Best Books of the Year

Dateline 12/3/98

As the holidays approach we find ourselves racking our brains for the perfect gift for everyone on our gift-giving lists. Books are a personal way of telling someone how much they mean to you, while giving them a gift that they will turn to over and over again.

This week I present some of my favorite books as gift suggestions for those on your holiday shopping list. Give yourself a break and order these books online, without having to fight the crowds at the malls/ shopping centers, with the safety of secure online ordering through arrangement with Amazon.com.

Breast Cancer: A Patient Guide
by Patricia J. Anderson
If someone in your life is faced with the diagnosis of breast cancer, this book makes a touching and useful gift that guides breast cancer patients throughout their diagnosis and treatment. Written in clear cut language, this book helps women understand the changes they experience when faced with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Women learn about diagnosis, treatment options, and survival. An excellent book that is packed with important material relating to the physical and emotional effects of breast cancer. All breast cancer patients need to read this book! Paperback

Changing Bodies, Changing Lives: A Book for Teens on Sex and Relationships
by Ruth Bell
If there is a teenager in your life they will thank you many times over for giving them this comprehensive book which provides resources both on and offline for further information. Written in clear language for teenage girls and boys, this book provides answers to questions teens may not feel comfortable talking about to parents or other adults. Adolescents will gain a clear understanding of the physical and emotional changes taking place in their own bodies while at the same time gaining a clearer understanding about the opposite sex and the changes which they experience. This excellent book was written by a member of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective and covers issues such as dating, peer pressure, sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, eating disorders, unplanned pregnancy and birth control while it explores relationships with parents and other adults, as well as other teenagers. I'm glad to have this book to give to my son to help him understand the changes he will soon experience and to help me understand the changes puberty brings to boys. Paperback

The Estrogen Alternative
by Raquel Martin, Judi Gerstung (Contributor)
The author of this extensively reasearched book provides all the facts about estrogen and progesterone, with input from leading healthcare experts. Learn about natural hormone replacement (NHRT) with natural progesterone cream. Natural progesterone, unlike synthetic pharmaceutical hormones, is chemically equal to the progesterone produced by our bodies--can this natural hormone effectively replace the pharmaceutical treatments prescribed by your doctor? Gain knowledge, you won't learn elsewhere, about how NHRT provides the same benefits we expect from pharmaceutical hormone replacements such as protection from heart disease and osteoporosis while causing no known side effects or risks (such as the increased risk of breast cancer with long-term estrogen replacement therapy). Before even finishing this excellent book, I bought some natural progesterone cream and so far it's working better than the four different pharmaceuticals (combined) which I have been having to take daily since my hysterectomy with none of the side effects such as breast tenderness, fluid retention, and for me a weight gain of forty pounds since starting estrogen replacement. Women from PMS through Menopause can benefit from this amazing and natural remedy. Give yourself a gift and read this book! Paperback

How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too
by Sal Severe
All parents, as well as teachers and health care providers who deal with children, will find something useful in this excellent book, and for parents like myself who have "difficult" children, this book can be a real lifesaver. This book is based on Dr. Severe's over twenty years of experience working with parents and children. He offers a common sense approach to discipline, with many ideas coming from what parents have told him has worked for them. Presented in an easy-to-read format in clear-cut language, this book will inspire you from the moment you pick it up. I saw improvement in my son's behavior immediately after trying some of the ideas that are suggested. For me, this book may become my "parenting bible." Hardcover

Male Menopause
by Jed Diamond
Is there a special man in your life? Of course, there is no real "male menopause," but men do have certain health issues that are uniquely their own such as diseases of the prostate which almost all men are guaranteed to develop sooner or later. Find out what men can do to lower their risks and take charge of their healthcare. An outstanding book that offers comprehensive information about changes experienced by men. Includes information about alternative prevention techniques. Hardcover.

Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century
by The Boston Women's Health Book Collective
A comprehensive "encyclopedia" of women's health and an outstanding update to a classic book. Written by women and for women, this book offers insight into women's health issues that you won't find anywhere else. Every woman's library should include a copy of this excellent book that explores issues such as female genital mutilation, lesbian issues, childbearing issues, cervical self-exam, menstruation, PMS, hysterectomy, and more. I've given this book to my 23 year old daughter--it's the perfect gift for a lifetime of healthcare knowledge. Paperback

The Twelve Gifts of Birth
by Charlene A. Costanzo (Photographer), Jill Reger (Photographer), Wendy Wassink Ackison
Is someone in your life pregnant or is there a special child in your life? If there is, this inspiring book is the perfect gift and one that will be treasured for a lifetime. This book presents the gifts that all children were born with that makes each child a "royal prince or princess," and includes a page for inscribing your personal thoughts to the person receiving the book. Only the highest quality papers were used in the production of this gorgeous book which will be a prized gift for a "child" of any age. If you are a parent, grandmother, aunt, or special friend who wants to give a gift that will be never forgotten--give this book to your special young person--tell them just how special they have always been. Hardcover 

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