A Race for Life
Last year, Heidrich, a health education specialist, was named one of the 10 fittest women in America by Living Fit magazine. This is a remarkable accomplishment for a woman who had a mastectomy and other cancer treatments 20 years earlier. Back then, Heidrich was astonished by the cancer diagnosis because she believed her eating habits and general health were excellent. After a few days of post-surgery recovery, Heidrich quickly decided to determine the course of her treatment, selecting a strenuous exercise program, a completely vegan diet and a new mental outlook. Heidrich's strategy was successful: years later she is in excellent physical condition and regularly competes in triathlons. She briefly discusses medical conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis as well as her specific diet, but most of this book focuses on setting up an exercise program. Heidrich offers a step-by-step routine for running, swimming, biking or training for competition. She includes tips on making time to exercise, how to increase one's speed or distance and how to avoid injuries. While Heidrich's account of her own recovery is inspiring, this book is best read for the information on exercise, rather than for info on how to beat cancerAespecially since competing in triathlons is not a realistic goal for most people, much less those recovering from a life-threatening illness. (Aug.)Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.