OFF TOPIC? - Book Review of The Hurried Woman Syndrome

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

As usual, I am sharing with you the review of a book, which I believe

will be useful for some people in the list. I have no commercial

interest in any of these recommendations. Pl. check out the book and

if you feel it is useful for yourself or your near and dear, get it.

 

Aromatherapy, Reiki, Bach Flowers, Homeopathy etc., also help the

sufferer regain the normalcy especially when the antidepressants are

not tolerated or are found to be beyond the reach due to lack of

insurance etc. But the other suggestions help those who are using

alternative treatment options also.

 

Best wishes.

 

Swamy

 

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Title: The Hurried Woman Syndrome - A Seven Step Program to Conquer

Fatigue, Control Weight and Restore Passion to Your Relationship

Author: Brent W. Bost, M.D., FACOG

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

ISBN: 0-07-144577-3

Presentation: Hardcover with dustjacket

No. of Pages: 340

Genre: Non-Fiction/Health/Women/Self-Help

 

I was intrigued about the title and set out to find out what the good

doctor meant by that. And I am really happy that I read this book,

courtsey McGraw-Hill. Though I am a man, I could relate to many points

explained by Dr. Bost in the book since my own wife was and is going

through some of the symptoms so vividly described. And, as Dr.Bost

explains, there are many symptoms common to both sexes, caused by too

much hurry and worry. My spiritual mentor who is also an Ayurvedic

Healer always refers to the three ingredients of several health

problems: hurry, worry and curry, the last referring to the spicy food

which is consumed for stimulation and for satisfaction of the taste buds.

 

The book deals with the group of symptoms (that is why the Syndrome

comes into use) commonly affecting a large number of women in USA (and

probably many other developed and developing countries too). The

Hurried Woman Syndrome deals with the adverse effects of chronic

stress produced by trying to do too many things at a time, typical of

a successful life.

 

The book is divided into two parts. The first part, titled,

" UNDERSTANDING HURRIED WOMAN SYNDROME " has 5 chapters:

1) Life as a Hurried Woman

2) Stress and How it Affects Your Brain and Your Life

3) Are You a Hurried Woman?

4) Using Cognitive-Behavioral Coping Skills and

5) The Role of Antidepressants.

 

I learnt a lot and also got confirmation of some ideas which were

building up in my own mind over the course of the last few years.

 

The Second Part is " YOUR SEVEN-STEP PLAN FOR BETTER LIFE BALANCE " and

consists of 8 chapters (yes, not seven as is obviously expected!).

They are:

 

6) Step 1 - Create Balance in your Body

7) Step 2 - Find the Right Caloric Balance

8) Step 3 - Exercise, No Matter What!

9) Get Started on the Program (I thought that by that time, the reader

is already on the program)

10) Step 4 - Rekindling the Fire

11) Step 5 - Identify your Priorities and set Reasonable Limits

12) Step 6 - Get the Best of Stress and finally

13) Step 7 - Organise Your world.

 

Two Appendices and a Index follow. A fairly comprehensive coverage and

a good road map for a workable program.

 

The book is VERY WELL WRITTEN and is highly readable. And as is to be

rightly expected from McGraw-Hill, very well edited. However, as a

Quality Assurance Professional and as an Editor, I was delighted that

I could catch a few slips! But let me hasten to assure you that the

book is of real quality and you will get the message clearly. The

printing is good and the readability is good. The conversational style

adopted is quite effective.

 

The author sticks to mainstream medical knowledge and suggests

cognitive-behavioral therapy and herbs as adjunct or alternative for

treatment of depression. He doesn't advocate the several alternative /

complementary treatment options for stress and depression. In a way,

that is to be expected since he has been trained in the mainstream

medicine and also since he got good results with a number of his

clients with the program suggested.

 

The book is very informative and will help not only the Hurried Woman

but also her harried family members (yes, every one suffers when the

lady of the family suffers, husband, children, even parents, friends

etc.), recognise the hurried woman amongst them and help her. Just

check out the first and the third chapter. If you recognise yourself

or your wife/mom/sister etc., in that description, I would recommend

that you go ahead and buy/gift the book. It may just be right thing

that the doctor has prescribed. However, like all books of self-help,

you need to practise what is written. Reading and understanding is the

preliminary step.

 

About the reviewer: I am a physicist and a metallurgist, not a medical

man. Thus I am a lay reader as far as health books are concerned.

However, I have been deeply interested in health (partly because of my

own health challenges) for long. I have studied Homeopathy, Biochemic

(Schussler's) Tissue Remedies, Bach Flower Remedies, Reiki (I am a

certified Usui Reiki Master Healer), Crystal Healing etc. I would

strongly advise you to seek the advice of a health professional before

trying out the program outlined in the book.