THE NEW YORK TIMES GUIDE TO PERSONAL HEALTH

A massive collection of Brody's New York Times (and syndicated) columns covering the whole range of personal health issues in her familiar forthright style. The focus is away from heroic therapies for disease, and squarely on individual responsibility for health. Thus: ""avoid hazardous behaviors"" (cigarettes, excess alcohol, obesity); ""pursue health-enhancing activities"" (exercise, immunization); and ""get proper diagnosis and treatment""--by being well-informed, ready to question, and ""unintimidated by people with white coats and large black and silver necklaces in their pockets."" There are 15 sections--on nutrition, exercise, emotional health, sexuality, substance abuse, teeth, the environment, safety, medical care, various illnesses, and coping with health problems; in their course, Brody discusses reactions to illness, mid-life crises, and retirement preparations. The information is thoroughly up-to-date; and to compensate for the brevity of the column format, Brody provides further references at the end of each section. Thanks to the inclusion of major issues such as obesity (the average, unenergetic American should eschew junk food--it's hard to satisfy vitamin and mineral requirements on 1500 calories a day) and minor annoyances such as dry skin (""ordinary baby oil is inexpensive and as effective as fancier and costlier products""), there's something here for everyone--while Brody's special following can now have her head-to-toe counsel at their fingertips.