Gut Feelings – New Health Books in the Collection

It’s a new month and we have another selection of new health books for you.  From looking after your gut health, to caring for a brain injury, to a guide to living with lupus and good eating habits, we have a wide selection of titles for you to delve into.

Gut feelings : healing the shame-fuelled relationship between what you eat and how you feel / Cole, Will
“Now, Dr Will Cole sheds light on the relationship between your physical and emotional health, providing a framework for you to better understand the gut-brain connection and influence that connection for the better. Dr Cole will help you re-evaluate your relationship with food and your body, getting you back in touch with your gut feelings, in this practical 21-Day Plan that bridges the gap between your emotions and your health with healing recipes, dietary guidance and mindfulness techniques.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Healing the traumatized brain : coping after concussion and other brain injuries / Vaishnavi, Sandeep
“Recovering from a brain injury can be a challenging, prolonged process. This book explains how the brain works, how injuries affect the brain, and how to use your brain’s own power to recover.” (Catalogue)

 

FAQs on menopause / Robinson, Julie
“No question is too simple, too embarrassing, too rude or too offbeat to be included, and each one has been asked by thousands of people just like you. Do people know I’m having a hot flush? Is it normal to feel rage all the time? Why I am getting more hair in some places and losing it from others? All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to managing your menopause symptoms.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

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‘Stories of Dementia’: Special event at Karori Library

Silhouette of a person, with flowers radiating out of their head

As part of Te Wiki Kaumātua Seniors’ Week we’re hosting a special talk at Karori Library, Stories of Dementia. Join us on Saturday 7th October, 2-3pm as we’re joined by authors Kristen Phillips, Charity Norman, Pip Desmond and Anne Schumacher of Dementia Wellington. This talk is for anyone interested in learning more about dementia, dementia experiences and what steps to take if yourself or a loved one are affected.

Here we highlight the work of the speakers, all of whom have personal and/or professional experiences dealing with the differing journeys dementia can take, and the effects it has on carers and whānau.

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Kristen Phillips’ book ‘Dad, You’ve Got Dementia’

Dad, You’ve Got Dementia: Conversations With My Father is local author Kristen Phillips’ new book that focuses on her experiences with her father Don through his journey with dementia. The book is an intimate look at their relationship, with a focus on the enduring love and connection that remains between them throughout the difficult late-stage years. Kristen writes an endearing and relatable book that is equal parts memoir and poetry. She expresses the moving importance of caring for whānau with dementia using patience and understanding, to help maintain the deep connections that remain throughout the process of memory loss. We sat down with Kristen for an interview and talked about what inspired her to write the book, what it was like sharing intimate moments in the book and her professional work in helping to reduce social stigmas around dementia in NZ.

Dad, You’ve Got Dementia is published by The Cuba Press. You can reserve a library copy here. Kristen also writes short book reviews for the series ‘On The Same Page‘, for New Zealand Dementia Foundation. For more resources for you and your whānau visit Dementia Wellington.

At the library we have also recently introduced He Kete Pupuri Mahara: Memory Bags to our borrowing collection. You can reserve and take home a collection of items aimed at encouraging conversation and reminiscence for people with dementia or memory loss.

Below is a list of some the books on dementia that we hold in our collection, including the books Kristen mentions in her interview:

Contented dementia : 24-hour wraparound care for lifelong well-being / James, Oliver
” A groundbreaking and practical method for managing dementia that will allow both sufferer and carer to maintain the highest possible quality of life. Dementia is a little-understood and currently incurable illness, but this guide shows how much can be done to maximize the quality of life for people with the condition. 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.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

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He Kete Pupuri Mahara: Memory bags

What’s a Memory Bag?

Example of a memory bag and tagMemory bags | He Kete Pupuri Mahara are a collection of vintage items and images to encourage conversation and reminiscence for people with dementia or memory loss. They also contain specialised items and conversation cards to inspire discussion.

How does it work?

You can borrow a bag for three weeks and renew for another three weeks.

Memory Bags are free to borrow and free to reserve.

Memory Bags can be found on the catalogue.

For a mostly or completely damaged or lost memory bag, there is a $50 charge.

Where are they located?

The memory bags are located at these libraries with the following themes:

  • Kilbirnie (General, Work)
  • Te Awe (General, Craft)
  • Karori (General, Food)
  • Tawa (General, Garden)
  • Island Bay (General, Craft, Music)

Terms and conditions

These terms and conditions are in addition to standard library membership conditions, e.g. due date and lost and damage.

  • All borrowers of He Kete Pupuri Mahara | Memory bags are Wellington City Libraries members with current library cards.
  • The borrower is responsible for the kete, which is issued on their library card. This person is responsible for borrowing and returning the entire kete, and is fully responsible for its return, as well as any replacement costs for lost or damaged kete items or set.
  • Kete will be issued by a library staff member. The kete need to be issued as a whole; the contained items cannot be issued separately.
  • The kete must be returned to a library staff member, who will check them for missing and damaging items before returning it.
  • There are no overdue fees but if the kete has not been returned 30 days after the due date, it becomes “lost” and the borrower’s card will be blocked, as with other library items.
  • The fees for lost/damaged books will be:
    • $0 charge for partially damage or loss of kete
    • $50 charge for a fully lost or damaged kete

Interested in making a memory bag for yourself? 

How to communicate with people who have dementia

How to make your own Memory Bag

Read more about caring for people with dementia.

Save your brain: New health books

For those of you looking to improve your health, we’ve added these fresh new titles to our collection…

Save your brain : simple steps and proven strategies to reduce your risk of cognitive decline – before it’s too late / Mansberg, Ginni
“The evidence is clear – almost half of all cases of dementia and cognitive decline are preventable. But sadly none are treatable. As we age, dementia and Alzheimer’s pose a serious threat to our health and wellbeing. To give us a running start in the fight against cognitive decline, GP and acclaimed broadcaster Dr Ginni Mansberg presents the very latest evidence-based research on how to protect your most valuable asset – your clever, vulnerable, powerful brain. A must-read for anyone looking to maintain their quality of life, or that of loved ones, into old age.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Bleed : destroying myths and misogyny in endometriosis care / Lindeman, Tracey
“This disease affecting one in ten cis women and uncounted numbers of others is chronically overlooked, underfunded, and misunderstood–and improperly treated across the medical system. Discrimination and medical gaslighting are rife in endo care, often leaving patients worse off than when they arrived. Journalist Tracey Lindeman knows it all too well. Decades of suffering from endometriosis propelled the creation of BLEED–part memoir, part investigative journalism, and all scathing indictment of how the medical system fails patients. It will validate those who have been gaslit, mistreated, or ignored by medicine and spur readers to fight for nothing short of revolution.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

How vaccines work : the science and history behind every question you’ve wanted to ask / Miles, David
“Vaccines are a debate, whether we want them to be or not, and we’re living in the age of misinformation, digital noise and social media conspiracies. How Vaccines Work demystifies the strange and intricate world of vaccines: it explains what a vaccine is, how they work, how they are developed and what happens when they meet our bodies.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Food for life : the new science of eating well / Spector, T. D.
“Food is our greatest ally for good health, but the question of what to eat has never seemed so complicated. In his new book, Tim Spector creates a unique, thorough, evidence-based guide to the real science of eating.  Food for Life also includes easy-to-implement action points and useful tables as practical tools in our everyday food decisions, presented in a novel and comprehensive format. Ultimately, this book encourages us to fall in love again with food and celebrate its many wondrous properties, which science is still only just beginning to understand.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The pocket guide to neurodiversity / Aherne, Daniel
“At least one in seven people are thought to be neurodivergent. So what exactly is neurodiversity? In this simple guide, expert speaker and trainer Daniel Aherne provides a clear introduction to neurodiversity and the four most common neurodivergent identities of autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Busting common misconceptions and setting out simple tips and guidance for supporting the neurodivergent people around you, whether among your family, friends or at your school, college or workplace – or if you yourself are ND and want to improve the understanding of others – this essential guide will help us all celebrate neurodiversity and foster more inclusive communities.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Thriving with kidney disease : a practical guide to taking care of your kidneys and yourself / Hunt, W. A.
“Using his forty years of experience and knowledge in medical research and his own journey with kidney failure, the author provides the latest information from the scientific literature on kidney diseases and treatment. He provides patients with a road map to navigate the choices and difficulties involved with having kidney disease, from diagnosis to transplant, to help them make informed choices from a patient’s point of view.”  (Adapted from Catalogue)

Sleep better baby : the essential stress-free guide to sleep for you and your baby / Cubie, Cat
“It’s 2am but your baby thinks it’s party time; their ‘routine’ seems to change with the wind, and you would do anything to get a good night’s sleep… We know how you feel! Your baby is not broken (although you might feel broken from lack of sleep), and you are not a bad parent. Baby sleep is not linear; it changes a lot during their first few years (they like to keep us on our toes like that…). You are here because you want some honest support and real solutions. And the good news? We can give you that.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The allergy friendly family cookbook : expert advice from world-leadings child allergy specialists at Murdoch Children’s Research Institue and 100+ recipes from Australia’s no.1 food site
The Allergy Friendly Family Cookbook will revolutionise family kitchens and school lunchboxes everywhere, with helpful and practical tips drawn from the latest research by paediatric and allergy specialists at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Complete with handy ‘at-a-glance’ icons and extensive indexes, the Allergy Friendly Family Cookbook will be a voice of reassurance for families navigating the often-dangerous waters of food allergies.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The anxiety coach : every parent’s guide to building resilience in their child / Hawton, Michael
“Childhood anxiety is much more prevalent these days, and parents and carers need to be able to help their kids to prevent dangerous escalation. With 18 years of expert, qualified experience, the author shows how to help children and tweens build up the necessary brain architecture and perspective, and create the emotional reserves and balance needed throughout life. You’re the one who’s in your child’s life for the long run — it’s important that you know what to do when anxious moments arise.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

You can cook this! : turn the 30 most commonly wasted foods into 135 delicious plant-based meals / Manna, Max La
“A social media star chef teaches how to harness the power of plants through simple and flavorful recipes that help fight food waste, providing practical ideas for using up the whole vegetable, transforming leftovers, and storing food to maximize freshness.” (Catalogue)

 

For more new books in the collection, go to: What’s new & Popular / May 2023 (wcl.govt.nz)