My Favorite Books
Living with cancer presents a unique set of challenges and emotions that can be difficult to navigate alone. The journey is marked by uncertainty, strength, and the indomitable human spirit that finds solace and inspiration even in the darkest of times. As a nurse, and more importantly, as someone who deeply understands the struggles faced by those affected by cancer, I am delighted to present to you a carefully curated list of my favorite books on living with cancer.
In this collection, you will find a diverse range of powerful narratives, memoirs, and practical guides that offer insight, courage, and a sense of community on your unique journey facing cancer or as a loved one supporting a patient. These books have touched my heart and reminded me of the strength that resides within us all, and the power of words to heal, inspire, and uplift. And I hope they do the same for you.
Naked Imperfection: A Memoir ~ Gillian Deacon
Book Description
”What if you’re doing everything right—living a healthy, virtuous, conscientious life— and something goes terribly wrong?
Gillian Deacon was the paragon of virtue, the standard-bearer for how to live responsibly on the earth. So when the all-natural vegetarian yogi and runner mother of three young boys was diagnosed with cancer, the world stopped making sense.
In an increasingly perilous environment, the promise of order amidst chaos is so tantalizing. Every busy woman will recognize herself in Gill’s striving—if we just get through our to-do list of achievements and improvements, we can get our lives under control … can’t we? The illusion of perfection is a powerful motivator, propelling so many of us at a breakneck pace toward somewhere other than where we are right now. But as only a brush with death can teach us, Gill learns the folly of believing we are in control. Readers will be inspired to appreciate the ragged imperfection of right now and learn to find glimpses of gratitude in every moment of any day.
Naked Imperfection is an unforgettable personal story of courage and triumph.”
Nutritional Oncology: Nutrition in Cancer Prevention, Treatment, and Survivorship ~ DAVID HEBER
Book Description
“ Nutritional Oncology: Nutrition in Cancer Prevention, Treatment, and Survivorship presents evidence-based approaches to the study and application of nutrition in all phases of cancer including prevention, treatment, and survivorship.
There is a long history of interest in the role of nutrition in cancer but only in the last 50 years has this interdisciplinary field developed scientific evidence from a combination of population studies, basic research, and clinical studies. Precision oncology, targeted therapies and immunonutrition have led to advances in cancer treatment and prevention. Highlighting insights from Precision Oncology and Precision Nutrition to improve cancer prevention, treatment and survival is the core mission of this book. The editors have over 40 years of clinical and research experience integrating science with practical advice based on available evidence for healthcare professionals while highlighting research vistas for the scientific community.
Features:
Comprehensive treatment of all aspects of nutrition and cancer, including prevention, response to treatment, avoidance of relapse and promotion of quality of life for cancer survivors.
Examines alternative medicines and botanical dietary supplements and identifies hypotheses for future research based on science.
This book is written for doctors, dietitians, and other health care professional advising cancer patients, cancer survivors and the general public.”
Outside the Box Cancer Therapies: Alternative Therapies That Treat and Prevent Cancer ~ Dr. Mark stengler
Book Description
“A thorough, cutting-edge, alternative therapy-focused exploration of Integrative Oncology care.
With approximately 40 percent of men and women in the United States being diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, very few of us escape having cancer touch our lives in some way--whether it is our own life or that of a loved one. Scientific research continues to prove the benefits of nutritional and holistic therapies, yet, for the most part, these approaches to treatment still remain unexplored by the conventional medical establishment. With integrative and holistic healing being sought after and supported by more and more of the general public and medical community for various elements of everyday life, it only makes logical sense to explore these therapies with regard to one of the most prevalent causes of death of our time.
In Outside the Box Cancer Therapies, naturopathic medical doctors Mark Stengler and Paul Anderson combine their expertise to focus on the most critical components of integrative oncology care. Supported by extensive research and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Stengler and Dr. Anderson thoroughly explain:
• The different types of cancer and their causes
• How proper nutrition can help to prevent and treat cancer
• The most well-studied supplements to use with cancer treatment
• Cutting-edge naturopathic therapies, and
• Natural solutions to common problems, such as the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation
With a clear and focused approach, Dr. Stengler and Dr. Anderson provide a definitive and comprehensive resource for anyone seeking to heal from cancer or a professional looking for the most cutting, up-to-date integrative approaches to treatment.”
The Metabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, the Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies ~ Dr. Tasha Winters, Jess Hggins Kelley, & Kelly Turner
Book Description
“The Optimal Terrain Ten Protocol to Reboot Cellular Health!
The Metabolic Approach to Cancer offers an innovative, metabolic-focused nutrition protocol that works. Naturopathic, integrative oncologist and cancer survivor Dr. Nasha Winters and nutrition therapist Jess Higgins Kelley have identified the ten key elements of a person’s “terrain” (think of it as a topographical map of our body) that are crucial to preventing and managing cancer. Each of the terrain ten elements—including epigenetics, the microbiome, the immune system, toxin exposures, and blood sugar balance—is illuminated as it relates to the cancer process, then given a heavily researched and tested, non-toxic and metabolic, focused nutrition prescription.
The ketogenic diet—which relies on the body’s production of ketones as fuel—is the centerpiece of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer. Further, Winters and Kelley explain how to harness the anticancer potential of phytonutrients abundant in low-glycemic plant and animal foods to address the 10 hallmarks of cancer—an approach Western medicine does with drug-based therapies.
The optimized, genetically-tuned diet shuns:
Grains
Legumes
Sugar
Genetically modified foods
Pesticides
Synthetic ingredients
The optimized, genetically-tuned diet emphasizes:
Whole, wild foods
Local
Organic
Ferments
Heirloom
Low-glycemic
Other components of their approach include harm-reductive herbal therapies like mistletoe (considered the original immunotherapy and common in European cancer care centers) and cannabinoids (which shrink tumors and increase quality of life, yet are illegal in more than half of the United States). Through addressing the ten root causes of cancer and approaching the disease from a nutrition-focused standpoint, we can slow cancer’s endemic spread and live optimized lives.”