Health Recent Picks
February 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.
Mania : a short history of bipolar disorder, by David Healy. (2008)
"This provocative history of bipolar disorder illuminates how perceptions of illness, if not the illnesses themselves, are mutable over time. Beginning with the origins of the concept of mania - and the term maniac - in ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, renowned psychiatrist David Healy examines how concepts of mental afflictions evolved as scientific breakthroughs established connections between brain function and mental illness. Healy recounts the changing definitions of mania through the centuries, explores the effects of new terminology and growing public awareness of the disease on culture and society, and examines the rise of psychotropic treatments and pharmacological marketing over the past four decades. Along the way, Healy clears much of the confusion surrounding bipolar disorder even as he raises crucial questions about how, why, and by whom the disease is diagnosed. Drawing heavily on primary sources and supplemented with interviews and insight gained over Healy's long career, this lucid and engaging overview of mania sheds new light on one of humankind's most vexing ailments." (Amazon)
Stronger after stroke : your roadmap to recovery, byPeter G. Levine. (c2009)
"Billions of dollars are spent each year researching stroke rehabilitation and treatment techniques, but most are not well communicated to patients or caregivers. As a result, many stroke survivors are treated with outdated or ineffective therapies. Stronger After Stroke puts the power of recovery in the reader's hands by providing easy instructions for reaching the highest possible level of healing. Written for stroke survivors, their caregivers, and their loved ones, the book presents a new approach that is startling in its simplicity: stroke survivors recover by using the same learning techniques that anyone uses to master anything. Basic concepts are covered, including repetition of task-specific movements, proper scheduling of practice, challenges at each stage of recovery, and setting goals and recognizing achievements. Stronger After Stroke bridges the gap between stroke survivors and what they desperately need: easily understandable and scientifically accurate information on how to achieve optimal rehabilitation." (Amazon)
Obsession : a history, by Lennard J. Davis. (2008)
"Beginning with the roots of the disease in demonic possession and its secular successors, Lennard Davis traces the evolution of obsessive behavior from a social and religious fact of life into a medical and psychiatric problem. From obsessive aspects of professional specialization to obsessive sex and nymphomania, no variety of obsession eludes Davis's analysis. Obsession also considers the clinical definition of the condition: Davis investigates the huge increase (estimates suggest up to 600-fold) in diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder over the past thirty years. Surveying the many ways in which doctors today treat OCD, he points out the limitations of and contradictions within the biological definitions of the disease." (Book Jacket)
The lupus book : a guide for patients and their families, by Daniel J. Wallace. (2009)
"Lupus, a disease of the immune system, can be quite deadly, claiming the lives of thousands of patients yearly... This Fourth Edition discusses the newest clinical trials and emerging therapies - all laid out in user-friendly language that any patient could understand. Readers will also discover fully updated sections on the science of lupus and breakthroughs in research. And as in past editions, the book provides absolutely lucid answers to such questions as: What causes lupus? How and where is the body affected? Can a woman with lupus have a baby? And how can one manage this disease? Indeed, Dr. Wallace has distilled his extensive experience, providing the most up-to-date information on causes, prevention, cure, exercise, diet, and many other important topics. There is also a glossary of terms and an appendix of lupus resource materials compiled by the Lupus Foundation of America. Over a million Americans have lupus. The Fourth Edition of The Lupus Book offers these patients and their families a wealth of reliable, up-to-date information that will help them manage the disease and live a happier life." (Amazon)
Hot flashes, hormones, & your health, by JoAnn E. Manson with Shari Bassuk (c2007)
"As someone going through menopause, you may be all too familiar with its uncomfortable symptoms and you are desperate for relief. Now, one of the world's top experts on women's health gives you solid, research-based advice to help you sail through menopause without the suffering. In Hot Flashes, Hormones, and Your Health, Dr. JoAnn Manson provides the answers you need:
- The latest scientific evidence on the benefits and risks of hormone therapy
- Expert guidance in determining whether or not hormone therapy is the right choice for you
- The truth about bioidentical hormones
- Healthful and effective options for women who cannot--or prefer not to--use hormone therapy" (Amazon)
The myth of Alzheimer's : what you aren't being told about today's most dreaded diagnosis, by Peter J. Whitehouse with Daniel George. (c2008)
"Dr. Peter Whitehouse will transform the way we think about Alzheimer's disease. In this provocative and ground-breaking book he challenges the conventional wisdom about memory loss and cognitive impairment; questions the current treatment for Alzheimer's disease; and provides a new approach to understanding and rethinking everything we thought we knew about brain aging. The Myth of Alzheimer's provides welcome answers to the questions that millions of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease - and their families - are eager to know:.." (Amazon)
Autism : a very short introduction, by Uta Frith. (2008)
"What is autism and Asperger syndrome? What are the core symptoms, and what causes them? How early can autism be recognised and what can be done? Why does autism seem to be more and more common? Are we all a little bit autistic?" "This Very Short Introduction offers a clear statement on what is currently known about autism and Asperger syndrome. Looking at symptoms from the full spectrum of autistic disorders, and evaluating current evidence from neuroscience and genetics, this authoritative and accessible book explores the source and nature of social impairment and exceptional talent. Autism: A Very Short Introduction gives a glimpse of life seen through the eyes of autism." (Book Jacket)
The immortalists : Charles Lindbergh, Dr. Alexis Carrel, and their daring quest to live forever, by David M. Friedman. (c2007)
"The true story of how, 75 years ago, two men -one the most famous man in the world, the other thought by many to be the world's smartest - searched for a scientific path to a life without death. In 1927 Lindbergh was the first person to fly non-stop from New York to Paris, a feat most people then thought impossible. In 1930, Lindbergh met Alexis Carrel, then regarded as the most brilliant doctor who ever lived. Lindbergh's sister-in-law suffered from a heart condition that her doctors deemed hopeless, and he didn't understand why they could not simply replace her heart with a mechanical pump. Carrel himself was pursuing similar ideas, and a friendship and scientific partnership began, attempting to build a machine that could keep whole organs alive. They thought that this process could potentially render certain chosen human beings immortal." (amazon)
Flu : a social history of influenza, by Tom Quinn. (2008)
"...This fascinating book explores the havoc caused by the world's most deadly virus - and the destruction left in its wake. From its initial identification by the Greek physician Hippocrates in the 4th century BC to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and beyond, Tom Quinn explores the social, medical and scientific ramifications of the major outbreaks that have occurred over the centuries - and the potential consequences should such a pandemic occur in the modern world, an event that many believe is just a matter of time. The likelihood and impact of a pandemic caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu jumping species is also explored, along with recent scientific attempts to alter the structure of the virus in order to destroy it or attenuate its virulence." (Book Jacket).
How to stop candida and other yeast conditions in their tracks, by Valerie Saxion. (c2003).
"It is estimated that over 90 percent of the U.S. population has some degree of Candida or yeast-related overgrowth in their bodies. Saxion defines the problem, provides a self-test for detection and sets forth a practical treatment plan anyone can perform". (Amazon).
Cover your breasts, by Alison Renfrew. (2008)
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