Tara Parker-Pope, editor of health topics at the Wall Street Journal, has examined this year's health books and come up with her favorites:
- The Portion Teller: Smartsize Your Way to Permanent Weight Loss by Lisa R. Young (Morgan Road Books, $19.95, 0767920686). The author "makes a convincing case that it's not what we eat (carbs, proteins or fat) but how much we eat that really counts. She notes that most of us wouldn't eat five slices of bread for breakfast, but have no problem scarfing down the equivalent--a large bagel."
- 101 Diseases You Don't Want to Get by Michael Powell and Oliver Fischer, M.D. (Thunder's Mouth, $14.95, 1560257377). "This pocket guide offers a quick summary of some of the worst afflictions known to man. Reading it is a little bit like watching a scary movie, but it's also a fascinating tour of the human condition around the globe."
- Why Do Men Have Nipples?: Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg, M.D. (Three Rivers, $12.95, 1400082315). "I think the real message of this book is one of patient empowerment, and the importance of taking charge of your health, asking lots of strange questions and finding a doctor who is willing to answer them."
- Tales from the Scale by Erin J. Shea (Polka Dot Press, $12.95, 1593373287). "The book is filled with essays from seven women who tell their stories of growing up, getting fat and trying to take it off. These are stories from the front lines of dieting, dealing with childhood experiences (one woman's mother was a Weight Watchers meeting leader), honest stories about binge eating and even the depressing deflation of breast size that accompanies weight loss."
- Back Rx: A Fifteen-Minute-A-Day Yoga-And Pilates-Based Program to End Low Back Pain Forever by Vijay Vad, M.D., and Hilary Hinzmann (Gotham, $18, 1592400450). "At a time when many doctors still advise surgery to relieve back pain, Dr. Vad remains a staunch advocate for trying nonsurgical solutions first--and second and third."
- A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician's Tour of the Body by Darshak Sanghavi, M.D. (Owl, $15, 0805075119). "A tour of the human body one body part at a time. . . . Along the way, Dr. Sanghavi relates tales of patients he treated, scientific breakthroughs and stories of health problems that afflict his own family. The result is a fascinating study of the inner workings of the human machine and what happens when it breaks down."