Skin-Diseases Books

This book is very well-written and informative. I learned so much about acne and found a few things to try on myself. After multiple trips to beauticians and dermatologists, I found a regimen that had me looking much better in a couple of weeks! I'm impressed and have shared the book with my three sisters. I wish she would have covered the role of acne in pregnancy and nursing more thoroughly; that would have been an improvement. Also, it is a little outdated on the products available, but as soon as the book was printed it was outdated, so that didn't affect the review. I feel this book is well worth the price.

I LOVED this book. Lydia uses tons of references and provides the reader with varying opinions on acne. She readily admits that there isn't one universal cure for acne and her research is extensive. I recommend this book to all of my clients who suffer from acne. There is a comprehensive bibliography as well where you can find books with more in-depth information.

This book is a no-nonsense, common-sense approach to learning about which kind of acne you have, and then finding the most effective treatment options for YOU. The author wades through all the marketing hype and consults hundreds of doctors and dermatologists to give you accurate, unbiased information about a variety of OTC/prescription products and virtually all treatment options currently available. She describes the common level of effectiveness for each product and tells you how to use it correctly (you may be surprised!).

One of the best things about this book is that the author understands what you're going through: to get rid of her own adult acne, she went to several different dermatologists and ended up taking Accutane. She knows your frustration, embarrassment, and despair; her tone is one of empathy.

The information I learned from this book has made a huge difference in my complexion. After 12 years of moderate acne and having tried the gamut of OTC/prescription treatments to no avail, my skin has now been consistently clear for six months, ever since I started one of the treatment plans recommended in this book. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself when I look in the mirror.

Before reading this book, I had never thought of using more than one product, and -- this is key -- using them in the right concentrations at different times of the day. If you're curious, I use Ecco Bella's Leave-on Invisible Exfoliant & Blemish Remedy (low-pH 2% salicylic acid) each morning, and Earth Therapeutics' Clari-T Acne Serum º5 (5% benzoyl peroxide) at night.

Good luck, Reader! Don't be embarrassed to check out this book from your local library (or buy it here on Amazon) -- your skin and your self-esteem are worth it.

**Update, Nov. 17, 2008: My skin has been clear for 10 months! I was in a LUSH store a few weeks ago, and the sales associate was telling me about one of their facial masks and said, "Oh, but this one's for people with acne, and you obviously have clear skin..." And I looked at her, shocked, and responded, "No, I really DO need that mask! I use zit medicine every day!" It just goes to show you that 1) the treatments in this book work, and 2) you are your own harshest critic.

After finding myself trying several OTC programs which didn't work, I stumbled across this book. I had no idea that I had been using BP all wrong! FYI, BP is not a spot treatment for pimples with white showing. I also had no idea that salicylic acid products had to be of a pH between 3 and 4 to be most effective. I wish the author would have tested more salicylic acid products for the appropriate pH. Only a couple of the ones she tested had the requisite pH. I would have much rather had a large list of products with the recommended pH than a large list of products without it. Also, I agree with a previous reviewer that pictures would be most helpful, especially in describing the formation of acne and what the different kinds of acne look like. Overall, I found that this book is a good introduction to the world of acne, but definitely not a place to stop learning.

Do you believe that if a product dries out your face, your skin will overcompensate by producing more oil? Do you think a special scrub can unplug your pores and help free you from blackheads? Or maybe you cherish the belief that you can sweat your pores clean of acne-causing dirt or toxins through vigorous exercise or steam treatments? If so, you need to read this book.

I have never realized how poorly I understood acne, and I am amazed how many myths I let myself absorb from "informative" commercials and advice given by well-intentioned editors of numerous women's magazines. I am immensely grateful to the author for teaching me what acne is - really and exactly - and for doing so in an accessible and friendly manner. Just the chapter "Understanding Acne" alone is worth the money I spent on this book, because it's hard to fight the condition without understanding it, and because it simply feels good to know for once what is going on with my skin.

This book is essential to my medical practice and it was great to get so fast and at a good price!

The text is a wonderful reference for pictures of covered conditions, the only side note being a lack of good coverage for ethnic skin (there is a another book covering just that) and the photographs are in most cases showing advanced or extreme examples. Overall, a great book to have on hand in primary care.

I have owned or used the various editions of Habif's Clinical Dermatology for over ten years in our general internal medicine practice and return to it again and again. I have also used a variety of other Dermatology books brought in by staff - typically the $60 - $80 range books. They are typically o.k. but nothing stands up to Habif and I recommending spending the extra $ for it (in the $125 range). The pictures are big, clear and of typical presentations, the layout logical, the review of basics up front helpful and thoughtfully presented. You will find that this is the one you reach for when you need help.

If you are a medical student doing a derm rotation or plan on entering a primary care residency, this book is THE book to own. I wouldn't have minded having the online edition, but with not knowing when the new edition would come out (and subsequently when the online subscription would run out), it didn't seem to be worth the money.

This text is very comprehensive, and provides in-depth descriptions of skin problems, plus superb photos. Thorough discussions of treatments is included. An excellent text for reference.

Everything in this book, which basically explains the "clear skin" regimen, is available on Dan Kern's website (acne.org) for FREE, making this book a pointless purchase in itself.

That said, I have had some results with the "clear skin" regimen explained in the book, just not as good as others. Some things I've noticed after using the regimen:

PROS:

1) If you have never used benzoyl peroxide (2.5%) before, you will most likely get good results overall. You might even end up with a clear face, back, wherever.

2) You will appreciate Kern's empathy to the cause of acne elimination. Acne is very much an emotionally painful affliction, and empathy (not belittling) is sometimes the most important thing an acne sufferer needs.

3) When you are ready to begin the regimen, you can opt to visit Kern's website, which offers the regimen products (2.5% benzoyl peroxide, cleanser, moisturizer) at reasonable prices.

CONS:

1) Contrary to Kern's opinion, I personally have experienced my acne grow resistant to benzoyl peroxide (both 2.5% and 5% variations - 10% is too harsh). In my experience, the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide waned after a few months, no matter how much of it I used.

2) Your skin can get seriously dried out by daily benzoyl peroxide use even with the "mild" 2.5% variation, especially since Kern eventually wants you to use about an ounce of it on your face. I used adequate-moderately heavy amounts of moisturizer after the benzoyl peroxide application, but personally there was just no escaping the dryness and peeling despite me having oily skin. Using less of the 2.5% treatment didn't help either.

3) Lastly, your clothes will bleach through benzoyl peroxide use, period. It's nice to have less acne, but when you notice your favourite clothes getting discoloured (ruined) in the process, it's almost not worth it in the end. Also, wouldn't you want to have clearer skin while wearing your favourite clothes? Sure, you could wear something under your clothes, but I personally found this to be an extra discomfort on top of my dried out face.

---

Still, I urge those who haven't used 2.5% benzoyl peroxide to try out the "clear skin" regimen. But instead of buying this book, I think you're better off buying the regimen treatment products on Amazon, or on Kern's website.

I urge you though to have realistic expectations with the regimen, as it may work at first but disappoint you afterwards.

His method really did work to clear up my acne but my skin was also very dry no matter how much moisturizer I used. I've had moderate acne for about 15yrs and have tried everything like most other people. Right now I'm using just a basic cleanser (Cetaphil) and pure grapeseed oil as a moisturizer and drying agent and it's working out okay. I read about in Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair by Falconi which I highly recommend for natural skin care ideas. (Also you can get most of the info on Kern's website.)

Dan's skin care regimen is the only thing that has worked for my acne - I tried everything from Proactiv to oral medications like Acutane. I've been caking on makeup for most of my life, since age 13, but now I finally can leave the house without it. Yes, I still break out a little before my monthly period, but otherwise, I'm all clear.
Dan Kern should win an award for his method, he is truly helping people, and not one of these Guthy Renker infomercial companies out for money. No celebrity endorsements needed; the clear skin regimen just works. I wish I had found it years ago.

Happily, Dan Kern is not a corporation looking for profit: he's just a guy who had bad skin and found a way to manage it. [...] I bought the book as a small thank you to Kern for being nice enough to provide the info for free. If you buy products thru his site, he gets a kick-back -- and if you don't, that's ok, too. For this reason, he deserves the support. Kind of like shareware for books. And his easy if not always fun regimen has been working so far, so kudos.

I didn't read the whole book. I just went to web site acne.org and followed the program. Acne is now gone. I suffered from Acne for over 20 years and tried many treatment programs from Accutane, Retin-A, Microdermabrasion and a few others. Dan Kern's treatment program was the first treatment program that actually work for me in the long run.

The cheapest and fastest way I know how to check out the program is to order 1 tube of the 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide (from Dan's Web Site) and try it for 1 week following Dan's instructions. Yes, if you goto the web site, Dan also wants you to get a Cleanser and a Moisturizer. All products are needed but I believe the key product is 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel from his web site Acne.org.

I strongly believe if you have Ance, using the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel with Dan's instruction, you will have a 95% chance of seeing improvement in less than a week.

This book provides extremely useful scientific based knowledge regarding general health and specifically skin health as it relates to nutrition. Many references are provided and no "too good to be true" gimmicks are thrown at you. Very refreshing in a time where many books are linked to a money grab of some sort, or false information. I am not completely done the book yet but have already gained much useful information.

Wonderful book. It brings everything together for you so you can see the big picture.

Wow! This book throws a lot of data, facts, and clinical trials at you. Some may say it is disorganized. However the feeling I had coming out of reading the book was an unwavering faith in how diet is related to Acne that I previously only suspected. And with that - a new-found conversion, no-TOTAL COMMITMENT to change myself 180 degrees and to beat the pharma and cosmetic industry that feeds off this illness. A strong commitment needs a strong conversion as the seed and this book is the catalyst. Wish I found this sooner. 5 Stars and bravo!

I have to applaud Dr. Logan for this wonderful book. I'm normally not that interested in the science and don't really care for biology that much but this book presents the findings and studies in such a straightforward, concise and clear way. After reading this book, it is hard to debunk that diet somehow affects a person's proneness to acne.

This is something that anyone with some skin problem should read. Although it is a non-fiction, this book is not boring at all. It presents a wealth of relevant information throughout the book and is well worth the money.

Basically, this book attempts to confirm most people's suspicions about certain types of food causing acne (ex. milk and cheese). As expected, the book immediately launched into various theories about how milk, dairy, and generally inflammatory foods all can cause acne through hormonal changes, insulin reactions, and sebum modulation. It's all very logically sound in the way it is presented.

The book then goes into foods that prevent acne, mostly centering around those with omega-3 fatty acids. The basis for the argument is omega-3's anti-inflammatory effect.

However, up to this point, it is still information pieced together from various credible sources and made into a sort of "acne theory."

The book then goes into a dietary plan and list of foods for avoiding acne.

To my great dismay and confusion, the book confirmed my worst expectation: this is a general "eat organic, exercise, widen your diet to more exotic food" plan, based on health fads and feelings more than science.

After condemning milk and dairy for half the book, the author then recommends CHEESE as an anti-acne food! He then goes to list all kinds of flavors, with a caveat of "May worsen acne in some people" at the end!

"May worsen acne in some people?" For God's sake, you just spent half the book convincing us that dairy was the Devil's own conspiracy to create acne!

Then, he recommends Olive, Sesame, and Canola oil, all of which are Omega-6 dense, omega-3 scarce oils, which he just spent the last 100 pages trying to convince you were the Devil's second conspiracy!

The rest of the list is made up of common sense fruit and vegetables, with exotic carbohydrates such as hummus and quinoa thrown in for good measure.

Now I agree that avoiding dairy helps avoid acne, and also that eating large amounts of Omega-3 fats provide many health benefits, as did both before I read this book. I'm just disappointed in the consistency of the author.

The recipes at the end are great templates to make exotic meals one might not normally think of, but are just generally healthy foods, not some kind of special anti-acne food concoction. In fact, many of them use milk and omega-6 dense fats!

If one is a complete novice to health issues, I would recommend this book, however most people who have spent some time researching on the internet will not find anything new, and may actually find contradictory information.

Perhaps a version 2 is in order?

This is possibly one of the best derm book for student/resident. It's clear, concise, & well organize. Enjoy this book much better than Fitzpatrick. I especially love the appendix that include differential diagnoses per body region.

Excellent book, good pictures. I like the grouping by body part and specific classifications of dermatologic disorders.

Fantastic book, I absolutely love it. Lots of nice pictures,the book was much better than I had expected - a great buy!

The pictures were excellent, each disease also had a differential and there were small bonuses regarding pediatric patients. Book is well organized and easy to read. Perfect for a med student, and even for residents

This is an excellent book! I'm using it in NP school. It provides a 1-2 page explanation of the skin disorder along with pictures.
thanks

I don't spend a lot of time on these issues, as I have my hands full managing kids, household, career, marriage - I purchased this book at the recommendation of a friend who had found it very valuable, and whose opinion I find trustworthy - I'm so pleased and grateful to have read it, which I did cover to cover - I found the authors engaging, candid, genuine, and their book informative, accessible and inspiring - most importantly, I found the book credible and feel the authors really know of what they speak - the book is informed by their life experiences as wives, mothers, physicians and friends and I found so many of their messages uplifting. A book I will be recommending and sharing with my community of friends. Job well done, and a great service to women everywhere, Debra and Eva!!!

When I first picked up the book I figured that I would thumb through it, read the sections that appealed to me, and forget the rest. I started at the beginning and read it all the way through. The stories were captivating and the ingredient information was especially helpful. The premise of the book is new and refreshing. This book made me feel more optimistic and motivated about myself and my direction in life. It is wonderful to acknowledge how we are all beautiful in our own way.

I found this book thoroughly entertaining and informative. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is not geared solely to women who read fashion magazines. It has great appeal even for those of us who trip in high heeled shoes and own only one purse. It is filled with excellent practical tips and is written in such a witty, easy to read manner that it reads like a novel. It is contagious. I hope the authors write more books!

I'm a woman who has it all- husband, kids, house, career - and sometimes all the demands leave me a bit... haggard looking. This book is practical and educates me on taking better care of my skin so my inner beauty shines through! I love the appendix of great products that are sure to fit my price range. I'm definitely giving this book to my beauty buddies!

The Beauty Prescription is an extraordinary book! While it does a remarkable job explaining how to enhance your outer beauty, it is unique on its focus on cultivating the inner beauty waiting to be released in us all. Written by a renowned psychiatrist and a nationally recognized dermatologist, this book is a must read for those who want to maximize their beauty inside and out. I loved this book and enthusiastically recommend it to all of my friends.

This book provides an accurate reference for someone interested in this subject. It can be too truthful for someone faced with this awful disease. Therefore beware of giving it to a sufferer or carer whom you wish to shield from the facts.

this book was full of good info and good photos of stages of skin problems. This is a must own book for all Southern Californians.

This book is for anyone who has been diagnosed with Melanoma. It is written in a way that is easy to understand. Knowledge is needed with this disease since it is so different from other cancers. I found answers I haven't been able to find from my husbands oncologists. Excellent book!

I got this book because I have moles and wanted to learn more about them and understand the diagnosis and treatment for melanoma.

The glossary and index were very helpful. The best aspect for me was the photos of moles and the chapter on skin warning signs.

Part I of the book starts with recognizing and preventing melanoma. Part II of the book focuses on Melanoma and the treatment. Part III is the less common types along with research.

I found this book to be a wonderful resource as I hit 45. The diagrams are useful as well.

This book was an encellent source for me and my family regarding my recent diagnosis of Melanoma. I read the entire book in one day and refer back to it very often! Highly recommended reading that is on a level everyone can understand.

I can't say enough about this book! It is so easy to understand, yet packed with solid, science-based information. Thanks for a great read!

I HAD ALL, YES ALL, OF MY SPIDER VIENS REMOVED BY A BEVERLY HILLS COSMETIC DERMOTOLOGIST 5 YEARS AGO WITH THE NEEDLE/SALINE SOLUTION FOR MY LEGS AND LAZER FOR MY FACE. ALL OF THE VEINS ARE BACK!! IN THE SAME PLACE, JUST AS BAD. I THINK I WILL SAVE MY MONEY AND NOT TRY THAT AGAIN!!

This is the book I've been searching for! It helped me determine what I needed to do for my problem and find competent professional treatment. It also has a great section on prevention and diet. Finally, I can wear shorts again!

Not only does this book tell you what you should do once you get varicose veins in order to get rid of them but it tells you how to prevent them. Because it is so well written, everyone can understand this book. And everyone should own this book!

For a tiny book, this packs a wallop of information. I work in the medical field and have been searching for answers to my questions about varicose and spider veins for a long time. I was pretty surprised to learn that the doctors and nurses I work with were as ignorant as I was! The next step was the medical library. I searched for a book--and all I came up with were medical texts the size of phone books and filled with medical jargon. Being in the medical field, I understand the jargon but I really didn't want to wade through it to get the information I needed. Then I found Get Rid of the Blues on the web. What I like most about it is that the author did tons of research (from those boring books I didn't want to read!) and boiled it down to a "cut-to-the-chase" primer. Thank you, Mary Johnson, for writing this book. I can't begin to tell you what a difference it's made for me.

This is the first derm book I go to when I have a challenging rash. In the inside front cover I have a copy of Ackerman's algorithms which I also frequently use.

The best thing about this book is it's practicality. You see a feature on the glass slide (e.g. neutrophilic spongiosis) and then you go to the first chapter which lists all the conditions associated with neutrophilic spongiosis. Each entry in this list is indexed to a discussion of the disease elsewhere in the book (see below). These features are extremely easy to find and are well-organized. It acts almost like a specialized table of contents/index.

After the first chapter, the book is divided into a fairly standard pattern of organization. Each disease entity reveals short, pithy entries about a surprising number of diseases. From the thin size of the book, I wasn't expecting too much breadth here...but I was pleasantly surprised.

Another feature I find helpful is that throughout the book, there are references to other parts of the book. For example, in the entry on psoriasis, the differential diagnosis not only lists the various histologic look-alikes, but also gives an exact location in the book where that disaease process is discussed. And, as always, the entries are very easy to find.

As expected there is not a lot of depth. For further histologic information, I would recommend Weedon. For further clinical information, I use Bolognia. If you want both in the same book, I would recommend McKee. (I have all three as well as the Rapini book.)

I am a general pathologist with no formal sub-specialty training who has been practicing 5 years in the "real world". I see mainly skin, GI, and GYN in my practice along with breast and prostate. I use Rapini about 2 times a week. I only use it for the dermatitides...not tumors. It's not that its coverage of tumors is necessarily poor...I just haven't used it for that yet. Also, I haven't used the CD-Rom.

This is a must for every dermpath resident, general pathologist and even dermatologist. Easy to carry on, has the most relevant info for the most common skin conditions. It has a different, very intuitive approach to evaluate a biopsy, not only guided by patterns, but also with the clinical features, which are critical to a well oriented diagnosis.
It may look thin, but I can assure you that it will be your first reference book!.

The product with excellent quality and well organised and I hope all ur
product is similar to this book which I think is one of best three deematopatholgy books.
Thanks

Lightweight, quick, easy-to-use, easy-to-assimilate atlas that gives you the info you need in a streamlined fashion. Absolutely love this book.

I usually prefer the book that had been written by one expert author over than that multi-author ones. This book is divided into 30 chapters. The first one is the most fruitful one. It illustrates 150 diffenetial diagnoses. The headings of these differentails are sorted alphebatically. They include histopathologic parameters such as spongiosis, papillomatosis, acantholysis, ... etc; and also include clinical findings like comedones, painful lesions, ... etc. The author considered that the approach for accurate diagnosis have to be guided, in certain situations, by the clinical information from the start rather that a certain histopathologic parameter, so that the pathologist should be aware about some clinical differentials.

The author explained the meaning of each heading in this chapter. "What is the meaning of spongiosis ?" before mention the possible differential diagnosis. Not only the meaning is given but also the differences between that finding and similar looking ones are justified. The differences between spongiosis and acantholysis are demonstrated before mentioning the diagnositc possibilities of spongiosis.

Each one of the diagnostic possibilites is written with a reference to its location within this book chapters. For example, within the list of differential of spongiosis I found "Pityriasis rosea (2.4)". (2.4) means I can find the details of such disease within chapter 2, heading 4.
The details of pathogenesis, complications, and treatment as well as normal skin histology are not included in this book, the author said that "the reader can readily find this information in some of the major
textbooks listed at the end of this book".

The illustrations are very technically excellent and expressive.
The other book chapters are named as any textbook "Malanocytic neoplasms, Subepidermal vesicular disease, Vasculitis, ...". The details are concise and easy to read.

The included CD contains all the images within the book for their use in electronic presentations.

This book makes the way to be a good dermatopathologist easier.

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (12/07)

Cancer touches countless lives every day. Chances are that either you or somebody very near and dear to you has had to fight it at some point in your life. While medicine has certainly advanced greatly in the past, mortality rates from cancer are still high and still scary.

While it seems to me that the American way of medicine tends to be geared much more towards curing the disease once it manifests itself than to preventing it in the first place, I found "Avoiding Cancer One Day at A Time" a very refreshing departure from the usual pattern. Extremely well researched and comprehensive, this incredibly readable book leads the reader through many facets of possible cancer prevention. While it is obvious that the authors have done an incredible amount of serious research, the book never gets too technical for an average reader. From a simple introduction to cancer prevention to an eye-opening Cancer Prevention IQ Pretest and a chapter on what cancer is and what causes it, the authors alert us to numerous things that we could do to increase our chances of not being one of the scary cancer statistics in the future.

While authors primarily focus on primary cancer prevention - as in before it actually happens, there is also a chapter on secondary prevention (finding cancer and preventing it from spreading) and some notes on tertiary prevention (support methods for individuals with cancer). Each of the chapters concludes with a list of practical points, and if you start your journey just by reading those, you'll have to agree that there are very many simple and eminently sensible steps we can take to increase our chances of staying healthy. If any of the topics discussed in the particular chapter really intrigue you, there are very comprehensive lists of resources and further online information available for advanced research.

Chapter 10, the "Avoiding Cancer Recipe Collection," features not only mouth-watering, yet sensible recipes, but also stories of people whose lives were changed by cancer forever. Do take a particular note of the conversion table for the recipes there: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of care.

The book concludes with Appendices, the first Appendix being the worksheets for applying cancer-prevention principles, the second one a scarily long list of carcinogens; and a nearly 30-pages long list of references.

"Avoiding Cancer One Day at A Time" was a fascinating read, which showed me how little most of us know about proper cancer prevention and how easy a great majority of those prevention steps really are. This book should find a permanent place in every American home, where it should be read, re-read and used often.

"In 2004, the medical world was shaken a bit when scientists found a link between the incidence of breast cancer and antibiotic use... There has been much debate about this study, but given the increasing resistance of microbes to antibiotics, it generates further concern over the overuse of antibiotics in the United States." Written by Lynne Eldridge, M.D. and David Borgeson, MS, MPT, Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time: Practical Advice for Preventing Cancer is a health and wellness guide to preventing cancer through avoiding carcinogens and implementing lifestyle and diet practices that can reduce cancer risk. From a healthy sex life to the right amount of sleep to maintaining a proper weight, choosing one's medications carefully, and much more, Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time covers reasonable, practical strategies with a strong benefit for overall health. Written in plain terms for lay readers, Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time is highly recommended for its solid health and lifestyle improvement advice.

Dr. Lynne Eldridge and David Borgeson have written an authoritative, good-humored and remarkably practical book on how people can alter their lifestyles and add years to their lives. "Avoiding Cancer: One Day at a Time" is about do-able prevention, and sets a needed example for American health care, where research and resources disproportionately address diagnosis and treatment to the neglect of keeping people healthy in the first place. This is an easy read, loaded with practical information - from everyday environmental hazards, to avoidance of carcinogenic lifestyle choices, to a deep and useful discussion of preventive nutrition. And there is a terrific "Avoiding Cancer Recipe Collection" which could be expanded into a book of its own. In sum, the best reader-friendly cancer prevention book I've ever read.

In the introduction, the author says she wrote this book because she wants you to "be prepared" before the siren blows, announcing the disaster.

Say this out loud: One in every two American men and one out of every three American women will get cancer over the course of their lifetime (pg. 1). Now does the author have your attention?

Quoting from the British Cancer Control Society, "...treating disease is enormously profitable, preventing disease is not."

If far more money is spent to treat than prevent, and physicians are restricted by managed care--now is the time for us to know more and advocate for our own health. Other money issues concern how our food is produced (what is put on our plants to increase yield and what animals are fed to grow faster).

As consumers we will spend whatever is needed to treat illness, but we do not spend time and money to educate ourselves about avoiding the disease in the first place. And yet ... "80-95% of cancers that have a environmental component, only one third are due to smoking."

However: "One thousands Americans stop smoking every day--by dying." (Author unknown)

Chapter 2 starts with 25 questions--and now I AM concerned because I answered yes to too many--and my ignorance is showing. You may feel the same when you answer them.

The authors left no cancer-causing stone unturned. Through charts, graphs, lists, recipes and action suggestions, you will understand your body and your environment--and how what you eat and drink and do can affect your health. The back of the book has worksheets, very helpful appendices, a carcinogen list, references and index so you can find things easily.

Author Lynne Eldridge, M.D. is a medical doctor who has studied human exposure to pesticide and has practiced family medicine with an emphasis on prevention. David Borgeson has a Masters in epidemiology and is a practicing physical therapist that emphasizes health promotion.

The authors have asked us to make many changes in our lives to live longer and cancer free--and some are easy and some will be hard. They do not want us to become overwhelmed and do nothing--just start with what you can change today.

Armchair Interviews says: The contents can--and should frighten you into action and change. Maybe then you will never have to hear the words: You have cancer!

Paranoia would be a perfectly logical response to this cancer-prevention book. You might be tempted to rifle through your medicine cabinet and laundry room shelves, disposing of any product that isn't vinegar, baking soda or bottled water. You may never use an air freshener again or allow another French fry to pass between your lips. In fact, Dr. Lynne Eldridge and her brother, epidemiologist David Borgeson, warn against becoming fanatical in attempting to reduce carcinogenic threats in your environment. But they aren't apologetic about presenting a wealth of valuable information that could help prolong your life. The authors admit that links between certain chemicals and cancers are inconclusive, and they judge the medical establishment pretty harshly. Then they present the most current information based on studies and statistics, and leave it to you to accept or reject their recommendations. We recommend this book in the belief that much of what the authors cover makes sense. Don't get scared; get busy.