We all worry about our health from time to time; it’s completely normal. Thankfully there are lots of good books written on the topic from people who have had similar experiences or worries. We’ve got a good crop for you this month in our new books in the collection. Here are just a few of the new titles available.
There’s a cure for this : a memoir / Espiner, Emma
“From award-winning writer Dr Emma Espiner comes this striking and profound debut memoir. Encompassing whānau, love, death, ’90s action movies and scarfie drinking, There’s a cure for this is Espiner’s own story, from a childhood spent shuttling between a ‘purple lesbian state house and a series of man-alone rentals’ to navigating parenthood on her own terms; from the quietly perceived inequities of her early life to hard-won revelations as a Māori medical student and junior doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic. Clear, irreverent and beautiful, this book offers a candid and moving examination of what it means to be human when it seems like nothing less than superhuman will do.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Allergic : our irritated bodies in a changing world / MacPhail, Theresa
“Hay fever. Peanut allergies. Eczema. Either you have a frustrating allergy, or you know someone who does. Billions of people worldwide–an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the global population–have some form of allergy; millions have one severe enough to actively endanger their health. Medical anthropologist Theresa MacPhail, herself an allergy sufferer whose father died of a bee sting, set out to understand why. This book is a holistic examination of the phenomenon of allergies from its first medical description in 1819 to the mind-bending recent development of biologics and immunotherapies that are giving the most severely impacted patients hope.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The wellness trap : break free from diet culture, disinformation, and dubious diagnoses–and find your true well-being / Harrison, Christy
“”It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle.” You’ve probably heard this phrase from any number of people in the wellness space. But as Christy Harrison reveals in her latest book, wellness culture promotes a standard of health that is often both unattainable and deeply harmful. Many people with chronic illness understandably feel dismissed or abandoned by the healthcare system and find solace in alternative medicine, as Harrison once did. Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society’s relationship with well-being.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Chronic : the hidden cause of the autoimmune epidemic and how to get healthy again / Phillips, Steven
“In this important and timely book, Steven Phillips, MD, and his former patient, Sony singer-songwriter Dana Parish, reveal striking evidence that a range of common infections, from COVID-19 to Lyme, cause a variety of autoimmune, psychiatric, and chronic conditions. Chronic explores the science behind what makes them difficult to diagnose and treat, debunks widely held beliefs, and provides solutions that empower sufferers to reclaim their lives. …they’ve come together with a mission: to change the current model of simply treating symptoms and shift the focus to finding and curing root causes of chronic diseases that affect millions around the world.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
This won’t hurt : how medicine fails women / Bigg, Marieke
“In a field that, for millennia, has been dominated by men. The vast majority of medicines and treatments that we use today were designed for, and by, men and the myth that medicine is gender-neutral has had terrible repercussions for women. In This won’t hurt, Dr Marieke Bigg takes a deep dive into all the ways medicine is not gender neutral, using stories and experiences to demonstrate how these flawed mindsets have paved the way for sub-par treatment, and how prevailing attitudes in a patriarchal world can have unexpected effects far downstream.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
HealthyGirl kitchen : 100+ plant-based recipes to live your healthiest life / Brown, Danielle
“An accessible plant-based cookbook from a non-judgmental vegan featuring delicious and easy recipes that will make you feel your best! Whether you’re a practicing vegan or just interested in trying out more plant-based meals, HealthyGirl Kitchen is the go-to cookbook for insanely easy, out-of-this-world delicious recipes that will help you become the best version of yourself. Pretty soon you’ll be savoring these fresh meals and telling your healthy besties all about it.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
How to raise an intuitive eater : raising the next generation with food and body confidence / Brooks, Sumner
“With the wisdom of Intuitive Eating, a manifesto for parents to help them reject diet culture and raise the next generation to have a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. With a compassionate and relatable voice, How to Raise an Intuitive Eater is the only book of its kind to teach parents what they need to know to improve health, happiness, and wellbeing for the littlest among us.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Change your brain every day : simple daily practices to strengthen your mind, memory, moods, focus, energy, habits, and relationships / Amen, Daniel G
“In Change Your Brain Every Day psychiatrist and clinical neuroscientist Daniel Amen, MD, draws on over 40 years’ clinical practice with tens of thousands of patients to give you the most effective daily habits he has seen that can help you improve your brain, master your mind, boost your memory, and make you feel happier, healthier, and more connected to those you love.” (Catalogue)
Chill : the cold water swim cure / Harper, Mark
“A history, science, and program for cold water swimming used successfully as a therapeutic intervention for many who suffer from a handful of health conditions including chronic pain, dementia, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and migraines.” (Catalogue)
Bite back : a compassionate guide to navigating eating disorders / Mora, Genevieve
“Gen’s early teenage years were the hardest of her life. Struggling with anorexia and poor mental health, she spent time in and out of hospitals and clinics, which also had a huge impact on her family. But with treatment and support, Gen was able to turn her life around, changing her behaviours and attitude toward food and her body. As well as sharing the insights from Gen’s own lived experience and challenging stereotypes around eating disorders, Bite Back includes: practical tips and activities from Gen and her team that helped with recovery ; answers to frequently asked questions about the cause and treatment of eating disorders ; advice on how you can support a loved one going through it.” (Catalogue)
For more new books, DVD’s, music and more in the catalogue, go to: What’s new / August 2023 (wcl.govt.nz)
