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Mind and Body FitnessFebruary 2014
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"I think if I weren't so squeamish, I would have been some sort of forensic analyst. And I can't do anything with a microscope, because then I start thinking about the world of germs around us." ~ Octavia Spencer, American actress
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Tell: The Little Clues That Reveal Big Truths About Who We Are by Matthew J. HertensteinThe "tell" is a poker term for subtle body language that indicates whether a player has a good hand. Reading such cues and interpreting environmental conditions (such as a parked car that could contain a bomb) are important skills that support not only winning game strategies but also successful entrepreneurship, safe behavior in war zones, and choosing a mate. In The Tell, psychology professor Matthew Hertenstein, who is also a television and radio commentator, offers entertaining information on how awareness of physical clues works to improve intuitive judgments. For an illustrated guide on the elements of body language, try Body Language 101 by David Lambert. |
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| The Start Here Diet: Three Simple Steps That Helped Me Transition From Fat to Slim for Life by Tosca Reno with Billie FitzpatrickHere's welcome advice for those who have already broken their New Year's resolutions to eat less and exercise more! In The Start Here Diet, Canadian fitness expert and columnist for Oxygen Tosca Reno explains various factors that lead us to sabotage our best intentions; she also provides a manageable plan for improving our food choices. To accompany these psychological tips and practical dietary strategies, she gives exercise advice that doesn't require an all-out commitment to working out at the gym (do leg lifts while watching TV, for example). Meal plans round out her comprehensive approach, appropriate for those who want to lose anything from ten to 100 pounds -- or just maintain a healthy weight. |
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| My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel"To be anxious is to be human," says Kirkus Reviews in summing up author Scott Stossel's memoir, My Age of Anxiety. Relating his life-long struggles with anxiety through often hilarious personal anecdotes and a historical review of the anxiety disorder, journalist Stossel presents an engaging, informative, and touching portrait of the frequently debilitating and generally incurable condition. The editor of Atlantic magazine, Stossel skillfully weaves together his personal experiences with inquiries into possible causes (unclear and numerous) and treatments (only moderately successful) in vivid and well-crafted prose, offering both understanding and a ray of hope for both those afflicted by anxiety and people close to them. |
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| The Prediabetes Diet Plan: How to Reverse Prediabetes and Prevent Diabetes... by Hillary WrightThe Prediabetes Diet Plan offers thorough, well-documented advice about controlling blood sugar levels through diet. Author Hillary Wright, a registered dietician, explains how to manage the consumption of carbohydrates through either balanced menus or counting the carbohydrate content in foods. Despite the title's emphasis on prediabetes, this comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide, complete with sample meal plans and a template for food journals, offers support for any adult aiming for healthier eating habits -- not just those who have been diagnosed as prediabetic. |
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| When Your Adult Child Breaks Your Heart: Coping With Mental Illness, Substance Abuse... by Joel L. Young with Christine A. AdamecWhen adult children stray into abnormal behavior -- such as substance abuse, criminal activities, and out-of-control mental illness -- their parents are often the worst affected. In this practical, informative, and ultimately reassuring book, authors Joel Young, medical director of the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine, and medical writer Christine Adamec explore many underlying causes of adult antisocial behavior, relate the experiences of parents of addicted, mentally ill, or criminal adult children, and discuss strategies for coping. Those who have had to confront these kinds of destructive and self-destructive behavior will find much helpful advice here, and those who have seen its effects on other families will gain understanding from this valuable resource. |
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| Ah-Choo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold by Jennifer AckermanEverything you ever wanted to know about colds but never thought to ask -- in one entertaining and educational book! Drawing on cutting-edge research (as well as old folk remedies), science writer Jennifer Ackerman dispels myths and explains what colds are, how they work, and how best to prevent them -- or, at the very least, alleviate their symptoms -- "with the thoroughness of a scientist, the doggedness of a journalist, and the verve of a thriller writer" (Publishers Weekly). In addition, she includes recipes for homemade remedies from chicken soup to hot toddies to...banana pudding? Read Ah-Choo! to find out why! |
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| The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History by Katherine AshenburgIn some eras, including the present, cleanliness has been next to godliness; in others, dirt on the skin was viewed as healthy. Author Katherine Ashenburg engagingly gives us The Dirt on Clean, describing how the Greeks bathed in order to be worthy of the gods' regard; how the 17th-century French avoided water to protect themselves against disease; and how the 19th-century development of mass-produced soap made it easy for even the less affluent to stay squeaky-clean. From dirt-loving fleas that carried the plague to the idea that dirt is a sign of moral turpitude, Ashenburg digs up heaps of entertaining and informative detail, enhanced with helpful illustrations. For another witty survey of the history of cleanliness, read Virginia Smith's Clean. |
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| That's Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion by Rachel HerzThe emotion called "disgust" is the only one among six (including fear, anger, happiness, sadness, and surprise) that needs to be learned. Who knew? It turns out that young children don't automatically feel revulsion at the sight of, for example, someone else's snot, and therefore have to be taught to avoid sources of infection or danger -- as from spider bites or rotten foods. Author Rachel Herz engagingly presents current research on the psychology and neurology of revulsion, along with striking anecdotes. She also examines the related area of moral repugnance, and points out how closely related disgust and delight can be. Though not for the squeamish, That's Disgusting both entertains and informs. |
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| Germ Proof Your Kids: The Complete Guide to Protecting (Without Overprotecting) ... by Harley A. RotbartParents and adults who work with children (such as school nurses) need solid information for guidance in how to guard against or treat diseases from the common cold to superbugs such as MRSA. Author Harley Rotbart accessibly describes the causes of infection as well as appropriate precautions and how to use them; he also supplies information about the effects of illness, such as the need for rest when one is sick. This well-organized, thorough guide to preventing and treating infectious diseases answers questions raised by news reports and reassures parents that grandma's old-fashioned advice is often the best. Germ Proof Your Kids offers an essential resource that parents will want to keep handy. |
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| Good Germs, Bad Germs: Health and Survival in a Bacterial World by Jessica Snyder SachsIn Good Germs, Bad Germs, science writer Jessica Sachs describes how improvements in sanitation and the development of antibiotic drugs have had an unexpected and potentially dangerous impact on human health: these advances have disrupted the balance between human bodies and the microorganisms that inhabit them. In addition to explaining the problems that this imbalance can cause (more allergies, autoimmune disorders, and other health crises), Sachs explores promising research on ways to restore internal microflora balance, such as using probiotic cultures and vaccines to prevent diseases that are usually treated with antibiotics. For more on the topic, try Michael Shnayerson and Mark Plotkin's The Killers Within. |
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