With all the medical advice out there on the internet, in videos, and in social media posts, this new release has something comforting, with easy-to-apply tips for most maladies. Author and health and beauty expert, Emiliya Ilieva Belcheva shares her knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject in the aptly titled, “A Shockingly Useful Book: Everything Is in Your Hands.”
Referring not only to the amount of practical advice packed into its 300 or so pages, it’s also a reminder that some of what ails us can be addressed with the right information at hand.
Tackling subjects from cancer to memory loss, readers will come away with affordable techniques and feelings of empowerment. Take exercise, for example. When asked how many times a week one should exercise, her response is, “1-2 times a week is for mental relief,” she says, or “2-3 for tone and cheerful mood,” and so on.
The author shares that, inevitably, the reader replies there isn’t enough time in a week. That’s when Belcheva gets tough. She reminds readers that one can always find an excuse; she suggests having more reasons to exercise than excuses.
Health Advice and More
Readers will find a wide range of health advice presented in a smorgasbord style. There are topics like bags under the eyes, getting a good night’s sleep, how a massage can remove forehead wrinkles, and even relationship advice. In an early chapter, the author discusses her relationship with her husband of 12 years, sharing stories of their dysfunction that many may find familiar.
This book shines when the author speaks to readers in a conversational tone. By sharing her own journey through her marriage challenges, readers see the step-by-step approach they may want to try. It’s a concise story, not a long and drawn-out drama, and it’s refreshing to see authors of an advice book take their own counsel.
What’s surprising about the book’s layout is its lack of chapters or sense of rhyme or reason for the order of its topics. This may have been done intentionally to distance itself from more formal medical advice books. But, it’s in this informal writing style that the book succeeds.
Expect to read about why we snore and ways to deal with it, next to one about wrinkles, followed by an explanation of metabolic body types. It can be disconcerting at first. But as readers find topics to return to later, a bookmark or sticky pad will come in handy to note the pages.
Castor Oil
The author is a believer in old-fashioned remedies like castor oil. It’s been around for centuries and is referred to frequently in the book in both health and beauty treatments. For instance, it stimulates hair growth, and helps to retain moisture. Castor oil also improves hair density and strength; its antibacterial properties reduce dandruff.
It’s also found in the author’s recipe for growing hair. She shares how she succeeded in growing her own hair, “like a weed,” and how she no longer gets split ends. Castor oil can also be used to restore growth in eyebrows and eyelashes; but pay close attention to her steps to apply it properly.
As for her background, the author waits until the last pages to tell her story. Belchava is a Bulgarian health and beauty lecturer who founded the Belcheva Health Academy. She is the “creator and trainer of SEMMA,” a sport she describes as a combination of gymnastics and spinning, with breathing techniques to treat backbone curvature and asthma. It was her way to battle back after years of sports injuries and two difficult births. She praises this regimen for restoring her energy, posture, mental health, and even clearing up a skin condition.
Pros and Cons
There are some cons to the book. Belcheva’s experience may not satisfy readers or support her claims of being a “health expert.” This is especially prominent in passages when she explains how the body works, especially the importance of the body’s proper pH balance and its relationship to cancer.
She could have supplied more evidence to back this up or referred to a medical journal. For serious ailments, it would be beneficial for readers to take what they can from these pages and continue to research the topic on their own. In another section, the author refers to castor oil as “gold in a bottle for 1.65 leva.” That 1.65 leva is a reference to Bulgarian currency, with which many readers may be unfamiliar.
The pros, however, do outweigh the cons, in its attractiveness, the topics covered, and the number of actionable tips included. It’s not a typical medical advice book. But her compassion, and her “I’ve been there” attitude works in her favor. Belcheva is opening a door, reminding us to treat the body holistically, and consider her simple remedies.
In an opening welcome letter, she shares the intention for this, her third book: “To teach you how to change your routine habits so you can be healthy. … You don’t need to do a thousand weird, time-wasting things to be in shape.”
Like a good friend, she says, “Don’t neglect yourself!” and nudges readers to start their journey now because “There’s no better day than today.”
‘A Shockingly Useful Book: Everything Is in Your Hands’
By Emiliya Ilieva Belcheva
O-Books: June 1, 2024
Paperback, 312 pages
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc
