Category: health

health, nature, spirituality

How to Thrive in Changing Times

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Sandra Ingerman
Publisher: Weiser Books
Genre: Spirituality / Nature / Health
ISBN: 978-1-57863-466-8
Pages: 176
Price: $12.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

As our world changes at an ever more rapid pace, thriving sometimes feels like an insurmountable challenge. Sandra Ingerman believes it’s a lot easier than we think, but first we need to know what to do, both as individuals and as a community.

Spiritual masters over the years have taught that our thoughts determine our lives. Now we also know that these thoughts can even affect the environment around us. And if we can get together as a group, these healing thoughts are even more powerful.

How do we do this? Ingerman provides rituals and exercises designed to bring about positive changes in our lives and in the world. These can be done alone or in a group setting.

How to Thrive in Changing Times reminds us that we have the ability to do so much more than we believe. We may be the limiting force in our lives, but we can change our thoughts and the outcomes of those thoughts. And in changing ourselves, we can help to change the world.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Tony the Pony’s Big Dream

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-3-3
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Tony the Pony wants to be a cowboy and live in Texas. His idol is Cowboy Sam Washing Hands, so Tony tries to do everything Sam would do. He dresses like a cowboy, calls himself Tex instead of Tony, and even cooks the same things Cowboy Sam would eat.

And since Cowboy Sam knows how important it is to wash his hands while preparing food, Tony the Pony follows his example as he makes some chili. He and his friends can eat and enjoy it without worrying that anyone will get sick.

As one of the Green Apple Tales, Tony the Pony’s Big Dream focuses on food safety. These books teach food handling through a story where the main character shares a basic concept with kids.

This story has good intentions, but there is very little plot for kids to relate to, and the message is forced. The target age group would not relate to a character’s actions in cutting up food for chili. But the message of hand-washing comes through loud and clear.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Gabby’s Sore Throat and the Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-2-6
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Everyone loves Gabby’s homemade cherry chocolate cupcakes, and she’s been looking forward to baking them for the tea party. But now she’s sad because she’s getting a cold and can’t make them after all. Gabby knows how illnesses spread, and she doesn’t want her friends to get sick. She’s staying home from school so she won’t give them her germs.

Kids are notorious for bringing their colds to school, getting their classmates sick in the process. Gabby teaches them how to cough and sneeze safely, so they won’t spread germs. She also shares her favorite cupcake recipe, so everyone can enjoy it.

Gabby’s Sore Throat and the Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes is part of the Green Apple Tales series. These books are designed to teach kids about food safety in a fun way. Perfect for the classroom or a doctor’s waiting room, they’re enjoyable to read without being preachy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fitness, health

Wake Up!

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Michelle Pearl
Publisher: Imperfect Fitness
Genre: Fitness / Health
ISBN: 978-0-557-27290-7
Pages: 124
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

How many of us join a gym in the hopes of acquiring six-pack abs and losing the cellulite? We see the ads that tell us in only 30 minutes a day, we can look just like the model pictured. But is it really possible for us to have a perfect body or are we fooling ourselves?

Michelle Pearl provides a sensible look at exercise and weight loss in Wake Up! Subtitled You’re probably never going to look like that; How to be happier, healthier and imperfectly fit, this book is a realistic look at what we can achieve if we work out consistently.

Pearl knows what it’s like to be seriously obese, since she’s battled her weight since childhood. But after gaining and losing the same pounds, she developed a method that worked for her in keeping them off. Not perfectly, of course, but good enough. And she provides her insights on how you can develop your own plan.

If your goal in achieving fitness is the perfect body, don’t bother reading this book. But if you really just want to be healthy, have more energy, and look good at a reasonable size for your height, her encouraging words may be just what you need. Use diet and exercise for the right reasons, and lose the image of perfection you’ve been chasing. You’ll be much happier in the long run.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Delilah Washes Her Hands

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Health
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-0-2
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Delilah Duck and her friends play all morning at the playground. She swings high on the swingset, slides down the slide, and whirls around on the merry-go-round, taking occasional breaks to sip at the water fountain. They all even build sand castles in the sandbox and make mud pies.

So when a picnic lunch is ready, Delilah has very dirty hands, and she must wash them before she eats. Mrs. Duck explains there are germs on her hands, and she needs to be sure they’re all gone, so she doesn’t get sick.

Delilah Washes Her Hands is one of the Green Apple Tales — books designed to teach children good health and hygiene habits through fun stories. Kids will enjoy singing the alphabet song along with Delilah as they wash their own hands. Recipes for the picnic lunch are included, as well as a one-page summary of why it’s important to wash your hands.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

The Allergy Buddy Club

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Cindy Rice Andrea
Illustrator: Stan Jaskiel
Publisher: Dining in the Light Publications
Genre: Children / Food Safety
ISBN: 978-0-9842717-6-4
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Ollie the Elephant is allergic to peanuts! What is he going to do, since all the other elephants around him love peanuts? He meets Bernie the Brown Bear who’s allergic to fish, and Maleeka the Mouse who’s allergic to cheese. Together they form the Allergy Buddy Club, as a support group for animals who have food allergies.

The Allergy Buddy Club teaches members how to stay safe from the foods they’re allergic to by learning to read food labels, using allergy cards to provide to restaurants, and carrying medicine in case of accidentally coming into contact with a food that causes anaphylactic shock. The club grows, as they discover other animals just like them.

Food allergies are an unfortunate fact of life for many kids. Knowing how to protect themselves from illness or even death is essential. But it’s also important for other kids to understand that these allergies are real and can be life-threatening. The Allergy Buddy Club explains food allergies in a way kids can understand and relate to. If your child suffers from allergies, this book would be a great resource to help him understand and manage his condition.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, inspiration

faith, hope & healing

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Bernie Siegel, M.D.
Publisher: Wiley
Genre: Inspiration / Health
ISBN: 978-0-470-28901-3
Pages: 240
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The thought of cancer strikes fear into the hearts of most people. Yet many who have gone through the process of healing have found that the cancer taught them something important about themselves that they needed to discover. Dr. Bernie Siegel has compiled some of these inspiring stories of survivors and caregivers of cancer patients in faith, hope & healing.

Broken down into three sections — faith, hope and healing — people who have gone through the process of dealing with cancer in themselves or loved ones share their stories. After each, Dr. Siegel shares his thoughts on how they may have helped or hindered their journey through recovery.

Dr. Siegel is one of the pioneers in using words and thoughts to facilitate healing, and knows how powerful an inspiring message can be for someone who’s still in the midst of recovery. In reading these wonderfully uplifting true stories, you’ll find some of the faith and hope that others discovered, which may help in your own healing process.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health

Womenopause: Stop Pausing and Start Living

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Lovera Wolf Miller, M.D. and David C. Miller, M.D.
Publisher: O-Books
Genre: Women’s Health
ISBN: 978-1846943218
Pages: 320
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

The years a woman goes through “the changes” come with several unique challenges. We may feel our bodies have betrayed us, as what has always seemed normal suddenly goes off-kilter. So it’s understandable that we reach for support during these turbulent years. In Womenopause, authors Lovera Wolf Miller, M.D. and David C. Miller, M.D. explore some of these changes, and offer their suggestions in how to handle them.

A score sheet is offered for a woman to determine how much difficulty she’s having in certain areas: Hot Flash Fever, Mood Matters, Sexercise, Vagina Sahara, Skinny on Skin, Insomnia Queen, and Plumbing & Pain scores combine for a total wScore. The higher the wScore, the worse the symptoms.

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is recommended in almost all cases where symptoms are problematic. Drugs like cycle regulators (birth control pills), anti-depressants, and others are presented as ways for women to cope with the difficulties of these body changes. In addition to the drug remedies offered, lifestyle changes are suggested, such as quitting smoking, getting more exercise, eating only “real” foods, and losing weight.

While the subtitle suggests that this book is about lifestyle, I found that it read more like a medical pharmaceutical textbook. If you’re looking for guidance in taking prescription drugs to manage menopause, you’ll find some good information here. But if you’re like many women who believe menopause is nothing more than a natural body change, and prefer to skip the drugs, you’ll find very little that will help.

Take the quizzes for yourself and let your own body be your guide. Ultimately, it’s up to you what decisions you want to make, and how you plan to handle this life transition.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cooking, health

Radiant Health, Inner Wealth

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Quintessence C. Challis
Publisher: Quintessential Health Publishing
Genre: Cooking / Health
ISBN: 978-0-615-25439-5
Pages: 284
Price: $24.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Creating a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise is one of our biggest challenges, as we face more and more unhealthy choices. While many of us have never even considered becoming vegan, this diet is surprisingly versatile and healthy. In Radiant Health, Inner Wealth, Quintessence C. Challis has put together a plan to not only please our palates, but also to increase wellness.

The introductory section of this delightful cookbook explains how going vegan can help heal certain ailments. Along with this dietary shift, lifestyle adjustments are also suggested, using a holistic approach to create vibrant health.

But if you thought being a vegan meant eating lots of tofu and fake meats, you’re in for a surprise! Although tofu shows up occasionally, it’s not the major ingredient in these yummy recipes. Instead, Challis shows us how to use fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, along with a delicious array of spices, to cook with.

I’ve tried several of these delectable dishes, and although I haven’t converted to veganism yet, it holds far more appeal now than it ever did, and I can’t wait to try the rest. If you’re looking for tasty and healthy meals, whether or not you’re a vegan, you’ll enjoy these yummy recipes. I highly recommend this wonderful cookbook.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, health

Mommy, Draw Stars on My Tummy

Bergers Book Reviews

tummy
Author: Martine Groeneveld
Illustrator: Brad Kunkle
Publisher: PT Book Publishing
Genre: Children / Touch therapy
ISBN: 978-0-9822959-0-8
Pages: 48
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

One of the best things a mother can do for her child is to touch her. Hugs and kisses go a long way in the parent-child bonding process, but children can also benefit from other forms of touching. In Mommy, Draw Stars on My Tummy, registered nurse and licensed massage therapist Martine Groeneveld shows us other fun ways to connect with our children.

Kids love rhymes, games, songs and stories, and all of these are provided, along with some special touch techniques. Ants play while mom touches and rubs the child’s ear. “Guess the letter or number” can be played by touching the child’s back and drawing the symbol with your finger. And the itsy-bitsy spider can crawl up legs or arms while mom and child sing.

Touching children in a loving and appropriate manner has been proven to have many health benefits, including stimulating weight gain in babies, improving alertness and responsiveness, improving cognitive performance and brain development, and reducing aggression.

If you’re looking to help your child through touch therapy, or you’re simply looking to bond more closely with your child while having fun, Mommy, Draw Stars on My Tummy will be a valuable resource. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger