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Kicking Sick: Your Go-To Guide for Thriving with Chronic Health Conditions
Has a chronic health issue taken over your life? More than half of us in the US are struggling with at least one.
Amy Kurtz gets it. Starting in her mid-teens, she endured two perfect storms of illness that progressed into her twenties. It earned her the label "the sick chick"―and the shame, fear, isolation, and frustration that comes with it.
She’s radically improved her health, and today she’s helping men and women of all ages live well regardless of their health situation.
With honesty, humor, and empathy, Kicking Sick shows you how to jettison despair, tune in to your body and inner wisdom, take charge, and build an effective support circle of medical experts, friends, and family.
Kicking Sick also brings you essential advice from Amy’s own A-team of experts―the ones crucial to her own her personal physician Mark Hyman, gastroenterologist Gerard Mullin, endocrinologist Philip Felig, Crazy Sexy Cancer author Kris Carr, new thought leader Gabby Bernstein, and renowned yogi Elena Brower, plus many real life "glow warriors."
Amy Kurtz gets it. Starting in her mid-teens, she endured two perfect storms of illness that progressed into her twenties. It earned her the label "the sick chick"―and the shame, fear, isolation, and frustration that comes with it.
She’s radically improved her health, and today she’s helping men and women of all ages live well regardless of their health situation.
With honesty, humor, and empathy, Kicking Sick shows you how to jettison despair, tune in to your body and inner wisdom, take charge, and build an effective support circle of medical experts, friends, and family.
Kicking Sick also brings you essential advice from Amy’s own A-team of experts―the ones crucial to her own her personal physician Mark Hyman, gastroenterologist Gerard Mullin, endocrinologist Philip Felig, Crazy Sexy Cancer author Kris Carr, new thought leader Gabby Bernstein, and renowned yogi Elena Brower, plus many real life "glow warriors."
224 pages, Paperback
Published December 31, 2016
27 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Amy Kurtz
2 books11 followersAmy Kurtz is a trailblazing author, certified health coach, patient advocate and speaker dedicated to empowering patients to reclaim agency over their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. A distinct voice in the health space, Amy’s work has been heralded by Dr Mark Hyman, Kris Carr, and many more. Lena Dunham named Kicking Sick one of her “Top 10 desert island books of all time” in New York Magazine. Amy has been featured on Oprah Daily, Good Morning America, The Boston Globe, NYMAG, Fox, and more.
In her debut book, “Kicking Sick: Your GO-TO GUIDE for thriving with chronic health conditions,” Amy shares her journey of living with chronic health conditions and provides a roadmap and actionable guidance to help readers manage debilitating conditions and live fully.
Due out from Hachette in June 2026, Amy’s second book, “But You Look Fine, Trapped in the Hell between Sick and Well and How to Break Free,” breaks the silence about the crucial, painful, pervasive, and yet all too common phase of healing from chronic illness that has long gone overlooked…until now.
In her debut book, “Kicking Sick: Your GO-TO GUIDE for thriving with chronic health conditions,” Amy shares her journey of living with chronic health conditions and provides a roadmap and actionable guidance to help readers manage debilitating conditions and live fully.
Due out from Hachette in June 2026, Amy’s second book, “But You Look Fine, Trapped in the Hell between Sick and Well and How to Break Free,” breaks the silence about the crucial, painful, pervasive, and yet all too common phase of healing from chronic illness that has long gone overlooked…until now.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 25, 2016
Some good information and advice in this book, mixed in with a heaping dose of fear mongering, pseudo science, and lots of talking points from new age gurus. Step one appears to be: be independently wealthy: her advice to seek out loads of additional health providers and pay out of pocket to see specialists seems especially tone deaf. It may be apt for the target market for this slim $30 volume, however.
August 14, 2017
Reading "Kicking Sick" feels like a conversation with an empathetic, down to earth, in-your-corner best friend. Amy has gone through plenty of battles with her health. Pairing that with her open personality brings a good deal of support, encouragement, and wisdom. I like the book for this reason. There are a lot of little snippets that are useful if you're struggling with a chronic illness. Some of the pieces of writing comforted, uplifted, and empowered me.
Amy brings a fresh voice to the chronic illness discussions because she is fairly young. I'm 25, and while I appreciate books by older authors on illness, it's refreshing to have someone talking first hand about the issues that young adults face with chronic illnesses. Though, as with most books in this realm, it's mostly the same information that is already out there about illness, how to treat and manage them, etc. The content is laced together beautifully and serves as a great resource and reminder. But if you've been a spoonie for a long time (or glow warrior, as she loving calls it!) then you have likely come across this information before. It's a light (but informed) discussion of western medicine, alternative therapies, exercise, stress management, diet, etc. I did like how she went about it. And I think this book would be especially helpful for someone who is just starting to navigate the tough terrain of chronic illness.
Also, on a visual note, this is a lovely book to look through. If you're unable to read much due to illness, you may still be able to get some advice and inspiration out of this book. There are lots of callouts, quotes, photos, and short pieces of writing. I think that was a nice touch.
Amy brings a fresh voice to the chronic illness discussions because she is fairly young. I'm 25, and while I appreciate books by older authors on illness, it's refreshing to have someone talking first hand about the issues that young adults face with chronic illnesses. Though, as with most books in this realm, it's mostly the same information that is already out there about illness, how to treat and manage them, etc. The content is laced together beautifully and serves as a great resource and reminder. But if you've been a spoonie for a long time (or glow warrior, as she loving calls it!) then you have likely come across this information before. It's a light (but informed) discussion of western medicine, alternative therapies, exercise, stress management, diet, etc. I did like how she went about it. And I think this book would be especially helpful for someone who is just starting to navigate the tough terrain of chronic illness.
Also, on a visual note, this is a lovely book to look through. If you're unable to read much due to illness, you may still be able to get some advice and inspiration out of this book. There are lots of callouts, quotes, photos, and short pieces of writing. I think that was a nice touch.
September 24, 2021
I thought this was going to be my new favorite book... but it wasn't. This is a book for someone who has just been diagnosed with a chronic condition and has never delved into the holistic realm.
The book is a very, very, high level overview of some common sense advice, that, sure, when you're first diagnosed after not knowing why your body is shutting down, you tend to forget. Each chapter could be expanded into several books, and with the advice in the book being so much general, it really isn't very helpful other than to say "Hey! this other thing exists, check it out!"
The most helpful advice, to me, came from one of the featured experts on setting boundaries and managing the people around you that will eventually know about your illness when it's something serious (cancer/MS vs celiac disease or osteoarthritis). Other than that, the whole book feels more like a big flyer for the author's coaching services (that she doesn't advertise in the book, but we know she has).
All in all, it's a very introductory book, only for those who really have no clue about holistic strategies complementary to regular medical treatment.
The book is a very, very, high level overview of some common sense advice, that, sure, when you're first diagnosed after not knowing why your body is shutting down, you tend to forget. Each chapter could be expanded into several books, and with the advice in the book being so much general, it really isn't very helpful other than to say "Hey! this other thing exists, check it out!"
The most helpful advice, to me, came from one of the featured experts on setting boundaries and managing the people around you that will eventually know about your illness when it's something serious (cancer/MS vs celiac disease or osteoarthritis). Other than that, the whole book feels more like a big flyer for the author's coaching services (that she doesn't advertise in the book, but we know she has).
All in all, it's a very introductory book, only for those who really have no clue about holistic strategies complementary to regular medical treatment.
December 20, 2016
"You are going to be awesome when you are 80 -- because you can already complain about how you feel for hours." I think about the friend who said that to me all the time. Maybe it was kismet when I got my hands on a review copy of Kicking Sick. When Amy talks about how the "sick chick" label hurt her, I believe that this beautiful, well-connected person and I are connected.
I love the way Kicking Sick is designed. Now that I've finished the book, when I'm sore and cranky, I find myself flipping through and looking the tidbits from her contributors. Having so many resources in such a digestible format is a gift. It's like an anthology of a bunch of experts whose work I know I should read -- but haven't quite gotten around to checking out, like Gabrielle Bernstein and Kris Carr.
Even when my concentration is shot, and I feel like I have the health profile of an 80-year old, I get something (a treatment I haven't tried, a reminder on dealing with doctors, reassurance) out of Kicking Sick.
I love the way Kicking Sick is designed. Now that I've finished the book, when I'm sore and cranky, I find myself flipping through and looking the tidbits from her contributors. Having so many resources in such a digestible format is a gift. It's like an anthology of a bunch of experts whose work I know I should read -- but haven't quite gotten around to checking out, like Gabrielle Bernstein and Kris Carr.
Even when my concentration is shot, and I feel like I have the health profile of an 80-year old, I get something (a treatment I haven't tried, a reminder on dealing with doctors, reassurance) out of Kicking Sick.
April 23, 2020
If you have gluten intolerance, or another disease that radically can change and improve with lifestyle changes, this book might be helpful. To call gluten intolerance a chronic illness is a bit broad and way oversells this book. Will focusing on living a healthy lifestyle be good for you? YES!! But this author is a priveledged, not chronically ill person giving psuedoscience advise to a group who is often underprivileged, underfunded, and fighting to survive in the real world. Can you take steps to take care of yourself? YES! Should you be your biggest advocate? Yes! Will you be able to hire every expert you think might help.....um..... No! Can you spend sums of money on erroneous and possibly dangerous solutions? Not wise. This author is clearly loving her upper middle class, very white, totally not chronically ill life. Good for her! Just don't ask me to read a book about it!
February 5, 2019
Long overdue but I am new to Goodreads. I have to recommend Kicking Sick because it was a life changing book for myself as a chronic illness patient. Amy Kurtz has inspired me through my health journey and given me motivation to strive for wellness at the root. I definitely recommend this book if you are struggling with your health!
December 28, 2016
Amy Kurtz’s Kicking Sick is an amazing resource guide for anyone suffering with a chronic health condition, or knows someone that is. Amy Kurtz gracefully and vulnerably details her struggle, and shows the reader they are not alone in their journey back to health. Kicking Sick is a necessary guide that empowers the reader, and implants the seed of thought that they are not defined by their health crisis. Through stories of other women dealing with various health struggles (Amy's Glow Warriors), to interviews from her A-list team of Doctors and healers, Amy provides a perfect mix of eastern and western philosophies that will give readers different options, strategies, and ideas for thriving with a medical condition, or just feeling better in general. If you are feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or just want to be able to connect better with someone that is, you need to read this book!!
April 9, 2017
So much appreciation for the work this author put into creating a wonderful, practical and extremely helpful guide through the often twisty journey called 'chronic disease management.' Highly recommend!
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May 8, 2018Loved this book. Such an encouraging, informational, and relatable read. I have highlighted this book up and will definitely coming back to it again and again. Thank you, Amy!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews