ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Dallas/ Ft. Worth, TX—Mike staggers into the emergency room, presenting what he believes are the classic signs of a heart attack. Soon his condition stabilizes, and the E. R. doctor sweeps into the room to assess Mike’s problem. Mike is not having a heart attack, but the symptoms that brought him to the hospital have been caused by something…
Mike is the main character in The Rest of Health, a new work of creative non-fiction by authors David and Sonya Cameron. As readers follow Mike’s story, it soon becomes clear that there is more to his E.R. visit than meets the eye. The Rest of Health brings readers along as Mike confronts both the areas of conflict and the neglected facets of his life. Along the way, he discovers that true health is not something that can be achieved by simply producing the right numbers (i.e., blood pressure, weight, cholesterol). Mike’s journey to total health and wellness incorporates seven steps:
1. Looking to learn
2. Transforming your thinking
3. Establishing healthy boundaries
4. Caring for your body
5. Raising your emotional I.Q.
6. Cultivating your spiritual life
7. Fine-tuning relationships
The Camerons have been working in the healthcare/mental health field for over a decade, and both have chosen career paths that involve a cross-section of the general public. David has served as a family practice physician in a community health clinic for 10 years. Sonya has over 12 years of experience in community mental health and private practice doing marriage and family counseling.
“In both of our practices, we constantly see people who view health too narrowly. Many people think of health as dropping pounds, lowering blood pressure, etc. These are all good, healthy things, but when the underlying motive is simply to look better physically, that is evidence that a patient doesn’t really understand the meaning of ‘health.’ After working with so many patients, we have seen that before a patient can make lasting changes in any area of life—and this includes physical health—they must take a step back and look at the bigger picture of their life.”
The non-fiction information for the book was taken from the Camerons’ popular seven-week course on health and wellness and is backed by careful research. The fiction element makes that life-changing information intriguing to readers, especially men, who are statistically less likely to pick up a non-fiction book than women are.
“When we created Mike’s character, we tried to include the most common issues we observed in our practices. Mike is a composite of the experiences of hundreds of patients. We feel every reader will be able to relate to at least one aspect of Mike’s personal struggles,” Sonya says.
As readers observe Mike’s relationships within the many spheres of his life—work, home, friendships, church—they will see that true health and wellness affects every facet of our being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Poor choices in one area can harm our well-being in the others. For example, Mike’s habit of covering for an incompetent co-worker (failing to establish a healthy boundary) drains his enthusiasm and forces him to work longer hours. This negatively affects his relationship with his wife, and it leaves little time for exercise or recreation.
The Rest of Health features a collection of helpful resources including worksheets and discussion questions at the end of each chapter, making it an ideal vehicle for church small groups, recovery groups or support groups. As Christians and health professionals (Sonya holds a seminary degree), the Camerons desire to see these health principles renew not just individuals, but the body of Christ as a whole. “We want to integrate the life-giving Christian faith with the knowledge and tools of healthcare professions and to equip people with skills for healthy living, that they might become better able to complete the ministry to which God has called them,” David says.
Mike is the main character in The Rest of Health, a new work of creative non-fiction by authors David and Sonya Cameron. As readers follow Mike’s story, it soon becomes clear that there is more to his E.R. visit than meets the eye. The Rest of Health brings readers along as Mike confronts both the areas of conflict and the neglected facets of his life. Along the way, he discovers that true health is not something that can be achieved by simply producing the right numbers (i.e., blood pressure, weight, cholesterol). Mike’s journey to total health and wellness incorporates seven steps:
1. Looking to learn
2. Transforming your thinking
3. Establishing healthy boundaries
4. Caring for your body
5. Raising your emotional I.Q.
6. Cultivating your spiritual life
7. Fine-tuning relationships
The Camerons have been working in the healthcare/mental health field for over a decade, and both have chosen career paths that involve a cross-section of the general public. David has served as a family practice physician in a community health clinic for 10 years. Sonya has over 12 years of experience in community mental health and private practice doing marriage and family counseling.
“In both of our practices, we constantly see people who view health too narrowly. Many people think of health as dropping pounds, lowering blood pressure, etc. These are all good, healthy things, but when the underlying motive is simply to look better physically, that is evidence that a patient doesn’t really understand the meaning of ‘health.’ After working with so many patients, we have seen that before a patient can make lasting changes in any area of life—and this includes physical health—they must take a step back and look at the bigger picture of their life.”
The non-fiction information for the book was taken from the Camerons’ popular seven-week course on health and wellness and is backed by careful research. The fiction element makes that life-changing information intriguing to readers, especially men, who are statistically less likely to pick up a non-fiction book than women are.
“When we created Mike’s character, we tried to include the most common issues we observed in our practices. Mike is a composite of the experiences of hundreds of patients. We feel every reader will be able to relate to at least one aspect of Mike’s personal struggles,” Sonya says.
As readers observe Mike’s relationships within the many spheres of his life—work, home, friendships, church—they will see that true health and wellness affects every facet of our being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Poor choices in one area can harm our well-being in the others. For example, Mike’s habit of covering for an incompetent co-worker (failing to establish a healthy boundary) drains his enthusiasm and forces him to work longer hours. This negatively affects his relationship with his wife, and it leaves little time for exercise or recreation.
The Rest of Health features a collection of helpful resources including worksheets and discussion questions at the end of each chapter, making it an ideal vehicle for church small groups, recovery groups or support groups. As Christians and health professionals (Sonya holds a seminary degree), the Camerons desire to see these health principles renew not just individuals, but the body of Christ as a whole. “We want to integrate the life-giving Christian faith with the knowledge and tools of healthcare professions and to equip people with skills for healthy living, that they might become better able to complete the ministry to which God has called them,” David says.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
David Cameron is a Family Physician at Community Health Care and serves as Clinical Faculty for the University of Washington.
Sonya Cameron is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an Adjunct Professor for Life Pacific College.
To visit their foundation, visit http://www.truefoundation.com/ and http://www.therestofhealth.com/.
To purchase this book, you can visit here.
Be Blessed!
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