Dr Jennifer L. Weinberg, the author of The Whole Cure, was kind enough to send me a copy of her book to review and share with you all. It took me quite a while to read this book cause I was busy with school and all, but now that all that is over… I can finally share with you my thoughts on her book!
Perhaps we should get to know the author a bit better first. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Jennifer L. Weinberg, and here’s what she had to say:
Meet Jennifer!
1) How did you discover The Whole Cure? Was it from a personal experience that you discovered a way to cure yourself?
The Whole Cure arose out of my own life experiences and lessons from my work with patients and clients over time. So often in our busy world, we are focused on “doing” rather than “being.” I have seen firsthand over and over the significant toll this chronic stress takes on our health. Stress is a major contributor to so many illnesses and living a life of constant stimulation and striving for something outside of our true selves can really take a toll on us. For most of my life, I chased fulfillment and what I thought success looked like. I strove for approval, happiness and a sense of completeness, that what I was doing actually mattered. And I see the same struggle with many of my patients and clients. Despite many degrees, a great education and a prestigious title, I still felt unfulfilled, bored, lost, empty, alone. The shift came when I began to realize that these outward efforts would never really work. I shifted my focus and looked inward. This journey lead to the insights, exercises and toolkit I provide in The Whole Cure to help others uncover their true passions, authentic purpose, joyful presence and calm confidence as well!
2) Of the 52 prescriptions in your book, which is your favourite?
This is a tough choice, but one prescription that I find really powerful is “Stop, Drop Negativity and Count Your Blessings!” Gratitude encompasses an appreciation for the circumstances, material things, experiences and people in your life. It also involves faith, hope and trust. You have a choice to create positivity, love, generosity and respect with the energy you project into the world. You do not have to buy into or believe everything you think or become attached to all of the stories you tell yourself. This prescription really helps you step back and stop your emotions and thought patterns from taking over. Instead, you can cultivate a deeper awareness of your thoughts and emotions and the impact they have on your life!
3) What inspired you to write The Whole Cure?
I was using these techniques myself and with my patients and clients and seeing authentic, deep and lasting transformation in so many areas of health, wellness and life! I wanted to be able to share this toolkit with many more people so that they could experience powerful personal transformation and the freedom that comes with releasing the past and allowing yourself to embrace your authentic self!
4) How would you describe a balanced lifestyle? Would you say that you have achieved balance in your life?
A balanced lifestyle for me is an ongoing journey. For me, finding balance includes having meaningful work, connections with like-minded communities, time for play, plenty of quality rest and relaxation, moving our bodies in enjoyable and balanced ways and cultivating an inner peace and calm that we can tap into at any time. This way of living enhances my awareness and acceptance of myself and my authentic path and brings me fulfillment and peace in each moment, even when outwardly things get chaotic or stressful. I think being in connection with yourself like that is the true definition of balance.
5) What do you think of Veganism/Paleo/Gluten-free/Dairy-free/Low-carb diets?
I have seen the concept of bioindividuality at play over and over when it comes to nourishment and lifestyle. Each of us has individual health and nourishment needs that can change throughout our lives. It is very clear that each of us has a unique physiology, lifestyle, genetics, body, preferences, needs and desires. So one of the benefits of cultivating this connection with yourself and enhancing your mindfulness in life is that you can start to notice the impact of your eating and lifestyle on your health and experiment with what way of eating really works for your unique body. This is so much more effective, healthy and balanced than chasing down a fad diet, following the latest celebrity trend or forcing your body to accept a prescribed way of eating. This concept is so powerful that I designed a whole ecourse (https://www.udemy.com/what-to-eat/) about mindful eating and recognizing the wisdom in our body’s cravings to help us reconnect with a truly balanced and intuitive way of eating!
6) To end off with something fun, what would be your last meal, and who would you have it with?
I would choose to dine with my friends and family including my sweet Shih Tzu! I think the community and energy of joining together really enhances the enjoyment and nourishment we can receive from any food choices. I would choose to base the meal around locally-grown, organic, colorful produce and balance it out with a sweet homemade treat! For example, something like my Harvest Quinoa Pilaf (www.jenniferweinbergmd.com/blog/2014/11/autumn-harvest-quinoa-pilaf-a-gluten-free-vegan-thanksgiving-dish) with a medley of local baby greens sauteed in coconut oil and a homemade coconut milk ice cream for dessert! And it would be an added bonus for me to enjoy this meal outdoors in a beautiful natural setting!
Now that we’ve gotten to know the lady behind the book, let’s move on to the review!
The Whole Cure Book Review
What I liked
One of the things I liked the most about her book was her writing style which allowed her to masterfully convey her ideas. She has this ability to make the words sound poetic, and the overall flow of the book is just beautiful.
It’s almost as if I’m on a boat using her book as my guide to ride on the river of life.
I also liked how she structured her book, leading us one step at a time with the sequential flow of chapters. It reflected that her approach of the whole cure was a sequential process… a journey rather than a one-off solution. It was almost like a timeline…
Let go of the past, live in the present, and prepare for the future.
My favourite bits were her “prescriptions” where she would suggest practical ways in which we could apply her tips in our lives.
However, that said, the poetic flow of the book overall may come across as overly zen for some, so do read it with an open mind to embrace the flow of the book. I would describe it as yoga for the mind!
Key takeaways
Some of my key takeaways came from the earlier bits of the book, in particular, the following lessons/points stood out.
1) The first step to find peace is accepting yourself for who you truly are.
2) Live a life parallel to your true desires (Which is why it is important to sit down and think about areas that you are truly passionate about, and spend your time on those areas, and say no to other things that distract you from your goals in life)
3) Meditate each day to be in tune with yourself and align your day with your passion and goals.
Perhaps some of the lessons may come across as common sense, things that we already know in our hearts. But I think the Whole Cure emphasises the importance of not just knowing what we should do, but actually putting it into practice.
Perhaps everyone will find that different parts of the book will stand out to you, depending on which phase of life you are in, but I found that it was a nice reminder for me to take a moment and pause… just to reflect on life and to embrace mindfulness. To live in the moment, and to have a clear vision of what is to come.
And I think that’s what many of us are losing hold of these days. We’re too busy capturing and documenting the moment that we don’t actually stop to enjoy it and be mindful of how we feel. It’s becoming too much about a chase of worldly ideals than about what we truly feel passionate about. And I think The Whole Cure did a good job in drawing my focus back to within and helping me find my place in the outside world by starting from the inside.
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Author’s Bio:
Dr. Jennifer Weinberg, MD, MPH, MBE is a preventive and lifestyle medicine physician, yoga instructor and the Founder of the Simple|Pure|Whole Wellness Method (http://www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com).
She offers a Lifestyle Transformation Program (http://www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com/wholecure/lifestyle) to help clients recover from the overwhelm of life based on wisdom from her recently released book, The Whole Cure: 52 Essential Prescriptions to Overcome Overwhelm, Reclaim Balance and Reconnect with a Life You Love! (http://amzn.to/1wqppEV) which guides the reader in reconnecting with her authentic and passionate purpose and overcoming the challenges of everyday life!
You can access a free preview of the book here (http://ow.ly/HLECe). She offers innovative online wellness and education programs for individuals looking for sustainable optimal health and non-toxic living as well as health care providers seeking to embrace a transformative approach to health care and corporations wanting to integrate a holistic approach to corporate wellness.
You can connect with Dr. Weinberg at her website http://www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com, Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jenniferweinbergmd) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/simplepurewhole).