Health Recent Picks

January 2009

The underlined title links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

Hearing voices : a common human experience, by John Watkins. (2008)
"... This book contains a wealth of information of great practical value to people who hear voices as well as to those who simply wish to learn more about this fascinating aspect of human psychology. It also addresses many complex questions regarding personal identity, the nature of consciousness, the relationship between mind and brain and the place of spirituality in human life - issues which will be of interest to all thoughtful readers. John Watkins is an internationally-known and respected counsellor and educator whose main professional interest is in exploring and promoting holistic approaches to the development and maintenance of mental Health. In this latest book, he provides: a detailed description of a wide variety of voice hearing experiences, an overview of the theories accounting for how and why this happens, a range of practical techniques for coping with or stopping voices, guidelines for applying spiritual discernment to hearing voices, and strategies for optimising the personal value of voice hearing experiences". (Global Books in Print)

Nutrition promotion : theories and methods, systems and settings , by Tony Worsley. (2008)
"With the media highlighting the growing obesity epidemic in western society, dieticians, nutritionists, and other health professionals increasingly have to promote healthy eating to the general public. Although nutrition education has been established for decades, health promotion and media communication are now part of the toolkit needed to solve wide ranging nutritional issues that cause major health problems. Nutrition Promotion sets nutrition education firmly in a public health context and provides practical applications in a variety of settings and age groups. Presenting the history, theory and methods of nutrition promotion, this book draws on international research and theory, and includes international case studies and examples. Key discussions include: What is a diet? What are the principles of nutrition promotion? How do you effectively plan, manage and evaluate a program? Which campaigns have been effective in changing people's food behaviors? How can health professionals influence policy." (Global Books in Print)

Hope for the autism spectrum : a mother and son journey of insight and biomedical intervention, by Sally Kirk. (c2009)
"When Sally Kirk's son, Will, was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she did everything she could to understand his condition and to find ways of improving his quality of life. In this book, Sally shares the story of her journey with Will and how her discovery of biomedical interventions significantly improved his behavior and changed their lives for the better. This positive, practical book tells a personal story of hope and provides a wealth of essential information on biodmedical interventions for parents of children on the autism spectrum." (Amazon)

Contented dementia : 24-hour wraparound care for lifelong well-being, by Oliver James. (c2008)
"Dementia is a little understood and currently incurable illness, but much can be done to maximise the quality of life for people with the condition. "Contented Dementia" - by clinical psychologist and bestselling author Oliver James - outlines a groundbreaking and practical method for managing dementia that will allow both sufferer and carer to maintain the highest possible quality of life, throughout every stage of the illness. A person with dementia will experience random and increasingly frequent memory blanks relating to recent events. Feelings, however, remain intact, as do memories of past events and both can be used in a special way to substitute for more recent information that has been lost.The SPECAL method (Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer's) outlined in this book works by creating links between past memories and the routine activities of daily life in the present. Drawing on real-life examples and user-friendly tried-and-tested methods, "Contented Dementia" provides essential information and guidance for carers, relatives and professionals." (Amazon).

Diary of an exercise addict : a memoir, by by Peach Friedman. (c2009)
"As a young Southern woman in her senior year of college, Peach Friedman set out to beat the blues - and a break-up with her boyfriend - by beating herself into shape. Running ten miles a day and taking in as little as 800 calories, she forbade herself from indulging in the sensual pleasure of food and worked her body to exhaustion to avoid dealing with her emotional pain. She fell from 146 to 100 pounds in three months. Friedman suffered from exercise bulimia, a compulsion to purge calories through excessive exercise, and a rapidly growing eating disorder that affects some 400,000 American women. Having lost all memory of the sexy, curvaceous woman she once knew, Friedman found herself at serious risk of cardiac arrest. In Diary of an Exercise Addict, Friedman chronicles her harrowing six-year ordeal from her gradual descent into a life-threatening eating disorder to her remarkable recovery, and the setbacks and challenges she encountered along the way." (Inside Flap)

Reiki meditations for beginners : the art of meditation, the practice of Reiki, by Lawrence Ellyeard. (2008).
"Reiki Meditations for Beginners is a complete guide to the practice of meditation and shows how these two practices are in fact an integral experience for anyone wishing to cultivate inner peace and happiness in daily life. Far from being abstract ideas, the methods presented in this book, makes meditation readily accessible for the reader, whether they are a complete novice or seasoned practitioner". (Amazon).

The Water Birth Book , by Janet Balaskas with Cathy Meeus. (2004)
"The Waterbirth Book is the comprehensive guide to all aspects of waterbirth and the use of water throughout pregnancy and during infancy."

Dietary interventions in autism spectrum disorders : why they work when they do, why they don't when they don't, by Kenneth J. Aitken. (2009)
"The book explores the known genetic conditions linked to autism and describes various dietary interventions. For each approach, the author explores the potential benefits; evidence for and against the diet; and information, where available, on relevant publications, web resources and support groups. The author also looks at the Simple Restriction Diet (SRD) in detail, describing how to implement this approach and how to evaluate its effects." (Global Books in Print)

Full regeneration : the ultimate health journey, by Brian Dodds. (2008)

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