Since I’m a huge fan of Tina Turner, I was eager to read her newest book. Thanks to a review copy, I had the opportunity, and wow, was it juicy. Tina has truly lived an incredible life, dealing with more experiences than 10 other people put together.
My Love Story picks up where I, Tina left off (that was her first memoir). After breaking free from Ike Turner’s hellish abuse, she was understandably hesitant to love again. It wasn’t until 1985—almost a decade after she left Ike—that a new man, Erwin Bach, won her heart and it was another 26 years until they married.
The love story, of course, was interesting, but what really hooked me was her shocking array of health problems. Three weeks after getting married, Tina had a stroke. Then, in 2016, she received a cancer diagnosis. Due to side effects from all the medication, she made the worst possible mistake, turning to alternative medicine for help.
One of the “treatments” was drinking water filtered through crystals, so you can guess what type of nonsense it was. The end result was kidney failure! Tina was literally on death’s door due to complete quackery.
Because I have chronic health issues, I’ve also explored the alternative route. While I have nothing against the concept of Homeopathy and Naturopathy, they can not cure serious illnesses and quite often can make people sicker, if it prevents someone from seeking conventional medical treatment. It can be a viable option for back pain and headaches, but never, ever for strokes, cancer, or anything life-threatening. (Just look at the tragic outcome for Steve Jobs.)
In Tina Turner’s case, there was a happy ending: her husband donated a kidney to her and the transplant was successful. Even so, she admits to having complications and will require a lifetime of medication to prevent rejection.
Anyone who is sick needs to find a doctor they trust. Conventional medicine doesn’t cure every thing; it does cure many things. Alternative theories and treatments can be added, but it shouldn’t be a substitute. New Age hocus pocus like crystals or a vegan diet won’t kill a cancerous tumor or reverse organ failure.
You only get one body. Please take good care of it. When alternative medicine goes horribly wrong, the end result can be an untimely death.
