Put Yourself on the Road to Healthy Living
“How to Grow Fresh Air”
By B.C. Wolverton, M.D.
Penguin, $15.95
Everyone knows that houseplants can help filter some pollutants from indoor air. If this is the extent of your education on the topic, however, this book will serve as an easy guide to understanding and utilizing houseplants in a healthful manner. The book describes the types of chemicals that are common in most households and where they emanate from. The fun part is Wolverton’s list of 50 plants that are good for removing pollutants. There is advice on how to grow and nurture the plant and how effective it is in removing various pollutants.
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“The Yale Guide to Children’s Nutrition”
Edited by William V. Tamborlane, M.D.
Yale University, $18
Feeding kids the right foods is hard. Parents have to cope with the ever-present lure of fast-food and junk food, with finicky tastes and with siblings who may have very different kinds of nutritional needs. This guide can help resolve some of those difficulties. The 422-page book is divided into sections that focus on needs for each developmental stage as well as attention to specific conditions, such as medical illness, involvement in sports, picky eating habits and food allergies. The author is reassuring and practical. And no, potato chips do not count as a vegetable.
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“Stretching at Your Computer or Desk”
By Bob Anderson
Random House, $9.95
If you work long hours at a computer and haven’t had any training in ergonomics, this book is a sensible investment. Injuries linked to computer work, called repetitive strain injuries, have increased 80% since 1990. Simple stretching exercises can prevent many injuries and can help in the rehabilitation of existing injuries. This book is organized with brief blocks of text and simple illustrations of the stretches.
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“Arthritis 101: Questions You Have. Answers You Need.”
Arthritis Foundation, $11.95
and
“250 Tips for Making Life With Arthritis Easier”
Arthritis Foundation, $9.95
and
“Your Personal Guide to Living Well With Fibromyalgia”
Arthritis Foundation, $14.95
These three softcover books, written and published by the Arthritis Foundation, are meant to provide practical guidance to arthritis sufferers. “Arthritis 101” provides an overview on the various types of arthritis and answers some questions about treatments, insurance coverage and lifestyle factors. “Tips” is a collection of very short, useful hints for living with arthritis. The fibromyalgia book contains the latest information on this disorder and includes self-help advice.