Manifesto for a New Medicine: Your Guide to Healing Partnerships [Paperback]

Dr.Gordon's book was referred to me by a Ph.D. in genetics, the second woman to present at the Sorbonne. Mdme. Curie was first! At the time I just beginning my battle with breast cancer, and frustrated trying to acquire a competent, purposeful, ethical, and loving team, willing to accept me as an equal member! That was four books ago -I've loaned them out and somehow they seem to adsorb into the bodies and minds of those to whom I loaned them. They have not been returned; however, I have decided they should have been a gift to begin with.

Dr. Gordon's thorough and conscientious review of the different modalities available to increase, intensify, complement, and/or impact on the mind-body connection is comfortable reading. There is no question that in this book the doctor is paving the way for the the long overdue paradigm shift in medicine: the male medical model. A model that has been said will change for at lest the last forty years, and it hasn't budged, except in area where there has been strong public input, and therefore supported the initiation of the manifesto for a new medicine. This was especially apparent in from 1960-1974 when parents fought and organized for family-centered maternity and child care: human childbirth experiences with a prepared couple;husband attending the birth; family reunion post partem, including the mother's other children. The first excellent model of this was at Kaiser in California, which in the 70s had a central nursery so parents could have their babies in their room all they wanted or leave them to the safety of the nursing staff. Of course, the Mennonite hospital in Kansas had been doing this for 100 years! But, it took the public to bring this to an everyday option; not that the applied science of obstetrics has improved incrementally, (though technologically lives may be saves more easily) because parents both knew what was suppposed to happen, prepared to participate.

One must think, and feel strongly enough about the new medicine Dr. Gordon is writing about, and/or get an advocate to help them to seek and demand a partnership in their care, the health care "system" we have today can only decline further.

In the end, we are all patients. There is technology and treatments available now to cure! And, as Dr. Godon emphasizes complementary alternatives that individuals, find effective.

Dr. Gordon's book takes one to a new level of consciousness, and is a must in everyone's personal library, and reading clubs!

I recommend this book to everyone interesting in exploring what Gordon calls the "new medicine." The latter basically consists of techniques and approaches that are alternatives to the predominant practices of "modern, scientific medicine." There are many features of this book I like and a few I don't but there's little doubt that most wellness-oriented readers will find it a worthy read.

Gordon has "been there" and "done that" with respect to most of the techniques described and evaluated. He has, in fact, personally undergone a multiplicity of the treatments and remedies discussed as part of his quest for relief of back pain and other maladies that he personally suffered. In addition, he uses or has experimented with these approaches as part of his ministrations to patients. The man, in short, has been on a long road in a conscious journey of discoveries. Gordon makes it quite clear that his goal is to incorporate and blend the best of both medical worlds, new and current, for the benefit and empowerment of his patients and the effectiveness of his profession. The latter is very broadly defined, for this physician is less interested in being a scientific M.D. than he is committed to being a wise healer and patient facilitator.

Among the features of MANIFESTO that I found most compelling were the following:

A passionate advocacy of the idea that healers of all manner owe their patients quality service, which Gordon describes in part as knowing where they live and with whom, whom they love, the joys and tensions in their relationships, how they eat and exercise and, "most especially," what gives their lives meaning. Hells bells, a new medicine healer type can stuff me with herbs, drum and dance, pray and stick me with needles but if she's as involved as all this in my personal life, I'm going to be one satisfied customer, even if I die in the process.

An informed description of the nature of many new medicines, with attention to the evidence such as it exists for the effectiveness of each technique described. Covered in much detail are approaches that deal with vital functions of touch, movement, breathing and manipulative practices (massage, yoga, chiropractic, Feldenkrais, Alexander and Rolfing) and mind-body techniques (biofeedback, relaxation, imagery and hypnosis).

An extensive review of the value of self-care, with the focus on nutrition and exercise.

I mentioned that there were a few things I did not like. Most of these can be found in the twelfth and fourteenth chapters dealing with "other medicines" and "the healing path," respectively. Here I had the impression that Gordon never met a treatment modality or healer type he didn't like, provided it was not modern or scientific. In my view, there are a lot of quacks and quackery out there in new, current and old medicines and Gordon has too little to say about these hazards. He does offer a few general hints about how to avoid getting ripped off or worse, but then he refers approvingly to Deepak's mysticism and gobbledygook. Homeopathy and prayer are also described as efficacious elements of the new medicine. Whether you want to believe in prayer as more than talking to yourself is your own business but my sense is that prayer has been around a lot longer than the new medicine. It's part of the old time religion and, like most of the practices discussed in "the healing path" chapter, has to be swallowed on faith or not at all.

A fine work--many stars. But, can't decide how many.

Jim Gordon's book is useful for those looking for a complement or alternative to traditional western medical practice. Appointed by President Clinton to chair the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, he is considered an authoritative figure in the field.

As more and more people become disenchanted with the limitations of "western" medical practice, the need for accurate information on the myriad of non-traditional medical options will become more important. The statement of the first commentator above referring to alternative medical care as a "fad" and a Gordon as a "fraud" is typical of the unwillingness of the medical establishment to even consider non-traditional medical practices, many of which do have academic research to back them up, particularly as preventitive measures. But you can't blame the medical establishment, including the drug companies, for not wanting to rock their multi-billion dollar boat. After all, there is a lot more money to be made in expensive treatments, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and patentable drugs, than in affordable and natural preventetive methods which intergrate and emphasise lifestyle prevention such as good nutrition and stress management.

It is for those whom the established medical techniques have been a failure that Manifesto for New Medicine will be most insightful.