An Apple a Day: How to feel better by taking care of fundamentals,
using what works in alternative therapies and avoiding prescription drugs.
This book is the fruition of over thirty years of clinical experience combining
conventional and alternative medicines. I have learned that simple interventions,
including diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and choosing safer alternative therapies
instead of side-effect laden prescription drugs, have a dramatically positive effect
on people’s health and vitality. People are not only healthier, they feel better.
We all make mistakes with our health decisions. Trying to do the right thing, even
informed individuals are led astray by an uncritical media spotlighting relatively
unimportant information or the findings of the latest study, ignoring the fact that
the findings are contradicted by a mountain of previous data or the reality of
clinical experience. Research findings are important, but what really works is far
more important.
With this overload of information, how can people figure out what they should be
doing? Good health habits can be very simple to create and maintain. We tend to
get too fancy as we search for the right things to do and take for our health. A few
general principles and habits of thinking about health can put us on the right path
and keep us going in the right direction almost all of the time.
A lack of healthy self-criticism too often keeps physicians stuck in old habits
and ignorant about therapeutic options beyond conventional medicine. This
unfortunate tendency prevents us from providing optimal care to our patients.
Also, physicians are seldom taught how to help patients implement the
recommendations we do make. When the patients then fail to make changes,
everyone gets frustrated and stops trying.
This book is based on my experience, as well as medical research on the most
important health concerns. An Apple A Day will help you make better decisions
by learning what is important, what works and how to critically evaluate the latest
health buzz. It also provides specific steps to take, as well as how to successfully
make changes. It is a map towards feeling better and becoming stronger.
Book Outline
INTRODUCTION - MY STORY
HOW TO THINK ABOUT HEALTH
Considerations of what is important and how to think critically about what you
read
ESSENTIAL HEALTH HABITS
Discussion of the simple but irreplaceable things you can do to live healthier
CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVES
An introduction to alternative medicine and some thoughts about how and when
to use treatments your doctor probably does not offer
LIFE CYCLE SPECIFICS
Health habits, diseases and concerns as they pertain to specific phases of our
lives.
HOW TO LEARN MORE
APPENDICES
Drug company advertising, you and your doctor
Questions to ask your doctor
Simple homeopathic self care