Diet Health Books

Well, being a French trained cook, I didn't believe there was life without butter, creme fraiche, or triple cream cheese. A wake-up call of high cholesterol made me look for a tool to help reduce my numbers.

This appealing book has certainly helped me change my lifestyle into a healthier one. Her book, with excellent food resources and recipes has kept me interested and satiated for over a year! I have dropped 50 points and plan on giving a copy to my primary care physician for her office. I don't even miss those high fat ingredients of yesteryear. (ok, maybe a little!) Thanks, Catherine for your creativity and meticulous and delectable recipes. I await volume 2!

Following the advice in this book reduced my total cholesterol by 30 points, and my waistline by 15 pounds! No other book has been able to deliver like this one. I'm never bored by the recipes, and Jones makes it easy to shop, eat, and live a healthy life. Totally delectable and worth every penny.

We're discovering this cook book and we're just loving it. Last night we did a vegetarian meal that featured the Healthy Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Radishes, Hearts of Palm, Tomato and Asparagus Salad, and the Romaine Lettuce with Chickpeas, Feta and Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette.... DELISH and totally filling.

We're also big fans of:

Chicken, Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomato, Olive, and Feta Cheese Pasta Salad
Chicken Fajitas with Homemade Guacamole (YUM! - Served it at a dinner party and it was a huge hit)
Feta and Fresh Basil Chicken Burgers
Turkey Loaf
Southwestern Breakfast Burrito

The recipes are very easy to make. The ingredients affordable. And the taste is something everyone in the family will appreciate!!!

This book has a very good introduction on how to change the way you cook and eat. The recipes are simple and easy to prepare. Basically shows how to replace high calorie ingredients with low-fat, non-fat ingredients. Quite good overall.

I have loved all the recipes so far. Recipes use some of the same ingredients so that you don't have to spend tons of money. Nice information sections of foods to stay away from and why. I feel heart healthier already.

Received item promptly in very good condition. Initial examination of the book provided interesting new information about the subject and validated some prior thoughts about hypertension. Am very pleased with the purchase.

A Vital New Program to Prevent, Treat, and Reduce High Blood Pressure by Julian M. Whitaker is an extremely easy to follow guide on hypertension, its reasons and effect on our body. The traditional medical establishment has very little clue as to what causes and what to do about many diseases. But, here the author knows his subject very well and is an expert in making the layman understand what he has to tell. Every person who is suffering from hypertension should read this book and their next visit to their doctors will be more enlightening.

After reading this book I have decided to give up my coffee habit and I was fortunate enough to find out a find a wonderful tasting replacement made from soyabeans. You brew like coffee and it even helps lower my cholesterol. I found it online at www.S o y c o f f e e.c o m. Gaining this understanding will effect every move you make from this point on and will bring with it the necessity to share it. I am sure, once you try this out, you too will never go for your normal coffee.

Your doctor may have never told you that most blood pressure medicine is dangerous, that for some people, reducing salt intake and drinking more water is as effective as diuretics and much safer, and that in most cases hypertension is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. This information, and much more, is backed up by 28 pages of references.
I have followed some of the guidelines for about two weeks and have already seen a decrease in both my systolic and diastolic pressures. I have not yet started eating tofu, and have not given up beef, but am reducing salt intake, choosing complex carbs over simple sugars, and eating fruit rich in potassium, calcum and magnesium. Some of the recommended changes are difficult, some are refreshing.
This book is intended for people who are "proactively involved in their health...and highly motivated to modify their diets and make other lifestyle changes..." It's not for everyone. It calls for changing eating habits and exercising regularly, as well as reducing stress. But even if one does not follow the book's advice to a tee, they can probably benefit from it.
I recommend Reversing Hypertension to anyone who needs to reduce their blood pressure, doesn't want to risk taking medicines that can be more dangerous than hyertension ,and is willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes.

This book is a wealth of information whether you chose to follow it or stay within the conventional medical system. At the absolute least this book provides information to allow you to be in charge of your 'own' health care on this important issue. A best it can provide you with a safer and healthier natural alternative to unsafe and ineffective medications. I have bought 4 copies of this books and given it to people I care about.

This book seems be based on research done by other doctors who do not own a supplement company.
I bought this book because I could not get good advice on supplements from my doctor.
The advice is very good, although copied, but the supplement advice points the reader toward the Whitaker Institute, which seem to do more research on how to sell vitamins for more moeny than research on curing heart disease
The supplements sold by Dr. Whitaker's company are much higher priced than the exact same supplements sold by other reputable supplement comapanies like Puritan's Pride, The vitamin Shoppe, Swansons vitamins etc.
I prefer other books on this subject sold by amazon, particulary one written by Dr. Houston, who runs a hospital research institute and does not own a supplement company.
I find it hard to believe the advice on supplements from a man who is charging triple prices for the supplements that he reccomends in his book.

Elwin Bagley

I have given this book to so many people...
This book gives it to you straight re: excersize, nutrition, and lifestyle habits that promote lasting health. It's expecially poignant for woman .. but applies to all. Great for those who lack motivation and who think the mountain to physical well being is just too great OR for those who think they just don't have time for themselves. Joyce did her homework. It's an easy read and technically sound.
HIGHLY recommend it!

I buy a lot of Joyce Meyer's books. She relates to us humans and their relationship to God in a real-life way. She is great. I read this book in one day. Ate it right up!

This book helped me look at myself and get on the ball to do something different. I can no longer expect different results by doing the same thing. If I want different results I must do something different. What a great book to get me inspired to do just that.

Joyce Meyers has done a great job on this book. It is very motivating and spiritual for living right and happy. I enjoy going back to reading it for motivation when you start feeling depressed, etc.

This book not only changed the way I looked at food but it changed my way of eating and opened my eyes to notice how my body reacted to food. This is an awsome book and I hope to find more books with a biblical fountain to make better choices of what I put and do not put in my body and live my life.

I enjoyed reading this book and have already benefited from the exercises.
I recommed it to all seniors.

The title says it all...this book shows you in simple terms and easy to follow instructions the path to flexibility..strength and inner peace. I hope to see more books and maybe videos by Sifu Phil. Truly a great teacher.

A truly "dumb" book - there are several other pregnancy guides that are much more useful (and still easy to navigate).

I love the for dummies books and this book was no exception. These books are great to read from cover to cover or you can read any segment and find just the bit of information you're looking for. I feel very prepared for my pregnancy and know what to expect and when I should be on the phone with my doctor. I've recommended it to all of my pregnant friends and I would recommend it to anyone else who is pregnant or who is trying to become pregnant.

Having just read back to back Pregnancy for Dummies and Idiots Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth. I thought I'd share some thoughts on one vs. the other, seeing as they are so similar.
Dummies good: Chronology of pregnancy process week by week. I am referencing this now as my friends are going through their pregnancies to get an idea of what they are going through at whatever week they are at. Goes over common pregnancy myths.
Dummies bad: "Daddy Alerts" totally belittling of men. No discussion of mother/parents relationship stability or network. No mention of home pregnancy tests.
Idiots good: More information in more detail. Just simply covers more ground. Also has week by week chronology section, it's just not wholly structured that way as Dummies is.
Idiots bad: Same absence of relationship/network or over the counter tests.
Hope this helps someone along in comparing the two. If someones attention span is shorter go for Dummies. If you want a little more detail, Idiots is better. The Mayo Clinic guide seems to be the most highly praised overall pregnancy book out there, and I'll get one for reference, but as a cover to cover book, I wasn't that brave. Both of these are decent for what they are, intros for the clueless.

This book is so much better than "What to Expect when you are Expecting"
That book makes you so scared of every little thing, where as this book is written by doctors and is much more positive!! I wish I would have read this one before even picking up any others. Very good book.

I bought this book not realizing that it was the UK edition. So the book spends a bit of time going over UK health care, welfare and medical benefits of UK citizens. Since I am American none of this pertained to me. Also some of the vernacular is different, understandable but different (mum = mom, labor = Labour). Some words were confusing if you didn't spend a minute to look them up such as Paracetamol (thats actually tylenol). Also things such as the food guide pyramid are different because each country has its own pyramid. If you are not from the UK, keep looking until you find the US version. THe technical baby stuff is the same, but much of the other stuff is much different. You will be much happier if you get the US version. If you are from the UK - You will love it

This book is amazing! It is exactly the solution I needed! It explains, in detail, what is happening to my forty something body. My body has been changing for years now, and the weight has piled on and the old solutions just don't do it anymore. This book has helped me to understand that this has been going on for awhile and unless I change the way I treat my body, it will not get any better. It's not about DIET, but about what you eat and when you eat it. It's about recognizing when stress hits and navigating through it in a non-destructive manor. I now have hope and can't wait to begin this new journey. I realize that without my health and well being, I have nothing. Thanks!

I haven't even finished this book and I've lost 10 pounds. This is the first weight loss in 5 years for me and all I did was change the times I eat! Pamela Peeke is the first doctor to truly understand and work with how a woman's body changes during perimenopause and menopause and it really validates you as a person. You aren't nuts; you really are changing. I can't believe how motivated I am. This is a definite buy and a book that I will save and give to my own daughter.

I'm a Stress Overeater over 50 and this book explains a lot. It also explains why it is necessary, not overindulgent, to continue with my twice per week personal trainer for upper body and core workouts (which I rarely would do on my own) and my twice per week long hikes. I have made other changes which have helped me slowly but surely "remove" the excess weight. If I don't do something perfectly, I don't stress over it, which helps in the long run. For some reason, this book made sense to me and convinced me of what habits I need to stop, continue, and do more of.

I also can spot stress undereaters, and I am now more compassionate than envious (the ones I know are thin and look good, but I know they are also stressed.)

The book was great information and it seems to be working.

I first heard about Dr. Peeke on Discovery Channel's Body Challenge. I read this book cover to cover and it hit me; this is why I've had trouble losing weight! It helped me to understand how stress-eating was affecting my inability to lose weight; or to keep it off. I highly recommend this book and I'm not kidding about how much help it's been to me. The proof is in the 24 lbs lost and 4% fat loss in 10 weeks! What do you have to lose???

I bought this book for my mom who recently was put on a low salt diet due to going on warfen. She has found it to be very helpful in planning her meals and was able to use it also for helping plan meals for my father who is diabetic. She can find not only salt amounts, but also fat, sugar, and other information. She calls it her food Bible.

I like the ease of use of the book for shopping/eating out. However, sure do wish the "regular" grocery stores carried more products.

Very detailed and helpful in listing types of food and specific brand names including, for example, individual entrees that are low in sodium. I have found it very helpful in my grocery shopping.

This book was extremely helpful in determining what foods my father was able to consume.
It was easy to follow and very dense with information. I was very pleased with this purchase.

This book is pretty simple to follow and fairly easy to use in general, but I have never heard of over 90% of the Brand Names for food items listed. I mean never. I do a ton of internet shopping and do my grocery shopping in multiple stores, and yet the vast majority of these "Name Brands" are totally foreign to me. Just for research, I tried looking for some of the brands on the internet, and couldn't find them. How is that going to help me shop for low-sodium foods in my local grocery stores? I don't feel I can use the Generic nutritional info, as there is really no way to know just how realistic those may be, as prepared food recipes can vary quite a bit from brand to brand and store to store.

I do find the listings for popular National chain restaurants and fast food places to be very informative, and have pretty much decided that I can never ever eat at any of those places ever ever again.

I guess I will just have to continue reading the nutritional labels of every single last grocery product I pick up in the supermarket, and resign to the fact that it's unhealthy to eat any entrée at any chain restaurant.

The Diet in this book was good but difficult to follow. I finally counln't continue with it.

This diet works! Wine, in moderation may be consumed.The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution

If you read "Protein Power" but were befuddled by the diagrams and medical terminology and just wanted to know how it worked, "The 30-Day Low Carb Diet Solution" is what you're looking for. Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades give a simple, jargon-free explanation about how the diet works, then provide meal plans and recipes to get you started. It makes everything very easy to understand and you can jump right into it. The only annoying thing is that the book seems to be a pimp for the larger and way more detailed "Protein Power Lifeplan," as it's mentioned frequently in the body of the book. Still, if you're interested in low-carb this is a very good overview.

I bought this book for my son-in-law who needed to lose some weight. He followed the diet for the 30 days, lost about 10 pounds, passed his physical and then stopped the diet. :-(

But it was easy enough for him to pick up and follow - just not convincing enough for him to stick with it!

I LIKE THE BOOK AND I GOT MY BOOK IN 2DAYS.

I have to echo some of the other comments made -- the book is definitely worth a read, but has some flaws as well (lack of references, dubious statistical claims, etc). Also, a significant amount of the book is devoted to discussion of orthmolecular treatments for disease.

I think for a majority of consumers, Linus Pauling's "How to Live Longer and Feel Better" is a better first choice since has a more thorough review of how the "orthomolecular lifestyle" might help healthy individuals.

This is not to take away from dr. Hoffer's work, however, and if you are either done with Pauling's book or interested in psychiatry then this is for you.

This book is based on the science and art of healing with nutrition therapy. Yes, while it can be argued that if you eat properly you don't need supplements; very few people have a perfect diet. He believes that what we put in our mouth is what creates our health or lack of, including mental health.

His average anti-stress vitamin formula
B1 - between 100 and 300 mg.
Niacin B3 - between 3,000 mg.-6,000 people with high cholesterol should take the nicotinic acid form.
Pantothenic acid - 100 mg. to 300 mg.
Vitamin C - 3,000 mg. to 6,000 mg.
Vitamin E - 200 I.U. to 800 I.U.
Vitamin A & D - together in 3 to 9 cod liver oil capsules
Calcium & magnesium - together in 3 to 6 dolomite tablets
Zinc - 30 mg. to 60 mg.

He goes through the following vitamins A, B, C and D. For instance, Vitamin C - 8 grams a day is required to prevent colds. Every person suffers from a deficiency, sort of a subclinical scurvy, because the human body does not manufacture it. With scurvy, the blood vessels become weak, and fluid leaks from them into the skin and tissues. The body manufactures cholesterol to plug the leaks and it is deposited onto the walls of the vessels which initiates arteriosclerosis. This is one of the main factors contributing to cardiovascular disease including strokes and coronary disease.

He also talks a lot about zinc and manganese. For instance, in studies with rats and mice zinc insufficiency produced severe skin lesions similar to psoriasis; delayed wound healing; interrupted reproduction; and diminished learning capacity. Human skin holds about 20% of all the body's zinc. Zinc causes skin to be elastic, and without it there will be stretch marks all over the body. Hair and nails won't grow either, and nails will be brittle with white spots. The hair may loose pigment, and skin lesions may appear. Doctors often give zinc after burns, trauma and surgery as it increases the rate of healing.

This is a classic book on supplementing with megadoses of vitamin and minerals. It is backed up with good research and case studies. I recommend that anyone who is in the natural health field read it.

This is a great book. I would recommend that people read Linus Pauling's book "How to live longer and feel better" first. The Pauling book will give you more statistical information and support his arguments with clinical trials and double blind studies. This will give you a good foundation for reading this book which relies more on the author's own personal clinical experience. It's not scientifically oriented, but that does not mean that information is not of value. As a matter of fact, the information in this book helped my marriage. After reading the book, which talks quite a bit about food allergies and their symptoms (not just hives), I started to notice that my wife and I had arguments after she ate white processed flour. It could be a sandwich, a hamburger, some toast, but invariably, within an hour or two, she would start an argument about some minor insignificant thing (some of you might be able to relate to that). Since we have been watching our diet and cutting out "bad" food, our marriage has improved. But "cheat" days that were usually on weekends were days when we would argue. This book helped me figure out the "why" behind my wife's sudden irrationality and irritability.

No promises that it will save your marriage, but it does help open your eyes to different things to look at that could be the root cause of behavioral issues.

With regards to megavitamin dosing...anything taken in excess can be toxic, even water. But the levels of needed to reach toxicity are very very large and it is fairly difficult to reach. For example, B3 can cause liver TESTS to show abnormal. But stopping the B3 for 5 days will show the liver as normal again. Restarting will generally not reproduce poor test results again...and this with the niacinamide form of the vitamin, not the other forms. In addition, they just call it "mega" vitamin dosing because the amounts suggested are larger than the RDA, which is a suggested amount to avoid illness. The RDA is not an amount that promotes health. It's like saying that it's recommended that you drink 2 glasses of water a day. You'll probably live on 2 glasses a day, but 8 glasses a day is much better for your body and your health. Just keep everything in perspective and get the book...

This book is one of the best books on why you benefit from Vitamin C, E, the B's and niacin (which is one of the B's) that I have read. I keep it on my desk, and refer to it frequently. If you have high cholesterol you need to read this book.

This book is one of my class requirements. I have really enjoyed the information shared in this book. A lot of information about the B vitamins, and how vitamin deficiencies can create a myriad of symptoms. Muscle testing for food allergies is also explained in this book, and how important this fundamental procedure is to determining symptoms/weaknesses in our bodies. A very well written book. My only negative comment is that the author(s) seem to think meat and milk are somewhat important in our diets! Our intestines and teeth show the reasoning for us not consuming animal products, and the ill health of America today vs other countries with no or minimal meat consumption can certainly back up that statement!

After checking this book out from the library, I purchased it so I could make notes and use it as a reference along with my select few books on health and nutrition. Pages two and three bullet point interesting ideas like how certain food combinations will put a man to sleep but put a woman in the mood. Well, if that's in the book, I haven't found it yet. What I have found is endless reference to how I will feel once on the "Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution." But there is no solution, just a constant reference to it.


This book disappointed me so much because I loved the book, "How to Get What You Want, and Want What You Have." The book is about removing emotional blocks that prevent you from moving forward in life. Now that I've read this diet book, with so many questionable terms like, "cold pressed aloe vera" (what does that mean?) and his ideas about chromium, I'm ready to chuck everything. The worst part of the book for me was on food combining. He just combines everything as far as I can tell. Other books will have you not combining certain foods because they cause gas and acidity when mixed together. John Gray clearly is a novice in this field and though discovered some neato stuff in his research, should not have created his own system for others.

As for me, I've been studying health and nutrition for 25 years. I haven't been over weight in 27. I don't believe in dieting to lose weight, but I do believe in proper nutrition. At a bargain rate this book isn't worth it not to mention all the time you'll waste reading and being confused.

Although the content of this book is somewhat repetitious, the suggestions for boosting metabolism and improving diet are great. I'm drinking the activated water in the morning and bouncing and shaking my way to a day with increased metabolism and energy. I'm using the Isagenix shakes in the morning as part of this program and so far so good.

The Mars/Venus Diet and Exercise solution is the missing link in my life. For 20 years, I have searched for wholeness, of mind, body and spirit. I work tirelessly to release with the emotional and spiritual pain of my past so that I may grow spiritually. I pray and meditate daily. I exercised regularly and I eat as healthy as one can in West Texas, lots of fruits and vegies, limited fried food and sugar. With all of this, I still felt fatigued, irritable and overwhelmed. After reading Dr. John Gray's book, I began using the recommended products and information in he book. I have been amazed at the results in my life the lives of my family and friends. I have since been privately trained by him as a nutritional cleansing coach so that I may help others. His information about how diet and excercise effect addiction has literly allowed me to help many people who struggle with food and alcohol addiction. The information on brain chemistry is fascinating and brings to light the differences in men and women. My marriage has come alive and my 5 year old said, "Mommy, you and my sister (hormonal 12 year old) are so much nicer now!" This book is a must read for anyone who wants to fill better and who are committed to a life change.
Here's too a healthy life filled with joy, peace and happiness.
Becky Benes, onenessoflife.isagenix.com

However, my husband twisted my arm and I was tired of him nagging me, so what the heck. We both started the Isagenix program a couple of months ago and I just finished reading Dr. Gray's book. Neither of us really needed to lose weight, but I have a history of depression and PMDD (I've been on meds now for almost seven years). So two months later, I'm eating my words of skepticism. I am completely off one med, weaning from another and going to work on my blood pressure and cholesterol meds next. I am an entirely new person. I feel good, I have a lot more energy, my marriage is much improved and an added benefit, I've lost 10 pounds and my clothes fit much better. Our son has anger and aggression issues and so we started him on some supplements mentioned in the book and he is a brand new kid. He quit junk food, soda and is no longer craving nor asking for it. He's eating a lot more fruits and vegetables and has not had a single episode of aggression since about a week after starting the supplements. I've done a lot more research beyond just the book and find agreement with other health professionals (holistic) that back up his statements. So, I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. Seven years of hell with depression is enough to convince me that there must be something to it.

"Without a nutritious diet, we don't have the fuel to make more endophins." ~ pg. 102

If any book can be frustrating and enlightening at the same time it is "The Mars & Venus Diet and Exercise Solution." This book is filled to the brim with interesting information on dopamine, serotonin, testosterone and endorphins. You will learn about the top forty serotonin-producing foods and how to get endorphins to release into your body. There is also a good amount of information on how to make your relationships work. There seems to be a biological basis for everything John Gray has been teaching for years. He explains why women are obsessed with giving too much and how to get men to give more. It is logical and makes complete sense. He also gives some of the real reasons marriages fail. I thought some of the information was very interesting, especially about why men may become workaholics:

"By increasing mental stress by taking on too much work (deadlines and long hours), men in particular stimulate the production of endorphins to reduce mental distress and anxieties temporarily." ~ pg. 103

While this is very helpful and intellectually exciting, I think the actual diet can be confusing. In the section on following the Mars & Venus diet I came across many frustrating things. Each morning you are supposed to drink a glass of water enriched with lemon juice, honey, trace minerals and aloe vera juice. This drink is also taken after you exercise in the morning. That means you are taking minerals twice. The problem I see with this is that you are also taking trace minerals with your morning health shake. (This drink is also recommended for fasting - should you take that many minerals in a day?)

My main question really is: "Is it necessary to take so many trace minerals?" The morning shake is made with a number of ingredients that can also be found in the Mars & Venus Superfoods Shake. In fact, you can skip mixing up the shake from scratch and just purchase the shake online. My problem with the shake is that it contains blanched almond meal and I'm allergic to nuts in general.

I looked up the Isagenix products and read the lists of ingredients. There are three products you could buy even though John Gray also says you can find other brands (he doesn't mention which ones so I'll give you that information).

The products you can buy (at the Isagenix website) include the Mars & Venus Superfoods Shake ($45), the Super Cleanse ($30) and the Super Minerals (also contains lithium - $30). So you can get the entire program for under $105.

Some options for the same types of products (Total is $131 with the optional cleanse) include "Nature's Plus Spiru-tein Tangerine Dream (Nature's Plus - Tangerine Dream Spirutein Shake 1Lb - $18)" which I've taken for years (compare ingredients to the Mars & Venus Superfoods shake) and the addition of Omega 3 Fatty Acid capsules (Nordic Naturals - Complete Omega/Lemon, 1000 mg, 60 softgels - $17). If you want to add in Yucca try Solaray - Yucca - 100 Capsule - 490 mg - $6.

This is easier than making the shake and adding in flax seeds, protein powder, yucca, enzymes etc. If price is a factor then you can see the difference in price. However, I read the ingredients on the Mars & Venus Super Cleanse and found it is not as good a product as Dr. Natura's Cleansing Product Colonix - Internal Cleansing Program (Liver, Kidney, Colon, And Parasite Cleanse) - FREE UPGRADE TO EXPEDITED SHIPPING - $90). The thing to note about the Dr. Natura program is that the "Paranil" product has wormwood. This is not good to take for an extended period of time. The "Colonix" is a good cleanse on its own.

Once you read the book you can then use these ideas to your advantage. The ingredients recommended will optimize brain chemistry and this will make you feel better. I've been taking a shake with amino acids for years now and it does make you feel more healthy. The Nature's Plus Spiru-tein Tangerine Dream (or other flavors) is an excellent product that contains most of the ingredients (just take Yucca and Omega 3 capsules as well) in the Mars & Venus Shake.

To finish the book, John Gray also briefly discusses the benefits of aromatherapy. He also talks about spirituality and how dietary changes can even cause cancer to go into remission.

Overall I think this book is very enlightening. The frustrating part can be easily solved by buying the shakes in powder form. There just doesn't seem to be enough information to make the program work when mixing up the drink at home. I found that section to be very frustrating because no exact measurements were given.

~The Rebecca Review