Customer Reviews

Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do: Revised and Updated Edition

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Of all the books I was given, bought or borrowed since I was diagnosed with cancer, this is my hands-down favorite. It is easy to read, based on one of the most extensive informal studies of survivors and, most of all, leaves you with a feeling of hope. First of all, many of the books just made my head spin - particularly when I was recovering from surgery and doing chemotherapy. This one is presented in short, powerful, easy-to-read sections that you can jump into for a few minutes every day and think about for weeks afterward. Second, it is based on real experience and deep knowledge of diverse approaches. After being given 30 days to live, Greg did what every cancer patient wants to do, he started talking to survivors. More than two decades later, he has interviewed more than 15,000 survivors. This book distills the wisdom from these interviews. It addresses conventional medical treatment, but also nutrition, exercise, support, belief and spirituality (things that your doctor may never talk to you about). It addresses issues that range from the big questions about the message of the disease to very practical approaches to reducing nausea or deciding what to eat. Finally, while most literature on cancer makes you feel confused and overwhelmed (How can you possibly do all this? Should you?), this one offers simple, authentic, actionable steps.

My mother was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. I bought this book for her thinking there would be some practical things within in which she might find helpful. It is all that AND MORE! Mom says the book has given her a completely new attitude towards her cancer. She now feels SHE is in control and can deal with whatever may come. I highly recommend this book for ANY cancer patient, but especially those newly diagnosed with the disease.

I bought this book when a close friend was diagnosed with cancer. I was looking for ways to be a better friend and support system for her. Later, when my uncle was diagnosed with colon cancer, I purchased a copy of the book for him. He feels it changed his life and also attributes part of his recovery to the book. Years later, he still thanks me for buying him this book and he also has bought several copies for others.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer my sister sent me this book. It was the first book I read about cancer. It help me to face the disease with courage and dignity. It inspired me to fight against cancer. I recommend this book to all who have recently being diagnosed with cancer. This book is awsome.

I am a 3-year cervical cancer survivor. This is the most helpful and easy-to-read guide for all aspects of surviving cancer. I still refer back to it. Our support group is going to buy a copy for all its members so we can enhance our lives by reading it together and discussing certain topics in the book.

This book just help me realize that "cancer" didn't mean a death sentence.It gave an insight in the possibilties of helping yourself overcome the cancer. Finally it did wake me up and point me in a direction i wouldn't have thought of and hopefully people who read this book will feel the same.

Cancer is much more than a tumor. Oncology wants you to believe cancer is a lump that must be eliminated by whathever means at the disposal of the oncologist. But certainly that is neither the only nor the whole story. Something went wrong years or decades before the tumor became detectable. Epigenetic pressure destabilized our inborn capacity to replicate our cells in an orderly manner (probably due to a cell SOS reaction), and the loss of vitality led to a weakening of our immune system to the point it was no longer capable of getting rid of cancerous cells.

Conventional medicine states cancer is a multicausal disease, but when it comes to treatment all of a sudden the only way to go seems to be the erradication of the tumor (the elimination of the effect of the cancerigenous process, but not the process) - and no word is said about the need to correct the process that led to the destabilization of our genetic functions nor to the need to strengthen our immune system.

(There are some remarkable exceptions to the foregoing, see the work / the studies by Lawrence LeShan, David Servan-Schreiber, Paul Rosch, Devra Davis, Dean Ornish).

Greg has shown ways to go in this latter direction. By reading this book you will get a detailed, practical, comprehensive list of actions, attitudes, recommendations you can follow to heal yourself from the factors that led to cancer in the first place.

You will know about the need to do more excercise, to eat healthy food, to relax, to meditate, to express your feelings, to be autonomous, to take responsibility of your health, and many other things. As many others who help cancer patients he shows the importance of spirituality in our daily living, of generosity, humbleness, gratitude, confidence, but also of taking charge, being serious about what all this is about, and about the privilege to be alive this one wonderful time.

Lung cancer stage IV is probably the worst condition you can be in. Greg shows he is not only a cancer survivor but, as he likes to point out, more then 20 years after his oncologist gave up and sentenced "you have some 30 days still to go, put your things in order", he is thriving.

I wonder if we are allowed to strive for anything less than this.

This book was a huge psychological help when my son was first diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. It gives you hope, and gives you specific ideas on how you can be pro-active.

I NEVER write reviews, but here it is: The afternoon of the day I go the news that I had two kinds of cancer, I sat in the book store looking at the "cancer shelf". What to choose? Any book about my particular cancer, just frightened me to death. My hand pulled out this little book. It divided ones life into eight pieces of pie, and gave help and examples...a smorgasbord...of ideas in each area. It considers dealing with doctors, medical choices, spirituality, diet, exercise, etc. It does not dictate, but gives choices, putting the reader in charge...empowering. I have given this book to so many people, and all of them have found it very useful. My cancer is now ten years in the past, but, should I relapse, I will reach for this book again.

When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, this book literally saved my life. It is very action-oriented, which is exactly what cancer patients like me need to regain control of their lives and cope with their diagnosis. If I had not read this wonderful book, I don't know if I would have had the strength, confidence, or the courage to keep my life as normal as possible while I was undergoing treatment------and persist to the point where my cancer remains in remission. I highly recommend this book for anyone recently diagnosed with cancer, and for their loved ones too. It's a great reminder of what a cancer diagnosis does, and does not, mean in terms of your daily life. May you find it as helpful as I did!