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Foreword by Dr. John E. Sarno, Author of The Mindbody Prescription (1998, Warner Books), Mind over Back Pain (William Morrow, 1984) and Healing Back Pain (Warner Books, 1991)

I am pleased to introduce this important book to the reading public. We are in the midst of a number of epidemics in the United States that are a direct result of the failure of the North American medical community to recognize the cause of these epidemics. It is as the doctors had suddenly decided that the germ theory of disease was no longer valid. In this case, they have decided that a variety of pain disorders that are clearly based on the interplay of everyday human emotions with physical reactions are due either to some mysterious chemical reaction or physical concomitants, like repetitive stress in the Workplace.

One of these disorders is a condition that affects millions of American women that goes by the name of fibromyalgia. This condition has become epidemic in the last fifteen years or so and immediately prompts the question: What has happened to explain this new epidemic? The human race has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. Why is there an epidemic of fibromyalgia now?

The answer is simple. Because it is a mind-body disorder that will spread in epidemic fashion if it is not recognized as such, and that is what has happened in the United States. Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson have suffered from this disorder and have recovered from it because they came to know the true nature of the problem. Now they want to share their knowledge of this devastating condition and what they did to get over it.

This is a very important book, for there are very few people, in or out of the medical community, who understand what fibromyalgia is all about. Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson are pioneers-and their experience and their advice are both in the tradition of pioneers whose mission is to reveal the truth-and humanitarians, strongly motivated to help those who are in trouble and in need of guidance and help. Not everyone can profit from their message, but there are millions who will. I salute them for their courage and their devotion to the needs of people who suffer the disabling consequences of pain, in this case the pain of fibromyalgia. John Sarno, M.D

As a sufferer of fibromyalgia for the past three years, I looked far and wide to find help. One can find testimonials for miraculous improvement from just about everything from colostrum, animal livers, getting rid of chemicals in fruits and nuts, too much phosphate, too little glycosamine...too many iffy possibilities!!!

Finally, I found a book which explains in plain terms how emotions cause the release of certain chemicals into the body and in turn, how these chemicals affect our health. This understanding of the mind/body connection from very measurable indicators has served to help me understand how my pain is triggered, and more importantly, how to control it. It is not fluff, it is NOT blame the victim. On the contrary, by taking control of one's thoughts, lifestyle, and state of mind, one also takes back control of one's life from a very real and very tenacious disease. Thank you, Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson, it has helped a lot. I have shared this book with my Dr. in the hopes that he, too, will find it useful in treating his other suffering patients.

My mother sent me this book, and being a scientist, I was very sceptical. However, I had nothing to lose and decided to follow the program. That was three years ago and I rarely have any clinical signs now. It has convinced me of the health connection between the mind and the body. I hope you have the same success I did.