Rebuilding Life after Brain Injury: Dreamtalk tells the survival story of Sheena McDonald, who in 1999 was hit by a police van and suffered a very severe brain injury. Sheena's story is told from her own, personal standpoint and also from two further unique and invaluable perspectives. Allan Little, a BBC journalist and now Sheena's husband, describes both the physical and mental impact of the injury on himself and on Sheena. Gail Robinson, Sheena's neuropsychological rehabilitation specialist, provides professional commentaries on Sheena's condition, assessment and recovery process. The word Dreamtalk, created by Allan to describe Sheena's once "hallucinogenic state", sets the tone for this book. It humanises and contextualises the impact of brain injury, providing support and encouragement for patients, professionals and families. It presents exclusive insights into each stage of recovery, spanning coma, altered consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia and rehabilitation; all showing how she has defied conventional clinical expectations and made an exceptional recovery. This book is valuable reading to those who have suffered a brain injury and also to professionals such as neurologists, neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists working in the field.

Readers' Choice Awards Honorable Mention Distinguished Honorable Mention, from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore "No matter how old you are or how many degrees you have or don't have-when grace takes you to school, you start in kindergarten." This was the experience of Reverend Glandion Carney when he was given the life-altering news that he has Parkinson's disease. He was plunged into denial and despair. This was not supposed to be his journey. How could he face it? With poignant vulnerability, The Way of Grace describes one man's journey into a new land of God's amazing grace. Both his honesty and his resilience will inspire and inform your own times of difficulty. In each chapter we are introduced to a spiritual practice that can carry us through difficult days: acceptance, relinquishment, community, simplicity and more. And a guide at the end of each chapter carries us into a brief and refreshing experience with each of the practices. God's unmerited grace saves us, strengthens us and sanctifies us. We too can experience lives full of grace and truth, courageously searching out God's wonders every day.

In 2002 Lucy Newlyn found herself incarcerated in a mental hospital in Leeds. She had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act as a danger to herself and others during a psychotic episode after several nights without sleep. The psychosis was triggered by nearly three years of grieving for a dead sister, followed by a vigil at her father's deathbed during which she hallucinated that his hospital ward was a trench in the First World War. The episode uncovered psychiatric problems, which led in due course to a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (manic depression). This condition, which involves extreme mood swings, is classified as a disability and requires medication; but it is also a source of creativity, giving access to some unusual dimensions of human experience. In her fifteen-year diary, Lucy Newlyn discloses recurring episodes of mania, depression, hallucination and paranoid delusion. Describing her struggles with family life and the workplace, she de-mystifies bipolarity and critiques an environment which still, even in the twenty-first century, is suspicious of mental illness. Above all, she celebrates the discovery that writing poetry enables a cathartic engagement with her own condition. Diary of a Bipolar Explorer is not a self-help manual but a candid confessional memoir which offers no easy solutions. It involves a mixture of observation and reflection, interspersing poetry with prose. Written accessibly, it will appeal to anyone interested in mental illness, creative process and the life of the mind.

325 astute and practical ideas, insights, tips and strategies address the complex issues parents face during this crucial period of transition for their child with Asperger Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder). The practical, bite-size suggestions focus on the vital importance of developing and nurturing an open and healthy relationship with your son or daughter. The easy-to-navigate format will suit busy parents wanting to locate advice to suit their particular needs. All the suggestions are designed to foster understanding and acceptance between family members and help the AS young person with common problem areas such as social vulnerability and peer relationships, self-esteem, anxiety and coping with change. This will be an invaluable companion for parents, carers and family members of an adolescent or young adult with AS.

*** NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER *** What do obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, neurological disorders and premature death have in common? All can be stoked by high uric acid levels. Our most respected scientific literature is bursting with evidence that elevated uric acid levels lie at the root of many pervasive health conditions, but mainstream medicine for the most part remains unaware of this connection. This is especially alarming because many people don't know they are suffering from sky-high levels, putting them at risk for developing or exacerbating potentially life-threatening illnesses. Offering an engaging blend of science and practical advice, Drop Acid exposes the deadly truth about uric acid and teaches invaluable strategies to manage its levels, including: - Simple dietary edits focused on reducing fructose and foods high in 'purines' that can raise uric acid. - Natural hacks that lower levels such as consuming tart cherries, vitamin C, quercetin, and coffee. - Identifying common pharmaceuticals that threaten to increase uric acid. - Lifestyle interventions, like restorative sleep and exercise. - How to easily test your uric acid levels at home - a test routinely performed in your doctor's office during regular check-ups but typically ignored. Featuring the ground-breaking 'LUV' (Lower Uric Values) diet, 35 delicious recipes, self-assessment quizzes and a 21 day program for dropping levels, Drop Acid empowers readers with the information they need to address this hidden danger and live longer, leaner and healthier lives.

This book examines narratives of dementia in contemporary literary texts, studying what is now a pressing issue with deep political, economic, and social implications for many ageing societies. As part of the increasing visibility of dementia in social and cultural life, these narratives pose ethical, aesthetic, and political questions about subjectivity, agency, and care that help us to interrogate the cultural discourse of dementia. Contemporary Narratives of Dementia is a seminal book that offers a sustained examination of a wide range of literary narratives, from auto/biographies and detective fiction, to children's books and comic books. With its wide-reaching theoretical and critical scope, its comparative dimension, and its inclusion of multiple genres, this book is important for scholars engaging with studies of dementia and ageing in diverse disciplines. Sarah Falcus is a Reader in Contemporary Literature at the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has research interests in contemporary women's writing, feminism and literary gerontology. She is the co-director of the Dementia and Cultural Narrative (DCN) network. Katsura Sako is an Associate Professor of English, at Keio University, Japan. Her main field of research is in post-war/contemporary British literature, and she has particular interests in gender, ageing and illness. She is a member of the steering committee of the DCN network.

A "courageous, compassionate, and rigorous every-person's guide" (Christina Bethell, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) that shows the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and diseases, and how to cope and heal from these emotional traumas. Your biography becomes your biology. The emotional trauma we suffer as children not only shapes our emotional lives as adults, but it also affects our physical health, longevity, and overall well-being. Scientists now know on a bio-chemical level exactly how parents' chronic fights, divorce, death in the family, being bullied or hazed, and growing up with a hypercritical, alcoholic, or mentally ill parent can leave permanent, physical "fingerprints" on our brains. When children encounter sudden or chronic adversity, stress hormones cause powerful changes in the body, altering the body's chemistry. The developing immune system and brain react to this chemical barrage by permanently resetting children's stress response to "high," which in turn can have a devastating impact on their mental and physical health as they grow up. Donna Jackson Nakazawa shares stories from people who have recognized and overcome their adverse experiences, shows why some children are more immune to stress than others, and explains why women are at particular risk. "Groundbreaking" (Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance) in its research, inspiring in its clarity, Childhood Disrupted explains how you can reset your biology-and help your loved ones find ways to heal. "A truly important gift of understanding-illuminates the heartbreaking costs of childhood trauma and like good medicine offers the promising science of healing and prevention" (Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart).

Cheryl Fong's battles in life didn't begin with the onset of Motor Neurone Disease. In a starkly honest autobiography, she relates her story of hardship growing up in a country town with an exacting mother and a demanding father. Her nursing career in Darwin came to an abrupt end as she became the unmarried mother of a son in difficult circumstances. Surviving Cyclone Tracy and a failed first marriage, her good humour, compassion and intelligence gave her strength to face further challenges, culminating in love at forty. The onset of Motor Neurone Disease prompted her to write her history for her sons, with a view to being an aid to other MND sufferers. Yet all readers will be elevated by this touching story of a brave, strong, kind woman whose legacy was to be "Beloved on this Earth".

"Keto for Cancer brings clarity to this emerging science and makes implementation of this information straightforward and uncomplicated."-David Perlmutter, New York Times bestselling author "This book addresses every question or concern that cancer patients might have in using a ketogenic metabolic strategy for managing their cancer."-Thomas Seyfried ,PhD THE comprehensive guide for patients and practitioners from a foremost authority in the emerging field of metabolic therapies for cancer. Although evidence supporting the benefits of ketogenic diet therapies continues to mount, there is little to guide those who wish to adopt this diet as a metabolic therapy for cancer. Keto for Cancer fills this need. Nutritionist Miriam Kalamian has written the book to lay out comprehensive guidelines that specifically address the many challenges associated with cancer, and particularly the deep nutritional overhaul involved with the ketogenic diet. Kalamian, a leading voice in the keto movement, is driven by passion from her own experience in using the ketogenic diet for her young son. Her book addresses the nuts and bolts of adopting the diet, from deciding whether keto is the right choice to developing a personal plan for smoothly navigating the keto lifestyle. It is invaluable for both beginners and seasoned users of the ketogenic diet, as well as for health-care professionals who need a toolkit to implement this targeted metabolic therapy. The book guides readers to a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential of the ketogenic diet-which extends well beyond simply starving cancer-emphasizing the powerful impact the diet has on the metabolism of cancer cells. Nutritional nuances and meal templates and tracking tools are explored in sections such as: Fasting Protocols Know What's in the Foods You Eat Preparing Keto Meals Put Your Plan Into Action Kalamian also discusses important issues such as self-advocacy empowering readers by offering tips on how to critically examine cancer-care options and then incorporate what resonates into a truly personalized treatment plan.

"A pitch-perfect memoir: stylish, erudite, touchingly honest and darkly funny." Jacqueline Wilson "We all have trapdoors in our lives. Sometimes we jump off just in time ... But sometimes we are unlucky enough to be on the trapdoor when the lever is pulled. My own trapdoor was hidden in the consulting room of an Oxford neurologist." When the trapdoor opened for Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, he plummeted into a world of MRI scans, a disobedient body and the crushing unpredictability of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. But, like Alice tumbling into Wonderland, his fall did something else. It took him deep into his own mind: his hopes, his fears, his loves and losses, and the books that would sustain, inform and nourish him as his life began to transform in ways he could never have imagined. From Kafka to Barbellion, this is a literary map of the journey from the kingdom of the well to the land of the sick, and forwards into a hopeful future. It's an ode to great writing, to storytelling, to science and to the power of the imagination. And, above all, it's a darkly comic and moving reflection on what it means to be human in a world where nothing is certain.

Are you constantly exhausted? Does sleep not refresh you? Is your balance not what it was? Do you have tingling or even burning in your fingers and toes? Then your problem may be vitamin B12 deficiency. Your doctor may test you for this but your blood levels look OK so what should you do then? Or you may receive treatment but not feel any better? This book is a guide to the complexities of this deceptively simple problem - how it can be diagnosed, how it can be treated, and how those who have it can cope with the lifelong repercussions. Incorporating the latest research, and the input of the thousands of members of the Pernicious Anaemia Society, this book is both practical and engaging, illustrated with many personal stories that will resonate with sufferers and their friends and families.

If you have a loved one who is experiencing suicidal thoughts, you may feel deeply afraid-both of loss and of saying the wrong thing and making matters worse. Based on decades of clinical experience in suicidology, this compassionate guide gives readers the essential communication techniques and coping skills they need to support a loved one in crisis, while also taking care of themselves. If you love someone who is having suicidal thoughts, you may struggle with the profound fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. You want to help, and you may even feel a kind of desperation to make sure your loved one is safe, but are unsure of where to start. This book can guide you as you support your loved one-without sacrificing your own needs and well-being. You'll find the answers to some of your most urgent questions, including: - What are signs, symptoms, and clues of suicide risk? - How do I talk with my loved one about their suicidal thoughts? - When should I call the police? - What treatments are available? - How can I help the person I care about stay safe? - What can I do to help them feel better? - What can I do to cope better, too? - What happens after a suicidal crisis? Written by a psychotherapist and based on decades of clinical experience in suicidology, this compassionate guide offers essential communication techniques you can use to help your loved one, as well as coping and self-care strategies to help you navigate intense stress, worry, fear, and anxiety. Drawn from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindful self-compassion, the tools in this book will assist you in navigating difficult or painful conversations with your loved one, as well as manage your own emotions. If someone close to you is experiencing suicidal thoughts, you may feel afraid-both of loss and of saying the wrong thing and making matters worse. This book will help you recognize warning signs, improve communication, create a safety plan, know when to seek professional help, and support a loved one in crisis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalitis, (CFS/ME) affects approximately 180,000 people in the UK. This title offers expert advice, accompanied by real life stories, on managing different aspects of everyday life that can affect energy and they show how to put this advice into practice.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Both very funny and as propulsive as a thriller...impossible to put down' RACHEL COOKE, Observer 'Breathtaking . . . this book is a gift' MERYL STREEP 'The kind of book you will find yourself saying urgently, over and over, to friends: 'Have you read it?' CAITLIN MORAN 'Gripping, funny and always honest' DAVID NICHOLLS 'Truly breathtaking. I could not have loved it more' CAREY MULLIGAN ________________________ An ordinary day. The end of ordinary life. One morning in June, Abi had her to-do list - drop the kids to school, get coffee and go to work. Jacob had a bad headache so she added 'pick up steroids'. She returned home and found the man she loved and fought and laughed with for twenty years lying on the bathroom floor. And nothing would ever be the same again. But this is not a pity memoir. It's about meeting your person. And crazed late night Google trawls. It's about the things you wished you'd said to the person that matters then wildly over-sharing with the barista who doesn't know you at all. It's about sushi and the wrong shoes and the moments you want to shout 'cut'. It's about the silence when you are lost in space and the importance of family and parties and noise. It's the difference between surviving and living. It's a reminder that, even in the worst times, there is light ahead. It's a love story.

Winner of the 2015 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize A Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Foreword by Oliver Sacks What is autism: a devastating developmental condition, a lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more - and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. Following on from his groundbreaking article 'The Geek Syndrome', Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Going back to the earliest autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle while casting light on the growing movement of 'neurodiversity' and mapping out a path towards a more humane world for people with learning differences.

An Unquiet Mind is a definitive examination of manic depression from both sides: doctor and patient, the healer and the healed. A classic memoir of enormous candour and courage, it teems with the wit and wisdom of its writer, Dr Kay Redfield Jamison. With an introduction by Andrew Solomon, writer and lecturer on psychology and culture. 'It stands alone in the literature of manic depression for its bravery, brilliance and beauty.' - Oliver Sacks I was used to my mind being my best friend. Now, all of a sudden, my mind had turned on me: it mocked me for my vapid enthusiasms; it laughed at all of my foolish plans; it no longer found anything interesting or enjoyable or worthwhile. Dr Kay Redfield Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic depression (bipolar disorder) - and has experienced its terrors and cruel allure first-hand. While pursuing her career in medicine, she was affected by the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic lows that afflicted many of her patients. From her jubilant childhood to the disquiet that has dominated her adult life, she charts a journey through her own mind, and those of others.

Envisioned as a resource for yoga teachers and all mental health and health professionals, Head and Heart is intended for: all health professionals who focus on mental health and/or wellbeing and want to broaden their understanding of how yoga and creative art therapy interventions can influence mental health approaches, best practices, and efficacy of treatment those who assist the therapeutic /healing processes who aspire to incorporate both yoga and creative art therapy interventions into their practice yoga therapy practitioners/teachers and creative art therapists/teachers who wish to deepen their knowledge of integrating yoga and creative art approaches into yoga, mental health and well-being. Western psychological processes (compared to the Klesas, V?ittis, Kosas, Gu?as, Do?as, Nadi System, Cakras, and the Yamas and Niyamas) make this book accessible even to those unfamiliar with yogic philosophy and psychology. Clearing exercises, warm-up techniques, yogic breathing for mood management, modifications and sequencing of poses, assessments (for the mind and body), digital and telehealth applications, yoga prop usage, and co-morbid, clinical cases (children, adolescents and adults) are presented throughout as a guide for the reader. Practical reflection exercises are offered in the Introductory chapter and chapters 3-6. These suggested practices summarize and reiterate the clinical material for the reader, and afford expansion toward oneself and /or one's clinical caseload. No matter what form it takes to move towards a creative opening, the reader will find that this book will aid you in moving yourself and your patients into the exploration of art, yoga, and well-being. This interoceptive research (going within) facilitates an expansion towards self and others and ensures that expansion, whether making art, practising yoga or working with disease. May this book move you and your patients toward that trajectory of sattva and well-being.

Are you tired? Achy? Depressed? Overweight?
You could be suffering from an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune disease is the third major category of illness in the United States, yet very little is known about the many serious and chronic immune conditions. If you're one of the 50 million Americans suffering from one kind of autoimmune disease-whether it's lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or Crohn's disease-there's a good chance you'll develop another.

Written by Mary J. Shomon, a well-known patient advocate who was diagnosed with autoimmune disease in 1995, this guide to alternative and natural remedies shows you how to treat the underlying causes of immune system imbalance, not just the symptoms. It contains first-person accounts from doctors, patients, and holistic practitioners, as well as checklists, quizzes, and a proposed recovery plan. In addition, it offers detailed information about:

• The most common autoimmune conditions • The factors that can lead to autoimmune disease • Interpreting your symptoms • Procedures and treatments • Finding the right doctor

Until we find a cure, living with autoimmune disease can be frightening and frustrating. But it doesn't have to be. This valuable guide helps you understand what may be causing the disorder and helps you take the first healthy, natural steps toward correcting it.

This text provides a wide overview of all aspects which are part of, and closely associated with, mental illness. The medical components and projection of mental illness, the ill person's struggles with his or her illness and other family member's experiences and struggles alike - these three aspects are essential for families to be familiar with in order to understand their ill person, cope better with mental illness themselves and at the same time gain some control that has been taken away from them. By utilising and providing problem solving methods and a solution focused approach, this book demonstrates how to drastically reduce stress, the unpleasant confrontations and arguments that often are a daily occurrence and associated with mental illness.

Self-harm is increasingly prevalent in our society. But few of us understand why, or know what to do to help ourselves, friends or family in such situations. It can be very isolating.

Understanding and Responding to Self-Harm aims to fill this gap, providing practical information and advice for anyone who has an experience of self-harm.

Showing the various forms self-harm can take, this book explores the reasons behind it, and offers advice on self-management, support to others, and what services are available. Full of clear, thoughtful advice for those who may be thinking of harming themselves, or have already done so, as well as guidance for families and friends on helpful strategies and responses - and ones to avoid - it uses evidence from research and direct experience to provide an essential resource.

Exploring the potential for storytelling as a creative practice for health and well-being, Michael Wilson considers how the art form might help us reconsider the power relationships in healthcare contexts and restore agency to patients, in partnership with medical professionals. Storytelling is explored not simply as a means of conveying information and experience from one person to another but as an act of listening, a process for thinking, evaluating and understanding. Wilson reflects on his over thirty of years of researching and practising storytelling, and blends his experience with a collection of case studies representing diverse approaches to storytelling for health, including theatre, stand-up comedy, writing, visual arts and digital storytelling. Most importantly, storytelling is approached not from the point of view of the medical practitioner or educator, or even the patient, but through the lens of those who tell stories as a creative and everyday practice. It is a book with the storyteller at its core.

100 simple lifestyle changes you can make right now to prevent Type 2 diabetes and reverse a pre-diabetic diagnosis in an easy-to-use, user-friendly handbook. There are currently 84 million people in the United States living with a prediabetes diagnosis-left untreated, prediabetes can turn into full Type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years. While being told you are prediabetic can be scary, Healthy Habits for Managing and Reversing Prediabetes shows you 100 simple habits that you can implement in your daily life to lower your risk of developing diabetes. Healthy Habits for Managing and Reversing Prediabetes is packed with easy, straightforward tips to help you stop diabetes in its tracks. The secret? It's all about lifestyle changes-from eating less fat to incorporating more vegetables into your diet to exercising 150 minutes per week. This handbook will show you how easy it is to apply these changes and many more into your routine to live a full, happy, and healthy life. These simple modifications could be the difference between a healthy diabetes-free life and a diabetes diagnosis. You can control your fate-start now.