Practitioners of modern medicine often focus on the diagnosis and management of an illness rather than taking a holistic view of a patient’s body, mind and spirit. When illnesses are minor, the outcomes are usually good. However, a patient with a life-threatening illness can experience a life crisis that requires physicians to be expert in both medical science and the care of the patient’s psyche and spirit. For a person to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and survive, requires a sense of hope and the will to live. These arise from the human soul, a mysterious part of our being. Another mystery is that patients who are prayed for have better illness outcomes than those not prayed for, whether or not they know of the prayers. For some patients, healing and recovery are spiritual.

Dr. Allan Lohaus describes this truly crucial part of his healing and recovery in his memoir, “Mayday! : A Physician as Patient”. “MAYDAY!” is an incisive and honest, yet sensitive, account of this doctor’s journey from being a physician to patient and back. Dr. Lohaus was, at times, disoriented by high fevers, medication and pain. The reader experiences firsthand a patient’s mind during life threatening illness and recovery. This journal based account of his one-hundred-plus day hospitalization, recovery and healing is complete with emotional and spiritual insights.

During the most trying part of his illness, Lohaus asks to meet with a psychiatrist. At the first visit he tells Dr. Gregory, “‘I feel fragile…really fragile, emotionally.’ I pause, fighting back tears. The fevers are really getting to me. The migraines with them are the worst pain I’ve had during this illness.’” The care of his psyche and spirit began that day. Throughout this hellish journey, accompanied by his wife, family, friends, clergy and Dr. Gregory, readers hear Lohaus’ prayers, conversations with God, and gratitude, and learn of his hope, faith, and will to live. His rebirth to life is a new beginning of body, mind and spirit. For this doctor-patient, healing is spiritual.

Dr. Lohaus received his medical degree from George Washington University. He was a clinician and faculty member with Johns Hopkins Medical Faculty for 24 years. He has published clinical papers regarding cancer research, abdominal surgery, as well as obstetric and gynecology topics. Lohaus currently resides in Clarksville, Maryland with his wife. He has three grown children. For more information, see http://www.maydaybook.com.

When New Agers, occultists, spiritual healers, metaphysicians, artists, and Neopagans talk about the “energies” they use, what do they actually mean? Now, for the first time, a single book discusses the vocabulary, magic, metaphysics, art, and science of energy from a multi-model, 21st century perspective.

Lessons included will cover:
• Physical vocabulary of energy
• Metaphysical vocabulary of energy
• How the laws of magic affect energy
• The Importance of Focus

Real Energy will then take these lessons to the next level giving you direction on how to understand and begin working with different energies. Half of the book is dedicated to showing you how to work with specific energies, including: the four elements, crystals, plants, animals, your own body, nature spirits, ancestors, and deities to accomplish your goals and enhance life experiences. Specific energy work practices are also covered, including: Reiki, The Huna System, working with “Pure” ESP and PK, Feng Shui, and the Tantra System.

With tips from scientists, artists, magicians, and spiritual teachers, Real Energy will give you a solid introduction to both the theory and practice of energy work.

“Absence of desire” or “lack of interest” are often listed as symptoms of depression, a medical condition that affects nearly 20 million Americans. A myriad of drugs, herbal remedies, and therapies are now available to treat this condition, and although they may ease the symptoms, none have managed to cure this devastating affliction. In his clear, strong, and heartfelt new book, noted scholar and author Yehuda Berg offers a new “prescription” for those who suffer from depression: the healing energies of Kabbalah.

This simple yet profound treatment allows depression sufferers to take back their lives. Readers learn to use Kabbalah’s ancient tools to reconnect with desire, reemerge from the debilitating darkness, and overcome depression once and for all. Berg suggests specific Kabbalistic tools for readers to use on the path to recovery, while case histories provide further illumination and inspiration.

In The Velveteen Principles for Women psychotherapist and author Toni Raiten-D’Antonio interprets the loveable rabbit’s journey toward “becoming Real” to help women let go of the inner and outer criticisms that keep them from discovering true authenticity and happiness. Becoming Real, as the author explains, is one of the main purposes of our lives, and it promises greater rewards than any woman can imagine.

The Velveteen Principles for Women will inspire you to:
•Stop chasing superficial goals
•Peek out from behind the mask of beauty
•Learn to say, “No,” and stop people-pleasing

(From the inside front cover)

Victoria Boutenko and her family were plagued with numerous health problems. In poor health his whole life, her husband Igor had progressive hyperthyroidism and chronic rheumatoid arthritis. Mainstream medicine had no answers for Igor. Victoria weighed 280 pounds and was constantly tired and depressed. Her daughter had asthma and allergies and her son had juvenile diabletes.

Victoria decided that they need to do something different to get different results, so she studied nutrition and she put the whole family on a raw food diet. They saw their health improve dramatically. In only four months the Boutenko’s ran the “Bolder Boulder” 10K race! The Boutenko’s enjoyed the healthful benefits of a raw food diet for seven years–weight control, increased energy, clearer thinking and loss of food craving. After seven years, however, their cravings for junk foods started to return, and their health level seemed to plateau.

Victoria continued her research and uncovered the shortcomings of a raw diet–the lack of green plants and blossoms. She discovered that chimpanzees, who share 99% of our DNA, get many of their nutrients and essential amino acids (proteins) from greens. Chimpanzees have a very low incidence of cancers and other debilitating diseases that are common in humans. Here in the south, grandmother encouraged us to “eat our greens”. Today, greens are now found as garnish for our meat and potatoes world. Obesity, chronic constipation, and a host of other “modern world” illnesses plague Americans. Is it any wonder, when our daily intake of natural, unprocessed foods is almost zero? The average chimpanzee eats 300 grams of fiber a day. Fiber acts like a broom to sweep out toxins in the body. The recommended level of fiber in the American diet? 20 to 30 grams. The average level? Less than 15 grams.

Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko, documents the discovery of her green-based diet. Filled with nutritional research comparisions, charts, testimonials, and recipes, this paperback is the essential guide to getting started on a healthful, green-filled nutritional plan for you and your family.

From the inside cover:

“Victoria has developed a series of green smoothie recipes that enable anyone to consume the necessary amount of greens in a palatable way. Victoria introduces the idea of blending, rather than juicing, as being the superior way to ingest greens, for the very necessary insoluble fiber, which is essential for healing and maintenance of our elimination systems. Also documented is a study in which a group of regular people drink a one quart green smoothie every day for a month, in addition to their regular diet. One pound of certain greens can give you your RDA of all nine essential amino acids, not to mention an abundance of vitamins and minerals.”

Softcover - 186 pages. Buy it at Amazon.com.

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