I am so fascinated by fasting as a cure/medical technique after reading The Oldest Cure in the World last year. The idea of a "dry fast" - i.e., without water - is pretty terrifying but Slater makes a good case for it. I do have some reservations about the level of instruction here, as for those with eating disorders or disordered eating tendencies, this may go a bit far. But it offers some promising anecdotal evidence for fasting as a cure for stubborn and persistent illness when every hope seems exhausted. I love anything from a Siberian setting, and for that this was so interesting too.

Having suffered myself from chronic fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, and trauma i was really intrigued to read this book. Pharmaceutical medicine is definitely not for everyone and I myself have tried lots of different alternative medicines and therapies, including a two year period of intermittent fasting which i saw great benefits from. I felt very emotional reading this book as recovery becomes all-consuming when you are struggling and i found myself crying as relief was found for the writer of this book! A great read!

A beautiful memoir of her struggles with Lyme disease and her battle to overcome it, “Starving to Heal in Siberia” by Michelle B. Slater was at times poetic and poignant. However, it is a bit of a junk read for the paucity of actual facts. Anecdotal accounts do nothing but give me the impression of a “mind over matter” placebo effect induced “healing” that the author is primed to chalk up to the miraculous dry fast by her savvy Siberian “doctor” and his family of assistants insist is the world’s best kept secure that she MuST share with others . Accounts of weeks of meditation and mindful eating between nature treks sounds great, but is far removed from the average person’s realm of possibility. Author has a great narrative voice and story flow, which bolstered my rating, but on information alone, I’d rate it 1.5 out of 5 *s.

Starving to Heal in Siberia is one of the most important books I have ever read! This book will save lives, perhaps even mine. I have suffered from Chronic Lyme Disease and several tick transmitted comorbid infections for over ten years. Michelle Slater knows what a nightmare it is and had gotten to the point of actively planning assisted suicide before she came across an innovative treatment by Dr. Sergy Filonov. She is now healthier than ever and has shared her remarkable journey with us.

Starving to Heal is not just just for those suffering from Lyme Disease. This book is for you if you are young or old, sick or healthy. Everything you need to know to take charge of your health is contained within these pages. Dr. Sergey Filonov's protocol for healthy living including periods of water fasting and dry fasting is explained in detail. His contact information is helpfully included.

And don't think for a moment that Michelle's description of the seriousness of her symptoms is exaggerated. I have walked, stumbled, and crawled the same path. I hope to follow her path to healing as well. As Dr. Filonov says, "The body is the doctor." It knows what to do to heal and stay healthy if only we will listen.

I am grateful for receiving a drc from the publisher via Netgalley.

Starving to Heal in Siberia is a vibrant memoir of Michelle’s chronic lymes disease and how she nursed herself back to health with the help of Doctor Filonov.

I have previously never heard of dry fasting in my life. In fact I was quite convinced that not drinking water for more than three days would kill you. So it was interesting learning that with careful and professional medical attention, it is not only possible but could also be good for you.

I live in the East Coast, only a few hours away from Lymes CT. I also watch RHOBH and Yolanda has struggled with Lymes on the show. So Ticks and Lymes are definitely on my mind. So I was curious what kind of treatment this book would promote.

I loved reading Michelle’s story. Her bravery and determination to get well was nothing short of inspirational. It felt like I was reading the diary of a close friend. Seeing their struggles, wishing the best for them as a good friend would do. She did a great job explaining the process she went through and how she benefitted from Filonovs treatment.

I didn’t give a full five stars for two reasons. The first being that Filonov gives an intro but I feel like you don’t really know him yet. By the end of the book he almost feels like he’s YOUR doctor too. I’m this close to learning Russian and going over to Siberia. So I think the book would have benefitted by having a conclusion by Filonov. Which leads me to my other issue. I was hooked on everything until I got to the concluding chapters. Although she definitely went through it- the advice that was given at the end made me feel a little uncomfortable. At the end of the day she’s a patient like me. And ultimately I am the driver of my health journey. I am all about reading how someone else took their journey, what they learned and how it benefitted them. But once it crosses the threshold of “Hey this is what I did and I can coach you to do the same” makes me nervous. That’s why I think it would have had a huge impact to have Filonovs comments at the end. To just add an extra stamp of approval.

But still that little bit of criticism is me looking really hard to find something. Overall it was a beautiful memoir of an inspiring story. I feel like I have learned a lot and would be interested in evaluation my own health situation soon. Thanks to Net Galley and the Greenleaf publishers for the opportunity to review this amazing Read.

This book broke my heart. Dr. Slater's struggles with Lyme resonated so deeply with me, as I have two friends who are deeply affected by Lyme, one of whom I lost last year to Lyme via suicide. Hearing how it came down to either dry fasting or assisted suicide for Dr Slater, really hit me hard. I was intensely invested in reading about her experience, and I am inspired by her fortitude in the face of what must have seemed insurmountable. I am not sure I could undergo such a fast, even for my own chronic illness, though her advocacy for the effects of autophagy give me pause and food for thought (or rather should I say, fast for thought?).
Any Lyme ally would do well to read this book.

Fascinating to learn through this book, Starving to Heal in Siberia, that there is potential for the body to heal through fasting. To be clear, I have not attempted the fasting suggested in this book, nor any of the recipes.

I have a terrible tick phobia, love gardening and live in SE Michigan. 2022 is the first year that I’ve found tick nymphs (seed ticks, the first stage of ticks after hatching) borrowed under my skin; they are no larger than a poppyseed. We have lived on our property for 16 years and had never had a problem until this year. Welcome to climate change.

This book doesn’t go into how disgusting ticks are, but progresses through Michelle’s treatment in Siberia where she goes without food and water for 9-11 days under the watchful eyes of doctors. In addition to not eating she is sleeping outside and walking (a lot). The period directly after the fast is more critical than the fasting. Sometimes I was a little unsure about water fast vs dry fast, Appendix B provides the details.

The third section of the book discusses how and why the body reacted to Michelle’s fasting. And also discussing some studies.

If I seriously consider these practices I would further attempt to contact Michelle Slater the author or Dr. Filonov at www.filonov.net

I really want to thank Michelle Slater for writing this eye-opening book. And I’m sending positive thoughts her way that she remains vibrant and healthy. And congratulations on your book debut! I’m your first follower! :)

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Starving to Heal in Siberia in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author Michelle and the publisher for providing the advance read copy to Starving to Heal in Siberia. This book became available for review yesterday and I’ve listened (via Siri text to voice) to every word within 36 hours. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Publication date is Sept 13, 2022.