DYING, ILLNESS, AND AGING WITH GRACE

Healing from Trauma

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk.

“The trauma caused by childhood neglect, sexual or domestic abuse and war wreaks havoc in our bodies, says Bessel van der Kolk in The Body Keeps the Score. . . . Van der Kolk draws on thirty years of experience to argue powerfully that trauma is one of the West’s most urgent public health issues. . . . Packed with science and human stories, the book is an intense read. . . . [T]he struggle and resilience of his patients is very moving.”
—Shaoni Bhattacharya, New Scientist

“War zones may be nearer than you think, as the 25 percent of US citizens raised with alcoholic relatives might attest. Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk argues, moreover, that severe trauma is ‘encoded in the viscera’ and demands tailored approaches that enable people to experience deep relief from rage and helplessness. In a narrative packed with decades of findings and case studies, he traces the evolution of treatments from the ‘chemical coshes’ of the 1970s to neurofeedback, mindfulness and other nuanced techniques.”
—Nature

“An astonishing amount of information on almost every aspect of trauma experience, research, interventions, and theories is brought together in this book, which . . . has a distinctly holistic feel to it. The title suggests that what will be explored is how the body retains the imprints of trauma. However, it delivers much more than this, delving into how the brain is impacted by overwhelming traumatic events, and is studded with sections on neuroscience which draw on the author’s own numerous studies as well as that of his peers. In addition, it investigates the effects of adverse childhood attachment patterns, child abuse, and chronic and long-term abuse. . . . [T]his book is a veritable goldmine of information.”
—European Journal of Psychotraumatology

“Dr. van der Kolk . . . has written a fascinating and empowering book about trauma and its effects. He uses modern neuroscience to demonstrate that trauma physically affects the brain and the body, causing anxiety, rage, and the inability to concentrate. Victims have problems remembering, trusting, and forming relationships. They have lost control. Although news reports and discussions tend to focus on war veterans, abused children, domestic violence victims, and victims of violent crime suffer as well. Using a combination of traditional therapy techniques and alternative treatments such as EMDR, yoga, neurofeedback, and theater, patients can regain control of their bodies and rewire their brains so that they can rebuild their lives. The author uses case histories to demonstrate the process. He includes a resource list, bibliography, and extensive notes. This accessible book offers hope and inspiration to those who suffer from trauma and those who care for them. It is an outstanding addition to all library collections.
—Medical Library Association, Consumer Connections

Quick Links

• Comfortdying website

(Resources on illness, addiction, death and dying, loss, grief, and positive aging)
• Index of comfortdying.com site
• Index of blog posts

• Writers and Editors website
• Index of Writers and Editor website (writersandeditors.com)

• Pat McNees site (patmcnees.com)

About Pat and topics specific to her, her work, and her interests

Selected Works

Fading Out: Aging and Beyond RSS feed

We are what we eat? Read this, get healthy, feel better! (Part 2 of 2)

January 23, 2016

Tags: health food, slow food

More stories on healthful eating (and tell me if I've missed anything!)
• Reviving An Heirloom Corn That Packs More Flavor And Nutrition (Allison Aubrey interviews chef Dan Barber of the famed Blue Hill restaurant--this makes you want to grow heirloom corn, which packs more protein, less sugar Read More

9 Comments

Comments

Feb 08, 2016 10:30 AM EST

This Japanese School Puts All Other Schools To Shame. Excellent approach to educating children about food (nutrition, attitude, technique, manners) -- and they allow 40 minutes for lunch, unlike many hurried-up 20-minute lunch periods in the U.S.

- PM

Feb 16, 2016 5:33 AM EST

Wonder what the data show? Why Full-Fat Dairy May Be Healthier Than Low-Fat (Markham Heid, Time, 3-5-15)

- PM

Feb 19, 2016 5:55 PM EST

Do You Know What’s Really In Your Tea?. Food Babe explains that she buys only organically grown tea to avoid the pesticides found in teas such as Lipton and Celestial Seasonings. Be sure also to read Why Microwave Popcorn Is An Absolute Health Nightmare and this story about which breads are healthy and which unhealthy. (Hint: Sprouted grains are good.)

- PM

Feb 19, 2016 6:03 PM EST

Joan Young recommended this advice: How to Optimize Your Nutrition for Vibrant Health (Mark Hyman, on video) Carbohydrates are good for you: fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc. -- not pies and cakes. Eat plant foods, which contain the micronutrients we need for good health. As Michael Pollan said, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Food is not just energy: it is also instructions to our cells. What you put on your fork is more important than you think.

- PM

Feb 20, 2016 7:50 AM EST

More on What Not to Eat:• 6 Unexpected Heart Attack Triggers (Leah Zerbe, Prevention, 8-15-13) Nonstick pots and pans ("If you use nonstick pots, pans, and bakeware, replace them with uncoated stainless steel, made-in-America cast iron, or glass the minute you start seeing chips in the finish.), climate change (take omega 3 fish oil supplements), antibacterial soap (soap and water works just as well), canned food (as little as possible, to reduce exposure to bisphenol A, or BPA, a potent hormone disruptor tied to breast cancer), traffic jams, and certain seafood (tuna, fish with the highest levels of mercury, usually the big predatory species, such as swordfish, king mackerel, and any kind of shark, but high mercury levels are also found in some freshwater species, such as trout and bass. See The Surprising Heart Attack Trigger in the Seafood Aisle (Emily Main, Prevention, 2-2-12). Via Joan Young.

- PM

Feb 27, 2016 10:41 AM EST

Thinking of Becoming a Vegetarian? Well, You Can’t. (Alex McKechnie, Drexel News Blog, 2-24-16) McKenhnie reviews Andrew Smith's book, A Critique of the Moral Defense of Vegetarianism, writing "Smith argues that what matters more than whether we eat plants or animals is how we treat what — or who — will become our food....According to Smith, “The world would be made better — far better — if we could embrace that we are full-fledged members of the community of life: constituents of a closed-loop system [the cow eats the grass, we eat the cow, the worms eat us, the grass eats the worms] from which we have borrowed, are now using and will one day return the fire of life that burns in us all. See another academic's piece: A Utilitarian Argument for Vegetarianism (PDF, by Nicholas Dixon).

- PM

Apr 12, 2016 9:48 AM EDT

The End of Dietary Guidelines for Americans? (Paul Marantz, The Doctor's Tablet, 1-14-16) He's against the guidelines. Among reasons: Years of dietary guidelines focused on a reduction in dietary fat intake. "...we’ve all seen the unintended consequences of this well-meaning advice. One of the ways saturated-fat intake was reduced was by increasing trans-fat intake (for example, replacing butter with margarine), with its attendant consequences. Health educators developed the Food Pyramid—a logical approach that unfortunately led to the belief that people could safely eat as much bread, cereal, rice and pasta (the “base” of a “healthy” diet) as they wanted. The food industry capitalized on this belief, marketing such high-carb, low-fat treats as SnackWell’s cookies—no doubt exacerbating the public’s misconception that food that is fat-free can’t make you fat. We know this was a misconception, because as the population ate less fat (i.e., dietary lipids) it became fatter (i.e., more overweight or obese)."

- PM

Jun 26, 2016 9:33 AM EDT

Fiber: The Rx for Disease-Free Aging (Alan Mozes, HealthDay, 6-23-16) 'Foods rich in fiber not only keep you "regular," they may help you live longer without disease, new research suggests. Fiber-rich foods include fruits and whole grains. "People can achieve the recommended intake of fiber consumption -- around 30 grams per day -- by eating a wide range of foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables and legumes," study lead author Bamini Gopinath noted."Based on our study we can't exactly pinpoint as to how fiber influences aging status," said Gopinath. But she said that her team speculates that fiber may affect blood sugar levels, minimizing inflammation throughout the body.

- PM

Jun 18, 2021 6:27 AM EDT

Hi! I love how informative and great your articles are. Can you recommend a List of Citrus Fruits or blogs that go over the same topics? Thanks a lot!

- mansi

Healthy food that isn't yucky

March 1, 2012

Tags: health food, Nutrition, food allergies, vegan, vegetarian, Gluten-free, organic

Years ago I tested health food cookbooks for a series for the Washington Post food section, and my family found most of the dishes pretty dreadful. More recently I've found some health-oriented cookbooks that contain really tasty and attractive recipes. I've also found some good sources of information on healthy eating. Start with: The New American Plate Cookbook, a good-for-you cookbook filled with delicious recipes from the American Institute for Cancer Research. I also love a harder-to-find single-issue magazine: Vegetarian Times Presents Healing Foods Cookbook, Read More

Be the first to comment

Resources on illness, addiction, death and dying, loss, grief, and positive aging

Quick Links

Selected Works

See also Subjects/sections within categories

Fading Out: Aging and Beyond RSS feed

We are what we eat? Read this, get healthy, feel better! (Part 2 of 2)

Comments

Healthy food that isn't yucky

Archives