Book Review: Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life
Author, Dave Serven-Schreiber, MD, PhD
By: Guy M. Nehrenz, EdD, MA, RRT
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I don't often read books that are not purely scientific in nature. Probably a loss for me. But this book dragged me in against my will. Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, at the age of thirty-one, discovered he had a brain tumor while using himself as a research subject. A neuropsychiatrist and researcher, Dr. Schreiber was studying the prefrontal cortex when the personal discovery that would change his life was made. A brain tumor the size of a walnut threatened to take his life.
At the beginning, I thought this is not a book for me - it was discussing his personal life, his journey, and his relationships. As a scientific reader, I was not interested. But, I persisted because my own family had dealt with several cancers over the past decade that caused me personally to change how I eat and live. The book is repleat with stories of other well known's and discusses diet, lifestyle, mindset and coping.
When the discovery of his disease was made in the first chapter, the book took an interesting turn. It was part science, part memoir. This is not only a story of his life and how he went to war with his cancer, it is also scientific in nature and describes many integrative facets of cancer cause and treatment. I found myself drawn more and more into the book and into his life. It is an excellent insight into the mind of a fellow scientist and human being confronted by a deadly disease. It reminded me of the times I have personally dealt with major surgeries, death, and the feeling that all around me, life goes on, no matter what is happening to me.
I was pleased to see that he does not turn his back on modern medicine. To the contrary, he advocates the use of modern cancer treatment that surely saved his life, but integrates this with a close look at lifestyle and diet.
While this is not the definitive text on cancer treatment or a specific recipe for integrative medicine, it is thought-provoking, and very interesting. It causes one to search for more research in this area. An excellent read.
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this entry is the opinion of Dr. Guy Nehrenz and not the board of the internet journal of allied health sciences and practice.
