CAPHIS | Consumer Connections 2010 July-September, Vol. 26 No. 3

Consumer Connections

ISSN 1535-7821 Vol. 26 No. 3 2010

Articles

News from the CAPHIS Chair
Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services

Book Reviews

Prostate Cancer Survivors Speak Their Minds: Advice on Options, Treatments, and Aftereffects
Massage for Dummies
Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life
The Gourmet Pregnancy
Still Procrastinating: the No Regrets Guide to Getting it Done
Nowhere Hair
The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and relaxation
Managing My Money: Budgeting and Banking Basics
IBD Self-management; the AGA Guide to Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
The Safe and Sane Guide to Teenage Plastic Surgery
Activity Schedules for Children with Autism
The Water Secret: The Cellular Breakthrough to Look and Feel 10 Years Younger
What Nurses Know: PCOS
Living Well with Dystonia; a Patient Guide

Publication Information

Articles

News from the CAPHIS Chair

It seems like only yesterday that many of us were in DC for the 2010 MLA Conference! The CAPHIS board members and committees have been diligently working behind the scenes to update the CAPHIS website and program planning for the 2011 Conference in Minneapolis, MN.

Janna Liebermann, CAPHIS Chair-Elect is to be applauded on a job well done for her work in planning/co-planning the following MLA '11 Annual Conference programs:

Serving the Information Needs of a Multilingual/Multicultural Clientele (CAPHIS Sponsor)
Being there: The Embedded Librarian (CAPHIS Co-sponsor)
Rethinking the Librarian's Role in EHRs, PHRs, and EMRs: A Place at the Table, 5th Annual Lecture on the Evidence Base sponsored by STAT!Ref (CAPHIS Co-sponsor)

I am excited about these sessions and hope to see a large CAPHIS member representation. It's not too late for you to participate, the submission deadline is November 1, 2010.

Much planning and effort is required to keep the CAPHIS website up-to-date. Many thanks to Cara Marcus' Managing a CHIS Committee that has been working to update all areas of the Managing a CHIS section, completion is expected in 2011. This committee is also developing policies and procedures to ensure that this section is updated on a regular basis.

Our membership is strong and growing: from January 2010 to June 2010 we gained 55 new members! In August, I greeted our new members via email. We also noticed that we lost a few members. As a follow-up to those members who had let their membership lapse, Meredith Solomon, CAPHIS Membership Committee, emailed them to learn why and to encourage them to consider rejoining. Let's just say, for many of you it was just an oversight. So, to those of you that have rejoined, Welcome back!

CAPHIS has a large and diverse group of members: hospitals, academic medical centers to public libraries which is a true asset for our section. We are always looking for our members to become more involved, from running for office to helping with planned MLA annual conference events. If you are interested, please contact me at rha2002@med.cornell.edu.

Submitted by: Rhonda J. Allard, CAPHIS Chair

Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services

New Enviro-Health Link pages: Climate Change, Animals in Disasters, Bedbugs and Pesticides
The effects of climate change such as sea-level rise, heat waves, or poor air quality may affect human health both directly and indirectly. The latest NLM Enviro-Health Links page, Climate Change and Human Health, provides links to materials about these potential effects. Also included are links to regulations and policy, as well as pre-formulated TOXNET and PubMed searches. http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/climatechange.html

Concerns about pets and livestock can cause additional anxiety during disasters. Learning how to prepare for or rescue animals can help. The new NLM Animals in Disasters page provides links to information on preparing for disasters if you have animals. http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/animals.html Included are links to sites on animal rescue, animal handling for emergency responders, how to care for livestock during emergencies, carcass disposal, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, and Spanish language materials.

News stories about bed bug infestations have recently increased. Learn more about the appropriate use of pesticides to control these pests by consulting the section on bed bugs recently added to NLM Enviro-Health Links - Pesticide Exposure. http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/pesticides.html#a1

Arctic Health Web portal
A new collection of original photos from nutritionist Miriam Bell, R.D., MPH showing native foods and how they are gathered and processed has been added to the NLM Arctic Health Web portal. The photos were taken for a project in the 1970s to use food educators to help alleviate deficiencies, and thereby prevent disease. Images include Alaska food sources and processing, images of educator trainings, dental and other miscellaneous images. http://www.arctichealth.org/Nutrition/Nutrition2.php

Disaster Health Information: Crude Oil Spills and Human Health
A page of links to information on "Crude Oil Spills and Human Health" is now available at http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/oilspills.html. The page provides links to information on how the United States responds to oil spills, state agencies in the Gulf region that respond to spills, occupational hazards for professionals and volunteers assisting with clean-up, seafood safety and more. The links under "Featured Sites" focus on the latest updates about the recent spill and subsequent controlled burning of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico. This spill followed the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit oil platform 50 miles southeast of the Mississippi Delta on April 20, 2010.

Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) Adds Crude Oil and Dispersant Records
The NLM Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) has added crude oil and dispersant records. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?HSDB In response to the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill, the HSDB development team and the HSDB Scientific Review Panel (SRP) compiled and reviewed data for crude oil, Corexit 9500, and Corexit 9527 records. Although many dispersants exist, the two selected were most widely used during recent oil clean-up efforts in the United States Gulf area and are on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of authorized dispersants for use on the National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule. The HSDB records include data on human health effects, animal toxicity studies, environmental fate and exposure, and hazard information.

Household Products Database
The NLM Household Products Database (http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov) has been updated and now includes 10,000 brand name products, 3,214 ingredients, and 395 manufacturers. In addition, 4,111 products are now linked to the complete Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/faq.htm#7 The Household Products Database is a consumer guide that provides information on the potential health effects of chemicals contained in more than 10,000 common household products used inside and around the home. This resource helps scientists and consumers learn about ingredients in brand-name products.

New App for Health Hotlines
The NLM Health Hotlines is now available as an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch (http://itunes.apple.com/app/health-hotlines/id376404746?mt=8). Health Hotlines is also compatible with the iPad. Health Hotlines is a compilation of organizations with toll-free telephone numbers which can assist the public in locating health-related information. It is derived from DIRLINE (http://dirline.nlm.nih.gov/), the NLM Directory of Information Resources Online. DIRLINE contains descriptions of almost 9,000 health and biomedical organizations and resources. Some subject areas included in Health Hotlines include AIDS, cancer, diseases and disorders, maternal and child health, aging, substance abuse, disabilities and mental health. Health Hotlines is also available at http://healthhotlines.nlm.nih.gov.

Tox Town Updates
Tox Town, the National Library of Medicine interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic substances, has added 6 new chemical pages (also available in Spanish), a new resource about Wildfires and why they are a public health concern, and now links to TOXMAP. Find out the details on this and other news from What’s New at http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/whatsnew.php

Class Opportunity: TOXNET® and Beyond
The TOXNET® and Beyond class covers using the National Library of Medicine's Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal.

Classes will be held: Thursday, December 2, Gainesville, FL
Tuesday, December 7, Davis, CA
http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/schedule.html#class5

This full-day class is designed to convey the basics of searching the NLM's TOXNET, a web-based system of databases in the areas of toxicology, environmental health, and related subjects. Students learn the content and structure of files covering toxicology data, toxicology literature, toxic releases, and chemical searching and nomenclature. Among the databases highlighted are TOXLINE®, the Hazardous Substances Data Bank, the Integrated Risk Information System, the Toxic Release Inventory, and ChemIDplus. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held throughout the United States. The training schedule and other details are available from the National Training Center and Clearinghouse. http://nnlm.gov/ntcc

The TOXNET class is awarded 6 MLA continuing education credits.

Follow NLM Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS) on Twitter
Twitter is a free service that helps users keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What's happening?
Join today to start receiving NLM_SIS's tweets. http://twitter.com/NLM_SIS

Stay Updated!
NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L is an email announcement list available from the National Library of Medicine (NLM)'s Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS). The purpose of the announcement list is to broadcast updates on SIS's resources, services, and outreach in toxicology and environmental health. The NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L Archives allow users to search list postings, and to modify subscription options. To subscribe to the NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L announcement list, please send the following text in the body of an email to listserv@list.nih.gov: SUBSCRIBE NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L your name or use the list serv web page: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/envirolistserv.html

Submitted by Colette Hochstein, D.M.D., MLS (Colette@nlm.nih.gov), Division of Specialized Information Services, NLM

Book Reviews

Burnett, Arthur MD and Morris, Norman. Prostate Cancer Survivors Speak Their Minds: Advice on Options, Treatments, and Aftereffects. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010. 240p. ISBN 978-0-470-57881-0. $16.95.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men besides skin cancer. This collection of interviews from prostate cancer survivors, written by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer/writer and CBS news manager Norman Morris, serves as an excellent companion to other more clinical texts, especially for men who might not feel comfortable discussing their options with others in a support group setting. Director of the Male Consultation Clinic at John Hopkins’s James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Dr. Arthur L. Burnett, is a renowned authority on prostate cancer and provides a doctor’s perspective on each case in the “Doctor’s Notebook” following each interview. The writing style is straightforward and easy to read and anyone could move through the book at a quick pace. The personal stories juxtaposed with Dr. Burnett’s clinical and expert observations make for a well-rounded book. While all treatment options are covered, special attention is paid to the “gold standard” treatment of option of surgery, so those looking for stories of survivors who have undergone radiation and chemotherapy could find themselves slightly disappointed as the majority of the interviewees chose surgery as their treatment. All the interviews touch on after affects from the treatments, both physical and emotional that men and their partners might face while battling this disease. The combination of personal stories from a diverse group of men and expert clinical information make this book an excellent choice for anyone facing a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Reviewed by: Courtney Britton, Librarian and Resource Center Coordinator, Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA

Capellini, Steve and Van Welden, Michel. Massage for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2010. 340 p. ISBN 978-0-470-58738-6. $21.99.

The book follows the standard “for dummies” format with icons denoting tales, points to remember, technical details, tips and warnings. These icons are very helpful and make using this book as a reference quite easy. Interestingly, the authors spend quite a bit of time convincing the reader of the benefits of massage. I assume if someone is reading this book, they do not need convincing. The primary author, Steve Capellini, is a massage therapist with several decades of experience. Michel Van Welden is a Physical Therapist specializing in orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation. This book introduces massage to the novice by providing tips on receiving as well as giving massage. Specific types of massage such as sports, sensual, baby, prenatal, postpartum and self-massage are described. Each section includes useful images with arrows to describe the flow of recommended massage strokes. The book wraps up with top places to receive a massage and a list of massage resources. Later chapters provide tips for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a massage therapist with in depth information about technique and etiquette. This book is quite informative and I enjoyed the authors’ wonderful sense of humor. Overall, this book is a fun read and provides the reader the confidence, knowledge and skill to give or get a massage.

Reviewed by: Michelle L. Eberle, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Carson, Shelley H. Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life. Jossey-Bass, 2010. 359p. ISBN: 978-0-470-54763-2. $24.95.

This is not your ordinary self-help book. Using what she calls the CREATES model, Harvard-trained psychologist Shelley Carson gives readers an extremely well designed system for improving the creative functions of the brain. The author, who writes a blog for the magazine Psychology Today, is familiar with writing for a popular audience, but this work is not overly simplified. In fact, it seems most appropriate for readers who have decided to systematically work at improving and expanding their creativity. For those readers, they will likely find this is one of the best books on the market for that purpose. The book is divided into 3 parts with 3 appendices that provide additional tools for the reader. The first part is an in-depth look at the neuroscience behind the creative brain and an assessment tool to determine which of the 7 CREATES brainsets (Connect, Reason, Envision, Absorb, Transform, Evaluate, and Stream) the reader uses the most. The second part then devotes a chapter to an in-depth discussion of how to access each of the brainsets. The third part is focused on how to expand the brainsets in which the reader is most lacking. Many of the specific techniques outlined in the book are based on the research literature of neuroscience, psychology and creativity. The author does a wonderful job of explaining the evidence base and then adapting those findings into exercises targeted to a specific brainset.

Reviewed by: Amber Burtis, MLIS, Morris Library, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL

Douglas, Leah. The Gourmet Pregnancy. Wiley, 2010. 216 p. index. ISBN 978-0-470-73643-2. $26.95.

According to the author of this work, most cookbooks for pregnant women skew toward those for the “granola” set. Whether or not that’s true, those more in the “foodie” group will certainly welcome this excellent collection of healthy and safe recipes especially for pregnant women. The cookbook is beautifully photographed, and the recipes, divided into the usual categories of breakfast dishes, appetizers, entrees, etc., seem relatively easy to prepare with lots of fresh, nutritious ingredients. There are also some helpful additions, such as a list of foods to avoid during pregnancy and a link to recipes according to specific cravings. The only complaint from this reviewer would be the lack of women of color among its many photographs of pregnant women. Otherwise, this cookbook should find a welcome home among either other cookbook collections or works specifically for pregnancy.

Reviewed by Kay Hogan Smith, UAB Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, Birmingham, AL

Ferrari, Joseph R. Still Procrastinating: the No Regrets Guide to Getting it Done. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010. 230 p. ISBN: 9780470611586. $15.95.

Dr. Joseph R. Ferrari, professor of psychology at Chicago’s DePaul University, author of several self-help books, and editor of the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, has done extensive research into chronic procrastination. This concise but authoritative self-help guide delves into some of the underlying issues surrounding the problem. Using real-life examples, the author sheds light on why so many people have a tendency to procrastinate and examines methods and strategies for how not to. The book explores the psychology behind chronic procrastination. It is well-organized into twelve chapters, with effective use of subheadings that serve to mark and divide the content as the author moves quickly from one topic to another. While the first chapter is an exploration into a thorough definition of the term, the others focus on different aspects of procrastination, such as indecision, self-regulation, and perfection. There are even chapters devoted to specific types of procrastination. Of particular interest is the chapter titled “Procrastination in the Workplace.” Many can relate to the advice in this section when managing multiple projects with tight deadlines at work and having to prioritize among them. Perhaps even more helpful is “Academic Procrastination: Why Students Delay, and What it Means for the Rest of Their Lives.” Ferrari clearly demonstrates his mastery of the subject of helping individuals overcome chronic procrastination. Utilizing examples from everyday situations, and backed by more than twenty years of research data, this is one the most authoritative self-help guides available on the subject. Don’t hesitate to acquire it.

Reviewed by: John Ellis, Health Sciences Library, Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario

Glader, Sue. Nowhere Hair; illustrated by Edith Buenen. Thousand Words Press, 2010. 32 p. ISBN 978-0-984-3591-0-3; ISBN 0-9843591-0-9. $15.99.

Written in rhyme and accompanied by whimsical, colorful illustrations, the story unfolds about a little girl looking for her mother’s hair. This picture book is written for children ages 3 – 7, but can be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. It helps children understand chemotherapy and how cancer and hair loss are not their fault. It is a story about fear and sadness, being silly and wearing crazy hats, and loving those who look different. While it is not as detailed as Kennady and Marie Moffitt’s Grandma! What Happened to Your Hair? or Eleanor Schick’s When Mama Wore a Hat, this is a must buy for consumer and family library collections. It is a positive tool to guide conversations with children, giving them hope, comfort, and a better understanding of cancer treatments.

Reviewed by Nancy O’Brien, Iowa Health – Des Moines, Des Moines IA

Gregorek, Aniela and Jerzy. The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and Relaxation. Jurania Press, 2009. 288p. $48.95. ISBN 978-0-9824038-1-5.

Losing weight and maintaining fitness are difficult tasks. People want instant results, so they hop on the treadmill, give up favorite foods, and count calories, only to lose some weight and gain it back again. Jerzy and Aniela Gregorek, world champion weightlifters and personal trainers, have developed a program that is easy for people to incorporate into their daily lives. Noting that fitness is something achieved gradually, they advocate a nutrition program, a series of exercises that can be done with minimal equipment at home, and relaxation and meditation. The book provides detailed instructions for analyzing one’s body type and testing flexibility, planning meals, and performing the exercises. Everything is well illustrated with instructions that are easy to follow. Brief case histories written by clients who have worked with the Gregoreks offer both insight and inspiration. In addition to the exercises, the authors also offer recipes for delicious and healthy meals. The book is expensive, but worth the price. One can buy it at a discount from the authors’ website or other online sources.

Reviewed by Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA.

Hale, Natalie. Managing My Money: Budgeting and Banking Basics. Woodbine House, 2010. ISBN 978-1-60613-007-0 144 pp. $34.95.

Written by a reading consultant and the parent of an adult with Down’s syndrome and ADHD, this updated spiral ring workbook and CD-ROM is intended to assist parents, teachers, and caregivers with their special needs children to help them gain more independence in transactions involving money and bank accounts. Divided into three sections, the enlarged types and colorful illustrations are combined with worksheets and reality based scenarios. Since special needs children often have difficulty with abstract concepts, this book reinforces the concepts of finite money (my money), money spent as being gone (minus) and money received from allowance, gifts or paychecks (plus). The concepts are geared to those with reading abilities at the first grade reading level, basic math skills, and the ability to use a calculator. The workbook is to be used with a teacher/parent and student together using the worksheets provided for reinforcement. Part One reviews keeping records and opportunities to practice with identifying where money comes from and where it is spent. Part Two covers keeping a budget and dividing expenditures into wants, needs and savings. Part Three is devoted to opening and keeping a checking account, keeping a check register and using a debit card. In addition to the visually engaging illustrations and worksheets, a CD-ROM is included so that the child can print out multiple copies of the forms with which to practice. This book is highly recommended for consumer health libraries that maintain a special needs section, and would serve as a useful tool to educators, parents and children in order to better equip them for the financial challenges that they will face. Of special note is that the colorful examples help to make concrete the often difficult world of abstract numbers.

Reviewed by: Carol Ann Attwood, MLS, AHIP, CHIS, MPH, RN, C, Patient and Health Education Library, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ

Kane, Sunanda V. IBD Self-management; the AGA Guide to Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Bethesda, MD : AGA Press, 2010. 262 p. Index. ISBN 978-1603560054. $18.95.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) inflames the lining of the intestines and may become life-threatening. This title covers ulcerative colitis, which involves the inner gut lining, and Crohn’s disease, affecting all layers of the bowel wall. Readers are coached to become involved with plans for restoring their health. A helpful chart expands on common medications. Conditions requiring surgery and types of surgeries are explained, with diagrams. Since IBD and its treatment can affect the whole body, a watch list is provided: osteoporosis, liver damage, joint pain, cancers, and more. The main focus of this book is learning to cope with a condition that can be managed but not cured. An excellent nutrition chapter on matching diet changes to different disease stages or symptoms covers everything from fiber to feeding tubes. Special chapters on life style adaptations, IBD in children and IBD during pregnancy add depth. An annotated table of contents and an index make navigation easy. In the preface, Dr. Sunanda Kane, an IBD specialist at the Mayo Clinic, states she has written what she would tell you if you were a patient in her office. Her tone is sympathetic, firm, and reasonable. Dr. Kane’s book is exceptionally well written - a welcome change from many more formulaic consumer health books. IBD was published by the American Gastroenterological Association and is recommended by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.

Reviewed by: Nancy Crossfield, Owen Medical Library, Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, CA.

Lukash, Frederick N. The Safe and Sane Guide to Teenage Plastic Surgery. BenBella Books, 2010. 220p. ISBN 9781935618096. $16.95.

Although Dr. Lukash is a respected board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in pediatrics his advance reader copy book is filled with overuse of idioms and numerous grammatical errors which will hopefully be corrected through copyediting and proofreading. The book contains several line drawings which illustrate various surgeries. The majority of these line drawings are difficult to visualize. The published edition will include pre- and post-surgery photographs which hopefully in conjunction with the line drawings will aid in a layperson’s understanding. Although much of this book is written on a consumer health reading level; there are uses of medical terminology and/or abbreviations which have not been previously defined. The book includes a Glossary which defines some terms. On a positive note, this book includes useful tidbits such as a ‘Consultation Cheat Sheet’ of questions to ask when you meet a surgeon, ‘Red Lights’ and ‘Green Lights’ to help parents and teens make informed choices and tables of estimated costs and ages for possible surgery. The second part of the book is probably the most useful since it focuses on specific body issues, briefly explains the surgical choices, including how the surgery is done and information about recovery. Based on the advance reader copy, I would not recommend this book for library purchase. But with proper copy editing and proofreading this book could become a useful part of a Public Library’s collection.

Reviewed by: Brenda Eames, MLIS, TIRR Memorial Hermann Houston, TX

McClannahan, Lynn E., Krantz, Patricia J. Activity Schedules for Children with Autism. 2nd Edition. Woodbine House, 2010. 147p. index. ISBN 978-1-60613-003-2. $19.95.

This second edition book of a well-known classic proceeds to discuss valuable and useful information. Drs. McClannahan and Krantz continue to share more than 20 years of research and experience with readers. Together these experts have developed the concept of activity schedules. This program utilizes pictures or words to provide simple ways to prompt the child in the progression of steps in a task. The development of this ability encourages independence for autistic children who would otherwise not be able to manage life skills successfully. While the current version does not really offer many new examples or pictures, it continues to be easily read and understood. For someone looking for a follow-up or next steps book, this might not be the answer. New readers to the book, as with those from the first edition, will find scenarios and answers to questions that help guide the reader/user. Current tips for use with modern technology are discussed such as schedule use with iPods, computers and phone applications. Many of the examples used could easily be adapted to neuro-typical children to help decrease anxiety from uncertainty of a schedule or boundary issues. One prime area could be in a pre-school setting where language skills are still evolving.

Reviewed by: Monique McCollum, RN, MPH, Patient Education Coordinator, University Of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, CO

Murad, Howard, M.D. The Water Secret: The Cellular Breakthrough to Look and Feel 10 Years Younger. Wiley, 2010. 268p. index. ISBN 978-0-470-55470-8. $18.95.

Dr. Murad, a pharmacist at UCLA with a specialty in dermatology, offers the reader a plan to slow the aging process through the “inclusive” focus on the whole body, cell by cell, rather than the specialized treatment of a singular disease or condition. Murad is in the business of skin care and from his website, www.murad.com, one can purchase items from his skin-care line. But Dr. Murad is also a researcher committed to addressing the components of health and beauty and he does not use this book to sell any of his skin care line. Instead he sells the benefits of eating more fruits, vegetables and taking the right supplements – with an entire chapter devoted to lowering cultural stress - and gives explanations for how and why this works to keep us younger from the inside out, at the cellular level. Murad recommends an easy menu plan, with various recipes, for the first 10-day jump start, creating a "pitcher" of health model to keep the cells hydrated. Only slight shifts are necessary to experience the benefits, encouraging a “go at your own pace” approach. The common sense approach, readability and inviting writing style makes “The Water Secret” a good addition to any library open to the public.

Reviewed by: Jackie Davis, Consumer Health Librarian, Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, CA

Roush, Karen. What Nurses Know: PCOS. Demos Medical Publishing, 2010. 156p., index. ISBN 978-1932603842. $16.95.

The author of is a nurse and was the editorial director of the American Journal of Nursing. This book is the first What Nurses Know book, and she also wrote a book about menopause for this series. What differentiates this new series are the boxes interspersed throughout the text with nursing insight about PCOS and medical care in general, such as, "The Ferriman-Gallaway scale is a subjective tool. Each provider uses his or her own judgment when assigning a score." Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder without a definitive cause or way to diagnose it, and no cure although there are treatments for symptoms. It is also not a condition for the vocabulary-shy; symptoms include hyperandrogenism, hirsutism and alopecia (which Roush defines well both in the text and glossary). The author follows two women who have PCOS throughout the book, which flows easily as they describe their experiences with diagnosis, medications and lifestyle changes in authentic voices. Roush provides a well-balanced view of issues, including controversial ones like complimentary therapies and weight loss drugs. The tone is encouraging, and the author stresses that most symptoms show improvement with healthy lifestyles that includes good nutrition and exercise. Web links are provided at the end of each chapter, but references to studies discussed and a list of support groups would have been good additions. The sample PCOS history form will be helpful for patients to bring on their appointments.

Reviewed by: Cara Marcus, Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA

Truong, Daniel, Mayank Pathak, Karen Frei. Living Well with Dystonia; a Patient Guide. New York : Demos Health, 2010. 163p. Index. ISBN 978-1932603231. $24.95.

Dystonias are movement disorders characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. These in turn cause repetitive movements or contorted postures either in the entire body (generalized dystonia) or in localized parts of the body such as the hand, voice, eye (blepharospasm), or neck (cervical dystonia, or CD). Both adults and children may be affected. Three neurology specialists have teamed up to provide information on this little-known but distressing condition. An overview covers basics of the nervous system, diagnosis and classifications of dystonias, and genetic and other causes. Several chapters then cover specific types – spasmodic, paroxysmal, occupational, etc. Treatments include drugs, botox injections, and deep brain stimulation, though all provide symptom control rather than a cure. The last half of the book is devoted to spasmodic torticollis, or CD, a progressive painful twisting of the neck that can interfere with normal activities. Medications for pain control and muscle relaxation may be supplemented by surgical denervation. Pros and cons of neurosurgery are clearly laid out. Finally, coping skills, strengthening and stretching exercises for CD, a list of research organizations and support groups, and a glossary are provided. "Living Well with Dystonia" provides a balanced and easily understandable introduction to a chronic condition that is rarely discussed. Treatments and exercises are presented honestly – no miracle cures, but paths toward symptom relief. Simple diagrams of the nervous system and affected limbs or muscles are very helpful, and comments from actual patients personalize the discussions throughout. This book is well written and recommended.

Reviewed by: Nancy Crossfield, Owen Medical Library, Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, CA.

Publication Information

Statement
Consumer Connections (ISSN 1535-7821) is the newsletter of the Consumer and Patient Information Section of the Medical Library Association. It is published on the CAPHIS website quarterly. Notification of publication is sent via the CAPHIS listserv. CAPHIS is the largest section of the Medical Library Association.

Newsletter articles and book reviews are copyrighted; please contact the editor for reprint permission.

Submissions
Please submit items for Consumer Connections during the third quarter for publication in the following quarter.

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Please send submissions in electronic format to the editor:

Nikki Dettmar
e-mail: snydern@u.washington.edu
Telephone: (206)543-3409

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Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services

Book Reviews

Murad, Howard, M.D. The Water Secret: The Cellular Breakthrough to Look and Feel 10 Years Younger. Wiley, 2010. 268p. index. ISBN 978-0-470-55470-8. $18.95.

Publication Information