Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
My Healing Bookshelf: Books That Gave Me Hope After a Chronic Illness Diagnosis
24
items A chronic illness diagnosis can leave you feeling scared, overwhelmed, and searching for answers. These are the books that have brought me hope, knowledge, and a new perspective on healing. This collection includes the complete Medical Medium series,...
This book was beautifully written. I read it over the course of a few days, I couldn’t put it down. A neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal lung cancer reflects on meaning, medicine, and mortality.
When Breath Becomes Air: Pulitzer Prize Finalist
If you’ve ever wondered what comes after life on Earth this book is for you! Matt Fraser is an experienced Medium and this book was truly eye opening and reassuring that there’s life beyond our physical bodies.
We Never Die: Secrets of the Afterlife
A memoir about being diagnosed with leukemia in her early twenties and rebuilding life afterward. It honestly explores fear, identity, and what happens emotionally after surviving a devastating diagnosis.
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
Less of a memoir and more about how we can live well despite serious illness. It often helps reduce fear because it reframes what quality of life means.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
This book beautifully explains how trauma changes the brain and why your reactions after a frightening event are normal. It can help make sense of hypervigilance, anxiety, and persistent fear after any kind of diagnosis.
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma
This is one of the best books on how chronic stress, trauma, and our life experiences affect our bodies. As someone with chronic illnesses I have found it validating because it explains why a diagnosis can be traumatic in itself.
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing
The Bright Hour is a memoir by Nina Riggs that reflects on living with terminal metastatic breast cancer while embracing family, love, and the ordinary moments of daily life.
The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying
Excellent for learning how to sit with fear without letting it consume you. Great when dealing with any type of chronic illness
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Life with Buddha's Heart
A memoir about healing from complex PTSD that discusses many evidence-based treatments. Great for anyone who identifies with the process of recovering from overwhelming fear.
What My Bones Know: Memoir of Healing
It’s an older classic rather than new, but it remains one of the best books for health anxiety, panic, and the constant “what if?” cycle that often follows a serious diagnosis.
Hope and Help for Your Nerves: End Anxiety Now
Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV cancer in her 30s. She writes with honesty, humor, and wisdom about living with uncertainty without pretending everything happens for a reason.
No Cure for Being Human
A classic rather than a new release, but if you haven’t read it, it’s one of the foundational books on finding purpose amid suffering.
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
The first book I read after my terminal diagnosis. It gave me so much hope in healing, peace and that miracles really do happen.
Dying to Be Me: My Journey from Cancer to True
Matt Fraser (Medium) speaks less about evidence for the afterlife and more about how to live differently because of what Fraser says he’s learned from communicating with people who have died. Love this author! Easy and enjoyable read.
Don't Wait Till You're Dead: Spirits' Advice
Fall in love with healing foods.
This book explains the unique benefits of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and wild foods in an easy-to-understand way. It can completely change how you look at the food on your plate.
Medical Medium Life-Changing Foods Expanded Edition
Start here.
If you’ve just been diagnosed and are feeling overwhelmed, this book offers a completely different perspective on chronic illness. It gave me hope at a time when I felt lost and inspired me to believe healing might be possible.
Medical Medium: Secrets Behind Chronic Illness
The practical guide.
Once you understand the basics, this book gives you clear, step-by-step cleansing protocols, healing foods, and lifestyle tools. It’s a great resource when you’re ready to take action.
Medical Medium Cleanse to Heal - Healing Plans for Anxiety, Depression, Acne, Eczema, Lyme
A deep dive into one simple habit. If you’re curious why so many people drink celery juice, this book explains the reasoning and offers practical tips for getting started.
Medical Medium Celery Juice by Anthony William
Understand your body’s “chemical factory.” This book focuses on the liver’s role in overall health and explores how supporting it may help with a wide range of symptoms and chronic conditions.
Medical Medium Liver Rescue: Eczema & Psoriasis
For thyroid symptoms and beyond. Even if you don’t have a thyroid condition, many readers find this book helpful for understanding fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and other common symptoms.
Medical Medium Thyroid Healing by Anthony William
Your companion guide.
Packed with recipes, supplement suggestions, and protocols, this is the practical follow-up to Brain Saver for those ready to implement its recommendations.
Medical Medium Brain Saver Protocols & Recipes
For neurological symptoms.
This book explores symptoms like anxiety, depression, dizziness, brain fog, migraines, and neurological issues while offering dietary and lifestyle recommendations aimed at supporting brain health.
Medical Medium Brain Saver: Brain Health Guide
5 stars! A compassionate guide to finding peace and resilience while living with chronic illness.
How to Be Sick: Buddhist Guide for Chronically Ill
A compassionate book for anyone grieving the loss of health, a loved one, or life as they knew it. Highly recommended read
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief