Space, Time and Medicine
Author: Larry Dossey
What we call modern physics says something entirely new about the world and how it behaves. For many years, these theories have been accepted as the most accurate descriptions we have ever had about our world. Nevertheless, medicine has been reluctant to incorporate these ideas into itself, continuing to view the body as a clockwork mechanism, in which illness is caused by a breakdown of "parts." Drawing on his long experience in the practice of internal medicine and his knowledge of modern science, Dr. Dossey shows how medicine can and must be updated. Discussing the new theories of Bell, Godel, and others, he opens up startling questions for medicine: Could the brain be a hologram, in which every part contains the whole? Why have ordinary people been able to raise and lower blood pressure at will, control heart rate, body temperature, even one minute blood vessel, in a way no one can explain? What is the role of consciousness in health and illness? Perhaps the most startling of Dr. Dossey's discussions concerns nonlinear time. There is evidence that our obsession with time and our belief that time "flows" (a belief refuted by the new physics) may profoundly affect our health. "Time sickness" is becoming an accepted medical concept, a possible cause of the greatest killer of all—heart disease. Dr. Dossey presents remarkable clinical data showing that by changing their view of time, people have been able to positively affect the course of disease. Just as the clockwork picture of the universe was abandoned in the onslaught of new data, our mechanistic view of health and illness will give way to new models which, too, will be more consistent withthe true face of the universe.
Look this: Grill or Edge of Fusion
Macular Degeneration: The Latest Scientific Discoveries and Treatments for Preserving Your Sight
Author: Robert DAmato
Dr. Robert D'Amato, MD, PhD of Harvard Medical School,and recent winner of the Lew Wasserman award for his pioneering eye research, has teamed up with ARMD sufferer and writer Joan Snyder, to produce Macular Degeneration: The Latest Scientific Discoveries and Treatments for Preserving Your Sight. Endorsed by the Macular Degeneration Foundation, this easy-to-read large type edition is the only book written for laymen that covers all of the latest scientific discoveries and promising research for age-related macular degeneration. Learn more about Visudyne (photodynamic therapy), laser therapy, nutrition and drug therapy. Dr. D'Amato covers alternative or complimentaty therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, microcurrent stimulation and more. Promising medical research initiatives are discussed. Macular Degeneration offers hope and practical advice for the 13-15 million Americans suffering from this disease.
Internet Book Watch
The condition described here is age-related but has grown significantly in recent years as the population ages: Macular Degeneration provides an analysis of the disease, its progression and its symptoms. From the latest medical treatments to options for alternatives, Macular Degeneration focuses on understanding all aspects of the sight-robbing condition.
What People Are Saying
Karen McNally Bensing
An unpredictable disease that destroys the macula, the area of the retina responsible for central vision, age-related macular dengeneration (ARMD) affects more than 13 million older adults and is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Few effective treatments are available, and the etiology is unclear. Ophthamologist and noted research D'Amato (Harvard Medical School) here teams with ARMD patient Snyder to write a reassuring, hopeful, and informative book providing the facts sufferers need to understand the disorder, handle treatment options, and live successfully with low vision. Their explanations are jargon-free and easy to understand but backed by solid medical evidence. Personal anecdotes from Snyder and others enhance the book's readability. Indicated that breakthroughs in preventing and treating ARMD are imminent, the authors also explore potential new treatments along with alternative therapies that may benefit the quality of life. Throughout, the text emphasizes the importance of patient involvement in monitoring and treating the disease and in leading an active, fulfilling life even with visual impairment. An oustanding addition to consumer health collections; highly recommended.
—(Karen McNally Bensing, Benjamin Rose Inst. Lib. Cleveland, OH)
Table of Contents:
| Acknowledgments | ix | |
| Preface | xi | |
| Preface | xv | |
| Author's Note | xix | |
| Part 1 | Understanding and Diagnosing Age-Related Macular Degeneration | |
| 1. | The Miracle of Eyesight | 3 |
| The Anatomy of the Eye | 5 | |
| How We See | 10 | |
| 2. | Risk Factors for ARMD | 12 |
| Demographics of ARMD | 12 | |
| Genetic Predisposition to ARMD | 15 | |
| Lifestyle and Environmental Factors | 16 | |
| 3. | Recognizing and Understanding ARMD | 20 |
| Vision Specialists | 21 | |
| Symptoms | 23 | |
| Screening | 26 | |
| Understanding What Drusen Are | 33 | |
| Classifications of ARMD | 36 | |
| 4. | The Right Diagnosis | 40 |
| Angiography | 41 | |
| Anticipating Angiography | 45 | |
| Optical Coherence Tomography | 47 | |
| Self-Screening for Vision Problems | 48 | |
| 5. | The Likely Course of ARMD | 51 |
| Dry ARMD | 52 | |
| Wet ARMD | 55 | |
| Pigment Epithelial Detachment (PED) | 58 | |
| Retention of Peripheral Vision | 59 | |
| Watch Out for Other Eye Problems | 60 | |
| Be Your Own Best Expert | 61 | |
| Part 2 | Treatment Options | |
| 6. | Therapies for Dry ARMD | 65 |
| Monitoring Your Status with the Amsler Grid | 67 | |
| Preventive Care | 70 | |
| Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements | 74 | |
| 7. | Medical Treatments for Wet ARMD | 78 |
| The Pros and Cons of Laser Therapy | 78 | |
| Experimental Photodynamic Therapy | 83 | |
| Transpupillary Thermotherapy | 85 | |
| Drug Therapy | 86 | |
| 8. | Alternative Therapies | 90 |
| Microcurrent Stimulation | 91 | |
| Rheo Therapy | 94 | |
| Acupuncture and Acupressure | 95 | |
| Yoga, Massage, and Other Body Work | 96 | |
| Meditation | 99 | |
| Homeopathy | 100 | |
| Aerobic Exercise | 102 | |
| 9. | Promising Medical Research Initiatives | 104 |
| Surgical Procedures | 105 | |
| Radiation Therapy | 110 | |
| Steroid Injections | 112 | |
| Part 3 | Coping with Age-Related Macular Degeneration | |
| 10. | Don't Give in to the Prognosis | 115 |
| Active Versus Passive Reactions | 117 | |
| Three Basic Actions | 119 | |
| Seeing in the Dark | 121 | |
| Getting by in Social Situations | 122 | |
| Adaptive Behaviors | 123 | |
| 11. | Low-Vision Support Tools | 130 |
| Refractive Correction | 131 | |
| Illumination | 133 | |
| Magnification and Other Low-Vision Tools | 133 | |
| Your Home Environment | 135 | |
| 12. | The Low-Vision Community | 138 |
| National Support Groups | 138 | |
| Helpful Web Sites | 141 | |
| Epilogue | 147 | |
| Glossary | 149 | |
| Resources | 153 | |
| Suggested Reading | 159 | |
| Index | 161 |
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