The Pulse Cure

Dr Torkil Færø

Balance Stress, Optimise Health and Live Longer

First published in Norway in 2023

under the title Pulskuren by Cappelen Damm As, Oslo.

This translation first published in Great Britain by

Quercus Editions Ltd

Carmelite House

50 Victoria Embankment

London EC4Y 0DZ

An Hachette UK company

Copyright © Torkil Færø, 2023 by Cappelen Damm

English language edition published in agreement with NORTHERN STORIES. (All rights reserved)

English translation by Robert Moses

The author has received support from the Non-fiction Fund to write this book.

The moral right of Torkil Færø to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

EBOOK ISBN 9781529437348

Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders. However, the publishers will be glad to rectify in future editions any inadvertent omissions brought to their attention.

Quercus Editions Ltd hereby exclude all liability to the extent permitted by law for any errors or omissions in this book and for any loss, damage or expense (whether direct or indirect) suffered by a third party relying on any information contained in this book.

www.quercusbooks.co.uk

Dr Torkil Færø is a general practitioner and emergency physician, documentary filmmaker, author and photographer. In 1996 he was one of the first Norwegian medics to work for Doctors Without Borders when he worked in war-torn Angola. Over a 25-year career as a freelance doctor, he has worked all over Norway, had tens of thousands of consultations and gained a unique picture of the diseases that plague us. He has learned that the cause is most often found in the stresses our lifestyles place on our bodies.

Færø is also an award-winning photographer, author of Kamerakuren (The Camera Cure), and has made documentaries about his pilgrimages to Nidaros and Santiago de Compostela. An inveterate traveller, he has made his way by bicycle, motorbike, kayak, sailboat and car through over 80 countries, and speaks eight languages. He lives in Oslo with his wife and two children.

Praise for The Pulse Cure

‘The Pulse Cure is a groundbreaking exploration of how HRV data can revolutionise our approach to health. As an immunologist, I appreciate the depth of insight provided in this book, which bridges the gap between cutting-edge science and practical well-being. A must-read for anyone seeking to improve their immune resilience, reduce inflammation and embrace a healthier future.’

Dr Jenna Macciochi, author of Immunity: The Science of Staying Well

‘The Pulse Cure and HRV is a health revolution!’

Dr Annette Dragland, doctor and presenter of Doctors on Life

‘Do you want to get more out of everyday life? Then you should read The Pulse Cure. Dr Torkil Færø covers everything you need to know and understand about how you can easily reduce your stress level with the help of a heart rate monitor. He gives you simple and effective tools that can help you find peace, balance and, above all, a healthier life. A revolutionary book that I hope many will read.’

Dr Carina Saunders, paediatrician, researcher and author

‘You can actually learn what affects the nervous system positively and what affects the nervous system negatively. You may not want to be online with your own body for the rest of your life, but for a period of months you will learn what adds and what depletes energy in your life. Not least it will teach you to take measures in time so that you get enough rest and enough positive input in your everyday life so you can avoid burnout.’

Egil Arne Skaun Knutsen, psychologist

‘Fantastic read! Færø is at the forefront of an exciting change in how we relate to our health.’

Dr Herman Egenberg, doctor and presenter of the podcast Motivational Interview

‘The Pulse Cure is ground-breaking and will provide revolutionary knowledge for all practitioners who provide healthcare.’

Annette Løno, neuroflexologist

‘As a doctor with a special interest in stress and mindfulness, it is wonderful to read The Pulse Cure. It is inspiring, professionally sound and opens up a whole new landscape for how both private individuals and healthcare professionals can learn to measure HRV and the autonomic nervous system. Recommended for healthcare professionals and anyone else who wants to learn a new tool to biohack their own health.’

Ragnhild Skari Luell, doctor and mindfulness instructor

‘Lots of inspiration with engagingly communicated knowledge and excellent, concrete help for anyone who wants to make informed choices for their own mental and physical health.

The Pulse Cure is suitable for anyone who is curious about how they can get more mental and physical surplus and energy in everyday life, and how they can make good choices that promote their own health . . . Even the experienced can learn new tools that can contribute to better health.’

Gry Husebø, psychologist

‘Torkil Færø shows us how we can facilitate a good balance between stress and rest in our own body – and in our own life. He explains complex phenomena in an easily understandable and entertaining way, and through examples and practical exercises, invites us to get to know our own wonderful nervous system better. This is a book that I think many people will benefit from and enjoy.’

Inger Tone Kleven, psychologist

‘An easy-to-understand book that takes individual needs seriously. The strength of The Pulse Cure lies in the individual perspective. It is an easily accessible tool both for those who want to stay healthy and for those who are looking for ways to get healthier.’

Dr Erik Hexeberg, specialist in internal medicine and author

‘A game changer! The Pulse Cure is a real page-turner and a joy to read: entertaining, informative and well written . . . I look forward to showing my patients how they can benefit from using a smartwatch to support them in making good choices for their health and well-being.’

Kristin Bothner Kanstad, MD, specialist in general medicine and psychiatry, yoga and mindfulness teacher

‘The Pulse Cure shows you how to interpret what the heart rate monitor shows, and how the pulse variation affects your health. When you understand these connections, it’s easier to make the good lifestyle changes you know you need!’

Dr Gunhild Melleby, psychiatrist

‘What The Pulse Cure has taught me about balancing the autonomic nervous system has given me back my night’s sleep after several decades of sleep deprivation. In addition, the knowledge is a fantastic addition to my work with managers who struggle with burnout! Torkil Færø will probably contribute to a significant health-promoting shift in society’s view of the value of restitution.’

Heddy Anne Torp Lund, Coach and Gestalt psychotherapist

‘The Pulse Cure is . . . a welcome and appreciated contribution among the flood of health books. Færø has done a formidable job of summarising this topic in ways that patients and the general public will greatly benefit from.

Færø has done important pioneering work in systematically exploring and presenting his own and his test group’s experiences.

I hope that not only “most people” but all Norwegian doctors read The Pulse Cure and familiarise themselves with how to influence their stress and inflammation levels through lifestyle interventions.’

Iver Mysterud, Helsemagasinet (The Health Magazine)

In loving memory of my father Tore Færø (1940–2013),
whose too-early death inspired me to change my lifestyle.

The doctor of the future will be oneself.

Albert Schweitzer, German doctor, theologian, organist, musicologist, and philosopher