ENTERTAINMENT REALM

Your Health Destiny By Eva Selhub, M.D.
HarperOne| April 2015|245 pages |$26.99| ISBN: 978-0-06232-7789

Rating: ****/5*

Merging Eastern philosophies and alternative treatments with Western medicine, Eva Selhub, M.D. effectually discusses essential body systems in a systematic manner by dividing this book into chapters on the immune system; the heart; the lungs; the gastrointestinal system; the musculoskeletal system; the spine and the brain. She writes: “Modern medicine focuses on getting rid of symptoms and managing body parts, so that you can continue on with your life; it does not address the real core issues of why you are in the state you are in to begin with or the reason the body is reacting the way it is in the first place.” The Mind-body connection is important. Many people have a basic understanding that eating well and exercising makes them feel physically and emotionally better. Selhub adds: “Simply put, you have the power to transform your mind and improve the functioning of your body. The key to this power lies in your ability to bounce back from illness, manage life’s stress efficiently and effectively, and truly believe in the possibility of good.”

Dr. Selhub uses the acronym POWER to help people figure out why their body isn’t in homeostasis. PAUSE to clear and open your mind. OPTIMIZE awareness of body parts and how they function. WITNESS you body’s language and physiology “so that you can further your awareness and move into acceptance, understanding how your body speaks to you.” EXAMINE deeper emotions and beliefs. RELEASE negative habits and beliefs, RELIEVE your body of stress and RESTORE the power to bring your mind and body into balance. In each section she provides an anatomy and physiology review/lesson, points to contributing factors to issues with that system, red flags that you need to get checked by a doctor, then brings in some Eastern philosophy to tie everything together. An example: “It is believed in many wisdom traditions that breath is a metaphor for life and breathing represents the essence of our being.”

The takeaway:

–Don’t worry. Be happy. A University of Kansas 2010 study found that “optimism was a significant predictor of positive physical health outcomes.”

–the Journal of Neuroscience recently found that environmental factors [stress, drug abuse, poor sleep] “compromise the circadian rhythm, causing the genetic landscape of your ‘clock genes’ to change its shape.”

–Think positively. “Your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, and therefore your perception of yourself and your world, are directly connected to your body’s biochemistry and physiology.”

–95% of the body’s serotonin lies in the gut

–allergies are the fifth leading cause of chronic diseases in the United States in all age groups

–Autoimmune disease is one of the top ten leading cause of death in girls and women up to sixty-four years of age.

–60% of your immune systems exist in the lining of your gastrointestinal tract.

–studies show that eating more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower reduces risk of getting lung cancer

–as you age, the acidity in the stomach decreases and low acid levels hinder digestion

–more than 34 million Americans are afflicted with diseases of the digestive system

–studies show that those who feel they have a purpose in life are healthier and live longer

–CDC recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.

–Drink Water. According to The Institute of Medicine the adequate intake for a male is 3 liters [13 cups] of total beverages daily and for women it’s 2.2 liters [9 cups].

–“While the left side of the cerebrum enables you to be more detail oriented and logical, the right side is more responsible for your artistic tendencies and your ability to think abstractly.”

–One in four adults suffers from a mental illness in a given year

–“Not only do mental health issues affect one’s ability to fully engage in life’s activities, but they also negatively affect families and loved ones. Mental health problems affect emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and often physical health.”

–review by Amy Steele

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for review from Harper Collins.

Eva Selhub, M.D. will be at The Brookline Booksmith on Tuesday, April 21 at 7pm.

purchase at Amazon: Your Health Destiny: How to Unlock Your Natural Ability to Overcome Illness, Feel Better, and Live Longer