nutrition | BooksYALove

Pellagra…
a disease brought on by poverty?
bad sanitation? poor nutrition?

Wait! When was the last time you heard of anyone suffering from its bright red rashes, impaired digestive system, delirious visions, and death?

Thanks to the doctors who wouldn’t quit searching for answers, you probably never will!

Red Madness recounts the medical sleuthing involved and tells why pellagra is listed as an inactive disease in today’s USA.
Thankfully, all the historic photos are in black and white.

**kmm

Book info: Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat / Gail Jarrow. Calkins Creek, 2014. [author site] [publisher site] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Baffled by a Europe-only disease appearing in the southern USA before World War I, scientists and doctors raced to find the cause of pellagra which led to insanity and death.

Some blamed the disease on moldy corn or sugarcane products, others stated that only poor people in squalor contracted pellagra. When a well-to-do Atlanta woman died of its painful red rashes, weight loss, and delirium under none of these conditions, US doctors and researchers began having conferences to stop this deadly killer. Was it contagious? Was it dietary?

Red Madness shares case histories and photographs of pellagra sufferers in the early 20th century and chronicles the medical detective work of Babcock, Goldberger, and others who devoted countless hours of observation and research to conquering this fatal disease. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Classes and homework.
Club meetings and time with friends.
Who has time for exercise?
You do!

Without fancy equipment, expensive gym memberships, or high-tech shoes, you can improve your overall health as you fit fitness into your daily routine without sacrificing everything else.

The authors of this March 2013 release are long-time fitness experts and started their Fit-Bottomed Girls website to share what they’ve learned. Grab this paperback and start some easy healthy fitness habits today.
**kmm

Book info: A Girl’s Guide to Fitting In Fitness / Erin Whitehead and Jennipher Walters. Zest Books, 2013. [authors’ website] [publisher site] [book trailer]

My Recommendation: Busy teens can’t spare time to spend hours in the gym, but anyone can find small chunks of time – at home, at school, on weekends, or during the summer – to improve their fitness and overall health.

After briefly assessing your energy level, sleep quality, stress level, and confidence as a starting point, you can choose exercise types and times that motivate you – from a solo dance party to your own rotation of warmup, cardio, strength, flexibility, and cooldown moves.

The authors offer several sample routines, plus good advice on avoiding injuries, easing your way into a wakeup workout, and different ways to make breakfast in a hurry. Proper hydration, the benefits of just plain walking, and how to fit your fitness plan into summer work or vacation are also covered.

If you want to pick up the pace with a 5K run or other competitive event, check out all the tips on training, goal-setting, and keeping yourself motivated as you prepare.

Round out your fitness with relaxation, from yoga to massage to restful sleep, so that your body has time to recover from exercise and your mind can let go of stress.

Young women will welcome the variety of exercise and relaxation routines collected here by Whitehead and Walters, along with reputable apps and websites relating to fitness and nutrition. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.