Book Review: The Sacrifices of Superwomen

This is a deadly book.

Deadly, because on every topic the arrow finds its bull’s eye. Written by a naturopathic doctor, her topics covered in ten chapters not only include homeopathy, nutrition, herbs, vitamins, natural supplements and other natural salutary practices but aspects of stress, sexism, racism and, take note, social activism. All are captured in a no-nonsense, yet hard hitting narrative based principally on the author’s own story augmented by stories from four of her patients. On page one, one of those patient’s comments: ¹

“Black women will do anything for people they love, but not for themselves. Some other time never comes. -Darlene”

Dr. Sullivan relates how she, to a large degree, abandoned, not consciously I’m certain, her own bodily awareness (to be sure, most of us possess varying degrees of this aspect) as an attempt to meet the world’s expectations. That bodily sense and health was only reclaimed upon receiving wellness consultations by Peter D’Adamo, ND, a noted naturopath and author of the popular book 4 Blood Types, 4 Diets: Eat Right for 4 (four) Your Type (1997; various editions). D’Adamo assisted her on returning to a healthier and more balanced path and, surprisingly, in that process, convinced her that naturopathy was her vocational path to “healing the world” –words which she firmly uttered at a very young age “I want to save the world.”-p. 113.¹

Throughout this treatise, which is dedicated to her mother, Sullivan backs-up her claims with references, statistics and history—the history of repression and dehumanization of, not just the black population, but all of us, because, after all, don”t we share a similar story and history to some extent? She created this book in order to “… save lives, decrease morbidity, and alleviate and heal dis-ease in African-American women”—a goal with more widespread appeal than perhaps even she imagined.

“In 1966, while in Chicago to make a presentation to the Medical Committee for Human Rights, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said this to the reporters: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhuman.” Of course, the history of this inhumane care goes back to slavery when it was a common thought among slave owners that slaves had different diseases than whites. It was also a common thought that slaves tolerated more pain than whites (a theory still percolating in some medical environments; hence, we are under-treated with pain medication). There was much experimentation ….” – p. xx.

That same woman patient mentioned a moment ago, Darlene, headlines Chapter 2, “How Did This Happen,” by saying: “Not asking for help is an issue. I could appear vulnerable. Being hurt is the fear … even playing Superwoman, you get hurt.” – p. 8.

In this chapter, Sullivan begins by relating cases of four of her patients. Those stories remain with the reader throughout this short book as all four manage to recapture a newly balanced life and health.

Sullivan doesn’t have a lot to say about homeopathy, and what she does offer is aimed at the neophyte. After these six pages, a deeper discussion of our beloved art cannot be found, but that’s all right as this book is not singularly about homeopathy but about the naturopathic way of healthcare in addition to the already mentioned aspects of sexism and racism, which continue to play deep and not so apparent roles in our society and health￾care system. Those few pages, however, do serve the uninitiated well. She discusses each of her patients’ constitutional remedies and thus the reader is, by example, introduced to that important aspect of health and homeopathic prescribing.

So that I don’t continue to spoil the plot, I’ll just briefly mention the topic of spirituality which runs most fervently throughout. This aspect begins very early (on p. 7), culminating in the pithy, penultimate chapter, “Listening to What’s Within/Meditation/Spiritual Exercises.”

This book has no index, though it is not really needed. It contains an adequate bibliography which mostly includes references related to scientific studies of several disease states, obesity, stress, supplements, etc., yet contains several items related to social activism; e.g., “Under the Skin: the Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation” (2022; Linda Villarosa). In relation to this aspect, let me suggest another book not in her bibliography (nor should it necessarily be), Caste: The Origins of our Discontents (2020), by Isabel Wilkerson. This best-selling volume by a Pulitzer Prize winner is worthy of your attention.

I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to review this excellent work. The author brings together many, of what may seem to be, unrelated aspects. Her way of weaving social justice with the more specific remedial aspects was appreciated by this reviewer. And lastly, this book has served as a timely reminder to this reviewer to take better care of himself.

“I am love. I am well. I am God’s child,” are her poignant words often repeated throughout this potent book, words which perhaps we should all take to heart.

Note: Dr. Sullivan, now in her 7th decade, received her B.A. in Sociology from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and her Ph.D., in 1976, from the University of Pennsylvania in Sociology/Criminology. She was the first African American to receive such a degree from that institution. She held teaching positions at Howard University, American University and the University of Maryland.

She studied naturopathy and graduated, in 1986, from Bastyr University (Seattle, Washington) and was the first African American woman to graduate from that institution. She has taken advanced homeopathic courses in the U.S., India and Europe and is a diplomat of the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (DHANP).

Dr. Sullivan is a founding member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and served as president of the District of Columbia Association of Naturopathic Physicians for eight years. She spearheaded licensure for naturopaths in Washington, D.C., which occurred circa 2010. Sullivan received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (now known as Sonoran University of Health Sciences) on June 19 of 2021.

In 2021, she was invited to become a member of the International Women’s Forum, which is composed of over 7,500 preeminent women leaders from 33 countries and 74 local forums.

This is Dr. Sullivan’s second book, the first being “A Path to Healing: A Guide to Wellness for Body, Mind and Soul” (1999); she continues to see patients and to “save the world.”