I Wish My Doctor Had Told Me This

The author is a nutritional therapist with qualifications in a number of other modalities, and this book is an expression of her mission to empower people to heal themselves, with a subtext and that there is more to healing than medication. Her basic premise is that 'our bodies have not yet adapted to deal with 21^st Century living', given the speed of change. Complementary practitioners will be familiar with the argument that we must deal with underlying causes rather than suppress symptoms, all of which involves taking responsibility for our health and lifestyle – especially given the prevalence of chronic disease that takes decades to manifest but and is exacerbated by our stressful schedules. The chapter on this topic gives an excellent summary of the current state of research and is followed by an informative discussion of the role of the thyroid in relation to our metabolic rate. Her functional approach looks at all bodily systems and interacting balances.

A series of individual chapters then address hormones, the gut, toxicity, stress, sugar, sleep, and spirit, with illustrative case histories and a reminder of the masculine orientation of much of modern medicine. Readers are also able to access some guidance with respect to their own symptoms, with corresponding advice. The author describes the toxicity of our modern environment, including rising levels of radiofrequency radiation that can also feed into chronic conditions. Symptoms of stress are explained along with practical suggestions to defuse these, including the feeling of time pressure; here the key strategy is to create balance. There is now a growing realisation of the danger of excessive sugar and the need for proper sleep. And in managing ourselves we can avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism and victimhood, making sure that we communicate our needs openly and develop a strong sense of purpose and connection. This highly readable book contains a wealth of practical information and advice.