then safety precautions & equipment selection are outlined, including selecting a mold.

Two methods for making the soap & 8 vegetable-based soap recipes follow. Conveniently, complete instructions for modifying these & formulating your own original recipes are included as well. Adding dyes & fragrances is also discussed. Several essential oil fragrance formulas are included.

I was very impressed that the book included both instructions & complete plans in for making labor-saving tools including a square wooden soap mold, an adjustable-wire bar cutter & drill mixer. The extensive resource list including websites was also invaluable.

I bought this book for myself. I read it over several times and became very familiar with the process before attempting anything. The book is extremely informative and well-written. Very easy to understand. The description of ingredients and the purpose of each one was very useful. Beautiful pictures. Nice sections on coloring, fragrancing & moulding. Great info. on where ingredients can be purchased. However, even though I followed the directions for the alcohol/lye method to the letter, I still had a disastrous first experience. My mixture, simmering on lowest possible heat, boiled up and oozed out the sides, despite the tightly cinched bungee holding the sheets of plastic in place. My inner pot ended up floating on boiling soap foam. I managed to save the remainder that was left in the pot and finished the simmering proccess directly on the burner (after cleaning the outside of the pot thoroughly). I estimated the amount of sugar/water solution and glycerin to add to it. Although I can't vouch for the amounts of any of the ingredients at this point, the stuff that I did save managed to come out very well. Looks pretty, smells great and lathers beautifully. I'm just lucky my stove top didn't burst into flames considering the flamable alcohol that oozed over the sides of the pot. I believe next time I try this (soon) I will ajust the method to what I consider safe and hope that it works well. If you plan on making this soap, please be sure to have an extinguisher close by. I'm not sure why I had such a horrible time with this method, but I'd hate for it to be worse for anyone else.

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Ever read a soap box label? Ever wondered what all that stuff in soap does, why it's there? This book is very good at explaining what the components do, how they contribute to lather, if they dry or moisturize skin, etc. I found the information helpful even if I don't ever actually make my own soap (but I think now I want to try).

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I always wanted to know how to make my own soap. At first I thought this is gona be the hardest thing. when in reality it's the easiest. This book takes you through a step by step process. and in the end you will end up having the most beautiful looking soap. so nice you'll be tempted to sell it.

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This book is very good at teaching the beginner the basics of what exactly goes into soap making. It details the different choices and weighs the good with the bad. I would have liked to have seen more ideas about different recipes for the scents, but oh well. All in all, anyone interested in soap making should read this book for it's educational value!

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