Diet Health Books

If this was the first book of inspiration I had ever read, I might be a bit more impressed. I got as far as the first two chapters and then tossed the book into my pile of stuff to sell at a garage sale.
This collection of weight loss tales is pure formula non-fiction. What to expect:
My name is _____. I overeat because _____. I realized I had to lose weight when _____. Then I joined Weight Watchers. My tip to lose weight is _____ (typically something like don't eat before going to bed - yawn).
Folks what I'm saying is there is nothing new here. If the concept of losing weight is not 100% new to you, you've heard all of this before. Each fluffy tale of weight loss success is only about two pages long, and to me, said nothing substantial. The book "Body for Life" provides much more genuine inspriation to make lifestyle changes.

Its good to read about people weight-losses and how they achieve. That is an inspiration for me.

This is one of the best weight/diet books I've read yet.

The stories are from real people who are very honest with their struggles. No rah-rah pep talks from enthusiastic people who make me feel tired just listening to them--these people are authentic, down to earth.

The stories themselves are very encouraging and motivational without seeming canned or falsely cheerful. I really enjoyed hearing people's stories about their weight loss struggles.

The best part is the short practical tip at the end of each story, outlining a different tip for weight loss. It makes the book not just encouraging, but also useful for my own weight loss struggles.

The short stories are perfect for reading on the go, for when I have only a few minutes to kill in the car or waiting for something on the stove or in the oven.

The stories are also varied enough that it's nice to only read one or two stories a day, for that little pick-me-up in my attitude about my weight loss program or just something encouraging to carry me for the next few hours.

I especially liked that the stories applied to me even though I do NOT belong to Weight Watchers myself.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a bit of daily motivation for weight loss.

I ordered this for my husband who is struggling to lose weight but likes filling out his weight watchers form on line each night (which is an excellent way of tracking how much you eat, and showing you where you are falling short!)
He liked it and read it, finding it encouraging. It's not deep, and you can dip in and out of it, like a magazine, but it's much better for you than a candy bar, and that's how he avoided fattening treats at the airport, he sat and read this instead!

START LIVING, START LOSING - Weight Watchers
Rating: 4/5 stars

April 12, 2008


START LIVING, START LOSING is a collection of short inspirational pieces written by people who have had success with Weight Watchers and lost and kept off the weight. What I especially liked about this book is that it gave me ideas on what I was doing wrong with my own weight loss program, as well as help motivate me to change my current eating habits and try something different. A lot of the advice is common sense and obvious but I think to have it written down on paper makes it all more valid for me. Stories came from 'average every day people' to celebrities such as the Duchess of York, and the amount of weight loss varied from 10 lbs. to hundreds of pounds.

So for those who feel that they only have to lose 10 lbs. and yet feel bad that it's not what is considered conventional in terms of joining Weight Watchers (many in this book had hundreds of pounds to lose), this book will make you feel that it's all relative. It's just as hard to lose a measly 10 lbs. as it is to lose 100. It's a matter of eating right and exercising. And for those who have to lose hundreds of pounds, START LIVING, START LOSING is what can motivate you to change your bad habits and find inspiring ways to lose the weight and be healthy. It's not all about looks, but it's an issue of healthy living.

I recommend START LIVING, START LOSING to anyone trying to make a life change and wanting to lose some weight. There are a lot of great ideas in this book. It's fast reading, too, so for those who aren't big readers shouldn't be intimidated by it. Read a chapter a day, if that's what it takes.

a well-researched and concrete book i contstantly recommend to anyone interested in food, weight or health. probably my all-time favorite read in the generalized 'health' category.
also changed the way i view the obese and helped me overcome my own eating issues. a truly wonderful book.

The book challenges many widely established beliefs on dieting, controlling weight, and obesity on the basis of a review of research on the topic (some of which has not received as much attention as it deserved because it did not fit current expectations and industry interests). The book does not suggest a path to shed any extra pounds, but makes you think about your personal and our societal relationship with weight, obesity and thinness.

Most books on diet and weight control, and there are hundreds, fall into one of two categories: research-based but narrowly focused and selective in order to promote a specific point of view; or completely opinion-based and hyping some fad or promoting a product (which may be the book itself). Rethinking Thin falls into the first category.

Author Gina Kolata, a New York Times science reporter, contends that being "overweight" has been oversold as a health problem. She correctly criticizes the hugely profitable "diet industry" for capitalizing on people's belief that they can and should try to change what they weigh. Her major argument is that people have little control over their weight and that, like height, it is mostly biologically determined through a poorly understood interaction of heredity and environment.

I agree with Kolata that being overweight is not necessarily a medical problem and also agree with her criticism of dieting, but I disagree with her emphasis on how little effect our behavioral choices have on the outcome. For example, she writes, "It must be that free will, when it comes to eating, is an illusion." She throws out the baby "willpower" with the bathwater of self-blame and shame. The problem, as I see it, is not with willpower but with the misuse of it in trying to comply with worthless diet plans and attempting to achieve unrealistic goals.

For some people there is a major genetic and/or biochemical component to their difficulty in maintaining the weight they desire. Ongoing research concerning the roles of leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and many other hormones in regulating body weight and hunger demonstrates that some obese individuals (perhaps as many as 5% or more) may have genetic mutations affecting their ability to control their appetite. Related lines of research indicate there are biological forces that make it difficult for most people to lose weight once it has been gained. Such evidence suggests that once fat tissue accumulates, a system of overlapping neurological and hormonal mechanisms works to prevent it from diminishing. Even so, most of us do have a significant degree of control over our eating and activity level, and this means we have some control over what we weigh.

Here are some relevant lines of research that Kolata essentially ignores:

* The important role of "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" (NEAT) in determining what we weigh;
* The thousands of success stories of people who have lost significant weight (and kept it off) through conscious control of eating and activity (this may be a small percentage of the overweight population, but a significant group);
* The proven role of social networks and support systems in affecting our weight and lifestyle choices;
* Exciting research (using sophisticated neuro-imaging) which shows how and where the "conscious" brain exerts influence on our eating and impulse control (including the role of "won't power");
* Extensive research on consumer behavior when it comes to food choice, portion control, and automatic eating behavior;
* Research on stages of self-change and willpower fatigue (and ways to increase self-control and overcome learned helplessness).

Kolata concludes her book with this statement, which is a bit pessimistic in tone, but also offers realistic hope for people who are interested in taking action toward improving their health: "The lesson is, once again, that no matter what the diet and no matter how hard they try, most people will not be able to lose a lot of weight and keep it off. They can lose a lot of weight and keep it off briefly, they can lose some weight and keep it off for a longer time, they can learn to control their eating, and they can learn the joy of regular exercise. Those who do best tend to be those who learn to gauge portions and calories and to keep their houses as free as possible of food they cannot resist. The effort, the lifelong effort, can be rewarding - people say they feel much better for it. But true thinness is likely to elude them."

This book is depressing. Its general mood is doomed but interesting. Yes there are plenty of studies, and this is important in a diet book, however they are all inconclusive or opposing another study presented. Gina must have said, in some format, "don't even bother losing weight you will just put it back on" at least 100 times. Another mantra emphasized "your body has a special weight and it is not up to you". Although there is some element of truth in this, it should have been in a complete logical phrase such as "If your body is at a predisposition to gain weight, and that is greater than your mental willpower to change and keep a diet that promote a healthy body THEN you will be doomed to whatever that body type is". I would have expected more complete logical statements from a mathematician.

I lost about 40 lbs, improved my life, and became smarter all through becoming interested in weight-loss / fitness. Nothing makes me more excited than to talk with someone who wants to lose weight and change their life. This book is the antithesis of self motivation for weight loss. So if you are overweight and would like to add depressed and doomed to that, buy the book!

If I hadn't already lost 80 lbs (and kept them off several years) before I read this book, I probably would give up all hope of ever becoming slim. Even so, the weekend I read this book, I was depressed . . . it took me a couple of days to shake off the drearies.

This book is, IMO, one-sided. It extensively quotes diet researchers who tend to believe that weight cannot be lost permanently, and ignores the growing body of knowledge from (for example) individuals in the National Weight Control Registry, who have learned how to change their lifestyles (as I have), and who advocate a moderate and sensible approach to weight control.

Ladies and gentlemen, despite what you read in this book, weight control is indeed possible, if you ditch the "diet" mentality, as well as the guilt over eating favorite foods upon occasion -- and move your body. Weight control isn't all salads and rabbit food, and it's not all-or-nothing. You CAN have your cake, and eat it, too . . . just not every day, and not in humongous portions. You don't have to give up any one food, or class of foods, and you don't have to starve yourself.

First of all, let me say that there are many suggestions offered by Dr. Tomba in this book, which seem to make sense. [...]

However, there were several sections in this book, which just undermined the entire message: APPENDIX E: "The health of our skin is influenced by zodiac signs...." Dr. Tomba then goes on to discuss the various signs such as, " ARIES - The skin of an Aries is predisposed to inflammations and pus formation. Being impatient, people born under this sign damage the skin on their faces while trying to remove every new little pimple..." It is ridiculous to believe that every Aries is impatient or damages their skin!

Appendix D states that "small ears" are an external warning sign of "to (misspelled) much tension on the body and fatigue." Small ears are a genetic trait. Period.

Another section on page 145 states that, "Our appearance is a reflection of our health, " which sounded reasonable to me UNTIL I read that " our eyes are not only a reflection of our physical health; they also indicate certain traits of our character." "GREEN EYES indicate a sensitive and vulnerable personality. People with green eyes are highly dependable. They always crave for love and return love with unconditional dedication."

So now we are using EYE COLOR to predict the character traits of individuals??

Statements such as the above are simply not rational. Although many of his statements seemed to be "folk remedies" that might be useful,[...]. Frankly, I couldn't separate "fact from fiction" and even though many of the remedies may very well work, I am now reluctant to try them.

I'll grant that this book has some interesting information in it but it does not have any footnotes to aid one in finding out where the information was gleaned from. Also things like the simplification of one's character deduced by eye color is simply [..](pg. 146). This book does NOTHING to aid someone who is already experiencing chronic health problems. [..]

I bought this book and was really disappointed in it. You are better off with Dr. Hyman's books. You can also get better information for the cost of an internet hookup. [..].

If you are looking for a simple and effective solutions to your health problems look no more! This is the ultimate holistic living guide. From correct breathing, through taking care of your back, to proper food combination, the author provides natural recipes for everyday living. The words are direct, awakening and motivating, causing you to start taking care of yourself.

Very important for me was chapter six - Complete Body Cleansing. The liver cleansing is really very rejuvenating. You have to prepare for the procedure a few days earlier by appropriately changing your diet. The liver cleansing itself takes two full days of total concentration on your own body. It is not pleasant but it is very rewarding. After it was over I felt like a newborn. Somehow it also pushed me to improve my eating habits.

Also very good is the chapter about obesity. Without complicating the matter, like many other authors tend to do, the author very effectively deals with the subject in one short chapter. He explains the reasons behind ineffectiveness of most popular dieting programs and suggests simple ways for dealing with the most common habits that lead us to gaining weight. PAINLESS AND EFFECTIVE!

Very helpful is also the chart on proper food combination. Applying the simple rules from the chart after my liver cleansing keeps me feel youthful and energetic, and I keep losing weight week after week.

No one before has motivated me so well. Just follow the simple advice for a month or two and you will see the difference. You will feel better and you will look better. What else do you need?

Another great book that I highly recommend for all those wanting to live healthy life and stay away from prescription drugs is Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition.

I wasn't particularly interested in this kind of reading. However, since I received this book as a gift, I felt I had a duty to at least have a quick look at it. So I flipped through some pages... Surprisingly, I immediately found a few chapters that caught my attention... After jumping from one chapter to another, eventually I decided that this volume definitely deserves my full attention. So I read it from the beginning to the end, and since then I often use it as my reference book to healthy living. The book does not bog down the reader with sophisticated terminology as a genuine medical book might. It simply offers straightforward advice that is designed to help the reader in a variety of areas from maintaining a well-balanced diet to getting the right kinds of exercise to ameliorating illnesses. Interesting how this book changed my life! It is only a surprise that it is not at Amazon's Bestseller list. Unless it is still undiscovered...

This book probably deserves 4.5 stars, but there is no such choice so I opted for 4. There is something for everyone in this book. It is packed with information about body cleansing, treatment of obesity and other common ailments, proper nutrition, proper breathing techniques, taking care of your back, and much more. It is very comprehensive and compact. In fact a little too compact for my eyes - it would be easier to read if the letters were bigger. I wouldn't mind if it was published in four or five hundred pages, or even in two different volumes.

You will find in the book many good alternatives to visiting your physician with a small disorder or inconvenience as we often tend to do. An example -- drink a raspberry tea, instead of taking aspirin. Among all the plentiful advice you will also come across some that you might want to take with a grain of salt, but if you approach it with an open mind you will certainly find a lot of useful recommendations.

I happen to disagree with the author on some issues. Specifically, in my opinion the calculation of life expectancy seems to be based on some wrong assumption, but my goal is not to live 150 years anyway... As some of other reviewers mentioned, I wouldn't make my own toothpaste, either. However, after you separate the grain from chaff and ignore all the elements that you consider too difficult or impractical, you will still be left with a lot of useful guidance that will help you lead healthier life.

The liver cleansing routine does require two full days of total devotion to your own self. It is not pleasant, either, as you first need to fasten for over a day, and then you need to drink alternatively olive oil and lemon juice. It is not easy, but it is very rewarding. I felt very much rejuvenated after cleansing of my liver. The good news is that you do not need to do it more often than twice a year.

The author also suggests fasting at least a few days a month. Not as a means to losing weight, but as a self-cleansing routine. Alternatively, if you prefer the easy way, take sauna each few days... By the way, the author also suggest an alternative, easy way of liver cleansing with the help of apple juice, but my experience tells me that "the easy solutions" most of the time don't bring about as good results as "doing it the hard way". And so on, and so forth...

To summarize: It is a good book, just pick up what you find useful and ignore the stuff that does not suit you. There is something for everyone. It's a very much recommended title.

First checked this book out at the library but needed to return it and so I bought it. This has been the best plan I have tried. Many plans claim that you are not hungry, I wouldn't need a plan if I only ate when I was hungry, with this plan I don't crave sweets. This is a huge change for someone who planned meals dessert first. I have made desserts for 3 parties to serve to others and haven't even taken a bite and not even had an interst in doing so.

I over look all the evolution and cave man type information but the other information makes sense. So far I have lost inches and weight. I recommend this book.

When you look as good as the author of this book does, it's difficult to argue with the results. She's a perfect example of how her program can do exactly what the title of her book suggests. And I LOVE Dr. Lydon's emphasis on the fact that this isn't about going on a diet--it really is about changing your life through simple changes in your current habits. This is the only way to achieve a permanent lifelong solution to your weight and health issues. The best part is she understands the importance of eating like our early ancestors making sure we get adequate protein in our diet to aid muscle growth which leads to the burning of stored fat and she articulates beautifully why consuming fat will have a "slimming effect" that most people have no idea about because they are scared witless about eating any. Unfortunately, when it comes to carbs she's not quite on the same page as most low-carbers are and describes a low-carb ketogenic diet as "a recipe for disaster." That's too bad, but you might be interested in reading this book to see her reasons WHY she believes that as an intellectual exercise in challenging what you believe. Although she wasn't very flattering towards low-carb diets, Dr. Lydon does show how you can give your body a good workout without lifting a single weight or going to the gym (using your own body weight instead). It's not a bad book overall, so you might want to check it out.

I HIGHLY recommend this book! It was a life changer for me. Thanks to the food plan, I no longer suffer from extreme carb cravings, brain fog, or being extremely cold all the time. Those symptoms are gone! It also is great for my IBS. Not to mention, the amount of energy I have is through the roof. Hallelujah!!!! Notice I said food plan? Dr. Lydon walks you through a diet where you eliminate certain foods at the beginning and slowly add food groups back in over a period of 6 weeks checking for adverse reactions to foods along the way. Each phase is nutritionally complete. I already knew I was allergic to gluten, but also found I'm reactive to soy and cow milk. Now I'm eating foods that benefit my body rather than causing low levels of inflammation. The crazy thing is I don't crave the foods I've eliminated. I can now walk into the kitchen anticipating a delicious meal where I'll feel satisfied rather than dreading I'll blow my diet by eating too much or munching on sweets.
The exercise routine hits all body parts and my muscles have developed faster on this program than any other I've tried plus it very fast and great for people who have little time. Dr. Lydon clearly explains why long term cardio workouts and carb/calorie restrictions (i.e. carb deficit) do not work and can actually set your body up to become fatter. She explains the myths surrounding calorie burning (how our bodies handle protein, fat, carbs differently and how it adjusts to exercise) and why your body can handle 1 cup of nuts per day and still loose inches. She bases everything on scientific studies, which are quoted so you can read them for yourself. I greatly appreciated her friendly writing style and felt her explanations were clear and concise for the average lay person. The appendices in the book summarize the exercise/food/supplements for each week. The food selection is huge plus it is so simple to do. You do not have to measure, count calories, points, etc. It is very liberating!
Dr. Lydon also started a forum (same name as the book), so people can ask questions and share results/experiences or any problems their encountering. There is also a recipe section and many members of the forum are food geniuses!
Oh, and best of all? You will loose inches and reshape your body. I certainly did! For motivation, just read the success stories on her website. Good luck to you!

I agree with the reviewers who say that this is a fantastic program. However, I'd like to point out that the time for meal preparation on this plan isn't any different than "normal" meal preparation unless you get every one of your meals through a drive through (and even then, you need to consider the time it takes to get there and sit in line). I've actually found bringing meals to work takes no more time than before I started the plan. Before starting this plan--breakfast bar, soup/microwave entrée, munchies. On the plan--boiled eggs, fruit, veggies, can of tuna/left-over chicken breast, salad dressing. It takes the same amount of time to shop, prep, stuff it in a bag, and get out the door. I boil eggs in a big batch, peel them, and grab them as needed for breakfasts and salads. I cook extra protein at dinner and bring it for lunch. I've also noticed many stores in my area sell boiled, peeled eggs and cooked, sliced chicken breasts. How convenient is that? How hard is it to swap a candy bar for an apple?

The first week of the exercise routine was difficult. Someone who is out of shape will not find this "easy," but the exercises are do-able, and being able to go from 1 push-up to 10, even though it doesn't seem like much to "fit" folks, is motivating. Everyone has to start somewhere, right? :)

If you're looking for a "quick fix," this isn't for you. If you are looking for a plan that will change your life and your relationship with food, get this.

This 6-week program provides 6-weeks of meal plans, 35 recipes, and 20-30 minutes of exercises you can do at home using hand weights. The book includes Dr. Lydon's dietary guidelines and exercises with photos. Her dietary recommendations and the promise that her diet and exercise program will increase your metabolism are supported with scientific explanations. You should be in decent shape to do the exercises, which include weight training and calisthenics that can be done with hand weights.

The diet requires time for meal preparation and does not allow fast food. The diet is not vegetarian. It emphases eating lean protein, fruits, and vegetables. It also suggests reducing dairy and grain-based and high-glycemic carbohydrates. The diet provides recommendations for specific foods, portion sizes, and meal frequency. It consists of 3 meals and 3 snacks per day with each meal including 10-12 oz. clear fluid, a serving of lean protein, and a serving of fruit or vegetable.

The contents of the book include:
THE BLUEPRINT:
Introduction
1. The Un-Diet
2. Protein for Pulverizing Paunch
3. Fat for a Fabulous Physique
4. Carbohydrates Part I: Friendly Fire for Burning Fat
5. Carbohydrates Part II: Glycemic Response and the Bane of Grain
6. Micronutrients that Keep You Lean and Wrinkle-Free
7. Exercise: Why Smart Is Better than Long
8. The Ten Years Thinner Diet
9. The Ten Years Thinner Workout
10. Forever Young
THE TOOLS:
Phase I: Diet and Exercise Guidelines for Weeks 1-3
Phase II: Diet and Exercise Guidelines for Weeks 4-6
Self Tracking
The Ten Years Thinner Recipes
References

While this program is structured and involves a time commitment, it is written by a well-qualified physician and, if followed carefully, should provide great results which, after all, is what it is all about! Author of THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams

If you suspect you may have a thyroid problem, why not just get tested and find out?

After struggling with a low thyroid condition for 9 years, this book gave me information that was very helpful in understanding the reasons that synthetic thyroid hormone was no longer working. This book taught me that my weight is more of a reflection of how my thyroid gland is working more than what I was eating. It also helped me to understand why, that while eating 600-800 healthy calories per day and exercising 1 hour per day...I still wasn't loosing weight. Wish I would have read it a year ago!

Easy to read and understand and very helpful and informative.
I bought 5 to send to my family and friends.
Also a must read under the same topic is "Living Well With Hyopthyroidism"
by Mary Shomom. The book is full of helpful websites and informtaion on how to find good doctors that practice alternative medicine in every region of the country.

I just got this book out of storage to re-read and I realize it's wasted money. I am already on natural thyroid replacement and with that I have lost a lot of weight but to follow a 1000 calorie a day diet (in one place he says 800 per day) is impossible for me. My doctor wants me getting highly nutritous foods and there is no way on this amount. Plus, how many of us are willing to do this for not 1 week, not 2, but for 4 weeks! AND when I was doing aerobics religiously and following 1000 cal per day, I didn't lose weight but this is what he recommends. Never again.
I gave it 2 stars because it did convince me, a couple of years ago, to find a doctor who uses natural thyroid instead of just synthetics. If the synthetics work for you, hooray but they didn't for me.

I didn't find this book of any help. I was also already diagnosed but hoped to find a way to lose weight after 15 years of gradual increase in weight due to an underactive thyroid (hashimoto's thyroiditis). I couldn't possibly stick to this diet and decided that it wasn't worth trying anyway, just to find out what I know already. I had hoped it would teach me a way to eat that would help me lose weight, but it does not. It might just be of use to people who haven't yet been diagnosed, but I doubt it, because if the doctor hasn't diagnosed you yet, he is not going to do so on the basis of a book.

bh
This book is a way of looking at all aspects of life, not only diet. As a matter of fact it has no menus or recipes in it. I rarely read books twice, but this one is worthy of a second read. A small book with big life-lessons.

Discusses the relationships between eating fast & without intention and common maladies of western society - obeity & overweight, diabetes, etc. Has step by step suggestions for changing the way you eat to be more in tune with a healthy body.

As a health counselor, I needed a book that would jump start my clients into the wonderful world of awareness. The Slow Down Diet is my dream come true. It awakens as it soothes, it motivates as it guides. The Slow Down Diet explains how to live life to its fullest, and not just through food. It doesn't judge or ridicule those who have lost their way. Instead, it gently picks up the lost and hopeless and inspires them to make the changes necessary for lasting health, vitality and peace.

Though alot of these ideas may not be new, they are very well constructed and sometimes it felt like I was hearing these simple profound revelations for the first time. I also appreciated the extensive research and felt I could totally trust his wise insights. I know if I am able to implement all of his suggestions, I WILL change my life for the better!

If you're tired of dieting and dieting and dieting and getting only temporary results, read this book!!! Also, if you have any kind of digestive upset, IBS, etc, read this book! I have had digestive problems for years and every diet or medication I tried did absolutely nothing. After reading the first 3 chapters in this book and implementing the simple suggestions it offered, I am happy to report that my digestive problems are gone, completely! I can hardly believe it could be this simple. Needless to say, I will be finishing this book. Do yourself a big favor and buy it!!

This is my FAVORITE cookbook and I refer to it time and time again for muffins and other treats that would normally be grain-based. My whole family is gluten free, and I have to be fully grain free. I can't say enough about the book. My favorite is the carrot muffins - YUM! And, if you can't do eggs they work just fine with egg replacer (but add ground flax seed as well to further help them stick together.) Great book!!!!!!!!!

I have this cookbook as well as Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Lucy's SCD Cookbook, and Eat Well Feel Well. This one is my favorite. I love "The World's Best Meat Sauce", which I make thick as recommended for a sloppy joe spooned over the "Basic Bread" recipe. Fantastic! The apple galette disappeared immediately among a group of non-SCD dieters. I also like the cole slaw, and the cappuccino ice cream is fabulous!

I also have Eat Well Feel Well, but find the recipes are expensive and require ingredients not typical even in the SCD kitchen. Since the SCD can be expensive on its own, I have found that I've used that book very rarely. With the exception of nut flours and standard SCD staples, most ingredients used in Grain Free Gourment are reasonably priced and easily located in your neighborhood supermarket. The recipes even include the standard rather than SCD ingredients, so this book will remain a favorite even if strict adherence to SCD is no longer necessary. Thank you Jodi and Jenny for quality recipes that are easy to follow, kitchen tested, and sure to please even non-SCDers. This is a lovely cookbook with beautiful photos. It would be a welcome addition in every SCD kitchen.

There are so many phenomenal recipes in The Grain-Free Gourmet. So far I have made the meatloaf, the spiced honey chicken, the decadent onion crackers, the gourmet pizza, the cranberry muffins, and the lemon-cranberry tarts (also great with blueberries). Everything was delicious and my family members who are not on the SCD enjoyed them all. Bager and Lass did a wonderful job on this book and I look forward to making more items.

This book will make you forget you are on a no sugar diet. The cookies are great. I have a sweet tooth and I was craving something sweet and crunchy. The Goldenmarsh Cookies cured my every woe.

I've made several of the muffins in this book, and they're all pretty good. I plan to make a lot more of them. The grain-free baked goods use lots of almonds, other nuts, and eggs. One problem is that the author/editor included no nutritional info. with the recipes. If you're counting calories, fat grams, fiber or carbs, you're on your own. It would be great if they would correct that on a revised edition.

I thought this book was great. I didn't have chronic back pain, but my quality of life was definitely affected. I am doing less than half of the exercises recommended in the book and am almost pain free. Highly recommended. Lou

This is the third one of these books I have gotten, or maybe the forth. I give them to back pain sufferers since I know personally how helpful it was to me. Well written and easy to follow. Not for every back problem but for the most common back pain it is right on. I have had far less back pain in the last 15 years than in any of the previous 40 years and am in my 70s now. Arthur (itis) is taking over now but, unfortunately, the book won't stop that.

This is the 4th copy of this book I have purchased or had given to me. I keep lending out copies to people who have back problems. Using the advice in this book I was able to overcome low back pain so well that I became overconfident in lifting heavy things (rock benches for the garden, heavy boxes, furniture) and ended up with a bilateral hernia at the age of 69. Having had that repaired I am back again to picking up whatever I want. The advice includes how you can tell whether your particular type of back pain is amenable to the given treatment, exercises to use at various stages in the recovery, and getting your other joints back into shape once the back pain has been conquered. On the three occasions in the last 25 years when I have been careless and sat with the wrong posture for an extended period (1-2 hours) and had a pain recurrence, I have been able to go back to the book and recover from it again. In my opinion, many back surgeries could be avoided entirely by following its advice.

The book does clearly state that for some people..the extension position might be harmful. That was the case for me. While I ended up on crutches (for the first time due to severe increased pain) I do not blame the book. Just be extremely careful. When I began...I actually felt some relief WHILE in extension at the start, but it would hurt worse as time spent in the position increased. And I hurt worse when I got up. So...it only took about 3 times of that before I became non-amb. w/o crutches. Then it took perhaps 6 mo. with the help of a good chiro. (traction, ultrasound and manipulation at 1x week) before I was out of pain. It's been 2 years since that incident and I've not had any diffficulty since. I totally avoid any extension positions beyond that which occur naturally in walking (even freestyle swimming puts noticible pressure on my LB due to the extension of bouyancy. Back stroke and floating are OK).

Best wishes and prayers to anyone combatting back pain. I'm a fairly strong and positive person. But after being in chronic pain for several months with difficulty and pain in EVERYTHING I did, including breathing, I fully understand the severe depression and mounting hopelessness chronic pain brings. When I began to have thoughts that living like that would be impossible, in spite of having young daughters, a great husband and great job...I became very scared.

Keep searching for an answer. I went through 3 chiropractors and much time before I found the right one. Keep your faith, keep your resolve, keep on praying and keep on trying.

Shelley M.

I bought this book to help with back pain I have had for several years. I performed the exercises as prescribed for about 10 days and started to feel better. Then my feet started tingling and burning which had never happened before. I stopped the exercises and went to a chiropractor that x-rayed and showed many problems I have going on. I think these exercises will work but only if you have certain problems. Only a doctor can identify these. In the end, it has been building core strength and correcting my posture that have helped. It is 4 months later and I still have tingling and burning in my feet.

I found this book easy to read and pick up and find pages at random however, would like to read some other book on the same subject to compare detail. Seems to differ slightly from internet information I've found - by and large very helpful, had some trouble getting the ph test kits and not sure now that I've got the right ones, detail in that sphere would have been more helpful. The whole concept is of great interest to me and seems to be of great assistance.

I purchased this book as I began my own research into adapting a pH balanced diet. It has been very helpful. I also believe it is easier to read and absorb the information over some of the other books on the same subject. It offers an easy to follow diet, if one wants to go 100% into the program. For others, the information provided is easy to adapt into any diet program. Simple to follow recipes are included too, some I have tried with good results.

If you are trying to be healthy and believe you need divine intervention to make this happen, this book will be a helpful guide. It is an easy read and highly motivating. Even without a structured diet plan, the discipline techniques presented will help improve your health. I have read a lot of health motivational books, and this is my favorite.

EXCELLENT BOOK. DAILY GUIDANCE;EASY TO FOLLOW. LEARNING TO TURN CONTROL OF YOUR EATING OVER TO GOD AND NOT RELYING ON YOUR OWN WILLPOWER. I LOVE THE BOOK TO HELP ME TO REMEMBER I DON'T JUST HAVE AN EATING PROBLEM BUT ALSO A SPIRTUAL PROBLEM AND I NEED GOD'S HELP. THIS BOOK SEEMS TO BE HELPING ME ALREADY EVEN AFTER THE FIRST WEEK!

My church is using this paperback for a Bible Study. The only thing is the Bible Study is during the day. I checked out the book, and decided it was something I could do on my own. I used it for 40 days during Lent. The book instructs you to make a notebook for notes..journal writing, prayer, scripture, food for thought. I recommend you do this also. Each of the 40 days you work through this book (which only takes about 10-15 min. a day) you will learn something new or come away thinking about what was stated that day. I have since ordered a copy of this and The Dieter's Prayer Book for each of my Bible Study ladies (and a few close friends) They have all enjoyed it. Buy this book! You will love it! Once I finished the book, I just started a second round.

This is a really great book for a healthy, spiritual way to lose weight. It really challenges you to focus on surrending to God and stop relying on your own strength. I highly recommend it!

We're using this book as a guide for a spring Bible study at our church. It has been a great resource for our lively discussions of diet, discipline, and discipleship.