Blog Archives
Skin on Fire: Healing Psoriasis Naturally
Skin on Fire is a personal health guide, an account of living with psoriasis, and a structured lifestyle program gathered into one book. Chiropractor Anik St. Martin draws heavily on her own experience, beginning with the shame, discomfort, and powerlessness she felt as psoriasis spread across her body. She describes years of trying topical steroids, methotrexate, coal tar, light therapy, and other conventional treatments before turning toward nutrition, gut health, stress reduction, and changes in her home environment. That personal history gives the book its emotional center and helps explain why its message is so urgent and hopeful.
The book gradually expands from memoir into a broad explanation of St. Martin’s approach to autoimmunity. She discusses genetics and epigenetics, inflammation, digestive health, physical and emotional stress, environmental exposures, medication, and the gut microbiome. Her main idea is that psoriasis should be approached as a whole-body condition rather than an isolated skin complaint. St. Martin writes with conviction and speaks directly to readers who may feel dismissed or discouraged. Her tone can be forceful, especially when she discusses pharmaceutical treatment, but it’s also warm and candid. Small flashes of humor and stories from her family life keep the scientific and instructional sections from feeling like a textbook.
The most practical portion of the book is its detailed 90-day psoriasis-healing program. St. Martin turns her ideas into daily actions involving an elimination-style diet, supplements, a fasting-mimicking cleanse, meditation, affirmations, nervous-system regulation, and the reduction of potentially irritating household and personal-care products. The final chapters include recipes for soups, smoothies, dressings, fermented foods, sourdough bread, and other staples intended to make the program easier to follow. There’s a lot to absorb, and the regimen asks for significant time, planning, cooking, and commitment. Because the book includes medical and nutritional claims alongside the author’s personal conclusions, readers will benefit from discussing major dietary, medication, fasting, or supplement changes with a qualified health professional.
This book will be most appreciated by readers with psoriasis who are interested in functional health, food as medicine, and a highly involved lifestyle approach. It’s especially suited to someone who wants more than general wellness suggestions and is ready to examine meals, stress patterns, self-talk, household products, and daily routines in detail. Caregivers and family members may also value the book’s honest portrayal of how visible skin disease can affect confidence and emotional well-being. St. Martin offers these readers a strong sense of agency and a concrete framework to work from, delivered in the voice of someone who understands how personal the condition can feel.
Pages: 248 | ASIN : B0H4C5RN24
Faith Is the Foundation
Discover Your Gold Mind offers readers a reflective guide focused on a disciplined inner life shaped by self-awareness, faith, and purpose. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This book came from a combination of personal interviews and research I conducted back when I was a newspaper reporter. Reporters have the privileged opportunity to meet some of the wealthiest and most successful people from all walks of life. Just as a reporter wants to provide valuable information to their readers and subscribers, I felt that what I had learned should go beyond just the immediate weekly audience who read my newspaper articles. I felt this information should be shared with the public at large. So, I started conducting more research, which eventually became the book.
Media is known as the 4th Estate. Our purpose is to inform the public. As a journalist, it is my purpose to gather and distribute as much useful information to people as possible. That’s what I hope this book does.
Who did you have in mind as your primary reader while writing this book?
The book grew out of my speeches given at colleges and universities. The bulk of the book is the text – almost verbatim – from my speeches. So, I would have to say the book was geared towards college students. However, I believe the principles can be practiced by anyone. And that’s my desire. Only a select community read my newspaper articles. Only the audience in attendance heard my speeches. I wanted to preserve a version of my speeches and spread the information to as many people as possible.
What role does faith play in developing a “gold mind”?
Faith is the foundation. The bible describes faith as the evidence of things unseen. That means our vision for ourselves comes from having faith. Others have no idea why we do what might seem impossible or ridiculous to them. But every physical reality that we enjoy from nice homes, cars, cell phones, and even artificial intelligence came from a vision that originated in someone’s mind. Having faith is what allows us to persevere patiently in the midst of naysayers as well as endure through trials and hardships. Becoming the best version of yourself is not going to be easy. Making a change is not easy. Change is uncomfortable. There’s always some resistance and pain involved in making a change. But we have a choice: We can accept the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
What daily habits most effectively help someone build a stronger mindset?
The way you start your day is the most important part of the process. Do not start your day with any form of media – radio, television, or social media. Begin each day with prayer and/or meditation in complete solitude for at least 5 minutes. I wouldn’t go longer because the body needs to be active. Start a 15–20-minute exercise regimen. Exercise will kickstart your endorphins. Skip breakfast and drink only water. Make sure you get sunlight early in the morning and throughout the day. Vitamin D does wonders within the body.
I know it might seem cliché, but reading, writing, and arithmetic are best for direct mental stimulation. The mind is a muscle, and it has to be exercised to grow stronger. Read and write every day. Do one or two mathematical word problems each day. Word problems combine reading, writing, and critical thinking to help solve real-world problems.
The second most important component is to end your day with reflection. This allows us to assess the effectiveness of our plan to reach the goal. Daily exercise, word problems, and meditation will develop a stronger mindset in as little as three weeks if it’s done consistently.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
Mindfulness Is For Everyone
Nurse Dorothea Presents Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Why Mindfulness Is a Key Coping Skill guides readers through the basics of mental health, the meaning of mindfulness, and the many ways it can improve daily life. Why is mindfulness important?
Mindfulness is something everyone can do, and its effects are large on mental health. Research has proven its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. In today’s world, we all need simple ways to reduce stress.
With a mix of friendly explanations, real research, and simple activities, your book also covers Jon Kabat-Zinn’s nine pillars of mindfulness and the three main practices: meditation, body scanning, and mindful yoga. What are the nine pillars of mindfulness, and how do they help improve mental health?
Non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, gratitude, and generosity. Practicing each one by itself can improve mental health, but when practiced many at one time, the synergistic effects are large and can result in more mental peace.
What should readers do to start incorporating mindfulness practices into their daily lives?
The easiest exercise is to focus on your breathing and let everything else in your mind go so that your breathe is the only thing at your attention.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Nurse Dorothea Presents Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Why Mindfulness Is a Key Coping Skill?
I hope people become convinced of the usefulness of the practice of mindfulness and actually incorporate into their daily life.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Video Contest | Animated Video Book 11 | Other Projects | Interview about Project | LinkedIn
We are starting the process of removing stigma about mental health issues. Let’s share ideas of the journey to well-being and seek to understand others as they are instead of how we wish them to be. By learning to know ourselves and trying different coping skills that are specific to the situation that we find ourselves in, we can achieve balance and peace. As we deepen our self-awareness and harness tailored coping mechanisms for diverse situations, we pave the path to equilibrium and serenity. Let’s foster an environment conducive to both individual and collective growth within our society. By doing this, we unlock potentials previously unattainable, empowering us to fully cultivate our knowledge, skills, and abilities. With gratitude in our heart, peace in our mind, and confidence in our capabilities, we can face the future with bravery, courage, and determination to help make the best lives for ourselves and others that we possibly can. If society wants something we have never had, we’re going to have to do something that has never been done. Dow Creative Enterprises® Help Civilization Reach Its Potential® Ages: Puberty to 99+
Nurse Dorothea® Presents Depression and Accepting Resources to Help
Depression and Accepting Resources to Help is a children’s informational picture book about a girl named Amisha who visits her school nurse, Nurse Dorothea, because she thinks she may be dealing with depression. From there, the book walks through symptoms, risks, causes, treatment options, warning signs, and ways to ask for help, and it ends with Amisha telling her dad what she learned so they can make a doctor’s appointment before things get worse. It’s very much a health-focused educational story more than a traditional plot-driven tale, and that feels true to what the book wants to be.
I think readers will like how direct the writing is. Author Michael Dow doesn’t circle around the subject or soften it into something vague. He lets Nurse Dorothea speak clearly about sadness, hopelessness, suicidal thinking, medication, therapy, and emergency help, which makes the book feel serious in a way I respected. I kept noticing that the book carries a huge amount of information. Sometimes it reads less like a story and more like a guided lesson inside a picture book. It is worth noting that the emotional arc is a bit thinner than the educational one. Amisha gives the book a human center, but the real engine here is explanation.
I also found myself thinking about the author’s choice to frame all of this through a trusted school nurse. That was smart. It gives kids a clear model for what asking for help can look like, and it makes the book feel steady instead of scary. The illustrations help with that too, almost like the book is saying, sit down, breathe, let’s talk this through. I appreciated that the ideas stay practical. The message isn’t that one brave conversation magically fixes everything. The message is that support matters, treatment can take different forms, and learning the signs early matters. That grounded approach felt honest to me.
I would recommend this genre blend of children’s picture book and mental health education resource most for adults reading with kids, school counselors, nurses, teachers, and families who want a structured way to open a hard conversation. It’s especially useful for children who may be starting to notice sadness, worry, or changes in themselves or someone they love. Kids looking for a playful storybook may not connect with it in the same way, because this book is really built to inform first. But for readers who need clarity, reassurance, and a calm entry point into a difficult topic, I think it has real value.
Pages: 95
Live a Healthy Life
Nurse Florence®, What Are Eosinophils? follows students and a knowledgeable nurse as they explore what eosinophils are, how they work, and why understanding them helps kids make healthy choices. What inspired you to focus an entire children’s book on a lesser-known type of white blood cell?
Since we plan to publish over 700 Nurse Florence® books, we will need to explore the lesser-known things about the body to get to that number.
How did you approach balancing scientific accuracy with accessibility for young readers?
I have both as coequal goals or objectives, so I do my best to make both happen with each page.
Were there particular health topics that you found especially challenging to simplify without losing nuance?
Trying to explain what doctors may want to do if the cell count is too high or too low.
How do you decide which practical health habits to include when connecting science to everyday life?
I try to promote eating a healthy and balanced diet, exercising regularly, and sleeping well into every book if possible, as well as not smoking cigarettes. These are things that show up in the literature over and over again to help people live a healthy life.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Essay Contest | YouTube | Dow Creative Enterprises® | Nurse Florence Project | LinkedIn | Amazon
Focused on the Science
Nurse Florence®, What is Acne? follows three curious friends as Nurse Florence transforms a simple question about pimples into an empowering, science-based journey through the causes, types, and treatments of acne. What inspired you to create the Nurse Florence® series as a way to teach health concepts to children?
During the COVID pandemic, I wanted to help supplement my children’s science education and thought that if I wrote a kids’ book series, then that would help. “The kids would have to read it since Dad wrote it.”
How did you determine which scientific terms were appropriate and accessible for elementary-age readers?
I use the concept of intellectual stimulation with my readers, which is borrowed from transformational leadership. I choose to believe that my readers can understand complex ideas as long as they are broken down a bit.
Acne can be an emotional topic. How did you balance scientific detail with empathy in your storytelling?
I tried not to focus on the emotions teenagers may have with acne and instead stayed focused on the science about the condition.
Are there other health topics you’re excited to explore with Nurse Florence® in future books?
I love writing all Nurse Florence® books and love this journey I am on of lifelong learning as I research topics and generate material to teach young people about their bodies.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Essay Contest | YouTube | Dow Creative Enterprises® | Nurse Florence Project | LinkedIn | Amazon
Community Feelings
Nurse Florence, What Do Hormones Control? introduces children to the powerful world of hormones through an engaging, beautifully illustrated conversation that makes complex biology clear, friendly, and fun. What inspired you to frame the science of hormones as a casual conversation in a school lunchroom?
When I started the series, the first book’s setting was in the nurse’s office. I thought about where else a school nurse could interact with kids and decided the lunch room was appropriate, as well as the school classroom. I know it seems a little strange for elementary kids to approach the school nurse at lunch, but I want nurses to appear approachable and trusted.
How did you decide which hormonal functions were most important, and most age-appropriate, to feature for young readers?
The source document I used from the Cleveland Clinic highlighted the hormones I discussed in the book.
Were there any scientific concepts you found especially challenging to simplify without oversimplifying?
The chemical structures of amino acids. I choose to just leave drawings of all the structures and let it be left for another book to go into detail about the structure of molecules.
What do you hope children (and the adults reading with them) will feel or understand differently after finishing this book?
I hope kids, parents, and grandparents, as well as aunts and uncles, will feel empowered as they read these books together. I hope to help bring community feelings back to our community.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Essay Contest | YouTube | Dow Creative Enterprises® | Nurse Florence Project | LinkedIn | Amazon
Curious Questions
Nurse Florence, Tell Me About Adipose Tissue follows three girls talking with the school nurse at lunch, who want to learn what purpose body fat serves in keeping the body working. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The Nurse Florence® series explores the curious questions that people have about the body, so this book serves to answer the questions some may have about adipose or fat tissue.
With the human body being so complex, and some areas doing many jobs, how do you determine what medical facts to include in your books?
Sometimes, it’s just intuition about what should be included and what should be left out. All of the books can’t be 100 pages long, so we just have to choose to cover different concepts in multiple books.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I was surprised to learn myself that adipose tissue produces some hormones, so if I thought that was interesting, then I thought others would find that interesting as well.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Nurse Florence, Tell Me About Adipose Tissue?
The human body is complicated, and it’s ok to learn new things about the body for all our lives.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Essay Contest | YouTube | Dow Creative Enterprises® | Nurse Florence Series | LinkedIn | Amazon
