Polly Fielding has no idea what she is letting herself in for when, on impulse, she decides to blow her savings on a tiny apartment in Paris. She views it as an exciting adventure until, having paid the deposit, she comes face to face with reality. Struggling to use a rudimentary grasp of French, she tries to cope with situations rapidly spirally out of her control and grapples desperately with the infamous French bureaucracy in her attempts to settle into an alien environment. Through trial and error (mainly error) she discovers the importance of always observing French etiquette in shops,...

Polly Fielding had an extremely traumatic childhood. In her search for constructive coping strategies to deal with her powerfully painful emotions, she searched desperately and often in vain for help over many years. She read every available self-help book and consulted a variety of counsellors, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists... Her stays in psychiatric hospitals made her realise that medication and locked doors were not the answer. A Mind To Be Free, is an honest and open account of her experiences and encounters with mental health professionals- the good, the bad and the downright...

Mental illness carries an enormous stigma. And yet, none of us is immune to it. We talk freely and readily about physical ill health, but far less so when it comes to mental health problems. A sufferer can feel intense loneliness, whilst trying to cope with powerfully negative emotions. Polly had to fight for years to get the appropriate help for her severe emotional problems, almost dying, before the NHS mental health system decided to give her appropriate treatment. She writes with openness and honesty about her day-to-day, experiences in therapy and provides an insight into how she...

After successfully losing weight on the 5:2 diet, Polly Fielding gives a comprehensive explanation of why and how this easy-to-follow diet works so well for her and shows you how to make it work for you. Her book contains 24 tasty and varied, one-person menu plans for your reduced calorie days. Each ingredient (measured both in imperial and metric), every meal and the day's total are calorie-counted. Polly spreads her 500 calorie allowance over three meals a day to avoid any uncomfortable energy dips. She explains how to easily overcome any difficulties you may initially encounter on this...

When Polly Fielding's son Nathan was diagnosed unexpectedly with severe haemophilia, the only thing she could recall about this blood disorder was "One scratch and you'll bleed to death." Based on the premise that knowledge eradicates fear, Polly thoroughly researched the subject, consulting with sufferers, haematologists and haemophilia nurse specialists. Polly takes us from the shock of diagnosis through the difficulties of coping with the reactions of Nathan's brothers and sister, who also have their say in this book. And she shows us how it is perfectly possible to live a normal, happy...

THERE IS A MUCH CHEAPER, EQUALLY EXCELLENT VERSION OF THIS BOOK (unillustrated) AVAILABLE. SCROLL DOWN TO FIND IT. After a successful year on the 5:2 diet, Polly Fielding gives a comprehensive explanation of why and how this diet works so well for her and how it can work for you. Her book contains 24 tasty menu plans. Each ingredient, every meal and the day's total are calorie-counted. She spreads her 500 calorie allowance over three meals a day to avoid those uncomfortable energy dips. She explains how to easily overcome any difficulties you may initially encounter on this diet and invites...

Have you, or are you thinking of, adopting or fostering a 'difficult' child? This book will helps you to avoid some of the many pitfalls. Polly was adopted by a couple who already had a child of their own. We watch as her confidence and self-esteem are gradually eroded. As she moves into teenage years and adulthood, Polly does not judge her adoptive parents but powerfully conveys her desperation to prove somehow that she is loveable. And we follow Polly's search for her birth mother, who she meets in the USA. She longs for a fairytale ending. But real life isn't quite like that... This...

This is a compendium of three books, all interlinked and written from Polly Fielding's own experiences: - 'And This Is My Adopted Daughter' gives a unique and moving insight into the innocent mind and spontaneous feelings of a child who seeks only to be loved and accepted by her adopted family. Later, as a young adult she begins a desperate search to find her natural mother... In 'A Mind To Be free' the reader is drawn compellingly into Polly's daily struggle with relationships, work, bringing up a family ... until she can no longer fight the pain of her past experiences without expert help....

Have you ever wished you could lose weight without depriving yourself of any of the foods you enjoy? Have you begun a diet and given up because it was too difficult? So did Polly, Lucy and Emily, who are following the 5:2 diet - an extremely popular and scientifically- proven way of eating. Each one has not only lost weight, kept it off and felt healthier than ever before, after years of unsuccessfully trying many other diets, but has also found the 5:2 method the easiest one both to stick to. Having written their own successful individual books about this diet, their enthusiasm has led them...