Audio Books: Audio Books - A Book Report

Americans spend $40 billion a year on weight-loss programs and products. They answer Jenny Craig's enticement to "lose 20 pounds for just $20" ("plus the cost of food") or Trimspa's offer of a seven-day supply of chocolate Hoodia weight-loss supplements for $24.95.

We buy books and magazines that offer the insightful revelation that we overeat because we're bored. There are publications that promote weight loss via "food combining" or a diet that corresponds to blood type.

Most offensive are alleged fitness experts who issue such advice as: "Keep your nose out of carrots, bunny. They're full of sugar. Pears, too—pure sugar." Meanwhile, they recommend chemical-laden diet soft drinks and salt-choked low-calorie frozen meals. More>>

Dr. Danny Sands (pictured), a high-profile figure in the U.S. health informatics sector, has taken on the role of International Director of Medical Informatics for Cisco Systems. The hiring of Dr. Sands reflects the growing importance of medical I.T. to communications equipment giant Cisco, which last year did $1 billion worth of business in the healthcare sector, a 40% increase over the previous year.

Dr. Sands was previously VP for Clinical Strategies for Zixcorp, a Dallas-based provider of secure e-mail systems and e-prescribing solutions. He also teaches at Harvard University and maintains a part-time primary care practice at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, part of the CareGroup constellation of hospitals and clinics. More>>