Deadly Monopolies: The Shocking Corporate Takeover of Life Itself - And the Consequences for Your Health and Our Medical Future

by Harriet A Washington    (Find this book)

From the award-winning author of "Medical Apartheid," an expose of the rush to own and exploit the raw materials of life--including yours.
Think your body is your own to control and dispose of as you wish? Think again. The United States Patent Office has granted at least 40,000 patents on genes controlling the most basic processes of human life, and more are pending. If you undergo surgery in many hospitals you must sign away ownership rights to your excised tissues, even if they turn out to have medical and fiscal value. Life itself is rapidly becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the medical- industrial complex.
"Deadly Monopolies" is a powerful, disturbing, and deeply researched book that illuminates this "life patent" gold rush and its harmful, and even lethal, consequences for public health. It examines the shaky legal, ethical, and social bases for Big Pharma's argument that such patents are necessary to protect their investments in new drugs and treatments, arguing that they instead stifle the research, competition, and innovation that can drive down costs and save lives. In opposing the com modification of the body, Harriet Washington provides a crucial human dimension to an often all-too-abstract debate.
Like the bestseller "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," "Deadly Monopolies" reveals in shocking detail just how far the profit motive has encroached in colonizing human life and compromising medical ethics. It is sure to stir debate--and instigate change. -- Publisher Marketing

Sciatica Solutions: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Cure of Spinal and Piriformis Problems

by Loren M Fishman    (Find this book)

Sciatica is the feeling of pain, numbness, "electric shocks," or strange sensations in the seat and running down the leg. It will afflict some five million Americans this year. In easy-to-understand terms, Loren Fishman demystifies the relationship between neurological injury and sciatica, explains the most common causes, leads readers to an exact diagnosis, and outlines the options available for lasting comfort and cure. -- Publisher Marketing

The Concussion Crisis: Anatomy of a Silent Epidemic

by Linda Carroll    (Find this book)

On the heels of the recent deaths of NHL player Derek Boogaard and NFL safety Dave Duerson involving possible brain trauma, this book detailing the current plague of sports-related concussions, written by MSNBC.com health writer Carroll and sports scribe Rosner, is a very hot topic. The authors cite estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that there are 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports-related concussions every year. With more than 44 million girls and boys playing organized sports, the writers spell out the dire consequences of impact games without proper safety measures. They provide grisly statistics and cautionary examples of schoolchildren and sports figures such as big league football stars Troy Aikman, hockey star Pat LaFontaine, and boxer Jerry Quarry, who have compromised health after a life of competition and concussions. The authors recount how scientists have come to understand the danger concussions present ranging from memory loss to impaired judgment and dementia and note that although treatments and research in brain injuries are showing promise, prevention is the best way to protect both child and adult athletes. This noteworthy book issues a challenge to the "macho play-through-the pain" sports culture and urges a rethinking of safety versus spectacle. (Sept.) Copyright 2011 Reed Business Information. -- Publishers Weekly

Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet

by Brenda Davis    (Find this book)

Every day, more people are shifting towards a plant-based diet without meat, eggs, and dairy products due to concerns about their health, the environment, or animal ethics. Two of North America's foremost vegetarian dietitians present up-to-date findings on how to meet all of your nutritional needs eating a nutritious, vegan diet. From infants and toddlers to seniors - as well as the special needs of athletes and pregnant women, -you'll discover the information you need to stay healthy and enjoy a balanced diet. Also includes a section on how a vegan diet can protect against cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. Considered the definitive work on vegan nutrition, anyone interested in becoming a vegan should read this book. -- Publisher Marketing

The Hormone Diet: A 3-Step Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Strength, and Live Younger Longer

by Natasha Turner   (Find this book)
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers in the body, controlling everything from the reproductive
system to mood, sleep, and appearance. Yet many people, men and women alike, are unaware that even minor hormonal imbalances can cause symptoms ranging from inability to lose weight to fatigue to uncontrollable sugar cravings.
Turner, a naturopathic doctor, used her own struggles with hormonal imbalances to develop a revolutionary three-step program. Through self-tests, discover exactly which hormones are out of balance, create a personalized plan, and learn:
- how to conquer the seven factors that cause obesity and interfere with weight loss
- which hormones are fat-burning friends and which are fat-burning foes
- the five key supplements we all need to maintain health and prevent nutritional deficiencies
- targeted fixes for specific hormonal imbalances
For men and women of all ages, The Hormone Diet is an easy-to-follow total wellness program that offers lifelong results.  -- Publisher Marketing

Reboot Your Body: 21-Day Detox Program

by Said Sokhandan    (Find this book)

"Your book tells it like it is. This works, this doesn't, and simple 'here's why' and 'how to do it' with great resources to boot! It is the first health-related book that contains real value and practical advice that I can actually put into practice. Thank you." -Reader comment 

Complete Guide to Fitness & Health

by Barbara Bushman    (Find this book)

You know the importance of good health, but how do you achieve it? And how do you maintain it through the years as your body and lifestyle change, introducing obstacles to physical activity and optimal nutrition? In "ACSM's Complete" "Guide to Fitness & Health," you will find the answers and much, much more.

The American College of Sports Medicine, the largest and most-respected sport science and medicine organization in the world, has created the "ACSM's Complete Guide to Fitness & Health" to strip away common fads, myths, and misconceptions and provide you with the latest research, sound advice, and age-specific recommendations that you can trust.

You will learn these strategies:

-Optimize your weight, improve heart health, and increase aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance.

-Improve your health by managing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis and joint pain, pregnancy, and osteoporosis through exercise and proper nutrition.

-Determine your body composition and current cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness levels.

-Monitor, evaluate, and adjust your exercise program over time for optimal results.

-Introduce exercise, increase physical activity, and improve your diet for more energy and better health (no matter what your age!).

Featuring step-by-step instructions and full-color photos for the most effective exercises, sample workouts, practical advice, age-specific physical activity guidelines, and strategies for incorporating exercise into even the busiest of lifestyles, "ACSM's Complete Guide to Fitness & Health" is a resource that belongs in every family's library. -- Publisher Marketing