For those seriously concerned with preventing heart disease, this is your guide: detailed, current, strongly worded guidelines. Yannios, associate director of critical care and nutritional support at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y., isn’t interested in cushioning the facts or the remedies in a feel-good framework—his horrifying case stories are successfully designed to propel readers into action, and he backs them up with the grim facts: most Americans already have well-advanced atherosclerosis by their 20s; low-fat diets “can actually raise cholesterol and increase risk in certain groups of people”; more than half the people who have heart attacks have total cholesterol levels under 200. So the remedy for those in peril, according to Yannios, takes some real work: assess your own risk; then, with the help of a physician, take advantage of the newest blood tests and make a stringent action plan—guidelines are set out here—involving diet, weight control, exercise, and medication. Yannios doesn’t let readers off easily, but that doesn’t mean he can’t offer realistic help: for instance, “practically every cardiac risk factor can be countered by exercise——it just has to be the right type of exercise. Heart disease prevention is among the fastest-advancing medical research areas, with new, often conflicting recommendations being published daily. For those at serious risk, this is an understandable, serious, and worthwhile approach.
Pub Date: April 23, 1999
ISBN: 0-471-25533-5
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Wiley
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1999
Diminutive sex therapist ``Dr. Ruth'' presents a sex guide for Orthodox and traditional Conservative Jews. ``People pick up the Bible for many different reasons but rarely, if ever, as a sex manual. That is their mistake,'' writes Westheimer. Here, with Jewish Week associate editor Mark, she sets out to correct this error. Westheimer begins by explaining Judaism's attitude toward sex, one which she considers particularly healthy. Judaism doesn't exalt celibacy; in fact, it frowns upon it. Women's satisfaction in marriage is not only discussed among the Talmudic sages, it is absolutely required of the husband. Lust and sexual impropriety are acknowledged and treated within Jewish law. In addition to the commandment against coveting thy neighbor's wife, Westheimer finds many explicit and implicit references to sex in the Hebrew Bible and rabbinical literature, focusing in particular on Genesis, Ruth, Song of Songs, and Talmudic and Kabbalistic sources. This last especially provides much fodder for the author. Westheimer also covers the commandments, the ritual bath, or mikvah, weddings, and the Sabbath, a day on which it is a special mitzvah (commandment) to have sex. Here the author offers a lovely metaphor for the relationship between husband and wife on the Sabbath: At the beginning of the day, the woman lights and blesses two candles, which according to Westheimer may represent the man and woman. At the end of the Sabbath, another blessing is made by candlelight, only this time the two wicks are joined together, often intertwined, representing the married couple, who have been brought closer through their sexual union. But this small gem is a rarity in a basically didactic and monotonous little book.
Pub Date: Nov. 6, 1995
ISBN: 0-8147-9268-5
Page Count: 188
Publisher: New York Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
From the profession that sets the standards for injury prevention and rehabilitation, a well-laid-out, thorough guide to avoiding musculoskeletal injury and diagnosing and treating it when it does occur. Physical therapist Moffat (president emeritus of the APTA) and co-author Vickery’s emphasis is on the casual athlete over 30 years of age: “as midlife approaches, the aging process and increasing inactivity can transform many every day activities into minefields of pootential aches, pains and injuries” (and serious athletes work at a higher level intensity than is addressed here). Looking at the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and related structures, the authors first cover nine body areas most often affected: back, neck, jaw, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, hip, knee, and ankle/foot. For each, there is instruction on preventing injury, diagnosis of problems (from mild soreness through strain, sprain, and worse), what self-help measures to take, and when to go for professional help. In part two, the authors cover muscle, tendon, and ligament fitness and injury prevention in general, especially the importance of incorporating the three elements of fitness’strength, flexibility and endurance—into any exercise endeavor. Finally, part three offers a comprehensive menu of specific exercises from which readers can design a regimen that meets their needs. The language is easily understandable, and readers are put straight on many commonly misused terms (for instance, whiplash). The same ground as Feldman, then (see p. TKTK), with more extensive background information and a more serious tone. (500 line drawings)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8050-5571-1
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1999
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
