| You've Been Had!: How the Media and Environmentalists Turned America Into a Nation of Hypochondriacs Contributor(s): Benarde, Melvin A. (Author) |
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ISBN: 0813530504 ISBN-13: 9780813530505 Publisher: Rutgers University Press OUR PRICE: $36.86 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: May 2002 Annotation: With all of the negative media about environmental threats over the last four decades, is it any wonder that most people believe disaster is just around the comer? But despite what the media would lead us to believe, annual reports from the surgeon general show that Americans are the healthiest they have ever been, are becoming healthier, and are, in fact, the healthiest people on the planet. In You've Been Had! Melvin A. Benarde aims to set the record straight and counteract the culture of complaint and worry with an unbiased account of the scientific facts -- facts that suggest we are anxious and frightened about the wrong things. Contrary to what the media would have us believe, he argues that the environmental factors that most adversely affect our health are those that are within our power to alter, such as smoking, diet, drugs, stress, guns, speed, and our sedentary lifestyle. Topics covered include: carcinogens and anticarcinogens; dietary supplements and neutraceuticals; food additives, pasteurization, and irradiation; genetically modified foods; microbial threats to health; hazardous and toxic waste; radiation and skin cancer; asthma and allergies; global warming; risk-taking; obesity; and violence. Benarde also looks at the ways the media reports scientific studies, shows readers how to interpret what the media report, and offers reasonable and doable solutions for eradicating our widespread hypochondria. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Health & Fitness | Health Care Issues |
| Dewey: 615.902 |
| LCCN: 2001048401 |
| Physical Information: 1.03" H x 6.34" W x 9.26" (1.45 lbs) 304 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: With all of the negative media about environmental threats over the last four decades, is it any wonder that most people believe disaster is just around the corner? But despite what the media would lead us to believe, annual reports from the Surgeons General show that Americans are the healthiest they have ever been, are becoming healthier and are, in fact, the healthiest people on the planet. In You've Been Had , Melvin Benarde aims to set the record straight and counteract the culture of complaint and worry with an unbiased account of the scientific facts -- facts which suggest we are worried and frightened about the wrong things. Contrary to what the media would have us believe, he argues that the environmental factors that most adversely affect our health are those that are within our power to alter, such as smoking, diet, drugs, stress, guns speed, exercise, and basic safety precautions. Topics covered include: carcinogens and anti- carcinogens; dietary supplements and neutraceuticals; food safety, pasteurization and irradiation; genetically modified foods; microbial threats to health; hazardous and toxic waste; radiation and skin cancer; global warming; risk-taking; obesity, asthma, violence and longevity. Benarde also looks at the ways the media reports science and evidence-based medicine. |