Yoga for Fibromyalgia

Author: Shoosh Lettick Crotzer
Publisher: Rodmell Press
ISBN-10: 1-930485-16-6
ISBN-13: 978-930485-16-7

Author Info: (taken from the website)
Shoosh Lettick Crotzer has been teaching yoga since 1974 and now specializes in working with students with special needs. She has a masters degree in diagnostic education. In 1994, while teaching for the National MS Society, she founded the production and distribution company Mobility Limited and wrote and produced the video Yoga for MS. In 1997, she wrote and produced Yoga for Arthritis in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation. She has given workshops and made presentations on yoga and arthritis at international rheumatology conferences.

Format:
The book is divided into four parts with a foreword, a resources list, and an index. The first part is a general bit of information about fibromyalgia. The second part is a thorough description of the recommended yoga poses. The third part offers some guidelines and yoga sequences to practice for particular aims such as upper body pain relief or reducing fatigue. Additionally, she provides a beginners sequence and a more advanced sequence. In the fourth part, she offers some thoughts on sleep, nutrition, exercise, and psychological well-being.

Analysis:
“Move, breathe, and relax to improve your quality of life” is the tagline of the book. This is an accurate summary of the book’s goals. Those with fibromaylgia know that there is no cure and the author clearly states not to expect miracles in following her advice. The goal is a simple and gradual improvement in the quality of life you live.
The exercises and yoga poses the author recommends are simple to learn with or without an instructor. They involve easily managed stretches and many have both a seated and a standing position. Along with the poses, the author has thoughtfully provided some visualization and relaxation techniques to further enhance the efficacy of the exercises.
Much of the advice in the fourth part of the book is basic, common sense thinking. That said, the information can serve as a timely reminder of better practices and habits. Ultimately, of course, it comes down to the closing lines of the book. “Then it is up to you. Only you can make time to play, rest, and enjoy your life.”

Conclusion:
This is a well-put-together book that offers some simple basic exercises and ideas for improving the quality of your life as you deal with fibromyalgia. The different poses and stretches are explained in detail and often both seated and standing poses are illustrated. The author even offers useful suggestions for incorporating these exercises into your everyday life.
The book itself is written in plain English, no grandiose or exotic terminology to learn. The author does not patronize the reader; instead, she uses clear concise writing to fully explain her philosophy and instructions. Altogether, it was a pleasure to read, especially the visualization techniques. Just reading through them was a relaxing experience.
I cannot, as yet, speak to the success of following the recommended routines. Having fibromyalgia myself, it seems reasonable that there are benefits to the program as the author sets it out. Certainly, the sleep/nutrition advice is worth taking. Now, if only the book came with a dose of discipline to ensure one followed through on the techniques taught.

Links:

The book: Yoga for Fibromyalgia

Review written for: Mini Book Expo

Snack Time

I made these biscuits to go with evening coffee. They have a lovely taste and texture. For those who like peanut butter/chocolate combinations, they will be a treat.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
4 tbsp peanut butter
1 1/8 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 pkg chocolate chips

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a seperate bowl, mix the butter and peanut butter together. Cut into the flour mixture. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Add the chocolate chips. Once you've mixed this together, sprinkle with enough flour to knead into a soft dough. Press the dough flat with your hands. Cut into pieces or use a cookie cutter. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.

Serve warm, although they are equally delicious cooled.

My First Book Review

Some few weeks back, I came across this lovely new website, Mini Book Expo. The website brings together readers and publishers. The publishers offer a few copies of books or authors they want to promote. The readers claim those books, the publishers ship them out, and the reader publishes a review on their blog or website.

Free new books, who could resist? So forthwith, here is my first book review.

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The Phoenix Egg

Author Information: (Taken from the back of the book.)

Richard A Bamberg grew up in a small town in the heart of Alabama during the 60s. He started work as a logger and truck driver, entered the Air Force as a radio operator and did a little duty as a forward air control operator in a small South Asian nation. After graduating from Texas Tech University, he returned to the Air Force as an electrical engineer where he spent most of his time at the Air Force Weapon’s Lab and at the Tactical Air Warfare Center.
He currently lives with life-partner, wife, and best friend – Joy in Huntsville, AL, where he works on the national missile defense system.
His writing leans toward thrillers with a touch of science fiction and horror. The Phoenix Egg is his fourth novel.


Plot Summary:

This is the story of Caitlin Maxwell and John Blalock. She is a tech company owner and he is a security expert. When she is assaulted and finds the police less than helpful, she turns to an old friend, John, for assistance.
Together, they discover who is after her and why they are willing to go to such great lengths to kidnap or kill her. Along the way, they rekindle a former love that lingers all these years later.


Format:

This is a 380-page novel, divided into 28 chapters and an epilogue. Chapter length varies anywhere from 5 to 25 pages each. The narration is third person with the perspective shifting between the two main characters and the occasional secondary player. The ISBN of this book is 1-931468-15-X. It is published by The Invisible College Press, LLC.


Analysis:

The book starts with an attention-getting situation, Caitlin hears her soon-to-be ex-husband die in a car crash while they are on the phone together. The action from this point is fast moving and immediately draws you into the story. Unfortunately, not unlike Caitlin’s husband, the author fails to keep this story on the road.
Much of the next 200 pages, while entertaining, do little to advance the storyline to any great degree. The book is premised on the search for this fabled phoenix egg, a device of some sort that is sought after by no less than three separate governments and at least 2 American governmental agencies. Frustratingly, the author fails to produce this “egg” until the last 50-75 pages of the book. At this point, the revelation is anti-climatic. The denouement fails to produce enough answers. The reader is left wondering just what they are to make of this fabled “egg.” In fact, the author even fails to include a reason to connect this artefact to the phoenix bird of myth and lore.
The failure to produce the phoenix egg of the title until near the end of the book makes what could have been an interesting tale a disappointing read. Further, the reader is left with too many unanswered questions. Whom did her husband get the devices from? Where did the devices come from? These are pivotal questions and should have been addressed.
It would also have made for a better story had there been a better foundation for the relationship between Caitlin and John. Their past encounter hardly seems to point to a lifelong yearning for each other, yet we are expected to believe this is the case. It would have taken only a few more details, one or two more scenes to create the needed believability.
This brings me to a personal pet peeve; proofread the thing before you print it. This is solely on the publishers; it appears they trusted spell check and grammar check to do their proof reading. As you can guess, while the words are spelled correctly, they are not the ones that should have been used. Noisy for nosey, worse where worst was certainly meant. If you are going to the time, effort, and expense of publishing a novel, at least have someone competently proofread it.
This author, any author, who entrusts their work to a publisher should be given the necessary critique of their work to correct any missteps they made with the writing itself, the storyline, character development, or any other aspect of the work. Here, it appears this was somewhat lacking.


Conclusion:

Ultimately, what could have been an interesting and exciting read falls somewhat flat. Although the writer is capable and well able to tell his story, the failure to move the story along and provide answers sooner makes the book frustrating to read. I would love to see this story retold with some judicious editing and a greater emphasis on the “egg” and its provenance. Mr Bamberg, a valiant effort.