Recalled by Life

by Anthony J. Sattilaro

A Philadelphia physician recounts how he recovered from what was diagnosed as terminal cancer by following a strict vegetarian diet

Genres: Memoir, Health, Nonfiction, Medicine

Paperback

First published September 1, 1982

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

MD/CEO of a hospital in Philadelphia who put his cancer in remission by changing his diet -- and was not exactly accepted by his medical community for so doing. The book is about his experience changing his diet and was obviously written while still alive, so it doesn't include the following:

They thought he had 18 months to live, but he lived more than 10 years longer and eventually died when he started eating a more varied diet again, including meat. Apparently he wanted to do some research at the hospital about treating cancer with diet in addition to traditional western medicine cancer treatment but apparently was fired because of it.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I got from my mother's bookshelf that inspired me into greater vegetarianism and macrobiotics. A wonderful but tragic story on how to heal oneself with whole grains and vegetables especially when health situations are terminal. Might frighten those who fear cancer and the traditional medicine treatments that wear down the human body. Although macrobiotics is not proven as a cure for illness, Satillaro's personal story does inspire one to attempt a healthier lifestyle. Encouraging for those who want to stop aging now as well.

[Simin Yadegar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a physician who suffers from cancer, but after becoming acquainted with macrobiotic nutrition he heals, at first he don't believe that nutrition any connection with his illness, but he learns more about it and found that there are many things about food that he and other physicians doesn't know. A useful book , but has not enough information about macrobiotic.

[Mary Karpel-Jergic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1982, it is disappointing to realise that very little has changed with our understanding of cancer. The types of doubt and dismissal of the relationship between diet and health that Satillaro discusses remain with us today.

This book recounts the author's experiences when diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. Given a prognosis of 18 months, up to five years, he manages to supress (cure) his cancer for eleven years by changing his diet to a macrobiotic one.

As a doctor he has the scepticism and doubts that science engenders and therefore he constantly questions the claims. "My initial impulse was to dismiss macrobiotics as ridiculous." However, as the story unfolds, he becomes more convinced of the healing effects of the diet without understanding the relationship between diet and health or sickness.

An understated anecdotal account of one man's attempt to cure cancer by non-toxic means.

[Ruth Hooley]

Good book I used the diet for 2 years after being Dx with cancer.
Correction: Dr Sattilaro did NOT undergo traditional cancer therapy as stated in one post. He was told he had terminal cancer so, at that point in time, they did not give him chemo or radiation. After finding out about the Macrobiotic Diet, he somewhat reluctantly, decided to try the this Diet. One reason he decided this is that there was another M.D. on the Diet. Plus, what did he have to lose since he was told his cancer was terminal.
Bottom line Is that after being on the Macro Diet for a number of months, the tests (documented) indicated that no cancer growths were found. Read book: Recalled by Life. By Tom Monte, with Dr,Sattilaro.
(Dr. Ruth H., Ph.D.)

[Silverpiper · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this when it was first published. It's about a physcian who adopted a macrobiotic diet and claimed that it healed his testicular cancer. Except Dr. Satilaro underwent traditional treatment before attempting his diet.

You guessed it- some years later he dies of cancer and it's attributed to his stopping the diet that saved him. Right. Whatever.

If your're interested in reading a fairytale about the healing powers of the macrobiotic diet, then this the book for you.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I want to review this book is because I read it long ago shortly after it came out. It was recommended to me by a friend and I read the entire book on a couple of bus rides home from work. I was fascinated with his courage as a doctor to try something different, and fascinated about the macrobiotic diet. For whatever reason this story has stayed in my mind for 35 years.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was very interesting just as an autobiography and/or memoir.

This doctor got cancer and cured it by following a macrobiotic diet.

Some people have questioned the facts of this case but they have been proven wrong.

I don't think that macrobiotics is necessarily the most effective cure for cancer--I think there are more effective natural cures such as essiac--but this whole area is something that should be looked at.

It is interesting that the scientific and medical tests he was undergoing totally showed that while and after following this diet, his cancer was cured.

This is a book that anyone who is interested in natural cures for cancer should look at.