Two Books in One - About God

IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD

By Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey

In the Likeness of God by Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey is perhaps the most remarkable book I've ever read. Actually it’s two books in one. Phillip Yancey combines two award winning books of Dr. Paul Brand - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and In His Image. Both books describe incredible and fascinating incidents in the life of Paul Brand and both books show the reader how the human body works, and what doctors or surgeons see and experience when they operate on and care for patients.

Paul Brand, a missionary doctor who worked with people with leprosy, discovered that leprosy silences nerve cells and as a result its victims destroy themselves because they cannot feel pain. Therefore, he sees pain as a gift!

Brand and his coauthor Philip Yancey explain very intricate body processes in terms laymen can understand. The first book includes sections on the human body’s Cells, Bones, Skin and Motion. The second book presents sections on Image, Blood, Head, Spirit and Pain. In connection with each of these Brand offers gripping and heart warming stories about his experiences as a mission doctor.

On top of this Brand and Yancey expand the readers understanding of the church and Christianity by linking insights about the human body with spiritual insight into how the Church – the Body of Christ operates. The Bible refers to the Church as the Body of Christ – so the authors are on biblically solid ground here.

Enjoy this book.

“You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Psalm 139:13-14

Blessings, Dottie

Two Book Reviews on Health Remedies

If you’re uncertain about your doctor’s orders for medication, surgery or testing or if they don’t help, you may be interested in these two books. The second one will cure you by dealing with unconscious issues! The first book will teach you ways to improve your health by taking less medication, eliminating toxins and boosting the immune system through diet, exercise, probiotics and supplements.

Natural Remedies for Essential Tremor     

By Donna Gagnon

Natural Remedies for Essential Tremor by Donna Gagnon is chock full of information about remedies other than drugs and surgery that may offer symptom relief for those suffering from essential tremor. Gagnon supplies background information on Essential Tremor and on conventional drugs and surgery treatments and then covers a multitude of natural remedies that will help our health today including food choices and life style choices, eliminating toxins, nutritional supplements, alternate therapies and more. The book is well written and easy to understand plus it is documented with references. At the end of the book Gagnon puts it all together with a step by step plan for implementing lifestyle changes gradually. The information in this book will help all of us be healthier and hopefully will reduce or even eliminate tremors.

The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders

By John Sarno

The Divided Mind by Dr. John Sarno is about the principles and practices of psychosomatic medicine written by a well known doctor who for decades specialized in helping people with back trouble using mindbody methods. Sarno is concerned that medical care in this country is in crisis. He says that over six million Americans suffering from fibromyalgia are being treated by specialists who don’t have a clue about what causes this disorder. The same is true for other disorders. He says there are hundreds of disorders that are psychosomatic. In spite of the prevalence of these disorders psychosomatic medicine is almost unknown today. Instead, doctors treat the symptoms.

Sarno writes the first four chapters in this book – about half of the book. He writes excellent chapters on the history of psychosomatic medicine, and the psychology and treatment of psychosomatic disorders. Case examples amplify his convictions about proper treatment for many people. His treatment involves teaching patients to at least keep an open mind to the fact that their problems are often due to underlying unconscious anger and the pain experienced by patients is to protect them from these feelings of rage. The patients who are open to this are often helped by realizing their unconscious issues and some accept a need for psychotherapy. Their unbearable pain goes away.

The second half of the book is written by six doctors who studied with Sarno and who use his methods. They support with their stories the need for an understanding of psychological needs and childhood or background issues. They include a doctor who specializes in hypertension, one who works in rehabilitation, a rheumatologist, an orthopedic surgeon, a doctor in sports medicine, and a family doctor. All of these doctors have similar stories of success with helping many people who were hopelessly sick prior to using this method. Chapter six by the orthopedic surgeon is terribly long and not well edited. The rest are excellent.

For those of us who recall seeing a family doctor in a leisurely setting in which time was not rushed and the doctor really knew you – I wish many of you could realize what we are missing today with managed care and doctors looking at their computers and doctors pushing medication or surgery for every ill. I know most doctors are caring but are trapped in the system. I hope some doctors will read this and open up their own practice to a kinder, more helpful way of treating illnesses. People need to exercise and eat right and quit most meds

“O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me.” Psalm 30:3

Blessings, Dottie

Two Books on Improving Your Health

If you’re reluctant to follow your doctor’s order for medication, surgery or testing you may be interested in these two books. You will learn ways to improve health by eliminating some medication, and eliminating toxins plus boosting the immune system through diet, exercise, probiotics and supplements.

Mind Over Meds: Know When Drugs are Necessary, When Alternatives are Better – and When to Let Your Body Heal on its Own

By Andrew Weil, MD

Mind Over Meds by Andrew Weil, MD, is an important book about the over use of medication and the importance of life style changes in order to improve health. Weil reports that “adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of death in our country and rank between the fourth and the sixth more common cause of death in hospitalized patients.” He also says “antibiotics that we use to kill or inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria may alter liver and kidney function and interfere with digestion.”

Through chapter after chapter Weil gives examples of people who have been terribly over medicated, describes in detail the medical issues of over use and misuse and then explains the integrative approach using meds when needed, plus diet, exercise, supplements, and mind/body approaches to achieve health.

The medications he found most concerning are “over prescribed, mis-prescribed, over used and misused.” They include antibiotics, statins, GERD medications, antihistamines, sleep aids, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin and ibuprofen) and more. Even over the counter medications can have many side effects that cause more harm than help.

There is a wealth of information in this book. Most of us need to at least reduce the number of medications we take and learn from this book how to be healthier without them.

The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline

By Dale E. Bredesen, MD

This is an exciting and amazing book that describes Dr. Bredesen’s careful scientific research to find a way to reverse Alzheimer’s and to also prevent the disease. His cure for Alzheimer’s is not a simple fix and many doctors will not admit cure is possible. (Your doctor may pooh, pooh it.) After studying brain abnormalities over some decades the author found that Alzheimer’s is not one disease but several. He discovered that thirty-six metabolic factors impact the brain. The way to reverse these changes requires a complex array of tests to rid the body of toxins and changes in life style. Some of the changes in my layman’s terms include eating organic food, taking vitamins and supplements, exercising daily, fasting 12-14 hours to give the digestion a rest and ridding the body of all toxins.

I learned about Dr. Bredesen’s protocol from a former neighbor whose wife in her fifties developed Alzheimer’s. To gain more understanding of this you can read my former neighbor’s blog. He writes beautifully and details his wife’s improvements since they went on the protocol in September 2017. She has improved already! See Matthew’s blog at www.savingjacquelynn.com. The book also describes this in detail and with case examples of cures.

“O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me.” Psalm 30:3

Blessings, Dottie

THREE BOOKS ON HEALTH

Here are three book reviews I wrote on books about health issues. The first book will tell you how to get younger by exercising and it may even motivate you to do so! The second book will help you learn to overcome depression, even bipolar – written by a man who was diagnosed with this. The third book will inform you about life threatening medical issues and gives valuable information

Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy – Until You’re 80 and Beyond

 by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge

This book is written by a doctor and one of his patients. They alternate chapters in describing what they have learned/believe about being as healthy as possible. The main message of this book is important- aging can be reversed and delayed by exercise. This message is repeated over and over and many great ideas are presented as to how to do this, how to work exercise into your life and how to make it a habit. I learned it is important to vary the exercise, to do weight lifting as well as walking or running and that you gain more strength and benefit when you push yourself beyond your limits.

The book is very repetitive and there are many slap stick comments and ski trip stories from Crowley that may appeal to some guys but not to many women or non skiers. I also thought the mention of evolution in many of the scientific descriptions is irrelevant.

The research evidence from Lodge gave convincing proof that exercise is key to good health. For example, he tells of sedentary 70 year old men who doubled their leg strength in three months. He also says that arthritis is an inflammatory disease of sedentary societies.

Younger Next Year also includes chapters on nutrition, emotions and connecting with others. Each of these topics greatly impacts our health especially as we age. A final chapter on sex reassures readers that this can continue into old age. The book hints at the importance of “spirituality” but says it’s not within the scope of the book. Yet they use Alcoholics Anonymous as an example of the benefits of connecting. The reason AA works is the “spiritual” path the 12 Steps require. 

I’ve been a regular exerciser for decades and I am a senior citizen. I added weight lifting four years ago. I can attest to the fact that this helps. My balance is better as well as my energy and strength. As a result of reading the book I’m jacking up my workouts so I’ll be even younger next year!

Overcoming Depression

And Manic Depression: A Whole Person Approach

By Paul Wider

Message from the author: “My heart goes out deeply to those who suffer from depression and bipolar. There is hope. It is possible to regain control of your life. I invite you to learn to master your moods using the multifaceted approach contained in this book. I wish you peace and wellness.”

Overcoming Depression is an unusual book chock full of information in a easy to read style with illustrations and steps to take for anyone who is depressed from one who has been through it. Wider was diagnosed with bipolar but refused to accept the diagnosis. He went on a quest to learn to manage his moods. The book has chapters on symptoms, causes, tools, needs, diet, faith and more. The author has used many avenues to help himself and after trial and error has many good answers.

As a retired clinical social worker and advocate for healthy life styles I’m pleased to know depression and bipolar can be successfully approached in holistic ways in cooperation with medical doctors. Mr. Wider’s book is a Godsend for those who read it and decide to try the various approaches to master their moods.

The Day I Died by Steve Sjogren

I reread The Day I Died after telling a friend about this book. She asked me if we had a Living Will and specifically wondered about water being withheld – an item on the usual Living Will. In the book Sjogren says that Terry Schiavo “died a slow and painful death due to dehydration.” He also tells of his own medical trials and says “of all the pain I experienced in life nothing comes close to the pain of being dry in the mouth for 7 to 10 days.” Sjogren describes his near death experiences of God’s reassurance and offers valuable thoughts about medical care and especially end of life care – and much more.

Steve Sjogren, former pastor of the Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati tells a gripping true story of a simple surgery gone awry. He “died” twice during this and lives today because his wife didn’t listen to the claims that he had lost brain capacity while in a coma. She refused to pull the plug. His church and thousands of people across the country prayed for him and the prayers plus a new doctor and hospital pulled him back from the brink of death.

Much of the book describes the lessons Sjogren learned as a result of having to slow down. These are valuable lessons for all of us. His positive suggestions for what to say when visiting a dying friend are valuable. His life long daily practice of journaling and setting goals fascinated me also. This is an intriguing and valuable book.

Blessings, Dottie

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:2-3

Three Books on Healing

The Heart Speaks: A Cardiologist Reveals the Secret Language of Healing

By Dr. Mimi Guarneri

The Heart Speaks is a beautiful book written by a cardiologist who has a warm heart. Dr. Mimi weaves her life experiences and stories about her patients throughout the book including the childhood tragedy of losing her mother to a heart attack. Her medical school training required her to suppress all her emotions. She learned to do this and for years operated on heart patients but didn’t really know them. She says in the introduction:

“No one spoke of the other layers of the heart that didn’t appear in a stress test or electrocardiogram: the mental heart affected by hostility, stress and depression, the emotional heart that could be crushed by loss, the intelligent heart that has a nervous system of its own and communicates with the brain and other parts of the body. No one lectured about the spiritual heart that yearns for a higher purpose, the universal heart that communicates with others, or the original heart that beats in the unborn fetus before the brain is formed.”

Dr. Mimi learned to listen to her patients in order to discover the correct diagnosis, finding this often more accurate than tests or her medical training. As a result the most puzzling or difficult patients responded and were helped by her.

She offers research to support her use of an integrative approach to her patients. She develops an individual treatment plan for each patient including for example, acupuncture, yoga, good nutrition, and prayer.

My review doesn’t do justice to this marvelous book. This book will be helpful to patients, doctors, nurses and the entire medical community. This approach has and will open and heal many hearts. Perhaps it will even help transform the health care system.

Dr. Lani’s No-Nonsense Bone Health Guide: The Truth about Density Testing, Osteoporosis Drugs and Building Bone Quality at Any Age

By Dr. Lani Simpson

Dr. Lani’s No-Nonsense Bone Health Guide is an outstanding book on the health of our bones and on understanding and treating osteoporosis. Dr. Lani is a chiropractor who has been trained to read dexa-scans and understand these tests. She works closely with a medical doctor. Her research and experience with patients is detailed in the book and is thorough and convincing. She experienced bone loss herself and tells her own story. Dr. Lani says that many of the medications given to promote bone growth actually cause harm. (I have had difficulty with these same medications so was glad for the validation of this.) She also says that often dexa-scans are not accurate and she gives information about how to assure you receive valid tests.

I was most surprised by Dr. Lani’s connecting the health of the digestive system of the patient and the health of the bones. When the digestion is off the body does not absorb the needed nutrients especially calcium and magnesium. (I’ve had digestive problems and never connected this with bone loss.) Instead of giving separate medications or treatment for the bones and the digestion she believes it’s essential to treat the body as a whole and understand what will help it heal. She offers a realistic plan for eating right, taking some supplements and exercising to correct the digestive issues and build stronger bones or at least stop the bone loss from progressing. This is a great reference book with much information here including pictures and diagrams. I highly recommend this book.

Spontaneous Healing: How To Discover and Enhance Your Body’s Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal itself

By Andrew Weil, M.D.

Spontaneous Healing is a fascinating and enlightening book. A friend, who had leukemia at 17 and is a healthy 50 year old now, raved about this book so I bought it. It's in paper back and probably in most libraries as it was published in 1995.

The thesis of the book is that the medical profession only concerns itself with disease. Medical schools teach nothing about prevention or about the ability of the body to heal itself. Dr. Weil, a Harvard Medical School graduate, is not against medical care but tells many ways we can encourage our body’s immune systems to help us heal. He gives many examples of “spontaneous healing.” A chapter near the end of the book titled Cancer as a Special Case gives detailed information about approaches to this disease.

Dr. Weil notes the pessimistic stance of many doctors who predict the worst - which can affect the mind and body of the patient negatively. The book offers many patient case examples of healing through natural means and many of his patients say their illness is a gift which helped them change their unhealthy or dysfunctional life styles. They learned to accept what happened in life. I highly recommend this book. 

These three books have informed my thinking about how to beat disease and I have used much of the information given to boost my immune system and stay healthy.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:2-3

Blessings, Dottie