Reviews Written By: A31IPJA5MI4R4Kprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss | |
 | "Maintaining weight when hypothyroid isn't easy..." | 2009-03-17 |
| I liked this book. I think that too many people who review this book are looking for the magic pill that will not just fix their thyroid, but magically make it easy to lose weight. Let's get one thing straight - even with your thyroid meds optimized, weight loss is still something that you have to work at, just like everyone else on the earth. And if your meds aren't optimized it is even harder. So yes, Ms. Shamon does "rehash" the diet and exercise advice - these are necessary to everyone who wants to lose weight. She has compassion for those who aren't optimized and struggling with issues that make it harder for thyroid patients to lose weight - pain and fatigue that make exercise hard, a lower metabolism than the average person no matter what you do, etc. She does address many issues that often appear in those weight thyroid disease, such as gluten sensitivity, yeast overgrowth, and adrenal issues. She addresses facts and myths about thyroid disease, and gives a little diet test to help you decide which way of eating is going to work best for you. I scored high on the carbohydrate section which means I need to eat lower carb. The book mostly focused on people who are hypothyroid, mostly because most people who are hyperthyroid eventually become hyper through either removal of their thyroid or radiation to kill their thyroid, plus weight gain is more common in hypothyroidism than hyper. For those who are hyperthyroid, you would be better off with Ms. Shamon's book Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism. She starts off with basic information on what hypothyroidism is and gives a quick self-test. The more items you check, the more chance it is that you have thyroid disease (either hypo or hyper).The next chapter includes a short (too short I think) discussion on optimal TSH levels. She does not address optimal Free T3 or Free T4 levels, but does discuss these as blood tests you might want to have done. She gives advice of supplements and herbs that might aid with weight loss (again, there is no magic pill), including prescription pills, how to get in exercise even with pain and fatigue, and an eye opening calorie worksheet that estimates your base metabolic rate. Mine is incredibly low - around just 1200 calories a day! There is a large recipe section for those who like to cook. Each recipe includes calories, and grams of fat, carbohydrates, and protein. At the back of the book is a huge section of resources. It has everything from helpful books and magazines, diet tools, allergy testing labs, cookbooks, fitness and exercise, help finding a good doctor, and help finding a personal trainer. | ||
 | In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family | |
| "Growing up in a cult" | 2008-12-01 |
| This was a good book. The last book I read, "Unification Church" by J. Isamu Yamamoto, covered just the Unification Church's theology from a Christian perspective. This book does cover some theology, but it is primarily the story of one woman's life in the Unification Church. Ms. Hong was raised in the cult from the time she was born and new no other way of life. The Rev. Moon chose Ms. Hong to marry his eldest son. The eldest son turned out to be an abusive womanizer strung out on drugs and alcohol. Nevertheless, Ms. Hong felt it was her lot in life to live the way she did and did not seek to escape for 14 years and after having five children. She talks about Mr. and Mrs. Moon, their lavish lifestyles, and how church donations were handled. Sun Myung Moon was even convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The Moons felt they were above everybody else and lorded it over them. They neglected their own children, religious work being "more important." They were not the picture of sinless people, the "True Parents." This is a very good book and I highly recommend it for anyone who's interested in an insider's view of the Unification Church. | ||
 | You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management | |
| "Good book, but same old low-fat advice" | 2008-08-21 |
| You: On A Diet doesn't just lay out a diet plan, but addresses what goes on when we eat and the various chemicals in our bodies that effect our behaviors and body shape. Part 1 is a sort of introduction to your body. Part 2 is about appetite, your digestive system, inflammation, body fat, metabolism, and exercise. If you have ever wondered how food acts in your body and how food can effect how you feel and whether you store fat or burn it, this is the section for you. Part 3 focuses on how your mind effects your diet - emotions and psychology. Part 4 outlines the actual You diet and exercise plan and has a whole chapter about staying on plan by making "YOU-Turns" whenever you fall off the plan (and who sticks 100% to any diet 100% of the time?). The appendices cover medical intervention - drugs that cane help you lose weight, plastic surgery for saggy skin, and various bariatric procedures (stomach stapling, etc.). Throughout the book are little cartoons that illustrate the points made in the text. I found these helpful even though I am not a visual person. My main criticism is that they trot out the same old low-fat advice that hasn't helped America yet, and that they promote unhealthy vegetable oils. Neither do I believe that saturated fat is the enemy, though Mehmet and Oz do. This book is a good start, but I urge people to go beyond this and read more about vegetable oils and saturated fat and see if Mehmet and Oz are right in their views or not. Personally, the only oils I allow in my house are olive and coconut. Yes, coconut oil is a saturated fat. | ||
 | Sandisk 4GB Secure Digital SD HC Memory Card | |
 | "Love it!" | 2008-05-07 |
| I love it, it works as promised, and holds well over 30 minutes of video. Pops in and out of camera easily. It's a great product and worth the extra money over the 2.0 GB one. Two thumbs up! | ||
 | Omron Heart Rate Monitor, HR-100C | |
 | "Not what I hoped for" | 2008-05-07 |
| I'll break this down quickly - pros and cons: Pros: * The heart rate monitor works with the cardio equipment and the gym and my heart rate pops up on the screen. The watch reads about the same, so it IS accurate. * The battery in the monitor is easy to change. * As a woman I don't need the attaching strap. I just slip the monitor under my bra. * The monitor is comfortable to wear. * The monitor battery lasts a long time. * The watch does everything a stopwatch would do - time, date, stopwatch, split time, etc. Cons: * The watch arrived with a dead battery so I had to change it before I could even wear it. * The watch battery can only be changed by a jeweler or someone else who really knows what they are doing. If it is not changed by a jeweler, the warranty is void. * The watch EATS batteries like crazy. I don't have the time to get it changed properly every time it dies. After the second time I gave up on the watch and just use the monitor now. * Watch and monitor take the flat lithium batteries that are costly. * The watch mounter does not work on most cardio equipment; it's simply too small. I quickly found it totally useless in the gym. I went with this brand because I own an Omron scale and pedometer and am very happy with both, but this product disappointed me. Can't they make the watch battery easier to change? In short, there has got to be a better product than this. If I could do it over, I'd buy something else. | ||
 | Seductive Poison : A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple | |
| "Insider's view of the rise and fall of the Peoples Temple" | 2008-04-28 |
| This book is an insider's view of the rise and fall of the Peoples Temple. Ms. Layton was one of Jim's most trusted aides and as such knows more about what went on in the temple than the average member. She describes how she got sucked into the cult, her activities after being sucked in, what life was like in Jonestown, and how she came to see the truth and escape. At the end of the book she gives updates on many of the people who were significant to her, whether they survived or died, and, if they survived, how. I give it 4 out of 5 stars only because I read the book Escape right before this book and it was a more riveting read. The book is autobiographical in nature. Ms. Layton talks about all the things she was involved with in the Peoples Temple - the illegal bank accounts, her first time being raped by Jim Jones, how and when Jonestown went from a paradise to hell on earth (when Jones came, it completely changed), and the continuous brainwashing from when she first came to the temple to when she finally escaped. The escape itself completely absorbed me and it was hard to put the book down. Ms. Layton also gives insights into Jim Jones, his charisma, and his character. I was only 7 1/2 years old when Jonestown occurred and the book helped fill in so many details that I had never known. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. | ||
 | The Protein Power Lifeplan | |
| "A must-read for all people serious about health!" | 2006-08-24 |
| It doesn't matter what diet plan you are on - this is a must read book. If you believe in the government food pyramid, then challenge yourself. If you follow another low-carb plan, then learn more. I'm on Atkins but I think the Protein Power LifePlan is a great book. It covers different material than the original Protein Power book (which I also gave 5 stars), so don't think that if you've read that onem you can skip this one! It has chapters on cholesterol, fat, iron, antioxidants, sunshine, magnesium, exercise, etc. I took the magnesium advice and my chronic headaches have diminished! And I decided to all but stop using sunscreen. The Eades' further refine the original plan and spell everything out in this book. If you want to do their plan you MUST have this book because it gives step-by-step instuctions, something I found a bit lacking in the original book. Get it, buy it, read it, change your life and regain your health. Low-carb works! | ||
 | Protein Power: The High-Protein/Low Carbohydrate Way to Lose Weight, Feel Fit, and Boost Your Health-in Just Weeks! | |
| "Every low-carber should read this!" | 2006-07-12 |
| Let me start off by saying that I am not doing the Protein Power plan. I'm on another low-carb plan, and wholehearedly endorce any low-carb approach because THEY WORK! I *loved* this book. I hadn't realized how much stuff *wasn't* in Dr. Atkins book until I read this. This book is chock full of the science and biology behind low-carb. The Eades' explain insulin, glucogen, and eicosanoids in great detail. If you want to know how carbs act in the body, this is the book! They also explain cholesterol, why you don't want it too high OR too low, and the different functions of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and HDL ("good" cholesterol). Did you know that cholesterol is absolutely necessary to life? They explain how health declined in civilizations as humankind became agricultural and went from a high protein hunter-gatherer diet to a high carbohydrate agricultural diet. Fascinating stuff. And if you enjoy cooking, this book has an extensive recipe section. It's too good to miss. If you want to know about the science and biology of low-carb vs. high-carb, are on another low-carb plan, or are interested in trying this plan, it's a must-read, don't-miss book! | ||
 | OMRON HJ112 Premium Pedometer | |
| "Best pedometer I've ever owned" | 2006-06-02 |
| I love this pedometer. I calibrated it on the treadmill at the gym until the treadmill and pedometer were pretty close in distance. It has a clock and counts steps, "aerobic steps" (steps for at least 10 consecutive minutes) and the time you spent walking aerobically, distance, and calories. It also has a seven day memory that you can pull up with the touch of a button. It automatically resets to zero at midnight every night. If you want a pedometer, spend a little extra and get this one! Also, most pedometers make a clicking sound as you walk (that's how they count your steps). This one is totally silent, which is nice, because the clicking can get to you after a while. The downsides: it's so sensitive that even riding the bus or train will cause it to tick off some steps and there's no off button to prevent this. The only thing the pedometer is missing is the off button and a stopwatch feature! By the way, another reviewer said that shaking it won't make it count off steps. It actually WILL count off steps if you shake it, but because it doesn't count the first 10 steps on the screen, it may look like it's not counting. Shake it long enough and it will start counting. The display will suddenly read 10 steps and go up from there. | ||
 | God's Smuggler | |
| "I was really surprised!" | 2006-05-08 |
| This book was given to me as a gift, and I tend to be suspicious of how good a book given as a gift might be. But this book was fantastic! It was hard to put down. Even Brother Andrew's boyhood days and life before he became a Christian was written in a way that kept you turning pages. I was sucked in very quickly. The book reminded me a lot of the 1970s movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. In both I saw a firey passion for God, a passion I wish I had. I found myself jealous of both St. Francis and Brother Andrew. I long for miracles in my life. But it did remind me that the God in the Bible is just as active today as He was 2,000 years ago. Here is a 20th century person receiving almost daily miracles. The book takes you from his boyhood all the way to Bible smuggler, and all the twists and turns in between - factory worker, soldier, etc. Each adventure is recounted in a way to keep you interested, no matter how mundane the job. At any rate, this is a great book and worth reading. Buy it! | ||
 | The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? | |
| "I'll make you think differently about things you thought you knew" | 2006-05-08 |
| I really liked this book. It helped me to see worship, fellowship, discipleship, servce, and mission in new ways. I'll admit - I only read it because my church used it as a full study with the videos, sermons, and Sabbath School discussions. But once again my church picked a good book. :) Some people say it's too simplictic, but have they read it with an open mind? I've been a Christian for 10 years and I got a lot out of the daily readings. I even bought the companion journal and wrote down what I felt were the main points of each chapter. It *is* basic, but it's the basics presented in new ways that many of us have never considered. I have one gripe, the reason I'm not giving it 5 stars - Warren uses WAY too many Bible paraphrases. Many times he does it just to make a certain point because the verse uses the words he's using. I'm not sure this serves his point at all. It is valid to use a different *translation* to get people to read the verse and not just skip over it because they know it so well, but the paraphrases are quite distracting. And I don't have the time to look up every Bible quote and see what a real Bible actually says. Like many good books, this book can change your life if you put it into practice and live out the five purposes God has for each one of us. | ||
 | Disappointment with God | |
| "The best treatment of spiritual pain yet" | 2006-05-08 |
| This was the first Philip Yancey book I read. It was given to me. Since then I have bought and rebought several copies since I kept giving away my copy. The day I received the book I started reading and couldn't put it down. By 1 a.m. I was at page 100 and was crying. Yancey devotes the first 100 pages or so to how it must feel to be God - a view I had never really considered. When I saw all the heartbreak God has endured - and that I have caused Him in my own life - I literally sat down and cried. That doesn't happen often. He spends the second half of the book on the human side and talks extensively about Job. When it comes to questions about God's fairness, Job is the pre-eminant person to turn to. I read "Where Is God When It Hurts?" but that book deals more with physical pain, not something I have struggled with. This books deals with the spiritual pain and questions of where God is during the deepest darkness of our lives. It will revolutionize your view of who God is and what we can expect out of a relationship with Him. As for Richard - he broke my heart. I have asked the same questions he has, but managed to hold onto my faith. I felt bad for him that he could not. I have even prayed for him. Like all Yancey books he shares his own heart and doesn't give pat answers. I think that's why I like his writing so much. This is my favorite book by him although I also highly recommend "What's So Amazing About Grace?" and "Reaching for the Invisible God." | ||
 | God's Smuggler | |
| "I was really surprised!" | 2006-05-08 |
| This book was given to me as a gift, and I tend to be suspicious of how good a book given as a gift might be. But this book was fantastic! It was hard to put down. Even Brother Andrew's boyhood days and life before he became a Christian was written in a way that kept you turning pages. I was sucked in very quickly. The book reminded me a lot of the 1970s movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. In both I saw a firey passion for God, a passion I wish I had. I found myself jealous of both St. Francis and Brother Andrew. I long for miracles in my life. But it did remind me that the God in the Bible is just as active today as He was 2,000 years ago. Here is a 20th century person receiving almost daily miracles. The book takes you from his boyhood all the way to Bible smuggler, and all the twists and turns in between - factory worker, soldier, etc. Each adventure is recounted in a way to keep you interested, no matter how mundane the job. At any rate, this is a great book and worth reading. Buy it! | ||
 | HTML for Dummies | |
| "I learned basic HTML" | 2006-02-13 |
| A few years ago I wanted to learn basic HTML. I figured the best way to do this was to buy "HTML For Dummies" and use it to set up a basic Web site for my church. That way I got both theory and hands on practice. This is exactly what I did, and the book came through for me. I learned enough HTML to set up a basic, but working, Web site for my church. The only thing I wanted to learn but never could figure out from the book was frames. I settled on tables for navigation since all my attempts at frames failed. I have since gone on to do a Web site for my cats, a text based site on the subject of the Sabbath, and a Web site to track my weight loss and measurements. I even coded my own little blog at one point. The next thing I want to learn is some basic CSS to have better control over the Web sites I've created. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't know anything about HTML and wants to learn it. | ||
 | Dr. Atkin's Diet Revolution | |
| "Interesting as history" | 2006-01-04 |
| After the publication of "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution," this older version seems to have been neglected. Mostly this is good because while it's a great book and I enjoyed reading it, Dr. Atkins' understanding of things has come a long way since he wrote it. For example, the old version recommends almost zero carbohydrates and doesn't take fiber into account. The new book recommends no less than 20g of net carbohydrates, and fiber can be subtracted from the total count for any food since it doesn't raise blood sugar. In the old version, the first phase was simply called "Phase 1" and lasted only one week; now it is called "Induction" and lasts 2 weeks. Since it includes more carbs, it can be adhered to for up to six months. Dr. Atkins puts a big emphasis on ketone strips. The new program includes using them, but downplays them. Many people - like me - have trouble getting even light pink on our best days. I think downplaying, while still leaving the option there, is the best thing to do. Other differences just have to do with the passage of time. 30 years ago Splenda wasn't on the market, so there is no mention of it. Same with cyclomates. Who today has heard of this sweetener? And the cure for constipation then was a mild laxative. Nowadays fiber supplements are on the market and are the recommended thing. The only part of the book I skipped was the recipes, though if you are into cooking it would be a really awesome part to look through. It takes up significant space, so if you are looking for low carb recipes, the book might be worth the price just for that. I loved the end of the book and wish that section had been included in the new one. It's Dr. Atkins' statement to the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition of Human Needs on April 12, 1973 (very early versions of the book do not include this). He does a wonderful job of defending his diet to the naysayers. I highly recommend reading this section of the book. One last thing, the weight chart at the back of the book is not realistic in today's world. It's based on the old version of the Met Life charts. The new version allows people to weigh more, and I know my body just stalls out my weight loss at 145. On the old Met Life chart that was too much. On the new one it is a perfectly normal weight. I recommend this book as a good history lesson in how the diet began, but to lose weight I recommend "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution," which has the advantage of 30 years' worth of learning that the doctor didn't have when he wrote the first book. | ||
 | Babylon Rising | |
 | "Implausible storyline" | 2005-12-15 |
| I just couldn't "get into" this book. I've read the Left Behind series and love it, and had high hopes for this book. Unfortunetly, I couldn't suspend my disbelieve high enough to get over the totally implausible storyline. A guy who tries to kill Murphy (repeatedly) to get his tantilizing finds? What's the point? And why would Murphy consistently do it? A secret organization trying to convince the world that "evangelical Christians" are bad? I just couldn't believe it. And Talon. Totally couldn't believe anything he did. Killing people left and right when there were likely cleaner and safer ways to do the same things. It was more Hollywood than anything resembling reality. At least Left Behind told a plausible story. I put the book down when I was about halfway through and gave up. I'll give it an extra star for good writing style, but the complete implausibility of the story line was a real turn off. | ||
 | Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting | |
| "A good "how-to" book" | 2005-11-13 |
| Finally a Sabbath book that doesn't seek to convince one of which day should be kept as the Sabbath, but focusses instead on HOW to keep the Sabbath. The book is broken into four major parts - ceasing, resting, embracing, and feasting. Each of those chapter breaks its subject down into seven areas. For example, the section on resting covers physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and social rest. You don't have to agree with the author or her experiences to see the value in taking 24 full hours off each week. I can testify that when I was both working and going to school, that 24 hours kept me sane and gave me something to look forward to. If you want to know which day is the Sabbath, this book isn't for you. (I would recommend Samuele Bacchiocchi's book "From Sabbath To Sunday" to treat this subject.) If someone is looking for ways to keep the Sabbath and experience the full blessing of God on this day, then this book gives many ideas. | ||
 | Into the Wild | |
| "Worth the read, even if you are not a "nature" books fan!" | 2005-10-21 |
| I really enjoyed this book. It gave me a lot of insight into why Jon Krakauer wrote both this and "Into Thin Air." Krakauer spends two chapters talking about his own Alaskan adventure where he nearly died. So it shouldn't be surprizing that he takes a sympathetic view of Chris McCandless and his fatal Alaskan trek. He also delves into history and writes about other people who have died as they tried to get closer to nature, or were just plain ill-prepared for what they got themselves into, not giving Mother Nature the respects she demands, sometimes at the price of our lives. My favorite part was toward the end where he critiques his own "Outdoor" magazine article about McCandless and talks about where he was wrong, and then suggests how he thinks McCandless actually died. In depth and facinating. Worth the read. I loved it and I don't usually read nature-y type books. | ||
 | Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter | |
| "Pocket book for the supermarket" | 2005-10-21 |
| This purse-size book is indespensible! It lists total carbs, fiber, net carbs, protein, fat, and calories to help you make the best choices, or even endulge a little while knowing how much you are doing so! My copy is dog-eared and I carry it everywhere with me. When I think I might want something (like grapes, for example), I can look them up in the booklet right there in the supermarket and decide if they will fit into my diet plan or not. (The grapes were too high in carbs, in case you were wondering.) The book also lists many common and name brand items, both high and low carb. It is split into several sections such as beverages; milk, cream, butter, and yogurt; breads, muffins and crackers; fruit; pancakes, waffles, and breakfast pastries; poultry; sweeteners, jams, and syrups; etc. It even has a section for "dining out" with tips on dining away from home, and a "fast food" section with counts for popular foods at fast food restaurants. If you are watching either your fat or your carbs, you need this book! | ||
 | Atkins Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars 15/Box | |
| "Superior taste and nutrition" | 2005-09-15 |
| I often eat Advantage bars for breakfast. The Chocolate Peanut Butter is my favorite. I also like Cookies N' Cream, Chocolate Coconut, and Pralines and Cream. I do not like the Chocolate Decadance. The bars are high in fats and proteins, low in carbs, and full of vitamins (25% of the RDA of most vitamins). Most of the bars have no sugar alcohols. They are all roughly 230 calories (give or take 10). I stick mainly with Atkins products because I know they can be trusted. Other companies I am not so sure. For example, the South Beach meal bars - MEAL bars! - are full of sugar alcohol! That's not a meal bar; it's a CANDY bar! I refuse to buy the SB bars for this reason. Be sure to read my review of Dr. Atkins' book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution." It's a great way of eating and has helped me lose a ton of weight. :) | ||
 | All Atkins 50% Off! - Advantage Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter, 15 bars | |
| "Superior taste and nutrition" | 2005-09-15 |
| I often eat Advantage bars for breakfast. The Chocolate Peanut Butter is my favorite. I also like Cookies N' Cream, Chocolate Coconut, and Pralines and Cream. I do not like the Chocolate Decadance. The bars are high in fats and proteins, low in carbs, and full of vitamins (25% of the RDA of most vitamins). Most of the bars have no sugar alcohols. They are all roughly 230 calories (give or take 10). I stick mainly with Atkins products because I know they can be trusted. Other companies I am not so sure. For example, the South Beach meal bars - MEAL bars! - are full of sugar alcohol! That's not a meal bar; it's a CANDY bar! I refuse to buy the SB bars for this reason. Be sure to read my review of Dr. Atkins' book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution." It's a great way of eating and has helped me lose a ton of weight. :) | ||
 | Cornerstone KJV Ultrathin Reference Edition | |
| "Good for taking with you" | 2005-09-14 |
| I have a nice large study Bible that I use for church, but for trying to read through the Bible in a year, this is a nice and small version suitable for reading on the train or bus without drawing too much attention to what you're doing. A good travel Bible because it is so thin. | ||
 | Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith | |
| "What a wonderful read!" | 2005-07-12 |
| The history behind this fundamentalist movement is quite interesting. I wouldn't equate it with "The DaVinci Code," as that book is *fiction* and this book is not. Jon Krakauer traces the start of the LDS church, the rise of fundamentalism, and focuses specifically on the Lafferty brothers and those around them, as well as their murder plot against several people, including the two murders they eventually carried out. He makes it clear that mainstream LDS deny that these people are real Mormons. He ties the history in with why the Lafferty brothers feel they are *truly* following the teachings of Joseph Smith and those who followed after him. He uses original documents from that time and the teachings in the holy books mainstream Mormons still use today. I love true crime stories and this is my favorite Jon Krakauer book. | ||
 | Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, New and Revised Edition | |
| "Atkins works!" | 2005-06-27 |
| I started Atkins the end of March 2004. Excercise alone wasn't cutting it for me. I'd been working out for over a month and had lost hardly anything. Atkins was popular at the time, and thought I'd give it a try. I have never eaten so many vegetables in my life, and actually like them now! To the reviewer who said Atkins had heart problems, that's a bold face lie propagated by the PCRM, a vegan animal rights group affiliated with PETA. They don't like ANY diet that allows meat, eggs, cheese, butter, etc. Simple as that. They are as biased as a group can get. The truth is that Atkins had a heart infection caused by a virus he picked up on an oveseas trip. As for his being overweight at the time of his death, here's what *really* happened - he slipped on the sidewalk, hit his head, and the hospital pumped him full of steroids to try to reduce the swelling. Steroids cause MASSIVE water retention. So he was overweight, but it was all water. So to that reviewer: get your facts straight before you post. Ok, what Atkins did for me: 1) My adult acne cleared up. I now have clear skin. 2) I've lost 60 pounds and am near my goal. 3) My cholesterol is 166. 4) My bad cholesterol went down 14 points, and my good cholesterol went up 29 points! :) 5) My heart attack risk went from a good 3.4 down to an EXCELLENT 2.2. (Anything under 3.5 is considered "low risk," the lower the better.) 6) I've gone from a size 18 to a size 8/10. 7) My body fat went from 37.8% to 24%. That's a reduction of 13.8%. 8) My blood pressure went from high normal to low normal. It's currently about 100/62. 9) My triglicerides (a measure of how much fat is in your blood) are a rock bottom 39 (they need to be under 150, the lower the better). 10) I was so addicted to sugar that fruit didn't taste sweet. Now it is sweet. Even carrots are sweet now! 11) I have more energy and need less sleep. 12) As long as I keep my carbs at a low enough level I have no cravings and need no willpower. I sailed through Christmas, even with all the treats surrounding me at work. I cannot thank Dr. Atkins enough for turning my life around, changing my eating habits, and getting my horrible medication-induced carb cravings under control. I love this way of eating, and with my blood tests coming back so great, I'm sticking with it! Thanks, Dr. A! | ||
 | Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold | |
| "Reading through new eyes" | 2005-05-10 |
| I wanted to finish the book since so much more reading is piling up. As it is I stay up late doing my Bible reading by flashlight. So I just finished the book. I read the last half in about 2 days. I should know better than to do that. Reading deep stuff so quickly always makes me cry. I found myself crying at the end, because it was my story, my prayer. The whole story, as I guess Lewis intended, and Orual's final prayer. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you," she says at the very end. Oh God, that was so me! Now, 10+ years after reading this the first time, I understand. I understand so clearly. It moves me to tears. How could I have been so blind for so many years? I had always thought of Ungit as somehow good. Gods have to be good, right? I never saw that she was a metaphor for all that was ugly and sinful in us - a profane love that was not really love. It is odd to read this book through new eyes. We are Psyche. What that means I do not know. But reading this book a second time I see many of the layers I missed the first time. This is not like the Narnia series where the metaphors are often easy. This is a hard, deep book, meant for adults. I see many Christian metaphors I missed the first time because my head was with HER instead of Him. It's like how I used to read the Bible and it never made sense. Then, after I became a Christian, it became the most wonderful book and I began to study it with new eyes, and saw many things I'd overlooked before. And still I feel I've missed so many nuances in the book. Many things, I think, have double meanings. Lewis was a master with words. Something will have a meaning in the book, and another, deeper, Christian meaning. All of this went over my head the first time. I didn't understand a tenth of what Lewis was trying to convey. I guess I did not have a face then; I was not ready to listen to the truth, both the truth about me, and the truth about God (there's that double meaning again!). I could go on forever. There's not time nor space enough to write everything Lewis wove into this story. All I know is I thank God for showing me my life in these pages. The girl who was first handed the book was Orual, not able to hear the truth, not yet ready for the answer that would unmake her, change her. I know I'm not perfect. I won't truly have a face until the day I die and stand before God. But every day I die a little and become more the woman God wants me to be. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you." But no more. No more. | ||
 | The Christ of Christmas: The Advent Reader | |
| "Excellent Advent devotional!" | 2003-12-05 |
| This is an excellent devotional for the Advent season, even if you don't belong to a denomination that practices Advent (I don't). A little different than most devotionals for Advent, this one runs from Dec. 1-31, right up to the new year. The book is small and easy to carry on the bus or wherever. It includes a ribbon bookmark to keep your place. The pages are think and glossy - this book is built to last over many Christmas seasons! The daily Scriptures are printed in the book, so there is no need to go digging through your Bible unless you want to - there are additional readings for each day that do need to be looked up, but only if you have the inclination. I give it four stars. I don't agree with everything in it, but I would recommend it to everyone. Can I give it 4 1/2 stars? ;) Buy this book! :) | ||
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