Tuesday, September 25, 2007

THE MIND AND NATURE

"Hiking Out: Surviving Depression With Humor and Insight Along the Way" (PublishingWorks)

Despite the subtitle, Dick Sederquist's memoir of a lifetime of hiking only touches on overcoming depression. His account, from his fall through a frozen pond as a kid to his encounters with black bears as an adult, is more about exploring the trails of North America than the inner self. But one analogy sticks: "The Grand Canyon is like an inverted mountain. Hiking in is easy. The hard work is getting out. Such it is with lifelong depression."

"Overcoming the Mental Challenges of an Injury"http://www.active.com/cycling

Psychotherapist and cycling coach Marvin Zauderer cites psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) as a model for an injured athlete to address her sense of temporary -- or longer -- loss. It seems to fit, especially for someone whose sport was a source of challenge, balance and even identity. Zauderer concedes that losing your ability to ride (or partake in any beloved sport) isn't as serious as having a loved one die. But accepting the loss, Zauderer writes in the essay, which first appeared in Pezcyclingnews.com, is key to recovery.

Men's Health, September edition

According to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, a 60-year-old in 2003 had about 15 percent less testosterone than a peer in 1988. "Testosterone Under Attack" explores the causes and implications of this trend with sass to spare. (A chart about sperm count is called "Sinking Swimmers"; in a paragraph about the link between obesity and T-levels, writer Richard Conniff says that an overweight man still has enough of the hormone "to crush you between his manboobs.") The article ends with two alarmist questions: "Are you man enough right now? Will you be, 10 years from now?"

-- Rachel Beckman