| | Oby's Wisdom! A Caveman's Simple Guide to Health and Well-being (Download a free excerpt below!) “Best Nonfiction Book of 2009”
Idaho Writers League |
"By following this simple wisdom, I transformed myself from a nearly crippled arthritic to a triathlete and marathon runner." I'll share my story of transformation with you in a just a minute… First, let's find out if Oby's Wisdom is right for you. I wrote this book for two types of people. Both have one thing in common: They care—really care—about their health and the health of those they love. Do you fit one of the descriptions below? If so, this book is a must read for you. 1. Are you (or is someone you care about) currently dealing with a health challenge? Your particular challenge may be serious—even life threatening—or it may be a mere annoyance. Either way, you want to take care of it. Your challenge may be new to you, or you may have been fighting it for years. Maybe you're discouraged, even feeling helpless and hopeless. Perhaps you keep hearing what I heard so many times: “You've just gotta learn to live with it.” (I know; that one always drove me crazy too. I never accepted it and you don't have to either.) Maybe you're a fighter and aren't willing to throw in the towel just yet. Or maybe you're tired, even exhausted, and you feel like giving up. That's the journey I traveled; that's where this book comes from. I learned a lot, I grew, I evolved, and today I'm thriving! If it can happen for me, it can happen for you! 2. Are you in great health? If so, congratulations! This book is especially important for you. The lessons I learned—and that I share with you in this book—aren't just about turning poor health around. They're about allowing vibrant health to blossom in your life. My starting point was chronic, debilitating pain. And one of my milestones—so far—has been to run a marathon! And my health just keeps getting better. If your starting point is robust health and if you begin applying these lessons now, imagine the possibilities that will emerge in your life. Just imagine… Empower your potential, not your problems! (What are you focusing on in your life…?) Empowering your potential is what Oby's Wisdom is all about. Take another look at the title of the book. Pay special attention to the fact that it's a “Simple Guide to Health and Well-being.” This isn't just about curing, managing or even preventing pain or disease. You are much more than a collection of problems. You are a whole, vibrant, living human being with unfathomable potential in all areas of life, including your health. This is a book about finding and revealing the vibrant health that you already possess. You and I, and everybody we know, are designed to be healthy. I spent years believing that I would never enjoy good health again, until I shifted how I thought, spoke, acted and approached life. Rather than wallow in woe, I learned to turn on life! I traveled a long, winding, bumpy road before I finally figured that out. When I finally did, I realized that the lessons are really very simple and timeless. I'm offering you years worth of "learning the hard way," in this one book. Are you making the big mistake that almost everybody else is making? Conventional medicine is making this mistake, but they don't have a monopoly on it. Not even close. The alternative healthcare world, as a whole, is making the same mistake. So is the government, our society and probably you, too. Until we correct this mistake, our healthcare system will continue to be ineffective. Until we correct this mistake, healthcare reform won't work. And, until you correct this mistake, you'll never reach your peak health potential. So, what's the big mistake I'm talking about? Simply put: We're imprisoned by IT. In other words, we devote so much of our time, energy and resources to fighting, curing, fixing and preventing problems, that we lose sight of our potential. And the more we focus on IT, the more we trap ourselves in IT. In my case, IT was arthritis. For you, IT may be anything from a cold to cancer, from heartburn to a heart attack, or from pounds to pimples. Our exclusive focus on IT has given rise to some unpleasant side effects: Complexity. We have made health too hard. There are so many drugs, surgical procedures, supplements, machines, natural healing modalities, diets and exercise programs that we don't know where to turn. There is a ton of research that proves that all of them work…and…there's a ton of research to prove that all of them don't work. The result is overwhelming confusion! Helplessness. We're faced with so many choices and conflicting theories that it is hard to figure out what to do. Wise doctors, convincing authors and slick advertisements keep us bouncing from one miracle cure to the next, always seeking that elusive silver bullet that will finally “work.” We keep running like a gerbil in an exercise wheel because we don't know where else to go. Or worse yet, we give up. Expense. None of these complex competing healthcare choices are free. I'm guessing that you have already spent hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars—not to mention the countless hours of your precious time—spinning in the wheel. I am not suggesting that we never pay any attention to IT. Sometimes that's appropriate. But remember: The most powerful and effective approach to health and well-being is to empower your potential, not your problems! Oby's Wisdom provides you simple, sensible guidelines to help you to stop worrying so much about IT and start taking care of you! So, why a caveman? (And where does the name, “Oby” come from, anyway…?) Oby is the nickname of Obsidian J. Stone, my lighthearted fictitious depiction of a wise man from a simpler time. In this entertaining book, you will also get to know Oby's wife, Fern, their toddler son, Scooter and their happy little dog, Proto. Their lives serve as the perfect illustration of the incredible power of Nature that allows all of us—including you—to heal. Oby and his contemporaries didn't have a healthcare “system.” All they had were the gifts of Nature. Despite the enormous challenges of their time (and ours), the simple wisdom of Nature has allowed humanity to survive and thrive from the days of stone tools to the space age. Today, the solution to many of our modern challenges lies in reconnecting with the wisdom of Nature. 
My story… “I've lived a miracle. You can, too!” I've walked the healing path myself! Mine was a long and winding journey. All along the way, IT was an unwelcome travel companion that I just couldn't seem to get rid of, no matter how hard I tried. And believe me, IT was a real pain! I tried every trick I could think of but IT just kept hanging around. Sometimes I would shake IT for a little while, but IT always found me again. Along the way, I missed out on more than I care to think about. Recreation, play time with my growing son, sleep, happiness—all were overshadowed by IT. IT even ended a successful a career that I loved. At age 23, I developed severe inflammatory arthritis. At the time, I was in the Marines so I had to keep myself in top physical condition. I was an athlete and I enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors. Needless to say, arthritis did not fit in with my active lifestyle. IT had to go. At first I ignored IT, but IT just kept getting worse. So I fought IT. After all, I was a Marine. Victory was the only acceptable outcome for me. The battle raged for years. Along the way I learned Nature's secret to health and well-being. Even after it was revealed to me, for a long time this secret remained hidden behind the dark veil of my pain. When I finally embraced and embodied the secret, my health and life finally started to take a positive turn. Since then, my health has continued to improve beyond anything I could have ever imagined. “There's nothing special about me.” (Well, OK, maybe there is…) Many people have told me that my story is inspiring but I'm always quick to point out that there's nothing special about me. Well, actually there is something special about me. Very special. And that is true of you, too! We have all heard inspiring stories about people who have overcome terrible adversity and gone on to do great things. Accident victims who have been told they would never walk again have won Olympic medals. Cancer patients given only months to live have gone on to not only survive, but to enjoy long, productive and fulfilling lives. Other people have lost limbs or shed huge amounts of weight and then competed in Ironman triathlons. The breadth and depth of human potential is breathtaking! And you—yes, you—have that same potential! My journey back to health was a long and challenging one. If I had known then what I know now, it would have been a lot shorter and smoother. That's why I wrote this book: to share Nature's powerful secret with you so that you can unleash your potential. The Secret of Nature that you need to know... "I learned it from a monkey!" At this point, you may be thinking, “OK here it is. He's going to tell me that I have to buy his book to learn what the secret is.” Nope, I'm not going to do that, because I don't feel this powerful secret of Nature is mine to conceal. You'll know the secret before you get to the next headline. First, I need to be honest with you. This mysterious secret isn't really a secret at all. But it might as well be. Everyone during Oby's era knew it and lived by it. But it has long since been forgotten because our “modern” medical system has obscured, ridiculed, denied and tried to conceal it. To illustrate this powerful secret, let me share a story about an important lesson that a monkey taught me. During a trip to India several years back, I visited an old fortress that had a large population of monkeys. Although the monkeys usually managed to tolerate the thousands of visiting tourists, I learned the hard way that sometimes they can become downright unfriendly. When I ventured a bit too close to a female monkey who had a baby with her, she felt threatened and attacked me. Monkeys have sharp fingernails and the attack left me with several deep, bloody scratches on my forearm, not to mention a pounding heart and terrified tremble. What did I do to treat this potentially serious wound? Well, basically, nothing. No antiseptic or antibiotic ointment found its way to my cuts, nor did any bandage shield them. Afterwards, contrary to conventional medical wisdom, I chose not to get a tetanus shot. My scratches never got infected and they healed nicely with no scarring at all. My arm was able to heal without any outside intervention because of the secret of Nature that I keep referring to. Now, finally, here's where I fill you in on the secret: My body is smart! Your body is smart, too. Nature designed all of us to be healthy. Nature's ingenious design gave us an innate intelligence that we carry with us throughout our lives. It is this innate intelligence that allows us to heal, grow and thrive. One of the greatest things about innate intelligence is that you don't have to buy it. You already own it and no one can ever take it away from you. Unfortunately, though, our collective approach to health has caused almost everybody to lose sight of it. Relearning this important secret of Nature is a critical milestone on the road to healing and wellness. Oby's Wisdom will teach you how to apply this secret of Nature in all areas of your life: nutrition, exercise, your emotional and spiritual health, children's health, and life in general. Here's why I'm so sure you'll love this book: Oby's Wisdom features lots of compelling real-life stories (including more detailed versions my own healing journey and the monkey story). Some of the stories you will enjoy are: - The Gunny. This story is about a U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant I once knew, that many readers will identify with. His desperate attempts to lose weight and save his career illustrate how our society's myopic focus on looks and scales, rather than healthy lifestyles, can cause people to make dangerous choices.
- Chic. Chic is a good friend of mine who taught me the single most important lesson I've ever learned about physical fitness. This grey haired, sixty-something outdoor enthusiast with a perpetual smile and a zest for life regularly leaves people a third his age in the dust. I'll share his lesson with you in the book.
- Maddie and David, two kids with severe scoliosis who had very different outcomes because of the contrasting belief systems and attitudes of their doctors and their parents. David's story has a happy ending. Maddie's—unfortunately—not so happy.
- And other stories…
In addition to true stories, Oby's Wisdom includes many entertaining, original parables that present fresh, thought-provoking concepts in an entertaining light. - First, of course, Oby, Fern and Scooter appear throughout the book to show how following Nature's simple but brilliant plan is the most effective path to robust health and well-being.
- Winifred and Tanicus (Win and Tank to their friends) are two new business professionals whose contrasting perspectives in their quest for success—and their opposite results—serve as a metaphor to show you something that very few people know: “prevention” and “wellness” are two very different approaches to health and well-being.
- The Gym and the Trout Stream is a humorous story that shows how to choose the right exercise program for you—one that will lead to improved health and well-being in your life. Choosing wrong will only stress you out and lead to failure. (If you are like many others—including me—you already know this from personal experience.)
- And other stories…
Oby's Wisdom will introduce you to some new, thought-provoking ideas that will open your eyes to new possibilities in your life and stretch your thinking about health and healing. I call them new, but really, they're timeless. Oby knew all of this stuff. Not many people understand this wisdom anymore. Among these illuminating concepts are: - The Basic Truth. Has anyone has ever shared “The Basic Truth” with you? I know your doctor hasn't. It is the single most important thing you need to know for designing the healthy lifestyle you want. This will become your foundation. I'm not going to tell it to you here; you'll have to read the book. (But it is in the free excerpt that I'm offering below.)
- Turn on life! What is your primary approach to health? If you're like most people, it is intervention. Maybe you throw in some prevention, too. They're not too different from each other—they both use “problems” as their starting point. Neither intervention nor prevention are focused on life! We have been doing everything backwards for too long now. It's time to turn things around! The entire second half of the book teaches how we can turn on life—as individuals and as a collective.
- The True Nature of Healing. What does “healing” mean to you? For most people, it means “getting better.” In truth, healing is much more than correcting problems. Oby's Wisdom teaches you how to go beyond getting better, and embrace healing as a lifelong process of change, growth and personal evolution.
- What Wellness Really is. Wellness is a popular buzzword these days, but what does it really mean? Not many people know. Conventional doctors don't. Not many alternative healers know, either. Now you can learn!
- And (of course) others…!
All of it is fun, lighthearted and easy to read and understand! PRACTICAL benefits that you will gain from this book: In addition to the great stories and fascinating concepts you'll enjoy, Oby's Wisdom provides plenty of practical information to help you and your family incorporate Nature's simple wisdom into your own lives. The main benefit: Simplicity! If Nature's plan were too complex, no living thing would ever have survived. Today, so many people are struggling because we have made health very un-simple. Oby's Wisdom brings Nature's brilliant and simple plan back into clear focus in a way that is easy for you to understand and fun to incorporate into your life. Nutrition: - How many different diets have you tried? (For most people: LOTS!)
- And how many have lasted? (For most people: NONE!)
- Now, finally, here is the solution: Never go on a diet again! Dieting trends will always change. Today's food fad is tomorrow's folly. Oby's Wisdom will teach you, once and for all, a simple, sensible and enjoyable approach to healthy eating.
- Exercise: How many different exercise programs have you tried? Are you getting enough exercise these days? Are you enjoying it? Oby's Wisdom tells what you need to know to incorporate exercise into your life, and how to have fun doing it. Other important concepts you will learn more about are:
- Your body is not just for display; it's where you live, work and play.
- Exercise is for elevating your spirit, not just your heart rate.
(Are you beginning to notice that words like, “fun” and “enjoy” seem to keep showing up?) Children's wellness: Do you know all you need to know for raising (or helping to raise) healthy, vibrant, well-adjusted children? Children's wellness is a subject so important that it gets its own chapter in Oby's Wisdom. This chapter, named in honor of Oby's son, is called, “Scooter's Wisdom!” In it you will learn such important topics as: - Nature's most powerful healer for children
- Breastfeeding and nutrition (Hint: Chemists will never match the perfection of Nature.)
- Important considerations for deciding whether or not to vaccinate your children
- The importance of unstructured play—guided by a child's own spirit—for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health
- How rolling around in the grass, making mudpies and sloppy puppy kisses promote better health
- Love; don't label.
And all of it is designed to empower you take charge of your health!
Oby's Generosity! This is where you get to team up with Oby to participate in making the world a healthier place. I will donate 10% of the profits from Oby's Wisdom to two special and very important nonprofit organizations that share the vision of Oby's Wisdom. Both are working hard to bring about a meaningful and necessary shift in the health consciousness of our society. The Organic Consumers Association and the Oklahaven Children's Chiropractic Center will each receive 5% of the profits from Oby's Wisdom. So, when you buy this book, you will not only be taking a big step toward a better life for yourself and those you love; you will also be contributing to building a better world, too. What can be better than that? EXCITING UPDATE -- New formats available! Oby is now available in a variety of other electronic formats at Smashwords.com. Click here to explore your new options. 
An all around winning situation! - Remember, ten percent of the profits from Oby's Wisdom will be donated to two very important nonprofit organizations who are doing great work to make the world a healthier place for all of us.
- You can take Oby's Wisdom for a "test drive" by downloading a free excerpt at the link above.
- Best of all, you will have a fun, entertaining e-book that gives you a fresh, simple, sensible and NATURAL approach to health and well-being.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! Yours in vibrant health, Dr. Mark |
"Indeed this book contains a great deal of wisdom. We all need to be reminded of the age old messages about healing and wellness, and have them presented in a way we can understand and utilize. Oby's Wisdom can be your guide and coach as you learn to live and love yourself and your life, and enjoy the physical benefits which go with them."
--Bernie Siegel, MD Author of 365 Prescriptions For The Soul and Love, Magic & Mudpies "To discover well-being, to honor your potential and live your unique perfection are eternal truths that one cannot help but treasure in reading this book." --John Castagnini Founder and Creator of ThankGodI.com "This delightful creation of the author, my friend and colleague, Dr. Mark William Cochran, reveals the empowering truths about our choices and existence in the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional planes of life. We are all spiritual beings, having a human experience, striving to give our innate intelligence freedom to express itself fully and completely. The wisdom and truths revealed herein regarding the fundamental, basic principles of our existence will empower the reader to live a life of excellence and enlightenment. A MUST READ! --Dr. Rose Lepien Past Chair, Parker College of Chiropractic Board of Trustees Past President, World Congress of Women Chiropractors "Today's wellness revolution has become a confusing forest of “outside in” adjunctive therapies. Oby’s Wisdom brings the clarity to allow us to see the forest through the trees. Finally, a book that brings it home: wellness comes not from “out there,” rather, we find it first and foremost “in here.” As one reads Oby’s Wisdom, the fog of confusion lifts and the reader becomes empowered. Oby's Wisdom is a must read for anyone invested in their health and well-being. " --Arno Burnier, D.C. Founder and Seminar leader of Master Piece Seminars, Café of Life, and Zeechi "Oby’s Wisdom is an enlightening journey into the reader’s potential to experience the truth that their healer is within. It allows the reader to take responsibility for their life and health. Oby’s Wisdom inspires the reader to discover their untapped potential for health and happiness." --Virginia Ellen International spiritual teacher and author Virginia appears in What If? The Movie, along with other experts on emotions, the mind, human biology and the law of attraction. "Oby’s Wisdom gives us a deep insight in very clear and simple terms of how to take a closer look at our inner being. The message is ground-breaking and will genuinely change your life!" --Dr. Sarah Farrant Author of The Vital Truth; Accessing the possibilities of unlimited health "I have to say that when I was first asked to read your book, I was not very enthusiastic about reading another book from a so-called "health expert" that promises real wisdom but only delivers a new version of the same old outside-in garbage that keeps everyone in a state of learned helplessness. But I was very pleasantly surprised by Oby's Wisdom! Not only is your book filled with the inside-out truths people need to know, it has something for everyone! It doesn't matter whether the person is just beginning his or her journey toward wholeness or has been advancing for many years. Your book gives everyone something useful to continue their journey toward health, wellness and wholeness. From the simplest ideas about what health is and where it comes from, to specific day-to-day rituals and strategies, to very advanced thinking about the very nature of Life itself, I loved all of Oby's Wisdom and I will enthusiastically recommend it to everyone. Thanks for sharing it with me. It is truly an honor to call you a colleague and I know your book will help many people change their lives." --Kevin Donka, D.C. Chirothots "In Oby’s Wisdom, Dr. Mark William Cochran reminds us of two simple yet oft forgotten truths: that the Universe has already given us all that we will ever want or need; and that health and well-being do not come to us, they come from within us. At times fun and lighthearted, and at others, deep and thought provoking, Oby’s Wisdom is an important work and a delightful read." --Guy Riekeman, D.C. President, Life University "Oby’s Wisdom opens the door for you to explore the depth and breadth of the dazzling life potential that awaits, within reach, right inside of you. This fun and entertaining book will keep you smiling and turning the pages as it teaches and inspires you to reveal your genuine beautiful and perfect self." --James A. Sinclair Creator of What If? The Movie "This book is an enlightening “quick read” with ageless wisdom deserving deep and lingered contemplation. I greatly appreciated the amalgamation of quantum physics, metaphysics and the core philosophy of chiropractic. This book truly exemplifies the principles and practices of vitalism. It is an essential read for the emerging paradigm shift of consciousness." --Jeanne Ohm, D.C. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Executive Director; Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Editor in Chief; Panel Member, Mothering magazine, "Ask the Experts" "I am inspired by the wisdom and simplicity of Oby’s Wisdom. Dr. Mark William Cochran has an uncanny ability to remind us of the power and the beauty that resides within each of us. Mark’s message is a simple, profound truth that has been lost or disregarded by most of the medical teachings of the Western world. Read this book, share it with others and reconnect to the truth and the beauty of who you were meant to be. This book is a treasure trove of inspiration, wisdom, truth and simplicity." --Jane Burnier Life coach, teacher, speaker, mother and lover of nature "Oby’s Wisdom is a beautiful common sense approach to health, healing and life. At a time when people have access to an infinite amount of information, Dr. Mark William Cochran has provided a straightforward and yet comprehensive approach that can be easily integrated into anyone’s life. It is truly so simple, a caveman could do it." --Sue Brown, D.C., L.C.P. Founder and Developer of Bio-Geometric Integration Owner of Essence Quality of Life Center “'You cannot fight darkness, you must turn on light. You cannot fight disease, you must turn on life.' This profoundly insightful book is teeming with wisdom we all once knew, but have forgotten. Through Mark, the body shares with us its remarkable intelligence and natural attraction to abundant health. Oby reminds us that wellness is more than the absence of illness or disease—wellness is conscious alignment with our life force. Whether you’re concerned with dieting or vaccinating your children, or seeking a fuller sense of aliveness, this body/mind/spirit fount of simple truth will inspire you to a lifelong dance with real health. Thanks Mark, you brought me home." --Karen Wright Author of The Sequoia Seed: Remembering the Truth of Who You Are |