Ask the Doctors what they recommend we read

by Alan Christianson, NMD

Eat Right for Your Type:
The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight
by Peter J., Dr. D'Adamo, Catherine Whitney

The Merck Manual Home Medical Guide
Need to find the definition of a medical term and comprehend it? Need fast information about your child's illness? Need help defining that redness in your eye? Or maybe you need a reality check on the progress of your pregnancy. For the first time, Merck--the leader in medical research since 1899--has opened its treasure chest of medical knowledge to the general public. The team of nearly 200 experts, consultants, and authors has assembled a body of information so vast that listing select items fails to do it justice. The Merck Manual provides reams of useful medical information, ranging from fundamentals such as anatomy to crisp, easily understood descriptions of complicated diseases. Clear drawings of basic anatomical details and helpful sidebars that define terms and proffer advice are invaluable features, as is the up-to-date counsel on choosing the right form of exercise. The Merck Manual's 30-page section on drugs is itself an excellent resource. Here you'll find descriptions of the biological impact of high-powered pharmaceuticals, plus a table of drugs that put the elderly at risk. Its five appendixes on such topics as legal issues and commonly used medical terms segue handily into a guide of institutions that offer information and counseling for a multitude of medical conditions. This exhaustive volume clarifies both the workings of the human body and the geography of its demise, not to mention Western medicine's solutions to its failures. If knowledge is power, buy this book to arm yourself with a world of information. The world's bestselling medical reference is now available in every day language. Comprehensive, accurate information is offered, with contributions from more than 300 leading medical experts. 300+ illustrations.

Healing Back Pain:
The Bodymind connection.
I have personally treated in excess of 1000 patients utilizing this approach; an approach that I was personally trained in by Dr. Sarno. This book is an incredible educational tool that has cured many patients, under my care and around the country. Every back pain sufferer should read this book and consider this perspective. Dr. Sarno is a pioneer in Mind-Body Medicine. Michael Sinel, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor UCLA School of Medicine and author of "Win the Battle Against Back Pain - An Integrated Mind-Body Approach."

Could It Be...Perimenopause?
The decade before menopause, says Dr. Stephen R. Goldstein, is a time of profound change--both physically and emotionally--yet many women don't realize this. They may try to ignore subtle-to-bothersome symptoms such as erratic menstruation, "free-floating anxiety, inability to concentrate," forgetfulness, weight gain, sexual difficulties, and insomnia, when they could be effectively treating these problems. Unfortunately, not all doctors recognize perimenopause or know how to treat its symptoms, which may lead them to discount patients' complaints, or worse, suggest unnecessary treatments--including hysterectomies. That's where Could It Be ... Perimenopause? can help.

In clear, supportive prose, Goldstein offers no-baloney advice. "Today's perimenopausal women has neither the time nor the patience to go through four to fifteen years of symptoms without relief," he says. He fully delineates the roles of various hormones, how to determine if you're in perimenopause or not, as well as how to treat the various symptoms to gain control over your life. He's a big advocate of low- and ultra-low-dose birth-control pills:

"There is nothing inherently advantageous about bursting the capsule of your ovary and having to repair it each month. There's no reason for having fluctuating levels of hormones floating around unless you want to have a baby."

He also recommends some natural and herbal treatments (he tells which ones are more appropriate for menopausal or postmenopausal women, and which are worthless or even dangerous). He's also a big promoter of sonohysterography, a type of ultrasound test that he says could prevent up to three-fourths of all emergency-room visits made by women with excessive uterine bleeding. With added resources, including URLs for recommended newsgroups, Web sites, and medical databases, along with information about the very latest in treatments (such as crinone, a natural progesterone gel), Goldstein's created an enormously beneficial reference for both women and health-care providers who could stand to brush up on this topic.

A Natural History of the Senses
"One of the real tests of writers," notes Ackerman in this liveliest of nature books, "is how well they write about smells. If they can't describe the scent of sanctity in a church, can you trust them to describe the suburbs of the heart?" Ackerman passes the test, writing with ease and fluency about the five senses. Did you know that bat guano smells like stale Wheat Thins? That Bach's music can quell anger around the world? That the leaves that shimmer so beautifully in fall have "no adaptive purpose"? Ackerman does, and she guides us through questions of sensation with an eye for the amusingly arcane reference and just the right phrase.

The Marriage of Sense and Soul:
Integrating Science and Religion
by Ken Wilber
Ken Wilbur does accomplish what the title implies! How can the arch enemies science and religion ever see eye to eye? Should they? These issues are insightfully discussed.

Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicines:
Safe and Effective Remedies for You and Your Family
by Stephen Cummings, Dana Ullman(Contributor)
A great book to understand the methods and rationale behind homeopathy as well as guidance in using homeopathy to treat many common ailments.

Between Heaven and Earth:
A Guide to Chinese Medicine
by Harriet Beinfield, Efrem Korngoldbig
My favorite recommendation for those wanting to learn more about acupuncture and Chinese Medicine theory. Covered topics include five elements, yin/yang, basic acupuncture points, a few Chinese herbs and dietary strategies. One of the best books to make Chinese medicine clear to the Western mind.