How and When to Be Your Own Doctor

In Short

This book serves as a foundational text on "natural hygiene," a philosophy that views illness not as a mysterious external attack, but as an internal effort by the body to eliminate accumulated toxins. It outlines a regimen of water fasting, colon cleansing, and nutrient-dense raw foods to restore vitality. Because it challenges the dependence on allopathic medicine and emphasizes personal responsibility in health, it remains a cult classic for those seeking to understand the root causes of disease and the mechanics of long-term metabolic recovery.

The Story

The narrative begins with a personal awakening. The author, initially a self-described "happy-go-lucky" homesteader, faces a health crisis in his late thirties. After a standard medical check-up leaves him with nothing but a dismal prognosis and a prescription for aspirin, he realizes he must look elsewhere for answers. His journey leads him to the tutelage of Dr. Isabelle Moser, a pioneer in orthomolecular therapy and natural hygiene. Through this mentorship, the author sheds his conventional assumptions, eventually earning a dual Ph.D. in counseling psychology and gerontology to formalize his understanding of how aging and illness interact.

The core of the story is the transformation of the author’s home into a makeshift clinic for the chronically and critically ill. He recounts his experiences supervising patients who were sent home by conventional doctors with little time left to live. He outlines a rigorous, often demanding path to recovery, where patients replace pharmaceutical interventions with water fasts, enemas, and specific nutritional protocols. The narrative documents the success of these methods—patients regain their strength, shed disease symptoms, and stabilize their weight—while contrasting these victories with the "dirty cases," such as Marie, an artisan whose internal emotional conflicts and lack of resolve prevented the physical healing process from taking hold.

The argument progresses into a broader critique of the modern American lifestyle. The author posits that the average person is a "debt slave," tethered to jobs they cannot miss, which prevents them from honoring the body's need for rest during illness. By examining the dietary habits of historically healthy, isolated populations, he concludes that human health is a fragile state requiring meticulous maintenance. He details the dangers of processed fats, salt, and sugar, framing them as habits that accelerate decay. The arc concludes with a detailed blueprint for self-care: instructions for fasting, the use of supplements like Co-Enzyme Q-10 for heart health, and the application of biokinesiology to monitor organ integrity. Ultimately, the book asserts that while allopathic medicine has its place for traumatic injuries, the restoration of systemic health is a quiet, internal work that requires the patient to be the primary actor, treating their body with the same disciplined attention one might give a finely tuned machine.

How It Unfolds

The awakening The author recounts his transition from a healthy young man to a middle-aged sufferer of unexplained ailments. He discovers the limits of conventional medicine and finds his path toward natural hygiene through an encounter with a seasoned homesteader.

The clinical transition The author details his academic struggle to study orthomolecular medicine and his subsequent decision to turn his farmhouse into a sanctuary for the sick. He describes the initial successes of his practice, moving from treating one patient at a time to refining his methodology.

The anatomy of disease The book shifts to the theoretical underpinnings of natural hygiene, defining illness as the body’s attempt to expel toxins. The author argues that suppressing symptoms with medicine is akin to "whipping a tired horse" and offers rest as the superior alternative.

The fasting protocol A deep dive into the discipline of water fasting follows, detailing the physical sensations and the "constructive work" performed by the body during these periods. The author provides anecdotal evidence of healing, including his own recovery from past injuries.

The maintenance phase The narrative concludes with practical guidance for staying healthy, focusing on the quality of raw foods and the strategic use of supplements. It closes with a reflection on aging, advocating for "squaring the curve" of life through proactive, intelligent self-management.

The People

The author, Steve Solomon, is the central voice, transitioning from a naive, beer-drinking homesteader to a disciplined practitioner who views health as a logical, achievable state. He is motivated by a desire for independence and a deep-seated distrust of the conventional medical-industrial complex.

Dr. Isabelle Moser serves as the catalyst for the author’s transformation. As a mentor, she embodies the "hygienist" ideal—a woman who operates outside the establishment to provide a haven for those the mainstream system has abandoned.

Jim is the archetypal successful patient. Overweight and suffering from heart failure, he represents the power of the "gradient" approach; he is not ready for a total water fast but succeeds by gradually shifting his diet and lifestyle. He ends his story as a man who has reclaimed his life, avoiding the intensive care ward entirely.

Marie represents the tragic limit of the author's philosophy. A woman burdened by past trauma and secrecy, her case highlights that physical healing is inextricably linked to one's internal state. Despite the author's efforts, she remains the only "dirty case," illustrating that without the mental resolve to prioritize wellness over social or personal constraints, even the most rigorous diet cannot guarantee recovery.

In Its Own Voice

"The wise cure is to detoxify the body, a step that simultaneously eliminates secondary eliminations and rebuilds the immune system."

The author emphasizes the importance of cleansing rather than merely suppressing the symptoms of an infection.

"To the naturopath, illness is not a perplexing and mysterious occurrence over which you have no control or understanding."

This captures the book’s core tenet: that disease is a logical consequence of one's lifestyle choices and thus within the patient's power to resolve.

"The very worst aspect of our culture's eating programming is that people have been wrongfully taught that when ill they must eat to keep up their strength."

Here, the author challenges the common wisdom of "feeding a cold," arguing that digestion consumes energy better spent on healing.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is about the reclaiming of bodily agency. It treats the human body as a biological system that is fundamentally self-correcting if given the right conditions—specifically, the absence of toxic intake and the presence of sufficient rest. The subtext is a fierce criticism of modern society's tendency to prioritize material consumption and employment over physical integrity. The author argues that modern disease is largely a symptom of "civilization," where poor nutrition and the suppression of natural healing cycles lead to chronic decline. It is an argument for self-reliance, suggesting that the most sophisticated technology for health is the ability to listen to one's own physiology.

Why Read It Today

Readers who feel frustrated by the assembly-line nature of modern medical appointments will find this book deeply validating. It feels like a long, candid conversation with a mentor who has seen it all and refuses to sugarcoat the realities of what it takes to get well. The writing is warm, personal, and unapologetically opinionated, which makes for a compelling read regardless of whether you agree with every specific nutritional claim.

However, a reader must be prepared for the author's strong, sometimes abrasive, "semi-political" stances on modern life, debt, and the pharmaceutical industry. The text reflects the attitudes of the late 20th-century natural health movement, including a high degree of skepticism toward any "scientific" consensus that doesn't align with his experience. Some of the recommended supplements and specific brand names mentioned are now dated, as the author himself anticipates, requiring the reader to apply his principles rather than his exact shopping list. If you are looking for a gentle, mainstream guide to wellness, this is not it; if you are looking for a challenging, radical call to take full responsibility for your body, this book remains a sharp, provocative tool.