Health

Enjoy kids books about science, germs, and the human body? Try one of these:

Inside your germs by 1979- Karin Halvorson

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Below is a collection of graphic novels and illustrated works that paint our thoughts and emotions beyond words, offer art as therapy, and help inform us in new ways. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! The definition of mental health encompasses a wide range of conditions that affect how we think, how we feel and how we behave. As the World Health Organization famously says, “There is no health without mental health.” Not everyone faces challenges with their mental well-being. There are days some of us feel a bit down or overwhelmed. With the right coping methods, we can learn what works best for us in order to get back on track towards better health. Here are some books to get you started! 

Are you anxious, frazzled, exhausted? Do you find yourself constantly worrying? Do you feel like you're "running on empty"? Do you have trouble sleeping? Like millions of people living today, your brain has become drained. These days, it seems like everything in our day-to-day lives-from our increasingly unpredictable world, to the smartphones we can't stop using, to the processed foods we eat all day long, to the many hours we spend at our jobs-is setting us up to feel drained. The short-term effects of becoming drained are uncomfortable, but the long-term effects can be life-threatening. Left untreated, it can quadruple your risk of high blood pressure-the #1 cause of preventable death. Finding natural solutions to anxiety and insomnia is becoming increasingly vital as sleeping pills, antianxiety medications, and hospitalizations have seen a dramatic spike recently. More and more people are desperate to heal their drained brains.

In his latest book, Dr. Mike Dow offers a 2-week plan designed to help you naturally balance your brain. He explains what drains modern brains and which groups are wired for it, and provides clinically proven tools to help you feel less drained. Dr. Mike offers nutritional tips, recipes, cognitive behavioral tools, supplements, breathing techniques, self-hypnosis, and mindfulness. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline go down as feel-good neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin rise. "When you balance your brain, you experience countless rewards. You have more energy. You feel like yourself again. You sleep more soundly and wake up looking forward to the day ahead. . . .I can't wait for you to become the best version of yourself, and I look forward to the life you will create when you are no longer drained."

Whether we're aware or not, most of us are perpetrators and victims of self-sabotage, a powerful pattern of negative behavior in which we act against our own best interests and then blame ourselves or others for these self-inflicted failures. Self-sabotage can manifest as seemingly innocuous things like not following through on New Year's resolutions or as harmful actions like blaming or abusing someone we love. If left unchecked, it can damage or destroy marriages, careers, friendships, families, and even lives. In The Healthy Mind Toolkit, Dr. Alice Boyes, author of The Anxiety Toolkit, tackles four key areas of our lives where self-defeating behaviors are most prevalent- our brains/mindsets, self-esteem, relationships and work/money. Blending the latest scientific findings with cutting-edge CBT techniques, Dr. Boyes lays out a practical plan to counter whatever fear, anxiety, guilt, or insecurity is causing you to self-sabotage, including...
- How to identify specific ways you're hurting your success (for ex, setting impossibly high standards, people-pleasing and comparing current relationships to past ones)
- Quizzes at each chapter start to rate your level of self-sabotage in the four areas
- Simple, highly effective steps to quit harmful behaviors and live a healthier, happier life
Covering everything from rumination and envy to imposter syndrome, risk aversion, and over- or undervaluing things, The Healthy Mind Toolkit is the essential guide to get out of your own way and get on the path to success.

Starting April 26 through May 3, it's National Infant Immunization Week! Since 1994, National Infant Immunization Week has focused on the vital role vaccination plays in disease prevention. Vaccines safely protect our children and communities against contagious diseases. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), the number of reported cases of measles has reached its highest number in the United States since the disease was eradicated in 2000. Michigan is one of 22 states experiencing a measles outbreak. Stay informed by consulting with your doctor and for some perspective on the history of viral diseases, here's some resources from our health collection.    

Smallpox, yellow fever, malaria, and polio, fearful diseases that once beset Americans, are now largely, just unhappy history. Yet from our confrontations with these past plagues come lessons that inform today's struggles to understand and remedy problems like HIV/AIDS, coronary heart disease, and Ebola infection. American Plagues weaves stories of encounters with epidemics over our history with lessons that aid our present understanding of health and disease. Doctors and clergy, writers and newsmen, public health institutions, and even an entire town relate their personal experiences with various outbreaks and the ways they were identified, contained, and treated. The stories are filled with ambition and accomplishment, jealousy and disappointment, public spirit and self-interest, egotism and modesty. Some episodes lead to vital discoveries. Others were unproductive. Yet each proved instructive and expanded our abilities to gather and process information in ways that improve medicine and public health today. American Plagues gives readers insights into some of the people and events that make up our rich public health history as well as skills to better grasp the complex health information that cascades upon us from the media.

Ever since we started huddling together in communities, the story of human history has been inextricably entwined with the story of microbes. They have evolved and spread amongst us, shaping our culture through infection, disease, and pandemic. At the same time, our changing human culture has itself influenced the evolutionary path of microbes. Dorothy H. Crawford here shows that one cannot be truly understood without the other. Beginning with a dramatic account of the SARS pandemic at the start of the twenty-first century, she takes us back in time to follow the interlinked history of microbes and man, taking an up-to-date look at ancient plagues and epidemics, and identifying key changes in the way humans have lived-such as our move from hunter-gatherer to farmer to city-dweller-which made us vulnerable to microbe attack. Showing how we live our lives today-with increasing crowding and air travel-puts us once again at risk, Crawford asks whether we might ever conquer microbes completely, or whether we need to take a more microbe-centric view of the world. Among the possible answers, one thing becomes clear: that for generations to come, our deadly companions will continue to shape human history.

The 17th Annual Canton Senior Summit hosted by Canton Leisure Services in conjunction with the Supervisor's office will be held on Wednesday, May 15 from 9:00am-2:00pm at Canton's Summit on the Park. 

During the Senior Summit, citizens who are 55+ enjoy a continental breakfast, box lunch, goody bag, and door prizes. The day includes a variety of workshops, health screenings, and informational booths hosted by area community service and health providers. Afternoon BINGO is also being offered! Tickets are free but participants are asked to please pre-register in person at the Summit, over the phone at 734.394.5858, or online through Canton Leisure Services.

The Library will be there sharing how we help community members live their best lives with our materials, services, and programs. We hope to see you at the Summit on Wednesday, May 15!

Every year on March 21 since 2012, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. It's a global call to action to help raise awareness for those with Down Syndrome. For special needs parents, it becomes a life-long quest to advocate for acceptance and to make world a more inclusive and accessible place. To learn more, this article by a mom whose son has Down Syndrome is very illuminating. Here's some resources to peruse from our collection.

Based on The New York Times bestseller by Andrew Solomon, an intimate, profoundly human look at families raising children society deems 'abnormal': a mother and son determined to show the world that his Down syndrome does not define him; a couple learning to communicate with their bright but nonverbal autistic son; a young woman dealing with what it means to be the only little person in her family; and parents whose love for their son persists even after he has committed an unspeakable crime.

As a parent of a child diagnosed with Down syndrome, you may be feeling unsure of what to do next or where your child's journey will take you. In this book, authors Jen Jacob and Mardra Sikora share their experiences and guide you through life with Ds with expert advice from diagnosis to adulthood. Each page teaches you ways to support your child through major milestones; nurture their development; and ensure that they succeed behaviorally, socially, and cognitively. You'll also find valuable information on:

  • Sharing the news with loved ones
  • Transitioning into primary school
  • Developing your child's social skills
  • Discussing future opportunities, including employment and housing options

With The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome, you will have the tools you need to raise a happy, healthy, and thriving child.

March is National Nutrition Month! Good nutrition is essential is maintaining a healthy mind and body. Eating a well-balance diet can help boost our energy level and elevates our mood, which in turn reduces the risk for all sorts of health problems. To celebrate National Nutrition Month, stop by our library display! Discover our Gale Courses to learn how to make low fat and fast meals or how to achieve weight-loss goals successfully. Want to know more? Check out some of our new nutrition books!

Finally Full, Finally Slim hows you how to permanently lose weight by right-sizing your portions without eliminating entire food groups or staring at an empty plate. Within these pages, Dr. Young outlines thirty days' worth of simple changes to help you shed pounds and provides a portion plan that assures you will feel satisfied. She expertly describes the relevance of diet to health and steers you toward whole foods and away from clever marketing claims that may be secretly sabotaging your weight-loss efforts. You'll learn useful strategies for how to eat out, enjoy special occasions, and indulge in a favorite treat without tipping the scale. And because weight loss is about more than food, Dr. Young addresses the whole person-your mind-set, environment, habits, and life-through research-based advice. You'll learn how relationships, gratitude, self-compassion, and sleep patterns, for instance, can make a difference. Portion control outlives all fad diets because it isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle. 

In her years of experience treating patients and studying health and nutrition, London has developed a set of tools for creating new patterns and healthful habits that get sustainable results. From having dessert every day to getting the best results from the least amount of working out, DRESSING ON THE SIDE gives readers tools they actually want that will still lead to weight loss, improved health, and (most importantly) a sustainable lifestyle of healthful habits.

Traditional diet programs are nearly all too hard to sustain or end abruptly without giving readers what they need to maintain results: either you quit your diet, or your diet quits you. What London shows in this book is that weight loss and healthy living are about good habits, and this book gives readers the 11 tools they need to create sustainable healthy habits that will let them lose weight, eat chocolate, and achieve optimal health. 

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that seems to be a controversial topic among parents. The state of Michigan requires schoolchildren to be immunized from 14 contagious diseases, but it also allows exemptions. Measles is an especially potent virus. According to the CDC, there's been 101 cases reported of a measles outbreak in 10 states. The CDC has a link to a fact sheet for parents called Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent them. Want to know more? Here's some books to help separate fact from fiction. 

One of the most important tools in the public health arsenal, vaccines are to thank for the global eradication of smallpox, and for allowing us to defeat the dire threat of infectious disease for more than one hundred years. Vaccine development is where scientists turn when faced with the frightening spread of new diseases like Zika, SARS, and Ebola. So if vaccines have proven to be such an effective tool, why are growing numbers of people questioning the wisdom of vaccinating children? Why have public-sector vaccine producers almost vanished? And can we trust the multinational corporations that increasingly dominate vaccine development and production? In this highly original and controversial new book, Stuart Blume argues that processes of globalization and unmet healthcare needs are eroding faith in the institutions producing and providing vaccines. He brings together short, readable histories of immunization practices over the past century, from the work of early pioneers such as Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch to the establishment of the World Health Organization and the introduction of genetic engineered vaccines. Focusing on today's "vaccine hesitancy," the book exposes the inadequacies of public health persuasion, and discusses what will be needed to restore parents' confidence. This is a timely history, one that not only sheds new light on the origins of our global vaccine crisis, but also points a way forward.

In 1994, Peter J. Hotez's nineteen-month-old daughter, Rachel, was diagnosed with autism. Dr. Hotez, a pediatrician-scientist who develops vaccines for neglected tropical diseases affecting the world's poorest people, became troubled by the decades-long rise of the influential anti-vaccine community and their inescapable narrative around childhood vaccines and autism. The alleged link between the two was first espoused in a fraudulent scientific paper, long since retracted, but the story shows no signs of letting up. As a result, we've seen deadly and disabling outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases around the country, and Texas, where Hotez lives, is at particular risk.

In Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism, Hotez draws on his experiences as a pediatrician, vaccine scientist, and father of an autistic child. Outlining the arguments on both sides of the debate, he examines the science that refutes the concerns of the anti-vaccine movement, debunks current conspiracy theories alleging a cover-up by the CDC, and critiques the scientific community's failure to effectively communicate the facts about vaccines and autism to the general public, all while sharing his very personal story of raising a now-adult daughter with autism.

February is American Heart Month. According to the American Heart Association, almost half of all adults have some sort of cardiovascular disease. It's an alarming statistic. Cardiovascular disease can be prevented by controlling high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, according to the American Heart Association. Here's some books to help motivate you to help keep your heart healthy! 

Heart disease remains the number one killer of women, outpacing breast cancer, diabetes, and stroke, with one in four women receiving a diagnosis in her lifetime. And the problem is only getting worse. Dr. Mark Menolascino has been on the front lines of cardiac research for most of his life, running a highly successful clinic where he takes a holistic, personalized approach to reversing disease and jump-starting health. Most of his patients are women struggling with symptoms and illnesses that stem from the most important, life-giving organ in the body: the heart. In Heart Solution for Women, Dr. Menolascino explores the many ways our hearts are the pathway to overall health. While the classic risk factors for heart disease--obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, and poor diet--are critical components, symptoms of the disease manifest differently in women's bodies and can go misdiagnosed for years. They include depression, anxiety and panic attacks, poor sleep, and widespread pain, and can be masked during pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and menopause only to appear with great force later in life. Featuring the latest research on gut, brain, and hormone health and including answers to the most common heart-health misunderstandings, Heart Solution for Women finally gives women the tools to succeed, feel great in their bodies, and add years to their lives.

Metabolic Syndrome: As the modern Western lifestyle spreads around the globe, so too does metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of symptoms that increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other conditions. The good news: metabolic syndrome can be tamed by a sensible program of exercise, natural foods, stress management, and quality sleep. In this concise and lively book, Dr. Pankaj Vij distills a mass of medical research into a simple, effective program for high energy and vibrant health. Avoiding fads and gimmicks, he provides practical advice, case studies of ordinary people, and brief sections that debunk common medical myths.

As the new year begins, one of the many promises we make to ourselves is to choose healthier food options and stay in better shape. For busy families, that can be a challenge. Not sure which diet plan is fits your lifestyle? The U.S. News and World Report rated the best diets overall and the Mediterranean Diet was ranked first. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, plant-based oils, and lean proteins. Interested? Here's some books to help bring your family to the dinner table!

The DASH diet has been a staple of the dieting world, recommended by doctors, nutritionists, and crowned the US News and World Report's #1 best diet for 8 years in a row. But popular tastes and medical guidelines have evolved, and THE Dash Diet Mediterranean Solution presents a new approach to the time tested diet program that highlights the benefits of whole foods. Marla Heller, MS RD has overhauled the DASH plan to reflect the latest, cutting-edge research on hypertension, diabetes, depression, and other health issues that impact millions of Americans. Meal planning gets a new focus on unprocessed foods (less sugar free Jello, more fresh fruits!), seafood options, and even a whole section examining vegan and vegetarian choices. Filled with four weeks of menus and tons of strategies and research, THE Dash Diet Mediterranean Solution offers readers a new approach to their best health the DASH diet way.

This book brings the Mediterranean into the home kitchen, with 600 recipes for everyday cooking. The Mediterranean diet is known for being one of the healthiest in the world, with benefits ranging from cancer prevention to improved brain function. The diet also boasts food appeal, with its fresh, high-quality ingredients and extraordinary flavors. Although the diet has been around for decades, it has recently experienced a burst of renewed popularity.

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