Dr. Fulford's Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force [Paperback]

Dr. Robert Fulford (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0671556010 | ISBN-13: 978-0671556013 | Publication Date: September 1, 1997

A ninety-one-year-old doctor who has successfully treated patients failed by conventional medicine delineates the healing principles of osteopathy, shares case histories, and offers advice on integrating natural and modern health methods. Reprint."

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the field of alternative medicine, names like Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil are easily recognized. Yet they are newcomers compared with Fulford, the 91-year-old osteopath who inspired Weil to explore the world of natural healing. Writing in an easy, folksy style, Fulford explains his philosophy of healing, refined by more than 50 years of practice. His wide-ranging discussion covers spirituality, diet, exercise, relationships, and a belief in the interconnectedness of all life. At times he sounds like an American Obi-Wan Kenobi, but the mystical is balanced with a large dose of common sense and experience. Fulford also includes an illustrated chapter on exercises. It is easy to see why Weil was so affected by this wise old doctor. His book is sure to be in demand and is recommended for all public libraries.?Elizabeth Braaksma, Brodie Resource Lib., Thunder Bay, Ontario
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Readers of Andrew Weil's Spontaneous Healing (1995) will recognize Fulford, the osteopath whose remarkable success inspired Weil to seriously investigate "alternative" medicine. Now in his nineties, Fulford remains in (reduced) practice and here, with Stone's help, relays his advice for good health. That counsel arises from a conception of the body that is as holistic as many an Oriental medical system, as firmly based in love as Christianity. The body is composed of interdependent parts and functions; a problem manifested in one part or function may require ministering to others. Mental and emotional as well as physical traumas must be identified and treated, so Fulford seeks to know patients as persons. A good, individualized diet; easy, regular breathing; meditation; moderation in all things--especially, these days, in that other essential, exercise; and controlling desire are some of the things Fulford specifically enjoins. Given the sweetness of his voice and temperament as well as a large publicity effort by Pocket, his adviser just may match Weil's best-seller in popularity. Ray Olson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671556010
• ISBN-13: 978-0671556013
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book Written by My Father's Best Friend, September 14, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Landisville, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Fulford's Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force (Paperback)

Dr. Fulford signed my book in his home in Waverly, Ohio while 92 years young. At that time, he worked on my daughter and me. He was very alert and active, though somewhat depressed from his wife being institutionalized with alzheimers.

Dr. Fulford truly lived and breathed what he taught...he was for real.

My father was an M.D. in Indianapolis, IN and met Bob Fulford in, I believe, Cleveland, in the early 1950s at an organic food meeting. Their lifelong friendship was forged at that time and lasted until my father's death in 1980. We would visit him and his family in Cincinnati where he had his practice many, many times through the 1950s, 60s, and into the mid 70s. He worked on all of us, especially my mother, and taught Dad what he could, as best an M.D. could learn from a D.O..

I have my Dad's hammer for those of you who knew Dr. Fulford well, you know what I mean. Few learned how to use it though. Dr. Fulford taught me in the 70s how to use it and I still use it once in a while on myself or my family.

Dad was a little lost when Dr. Fulford moved to Tucson, AZ due to his own problems with gout. I understand he did a great work out there. He visited each time he came back east. After my father passed away, Dr. Fulford would still come to visit with Mom for days at a time between speaking engagements. He even came once to my home in Pennsylvania with her to work on my family in the mid 1980s.

What I witnessed and learned myself from Dr. Fulford was awesome throughout the 60s and 70s as a teenager and young adult. There are so many stories of what he did for my family and patients of my Dad's I could probably write a short article myself. He was a truly incredible healer and maintaind a commanding presence. Though, he was very humble as well. Very humble.

I highly recommend reading his book and perform any of the preventive maintenance activities you can. You will be in better health.

May God Bless Dr. Fulford, his wife Glenna and sons Rich and David.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dying Man's Opus, December 23, 2000

By 

Andrew W. Gottfried "Dr Drew" (Bay Village, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dr. Fulford's Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force (Paperback)

This book was written in the December year's of an accomplished osteopathic physician's life. It is his call for everyone to take responsibility for their life and their health. It starts out as an explanation of osteopathy and a retelling of his years as an osteopathic physician. Fulford had trained his hands to be such sensitive diagnostic and healing tools, that he could feel a single strand of hair hidden beneath 17 sheets of paper. He used this technique to train other osteopathic students to increase the sensitivity of their own hands.

This book is interwoven with touching stories of patients he's helped throughout his practice. As he aged, he found that he could only work with an increasingly younger population, as those patients fed his energy. Whereas adults seemed to be so entangled in their own web of stress and disease, that they seemed to zap his energy as he tried to treat them with his hands.

The book ends with a call to live healthier, more meaningful lives. I recommend this book for everyone, but particularly for osteopathic medical school applicants and their M.D. counterparts. It gives a good narrative explanation of the philosophical expectations of osteopathic medicine. But as a strong believer in osteopathic medicine, and as a future osteopathic medical student, I believe this book poignantly elicits the direction in which medical care should be heading.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A sincere and thoughtful approach to life...., February 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Fulford's Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force (Paperback)

Dr. Fulford is someone you hate to see eventually leave this world. It's just so hard to find people with his mental outlook let alone skills. I came away with a sense of all those things that are missing. Sometimes what you don't know... can't hurt you. But ignorance is not bliss and I would rather know what options there are. I was particularly fascinated by early traumas manifesting as physical ailments later in life. I have had a few as most people I am sure but I wonder if they could be related.... and I would need to find someone of Dr. Fulford's calibre to even begin to explore the possibilty. I enjoyed the anectodotal stories and even the preachy parts on the evils of HMOs. A kind, gentle caring individual Dr. Fulford is trying to at least tell you what you should strive to achieve and that's about all anyone can do.