Heal Yourself With Emotional Freedom Technique

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Heal Yourself With Emotional Freedom Technique

Name: Heal Yourself With Emotional Freedom Technique
Author: John Freedom
ISBN: 978-1444177183

by John Freedom ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 21, 2013

A good place to begin for anyone wishing to learn about EFT.

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An introduction to the theory and practice of a tapping technique that’s said to relieve stress, fears and phobias by restoring the flow of subtle energies.

Debut author Freedom, a former radio talk show host and magazine editor, packs this book with all the information a neophyte might need to get started with “emotional freedom technique.” Indeed, there’s so much information here, complete with boxed key points, suggested activities, case histories and tips, that readers may feel overwhelmed—or perhaps oversold. But the author, an EFT teacher and practitioner from Arizona, succeeds in lucidly laying out step-by-step procedures for treating a variety of common conditions. He advises readers to identify the problem, repeat a self-affirming statement to settle one’s mental state, and then perform simple two-, three- or four-finger taps on one or more of several “acu-points” located on the head and upper body. If the book’s anecdotal accounts are accurate, relief may be immediate. EFT, Freedom writes, is a user-friendly outgrowth of Thought Field Therapy, pioneered by psychologist Roger Callahan in the early 1980s, and both approaches appear to owe much to the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture, without the needles. EFT, as portrayed here, is self-administered, but readers may seek out one of an ever growing number of EFT practitioners. However, as the book states in an obligatory disclaimer, nothing in it is intended to “replace the services of healthcare professionals.” Readers can judge its effectiveness for themselves by simply trying out one or more of these techniques, but much may depend on one’s expectation, or perhaps one’s imagination.

A good place to begin for anyone wishing to learn about EFT.

Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2013

ISBN: 978-1444177183

Page Count: 256

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2014

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

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HEALTH & FITNESS

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A SHORT GUIDE TO A LONG LIFE

by David B. Agus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

Useful but disappointingly commonplace tips.

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In a follow-up to The End of Illness (2012), which explored how technological advances will transform medicine, Agus (Medicine and Engineering/Univ. of Southern California) restates time-tested but too often overlooked principles for healthy living.

The author outlines simple measures that average citizens can take to live healthier lives and extend their life spans by taking advantage of modern technology to develop personalized records. These would include a list of medical tests and recommended treatments. Agus also suggests keeping track of indicators that can be observed at home on a regular basis—e.g., changes in energy, weight, appetite and blood pressure, blood sugar and general appearance. He advises that all of this information be made available online, and it is also helpful to investigate family history and consider DNA testing where indicated. Along with maintaining a healthy weight, Agus emphasizes the importance of eating a balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and a minimum of red meat. Avoid packaged vitamins and food supplements, and if possible, grow your own vegetables or buy frozen vegetables, which will generally be fresher than those on supermarket shelves. The author also warns against processed foods that make health claims but contain additives or excessive amounts of sugar or fat. Regular mealtimes and plenty of sleep, frequent hand-washing and oral hygiene are a must; smoking and excessive time in the sun should also be avoided. Agus recommends that adults should consider taking statins and baby aspirin as preventative measures. He concludes with a decade-by-decade checklist of annual medical examinations that should be routine—e.g. blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, from one’s 20s on; colonoscopies, prostate exams and mammograms later—and a variety of top-10 lists (for example, “Top 10 Reasons to Take a Walk”).

Useful but disappointingly commonplace tips.

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4767-3095-0

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013

Categories:

HEALTH & FITNESS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LUCKY YEARS
by David B. Agus

- BOOK REVIEW
THE END OF ILLNESS
by David B. Agus

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THE END OF ILLNESS

by David B. Agus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2012

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Oncologist Agus (Medicine and Engineering/Univ. of Southern California) predicts that the application of advanced technology for modeling complex systems will transform 21st-century medicine.

The author writes that a remark Nobel Laureate Murray Gell-Mann made to him in 2009—“Look at cancer as a system"—transformed the way he views his own specialty and the entire field of preventative medicine. It made him realize that “[r]ather than honoring the body as the exceedingly complex system that it is, we keep looking for the individual gene that has gone awry, or for the one ‘secret’ that can improve our health.” Agus writes that although the ability to sequence the entire human genome is a great step forward, it is insufficient for achieving a significant breakthrough. Even though it may start with a mutation, cancer “is a dynamic process that's happening…far from the confines of a static piece of DNA”—it involves the body's immune system, its ability to regulate cell growth, metabolism and more. Agus directs his university’s Center for Applied Molecular Medicine and is the co-founder of two personalized medicine companies, Applied Proteomics and Navigenics. His hope is that their research will contribute to developing better analytical tools for preventative medicine and for the treatment of cancers. These will address the functioning of the body as a whole, applying digital technology already used by physicists to provide virtual models of cancers and model the action of proteins that regulate cell communication in the body. He also hopes to develop tools that will provide information on the concentration of different proteins in a drop of blood taken from a patient, which may reveal the onset of disease. The author also includes some guiding principles and warnings about certain healthy practices that may not be so healthy. A refreshing change of pace in the medical field, but by venturing beyond his field of expertise to pontificate on a wide range of subjects, Agus makes his otherwise intriguing narrative difficult to follow.