11 Best Books About Healing [Reviewed]
If you’ve been sick with a chronic illness for any length of time, you’ve probably looked into other ways to heal apart from the advice given by your general practitioner, right? Because let’s face it, doctors don’t have all the answers and most would admit as much.
So you scour the internet and bookshelves, looking for that elusive magic pill or at least something to help you regain some semblance of life again, sound familiar? It’s a tough task, especially when there’s so much information out there to sift through.
To save you a bit of trouble, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best books about healing, regardless of the illness, ailment or disorder you’re currently suffering from.
Ready to take a look?
1. The Emotion Code – Bradley Nelson
What’s the root cause of disease? That’s the million dollar question, right? Well, one explanation which often gets overlooked is the extent emotions affect our health.
According to Dr. Nelson, stored negative emotions or severe traumas can prevent us from recovering from chronic illnesses and diseases. By releasing these emotions, our bodies can start functioning normally again and this book shows how through the use of muscle strength testing (kinesiology) and magnets.
The Emotion Code features plenty of real-world examples of miraculous recoveries and while anecdotal, the majority of the stories ring true. If you haven’t seen much success in your condition, you might want to give this book a try.
2. Full Catastrophe Living – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Full Catastrophe Living is one of the first books of its kind to make the scientific case for meditation and mindfulness without the aura of Eastern mysticism. In fact, Kabat-Zinn’s pioneering work has resulted in hospitals and clinics around the world adopting these ancient practices as part of patients’ recovery process.
In this classic book, you’ll learn how meditation and mindfulness can positively impact health conditions like stress, anxiety, depression, and managing pain more effectively. And since it’s written for the newbie, the techniques are easy to follow.
While meditation and mindfulness may not be the cure-all, there’s no doubt these techniques can help you develop better coping skills and for that alone, it’s worth it.
3. How to Heal Yourself When No One Else Can – Amy B. Scher
As a sufferer of Chronic Lyme Disease, I’m always intrigued by other Lyme patients who’ve managed to regain their health and Amy B. Scher is one such example. Since her recovery several years ago, she’s gone on to counsel many patients and written a couple of books, including this masterwork.
Using a combination of energy therapy and emotional healing techniques like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), this book reveals how to resolve physical symptoms and mental imbalances in a non-invasive way. Plus, its consoling tone and conversational writing style make it a pleasure to read.
4. Medical Medium – Anthony William
Anthony William is a self-described medical intuitive — someone who uses his/her intuitive abilities to identify the root cause of a physical or mental health condition. Over the course of 25 years, he’s used his special ability to treat thousands of patients for a variety of illnesses and diseases with great success. This popular book is a culmination of his findings.
Medical Medium is heavy on diet, cleanses and other ways to rid our bodies of the toxins so pervasive in modern society but most interesting is what he has to say about the root cause of most health conditions (psst, it’s Epstein-Barr Virus). An engaging read!
5. Mind Over Medicine – Lissa Rankin
Plenty of books discuss the mind-body connection but few are written by actual M.D.’s. Dr. Rankin’s Mind Over Medicine breaks the mold by showing just how powerful our thoughts and feelings have on our body’s physiology, both positive and negative.
In an age where researchers still point to genetics as the underlying cause for most diseases, Dr. Rankin’s cutting-edge book is a total paradigm shift in how we perceive health. What she uncovers is as gripping as it’s revelatory and just the stories alone of spontaneous healing give one serious pause. A true eye-opener and highly recommended!
6. Nourishing Traditions – Sally Fallon
I first heard of this book after learning about Weston A. Price’s pioneering work on the relationship between nutrition and physical health. In Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon distills Price’s findings into an accessible guide on traditional foods that dispel many modern-day myths like “high cholesterol is dangerous” or that “saturated fats are bad for the heart.”
Aside from making the case for old-fashioned animal fats and other previously shunned foods, the book contains over 700 recipes, many of which “diet dictocrats” will find upsetting. 😉
Sally Fallon’s ideas make sense and don’t seem faddish, a combination I can get behind.
7. Prescription for Nutritional Healing – Phyllis A. Balch
Ah, yes, the bible of natural healing. This book was first published over twenty years ago and has since become among the best-known resources for natural remedies, including detailed information on vitamins, minerals, herbs, enzymes and more. Plus, it matches these remedies to specific disorders via its massive A-to-Z listing of health conditions.
There’s also an extensive section on complementary therapies to help you maintain good health apart from supplements and diet.
No other reference book gets as much attention in my home as this gem (well, perhaps the Field Guide to Stains wins out, but not by much!)
8. The Science of Being Well – Wallace D. Wattles
I’ve mentioned this book before and it’s a real game changer. First published in 1910, Wattles’ 100-page long-form essay is one of several foundational works which helped spawn the current LOA movement (Law of Attraction) — the idea that focusing on positive or negative thoughts brings complementary experiences into our lives.
Don’t let its brevity and age dissuade you, the amount of wisdom packed into these few pages outdoes most any modern book on healing. In fact, this is the one book I turn to again and again whenever I feel stuck in a rut. I liken it to a “reset” button for your mind 😉
CHECK IT OUT ON AMAZON OR PICK UP A FREE EBOOK VERSION HERE.
9. Spontaneous Healing – Andrew Weil
Dr. Andrew Weil, one of the most influential and best-known doctors in the world, penned this classic back in 1995 and its stories of miraculous healing are still as riveting today as they were then.
As an M.D., Dr. Weil certainly recognizes the valuable role physicians play in helping people get well but he also makes the case that we’d see many more examples of spontaneous recovery if Western medicine interfered less with our body’s natural ability to self-repair. That likely puts him at odds with a good chunk of the medical establishment.
This is one of those books where you’ll find yourself nodding in agreement much of the time, especially when Western medicine has failed you.
10. You Are the Placebo – Joe Dispenza
If you’ve seen the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?, you probably recall the mesmerizing clips from Dr. Joe Dispenza, a world-renowned chiropractor who specializes in neuroscience and quantum physics to help reprogram our brains to heal from illnesses and other maladies.
In this book, Dr. Dispenza discusses the physiology of the placebo effect and how its principles can be applied for healing through the power of thought alone, something which Dr. Dispenza knows a thing or two about after fully recovering from a catastrophic biking accident that shattered six of his vertebrae.
As you’d expect, the type of thought Dr. Dispenza teaches is highly focused and only achievable through specific visualization techniques and meditation, both of which are covered in detail.
11. You Can Heal Your Life – Louise Hay
A classic in the self-help field, You Can Heal Your Life is a deeply inspirational and comforting book that explains how to overcome lingering illnesses by addressing the part of us most often neglected: unresolved emotional issues.
Through positive affirmations and loving thought patterns, Louise Hay shows us how deep-seated negative mental processes can be reversed for good, resulting in a greater quality of life which countless people have experienced over the past several decades.
This best-seller is simply unmatched for its timeless message and influence.
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NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
Do you have a favorite book(s) on healing? Leave your comments below!
