Med Free Bipolar: Thrive Naturally with the Med Free Method™ (Med Free Method Book Series) Paperback – April 28, 2014

Aspen Morrow has written one of the most comprehensive and well documented books on the subject of mental and physical wellness I have read in my forty-one plus years as a health fanatic. It takes a LOT to impress me and offer me new knowledge in the healthcare realm. This book does it all.Thankfully I never knew the fears, terror and debilitating experiences the author shares. On the other hand, as a psychotherapist I did work with people diagnosed with and suffering the symptoms of the condition. As a metaphysical minister and healthcare practitioner I agree that taking care of the body as well as the mind and spirit is paramount. You cannot separate any one from the others.I especially want to point out the author's views on alternative, energy healing and quantum physics since that has long been my world and area of expertise. Though I do not share all of the author's beliefs, her caution about knowing what you are getting into when working with alternatives - and, in my opinion mainstream medical too - practitioners is worth noting.In my own thirty years of experience in the metaphysical and energy realm I found far too many energy workers have no clue how to become clear themselves - or even recognize the need to do so before working with others. I have seen energy healers unknowingly moving their own issues into the client while working (in their minds) to heal the client. In fact the client's issues often cannot surface when that happens. A really good and accurate energy healer can tell if and when his or her own stuff is showing up, clears the situation then works on the client on the client's issues.The details and substitutes listed on how to take care of your body and detox your home environment is priceless information. If you cannot eat it then do not put it on your skin or use it on your clothing or dishes, etc. In addition, in this "workout crazy bootcamp society,"she boldly makes recommendations regarding exercise that are right on.I cannot offer enough praise for this well written work that comes from a deep place of love and compassion. Definitely buy it. And use it as a reference guide! It will change your world.

Great book, we are happy to discover it. My son is on the regiment of natural supplements for a couple of months now and so far he is experiencing positive outcome. I can tell it helps him to balance his bipolar 1 disorder. Very grateful to the author for sharing her personal journey and providing a guidance for the alternative treatment of this debilitating condition.

This book has a wealth of information, much of which I believe would apply to people without a bipoar diagnosis. The author's personal story is certainly compelling and draws the reader right in. I found the information on supplementation, dietary adjustments, and removing toxins from one's environment to be the most useful parts of the book. I personally take the micronutrient supplement recommended (Q 96's EMpower Plus) as well as probiotics, vitamin D and fish oils and I have changed my salt, as she recommends.As a yoga teacher and mental health counselor with a bipolar II diagnosis who has found the practice of yoga to be the most stabilizing factor in my own med-free journey over the years, I do strongly disagree with her views on yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices. (Yoga is not owned by Hinduism, even though it has been heavily intertwined with it, yoga predates the Hindu religion and has been practiced in other parts of East Asia and tied into Buddhist practices for nearly as long as it has been tied to Hindu practices. While there may be some Hindus who feel afronted by how we in the west have embraced yoga, most of the major yoga gurus will say you do not have to be Hindu in order to practice yoga, viewing spirituality and religion as not one in the same). The research that has been going on over the last few years on the effects of yoga and meditation on the brain and mental health in general is growing Granted, there isn't much- if any- research going on regarding yoga and bipolar per se but there is regarding yoga and depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD to name a few. (Much of this research is going on in Massachusetts- where I live- so perhaps that is another reason why I would be more aware of this fact than others.) Also, the practice of mindfulness is one of the keystones to Marsha Linehan's Dialectic Behavioral Therapy- the most effective treatment approach to date for Borderline Personality Disorder and has also been found to be effective for treating addiction and eating disorders. I would hate to imagine people out there who could truly benefit from these practices feeling deterred because of the way they are conveyed in this book.Having said that, I do agree with her that yoga is not just exercise, that its effects go beyond the state of one's body and this is not something to be taken lightly. I also agree that nobody should subject themselves to anything that feels wrong or at conflict with their personal values and that the decision to engage in any therapy or practice should be fully informed.I do hope this book makes some significant impact in helping people heal their minds and bodies in very natural and healthy ways as there just isn't enough like this out there. I applaud Aspen for going forth with this, it is an impressive achievement for her, particularly when one considers what she has had to overcome.

When I was first diagnosed as bipolar, I was told to take my meds - and not read about them or listen to commercials about them. I fought back, needing to understand my illness and the treatment plan. I kept believing that there had to be a better way to treat my illness other than popping pills that I wasn't allowed research. I knew, from experience, that a gluten free diet was HUGE in helping to eliminate my depression. Therefore, I kept thinking that diet and the right nutrition might help with my bipolar symptoms, but I couldn't get my doctor to support me. To him, meds are a sure thing, whereas diet/ nutrition is a hit or miss.The thing that resonated with me in this book, however, was the comparison of us / our bodies to a plant. A plant without fertilizer grows poorly, and sometimes not at all. Why are we not the same? My diet has not been the best - as I've spent my life eating lots of gluten and sugar and empty calories. No wonder my mental health is not what it should be!This book validates my thoughts and theories, with lots of research and examples to back it up. It's an easy read and the author presents different options to consider if one is thinking about trying to go off some or all of your meds. I highly recommend it and will be trying some of her methods as soon as possible.