2 out of 4 stars
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In his book Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks, Dr. Morton E. Tavel, a now retired physician who specialized in cardiology and internal medicine, clears up the air about what is factual and what is not surrounding some of the most misunderstood and controversial topics in health. He uses his medical background and quotes clinical research to back up the information he provides.
The book is divided into three sections: Tips, Myths, and Tricks. In the Tips section, there are 32 chapters in which Dr. Tavel gives medical advice about topics that include losing weight, getting enough vitamins, second hand smoke, and more.
In the Myths section of the book, there are 20 chapters where Dr. Tavel tackles some of the most misunderstood and controversial topics in medicine including whether or not using cranberries helps to relieve urinary tract infections and the ever so popular controversy behind immunizations and whether or not they cause autism or other conditions.
In the Tricks section, there are 10 chapters in which Dr. Tavel explains how the media and advertisements trick people into buying products that are not medically safe or beneficial.
I personally enjoyed reading this book because Dr. Tavel turns complex medical information into a much simpler form that is easy to understand. He inserts his own personal, sometimes funny, thoughts into the conclusion of each chapter, making the book enjoyable to read. Aside from this, the book is conveniently written in such a way that the reader can go directly to their topics of interest without having to read through each chapter.
I give this book 2 out of 4 stars because although it is filled with some helpful information, it is a book full of typos and outdated research. The most glaring typos are at the beginning of every chapter number, which all contain the letter "o" and the pi sign. The text also contains several errors in punctuation, in which several periods are omitted, as well as many smaller errors including added spaces in random places and acronyms that are not defined. It is clear that this book was not professionally edited. In addition, many of the quotes that Dr. Tavel uses from clinical research trials are over 10 years old, which questions the validity of some of the points he makes.
It is clear that Dr. Tavel is not trying to sell any new ideas or new products like most health books do. He is merely educating the public about which fads and myths are right and which are wrong, based on his medical experience and research.
This is the type of book that would appeal most to those in the medical profession, those who are health conscious, and to those who are simply curious about learning the truth about common misconceptions related to health.
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Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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