Average customer rating:
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Secret Shadows of Yesterday
Bruce Stockdell
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| Military
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| Military
| History
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Intelligence & Espionage
| Military
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General
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| History
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Military Science
| History
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ASIN: 0759650373 |
Book Description
This book tells of intelligence successes never before reported, each involving the author during a most unusual career spanning three wars. It gives first-hand accounts which counter the recent bad press received by our fine intelligence organizations and people
Average customer rating:
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Hurrah for the Homemaker
Myra C. Wahlberg
Manufacturer: Pentland Press (NC)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Philosophers
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Marriage & Family
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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| Parenting & Families
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Accessories:
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Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer
ASIN: 1571971742 |
Book Description
One in ten American women of childbearing age is affected by polcystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) to some degree, and many suffer from serious symptoms, such as infertility, early miscarriage, chronic pelvic pain, weight gain, high blood pressure, and migraines. PCOS is by far the most common hormone imbalance in women of this age group, yet few women understand the threat it poses to their healthor how to prevent it. In A Patients Guide to PCOS, Dr. Walter Futterweit, the foremost authority on PCOS in America, tells women everything they need to know about this condition and how to treat it. Drawing on his twenty-five years researching and treating the condition and his ongoing long-term study of more than a thousand women with PCOS, Futterweit discusses what PCOS is and how it affects your body what to eat and how to exercise to control PCOS all the treatment options, including the latest drug therapies how to reverse PCOS-induced infertility and restore healthy skin and hair resources for preventing, diagnosing, and treating PCOS This comprehensive guide contains everything women need to know about PCOSfrom identifying warning signs and seeking a diagnosis to finding emotional support in recoveryto regain their health and resume their lives.
Customer Reviews:
AMAZING.......2007-09-08
This Book was just what I needed!! I was diagnosed a year ago, and the only thing I had ever heard from my Doctor was that I may never have children. I was never given any literature or advice on how to handle or manage the symptoms. This book was such an easy read and would STRONGLY recommend it to anyone with PCOS.
A Patient's Guide to PCOS: Understanding--and Reversing--Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.......2007-08-13
I would recommend this book to anyone who has PCOS or thinks they may have it. It does a wonderfuld job explaining PCOS and it's symptoms and other medical complications that can be associated with it. It really has helped me understand more things about this disorder, as well as how to fix problems that it can cause. Great book, it has been very very helpful to me.
Very thorough.......2007-07-17
This book was so helpful! The author is very knowledgeable and walks you through PCOS from diagnosis to a specific plan that will help with the symptoms, including a description of the medications available. I got more information from this book than I did my doctor!
Very informative and hopeful.......2007-03-28
As someone who was just diagnosed with PCOS and knew very little about it, I was hesitant to buy this book because I wasn't sure how reliable it would be. But I was very pleasantly surprised. I felt confident that the author was very knowledgeable about the syndrome. The information is not flooded with incomprehensible medical-speak, but also provides you with the medical facts you need to know. The food lists and recipes for managing with diet were very helpful. I feel there were very clear suggestions about how to talk with your doctor, medication management, diet and overall empowering oneself to become involved in your own medical care. I appreciated the chapter on the emotional impact of PCOS as well, as it certainly cannot be overlooked.
Exactly what you're looking for - Answers and Hope.......2007-02-16
After several painful years of misdiagnosis in my teens and a correct diagnosis of PCOS by an excellent doctor in the early 90's, I recently went looking for a book about PCOS to get up to date on what information has been discovered over the last 15 years. This book was exactly what I was looking for - impeccably researched and written in language that makes the information both easy to understand and easy to act upon.
The authors approach the subject with an objective viewpoint, and not only discuss issues related to PCOS (insulin resistance, fertility issues) but tackle the broader topic of how to live successfully with this condition. The tone is hopeful and practical, and I only wish that this had been written 18 years ago when I started my journey. I have already given this book to friends of mine with PCOS and they share my viewpoint - this is essential reading for women with PCOS.
Average customer rating:
- Better Than Most Smoothie Books
- Some Unique stuff, but certainly not the best smoothie book
- Delivers What's Promised
- It's the best. Fruit smoothies for the health of it.
- An excellent recipe guide for making smoothies
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Smoothies! The Original Smoothie Book, Vol. 1
Dan Titus
Manufacturer: Juice Gallery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Special Appliances
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Smoothies
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
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Similar Items:
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Smoothies! The Original Smoothie Book: Volume 2 (Original)
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The Ultimate Smoothie Book: 101 Delicious Recipes for Blender Drinks, Frozen Desserts, Shakes, and More!
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The Smoothies Bible
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The Best 50 Smoothies (Best 50)
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Ultimate Smoothies: Delicious Recipes for Over 125 of the Best Smoothies, Freezes, and Blasts
ASIN: 1582910103 |
Book Description
Smoothies! The Original Smoothie Book: Recipes From the Pros is the first book in The Original Series trilogy, by Dan Titus.
This book begins with a history of the whimsical juice and smoothie industry, and defines the word smoothie from its early uses to its use today as a delectable drink. For example, the first reference to the words smoothie, smoothy, or smoothee was in the early 1930s and were used to sell bras and girdles! The book contains more than 80 professionally-developed smoothie recipes from companies like: Crazy Carrot, Robeks Juice, Jamba Juice, Planet Smoothie, Juice Stop, Juice It Up!, and Smoothie King. There is also a section where readers can record their own smoothie recipes and/or make notes for future reference. The goal for this book is to educate the readers about the history of smoothies, and how to make the best tasting smoothies in the world right in the comfort of their own kitchen.
Customer Reviews:
Better Than Most Smoothie Books.......2006-08-02
I bought this book and The Smoothies Bible. The Smoothies Bible, I don't really recommend because it was too redundant and the recipes were too similar. This book is the best book if you want smoothies like you get at juice bars.
Some Unique stuff, but certainly not the best smoothie book.......2005-08-19
`Smoothies, The Original Smoothie Book' by Dan Titus is the sixth book on smoothies I am reviewing. These six fall into three different categories. The first, with titles such as `The Smoothies Bible' by Pat Crocker and `The Ultimate Smoothies Book' by Cherie Calbom claim to be `everything you wanted to know about smoothies. In this category, the first is far superior to the second. The next category, with titles such as `Ultimate Smoothies' by Donna Pliner Rodnitsky and `The Best 50 Smoothies' by Joanna White are quick references, presumably with a selection of the best recipes. Again, the first of these two titles is the better in this class.
Mr. Titus' book may seem to belong to the first category, but I think it really belongs in a third with `Smoothies for Life' by Daniella Chace and Maureen B. Keane, where these books claim to offer things which may not be in other books, without pretending to be a `complete' reference on the subject.
Dan Titus' angle is that his book includes recipes from six major smoothies and juice bar chains, with the claim that this means you can make them at home just the way they are made at these chains in your local mall. This `feature' has some serious shortcomings, as I describe below. Mr. Titus does give us something unusual in a little history of the smoothie and the leading smoothie franchise chains. He also gives us some rather nice tips on smoothie technique, including an explanation of the phenomenon of cavitation, so well known and loved by fans of the movie and novel `The Hunt for Red October'. While cavitation makes it easy to detect submarines by sonar, it spoils the action of a blender rotor, which, on close inspection, looks suspiciously like a submarine screw, hence, the common effect.
All this material in the early part of the book gives the reader a good feeling that this is a worthwhile book. Especially interesting is Mr. Titus' scheme for rating smoothie recipes based on the freshness of ingredients and the extent to which they are prepared at the time one places an order.
Many of these recipes rely on juiced vegetables. This is a good thing, since vegetables contain some nutrients not found in most fruits, but I don't rank it too highly, as it means some of the recipes require a juicer, which narrows the suitable audience for the book.
I was pleased to see nutritional information on many of the recipes, but this effort is not as valuable as it could have been if the nutritional analysis was done for ALL the recipes, and, like Ms. Rodnitzky in `Ultimate Smoothies', put all the nutritional analyses at the same place on the page, so you could easily buzz through the pages to find a high potassium or low calorie recipe to fit your needs or whim of the moment.
Mr. Titus includes other worthy nutritional information, especially a no nonsense description of various important ingredients. The Appendix contains some good recipes for milk substitutes from rice and nuts. This is useful since I just discovered that soymilk is not as unalloyed a good thing as some make it out to be. This appendix also gives some quick guidelines on which smoothie ingredients are good to aid in treating which ailments. This is nice, but not nearly as good as Ms. Crocker's index of smoothie recipes by ailment in `The Smoothies Bible'.
Mr. Titus presents recipes by type, consistency, and by commercial originator. These recipes are missing my most important criteria for smoothie recipes, which are both English and metric units. I also give demerits for not including the nutritional analysis for many of the recipes and for not applying his very clever rating system for smoothies to these recipes. I also find some of the recipes to be almost worthless for the average reader as they include proprietary nutritional supplement ingredients marketed by some of the featured franchise operations. There are instructions for ordering these products but if you are put off by having to find a local GNC for protein powder, you will have no interest in spicing up your smoothies by something you need to order from the Internet.
This isn't a bad book. It just does not deserve five stars because there are several other books in the same price range, which are better. My overall favorite is `Ultimate Smoothies'. The most complete is `The Smoothies Bible'.
Delivers What's Promised.......2004-03-23
I purchased this book based on what I saw at Amazon.com. The book delivers what is promised. I really liked the history of and profiles of the juice and smoothie companies that contributed recipes. As for the recipes: yum! Now I'm the smoothie pro in my apartment complex and smoothie parties happen at my place all the time!
It's the best. Fruit smoothies for the health of it........2004-01-27
This book is one of the best, if not the best book on smoothies. Getting more fruit into our diets is something we all aspire to, but few achieve. Between having to shop for it, getting it home, and it spoils one day later, makes the recommended daily levels fruit consumption a lot more difficult to achieve. Then along came smoothies, and now we freeze our fruit. Chop it up into little squares as soon as you get it home, and place it in zip loc bags. Then the smoothie is always ready; no more spoilage.
My favorite is to take banannas, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and blueberries to make an all fruit shake. In this book you see a lot of varieties of the smoothies.
It's worth it just for the redipes. Highly recommended.
An excellent recipe guide for making smoothies.......2003-07-20
Now in a second printing, Smoothies!: The Original Smoothie Book by nutritional advocate and "smoothie" expert Dan Titus, is an excellent recipe guide for making smoothies that are just like those of such famous smoothie stores as "Jamba Juice" and "Smoothie King". Profiles of famous smoothie companies, basic "how to" instructions, detailed recipes for smoothies of every flavor, and a balance of quick-to-prepare recipes as well as recipes for more complex yet exotic tastes make for a first-rate guide for anyone who truly loves a smoothie. If you like smoothies, than you want to add Smoothies!: The Original Smoothie Book to your kitchen or barroom reference shelf.
Average customer rating:
- A Treasure Beagle Lovers Have Been Hunting For!
- A great book about super dogs, by an extraordinary man.
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The Ultimate Beagle: The Natural Born Rabbit Dog
Robert Lee Mason
Manufacturer: Otr Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Breeds
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Training
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Rabbits
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Veterinary Medicine
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Animal Husbandry
| Agricultural Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0940269147 |
Customer Reviews:
A Treasure Beagle Lovers Have Been Hunting For!.......2000-11-29
Robert L. Mason brings his love for his father, the heartland and beagling to life in this delightful book. He intwines these themes adeptly. This book is a real treasure for people who hunt with beagles or for the pet owner. As the owner of a beagle, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It will certainly brighten up one's day. Beagles are truly delightful pets.
A great book about super dogs, by an extraordinary man........1999-07-14
I have never met Robert Mason, but I can say that for his ability to bring to better awareness some of the feeling of his father's generation - he should be considered a national treasure. This book is not only about that most companionable of man's best friends - the Beagle - it is about life in rural America, friendships, and taking time for one another. This book celebrates a dog's place in our lives, and would help anyone appreciate the role of small game hunting in the life of rural America. Mason goes beyond this, however, and brings us full circle to an understanding of love for the land and its creatures - and how in partnership with one's Beagle - all of us can continue in his father's tradition.
Customer Reviews:
Terribly Disappointed.......2004-06-01
This book, which was probably very good in the 1970's is woefully lacking in currently applicable information. Too much of the text is taken up by documenting projects that failed. A far better book on hydroponics, and worth every penny of the additional $8 cost, is "How-to Hydroponics, Fourth Edition" by Keith Roberto. While this book is supposedly updated as of 1999, it barely scrapes the surface of current hydroponic technology.
Absolutely superb introduction.......2000-05-08
Cannot recommend it more highly to survivalists and those interested in growing their own food year round inside a greenhouse. This book is one of the rare treasures I prize in my survivalist library and I sure hope my copy is intact after TEOTWAWKI - I may have it laminated.
Excellent do it yourself guide.......1999-12-09
I was an absolute beginner in hydroponics before reading this book. I have since planned a simple easy to use system for my need with his ideas and diagrams. VERY EASY TO DO. I am most interested in extremely small-scale hydroponics, which this book is perfect for. He outlines several homemade systems made out of spare parts and plumbing. One even fits on a windowsill. My favorite part is that the book is a reprint and he honestly brings his original theories and ideas up-to-date by sharing his 10 years of experience. The author is concerned with self sufficiency, so alternative energy sources are a big part of the plan. I plan on using his PVC pipe method to grow in my south facing windows in the winter. Wish me luck.
Summary: Excellent information on all aspects of small scale hydroponics.
Excellent handbook for hydroponic hobbists........1998-03-19
This book brought together honest and sometimes humorous information about hydroponics, greenhouses and the nitty-gritty of organic methods based on the authors own experiences.
Amazon.com
It would be nice to have pediatricians at your beck and call for every cough and wheeze, but the era of house visits is past. When the weather's raw and your child's in pain, start with your reference shelf. Donald Schiff and Steven Shelov have arranged the contents of the Guide to Your Child's Symptoms by the child's age: you'll find symptom guides from baby's colic, diarrhea, and spitting up to your adolescent's anxiety, depression, and skin problems. For each symptom, there's a description of usual causes, a chart of questions to consider, and what action to take. There's also an illustrated "First-Aid Manual." Guide to Your Child's Symptoms is a first-rate resource that explains when bed rest will do and when to get on the phone to your pediatrician.
Book Description
When an infant or small child is ill, it is often very difficult for a parent to understand or diagnose the nature of the problem. Since babies can't articulate what ails them, in most cases all a parent has to go on is the symptom that the child exhibits.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Symptoms has been prepared by a team of the country's best pediatricians to enable a parent to quickly identify a symptom, learn its possible cause, and determine how best to proceed, whether it's taking action at home or calling the pediatrician immediately. The symptoms are listed alphabetically, and the text and illustrations that accompany each one are arranged in easy-to-follow charts. Unlike most child-care and parenting books, which are dense and text-heavy, this book lets a parent quickly assess the problem and decide what needs to be done for the child. The first of the book covers the 100 or so most common symptoms in A-Z format. The second part is an illustrated first-aid manual.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is the most respected authority on child health in America, and the
Guide to Your Child's Symptoms is an essential family reference that belongs in every household.
Customer Reviews:
doctor recommended.......2007-07-31
my doc recommend this book as a good overall veiw of all problems I might fac and he was right it is easy to use and gives great tips besides contact your doctor tip
Dr. Recommended.......2007-06-27
Our Pediatrician recommended this book. It was very helpful to us since we're new parents.
Fantastic Baby Shower gift! Wonderful book.......2007-05-21
A great all-around, general reference for babycare & childcare. Excellent baby shower gift - most pregnant women get too many baby clothes, stuffed animals, blankets and other useless gifts, but what parents need is good, sensible child care books. This is a good start for parents to have, and they can add specialty books about co-sleeping, or sleep-training, or discipline, and use the this AAP book to compare different solutions to parenting challenges.
Life Saver.......2006-02-12
I love, love, love this book. I have used this book more times than I can count. I highly recommend this one. If you have children buy it!
Great reference book!.......2005-11-18
This book is easy to use and addresses topics easily and concisely. It's a great resource to refer to when you don't have a true emergency and don't want to call your doctor's office for every issue that arises with your child.
Average customer rating:
- Just ok
- Excellent book on the subject of nutrtion for children
- Good Reference
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American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition
William H. Md Phd Dietz , and
Loraine M. Stern
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Diets
| Diets & Weight Loss
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nutrition
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
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Health & Nutrition
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
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General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
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General
| Pediatrics
| Specialties
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Guide to Your Child's Symptoms by the American Academy of Pediatrics:: The Official, Complete Home Reference, Birth Through Adolescence (Guide to Your Child's Symptoms)
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Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Revised Edition: Birth to Age 5 (Shelov, Caring for your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5)
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Yale Guide To Children's Nutrition
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American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Sleep: Birth Through Adolescence
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Dr. Paula's Good Nutrition Guide for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers: Answers to Parent's Most Common Questions Plus Help for Coping with Fussy Eaters
Accessories:
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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
ASIN: 0375501878
Release Date: 1998-12-29 |
Amazon.com
In American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition, nutritionist William H. Dietz and pediatrician Loraine Stern have written an authoritative, comprehensive resource for parents concerned about their children's nutrition. The book is subtitled Making Peace at the Table and Building Healthy Eating Habits for Life, and it provides useful tips for concerned parents on how to feed their children well without turning into the food police. Subjects covered include instructions for breast and bottle feeding, introducing semi-solids and solids, toddler meals and resistance, school lunches, adolescent/parent food struggles, eating disorders, the relationship between smoking and weight distribution, and, of course, the recommended Food Guide Pyramid. The chapter on eating and food problems, titled "Spitting Up, Gagging, Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Constipation," may not make for great reading on a sensitive stomach, yet it provides a great resource for parents with an ailing child. Another chapter, titled "What Do I Do About Outside Influences?" discusses parental influence, peer pressure, television, and how they may affect your child's relationship with food. Additional subjects include food safety, alternative diets, and allergies. --Ericka Lutz
Book Description
The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition is the most authoritative, easy-to-use, and comprehensive guide to children's diet and eating habits available. This state-of-the-art reference book was written under the direction of two prominent pediatricians, William H. Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.P., and Loraine Stern, M.D., F.A.A.P., and extensively reviewed by an advisory panel of experts.
The American Academy of Pediatrics knows that the real challenge for parents isn't simply being aware of the right foods to feed their children--it's getting children to actually eat those foods. The Guide to Your Child's Nutrition gives parents all the information and strategies they need to take care of the dietary requirements of children from birth through adolescence, as well as providing special insights into the following:
¸ What's best for newborns
¸ Introducing solid foods
¸ Nutrition basics for toddlers, school-age children,
and adolescents
¸ How to deal with outside influences, including
grandparents and TV commercials
¸ Identifying food allergies
¸ Recognizing and treating eating disorders
¸ Alternative diets and supplements; food safety and additives
¸ How to tell if a child is too fat . . . too thin . . . too short
With vitamin and mineral tables, nutrient-drug interactions, and resources, this accessible and attractively designed book places special emphasis on problem solving: how to plan healthy menus, how to battle the junk-food pressures of television and other media, and how to make mealtime something the whole family looks forward to.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is the most respected authority on child and adolescent health in America, and the Guide to Your Child's Nutrition is an indispensable home reference for every parent.
The American Academy of Pediatrics knows that the real
challenge for parents isn't simply being aware of the right foods to feed their children--it's getting children to actually eat those foods. The Guide to Your Child's Nutrition gives parents all the information and strategies they need to meet the dietary needs
of children from birth through adolescence, as well as the facts about standards of weight and height; eating disorders and special dietary needs; alternative diets and supplements; allergies;
and concerns over food safety.
Customer Reviews:
Just ok.......2006-03-20
I was excited about this book, but I have found that not much of it is relevant for the age of my little one (4 years old). They list a lot of good information for babies and a lot of good information for older kids, but the information for toddlers and preschoolers was lacking, in my opinion.
Excellent book on the subject of nutrtion for children.......2002-01-10
Introduction: Peace At The Table: The Whys & Hos of Nurturance
Chapter 1 What's Best For My Newborn
Chapter 2 Expanding Your Baby's Diet
Chapter 3 THe Toddler Years
Chapter 4 Nutrition During the School Years
Chapter 5 The Adolescent Years
Chapter 6 Nutrition Basics
Chapter 7 Spitting Up, Gagging, Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Constipation
Chapter 8 Is My Child Too Fat?
Chapter 9 Is My Child Too Thin? Too Small? Too Tall?
Chapter 10 Eating Disorders
Chapter 11 What Do I Do ABout Outside Influences
Chapter 12 Can I Cut My Child's Risk Of...?
Chapter 13 Food Safety and Additives
Chapter 14 Althernative Diets and Supplements
Chapter 15 Is My Child Allergic?
Also included in the book
What Caregivers Need to Know: A Checklist
Food and Medication Interactions
Standard Growth Charts
Body Mass Index Chart
Food Substitutions
Health and Nutritional Resources
Resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Lots of tips, advice, facts, common myths and common questions answered throughout the book
Good Reference.......2000-01-11
I bought this book to help me figure out how to make sure my infant was receiving all the nutrients necessary and also to help with the transition from just formula to eating regular meals. The book didn't help with information on the transition, but I still think the nutrition information is great.
It has good tips on how to keep feeding time from becoming a battle and good tips on how to start your children out on the right track to healthy eating.
The information on what NOT to feed your infant is also extreemly important and could prevent many choking incidents!
Amazon.com
For modern readers--especially those in the sciences who revere him as the father of the inductive method--Francis Bacon (1561-1626) is the model of an English Renaissance man whose towering intellectual achievements somewhat paradoxically set him floating above mundane historical particulars. British academics Lisa Jardine and Alan Stewart fling Bacon back into the hurly-burly of Elizabethan and Jacobean politics, where he unquestionably belongs. Indeed, their magnificently detailed rendering of Bacon's bumpy progression to the pinnacle of royal office-holding, as James I's lord chancellor (he was forced to "retire" in 1621 after a bribery scandal), makes his scientific and philosophical contributions even more remarkable. How on earth did he find time to write The Advancement of Learning (1605) and Novum Organum (1620) at all? In the authors' deliciously dense re-creation, notable for their shrewd evaluations of often misleading written source material, Bacon seems almost exclusively preoccupied with intriguing for promotion, struggling to pay debts incurred by his lavish lifestyle, and currying favor with both Elizabeth's and James's male favorites. (The latter tactic leading to contemporary charges of "sodomy" that the authors do not necessarily dismiss.) Some may regret that this warts-and-all portrait does not spend more time on Bacon's books, but Jardine and Stewart brilliantly succeed in their stated goal of providing "a rich context for those works." Seldom has a scholarly tome so palpably conveyed the gritty, sweaty, faction-ridden reality of being a working politician at the turn of the 17th century. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
The statesman, scientist, and philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626) lived a divided life. Was he a noble scholar, or a conniving political crook? Was he a homosexual? Lisa Jardine and Alan Stewart draw upon previously untapped sources to create a controversial, nuanced portrait of the quintessential "Renaissance man," one whose achievements, while enormous, were nonetheless sadly circumscribed by his class and station.
Customer Reviews:
All about the life, little about the man.......2005-10-04
This book is in many ways superb. The writing is smooth, the judgments intelligently based on evidence, the archival research prodigious. But it leaves one with oddly little sense of Bacon the man. Partly that's because the authors don't speculate, confining themselves to the historical record. That's a great virtue, but it also means we never get a sense of Bacon's relations with his wife, or even his sexuality. We hear about his chronically poor health, but not what his symptoms suggest to a modern doctor. Also, the authors don't examine Bacon's writings in any sort of detail. This is definitely a "life and times", not a "life and letters."
The authors rarely step back to give an overall picture. There are no scene-setting panoramas, no authorial intrusions to explain why, for example, they decided to go into such detail about the activities of Bacon's brother Anthony. One gathers that the authors believe Anthony and Francis were working closely together, but I would have liked to have their thinking explained more fully. (Although Anthony is practically the main character of the first quarter of the book, his death is mentioned only in passing.)
These criticisms reflect my occasional irritation with the book, but they don't detract from the authors' tremendous achievement. If the authors had included everything I missed, the book would have been quite a bit fatter, and that would have been a negative, too. As it is, the book is (just barely) small enough to be read without risk of injury, unlike so many other modern biographies.
The book contains a great deal about Bacon's political activities, as another reviewer has noted. That's because a great deal of Bacon's life was occupied with political activities. If all you want to read about is Bacon's scientific works, you shouldn't read a biography of their author. In the case of Isaac Newton, there is practically no difference between the life and the scientific work. But in Bacon's case, there is not only a difference but a dichotomy. He was a successful lawyer and politician who also happened to kick-start the Scientific Revolution.
To summarize, Hostage to Fortune provides all the details, but not the outline. My advice would be to familiarize yourself with the basic course of Bacon's life and his achievements before reading this book, so you can fully appreciate its richness.
Mixed Feelings.......2004-02-08
A powerhouse of academic scholarship, this book is the most tedious and boring biography I have ever read. Too many pages on Bacon's political career, too little on his scientific achievements.
Bacon for sceptics........2001-08-19
While the book starts slowly with what seems to be an overly detailed account of Bacon's family and their activities, it is a clear headed and balanced account of a man who achieved fame across the centuries, as well as in his own time---but never great virtue, character or happiness in his own life. It is quite readable, and even engrossing in the second half. Scholars will appreciate the careful documentation and extensive reference to sources and supporting materials.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-01-07
Knowledgeable and lots of detail. I would prefer Japanese sutra names to sandscrit names, my only quarrell.
Definitive!.......2001-01-01
This Berkeley Buddhist series volume is the definitive work of the founder of Tendai Buddhism in Japan. This volume of the series steps you through the beginning of Saicho's life into his later years fighting for an ordination platform on Mount Hiei. Included are details concerning the rise of Tendai Buddhism away from the influential Buddhism of Nara. Saicho's views of the bodhisattva precepts and his wish to move away from the Hinayana goals of the Ssu fen lu precepts. This is a treasure of Buddhist history in the Heian period.
This work is a must for any serious Buddhist researcher. Critical for any Tendai researcher to read.
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