Unmedicated: The Four Pillars of Natural Wellness

Taylor, cofounder and editor-in-chief of the inspirational website DailyOM, shares her story of her own overreliance on medications that numbed her to her full potential in this instructive take on holistic medicine. She was on antidepressants and antianxiety medications for decades but now lives without them, and here presents a four-pillar plan aimed at helping readers break their need for pharmaceuticals. The first pillar, “clear your mind,” emphasizes meditation, explaining how it can help readers quiet the mind and giving practical steps for beginning a daily practice. With this foundation, Taylor says, readers can then slowly wean themselves off of medications with the help of journaling, strengthening the body from inside out by eating well, learning to manage time efficiently, and purposefully engaging others. Taylor introduces potential pitfalls and solutions so that readers won’t be overwhelmed. Spiritual elements are slight but they do undergird her holistic philosophy of building mental health from a foundation of meditation. Taylor’s slow-burning guide to releasing the mind from medication will work best as a supplement to clinical advice. (Jan.)