Why are some people perpetual optimists while others are pessimists? Why do some of us develop Alzheimer’s while others grow old with memories intact? Why do drugs and alcohol take a firm hold on some lives while others seem resistant to the nightmarish world of addiction? And why are teenagers so hard to live with?
The answers can be summed up in just two words: the brain. Scientists can’t, at least at this moment, provide neat and clear-cut theories to all of these questions. But brain research during the last decade has brought us tantalizingly closer to the answers.
The Secret Life of the Brain
By Dr. Richard Restak
Joseph Henry Press/Dana Press, $35
This book takes readers through five stages of the brain, from infancy and childhood to adolescence, adulthood and finally, the aging brain, highlighting development within each stage. (And yes, the brain continues to grow and develop in old age.)
Illustrated with color photos and drawings and packed with case studies, this accessible, fascinating book is a companion piece to the upcoming five-part PBS television series “The Secret Life of the Brain,” scheduled to air in late January.
So why are teenagers so emotional and impulsive?
It’s the not-yet-mature brain’s fault. Those areas of the brain important in emotions (the limbic areas), Restak writes, mature earlier than those (the prefrontal lobes) involved in judgment, organization and reasoning.
“Indeed, this discrepancy between expressing feeling and thoughtful evaluation accounts for many of the teen behaviors that so dismay parents and teachers.” Those lobes, by the way, aren’t fully mature until the 20s or even later.
From Voodoo to Viagra: The Magic of Medicine
By Dr. Oscar London
Ten Speed Press: $14.95
Although it’s tough imagining there is anything funny about the practice of medicine anymore, a physician with empathy, writing skills and a sense of humor shows us otherwise.
“From Voodoo to Viagra: The Magic of Medicine” is a collection of 37 humorous essays by Dr. Oscar London, the pseudonym of a St. Louis-born, Berkeley, Calif.-based internist. From “The Seven Habits of Highly Obnoxious Patients” to “Don’t Diet, Medicate!” London brings both wit and empathy to a variety of delicate topics.
With 38 years of medical practice behind him, London has experienced everything from the “celebrity patient”-demanding Valium samples and a permanent handicapped placard for her car-to patients with office-clearing odors, to the rise of “alternative” treatments.
Although in general he pokes (gentle) fun at patients, London discusses his own foibles, including a penchant for Krispy Kreme doughnuts and potato wedges from KFC. In the essay “Burgers and Fries: The New Weapons of Mass Destruction,” he writes: “I myself am doomed, having grown up on all-beef hot dogs and super-thick milkshakes in St. Louis. It took me 30 years to feel comfortable ordering sushi and sashimi. Now that I eat them often, it’s too late for my heart–at best, I’ll end up with an angioplasty instead of a bypass.”
Ether Day: The Strange Tale of America’s Greatest Medical discover and the Haunted Men Who Made It
By Julie Fenster
HarperCollins: $24
In the days before anesthesia, a good surgeon was a quick surgeon. The best could remove gallstones in less than 60 seconds. And although the world had progressed in other areas by the early 19th Century, surgery was still hopelessly awful.
Thankfully, a few people figured out that sulfuric ether and nitrous oxide had painkilling properties. Who made these discoveries and the politics and infighting that predated regular anesthesia use is outlined in “Ether Day: The Strange Tale of America’s Greatest Medical Discovery and the Haunted Men Who Made It.”
Fenster’s initial chapter on surgery in those days is morbidly interesting. Some patients used opium to reduce sensitivity, but the drug’s effects were so wide-ranging — from nausea to death — as to be unreliable. Some tried hypnosis, others drank, and even ice and choking off blood flow were used to numb pain. But the suffering for anyone choosing surgery — and some chose to die of their disease rather than have surgery for it — was tremendous.
The rest of the story, though not elegantly written, is well researched, taking readers through the lives and events of the three men who helped bring anesthesia into popular use. Unfortunately, painkilling drugs could have been utilized sooner than they were. Fortunately they at least were discovered eventually.
Mom’s Medicine: How to Protect Your Kids, Husband and Parents Against More Than 100 Health Conditions and Medical Emergencies
By Editors of Prevention Magazine
Rodale: $17.95
“Mom’s Medicine: How to Protect Your Kids, Husband and Parents Against More Than 100 Health Conditions and Medical Emergencies” shouldn’t be judged by its too-quaint title. It’s a comprehensive source for children, teens, adults and the elderly that’s useful for anyone, whether you’re single or married, a mom or not.
Although it spans more than 500 pages, good organization and a lack of medical jargon make this easy to use and readable.
What sets this book apart, however, is that the authors gathered information from a wide range of health experts, including conventional doctors, nutritionists, herbalists and naturopathic physicians, so herbs and other “alternative” medicines are part of the mix.
It’s topical as well. The “Kids and Teens” section covers everything from acne and asthma to dating and drugs. “Mom’s Medicine for Men” discusses, among other things, abdominal fat, back pain, baldness and sports addiction.
Of course, women also deal with a few of the problems listed in this chapter (don’t we snore, have hemorrhoids and ulcers?).
The chapter on “Older Folks” covers arthritis, dementia, mobility problems and a host of other health issues; “Mom’s Medicine for Mom Herself” looks at everything from chronic fatigue to depression and menopause. Also covered is basic first aid for children and adults.
Dr. Paula’s Good Nutrition Guide for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
By Dr. Paula Elbirt
Perseus Publishing: $14
In “Dr. Paula’s Good Nutrition Guide for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers,” New York City pediatrician Paula Elbirt answers such qustions as whether it’s good to use vanilla ice cream to reward broccoli eating. And: What do you do with a child who eats only cheese sticks and bananas from a jar?
Elbirt, author of “Dr. Paula’s House Calls to Your Newborn,” takes a fairly standard, straightforward approach to the mysterious world of childhood eating. She discusses junk food and couch potatoes, when to introduce solid foods, feeding the sick child and the roadblocks parents may confront at different stages of a child’s life.
Her “10 Commandments of Nutrition” are backed with convincing explanations, and include: “Thou shall not confuse love with food”; “Thou shall not use food to control behavior”; “Thou shall not overreact to a picky eater” and “Thou shall not create a dessert monster.” All good food for thought.
Raising Healthy Children Day by Day:
365 Readings for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers, Birth to Age 5
By Jolene Roehlkepartain
Free Spirit: $10.95
Children, of course, like everyone else, can’t live by food alone. An interesting little book, “Raising Healthy Children Day by Day: 365 Readings for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers, Birth to Age 5” offers a quote a day, along with a brief reading and a simple action adults can take to reinforce that day’s missive.
Daily lessons from author Jolene Roehlkepartain include teaching a child to be honest, encouraging creativity, being a role model for your child and helping children interact in positive ways. The book is based on 120 assets (40 each) that infants, toddlers and preschoolers need for success, ranging from self-esteem and decision-making to caring and service.
