Posted in excerpt, health, nonfiction on November 18, 2022

 

 

Synopsis

 

America’s healthcare system is the most expensive in the world, but more money hasn’t equated to better patient outcomes, explains surgeon-scientist Firouz Daneshgari. Consider this: Americans spend 300-500% more than those in Europe or Japan on healthcare, but our country consistently ranks between 30th-40th in the World Health Organization’s ratings for patient longevity, access to care and prevalence of chronic conditions. What’s worse, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Only heart disease and cancer claim more lives. Why are we spending so much, but getting so little?

In his new book, Health Guardianship: The Remedy to the Sick Care System, Dr. Daneshgari draws upon more than 30 years of research to offer an unflinching exploration into the systemic dysfunction caused (primarily) by America’s fee-for-service healthcare model. Procedures and surgeries generate revenue; healthy people don’t. Can our healthcare system be healed?

“We have built a system specialized for sick care, and yet ironically we expect the results of ‘healthcare’ from it,” he said.

Daneshgari details a framework for a new healthcare paradigm that prioritizes mitigation of health risks and elimination of chronic conditions, and rewards guardianship of health, not delivery of sick care services.

“My aim is to generate a national dialogue and movement toward a path forward that will create the next model of healthcare delivery. A model that will have all the medical and technological advances, and yet it is accessible, affordable, high quality and consumer-centric and not provider-centric,” Daneshgari said.

He describes how this new model can be implemented using the existing primary care infrastructure, with the integration of virtual health and wellness services to make proactive, consumer-centric healthcare as convenient and affordable as shopping and banking.

Acting like a whistle blower who calls out the existing dysfunction of the system, Daneshgari offers an imminently available remedy that would create the next generation of healthcare that is accessible to all, affordable by everyone and will provide the quality desired by healthcare consumers.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Excerpt

 

I was appointed to the strategic committee of the board of directors of a healthcare system comprising 11 hospitals, 100 outpatient facilities, over 200 clinics, nearly 30,000 employees, and an annual revenue of nearly $3 billion. Blessed with this position of influence, I was excited to funnel my efforts toward making meaningful change in American healthcare at large.

However, I quickly realized that my understanding of the operations and dynamics within the American healthcare system differed greatly from that of the other board members. My fellow board members came largely from business and financial management backgrounds. And, while I focused on healthcare goals through improving patient care and physician training, the rest of the board prioritized the financial metrics of initiatives brought to our table. To understand why our priorities differed, I began to research the development of hospital boards and their governance structures. Taking a historical approach, I discovered how the American hospital structure evolved from charity houses in the late 19th century to the current oligopolistic, multibillion-dollar financial institutions present today.

I also discovered that the American healthcare system had become the most expensive system in the world, spending 300%–500% more than similar nations, but trailing those nations in patient outcomes. As a renowned professor and surgeon, I traveled the world and operated in many countries, and I witnessed the differences between our healthcare and that of other nations. I noticed that, despite its disproportionate price tag, the American healthcare system lacked a competitive edge in positive health outcomes. As a result, our country consistently ranked between 30th and 40th in the World Health Organization’s ratings for patient longevity, access to care, and prevalence of chronic conditions. I began to wonder about the causes of our healthcare system’s deficiencies. Why were we spending so much more, but getting so little in return?

Despite my years of experience in basic science and clinical research, I realized that I lacked the tools to even begin investigating these topics. I needed to acquire the fundamentals of business research and surround myself with an environment conducive to this line of questioning. So, I enrolled into the executive MBA program at the university where I was a clinical department chair. There, I shared ideas with some of the most brilliant and informed innovators in business. And, combining my newfound business knowledge with a lifelong clinical background, I began to see the problem more clearly.

In the world of business, everyone knew that our healthcare system was “sick.” They had done the research, and significant volumes of publications on “signs and symptoms” of this sickness were referenced daily in conversations. The prime example of this sickness is that “medical errors” have risen to the third most common cause of death in the United States, trailing only behind heart disease and cancer.

But with this new observation, my focus shifted away from describing these signs and symptoms toward a different line of questioning. How could our healthcare system be fixed? How could we make it more affordable for our nation, while improving patient outcomes such as better access to care, and a lower incidence of chronic conditions? Could we model a solution after existing approaches in other nations, while still meeting the demands of American society with its diverse geographical and cultural differences?

 

 

About the Author

 

Firouz Daneshgari, M.D., is a surgeon-scientist, educator and entrepreneur who has worked at the University of Colorado, Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. He has published more than 200 scientific articles, led numerous scientific and clinical panels, and trained hundreds of students, residents, fellows and junior faculty.

Following implementation of the Affordable Care Act and approval of its mandates by the Supreme Court during 2010-2012, he founded BowTie Medical to create systematic innovations for bringing efficiency and value into the healthcare delivery system.

In addition to Health Guardianship, Daneshgari shares his views on healthcare and the path forward through his podcast, Why Can’t We Have it All? The Missing Pieces in Our Healthcare (www.wcwha.com).

For more information, visit www.bowtiemedical.com.

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Posted in Giveaway, Guest Post, health, nonfiction, self help, Spotlight, Trailer on April 13, 2020

 

 

 

 

CRACK THE CODE: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50 by Louis Bezich

Category: Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +, 302 pages

Genre: Men’s Health / geared towards Men Over 50

Publisher: Somo Press, LLC

Release date: November 2018

 

 

Synopsis

 

“Crack The Code” presents an unconventional, motivation-based approach to health for men 50 and over. Ten strategies for creating and maintaining inspiration for a healthy lifestyle are advanced from a platform of survey research, interviews and the author’s personal experiences. Primary audiences for the book are men over 50 and the people that love them; their wives, partners, children and grandchildren. Additional audiences include health care providers, insurers, policy makers, men of all ages who want to find motivation for healthy behavior and anyone who has struggled with their health.

Asserting that without motivation no diet, exercise program, technology or other strategy will produce sustained results, “Crack The Code” describes how healthy-living men, one of the most health-challenged segments of the American population, exhibit a strong cognitive association between their life’s priorities and their behaviors; a catalytic awareness in which men often integrate their valued relationships into their health behaviors (they take walks with their wife). What the author terms Male Cognitive Behavioral Alignment. The secret sauce of male motivation outlined in the book is derived from a nationwide survey of 1,000 healthy-living men. “Crack The Code” translates the findings into strategies and tactics with actionable exercises.

Personal stories from interviews and focus groups add practical insights and emotion that engages readers. A discussion of relevant theories from psychology, management science and the fields of decision making and behavior change anchor the model in a context of well-established thinking. “Crack The Code” concludes with a call to action for a new culture of men’s health, outlining a confluence of social, economic and political factors in the US and beyond that represent a tipping point where healthy behavior among 50 plus men will become the new norm. Crack The Code’s focus on motivation and the psycho-social underpinnings of behavior fills a gap in a market dominated by publications on traditional diet and exercise. By digging deeper and using everyday men as a source, “Crack The Code” breaks new ground for a burgeoning segment of the baby-boomer population that is in desperate need of help. The potential to influence men of other ages as well as health care providers, insurers and policy makers, creates a tremendously valuable read.

 

 

AmazonBarnes & Noble ~ IndieBound

 

Guest Post

 

Behavioral Activities That Help You Reach Your Goal

 

I love my morning routine. It’s my personal time to reflect on the day ahead and get my exercise. It makes me feel great and gets me ready for what lies ahead every day. During the week, I typically awake at 4 a.m., enjoy a cup of coffee, and shave. While I’m shaving, I’ll contemplate the day ahead, what I need to accomplish, and what’s outstanding, or particularly challenging. I’ll quickly check my overnight email and perhaps add some items to my daily to-do list (another habit that keeps my life in order).

As you might guess, I’m the only one up at this hour. The stillness of the house is peaceful and provides me with a clarity of thought that helps me prepare for the day ahead.

By about 10 minutes to five, I’m on my way to the gym, which is only five minutes away (an important factor). My rhythm stems from a schedule of weight training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and cardio workouts on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I particularly like the cardio days for the good sweat. While running, I’ll usually think about the day ahead and use the challenges of the upcoming day to power my run on the treadmill. By 6:00 a.m., I’m on my drive home, stopping to pick up some oatmeal, which I eat while I’m reading my three newspapers (two local and the Wall Street Journal). After a shower, it’s off to the office. My day is officially underway.

As you can see, there’s nothing terribly glamorous here. That’s the point of rituals, and what I heard from the men I interviewed reinforced it. While we all have the “big ticket” milestone activities (i.e., the trips to Europe I took with family in 2000 and 2013) that motivate us to maintain our health, but in large measure I find that it’s those small day-to-day actions that have the most impact on sustaining behavior and providing inspiration and accomplishment. In my case, six days a week, I have an opportunity to check off a box on my list of personal objectives. Being able to check that box, even mentally, is one small way that I contribute to the larger goal and physically feeling good in the process. You get it.

Do I sometimes miss my morning routine? Absolutely, if I’m not in bed by 9:30 p.m. (preferably nine o’clock) then 4 a.m. doesn’t work. So, a late meeting or other commitment can get me out of rhythm and feeling just a little “off” that day. Nevertheless, having institutionalized the practice, my body wants to get back in rhythm the next day, which I’m typically able to do. As much as humanly possible, the morning routine carries on during vacations and business trips. I may waive the 4 a.m. wake-up call for a later hour, but I generally maintain the basic exercise and diet regimen when I’m on the road.

 

An excerpt from CRACK THE CODE: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50 by Louis Bezich

 

Trailer

 

About the Author

 

An executive for over 40 years in the public and private sectors, Louis Bezich currently serves as a Senior Vice-President with a major health care system. He is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Department of Public Policy and Administration at the Camden Campus of Rutgers University and sits on various public, non-profit and corporate boards. Bezich has published numerous articles in the field of public administration and health and is a contributing author to Corporate Lawbreaking and Interactive Compliance, edited by Jay A. Sigler and Joseph E. Murphy. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Rutgers University, a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Tampa and is a graduate of Harvard University’s Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.

 

Website  ~  Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

 

 

Giveaway

 

Prizes: ​ One of Four $25 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Louis Bezich, author of CRACK THE CODE (ends May 1)

 

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Posted in excerpt, health, nonfiction, self help on November 29, 2019

 

Synopsis

Virtually every American will suffer from back pain at some point. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States—only headaches are more common. And, after colds and influenza, it’s the second most common reason Americans see their doctors.

Dr. Stern brings relief to these millions of sufferers (including himself) who literally ache for help. Based on scientific data, Dr. Stern developed a five-step solution with a multidisciplinary, holistic perspective that’s been missing from conventional back pain wisdom. And it may not require surgery or another form of another invasive therapy.

In the book, he explains the six major anatomical sites that often generate pain, while also identifying other potential sources that people (and doctors) can easily overlook, such as commonly used drugs, undiagnosed illnesses or disease, and even depression.

With diagnostic self-tests, checklists to take to your next doctor’s appointment, advice on treatment options, preventative strategies and much more, Ending Back Pain will help you pinpoint the specific causes of your own back pain issues so you can get on the road to healing.

According to Dr. Stern, “Ending back pain begins with you. Diagnosing back pain is a tricky combination of art and science. Indeed, lots of high-tech tools are available to us in medicine, but that doesn’t mean that diagnosing, let alone curing, back pain is a black-and-white endeavor. Unfortunately, it’s very much to the contrary—complex, imprecise, and immensely vexing. So, the more you can contribute to the story of your back pain, the more you can shift your experience to one that’s less reliant on art and more based on science.”

 

 

Amazon * B&N * IndieBound

 

Excerpt

Most feelings of discomfort in life have clear solutions. For a stuffy nose, decongestants do the trick. For a pounding headache, aspirin or Tylenol comes in handy. But what do you do about a relentlessly aching back? As most of us know, the answer is not nearly as clear-cut as we’d wish. And unlike infectious diseases that often have targeted remedies (think antibiotics for bacterial infections and vaccines for viruses), ailing backs are like misbehaving, obnoxious family members—we can’t easily get rid of them or “fix” them. They also have a tendency to stick around and bother us nonstop, lowering our quality of life considerably and indefinitely.

Perhaps nothing could be more frustrating than a sore or hurting back. It seems to throw off everything else in our body, and makes daily living downright miserable. With the lifetime prevalence approaching 100 percent, virtually all of us have been or will be affected by low back pain at some point. Luckily, most of us recover from a bout of back pain within a few weeks and don’t experience another episode. But for some of us, the back gives us chronic problems. As many as 40 percent of people have a recurrence of back pain within six months.

At any given time, an astounding 15 to 30 percent of adults are experiencing back pain, and up to 80 percent of sufferers eventually seek medical attention. Sedentary people between the ages of forty-five and sixty are affected most, although I should point out that for people younger than forty-five, lower back pain is the most common cause for limiting one’s activities. And here’s the most frustrating fact of all: A specific diagnosis is often elusive; in many cases it’s not possible to give a precise diagnosis, despite advanced imaging studies. In other words, we doctors cannot point to a specific place in your back’s anatomy and say something along the lines of, “That’s exactly where the problem is, and here’s how we’ll fix it.” This is why the field of back pain has shifted from one in which we look solely for biomechanical approaches to treatment to one where we have to consider patients’ attitudes and beliefs. We have to look at a dizzying array of factors, because back pain is best understood through multiple lenses, including biology, psychology, and even sociology.

The Challenge

So, why is back pain such a confounding problem? For one, it’s lumped into one giant category, even though it entails a constellation of potential culprits. You may have back pain stemming from a skiing accident, whereas your neighbor experiences back pain as the consequence of an osteoporotic fracture. Clearly, the two types of back pain are different, yet we call them “back pain” on both accounts, regardless. Back pain has an indeterminate range of possible causes, and therefore multiple solutions and treatment options. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this malady. That is why diagnosing back pain, particularly persistent or recurrent pain, is so challenging for physicians.

Some people are able to describe the exact moment or series of moments when they incurred the damage to their back—a car accident, a slip and fall, a difficult pregnancy, a heavy-lifting job at work, a sports-related injury, a marathon, and so on. But for many, the moment isn’t so obvious, or what they think is causing them the back pain is far from accurate.

The Two Types of Back Pain

If you are going to experience back pain, you’d prefer to have the acute and temporary kind rather than the chronic and enigmatic kind. The former is typically caused by a musculoskeletal issue that resolves itself in due time. This would be like pulling a muscle in your back during a climb up a steep hill on your bicycle or sustaining an injury when you fall from the stepladder in the garage. You feel pain for a few weeks and then it’s silenced, hence the term self-limiting back pain. It strikes, you give it some time, it heals, and it’s gone.

The second type of back pain, though, is often worse, because it’s not easily attributed to a single event or accident. Often, either sufferers don’t know what precipitated the attack, or they remember some small thing as the cause, such as bending from the waist to lift an object instead of squatting down (i.e., lifting with the legs) or stepping off a curb too abruptly. It can start out of nowhere and nag you endlessly. It can build slowly over time but lack a clear beginning. Your doctor scratches his head, trying to diagnose the source of the problem, and as a result your treatment options aren’t always aligned with the root cause of the problem well enough to solve it forever. It should come as no surprise, then, that those with no definitive diagnosis reflect the most troubling cases for patients and doctors.

What Are the Chances?

Chances are good that you’ll experience back pain at some point in your life. Your lifetime risk is arguably close to 100 percent. And unfortunately, recurrence rates are appreciable. The chance of it recurring within one year of a first episode is estimated to be between 20 and 44 percent; within ten years, 80 percent of sufferers report back pain again. Lifetime recurrence is estimated to be 85 percent. Hence, the goal should be to alleviate symptoms and prevent future episodes.

Excerpted from Ending Back Pain: 5 Powerful Steps to Diagnose, Understand, and Treat Your Ailing Back. Copyright © by Jack Stern, M.D., Ph.D. Published by Avery. All rights reserved.

 

About the Author

Jack Stern, M.D., Ph.D., is the author of Ending Back Pain: 5 Powerful Steps to Diagnose, Understand, and Treat Your Ailing Back. He is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in spinal surgery, and cofounder of Spine Options, one of America’s first facilities committed to nonsurgical care of back and neck pain. Dr. Stern is on the clinical faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College and has published numerous peer- and non peer-reviewed medical articles. He lives and practices in White Plains, New York.

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Posted in excerpt, health, nonfiction on August 24, 2018

Synopsis

Keep Away from GRAS is a compilation of empirical and anecdotal evidence that leads to one inevitable conclusion: many of the substances we encounter and consume on a daily basis, substances considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), may actually have serious consequences for our health and well-being.

As an internal medicine physician, author Marcela Magda Popa, MD, has seen the effect that repeated, low-dose exposure to certain common chemicals and environmental factors has had on her health and on some of her patients, who reported similar complaints. As a patient with autoimmune arthritis—that forced her into early retirement, breast abnormalities, and migraine headaches—she sought to find the environmental contributors to her disorders, and she did.

Investigating the existing information from the specialty literature, Dr. Popa found that GRAS substances may be linked to multiple other disorders, not just the ones she directly experienced. The modern medicine does not routinely take these substances into account, physicians do not usually inquire or point out these possible connections. Therefore, it is quite likely that similar complaints are more widespread but not often reported.

Through research and experimentation, she discovered that supposedly “safe” substances which she encountered daily caused or worsened her symptoms and eliminated them from her routine, much to her benefit. Now, she is sharing this valuable information with other patients so that they too can make the changes they need to live happier, healthier lives.

Excerpt

Keep Away from GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe

By Marcela Magda Popa M.D.

Introduction

There is a saying that “doctors make the worst patients,” but in my situation, I think it could be modified to “doctors have the most unusual course of their diseases.” Since it’s very likely that I would have developed the autoimmune disorder I’ll be talking about anyway, no matter what profession I had embraced, being a physician turned out to be very useful. It enabled me to understand that my disorder had a very unusual course, as far as symptoms, complications, and lack of response to the available treatment options. It also made me aware of the current limitations of medicine despite all the progress in it. All these helped me cope with my medical condition better and saved me some frustration.

Looking back at my life and considering not just this disease but a multitude of other situations, I don’t think I ever made a better choice than deciding to go to medical school— even if by so doing I fell into the category of making the worst patient. Being a doctor and a patient at the same time helped me notice very unusual things, triggered my attention after an initial dismissal, and made me further explore some substances considered safe—which led to the pages that follow. Growing up and going through medical school training in Romania, thereafter continuing my training in the United States as well as practicing here for many years gave me the opportunity to appreciate some differences between these two worlds, and these differences proved very useful for my observations.

This book is about some chemicals we are exposed to numerous times a day through a multitude of products we routinely use. Based on my experience, they have detrimental health effects in the long run. Some substances may worsen autoimmune arthritis symptoms and possibly other autoimmune diseases; others may play a role in the development of breast abnormalities, diagnosed with increased frequency lately; or worsening the pattern of migraine headaches—thus potentially producing enough morbidity. Eliminating these chemicals as much as possible, although not easy at times, produced a steady improvement of my symptoms, while inadvertent or overlooked exposure triggered worsening symptoms, time and time again.

Avoiding these substances may prove beneficial for many frustrated patients just like me, who may understand the limitations of modern medicine but are disappointed because they cannot live a normal life.

Through my own experience, I figured out these generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances are not necessarily safe, inert, or inactive, and our chronic but constant exposure, even at low doses, can have an as yet unidentified or not fully accepted impact on our health. Although my findings are derived from medical research articles, there doesn’t seem to be a large enough “body of evidence” at the present time for the regulating agencies to ban or reinforce strict limits in the United States as they do in the European Union, Canada, Japan, or Australia. That’s why consumer awareness is of major importance.

Some of the information in this book can be overwhelming and seem difficult to understand or follow. If it makes you feel better, it took me a while too. It is inevitable when we try to figure out a bit about these chemicals in our lives. My intention is not to confuse you but to illustrate how I put together the details about these substances and to support my argument for avoiding them.

First, I thought to share my observations with practicing and research rheumatologists, hoping to get them to see things from my angle and maybe get them interested in pursuing my ideas in medical studies. I knew it was going to be hard for anyone to see things from my point of view, but in reality, it was completely impossible; it felt like I had hit a wall. Some politely replied with the generally accepted fact that the substances I was talking about were considered safe, others said they could not pursue anything based on anecdotal evidence, and many didn’t even bother to answer my e-mails. A reputable medical journal quickly turned down the material I conceived as a medical article, and I realized it was useless to try to send it to other journals—they all have about the same interests regarding what they would publish, and my article wouldn’t fit in anywhere, even if it was following the specific publication’s guidelines. I approached my trusted advisors at Environmental Working Group (EWG), which I thought would be more interested in my point of view because it’s very similar to their line of work, but they seemed equally untouchable and my emails were again ignored

I don’t have either the experience or the means to conduct medical studies myself in order to verify my point. Unfortunately, I made these observations after I stopped practicing because of my condition; therefore, I couldn’t even ask my patients about similar complaints or situations. But being a physician affected by certain conditions made me already the subject of a long-lasting experiment and made me very involved in noticing numerous unusual incidents that happened to me, put questions in my mind, and compelled me to look for answers. Learning about all these factors, I recalled and was able to explain some unusual symptoms of mine and others that patients had reported throughout my years in practice for which I couldn’t find a reasonable explanation at that time. Therefore, I don’t think I’m an isolated case; other patients are probably experiencing similar problems and symptoms, but they don’t report them. Physicians are not trained to fully take into account and inquire about the side effects from these substances, perhaps beyond possible allergic reactions, because they are currently considered “inert” or “inactive” by the regulating authorities and the medical community.

Often, from some friends and family members to whom I expressed some of my concerns, I heard the words “nonsense” or “autosuggestion” linked to my observations, and this didn’t get me upset. On the contrary, it proved to be constructive, because it made me very keen to verify that my correlations were accurate; in some circumstances, I couldn’t see the connection right away, and this made me think I was wrong, but later on (hours, days, weeks, sometimes even months), an unknown or overlooked aspect came to the surface to show me again I was right.

I did remember many of my patients reporting so much frustration while struggling with situations similar to the ones I conquered with my new knowledge. I wanted to let everybody know about my unusual findings and hoped a number of people would experience the benefits I did if they implemented similar measures. The majority of those not affected by anything may laugh at me and think that I developed paranoia or some other sort of insanity, and I’m prepared for this reaction too!

I strongly felt I had something to say, and I wanted my voice to be heard—but how? A blog didn’t seem like a good option because what I have to describe seems so unusual and farfetched that it needs a lot of explaining, more than I could do in a blog page. This is why I decided to write a book, hoping that people who suffer from similar conditions could try my remedies and see if they improve; if that’s the case, they could bring these improvements to the attention of their doctors.

This is the reason I conceived this book. The first three parts are designed for patients while the fourth one, containing more specialized information, targets (hopefully) medical professionals, researchers, and chemists who may be interested in getting to the scientific information quickly rather than reading a longer story. I’m hoping that some specialists or researchers may find my observations to have some validity and may consider pursuing them further, especially if many other patients report improvements in their conditions.

When I first thought about sharing my observations by writing a book, I knew through my personal experience up until now, I was only providing a partial solution, especially for the autoimmune disorders. I wanted to offer a complete one, and I thought I should wait until I could get off the autoimmune arthritis medications. And then, it just so happened that I reread one of my favorite books, which deeply shaped my understanding of kindness: the translated title would be By Giving, Thou Shalt Receive. This book was written by Romanian writer Nicolae Steinhardt, who later in his life became a hermit. One of the ideas expressed in the chapter that bears the same name as the title was to try to give others something you don’t already fully possess. This seemed very strange, and I read the chapter a few times. Finally, I think I understood it: in looking for solutions for yourself, you can find answers that can help others, and sharing those answers, even if partial, like projecting them into a mirror, will bring you back more knowledge and solutions! And that’s very true in what followed. As I was starting to write these pages and share some facts that proved helpful to me, I was going deeper into the topic, and more questions came to my mind, followed by more consistent answers that further proved even more helpful to me. Noticing this, I was more determined to finish this book even before I had the complete improvement answers, because I wanted other affected people to benefit sooner.

There is a lot of information about multiple synthetic ingredients included in everyday products that can have longterm negative consequences for our health, but I didn’t see them blamed for autoimmune conditions or musculoskeletal pain (body aches). Some others are known to be endocrine disruptors, but an accepted association with breast abnormalities or worsening migraine headaches in medical literature is missing. Being a doctor but dealing with each set of problems as a patient, I was able to put two and two together, and after years of accepting “this is the disease course; at present, we don’t fully understand why,” I proved to myself numerous times that by avoiding some components, I made steady improvements.

I had to endure quite a bit of teasing from my family, especially my husband, who has been relentless about poking fun at my discoveries as well as protesting the multiple changes in our house. Be prepared to meet some resistance, which will be even more stubborn if some restrictions you try to implement involve products the other family members enjoy.

No matter how hard we try, in this day and age, we won’t be 100 percent chemical-free. I do realize that before the common products we use or eat reach us, there are many steps that we don’t fully know about, we don’t see, and we can’t influence much either. For as much as we’re aware of, however, I think we should do our due diligence to eliminate the exposure to unhealthy substances the best we can; this would only benefit us.

Although I did implement many changes, I cannot say I removed everything, but all these adjustments still had a great impact and allowed me to see improvements, even if I did not completely eliminate my exposure to the numerous chemicals I have been trying to avoid.

By keeping up with the new information and continuing to read and research relevant literature, I will probably acquire more knowledge even after this publication is completed. This book is not meant to supplant medical treatment. What I implemented and noticed improvements with can’t hurt, but will not replace medical care; therefore, all readers should make health decisions after discussions with their personal physicians or medical specialists. I did the same, and I still do. However, if you notice improvements after implementing the measures I did, please bring this news to the attention of your doctors; maybe some of them will be in research and can verify my hypothesis further, because if my observations apply to more people, they would get more validity. And if some could be proved by medical studies, it would benefit a lot of people.

I hope this book, written by a doctor from a patient’s point of view, will change the way people look at everyday products.

**Excerpted with permission from Marcela Magda Popa M.D.

About the Author

Marcela Magda Popa, MD is a board-certified internal medicine physician.  She graduated in Romania but completed her residency training in the United States.  After 16 years in private practice, her health conditions forced her into early retirement. Once she stopped actively practicing, she was able to research and analyze the suspicions she had formed over the years about GRAS substances. She personally experimented with environmental avoidance and documented her findings for her book. She, her husband, and their fourteen-year-old son currently reside in New Jersey.

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Posted in Giveaway, health, nonfiction, self help on February 15, 2018

Book Title: SNAP! Change Your Personality in 30 Days
Authors: Gary Small, MD, Director UCLA Longevity Center and Gigi Vorgan
Category: Adult Nonfiction, 224 pages
Genre: Self-Help / Personality / Health, Mind & Body
Publisher: Humanix Books
Release date: January 9, 2018

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Dr. Gary Small’s breakthrough plan to improve your personality for a better life!

Experts in psychiatry and psychology have long believed that our personalities are essentially set from early childhood and remain consistent throughout life. However, the latest scientific research contradicts this long-held assumption. New compelling evidence indicates that we can change our personalities – either on our own, with the help of a therapist, or a combination of the two – and meaningful personality change can be achieved in a snap! – as quickly as 30 days. These groundbreaking findings have shattered the false belief that we are locked into our negative personality traits – no matter how much they hinder our potential happiness and success.

As you read SNAP! you will gain a better understanding of who you are now, how others see you, and which aspects of yourself you’d like to change. You will acquire the tools you need to change your personality in just one month – it won’t take years of psychotherapy, self-exploration or re-hashing every single bad thing that’s ever happened to you. If you are committed to change, this book will provide a roadmap to achieving your goals and becoming a better you.

From New York Times bestselling author, head of the UCLA Longevity Center, and expert in neuroscience and human behavior, Dr. Gary Small, a practical look at the key components of personality development and tools and techniques for bringing the positive aspects of your personality to the forefront so you can become more successful, attractive, happier, and psychologically healthier.

Humanix Books

About the Authors

Gary Small

Dr. Gary Small, (Los Angeles, CA) is a professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Longevity Center* at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior. His research, supported by the NIH, has made headlines in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world’s leading innovators in science and technology. Dr. Small lectures internationally and frequently appears on the Today show, Good Morning America, PBS, and CNN. He has written six books, including the New York Times best seller, The Memory Bible.

Gigi Vorgan

Gigi Vorgan (Los Angeles, CA) has written, produced, and appeared in numerous feature films and television projects before teaming up with her husband, Dr. Gary Small, to co-write The Memory Bible, The Memory Prescription,The Longevity Bible, iBrain, The Other Side of the Couch, and The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. She lives in Los Angeles with Dr. Small and their two children.

 Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Youtube

Giveaway

Win a hardcover copy of SNAP! Change Your Personality in 30 Days (30 winners / open to USA & Canada)

(ends March 3, 2018)

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Posted in contest, Giveaway, health, nonfiction on July 24, 2013

Author Eric Berg

Eric Berg, DC, 47 years of age is a chiropractor who specializes in weight loss through nutritional and natural methods. His private practice is located in Alexandria, Virginia. His clients include senior officials in the U.S. government and the Justice Department, ambassadors, medical doctors, high-level executives of prominent corporations, scientists, engineers, professors, and other clients from all walks of life.

He is the author of The 7 Principles of Fat Burning, published by Action KB Publishing in January 2010. In addition, Eric Berg is widely published in trade magazines, including Chiropractic Today and The American Chiropractor, and in consumer publications such as First for Women, Men’s Exercise, New Beauty, Upscale and Let’s Live. Dr. Berg trains chiropractors, physicians and allied healthcare practitioners in his methods, and to date he has trained over 2,000 healthcare professionals.

He has been an active member of the Endocrinology Society, on the advisory panel for the Health Science Institute, and has worked as a past part-time adjunct professor at Howard University. Eric Berg’s nonprofit foundation, Health Technology Foundation, is currently being approved nationally for the purpose of providing research to substantiate alternative healthcare technologies, giving cost-effective solutions and result-oriented healthcare. As a leader in natural health and food coaching, Eric Berg has appeared on many radio and television shows, including ABC, CBS, and as a monthly host on Channel 8’s Sports Talk. He has also had his own radio health show on WOL in 2005.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

The 7 Principles of Fat Burning

The 7 Principles of Fat Burning is the handbook to the sensational Berg Diet that has empowered thousands of people to get healthy, lose weight and keep it off. It shows how to activate your fat-burning hormones with a tailor-made eating and exercise plan for your body type.

The 7 Principles is a highly practical book that provides clear explanations-aided by dozens of charts and illustrations-of the principles of healthy weight loss. Easy-to-understand health and nutrition information and simple tests to determine your correct body type are the keys to its success. Knowledge is power and The 7 Principles of Fat Burning gives dieters the power to take command by eating the healthy diet that activates the fat-burning hormones for their body type.

For years people have been told to lose weight to be healthy. The truth is, you need to get healthy to lose weight. The Seven Principles of Fat Burning shows you how. Dr. Berg thoroughly educates readers and puts them right where they should be: in charge of their own weight.

 

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Giveaway Details

3 copies of 7 Principles of Fat Burning

Open to US only

Ends 8/4/13

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Posted in breast cancer, health, Susan G Komen Foundation, women on November 3, 2010

NANCY G. BRINKER is the founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She has served as Ambassador to Hungary and White House Chief of Protocol and as Global Ambassador for Cancer Control for the World Health Organization. She has received the prestigious Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Trumpet Foundation’s President’s Award, the Independent Women’s Forum Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award, the Forbes Trailblazer Award, the Ladies’ Home Journal 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century, and the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Synopsis:

Growing up in postwar Peoria, Illinois, Suzy and Nancy Goodman were inseparable, with the elegantly poised Suzy serving as younger sister Nancy’s best friend and role model in the grand adventure of life. The Goodman sisters learned at an early age the importance of helping those in need. Charity became a common theme in their lives but so did breast cancer. In 1977, at the age of thirty-four, Suzy was diagnosed with the disease.  Three years later, having endured well-meaning but misinformed doctors, multiple surgeries, and several grueling courses of chemotherapy and radiation, she died.  In one of the sisters’ last conversations, Suzy begged Nancy to do something to stop the suffering:

“Promise me, Nanny,” she said. “Promise me you won’t let it go on like this.”

Review:

As a breast cancer survivor, I wanted to know more about how the Susan G Komen Foundation (SGK) came about and how it became so influential.  I don’t remember when I began hearing about the organization or really took notice but it was many years after the formation.

This book includes a time line of the history of breast cancer along with the story of Susan and Nancy’s lives including childhood, marriage, divorce, kids and cancer.  The various time lines were neatly interwoven within each other to give you a historical perspective.  I will say that when I got to the chapters about a trip that they took to Europe after high school almost stopped me from finishing the book.  I felt like it went on too long.  But I am very glad that I kept reading because after that the book was exactly what I was expecting, how SGK came about and the struggles that they went through to form the foundation.  And I was quite surprised when I read who was the Oncologist for Susan and Nancy, my own Oncologist Dr. George Blumenschein!  I knew I had to have been in good hands 6 years ago when I chose him to help me fight my own battle with breast cancer.

All in all I would give this book 3 1/2 stars.  There is a great resource section at the back of the book and I found many resources that I hadn’t known about at that time and can share with others diagnosed with this disease.

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