At last... I've found an author who has done with regard to all
sorts of other specific medical problems what Bernie Siegel did with regard
to cancer!

           The idea upon which this echo was originally based is that
there's no single cause of human illness.  Various factors may contribute
to it, however... genetic, environmental, psychological, etc.  Although
some of these things can't be changed, some can.  Bernie Siegel, an
oncologist, noticed that certain people survived cancer where others didn't
& investigated a number of possible reasons. Now Gabor Mat‚ has noticed
that certain people carry genes which predispose them to certain medical
conditions, and may in fact show evidence of these conditions on autopsy,
but seem relatively unaffected in the course of their everyday life.

           Years ago, when I was at UBC, Gabor Mat‚ was there as well.  He
wrote regularly in the student newspaper.  I didn't know him personally but
remembered him as a very articulate & perceptive individual... so when
I heard he'd written a couple of books & co-authored a third I was
interested.  I've read one of them & started both the others now, and
I'm favourably impressed.  He's a doctor with experience in several
specialties.  He taught school for awhile.  He's a parent. He also has ADD,
and he speaks frankly about how it affects him.

           Somebody asked me about one of his books, "Is it
readable??"  I'd say yes in the sense that he can put medical data
into plain English without talking down, and he mingles personal anecdotes
with case histories & remarks from other folks.  His style is
compassionate, but forthright... he calls things the way he sees them. 
Those who are personally affected may feel as I felt when I read one of
John Bradshaw's books for the first time.  He can hit the nail so squarely
on the head that it leaves my mind reeling.  I haven't seen anything else
like this for quite awhile.  From what I've seen of the following thus far,
I'd definitely include them on the recommended list for the folks in the
SURVIVOR echo....  :-)


 SCATTERED MINDS
    Attention deficit disorder... what causes it, how it feels to a person who
    has it, how it looks to other people, and what can be done about it.  Like
    the others, this book contains some astute comments about related matters.

 WHEN THE BODY SAYS NO
    How physical ailments, particularly those involving the immune system, can
    indicate what is going on in a person's mind.  If you think you don't have
    such problems... maybe you don't.  OTOH many medical conditions which were
    once treated separately are now thought to be linked to the immune system.

 HOLD ON TO YOUR KIDS
    Clinical psychologist Gordon Neufeld has some very interesting ideas about
    parent/child relationships.  I knew of him through a workshop for teachers
    which I attended a couple of decades ago.  Until Gabor Mat‚ (in his words)
    acted as a catalyst, however, he hadn't written a book about them....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+