With so many health-transforming books being released, WholeFoods wanted to know what the experts are reading. Here, Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., shares her thoughts on a book she couldn’t put down.

 

I Used to Have Cancer: How I Found My Own Way Back to Health by James Templeton

When a 30-year survivor of terminal cancer speaks, I listen.

Can you imagine praying fervently from your hospital bed, desperate for a cure for your advanced cancer, and within minutes having a number of people come walking through your door, each with a different key for the healing you just prayed for? And this isn’t even where his story starts…

James Templeton had it all – he was a highly successful businessman, had a beautiful wife and daughter, and was only in his early 30s when a diagnosis changed it all. In the blink of an eye he went from living the American dream to praying to see his next sunrise. When doctors had given up all hope in him surviving, he started fighting cancer naturally – his way - and won.

James writes his tale as only a true Texan can, with wit and flair, and an impressive library of natural health knowledge. While this book focuses on the methods he used to overcome his cancer, I found it an endearing and inspiring story of a “comeback kid” who didn’t give up when all conventional methods of healing cancer failed him.

Spoiler alert: He not only regained his health and wealth, but he found his happily ever after:  yours truly!  James Templeton is my life partner.

 

Yin Yang Balance for Menopause: The Korean Tradition of Sasang Medicine by Gary Wagman, Ph.D., Lac

The “Change of Life” can be a change for the better, thanks to Dr. Wagman’s new book.  I had the pleasure of writing Dr.  Wagman’s foreword, and so had a sneak peek into his terrific tome!

Dr. Wagman created a custom-tailored program that meets your individual needs, based on the Korean Sasang medical system. The truth is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all menopause plan that works for everyone; each of us comes into this world with unique physical and emotional strengths and weaknesses, and there’s no time this is more apparent than during the menopausal years.

Dr. Wagman bases his recommendations on four distinct body types, that guide you on the best diet, supplement, herb and exercise choices, not only during menopause, but for the years beyond. Your personal body type is a powerful tool that not only helps you manage the “power surges” – aka “hot flashes” – so common to the menopause years, but also helps guide you through more serious challenges like osteoporosis and heart disease.

As someone who has written several books on menopause and has gone through “The Change” myself, I wish I had this invaluable book much earlier in my journey. I am especially impressed that he thoughtfully addresses the mind-body connection to menopause issues and how our emotions affect our physical wellbeing. Not only are the menopause years a time of physical changes, but they are also a time when many of us truly come into our own – body, mind, and spirit. Use Dr. Wagman’s book to achieve biochemical balance, and sail through menopause right into a second spring of life.