Blog Archives
Rise and Thrive Above Cancer
Dr. Achim Zinggrebe’s Rise and Thrive Above Cancer is more than a guidebook—it’s a deeply personal invitation to shift the way we think about illness, especially cancer. Drawing from his experience as both a physician and a patient, Zinggrebe shares his physical and emotional journey through diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately, transformation. The book combines practical tools—like breathing techniques, meditation, and nutrition advice—with reflections on self-love, mindset, and meaning. At its core, it’s about reclaiming agency and embracing the messy, powerful journey back to life.
Reading this book, I felt like I was sitting across from someone who’d already walked the path and was now gently turning back to say, “You’ve got this, and here’s how I did it.” There’s no condescension, no preaching. Just raw honesty and hard-earned hope. I was especially moved by Zinggrebe’s vulnerability in describing his fear, guilt, and eventual acceptance of his illness. His writing is plain and direct, sometimes even chatty, and that makes the emotional impact sneak up on you.
What stood out most to me wasn’t the medical information—though that was helpful—but the emotional permission he gives readers to feel their grief, their anger, and still choose to act. There’s power in the way he blends science with spirit, medicine with meaning. I did find some parts a bit repetitive or overly earnest, but that also made it feel authentic, like it came straight from the heart, not an editor’s checklist. His emphasis on building “inner armor” felt especially empowering—it’s practical without being prescriptive, compassionate without coddling.
Personally, I found the chapter “Vitamins, minerals and more” incredibly reassuring. When you’re dealing with something as overwhelming as cancer, it’s easy to feel powerless but this section gave me something concrete I could do. I liked how Dr. Zinggrebe broke things down. I especially appreciated the honesty; he didn’t pretend supplements are miracle workers, but he also didn’t shrug them off. It made me feel more in control, like I could actually do something to care for myself instead of just waiting around for treatments to do their thing.
I’d recommend this book to anyone navigating a cancer diagnosis, whether they’re newly diagnosed, in treatment, or recovering. It’s also a meaningful read for caregivers, healthcare professionals, or anyone wrestling with fear and wanting to reconnect with a sense of purpose. If you want to feel seen, heard, and gently nudged toward healing, this one’s for you.
Pages: 364 | ASIN : B0F3XZH549
Why Are You Sick? How to Reclaim Your Health With The Ultimate Health Model
In Why Are You Sick?, Benjamin L. Smith poses a bold, critical question that challenges conventional health wisdom, offering an alternative approach through his “Ultimate Health Model™.” As healthcare technology advances and research expands, Smith argues, many of us are getting sicker, not healthier. His book examines common health issues like chronic disease, asthma, weight gain, and fatigue, contending that mainstream treatments often merely mask symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes. With a conversational, at times provocative, style, Smith seeks to awaken readers to overlooked truths about their health.
Smith’s informal, direct writing style makes complex health topics accessible to a broad audience. He uses conversational language, occasional humor, and even profanity, creating a sense of urgency that feels like a passionate conversation. This lively, engaging approach helps maintain the reader’s interest. Personal anecdotes and strong opinions also add a relatable element, making his message resonate on a personal level. Despite the casual tone, the content is thoroughly researched, blending scientific studies with personal insights.
One of the book’s key strengths is how it critiques mainstream medical advice while offering alternative perspectives on issues like inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances. Smith’s “Ultimate Health Model™” provides a comprehensive visual guide, connecting the dots between lifestyle factors—such as sleep, nutrition, and environmental influences—and health outcomes. The book excels at highlighting lesser-known contributors to health problems, including circadian rhythms and chronic dehydration, making it an enlightening read for anyone feeling let down by conventional health strategies.
Some readers may find Smith’s laid-back, confrontational tone unappealing, particularly if they’re seeking a more formal or academic approach to health topics. I believe his frequent use of shocking language and profanity could polarize readers, and his sweeping criticisms of traditional healthcare might provoke skepticism. Yet, for those who resonate with his urgency and passion, these stylistic choices may seem necessary to emphasize the critical nature of his message. Smith’s unfiltered tone is aligned with the urgency he feels about shaking people out of complacency and into taking control of their health.
Why Are You Sick? is an empowering book that encourages readers to question established norms and focus on the root causes of their health issues. Smith’s holistic approach integrates lifestyle, environment, and well-being, urging readers to take an active role in their health journey. The author’s brash style may not be for everyone, but the insights he provides are valuable and thought-provoking, offering a refreshing perspective on health and wellness. His message is clear: by addressing the real causes of illness and adopting a proactive approach, readers can transform their lives.
Pages: 201 | ASIN : B0CZ4P7G33
Ten To Life
In this book, Ten to Life: Delirium Tales of a Covid-19 Survivor, author Mike Joyner contracts COVID-19 and recounts his days in the ICU during the pandemic. Joyner was sedated for 18 days, experiencing multiple delirious dreams; some quite terrifying, some strange, and some fairly light-hearted and fun. Joyner’s intention in writing this book is to give comfort and hope to the people infected by this traumatic pandemic, to know that we are not alone in this struggle and will face the future together.
This is a difficult book to review emotionally and in the technical sense. This book is entirely based on the author’s experiences and dreams, which does not leave much room for a critique of the book’s contents. Was this book captivating and interesting? Absolutely. Were the book’s grammar and punctuation impeccable? Undeniably so. Joyner has done an amazing job writing this book. There is not a single flaw I could point out or a comment I could make to suggest improvements.
This book has a sort of Alice in Wonderland kind of feeling. The author takes us down one rabbit hole after another, into dream after dream, and as time becomes unpredictable like most dreams, things slowly stop making sense. A very relatable feeling, however, unlike waking up once or twice from one dream after another, the author experienced this over and over for 18 days. A terrifying thought.
But not only is the author trapped in their own head, but they are being hunted in their dreams. After a misunderstanding with a man named Jesse, the author is relentlessly pursued in his own mind by guns for hire. It’s a disturbing thought, especially compared to how many times Joyner “died” in his dreams, but I would hate to think that every time the author “died,” this could have possibly meant the author had needed to be resuscitated in the waking world.
I know very little about treating Covid, but from what I understand, patients need to be closely monitored while sedated in case liquid pools in the lungs. In addition, patients are rotated constantly to prevent liquid from pooling and drowning patients in their sleep. Still, with staffing shortages and the multiple people needed to flip a person over, there are higher chances of a code blue.
This would also explain why the doctors in Joyner’s dream warned him to be more careful and not “die” again. Resuscitating a person does a lot of damage to the body, and there are only so times a person can be resuscitated, only so much trauma the body can take. This book is a testament to the trauma and pain Covid inflicts on a person. I’m sorry to hear about what Joyner has been through, but I’m glad something beautiful could come out of it. This book was immaculately written and was a captivating read.
Pages: 259 | ASIN : B0B3LP45XD
Returning Souls
![Returning Souls by [Colombo, Ernestine B.]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61GS7Ne-%2B3L._SY346_.jpg?w=604&ssl=1)
Where does a soul go after one’s life is over? Does it drift away into nothing while the body returns to dust? Or does it goes on to rest, to be resurrected? Or does it recycle back into the physical plane of existence in yet another form? These questions always come to mind as we see, feel and live the experience called life.
Returning Souls by Ernestine B. Colombo is a unique book that allowed me to connect with the characters and allowed me to visualize not only the descriptions the author presents but also the struggles and emotions the characters go through in the story.
The story starts by presenting our protagonist, Evelyn D’Arico or Evie and takes her point of view. The beginning is captivating as we find the character lying on the floor, incapacitated and on the edge of death. The narrative masterfully captures the emotions you might have if you were to find yourself in the same predicament. The descriptions easily come as they paint some dramatic pictures. The language is fluid and allows you to get lost in the story. I particularly liked the author’s presentation of the behavior of the pets. I always believe that animals are more attuned to the metaphysical plane of souls and spirits.
The story, to me, presents a unique idea that I have not read in any piece of literature, the concept of Pre-incarnation. As the story progresses the reader gets to know a different character, Astara. She is a girl a little over 12, living in the Mesolithic time period. She is a unique complement to Evie’s character. Switching between the two characters points of view is handled expertly and I enjoyed being able to inhabit both of these two fascinating characters.
The story is touching as well as we get to learn of her sister who is suffering from Down syndrome. This for me, was one of the more emotional elements to the story that left the character endearing. The relationship was believable and the condition, I thought, was explained with care.
This book will take you on a reincarnation adventure with a deep look at the beauty, and maybe even the futility, of life. This is a must read for people coming of age or people looking for a metaphysical story that stands out from the rest as different and compelling.
Pages: 292 | ASIN: B079ZZ2M84
