Deep Water

We all want drugs to be made available that will cure the world of what is ailing us, even saving the life of someone we know. But just how does all those clinical trials really work? Are pharmaceutical companies really willing to risk whatever it takes to get their newest drugs to market?  That is the latest premise behind Christine Poulson's medical thriller Deep Water.

When a man dies based on the human testing portion of a new drug to target obesity in humans and offer something the world has been waiting for, suddenly everything is called into question. When the lab book goes missing that contains all the necessary information pertaining to the step-by-step processes of those who have been working on the drug and then the lawyer assigned to the case winds up dead, something is going wrong and they are running out of time to uncover what is really happening behind the scenes.

It gets personal for Daniel Marchmont, a patent lawyer whose ex-wife Jennifer was killed while investigating this case. Daniel's daughter Chloe will be one of the first patients to benefit from a new drug if the testing can be confirmed to prevent her from having daily blood infusions or else die from her genetic disorder and one that the lab who was also working on the obesity drug is handling. Are corners being cut for the sake of profit or is there something more sinister in the works.

I received Deep Water by Christine Poulson compliments of Kregel Publications and Lion Hudson Publishers. It definitely opens the readers eyes to what really goes on behind all those clinical trials and makes you wonder what might happen if something should suddenly go wrong when it comes to human testing. Is it worth billions if one person dies so others can live? A chilling look at a medical mystery, I only wish it would have closed out the story-lines a bit better, but perhaps a sequel is in the works to continue where this one kinda of left off. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Deep Water, Christine Poulson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Deep Water by Christine Poulson

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To read more reviews on Deep Water, please visit Kregel Publications website. 

The Student Body - Movie Review

Obesity.

It is a term almost everyone understands and it doesn't need defining. The federal government along with our current President and First Lady and state lawmakers however have taken it upon themselves to govern which students in public schools are labeled within limits, obese or underweight. Like students need any more labels thrust upon them. Believe me if you are like most people I know, we already wear our own labels or ones society deems we need in order hopefully to enact some type of reform or change as if things are simply that easy to change like eat less and exercise more.

The Student Body is a documentary by Bailey Webber who takes it upon herself to find out the answers why lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to pass controversial mandates forcing schools to perform BMI tests on students. They felt these were non evasive and easy to conduct and when students fell into one of three categories, letters were generated to parents in hopes of educating them and seek help for their children if they were determined to be under weight or over weight. This launched a national debate. Coined the "fat letters" by students, notification letters were sent to kids whose body mass did not fall within a narrowly acceptable range; essentially telling children, even as young as kindergartners, that they are fat.

Maddie, a friend of Bailey's cause is the inspiration behind the documentary who received such a "fat letter" in the same envelope her report card came in. While she excelled at being a straight A student, it was the letter that drove Maddie into a deep depression when she felt less than worthy in an area where it wasn't possible for her to simply change her eating and workout habits. Even more shocked were Maddie's parents who felt the district overstepped their bounds in sending out the letters and making them feel less that worthy parents. Like that they had failed their child somehow.

Bailey takes viewers through the documentary into the bureaucrats who passed the law, one of them taking over 7 months to sit down and discuss with her why his actions in passing this bill, lead to the letters being distributed. His only response is that the one reading the letter has a responsibility to not take it as Maddie did and simply see it as a way of making better choices in their health for the future. What the lawmakers believe is that people who are obese don't want to lose the weight and need to be told. What they fail to understand is obese people know they are overweight or close to it. No one needs to be weighed and calculated whether they fall into an acceptable or unacceptable range. Interestingly enough all but 3 of the legislators were deemed to be obese based on their own BMI numbers.

The one thing science and nutritionists have determined is that it has only been in the last few years that obesity has become a global epidemic not only in the US, but other nations as well including animals used in testing and in zoos. The one thing the film provides is that further research is needed to come up with a better plan at managing obesity rather than simply telling someone to eat less and exercise more. Until then, I believe that lawmakers need to stop placing labels on kids about their weight ranges. It could push kids into eating disorders when they are told they are too fat or too thin and really cause things to spiral out of control. They aren't passing laws for the rest of the nation, why target kids?  I received The Student Body compliments of Nightfly Entertainment and Edify Media Inc. This movie is currently playing in select theaters now, and will come to video early next year, but I believe it is one all parents should watch and be involved in. For me, this one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Student Body, where you can find a theater near you playing it, or how you can get involved, please click on the links below:

The Study Body by Nightfly Entertainment

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Let Food Be Your Medicine

Is it possible that the very foods we eat are not only contributing to the many diseases and illnesses that are taking our lives before their time, but the foods we crave are what is feeling things like cancer, dementia, heart disease and diabetes? Not only is it the types of foods but also when we eat them, in what amounts and that the very "good" foods we grew up on have been so genetically modified, our government and FDA no longer have to provide disclaimers for the products we find our own shelves. It is no wonder that obesity and disease are running so high here in America while other countries are refusing to offer these types of products or even incorporate them into their diets at all. What if there was a way to drastically change your medical prognosis simply by giving up the food that is killing you? Would you be willing to do it?

Sadly most are not willing to give up certain foods like wheat, dairy, cheeses, salts, sugars and other foods for the sake of not only possibly eliminating things like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, ADHD, mental illnesses, along with getting healthier, losing weight and living longer. In Let Food Be Your Medicine by Don Colbert, MD, offers some advice in this book on how simple dietary changes have been proved to prevent or reverse diseases like the ones mentioned above and provides some great tips along the way such as which fruits should diabetics avoid and which ones they should eat. This is exactly what this book is all about, living a healthy lifestyle that both treats and prevents disease. And that is living life to the fullest and I am so excited to begin my own journey.

We all know that anytime you make an appointment to see a doctor, most of the time, all you walk home with is a prescription to treat the symptoms of what you went in to see them for. "Most of what doctors learn after graduation is taught to them by pharmaceutical reps, so it is really hard to fault the doctors completely for this. They are bogged down, and don't have the time, money or resources to do what I did. I don't fault the doctors but I do fault the system. Doctors are so busy treating patients, doing paperwork, and figuring out how to bill for services, much less be paid, that we have come to rely on training from the pharmaceutical world. Doctors need to take continuing education classes every two years to stay licensed. Imagine if all medical doctors took just two classes on preventive health. That would transform things." (pg 21-22).

After my own husband suffered a massive heart attack, in meeting with his cardiologist, we learned some surprising and chilling facts, that most men and women who are having cardiovascular issues are doing so much younger and younger than ever before, and he firmly believes that diet is the root cause. There are some incredible tips and food plans inside this easy to read book and Dr. Don Colbert used his own medical issues to come up with the ideal prescription that all of us need if we want to rule out these illnesses, diseases and live much longer. Learn what foods relieve ADHD and Autism and which ones contribute to it, learn how inflammation plays a key role in causing so many of the life threatening diseases and illness today and how some simple diet changes can improve your life and thus eliminating all those prescription costs. If it is so simple, then why aren't people willing to give it a try?

I received Let Food Be Your Medicine by Don Colbert MD, compliments of Worthy Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. What a great way to begin 2016, with a healthy lifestyle, living longer, having more energy and eliminating such things like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity while doing so! I highly recommend this book and can't wait to learn more from Dr. Colbert who specializes in anti-aging through the things we do, eat and how we manage our life. For me, this one easily garners a 5 out of 5 stars. It is simple to read and keeps you engaged that you can read it in one sitting.

For more information about Let Food Be Your Medicine, Don Colbert MD, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Let Food Be Your Medicine by Don Colbert MD

You can find Don Colbert MD on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest information.

To read more reviews on Let Food Be Your Medicine, please visit Worthy Publishing's website.