Book Reviews
The Inside Tract
By Gerard Mullin, MD and Kathie Madonna Swift, MS, RD, LDN – Dr Mullin has been a long time faculty member for Institute for Functional Medicine and is a practicing gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins. This is an excellent guide for patients and practitioners to the confusing world of chronic digestive problems including the autoimmune versions. Dr. Mullin’s education on this subject began as a child with his mother’s digestive illness and continued with his own journey as a physician through serious chronic inflammatory illness that left him unable to work for a period of time. The Inside Tract helps patients pick the level of treatment they need and focuses on details of a whole foods diet, nutritional supplementation, detoxification and lifestyle changes to help formulate an individual plan. The advice is practical, founded in science and it works. This is the book I use for the sickest patients with the most severe digestive problems including ulcerative colitis and Chrons disease.
The Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis by R. Keith McCormick, DC
Osteoporosis is a chronic disorder, that is not just weakening of the bones; it is weakening of the entire body’s physiology. It is not a condition that can be fixed by simply taking osteoporosis medications, or calcium supplements. Faced with severe osteoporosis and multiple fractures at age 45, Dr. Keith McCormick has undertaken the formidable task of understanding the very complex nature of bone loss, and healing, and has presented it in an easy to read format. He does a wonderful job of helping the reader to understand the bigger picture of the complex causes of osteoporosis, recognizing the subtle interdependence between bone health and whole body health. To help someone with a chronic condition, the person’s whole physiology must be assessed, and a plan developed to address the failing biological functions. Dr. MCormick gives practical tools and solutions in a targeted program combining the best strategies from both traditional and holistic medicine. This whole body plan will help to dramatically improve bone strength and overall vitality.
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Allergies & Asthma by Kenneth Bock MD.
Kathy and I were fortunate to hear Dr. Bock speak at our last Functional Medicine Conference on digestive health. He is a remarkable physician and has done an excellent job of weaving patient histories through the clear scientific principles that unite these disorders. He gives the best explanation I have read anywhere about the immune dysfunction that underlies all these problems. I would recommend this book for adults with any of these disorders. He also offers clear treatment recommendations and describes very accurately the need for patients and practitioners to be medical detectives. I love his willingness to use medication when needed and nutrition in a practical way. He includes families in the choices about how many changes to make at one time and obviously sees his patients as the unique individuals they are. Bravo Dr. Bock.
Detoxify or Die by Sherry Rogers MD
Dr. Rogers is a nationally known environmental physician who writes many no holds barred books on how to spot toxicity in yourself and how to take charge of your recovery. This is my prevention bible and I’m reading it for the third time it’s so packed with information. Available at here along with Dr. Rogers other books.
Dr. Rogers is a nationally known environmental physician who writes many no holds barred books on how to spot toxicity in yourself and how to take charge of your recovery. This is my prevention bible and I’m reading it for the third time it’s so packed with information.
The Hundred Year Lie by Randall Fitzgerald
This is an excellent primer on prevention. It is a well researched look at the many types of toxicity we are exposed to (in our water, air, food and supplements) and how to avoid and recover from them.
A critical exposé of the health consequences of everyday chemicals contends that human beings are now one of the most polluted species on the planet, linking common products to key health issues while challenging safety reports being issued by top chemical, pharmaceutical, and processed food companies.
Available here.