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ginabyeg's review
4.0
After reading several mediocre books on living with ME/CFS, I have finally found one that is helpful, that I would feel comfortable recommending to others. This book is a quick, easy read, which is important when the reader likely has ME/CFS or some other energy-limiting condition. The other books I've read have often been dense and over technical.
This is also the first book that lays out a sequence for healing--while the other books I've read have often mentioned similar things around sleep, digestion, and mental well-being, they're either far more prescriptive, or don't clarify the value of just focusing on one area at a time.
The book doesn't do an overly deep dive into any of the steps--he lays out the general path, but the micro-paths a person may want to consider are not really discussed. This is likely due to the highly individualistic nature of ME/CFS in terms of symptoms and background. It really is on the reader/patient to take responsibility beyond the book and determine what they need to fulfill the recommendations at each step along the way. I was moving through some of these steps before I even had a diagnosis, so for me, this had some really good affirmations of the practices/habits I've been building, as well as things to consider for next steps. However, someone just recently diagnosed may not know the options available to consider at specific steps. Certainly, Alex Howard's website and international clinic may be a fit for some; but not necessarily for all.
Nevertheless, I appreciated the way Alex lays out what's important to consider at certain points in recovery. I appreciate that he emphasizes the mind-body connection, the importance of past experiences, and the value of an integrative approach. I also appreciate that he does provide a free companion course for the book, and that his clinic does work internationally if one so chooses that route.
This is also the first book that lays out a sequence for healing--while the other books I've read have often mentioned similar things around sleep, digestion, and mental well-being, they're either far more prescriptive, or don't clarify the value of just focusing on one area at a time.
The book doesn't do an overly deep dive into any of the steps--he lays out the general path, but the micro-paths a person may want to consider are not really discussed. This is likely due to the highly individualistic nature of ME/CFS in terms of symptoms and background. It really is on the reader/patient to take responsibility beyond the book and determine what they need to fulfill the recommendations at each step along the way. I was moving through some of these steps before I even had a diagnosis, so for me, this had some really good affirmations of the practices/habits I've been building, as well as things to consider for next steps. However, someone just recently diagnosed may not know the options available to consider at specific steps. Certainly, Alex Howard's website and international clinic may be a fit for some; but not necessarily for all.
Nevertheless, I appreciated the way Alex lays out what's important to consider at certain points in recovery. I appreciate that he emphasizes the mind-body connection, the importance of past experiences, and the value of an integrative approach. I also appreciate that he does provide a free companion course for the book, and that his clinic does work internationally if one so chooses that route.
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