5 comments about Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation.

1. I have to say that my expereince with it as a Birth Doula has been nothing but wonderful. This books focuses on more intuitive ways of birthing. If you're looking for a "step by step, do this do that" guide...that is not what you will find here. If you are okay with learning to be your best advocate, with trusting your own innate intuition regarding birth, and with learning to experience freedom in birth (the true meaning behind the howling) this book can serve as a guide in that process.
   
   I have given birth 4 times, everytime naturally. I have used Bradley as well as Lamaze, and if i had it to do over, I'd do birthing from within. In my doula practice I often find women who struggle with trusting thier bodies, who are attempting to maintain control over what thier body is doing...these women tend to have longer and more painful labors and deliveries. I often use the techniques and ideals from birthing from within and adapt them to each womans own experience.
   
   I will say that it seems that one's perspective on this may be different if you actually have an opportunity to attend a class. I audited a class as a doula and it seemed every couple there was moved and helped by it.
   
   I recognize that this means of birthing is not for everyone. Some women need more struture and there is nothing wrong with that. I still say this is a phenomenal resource if you want a more free flowing birth.



2. I read this from front to back. It was so informative and gave me even more confidence to birth naturally.



3. This book was the best my husband and I read about the actual birthing process. While there is some good information about c-sections and pain medications, it is biased toward natural birth. If you want to learn ways to prepare for a natural labor, this is a must-read! There are several really helpful chapters for fathers-to-be. This book helped prepare me for and tame my fears about giving birth much more than any other one that I read.



4. This book has been the single most important in my pregnancy journey. As this is my first pregnancy I had been very apprehensive about the birth. With the help of this book I am now much more calm about the whole pregnancy and most importantly even now looking forward to the birth. I can't recommend this book high;y enough!!!



5. I just finished the book last night. I have thoroughly enjoyed doing some of the birth art exercises and just thinking about my pregnancy and birth from a different perspective (beyond the physical - i.e. looking at pregnancy, labor, and birth from a spiritual and emotional aspect).
   
   If you are looking for a "what to expect" type book, this is not for you.

5 comments about The Female Brain.

1. I get it now! This book enlightened me to why girls/women do what they do and feel and think the way they do. Confirms what's going through my mind. Does some gender comparison which helps me to understand my teenage son better and accept some of his behavior.
   A great gift for friends struggling with teenage daughters.



2. As a product of the female brain, I'm afraid to say that this disgraceful excuse for objective research does more damage to the reputation of female brain power than the worst mysogynist could. Just as I would reject research from an Anti-Semite that showed that Jews are genetically disadvantaged, research from a Ku Klux Klanner that showed that African-Americans are stupid, or research by a communist showing that capitalists are more greedy, so I do not consider research from a proven mysandrist who has shown that men are mentally inferior to women.
   
   Louann 'Zoloft' Brizendine does no favours for the many intelligent women in the world by lumping them altogether into a mysogynistic community which 'men will develop a serious case of brain envy' over. Men will only start developing 'brain envy' when these supposedly superior brains put their money where their mouth is, and demonstrate their superiority. Instead, in the realms of brain power and its corresponding creativity these Einsteins have put on a poor show. There are no long lines of women outside the US Patent office, waiting to introduce to the world their brainwaves. Instead, they show the typical failure of supposedly master multitaskers to have any UNItasking skills, which alone can give one the focused, concentrated thinking necessary for a level of mentation far above that ever dreamed of by Ms Zoloft. What she demonstrates with this drivel are the devastating results of combining an unconscious inferiority complex with ignorance and arrogance. I don't know how much commission Brizendine is getting from Zoloft for promoting and marketing their products in a work of 'objective research', but I have no doubt the association of Zoloft with the paltry abilities of Brizendine can in the long term only damage the reputation of the pharmaceutical in question.
   
   Don't, don't, don't waste your money on this book now - soon it will be cheaper than toilet paper, when at last it could be used to serve a useful function.



3. To be fair, the book has some valid points. For example, it admits that differences between male and female behaviour have a biological cause besides a cultural one. It teaches some bits of information which are useful to know. For example, about the female hormonal cycle. I won't explain about the lack of scientific rigueur of this book because this has been beautifully done in the reviews by David H. Peterzell and Linda Hirshman. I wanted to add something new.
   
   This is one of the most sexist books I have read in a long time. The subtext of this book, the idea which is hammered once and again throughout the book can be summarized like that: "The female brain is superior in everything with respect to the male brain, except for sexual desire and aggression"
   
   Even more outraging is the view of the author towards men who are depicted like some kind of Neandhertals, clearly inferior creatures who are unable to understand the subtleness and goodness of women and are only able of aggression and disruptive behavior. Let's see an example from page 21 :
   
   "So why is a girl born with such a highly tuned machine [her brain] for reading faces [...]? This is the result of millenia of [...] evolutionary hardwiring that once has - and probably still has - real consequences for survival. If you can read faces [...], you can tell what an infant needs. You can predict what a bigger, aggressive male is going to do. And since you're smaller, you probably need to band with other females to fend off attacks from a ticked off caveman - or cavemen".
   
   Look how men are depicted. Bigger, aggressive people who want to attack women. Even more, to defend from such a threat, women have to band with each other. Hello? Is it anything inside the author's brain? Have you seen band of females to protect from males anywhere in the world?
   
   The ones who have ALWAYS protected females from danger have been MEN. When a thief enters a home, it is the male who is going to see what happens while the woman tries to stay in a safe place. When a band is trying to attack a local village, it is the local men who get their guns and go out to face the danger, while women stay in their homes. When an army is trying to invade a country, armies composed of men protect their women for being invaded and submitted. Men die for women to be safe. But the author has such a negative view of men that indulges in a fantasy of women banding themselves, which is absurd and has never happened.
   
   This could be only a mistake, but the book is full of derogatory language against men. "[The boys] would break anything [the girls] have created. The boys pushed the girls around, refused to take turns and would ignore the request of a girl to stop or to give the toy back" (page 11), "[Boys don't use language to get consensus the way girls do but] use language to command others, get things done, brag, threaten, ignore a partner's suggestion and override each other's attempts to speak. It was never long after Joseph's arrival on the playground that Leyla ended up in tears" (page 22). I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
   
   On the contrary, women are depicted as a nearly angelical creatures. "If you are a girl, you are programmed to make sure you keep social harmony" (page 21). Hello? Has somebody worked in an office full of women and see the meanness, intrigues and subtle backstabbing that they have in their social interactions? And what about a woman in a divorce court? Girls are not always mean and boy are not always good but it is certainly not the other way around either.
   
   After reading this book, I can't help wondering why over the last five decades women, who make up roughly 50 percent of the world's population, have claimed only 2 percent of the Nobel Prizes in the sciences, 8 percent in literature and 0 percent in economics. Why is this? If women are so superior to men, if men are only able to obsess about sex and proceed to aggression (because "they are marinated by testosterone") and are superated in any other aspect by women?
   
   (During that period Jews, who were an oppressed minority and who comprise less than 0.5 percent the world's population, have claimed 32 percent of the Nobel Prizes for medicine, 32 percent for physics, 39 percent for economics and 29 percent of all science awards.)
   
   If you are reading this, nearly everything that you see right now has been invented (and done) by a man. Your computer, your Internet, the Web, your room, the electrical power and so on. Maybe men are not that useless and dumb after all, are we?
   
   I am really sorry for the author's son. It won't be easy for him to grow up with a mother who has so much contempt towards boys.
   
   So if you are a feminist eager to feel superior to men, please buy this book and you will be reassured in your beliefs.



4. When I entered the page to write my review of what I thought an easy and interesting reading, I found surprise after surprise. First there is the author's blog section:
   
   "Thank you for reading and using my book in your life. I have heard from many of you out there who are reading "The Female Brain"-a soldier in his bunk in Iraq after his wife sent him the book in a care package [...]-a truck driver in the Midwest who just had his wife leave him after twenty-eight years and wants to know how to get her back-and many others of you who are finding answers to questions about female emotions [...], choosing who to love and marry"[???] [...] "I have heard from many men that they wish they had had the information in this book when they were younger-one 82-year-old man wrote saying it would have "saved me from many mistakes with women in my life". I hope you will write to me too and let me know how it has influenced your life and our relationships."[...]
   
   Am I in the wrong book page? This blog of the author does not fit with the book I have read. This sounds more like a "self-help" book or a cliché of differences between sexes. If these statements from the author would have been on any the book's covers, I definitely would not have bought it. The book was supposed to be a science book and I believe it was also what the author wanted to convey (while reading it, it seemed scientific to me). Are the author's hormones to blame for this radical change?. The worst review in this page is the author's blog post itself.
   
   Second I was surprised to see the huge polarization in the reviewers rankings, it seems that either you love the book, because it helps you understand sex differences and will probably help you to cope with them or you truly dislike it for being sexist, unprofessional and full of mistakes. I think the problem is the different expectations with which each reviewer approaches the book (intensified by the author's position). Is it a self-help book or a science book?
   
   As I read the book, I found it interesting and entertaining. What interested me most was how the different genetic information contained in the Y and X chromosomes inffluences the development of the not born babies' brains. How this inffluences the relative sizes of some parts of their brains and its implications for the future sex differences in children and adults. (I hope this Info is not mistaken). The inffluence of hormones during a woman's life cycle is also very interesting. I agree with another reviewer that this is by no means deterministic, but I do believe (in fact I am sure) that hormones have an inffluence on women's moods and probably attitudes.
   
   I would have rated the book with 4 stars until the author herself made me completely distrust everything inside it.



5. I was trained as a sociologists to believe that gender differences were socially constructed. Turns out the science does not support this viewpoint....and gender is an important factor in our brains evolved. Would like to read about my brain...but being having two daughters and a lovely wife it is good to get some insight inside the heads of the folks I live with. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Concise Rules Of Apa Style (Concise Rules of the American Psychological Association (APA) Style).

1. I thought this would be a more helpful book than the APA Publication Manual, but I was wrong. This small volume does not cover enough items that I need to write a graduate level paper. I suggest purchasing only the Publication Manual.



2. This book is a little confusing. Never arrived when ordered first. I had to reorder this item which finally arrived two months late.



3. This is an essential book if you're preparing papers that must follow APA style. It's official from APA, so you can count on the content. More detailed than a quick guide. The spiral binding makes it easy to use. If my 'easy way' guide doesn't have the answer, this concise guide does. Wouldn't be without it. Why didn't my uni profs tell me about this cheaper resource??? (The full-length guide costs about twice as much, if I remember correctly.)



4. Let's face it, nobody likes doing APA, but if you have to do it, this is the best tool around. It is portable and easily searched and covers all situations, no matter how archiaic.



5. For me, the jury is still out on the APA format. I have to use it for a class, otherwise I would stick with MLA. Regarding this reference guide, it is ok. The format is not intuitive, and I find myself going online to find examples of how to format citations more than I do opening this book.

5 comments about Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care (Nursing Diagnosis Handbook).

1. I purchased this book for Nursing school for the Fall. Based on the reviews from our instructors, they are very pleased with this book. I am excited to begin using this book in the fall. Amazon was a pleasure to work with. They shipped out much quicker than originally anticipated.



2. I have the 7th edition which was in our required book list for school. It is one of the only books I have used every semester, and I'm sure I'll use it in this last semester. I couldn't have done my evidence based papers or nursing care plans without it.



3. Fantastic seller! Book came quickly in the condition it was described to be in! Would buy from again anytime! A++



4. Received it in a timely manner and was as described, was very happy with it.



5. This book is so worn already with the use that it gets, which just shows how essential it is. Everything that you need to know about the basics of care plans is in it

5 comments about Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference.

1. If you are looking for a way to make a difference in your organization from a leadership perspective,(or even on a personal level) you must read this book. Rather than focusing on the negatives, it focuses on the positives of creating excellence-for the patient, the staff, the physicians and all who come in contact with the organization. It is well worth the read!!



2. Whether one is in healthcare or a non related industry, this book provides superb solutions to providing excellent customer care. As a certified brand strategist, I greatly appreciate Mr. Studer's articulation that one must, and can, hardwire the processes in order to achieve true and perpetual customer service. And he points it out so very well - if one first focuses on superb employee relations, then one will achieve a high level of customer relations.
   
   
   It is my observation that too many consultants go into companies, identify the customer service issues, hold one or more rah rah events, and then move on to their next project. More correctly, I believe a consultant's responsibility is to work with organization clients to, as Mr. Studer so clearly addresses, hardwire the processes which then will indeed achieve the relationship with employees, channel partners and customers that will so clearly set them apart from their competitors, thereby creating customers who become advocates.



3. "For many who work in health care today, overwhelming business pressures and perceived barriers to change have nearly extinguished their flame of passion to help others.
   
   Join Quint Studer and thousands of Fire Starters nationwide on an awe-inspiring journey of purpose, worthwhile work, and making a difference.
   
   Hear Quint's personal story and learn how you can apply specific prescriptive tools and practices to create and sustain a worldclass organization... a great place for employees to work, physicians to practice and patients to receive care.
   
   LET YOUR FLAME BURN BRIGHT."
   
   [from the book of the back cover]



4. I highly recommend this book to any organization who is trying to create a positive service excellence experience for people and patients in the hospital. Service excellence programs come and go but hard wiring excellence is here to stay. This book provides practical advice and examples of how to change behaviors in an organization which impacts service excellence.



5. The book provides a common sense approach to instilling behaviors which promote positive outcomes in healthcare. As you read through each chapter the author builds the on the content provided from the previous chapter. It certainly demonstrates how you can be instrumental in having a "domino effect" just by being consistent and positive in relationships.

5 comments about Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips (Crazy Sexy).

1. I watched an interview with Ms. Carr on Montel Williams and was impressed with her attitude toward cancer. I am walking through stage 4 lung cancer and firmly believe that a positive attitude makes a major difference in the outcome. Couldn't wait for the book to arrive and started reading it the minute it hit my mail box. By the time I hit page 40, I had to throw the book away . . . any encouragement or advice offered by the author was totally lost in the deluge of F-bombs and curse words. What could have been an awesome gift to anyone battling cancer lost all credibility. Buyer beware!



2. After a personal cancer diagnosis, this was one of the first books I read pertaining to recovery. I read many more later, but none were quite as uplifting and encouraging as this one.
   
   Besides detailing her own struggle with cancer, Kris Carr offers page after page of tips that are do-able, and will make you feel as if you really can beat the disease.
   
   All the other five star reviews are here for a reason. This book is informative, helpful, optimistic, and bravely written.
   
   Bravo, Kris Carr. I'll be reading your next book for sure. (Just ordered it, in fact :)



3. The smartest, the bravest, crazy sexy book I've ever read about cancer!
   Kris Carr's book should be read by everyone - it does not matter if you are lucky one and do not have a cancer scare, read it. She did all work for us-very deep and serious researches especially how to have healthy living habits.
   Life is precious! And you can feel this message through each page of this fantastic book.



4. This book is not just for people with cancer. After seeing the author's documentary, and totally falling in love with her, I pre-ordered this book. You can't -not- fall in love with Kris Carr. She's open and fun and intelligent and has wonderful infectious energy. The guy shooting the film fell in love with her too and now they're married.
   
   What drew me in is my belief in Prevention. I have been close to people suffering with cancer and at an early age became interested in a healthy lifestyle with emphasis on whole foods. Her focus on greens is right in line with my thinking and I find this book to be a great support for my own vegan lifestyle which at times can be just a little bit difficult (culturally, not personally). Her blog is great support as well and is also infused with her brilliant spirit.
   
   I can't say enough good things about her or the book, just get it. Give it to anyone you know who might be struggling with any sort of degenerative disease and use it for support in prevention. The China Study by Campbell is mentioned in her book repeatedly and is my favorite work on the subject of healthcare and food. I highly recommend reading it in conjunction with CSC.



5. I am an 18 year leukemia survivor. I was diagnosed at age 5 and I'm 24 now. I am in my last year of college and I really didn't start feeling pretty, or sexy or anything because I've never had a boyfriend so I thought I wasn't beautiful enough for anyone. Then I saw Kris's documentary on TLC and that changed tha way I felt about myself. I still don't have a boyfriend yet but I know there is one guy out there who will find me someday and he will see me as beautiful and sexy.

5 comments about Food for Life: How the New Four Food Groups Can Save Your Life.

1. This was a great book at exposing the dangers of eating meat and dairy. Dr. Barnard's more recent books like Foods That Fight Pain are also highly recommended. A less than 10% fat diet is great for those who want to lose weight and keep it off, but for those who just want to switch to a vegan diet without losing weight, you may want to include a little olive oil or nuts. A little more fat also may help if your skin gets dry. The research on dairy products is shocking, you may wonder why most doctors and nutritionists keep ignoring the negative research on dairy. I have been a vegan for a couple of years now and feel better than ever. Just think of all of the varieties of fresh fruits, vegetables, various whole grains, variety of different beans, and different types of nuts available. Soy products are not necessary(I can't remember the last time I ate soy), so don't hesitate to buy this book based on that. Read the book about info regarding vitamin B-12 and vitamin D. Highly recommended.



2. I gave a copy to my brother, bought one for a friend, I'm reading it myself for the second time, and I just bought 3 more to share.



3. This is an excellent book. It traces out the nutritional roots of many significant diseases. My wife found it in the library while looking for something else, and now we're on our way to becoming vegetarian.

   At times it's a little slow reading and occasionally seems a bit repetitious. However, his work is very well documented and there are extensive footnotes to research done in this area.

   For an even more significant piece of the puzzle with regard to the roots of disease check out Henry Wright's "A More Excellent Way". He deals with the spiritual roots of disease, which affect us even more pervasively than the nutritional roots. A wholistic view on life demands that we address each dimension.




4. I have purchased over a dozen copies of this book for my family and friends, and finally browsed the reviews today and was shocked to see any negative feedback. So for those considering the book, remember the negative reviews were written by meat-lovers that in no way plan to give it up.
   
   I've read at least twenty or so nutrition books and this is my favorite of them all. It's simple to read, easy to understand, and very complete. It encourages a vegeterian diet for the sole purpose of having a healthy life, rather than giving all the statisitics on animal cruelty.
   
   It deconstructs all the myths (i.e. people need tons of protein, and vegetarians do not get enough iron) and gives tons of yummy recipes in addition to informing you of all the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet.
   
   It reinforces the fact that doctors do not fix you until you are broken. My brother is in med school and I asked him how many nutrition classes he was required to take..... the answer was none. Why not learn how to prevent diseases rather than fix them afterwards? Why eat a meat-based diet, take your cholesterol pill and destroy your liver, when you can avoid eating cholesterol at all? Why eat excessive simple carbohydrates and sugars and rely on an insulin shot every day?
   
   I've bought copies for nearly every member in my family over the past three years, but sadly they don't bother reading it until they are required to take insulin, or they find a lump in their breast, or they find their cholesterol is off the charts. I believe you have a duty to your loved ones to keep your body healthy so you can be here for them as long as possible, and this book can show you how. For more info, look into pcrm.org
   
   Also, my sincerest thank you to Dr. Barnard for caring enough to spend time to teach interested people the proper way to eat.



5. I just finished reading Dr. Barnard's book and I'm reading it a second time! I found his book informative and explained in easy to understand terms. I think he makes a very good case for reasons not to continue eating a meat-based diet as the effects of a high fat animal diet lead to many of the popular illnesses and diseases we read about today (e.g., diabetes, stroke, heart attack, etc.)
   
   I was not a vegan or vegetarian before reading this book and I know that some reviewers may think there is too much of a vegan agenda, but I would disagree. Plant based diets are a healthy and economical way to live your life. It can be particularly useful if you're trying to lose weight as well as if you are genetically predisposed to certain illnesses by incorporating the new four food groups into your life and possibly preventing or eliminating potential illnesses altogether.

5 comments about The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types.

1. This is the best book that I have ever read on personality types.
   It even eclipses Myers-briggs in that it outlines WHY we are the people that we have become. Though there is a lot of information, the author leads the reader in small enough steps to not only grasp the material, but to comprehend the potential of our own growth and the way foward in our lives. Un missible for those that work in larger groups or want to understand their families and loved ones better.



2. This is "The Source" of information on the Enneagram.It is also used by Fr. Wm. Meninger in his exploration of the subject. The ancient adage "Know Thyself" is exemplified in this Masterpiece.
   While contemplation is extremely important for interior developement,getting to know yourself and the reason for your actions is its external complement. You'll discover through "The Wisdom of the Enneagram" the path to self-knowledge.Self-awareness will lead the true seeker to self-correction and less suffering.
   Greater humility,the antidote for pridefulness, is cultivated through self-knowledge.



3. I have read several books on this subject and this is definitely the best so far. Well written and easy to understand.



4. This book was more on target about my issues than any other book i could have read and it told me how i need to improve my weaknesses. It has helped me really see my self and the destructive patterns that i never realized that i am caught up in.. I recommend it highly if you are ready to change and have inner peace of mind



5. I had the good fortune to study the Enneagram, as a graduate student in psychology, with Luc Brebion, one of Claudio Naranjo's original "disciples," who brought the teaching of the Enneagram to North America. It was my understanding at the time (1980) that the teaching of it was limited to those who'd studied with Claudio, or his original students, as it was so easy to get it wrong.
   
   I now understand why: the only frame of reference, before the Enneagram, for the study of personality, was a psychiatric one--personality DISORDER (in other words, personality features so extreme or destructive that they were truly pathological, and created major obstacles to fulfillment in both love and work). The great virtue of the Enneagram is that it helps us understand our personalities WITHOUT PATHOLOGIZING. Being able to understand our personality traits and styles can be very useful...but when we feel pathologized in the attempt, it's a turn off (besides not being merited).
   
   Given those considerations, THE WISDOM OF THE Enneagram is the ONLY book I've recommended to clients in therapy over the years, and it has been very well-recieved. It is the ONLY book I've yet read on the Enneagram that really gets it right; I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to know and understand themselves better. I both helps to locate personality blindspots, and to FORGIVE ourselves for them...while, over time, the greater awareness opens up a broader frame of reference for other possible responses to life. (This is why the hardest people to "type" in this way are those who have done the most inner work; as a result, their behavior, thinking and speech is less predictable, less discernable as having a particular flavor...with the result that who we REALLY are--the True Self or Soul--can shine through the increasingly translucent cover of personality).

5 comments about The Complete Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner (Practice Planners).

1. This book is very basic for treatment planning. I thought it would provide a lot more detail than it does. You can just as much out of the DSM-IV or just by using CBT. I would not recommend this to someone looking for than a basic understanding of treatment planning. I was very disappointed.



2. This planner is very helpful in the development of a treatment. Also helpful to beginning counselors.



3. This is a very good book for students who are completing their graduate level counseling programs, and starting the practicum.



4. I bought the book expecting assistance in writing measurable treatment plans. I was disappointed. While the text does provide helpful ideas, most are not measurable. If you need something that helps define measurable terms, this is not the book to get.



5. this is an excellent book---I am currently using it for a class
   in mental health counseling

2 comments about The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health.

1. From: www.BasilAndSpice.com
   
   Book Review: The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health (Free Press, 2008)
   
   By Carolyn Bernstein, M.D. and Elaine McArdle
   
   With the publishing of The Migraine Brain, a precedent has been set for better prevention and treatment of migraine patients. Written by Carolyn Bernstein, herself a migraine sufferer, but also the Founder and Director of the Women's Headache Center at Cambridge Health Alliance, Dr. Bernstein empathizes with those who are struck down by the mind-numbing pain of migraines.
   
   Dr. Bernstein refers to those with the headaches as migraineurs, and as a neurologist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, she has treated thousands of fellow sufferers.
   
   The Migraine Brain seeks to express to readers how to:
   
   * Prevent migraines
   * Find their triggers
   * Reduce pain and duration of the migraine
   * Understand her/his own brain
   
   Bernstein's Points to ponder:
   
   * One in every four households in the United States includes a person who get migraines. It is the ninth leading cause of disability among women, and is also one of the most painful conditions. Some women quoted in the book said that natural childbirth was not as easy as a migraine.
   * Migraine costs the United States $1 billion a year in health costs and about $13 billion in loss of industry.
   * Most migraine sufferers do not realize they have the condition as it is often misdiagnosed or underreported.
   * Within the last 15 years, new medications have revolutionized migraine treatment.
   * Alternative medical treatment, like yoga, ice massage, acupuncture, and biofeedback has been found to help.
   * Even the famous get migraines. Recognize any of these? Terrell Davis, Troy Aikman, Serena Williams, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Ben Affleck, Whoopi Goldberg, Carly Simon
   * Foods like chocolate and red wine do not begin migraines, rather for some, foods set off abnormal brain chemistry, which begins the migraine.
   * At a 3 to 1 ration, more women than men get migraines due to a difference in our brains. 1 in 20 elementary school children get migraines.
   * Those with migraines are more likely to be depressed.
   
   The Migraine Brain is divided into three large sections, each covering a different aspect of the migraine. Part one helps the reader decide if hers is a true migraine, learn how to find anything that triggers the condition ( Dr. Bernstein lists her own top ten), and covers how female hormones play a part throughout life. There is also a short but important section for men.
   
   Part two discusses how to find the right physician to help you; explains the variety of medications--those that prevent, abort, and rescue; mentions in-hospital treatment; covers recent natural alternative methods for migraine relief.
   
   Part three helps the reader set up her personal wellness plan. Topics covered are family, sex, mental health, travel, home environment, and work.
   
   The Migraine Brain is the kind of book I really like, because it is written by a doctor who is also a researcher, but more important than this, she is a self-advocate--Dr. Carolyn Bernstein truly understands the disease. We all know someone who suffers, sometimes needlessly because of lack of information. By reaching out to both her patients and other readers, Dr. Bernstein has handed them a tool which will empower their lives. I highly recommend The Migraine Brain, and will pass my copy along to my aunt who has suffered her entire life with migraines.
   
   5 Stars



2. I had high hopes for The Migraine Brain after seeing Dr. Bernstein on the Today show. She talked about the brain of someone with migraines being different than others. This topic she does cover well in her book; Chapter 2, The Migraine Brain - How It's Different and What That Means for You contains useful information I hadn't read anywhere else before.
   However, what was disappointing is that she states on pages 15-16 that migraine is a chronic illness, meaning you cannot get rid of it. Not only is this not true, many people have recovered from migraine, but on the dustcover of the book itself is a quote from Dr. Christiane Northrup where she refers to herself as a FORMER migraine sufferer. Dr. Northrup elaborates on this topic in the movie You Can Heal Your Life.
   Another part of the book that could be considered inconsistent is in Chapter 5- Female Hormones and Migraines Through the Life Cycle. In this chapter Dr. Bernstein suggests periodic preventive meds when you "know" a migraine is expected during your monthly cycle. However in Chapter 9 on page 163 she asserts that preventive drugs only work if you take them every day.
   I have been suffering with migraines for over 20 years now and taking the triptan Zomig for about 8 years, it works for me about 70% of the time. Dr. Bernstein states on page 174 that you must take a triptan as soon as you feel a migraine coming on in order for it to work. Not only is this NOT true, but for my daughter and I our migraines must be in full swing for the medication to work. So it would be safer to say that triptans work differently for different people.
   Basically the only thing really new in this book is the chapter on the brain itself. Still not a bad book, but a few revisions could make it great book, as it is quite comprehensive.