Books offer help, encouragement for health issues
May 7—Many people suffer from and with chronic illnesses and they can often feel isolated or alone. They are not. Here are a few books about chronic illness that can be checked out from the St. Joseph Public Library. Visit the library's online catalog at sjpl.ent.sirsi.net/ to find these and other helpful books.
"Chronic: The Hidden Cause of the Autoimmune Pandemic and How to Get Healthy Again" by Steven Phillips and Dana Parish. Disease expert Steven Phillips, MD, and his patient-turned-Lyme-disease-warrior Dana Parish have both experienced the frustration of trying to get treatment and answers related to chronic disease. They advocate changing the current model of simply treating symptoms of chronic disease and shifting the focus to finding and curing the root causes of chronic diseases that affect millions around the world.
"Fix It With Food: More than 125 Recipes to Address Autoimmune Issues and Inflammation" by Michael Symon. When Michael Symon found out he had rheumatoid arthritis and external lupus, he wondered if his diet could make a difference in his levels of inflammation and how he felt. He discovered that dairy, sugar and processed flours were his food triggers and that by avoiding them, his inflammation essentially vanished. This book offers recipes that satisfied his food cravings but kept him feeling well. It also includes a guide on how to identify your food triggers and create a meal plan that works for you.
"The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness" by Meghan O'Rourke. Chronic illnesses afflict tens of millions of Americans. Many of the diseases are poorly understood and can go undiagnosed. Author Meghan O'Rourke investigated several autoimmune diseases including post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome and now long COVID. As a person who suffers from a chronic illness, she draws on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers and public health experts. She traces the history of illness and reveals how ideas of cause, diagnosis and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. Finally, she argues for a shift in the current approach to treating disease.
"Live Younger Longer: 6 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimer's, Diabetes and More" by Dr. Stephen L. Kopecky. Mayo Clinic cardiologist Stephen Kopecky offers an easy-to-understand and follow approach to preventing common diseases, chronic illnesses and living a longer life. He offers tips on diet, exercise, improving sleep and stress reduction. It is a quick read and a great place to start for anyone interested in getting healthier.
"Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World" by Elinor Cleghorn. Writer Elinor Cleghorn was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after a long period of being told her symptoms were anything from psychosomatic to a possible pregnancy. As she learned to live with her disease she turned to history for answers. What Cleghorn found was a legacy of frustration, suffering, mystification and misdiagnosis. This book is an exploration of the relationship between women and medical practice and the ongoing struggle from ancient Greece to today that some women face to get a correct diagnosis.
