Reviews

“Two healing traditions – East and West – are merged into this beautiful book about healing the heart. Clear, straight forward and well referenced, I recommend it to all who want to optimize their heart health.”

—Wayne Jonas, MD, author, How Healing Works, executive director of Samueli Integrative Health Programs, clinical professor of Family Medicine Georgetown University, former director NIH Office of Alternative Medicine, former director World Health Organization Center for Traditional Medicine, former director of Medical Research Fellowship at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

“With a special focus on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Doctors Catherine Kurosu and Aihan Kuhn bravely explore how Western and Eastern medicine have coalesced to give rise toTrue Wellness. In their innovative book, the authors weave two complementary threads that together are shaping the wellness revolution: technology facilitated cutting edge scientific advances represented by biomedicine, and the human urge to reconnect with the inherent wisdom of the natural world, represented by traditional medical systems. An overview of the historical and philosophical roots, fundamental principles, trajectory of evolution and scientific evidence for each system, inform the potential clinical application of this integrated approach. Furthermore, the authors provide a roadmap for optimal health that includes a step by step guide for its implementation. Drs. Kurosu and Kuhn combine their knowledge and experience to empower patients in taking charge of their own health, and encourage them to engage in shared decision making across cultural and paradigmatic borders. Their fundamental premise is that the combined knowledge and wisdom accumulated by humans all over the world and across time, promises to effectively help us achieve true wellness.”

—Rosa N. Schnyer, DAOM, IFMCP, L.Ac., Seeds of Wellness, doctor of Chinese medicine, licensed acupuncturist, assistant professor, certified functional medicine practitioner. 

“Bridging current knowledge of Western and Eastern medicine is no easy task. The authors did an excellent job at summarizing history and current understandings of both practices and manage to gracefully marry both. Being boarded in cardiology as well as acupuncture, I applaud the emphasis on lifestyle modification as well as the concise summary of cardiac ailments. A great read for both motivated patients and practitioners of Western as well as Eastern medicine.”  

—Bart G. Denys, MD, FACC, FSCAI

“A book about blending Eastern and Western medicine for heart health. In the newest book in their series, medical doctors Kuhn and Kurosu (True Wellness: The Mind, 2019, etc.), who now practice holistic healing, examine cardiac health from an integrative perspective, combining different approaches to health care. As in their previous installments, the authors blend divergent tenets of Eastern and Western medicine—Kurosu trained in Canada and the United States and Kuhn, in China—into a cohesive wellness approach. They note some surprising parallels and highlight beneficial practices from each type of medicine and walk readers through ways to make them work together. This book specifically focuses on prevention and treatment of cardiac illnesses, combining traditional medicine with practices involving acupuncture, herbs, yoga, and qi gong and rounding the regime out with tips on exercise, nutrition, meditation, and sleep. Their goal is educational, so the opening chapters aim to give readers a grounding in some of the science, history, and philosophy behind various treatments. They also include an in-depth examination of common cardiovascular problems, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, arrhythmias, and valve problems. Not all sections will apply to all readers, obviously, so some sections may be challenging to wade through. For instance, the book extensively details how blood vessels function, which sometimes requires the use of scientific language that casual readers may find difficult to grasp. However, the book also dispenses a good dose of general information about everyday lifestyle choices that are easy for anyone to comprehend and implement, and the authors liven up the concepts with examples from their own lives and practices. “Homework,” including mental exercises as well as instructive diagrams and illustrations, will help readers customize their own wellness plans. The authors support their advice with exhaustive citations, which makes the book feel more comprehensive than other, similar works.

A detailed and appealing work on wellness.”

—KIRKUSReviews

“This book combines eastern and western medical modalities for our wellbeing – in particular, our cardiovascular system.  On top of writing an informative, easy to comprehend text, the authors accomplished a unique feat by applying the concept of the whole system (our body and environment) to tackle the many and complicated cardiovascular issues that pervade all populations today.  I consider this book as a guideline for our wellbeing and cardiovascular health. If one can follow the authors’ recommendations with consistent practice as outlined in the book, one will surely experience a better quality of life, not to mention increased productivity in all areas.  If we all do the same, we could drastically reduce our overall cost of healthcare.  Thus, I recommend every family to get at least one copy of this book and reward yourself with a healthier wellbeing.  Preventative care is the best healthcare!”  

—H. Bill Xie, MD, PhD

“True Wellness for Your Heartis the perfect book for those interested in the comparative histories, philosophies and applications of Eastern and Western medicine. More importantly, it provides a compelling argument against the pervasive notion that these disciplines are mutually exclusive philosophies and provides a step-by-step evidence-based guide on the integration of these philosophies for optimal health and wellness. I particularly appreciated the actionable, practical tips to help put knowledge into practice. As a primary care physician, I highly recommend this book to colleagues and patients alike.”

—Kimberly Rogers, MD, Diplomat American Board of Lifestyle Medicine

“By reading the book, you are going to understand why the combination of Western (modern) and Eastern medicine could promote people’s health, how this combination could benefits people’s wellbeing. Since Eastern (Chinese) medicine is not only treating diseases, but also using some good modalities to prevent illness or reduce possibilities of diseases. I believe practicing qigong and some movements mentioned in this book are effective methods to make your cardiovascular system healthier and reduce occurrences of cardiovascular diseases. Herbal medicine and acupuncture are excellent alternative for people suffering from these diseases. In addition, these authors are experienced physicians in both Western and Eastern Chinese medicine, which would be helpful to give you a deeper view of both medical systems.”

—Sherry Zhou, MD, Endocrinologist 

“True Wellness for Your Heartis such a refreshing book. In this book, Drs. Kurosu and Kuhn focuses on the whole person, incorporating Western and Eastern medicine, free of pharmaceutical or political bias. This book will benefit not only care providers but also anyone who has a pumping heart. Those who have cardiovascular diseases; hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease-heart attacks will definitely find helpful tips in this book, but my hope would be that people would read this book BEFORE they manifest heart problems and incorporate the suggested therapeutic modalities in their life to PREVENT heart issues. Keep a strong pumping heart!”

—Katsuya Andrew Iizuka, MD, Family Medicine Hawai’i Pacific Health

“As a practicing attorney and Family Court Judge in Hawaii for over 45 years, I have seen the intersection of health and wellness –both physical and mental health—effect individuals and their immediate and extended families from young children through grandparents. As much as we might wish a pill or surgery to be the instant cure for all that ails us, it is not to be. Doctors Kurosu and Kuhn are well versed in Western and Eastern medicine and combine those approaches to focus us on tending to our whole being. Their medical description of how our heart and circulatory system works is written in language the layman can understand. The combination with Eastern perspectives about the workings of mind and body make sense even to a linear thinker.

I understand that there are more volumes of True Wellness focusing on additional health issues. I look forward to reading those as well and incorporating the doctors’ suggestions into my daily routine.”

 —Judge Karen M. Radius (Ret) 

USA Best Books Award - Finalist - 2020