The Source: Beat Fatigue, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger [Hardcover]

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Book Review: The Source--A FirstLook Feature

Are you tired of feeling tired? About 75 million of us believe that we feel "extreme fatigue" while at work. An estimated 38% of the workforce really is tired, resulting in $100 billion of healthcare costs.

A newly published book, The Source: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger (Free Press, Sept 2008), written by Woodson Merrell, M.D.* with Kathleen Merrell*, explains that our bodies aren't designed to be simply energy consumers, but also energy creators. A beneficial book for those on a healing journey and wellness guide for everyone else, The Source helps the reader positively alter his life, become an energy producer--without the caffeine fix, and live a healthier life. Dr. Merrell writes that over the counter solutions to energy loss consumed as coffee, energy drinks, sleeping pills, and alertness drugs, do not address the sources of energy drain and they don't really rejuvenate the inner source of natural energy. Energy loss, he continues, is one of the top five complaints doctors get, yet only 3% of those with fatigue are actually found to have a related health condition.

Utilizing recent research, Dr. Merrell presents innovative integrated ideas which he has already put into practice. Often seeing patients who have been seen by a conventional doctor with a prescription pad but had shown no improvement, he has been able to prevent or reverse primary lifestyle problems which begin disease. Dr. Merrell blends into his practice various aspects of foreign cultures views on health, homeopathy, quantum physics, and spirituality. His research has led to the development of the new medical discipline known as Integrative Medicine. In this field, the patient is treated as a whole person, rather than just the disease. Dr. Merrell combines a unique connective approach between the mind, body, heart, and spirit.

Part one of The Source generates "Six Ways to Reclaim Your Vitality." Dr. Merrell highlights the links between energy and the mind, food, detoxification, exercise, rest, and the power of connection. This beginning of the book is stocked with research that's written not for a doctor, but in layman's language for the general population to ingest and understand.

Ever wake up more tired than when you went to bed? I have. I'll say, "I feel like a semi ran over me in the night." The Source includes within Part 1, a section on sleep. It explains why we sleep, what's happening within the body during the night, and which factors lead to energy draining sleep. Bad sleep causes generally are a result of aging and hormone shifts (for both men and women), stress, sleep apnea, snoring, chronic sinus congestion, GERD, chronic pain, inflammatory conditions, alcohol in the system, caffeine, and some medications. Fortunately, Dr. Merrell describes several solutions for a better rest.

Part 2--"21 Days to Optimal Energy" is a guide to assist the reader through a three-week program of detoxifying, energizing, and maximizing the body's energy output. Week one is a gradual elimination of stressors on the body--alcohol, red meat, wheat, sugar, processed food. Healthier food is eaten incrementally, more water is drunk, and relaxation is begun. A daily stress log is kept.

Week two moves on to resetting the metabolism by "cleaning out" toxins through a one-day juice cleanse. With increased ingestion of power foods--green tea, greens, mushrooms, fish, berries, stress becomes reduced and manageable. Week three extends into energy -generating techniques which will maximize energy. The body may be ready for Reiki or acupuncture.

Part 3, "Menus and Recipes" was written with Stefanie Bryn Sacks, M.S., a Culinary Nutritionist. Stefanie has incorporated many "in" power foods for her recipes:

Agave Syrup

Quinoa

Curry Powder

Miso

Cardamon

Notable unique recipes you'll find worth trying: Dr. Merrell's Veggie Juice, Warm French Lentils, Shitake-Miso Soup.

Throughout The Source, Dr. Merrell has placed an emphasis on a balanced stress-reduced life, one which incorporates rest, exercise, healthier eating, and proper breathing. Dr. Merrell has a host of famous followers who support his work and say so publicly--Donna Karan, Cindy Crawford, Richard Gere, Christiane Northrup, Mehmet Oz, and Daniel Goleman.

The Source offers hope. Hope to those who live with chronic conditions and who are unaware that there may still be a way to improve their health. This book receives five stars! It is well worth reading and will provide new insight into ways we all can live a better life.

*Dr. Woodson Merrell, affectionately known as "Woody," was named by New York magazine as a "Leader for the New Millennium" is chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is also an assistant clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He maintains a private practice in Manhattan.

*Kathleen Merrell is Dr. Merrell's writing partner and spouse, and is also an award-winning freelance journalist who specializes in holistic and preventive health. Her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Real Simple, and Allure.



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I learned a lot reading The Source. I was able to understand complex chemical processes,such as how does the body create energy or how does the liver detox the body, because it's written in an entertaining style. I also liked the fact that it provides suggestions on how to improve your health using both Western as well as alternative medicine principles (so one can chose). As we learn about them, these suggestions are based on extensive research as well as Dr. Merrell's experience with his patients.

You could read a book on New Thought and ditch this book. Most statements DO NOT have scientific backing or references and are portrayed in way to make it LOOK like he's using valid research but doesn't.

My main problem was with the diet and detoxification - he recommends foods such as soy and grains that are hormone disruptors and nutrient uptake inhibitors while at the same time having a detox program to remove them. He made a reference on how our ancestors used to use protein sparingly....who's ancestors I don't know - if we're talking pre-agriculture, and tribes of present day that live as their ancient ancestors did - high fats and protein were/are the staple and the cultivation of grains started the decline of health into modern day. I don't think he know the difference between organic/free range red meat and conventional and how the fat make up is completely different and it's cascading effect on the entire system. You can't categorize both in the same place. That's like saying grape flavored soda is the same as pure grape juice.

Let me save you some time - for all practical application, all this book says is...

Don't stress.
Stretch and work out.
Don't eat processed crap.
Stop using/consuming chemicals.
Pray to whatever higher power you believe in.

Do that for 21 days and I guarantee you'll feel better too.

The key isn't intellectualizing all of this or arguing if it's right or wrong or why or why it doesn't work - it's just about consistency. I think everybody knows this stuff, it's just tough to stick to it...maybe just by a book that teaches you how to stick to something.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 16 reviews  4.4 out of 5 stars