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Rating: 
Summary: Thank God for Celeste Pepe and Lisa Hammond!
Review: I can't tell you how glad I am to have purchased this book! I am a teacher in my late 40's. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I started to experience many of the same symptoms as Dr. Pepe. I also was afflicted with the failing vision experienced by Pat Wagner, a contributor to this book and MS survivor in her own right. My doctors gave me beta blockers, and found that my health was deteriorating rapidly. I admit I was desperate. I love my career as an elementary school teacher, and knew that if I didn't find something to help me soon, my career life as I knew it would shortly come to an end. I was not into either nutrition or holistic medicine when I first bought the book. I thumbed through it at the book store in a local mall and her story caught my interest, so I purchased it. I couldn't be happier that I did so. I found the writing of Lisa Hammond very enjoyable and easy to read. She made Dr. Pepe a real person, someone with whom I could identify. The personal section of her story held my interest, and the second half of the book was made especially understandable for a lay person like myself. I had never really heard of any of the methods Dr. Pepe used. However, I found this in itself encouraging, as nothing my doctors had tried to that point had been the least bit helpful and, quite frankly, actually seemed to be making me worse. Except for the chelation therapy, I followed all of the other steps she utilized. I chose to order the bee venom, as keeping bees is out of the question in my apartment complex! I am very thrilled and proud to announce that now, nearly ten months later, my MS has NOT progressed any farther! Feeling is beginning to return to the areas where I had been experiencing numbness, and my vision has improved almost to the point where it was before my illness. I find that I have far more energy each day, and I can feel myself returning to health. I have read some of the reviews here, and, far from resenting Dr. Pepe's affluence, I celebrate it. If she had not possessed the means to explore these independent treatments not covered by most insurance plans, others like myself may not have had the opportunity to follow in her footsteps. I disagree with those who discount the personal section of the book. I feel that her autobiographical account has great relevance, as some of the stressful incidents in her life were similar to those in my own. Not all of them, of course, but enough to give credence, in my opinion, to the theory that stress and trauma may be contributing factors to the later onset of MS in some way. I certainly feel it warrants further research. Perhaps Dr. Pepe's methods do not, or will not, work for everyone. I have no medical training and am the first to admit it. However, based solely upon my own experiences, I would encourage anyone suffering from MS to seriously consider giving her methods a try. After all, except for a few dollars, what have you got to lose? Nothing in this book could harm a patient that I can see. Her methods are strictly natural, based upon nutrition combined with natural supplements. I recommend this book wholeheartedly, both as an interesting read and an invaluable medical blueprint. As I've said, you have nothing to lose, and perhaps the rest of your life, a healthy life, to gain. Thank you Dr. Pepe and Ms. Hammond! You have done me a service with your selfless sharing of your experiences, and I, for one, shall be always grateful for this publication.
Rating:
Summary: Thank God for Celeste Pepe and Lisa Hammond!
Review: I can't tell you how glad I am to have purchased this book! I am a teacher in my late 40's. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I started to experience many of the same symptoms as Dr. Pepe. I also was afflicted with the failing vision experienced by Pat Wagner, a contributor to this book and MS survivor in her own right. My doctors gave me beta blockers, and found that my health was deteriorating rapidly. I admit I was desperate. I love my career as an elementary school teacher, and knew that if I didn't find something to help me soon, my career life as I knew it would shortly come to an end. I was not into either nutrition or holistic medicine when I first bought the book. I thumbed through it at the book store in a local mall and her story caught my interest, so I purchased it. I couldn't be happier that I did so. I found the writing of Lisa Hammond very enjoyable and easy to read. She made Dr. Pepe a real person, someone with whom I could identify. The personal section of her story held my interest, and the second half of the book was made especially understandable for a lay person like myself. I had never really heard of any of the methods Dr. Pepe used. However, I found this in itself encouraging, as nothing my doctors had tried to that point had been the least bit helpful and, quite frankly, actually seemed to be making me worse. Except for the chelation therapy, I followed all of the other steps she utilized. I chose to order the bee venom, as keeping bees is out of the question in my apartment complex! I am very thrilled and proud to announce that now, nearly ten months later, my MS has NOT progressed any farther! Feeling is beginning to return to the areas where I had been experiencing numbness, and my vision has improved almost to the point where it was before my illness. I find that I have far more energy each day, and I can feel myself returning to health. I have read some of the reviews here, and, far from resenting Dr. Pepe's affluence, I celebrate it. If she had not possessed the means to explore these independent treatments not covered by most insurance plans, others like myself may not have had the opportunity to follow in her footsteps. I disagree with those who discount the personal section of the book. I feel that her autobiographical account has great relevance, as some of the stressful incidents in her life were similar to those in my own. Not all of them, of course, but enough to give credence, in my opinion, to the theory that stress and trauma may be contributing factors to the later onset of MS in some way. I certainly feel it warrants further research. Perhaps Dr. Pepe's methods do not, or will not, work for everyone. I have no medical training and am the first to admit it. However, based solely upon my own experiences, I would encourage anyone suffering from MS to seriously consider giving her methods a try. After all, except for a few dollars, what have you got to lose? Nothing in this book could harm a patient that I can see. Her methods are strictly natural, based upon nutrition combined with natural supplements. I recommend this book wholeheartedly, both as an interesting read and an invaluable medical blueprint. As I've said, you have nothing to lose, and perhaps the rest of your life, a healthy life, to gain. Thank you Dr. Pepe and Ms. Hammond! You have done me a service with your selfless sharing of your experiences, and I, for one, shall be always grateful for this publication.
Rating: 
Summary: why are the others complaining
Review: i cant beleive these bad reviews that I saw. maybe they are medical GP's upset by someone producing their work for others to review and see what they may gain from her experience. I had already taken into action about 5 of the 9 steps and had been hesitant of the others due to the effort, but since reading the book, found that it easy to get these tests done after all. I have been working on these style of treatment with my doctors for the last year (they are chinese doctors though) and have not had the tests tho to see where i may be different from ter general run of mill. I do have an immense amount more energy from diet, suppliments, mineral ratio balances and desire to succeed. and am now going to try the next steps with the backing of my doctors. those who complain maybe should read from Professor George Jelinik MD - 'taking control of MS' and see if they still want to rant negative hope.
Rating:
Summary: why are the others complaining
Review: i cant beleive these bad reviews that I saw. maybe they are medical GP's upset by someone producing their work for others to review and see what they may gain from her experience. I had already taken into action about 5 of the 9 steps and had been hesitant of the others due to the effort, but since reading the book, found that it easy to get these tests done after all. I have been working on these style of treatment with my doctors for the last year (they are chinese doctors though) and have not had the tests tho to see where i may be different from ter general run of mill. I do have an immense amount more energy from diet, suppliments, mineral ratio balances and desire to succeed. and am now going to try the next steps with the backing of my doctors. those who complain maybe should read from Professor George Jelinik MD - 'taking control of MS' and see if they still want to rant negative hope.
Rating:
Summary: COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN
Review: I was diagonsed with MS 4 years ago and have tried a number of different things including the bee sting therapy. It is good to learn of someones success and to know I too have other options. I am going to give Dr. Pepe's recomendations a try, what do I have to lose.....I've already lost my health! The bee sting therapy does work....I don't care what the medical establishment has to say. I've read some other reviews on this book and some good, some bad but for all of us that suffer I want to thank Dr. Celeste Pepe for all her work to find a cure. I for one am glad she can afford to have a cook, driver, and to write this book. I am a 40 yr old mother of 2 great teenagers and wonderful husband, no cook (me) no driver (me) and I want my life back. I can't afford to fly where ever to get treatment but I can't afford not to try the things I can. I enjoyed this book also because I got to know Celeste, the person, her stuggles, her victories. God Bless You for taking the time to help others on their journey.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the worst book on the subject ever!
Review: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the growth of lesions on the tissue that protects the body's nerves. Those lesions stop the flow of information from the brain to the body, particularly in the arms and legs. Parts of the body without contact with the brain deteriorate, and people with MS end up with various physical handicaps. Medical science has no cure for MS. At best, all they can do is slow the progress of the disease. Celeste Pepe, D. C., N.D. was diagnosed with MS when she was in her early forties. A practicing chiropractor and naturopathic doctor, she refused to take the powerful drugs that her medical doctors insisted were her only option. She decided that not only would she fight MS, she would be healed of it. Reversing Multiple Sclerosis is the story of her successful search for a cure, a five-year journey into alternative medicine therapies. She had no special abilities other than a determination to be well, and she tell others that "if you are ever diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, you must pursue, with all your might, every doctor, of all varieties, with every healing modality known to them, and never give up, until you find the ones that heal you." Pepe describes the emotional devastation she felt when she was first diagnosed, and the reactions of her family and friends. Not everyone supported her when she turned from conventional medicine to alternative therapies. She shares all that she learned as she consulted each professional, and details their treatments and the effects those treatments had on her. She relied heavily on what her body told her after each treatment. She emphasizes that each person is different and not every treatment has the same effect on everyone. However, through her experience she was able to discover nine steps that will help reverse MS. Most of these are quite simple, such as dietary changes, but all should be done under the supervision of a professional. She includes an extensive list of resources. Reversing Multiple Sclerosis is "one woman's courageous journey from incurable illness to optimum health, against all odds and the prognostications of futility and doom from the medical community." Pepe writes in a personal and friendly manner, and her book is an essential reference for all those who have been diagnosed with MS.
Rating:
Summary: Most inaccurate; inane bunch of babbling on MS ever written
Review: This book is filled with medical inaccuracies (no; Celeste; betaseron is not a beta-blocker; it's an interferon). All of her remedies, treatments; and voo-doo has been tested and found to have no shred of medical validity. I also doubt her "vision" given by God to heal all his people from MS. Give me a break.
Rating: 
Summary: I wish it were good!
Review: This book is more like a "travelogue" through Ms. Pepe's brief (5 year) journey with MS than a useful tool in comparing alternative therapies. She flits around between different therapies and theories and doesn't inspire much confidence in her choices. For example, she rejects Dr. Swank's low saturated fat diet and I can surmise that it's only because she misses eating butter and red meat too much. After all, this is a nutitionist who is used to eating steak and eggs for breakfast! When she abandon's Swank's diet, she buys 2 lobsters to celebrate. In her bibliography, she lists the 1987 edition of Swank's book which is the same one I read. It allows lobster in any quantity. Must be the butter she wanted to celebrate with!
Most people interested in alternative medicine show at least a smattering of compassion towards animals. Not Ms. Pepe. She ingests a disturbing amount of pig myelin which seems dangerous considering things like mad cow disease, and she uses bee venom therapy which kills perfectly innocent (and nearly wiped out) honey bees. I was an inadvertant recipient of bee venom therapy at age 12 when a bumblebee flew up the leg of my pants and stung me 6 or 7 times on the knee. I'm not saying bee venom therapy doesn't work, but since my knee only got terribly stiff and a bit itchy I'm not convinced it does anything positive for your joints.
I would love to see a book that did a thorough and dispassionate examination of alternative therapies. I've read of a study that showed regular yoga helping alleviate the fatigue associated with MS. Yoga has helped me and so has acupuncture although it got expensive and rather time consuming. Nutrition and supplements have helped as well. I would love to hear more about MS and meditation. It seems to me that meditation could help greatly with stress and it's exacerbation of MS symptoms.
I often refer to MS as the Mystery Sickness because it is so hard to pin down. Ms. Pepe is one of those irritating people who claim to know it all be 'cured'. It's a shame really because the does the cause of alternative medicine more harm than good with this self indulgent book of hers.
Rating:
Summary: "Dr" Who????
Review: This book was not written for people who are sceptical about using alternative healing methods. Nor was it written for people who have little energy to spend on reading the work of an egotist. Don't misunderstand me! I am very much a believer in natural healing methods. When I have been vigilant about using CAM (complementray and alternative medicine) I have kicked this MS into remission. I admitedly slacked off the holistic health proptocol and am suffering through a horrible relapse which has caused me to rely once again on my cane and a wheelchair for extended distances. I bought this book to help get me motivated and back on track (ALTERNATIVE METHODS ARE TIME CONSUMING, ARDUOUS, EXPENSIVE AND EXHAUSTING... She forgets to mention that). I was sent into sheer dissapointed with "DR" Pepe. She seems to have a huge ego. The greater part of the book served as a major opportunity to massage that ego ... and/or provide some major self-psychotherapy, rather than focusing on providing a service to the reader. Only a fraction of the pages gave actual information that is helpful. I didn't purchase the book to read about her humiliating MSers in wheelchairs by doing spins on her high heels during her presentations to the NMSS. In spite of the nauseating ego stuff, what was MOST disturbing is the fact that she is credentialed as both a Naturapath (ND) AND Chiropractor (DC), yet her clinical/nutritional knowledge base and patient-doctor communication skills were DEPLORABLE. When I purchased her book, I was shocked to realize how little she knew ... making it a waste of money, time and hope (the title is really catchy and instills false hope). If you are a complete novice to alternative health care and management for MS, and don't mind weeding through 450 pages of whining and arrogant narrative, then go for it! You don't have anything to lose. If you want a book with more sophisticated content - don't bother! For beginners I would recommend a wonderful litttle book entitiled Multiple Sclerosis - The Natural Way by Richard Thomas. It offers a lot of great info and is to the point! Judy Graham is also worth reading. The Swank diet is essential .... and surf the internet! The web is packed with lots of wonderful info (but don't sit in front of the computer for too long without stretchig your legs! God bless you all (a little faith doesn't hurt iether) ;-)
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