(self-help) by Brenda Stockdale was a book I discovered a few years after my first cancer diagnosis. In fact, I met Brenda Stockdale at a writing and wellness conference where we were both teaching. In addition to be being blown away and inspired by her magnetic and brilliant personality, I was completely taken aback by You Can Beat the Odds.
For patients and providers alike, this book is both inspiring and empowering. While it is geared toward those facing some type of illness, it can also be inspirational for loved ones and caregivers. The poignant foreword by Bernie Siegel, M.D., states that it's important to look at our potential and try to achieve it. He goes on to say: "When one is brought up with love and has self-worth and self-esteem, one does not fear becoming a responsible participant in one's life rather than a submissive, suffering patient."
Stockdale's breadth of knowledge in health and healing is extraordinary. In this book, she covers just about everything: diet, brain health, health myths, stress, healing, music, energy healing, immune function, survival, biology, and the reason why we're all here. She doesn't miss a medical or philosophical subject, and each page encourages reflection.
I'm an individual who believes in gut feelings, and I like the way Stockdale addresses the subject by saying that having a gut feeling isn't simply a metaphor, but rather, the lining of the intestines is a rich receptor site for brain chemicals in the body, which scientists have referred to as the "second brain." She says that this illustrates the strong communication between the body and the mind.
