Many of these gifts dealt with how to cope with cancer once you had it.
Other books, however, focused on how to NOT get cancer.
Well, since I was already diagnosed with cancer, I would say that the horse had already left the barn, so it was a bit late for that.
But, a gift is a gift, and I've been dutifully reading through all the material given to me, and I thought that maybe I should start reviewing some of it.
One of the books I found most interesting is Anti Cancer A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD
Bottom line, a French doctor living in the US finds out in his early 30's that he has brain cancer. He survives, relapses and survives again (although he finally died last July). Along the way he does quite a bit of research about what causes cancer, and what to do to prevent it.
Dr. Servan-Schreiber incorporates much of his own story into the book, and I have to say that it has a tendency to ramble all over the place (what ever happened to good editors?).
But the research and findings he discusses is fascinating. He discusses the statistical rise in certain forms of cancer (including breast) and shows how it is linked to the chemicals and pesticides in our food chain.
He also then proposes a diet to help our immune systems fight cancer.
As usual, the diet advice was pretty disappointing for me since I pretty much already eat that way. I hardly eat any meat, and I tend to stick with organic produce, meat and products as well as whole-grains.
According to his theory I really shouldn't have gotten cancer to begin with, and now that I've had it, what am I supposed to do?
Overall, I say Anti-Cancer is a worthwhile read. Just for the research alone.
Someone gave my mom that same book after she was diagnosed with cancer, and I thought the same thing as you...little late, isn't it? But whatever, she read it.
ReplyDeleteHope you are continuing to do well.