Archives de catégorie : Medecine

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD de Barbara Lazio

You’ll never believe what’s inside people’s heads! This humorous and heartwarming collection of stories from a neurosurgeon reminds us all that life is hopeful, tender—and a little bit squishy.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD:
Stories from the Operating Room That Will Make You Laugh (or Cry)
by Barbara Lazio

Sourcebooks, September 2026

Inside every skull is a story of heart, humanity―and the occasional hairball.

You might think brain surgery is all cool precision and high-stakes drama. Sometimes it is. But more often, it’s a gritty, smelly, surprisingly absurd job―one that involves titanium screws, tumors the size of grapefruits, and moments so human they’ll break your heart or make you snort with laughter behind your surgical mask. In Off the Top of My Head, Dr. Barbara Lazio peels back the sterile curtain of the operating room and shares the unexpected stories that come with a life spent elbows-deep in the human brain.

With warmth, wit, and a scalpel-sharp eye for detail, Dr. Lazio invites readers into her world―where mortality is never far away, but neither is meaning, connection, or the occasional gallows-humored joke.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Gripping behind-the-scenes moments from the OR―equal parts miraculous and messy
• Memorable patients facing the unimaginable with courage, humor, and grace
• A rare glimpse into the emotional life of a neurosurgeon
• Unexpected levity in the face of death, grief, and the unknown

Whether she’s rebuilding a shattered skull or laughing through tears with a family on the edge of loss, Dr. Lazio reminds us that behind every dramatic headline or surgical success is something deeply, beautifully human.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD is a book for anyone who wonders what really happens when the brain―and life―hangs in the balance.

Dr. Barbara E. Lazio is a neurosurgeon with experience in the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the brain and spine, with a special interest in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. She specializes in stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of brain tumors. She completed her neurosurgery residency at the University of Maryland, where she was the first woman to graduate from the program. She enjoys getting to know her patients so she can help them return to activities that are important to them. A native of Ohio, Dr. Lazio has called the Pacific Northwest home since 2010. Outside of work she and her husband, Matt enjoy hiking, cycling, and spending time with their daughters.

SPIT de Staci Whitman

« Dr. Staci uncovers a game-changing truth: the mouth is not just the mirror of health, it’s the command center. This book will transform the way you think about disease prevention and longevity. » –James Nestor, bestselling author of Breath

SPIT:
How the Secrets of the Oral Microbiome Could Save Your Life
by Staci Whitman
Crown Trade, spring 2027

Dr. Staci Whitman’s SPIT explores the oral microbiome as a critical, yet often ignored, driver of whole-body health. Bringing her pioneering work in functional dentistry to the forefront, she connects oral health to major systems in the body, from the heart and hormones to digestion and immunity. With a dynamic blend of science, storytelling, and cultural insight, the book reframes the mouth as a powerful ecosystem that can influence everything from chronic disease to overall vitality.

If GUT opened the door and BREATH ushered readers into an entirely new understanding of the body, then SPIT delivers the next big idea in wellness. This is a surprising and essential book about one of the most overlooked yet powerful ecosystems in the human body.

Dr. Staci Whitman is a powerhouse. A trailblazer in functional dentistry, a board-certified pediatric dentist, and one of only a handful of IFM-certified practitioners in her field, she is an entrepreneur, innovator, and educator with a vision to make the world cavity-free. She has founded the first pediatric functional dental practice in the United States, launched two health-focused product lines, and is leading the development of the first certification program that trains dentists to treat oral health through a systemic lens. She is also earning a master’s degree in functional medicine and nutrition while treating patients and building a national education platform. Her energy is remarkable. Her clarity and purpose are inspiring.

Dr. Staci is also a savvy, strategic, and ambitious partner. With over 200K followers across platforms and a robust email list, she’s intentionally investing in growing her audience further and is hiring a dedicated social growth strategist in advance of publication. She’s already appeared on Andrew Huberman’s podcast and is receiving interest from the biggest names in the podcasting world—from the Joe Rogan Experience to Mel Robbins, Dr. Mark Hyman, Liz Moody, and Max Lugavere.

What is most exciting, though, is the quality and originality of the work. SPIT is a beautifully written, deeply researched, and wildly entertaining journey into a realm of science most people have never considered. This is not just a book about brushing your teeth better. It is about how the oral microbiome connects to inflammation, heart disease, hormonal balance, the brain, digestion, sleep, immunity, and even fertility. With a warm, witty, and thoroughly accessible voice, Dr. Staci blends cutting-edge science, patient stories, and cultural history to show readers how their mouths can be the key to their health and vitality. It is timely, important, and full of potential.

Dr. Staci Whitman is the co-founder of The Institute for Functional Dentistry, an allied partner of The Institute for Functional Medicine. She’s pioneering the first certification program that trains dentists in the oral-systemic connection. She founded Bloom Kids Dentistry in Portland, Oregon, the first functional pediatric dental practice in the U.S., with national expansion underway. This practice takes a whole-body, holistic approach to dentistry, grounded in science and driven by compassion. Dr. Staci is also an entrepreneur, creating Happi Floss (the world’s first truly sustainable floss pick) and co-creating Fygg (Feed You Good Guys), an oral healthcare line dedicated to protecting and supporting the oral microbiome. She earned her DMD from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and later completed a pediatric dentistry certification at Oregon Health and Science University, where her research focused on improving airway assessments in children. A Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry since 2012, she’s a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

OUTSMARTING CANCER d’Adam Barsouk

OUTSMARTING CANCER aims to share the history and latest data on cancer prevention interwoven with narratives of patients that have inspired Dr. Adam Barsouk to see oncology in a new light.

OUTSMARTING CANCER:
Risk Reduction and the Power of Prevention
by Adam Barsouk, M.D.
Johns Hopkins University Press, Winter 2026
(via Vertical Ink)

Dr. Adam Barsouk will break down the most common risk factors for cancer worldwide, sharing historical anecdotes, the latest epidemiological statistics, and studies on the best lifestyle and public health interventions, all interspersed with patient narratives and personal anecdotes. In sharing his patients’ and his family’s stories, Dr. Barsouk gives cancer a face and prevention the urgency it deserves. While virtually every cancer prevention book on the market today focuses on a specific type of diet that people should follow to avoid getting cancer, Dr. Barsouk takes a much broader approach, dealing with a wide variety of cancer risk factors and how to avoid them practically in people’s everyday lives. Dr. Barsouk’s writing and storytelling ability is on par with Dr. Atul Gawande or even an Dr. Oliver Sachs, and he is able to relate the humanity and pain and tragedy and triumph that he has seen firsthand through the stories of not only his patients, but also his own family, and translate the science of cancer into relatable and practical everyday advice.

Adam Barsouk, M.D.’s medical journey began at a young age, when in the 2010’s he acted as his Ukrainian grandparents’ translator at the cancer clinic in Pittsburgh where they both received treatment for rare blood cancers which were, in all likelihood, due to exposure to radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. After they passed, Adam knew he wanted to continue to change lives through medicine, and he started volunteering with cancer patients and in cancer research labs at the University of Pittsburgh. Working with patients, he got to translate not just Russian or Spanish, but also the complex science of oncology to ordinary people in need. He became their advocate, and he continued that advocacy by publishing articles in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Newsweek, the DailyMail, and more, and through numerous appearances on television to talk about healthcare and policy. He went on to graduate summa cum laude from the accelerated undergraduate medical program at Penn State University, and top of his class from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He is currently a resident physician in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he rotates in the oncology ward and clinic.

WIR SUPERHELDINNEN de Dorothee Biener

What the female body does so exceptionally, and how there is much more to it than we suspect.

WIR SUPERHELDINNEN
(We Superheroines)
by Dorothee Biener
Penguin Germany, March 2025

Gynecologist Dr. Dorothee Biener is always surprised at how little most women, young and old, know about their bodies. Yet every woman’s body is a true marvel!

In her book, she describes just how the female body operates and what extraordinary powers it has. This includes in short, all of fascinating and unexpected things that makes women superheroes and each woman so special. The author also explains what is important at every age and what women should definitely be aware of according to their stage of life. She also focuses on female diseases – how to identify them and what can be done to prevent them – as well as explaining and dispelling the many myths still out there.

Female sexuality is just as much a topic as are interesting cases from the gynecologist’s practice. In an entertaining, accessible and trustworthy way, Dorothee Biener offers deep and comprehensive insights into the miracle of the female body and everything you need to know about it, as well as a guide to a healthy, happy, and mindful life along with it.

• Amazing facts, debunked myths, and fascinating cases from a gynecologist’s practice

Dorothee Biener holds a degree in biology and a doctorate in gynecology. She has worked for many years in gynecology in hospitals and practices, and has been conducting research into breast cancer and gene distribution in the cell nucleus. While her scientific mind is dedicated to research into the fantastic female body, her heart belongs to her patients and anyone else who wants to explore the marvelous topic of womanhood. WIR SUPERHELDINNEN is her first non-fiction book.

RISING UP de Brennan Spiegel

As long as life has existed on Earth—from the simplest organisms to Homo sapiens—gravity has inexorably shaped our world.

RISING UP
How Gravity Shapes Our Bodies and Minds
by Brennan Spiegel
St. Martin’s Press, Fall 2025
(via Levine Greenberg Rostan)

Although this hidden force strains every fiber of our bodies, every moment of our lives, we often neglect its relentless impact on our health. But to what extent does gravity shape our sensations, our emotions, and our overall wellbeing? The answers will astonish you.

In RISING UP, Professor Brennan Spiegel presents a groundbreaking exploration into how gravity influences not just celestial bodies, but also underlies conditions of body and mind that have puzzled medical professionals for centuries. Beginning with a simple observation at a family dinner and culminating in a landmark study by the author that garnered worldwide attention, RISING UP invites you on a captivating journey through the human body’s inner struggle to keep us upright and healthy.

Why do people with depression literally feel like they’re being dragged to the ground? Why do you get that butterfly feeling in your stomach when falling on a rollercoaster? Why do you get it when “falling” in love? What can we learn from astronauts with heartburn and swollen faces to inform our lives back on Earth? How do gut microbes help us fight gravity? And most important, just how do we change our relationship with gravity for the better?

In answering these questions, Spiegel unveils the concept of “gravity resilience” and introduces the “personal gravity profile” to help readers understand gravity’s imprint on their own mind and body. Understanding your profile can illuminate why certain activities feel more challenging or why you might experience discomfort in situations where gravity’s influence is altered, like on a rollercoaster, or during a yoga class, or up in an airplane.

Moreover, he introduces a new way of thinking about weight loss, exercise, diet, and meditation. Rather than just being lifestyle choices, these treatments are united by a profound and unexpected commonality: they all enhance our resilience to gravity. Throughout the book, Spiegel offers additional practices for withstanding gravity’s demands.

Equally rooted in hard science and compelling storytelling, Rising Up turns a new page in our understanding of what it means to be a human living on Earth. This isn’t merely a book about medicine or science; it’s a startling revelation about the very essence of the human condition.

Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, is the Dorothy and George Gourrich Chair in Digital Health Ethics at Cedars-Sinai, Assistant Dean for Clinical and Translational Research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and Founding Director of the Cedars-Sinai Master’s Program in Health Delivery Science. He is the immediate past Editor-in-Chief for the American Journal of Gastroenterology and inaugural Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Medical Extended Reality. Dr. Spiegel has published widely in the fields of health services research, digital health science, and clinical medicine with 280 peer-reviewed manuscripts that have been cited over 23,700 times in the biomedical literature.