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Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions
Drawing on input from people with long-term ailments, this book points the way to achieving the best possible life under the circumstances.
330 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1994
66 people are currently reading
1607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 23, 2020
Covers many chronic health conditions, but not in any great depth. A good book to gain an overview of the conditions mentioned on the cover.
July 24, 2020
Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions is an amazing book compiled with everything one needs to know about the basic chronic conditions that we all suffer from time to time. I was surprised at the depth of material presented in this book. It is a wealth of information that I plan to keep handy with me.
My grandmother was a hospice-at-home patient. This book, had the information I needed in order to know how to properly move my bedridden grandmother without hurting her or myself. In fact, the nurses that stopped in to check on Nana reinforced that knowledge from the book. I was beyond happy!
There is much more I can go on about but I recommend this to parents, college students, and professionals everywhere. The elderly definitely need to read this book as well. So much can be learned and prevented or treated early on, if I had read this book. Overall, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions is a must have for every library both in home and everywhere.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
My grandmother was a hospice-at-home patient. This book, had the information I needed in order to know how to properly move my bedridden grandmother without hurting her or myself. In fact, the nurses that stopped in to check on Nana reinforced that knowledge from the book. I was beyond happy!
There is much more I can go on about but I recommend this to parents, college students, and professionals everywhere. The elderly definitely need to read this book as well. So much can be learned and prevented or treated early on, if I had read this book. Overall, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions is a must have for every library both in home and everywhere.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
December 27, 2019
depressing
January 3, 2022
Clearly written, and offers a comprehensive overview of the subject matter. Because of the breadth of the topic, the book necessarily doesn't go into as much detail on specific conditions, but it offers a wide variety of links and resources in each chapter. The chapter detailing gentle and achievable exercises to do at home gave me some new ideas and is very useful especially for those with limited mobility.
My one critique is that the author(s) very clearly doesn't subscribe to the "Health at Every Size" model of thinking, and honestly if I have to read one more book that tells me to order my salad dressing "on the side" as a sustainable way to achieve weight loss, I fear I may lose my eyeballs after I roll them so hard they fall out of my head. There is a brief acknowledgment that the BMI is not a good indicator of ideal weight or health, but then the book proceeds to use it as an indicator anyway. The book also accepts without question the current Canada Food Guide, which is mildly irksome since there is a fair bit of evidence to suggest that it has been influenced by political lobbyists (the dairy farming industry, for instance) and is not entirely backed by science.
Since that is only one chapter in the book, though, my takeaway is that this is in fact a solid resource for people living with chronic conditions who may not already be aware of all the services and tools that are available out there. A note that I specifically sought out the Canadian version, but there is a US version that is obviously going to be of more use for my neighbours to the South of the border.
My one critique is that the author(s) very clearly doesn't subscribe to the "Health at Every Size" model of thinking, and honestly if I have to read one more book that tells me to order my salad dressing "on the side" as a sustainable way to achieve weight loss, I fear I may lose my eyeballs after I roll them so hard they fall out of my head. There is a brief acknowledgment that the BMI is not a good indicator of ideal weight or health, but then the book proceeds to use it as an indicator anyway. The book also accepts without question the current Canada Food Guide, which is mildly irksome since there is a fair bit of evidence to suggest that it has been influenced by political lobbyists (the dairy farming industry, for instance) and is not entirely backed by science.
Since that is only one chapter in the book, though, my takeaway is that this is in fact a solid resource for people living with chronic conditions who may not already be aware of all the services and tools that are available out there. A note that I specifically sought out the Canadian version, but there is a US version that is obviously going to be of more use for my neighbours to the South of the border.
May 27, 2022
Dense with information, but rather boring to read
January 1, 2024
Helpful guide! I'm using it for tips to help a sick loved one.
September 28, 2025
A really helpful book for those who want to take more control of their chronic health conditions. Read it with a study group so we could discuss and set goals for ourselves which I highly recommend.
October 4, 2023
I came upon this book as it was attached to a free class I could take through my job. I have chronic pain which has been getting worse, and I was a bit at a loss of what to do about it after a disappointing (and expensive) doctor's visit.
While the class was good to middling, this book has been the single best resource I've ever had about managing chronic conditions. Most things I have read have been either unhelpful, unparceable, or downright condescending. This one actually kept my attention and gave me hope. I feel like I now know why my doctors appointments weren't satisfactory (I was communicating wrong), and what to do about it. It also gave me great ideas about how to manage my symptoms while working with a doctor to find the cause. There are parts of the book that can come off as a little hard to believe or condescending, but for the most part, I loved this book. If someone you know has a chronic condition and is struggling to manage it, I would highly recommend this book to start them off.
While the class was good to middling, this book has been the single best resource I've ever had about managing chronic conditions. Most things I have read have been either unhelpful, unparceable, or downright condescending. This one actually kept my attention and gave me hope. I feel like I now know why my doctors appointments weren't satisfactory (I was communicating wrong), and what to do about it. It also gave me great ideas about how to manage my symptoms while working with a doctor to find the cause. There are parts of the book that can come off as a little hard to believe or condescending, but for the most part, I loved this book. If someone you know has a chronic condition and is struggling to manage it, I would highly recommend this book to start them off.
October 26, 2013
As a certified wellness instructor of this Stanford University program, I value the extensive material supporting the weekly class topics. This manual moves the learning from corporate class time to a personal resource.
Exercises can be tailored to individual ability and needs to accomodate various chronic conditions. Distraction techniques and relaxation methods, reproduceable goal planning forms included for the major action planning tool in the self-management program, visual meal planning a further help to our well-known Canada Food Guide. The value of prayer and gratitude in living well are not overlooked. Exercises are described and diagrams provided for flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance.
Communication to enable increased understanding of chronic conditions with friends and family, managing medicines, and future planning, are all valuable lessons included in the manual, for anyone living with chronic conditions or caregiving someone who is.
Exercises can be tailored to individual ability and needs to accomodate various chronic conditions. Distraction techniques and relaxation methods, reproduceable goal planning forms included for the major action planning tool in the self-management program, visual meal planning a further help to our well-known Canada Food Guide. The value of prayer and gratitude in living well are not overlooked. Exercises are described and diagrams provided for flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance.
Communication to enable increased understanding of chronic conditions with friends and family, managing medicines, and future planning, are all valuable lessons included in the manual, for anyone living with chronic conditions or caregiving someone who is.
May 25, 2008
This book covers every aspect of disease/life self-management starting with understanding your symptoms; using your mind to manage symptoms; exercising for fun, fitness, strength, and endurance (including tips for specific illnesses); communication skills; sex and intimacy; making your wishes known (advance directives, DNRs, living wills, etc); healthy eating; managing medications; and making treatment decisions; as well as chapters dealing with specific conditions; it ends with planning for the future. The book and the class are both very useful tools for those dealing with chronic conditions or caring for those who are.
April 14, 2020
I received this book free while taking a class at my local community library. The class atmosphere allowed for many group discussions to accompany the topics of the day and each week we were to make an action plan as "homework". As a group we were encouraged to get and give both support and feedback to each other. However the 6 week course was cut short due to the "social distancing" requirement of the COVID19 pandemic. I decided to continue reading the book on my own, although it was not quite as rewarding. The book is well written and easy to understand and it contains a lot of useful and practical information. It will remain as a reference book in my home library.
October 5, 2015
An outstanding informational guide for those of us who are seriously considering SELF-MANAGEMENT of our various illnesses. This book includes, Reading labels, Food Charts, Meal Planning, etc., that is also used in the Stanford University's Chronic Diseases Self Management Module. I use this in the Diabetes Classes that I co-facilitate.
March 29, 2017
This is a great book for anyone who is living with a chronic condition, such as asthma diabetes, chronic pain, ect. The Canadian version looks more specifically at things that include our health care system. It is most definitely worth the read, especially combined with Living a Healthy Live with Chronic Pain, for individuals who deal with pain, as both books do cover different topics.
January 6, 2018
i got this book by mistake. i was reserving some anti-inflammatory cookbooks from the library, and thought this was about diet too, but it wasn't. i didn't fully read it, but skimmed it. it's very simplistic, and is trying to cover too many conditions. people can find a lot more info just by a good search.
October 28, 2018
"All people have days when they don't feel like doing anything"
Love that statement from this book. What I've learned is: be a good manager for myself, enjoy life, eat healthy food, do regular exercise, and keep positive.
Love that statement from this book. What I've learned is: be a good manager for myself, enjoy life, eat healthy food, do regular exercise, and keep positive.
February 7, 2008
Easy to read. Lots of helpful information regarding living day to day with a Chronic Condition.
September 23, 2015
Loved! read my review on my blog
March 5, 2019
i learned quite a bit from this book. now to put it into practice.
August 17, 2019
Ok, I didn't read it *all*, the relevant portions for my life. However, it got me thinking, and I've since chanced some of my habits.
April 19, 2020
If you or someone you love has chronic health challenges. Read this book.
July 24, 2025
I read this book as part of a Personal Action Towards Health (PATH) program. I enjoyed the book and found the information very helpful.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews