Naturopathy Books

A friend recommended this book as we both started our second pregnancies. I'm so glad she did!! This book is great for first time moms and moms who have already had their first babies - excellent perspectives on what we go through after birth and gentle, reassuring advice on how to cope. A must read!

Aviva Jill Romm's book is destined to have widespread appeal for its compassionate and wise advice. I am grateful to Aviva for having so much vital information in one volume. The topics are Herbs, Nutrition, Yoga, and Practical Wisdom and sagely begins with Chapter One -- The Birth of a Mother. Her chapter on Replenishing Yourself -- Body, Mind and Spirit is particularly wonderful and the photos of the mother and newborns are full of soul. Both Robin Lim's (After The Baby's Birth) and Aviva's books make the best baby shower / Blessing Way gifts! For too many years postpartum has been neglected in terms of self-help guidebooks and within a moon of one another in 2002 came two excellent contributions to what I hope to see is the growing body of knowledge for new mothers. This is a book I will give my children and grandchildren!

This is a good book for quick information about different essence sets

it is helpful when dealing with others that need a close substitute for one essence or another that is close and a quick synopsis of essences in different company sets including combinations.

I am glad they have included some combinations, for instance in the repertory they hyperactive they have the Australian Bush Flower Essences combination called Cognis and other essences that could be used.

It is now one of my reference books. It is replacing "The flower remedy book" by Jeffrey Garson Shapiro as this book needs to be updated and it did not have any information about the different combinations different sets have. The flower remedy book is only a repertory

Louise

This book is fantastic. It covers flower remedies from all over the world.

I especially like the section in the back with recommendations for different illnesses, such as stop smoking and general addictions.

My only concern is that it is printed on really cheap paper and will not hold up well. It also has a very stiff glue binding that is too tight to allow the book to be opened completely. I'm afraid this book will not last very long. Which is a shame.

It should have been put on quality paper and possibly spiral bound. It is a great reference book and every flower essence user should have one.

I found the book to be very factual on how we contaminate our bodies. Good learning

There is a huge amount of good information in this book. I think she goes a little far in some of her recommendations but it's worth buying for all the information.

Thought the book is interesting. Its another viewpoint, and there are definitely some things I can agree with and recommend.
Some of it is easier to do than others.
I guess its a matter of choosing what one agrees with and then live with this new way of handling or preventing diseases.

I have read dozens of books on how to stay healthy and fit. In my opinion Hulda Clark's understanding of what went wrong and how to correct it are right on the mark.
To put everything into practice can be cumbersome and will require lifestyle changes. I've done some things. The results are worth it.

OK, this book may be highly controversial, but this woman is SUPER smart and has helped hundreds of people.

Although she brings a VERY necessary exposure to the major, if not only cause of most of our ailments to light, the rest of the book on the way of treating these parasites is pretty archaeic, to say the least.

There are many other ways to treat your body in killing these nasty little creatures, as well as the treatments she describes in her book, but the wormwood tinctures, etc are definately worth a try, even though it is a very lengthy process.

I am glad that I have this book in my library, but she SERIOUSLY overwhelms the reader with options that are not only very costly, but absolutely 'near' impossible in this day in age.

I say, if you are SERIOUSLY ill, you may want to heed to teachings in this book and make her suggested life-style alterations or go see her in her clinic in Mexico in person, otherwise, just a good informational read - just don't get freaked out by her suggestions.

Excellent book. I was looking for a book on nutrition and not DIET. This was very helpful. Very knowledgeable author and I plan to get more of his material.

I listened to this book several times and started doing most of his recommendations. It is a great kick start to getting healthy.

Although... he suggested purchasing several "tonics" or herbs from a health food store and start taking them to boost your immune system. I purchased astragalus and took 1 pill and spent the entire night throwing up. Apparently I was allergic... who knew?

My favorite recommendations that I have stuck to are to get rid of all products containing "Hydrogenated oils" of any kind. (All cookies, crackers, most chips and 90% of boxed food.) Eating more meals with soy. I actually went Vegetarian after seeing the DVD "Eating" shortly after starting his program. Bringing more plants and flowers into the house. Walking and a few breathing exercises.

Final synopsis: Its a great start to getting healthy but don't follow all his recommendations to a "T". Choose what you feel comfortable with.

Andrew Weil gives insights into living and feeling better through a practical, sensible approach in his eight week program. He uses diet, exercise, breathing techniques, and the incorporation of vital supplements, to name a few, to teach a better state of wellness. The program doesn't require insane life changes which makes it easier for anyone seeking better health to benefit. I use this book as a reference regularly.

Simple ideas for improving your health from a well respected doctor. Simple to read and understand without being boring.

I recently got a copy of the new expanded and updated edition and I must say there is alot of great information for a healthy lifestyle.I look at health related books as a buffet line where I pick and choose what is best for my lifestyle. There are lots of ideas to pick from here; there are many beneficial suggestions for the mind and body. Dr. Weil covers all the bases of well-being. He touches on the spiritual and mental aspect of optimum health, as well as exercise, including stretching and of course diet. The revised and updated information regarding cholesterol, anti-oxidants,soy products, vitamins and supplements etc. is in tune with the current times. There are many recipes to help you follow a healthy eating lifestyle that compliments the detailed information provided on specific foods. I found the information on certain herbs to be very interesting and helpful. The different sections begin with a healing story, they are usually inspirational and motivational to try Dr. Weil's suggestions on certain foods or herbs, that are, an alternative to traditional medicines. Much of the information is reinforcement of some of the life principles I have tried to establish for myself through the years and you might find such is the case for you. There is always room for improvement and the information is here in this book to help you achieve as the title suggests ,optimum health. There is no need to wait until you are sick as now is the best time to incoporate lifestyle changes beyond the 8 week introduction suggested by Dr. Weil. Dr. Weil has a good plan that more Americans should follow, it would help bring all of our health care costs down. The appendix has a very complete listing of places to get supplies, obtain certain foods or alternative services amongst other resources. Recommended for the well-being section of your home library.

This is not a bad book, however I think it is written more along physical than emotional lines, i.e. it suggests a high-fibre diet of at least 35 grams a day and a balanced diet focussing on typical fruits, veggies, etc. Some exercise. But nothing along behavioural lines. For me any long-lasting programme has to start with a very deep-rooted motivation where the will to follow a healthy diet outweighs the compulsion to eat. If the book does not address that compulsion to eat, it can only be a tool, not a programme.

I am however impressed with the product range she has created and am hoping to try out her shakes. She is obviously doing well financially and I cannot help but feel a little exploited when she gives statistics on the billions that are being raked in on products, services and programmes for people who want to loose weight. Obviously she landed in the right business.

I did learn something about fiber in the diet, but in general the book did nothing to motivate me along "wow" lines.

For example: the statement that in order to loose weight, you need to use less calories. Think there is more to losing weight than just less calories. At the very basic level it requires a major overhaul of perception and attitude, training of behaviour, fundamental lifestyle changes, and yes diet as a tool. So as a tool the book is not too bad. Once I have got my attitude straightened out with wanting to loose weight more than giving up on compulsive eating, then yes, her programme may have a good place in my life. Am going to invest in the shakes.

I am new to the whole organic/herbal thing. This book is the right information for me at the right time. I began this "diet" before receiving the book (I read the first 3 chapters in the book store) and am completely satisfied! I feel better and am losing weight. She shares her knowledge in a way that someone as new to all of this as me can understand.

I am very happy with this book. I was more interested in improving my nutrition rather than weight loss. It is informative and an easy read. But in addition to this, it provides a lot of practical information: fiber content in different foods; recipes and sample meal plans. It couldn't be easier to follow.

I enjoyed the information. I am already doing weight training, cardio, and 6 meals a day as Tom Venuto recommends at www.burnthefat.com . I bought some fiber choice fiber wafers at Sam's Club for cheap and I eat a few Kashi Bars each day. I am up to 40 grams a day of fiber and it does help keep everything regular.

I watched her video on PBS.

Thin people know fiber does help you lose weight. Diabetics know that they need fiber along with fruits. No more juice, eat the fruit with the fiber in it or blend it in a blender. Fiber slows down the glycemic load, or to say another way... it slows down the sugar in your body and doesn't spike it. That's hard on everyone especially diabetics. Fiber is a bit of a carb blocker, but it is natural and doesn't have the other bad effects that carb blockers may prove to have in the future. This book also explains how eating often every 2-3 hours tiny meals with fiber will help rev. up the metabolism. Who can't use that! Get more fiber. It is easy. So many products on the market. And get rid of the overprocessed carbs. the bad ones. The white breads, white rices etc. This book will help you understand how fiber helps everyone.

Great book. Found the rationale to be sensible and based on common sense information. Loved the 8 week program. Am trying it now and find it is working for me very well. Overall, learned a lot about alternative medicine and how to take a different view of illness.

Being a current college student I face various abuses in my life such as alcohol consumption, smoking and stress. I wanted a book that would give me a natural way to repair my body and at the same time change my bad lifestyle. Spontaneous Healing: Discover and Enhance Your Body's Natural Ability To Maintain and Heal Itself by Andrew Weil M.D., provides its readers with vital information to promote healing internally and externally. It is through natural alternatives, methods and remedies that keep the body consistently healthy or eradicating diseases from the body without harming the balance of it. Andrew Weil who exposes the reader to alternative methods that the conventional medical community has diagnosed without success. Everyone should know the various options available to them and the book is a phenomenal guide in exposing its readers to the natural way to a healthy life.
Andrew Weil M.D has compiled various testimonials from his associates, clients and friends and listed the various illnesses that people have suffered and the success they went through by changing their lifestyle and not accepting the negative end that the conventional medicine has placed upon them. The story that made an impact on me was the story of Mark M. He is a man infected with AIDS virus and was projected to die in two years yet he defied the doctors prognosis by following his instinct by changing his diet and lifestyle. Mark M. is an example of a man that took matters in his own hands. This made an impact to me because sometimes you have to be proactive in you health and never settle with one prognosis. Always remember that this is you life and that one should knows what works for them.
The book has given me an insight to find a center in my life. It has given me tips on ways of dealing with stress and one step at a time guide to gradually having a healthy diet. Cleansing both my internal and mental mind made my body more holistic and healthy. It made me more aware of the various factors that can affect one's body in a negative way like stress and pollutants. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a healthy life from now on and in the future.

I have long been a fan of Weil's works, and I bet this book is just as good as all the rest.

However the audio book is terrible. The nasal, robotic reader suppliments the work with unrythmic pauses that are very distracting. I was determined to listen to this book out of loyalty to Weil, but was unable to get through the first side of the first cassette. I have literally never heard a worse audio book.

If you are going to buy this book, save money and get the paper version.

I bought Spontaneous Healing to be a companion to my other books by Dr Weil. I had truly enjoyed both 8 Weeks to Optimum Health and Natural Health, Natural Medicine. This is yet another excellent resource on how to integrate "alternative" medical practices with what you already know in order to achieve natural healing and wellness. Much of what he says are things that we already know: exercise is good, we need to eat more vegetables and fiber, get enough rest, and so on. But he also has new ideas presented here, as well as in his other books. I'm especially impressed with the breathing techniques. I was very skeptical that something as simple as breathing could have an impact on how I was feeling. But it really does make a difference! (The "waking up" technique saved me in college when I had no coffee).

My only criticism for this book is that the philosophy is "believe you'll be well, visualize being well, and it will happen." I agree that the mind plays a large role in our health, but I don't think that mind power alone will save you from all ailments. One example in the book is actually a woman who beat cancer without going through traditional treatments or chemotherapy. I find that wonderful and inspiring, but a bit unrealistic.

This book focuses on Healing in particular, so I would definitely take that into account when making a purchase. It talks about overcoming various health problems and has several good tips about health in general. But unless you're specifically looking for such a resource, I would recommed getting a book that covers health in a more general way such as Natural Health, Natural Medicine. If you're a pretty healthy person, this book really isn't really necessary.

Andrew Weil's basic premise in "Spontaneous Healing"-that that body can heal itself-is one of my own most cherished beliefs, and I have found the experience of reading Dr. Weil at a time when I am recovering from an illness to be particularly inspiring and informative. That is not to say that the book is for those who are currently ill; indeed, Dr. Weil focuses as much on prevention as healing. But for those who are ill this book can be an illumination. I have read Dr. Weil's "Health and Healing" so I was familiar with his ideas about healing and medicine, but the lucidity of his writing here eclipses that early book and brings his points home as clearly and simply as possible.

Dr. Weil believes that allopathic doctors need to pay more attention to nurturing the body's inherent ability to heal, instead of administering medicine. He argues again and again that allopathic medicine, while extremely valuable in certain illnesses, is, for the most part, not a very good solution to many types of illness. Often allopathic medicine is merely suppressive. This is definitely the case with medicines that treat autoimmune disorders and digestive disorders like ulcerative colitis-once the medicine is stopped, symptoms often return, sometimes worse. This is one of the reasons I refused to take Colozal for ulcerative colitis. According to my gastroenterologist, Colozal treats the symptoms of colitis efficiently, yet one has to stay on the medicine indefinitely for the "cure" to be effective. In fact this is not a cure at all. Real healing occurs when the body is given a chance to heal. To this end, Dr. Weil suggests alternatives to allopathic medicine: lifestyle changes, diets recommendations, and certain tonics. These alternatives do not merely combat specific germs or suppress symptoms, but rather work with the bodies natural defenses to promote healing.

People have treated themselves successfully with alternative remedies for years. Here, Dr. Weil gives numerous case examples. Indeed, testimonials form the basis of much of his knowledge of healing. He argues, lucidly, that testimonials should not be ignored but taken very seriously; they should even be studied. While Dr. Weil scrutinizes the stories he hears very carefully, and is reluctant to take every story of healing at face value, he understands that "testimonials are important pieces of evidence." He writes: "They are not necessarily testimony to the value of particular healers and products. Rather, they are testimony to the human capacity for healing. The evidence is incontrovertible that body is capable of healing itself."

Without the help of testimonials I would have never used Ayurvedic medication for my ulcerative colitis symptoms. Yet, I was convinced by the simple power of other's people's stories of healing. (One of Dr. Weil's "Seven Strategies of Successful Patients" is, "Seek out other who have been healed.") And now I can offer other people my own story of healing.

The sections on the role of spirit and mind in healing struck me as the most important in the book. Why has the medical profession abandoned the idea of psychosomatic illness? Dr. Weil cites several testimonials of people using the power of the mind and spirit to cure serious illness. He even mentions Dr, John Sarno, whose book "The Mindbody Prescription" helped me tremendously when I was first diagnosed with my own illness.

Simply put, this book is important. I recommend it highly.

I knew absolutely nothing about hand-milled soap making or soap making period and I picked this book up, read it cover to cover and enjoyed it all. I then bought my supplies (the very few I didn't already have in my kitchen) and some ingredients for two of the receipes and the rest is history. My teenage daughter and I spent the weekend making soap and we had a blast! All the steps in this book worked perfectly, although at first we struggled with the amount of time to melt the soap. Eventually we got it though and within a weekend we had our kitchen full of a variety of shapped soaps that began the curing process. I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have the interest in creating soap from scratch (mixing with lye, etc). It has beautiful pictures and many creative ideas for wrapping. Love this book!

If you want an easy way to personalize soaps for gifts or make other "spa" product for yourself and others this is a great starter book. It is well illustrated, great packaging ideas and label templates. Easy recipes to follow. It is exactly what I was looking for since I dabble in lots of crafts and am an expert at none!

I have to disagree with the previous reviewer about this book. I totally agree that it is definitely not a book for Soapmakers who use Hot or Cold Process Soapmaking like I orginally wanted, but it was certainly very helpfull. Her tips for making Hand-Milled Soap from store-bought soap was excellent. I currently live in the Caribbean where you can't find anything quite easy. I found a Hypo-Allergenic Soap Bar called Pure & Natural that was perfect. Matter of fact, I made one of her recipes yesterday using a PVC Mold, and it came out beautifully. As far as using Petroleum Jelly to release the Soap from the mold, it worked like a charm, just like she indicated in her book.

There are alot of recipes in this book that can be used in regular soapmaking. I also love the idea that the book also has recipes and teaches you how to make Bath & Massage Oils, Solid Massage Oils, Bath Salts & Fizzies, as well as packaging and decorating your handmade items.

Thumbs up for Marie.

Even though this book is entitled "Natural Soapmaking" it really refers using items such as herbs, etc in your soaps and not to the cold process you would doing when making soaps with lye (which can take a month to cure). These are easy receipes for someone just starting out and want to learn creative ways make soaps which gives you immediate results. It gives good instructions and information about aromatherapy, what different colors mean and what certain herbs to enhance your soaps. Although, she recommends putting Vaseline in the molds to assist with the releasing of the mold - you really do not need to do that! As long as you wait for the soap to harden completely that step is unnecessary! And for the cold process/lye makers you may want to pass on this one because you may be disappointed! It is a great addition to your Melt and Pour Soapmaking by the same author!

People who really make soap - and contrary to what others have said, it is far from an arduous or time consuming process, should do themselves a favor and pass on this book. Natural soapmaking means using lye and oils, not breaking down someone else's soap and reconstituting it.

Waste of money.

Theory is important, as is history, but let's be honest - practice is where it's at. And I found the recipe section to be sorely lacking. The crab bisque with piss is lovely, but come on - how about detailing some other soups. I guess you can technically augment any soup with your whizz, but some work better than others (cream of tomato? ick!), and if the authors already know this, they could certainly have saved us some time. My family refuses to taste-test my little soup experiments for whatever reason, so I bet I've spent a month now trying all the different variations. And how about the cocktail section? The piss n' tonic is pretty standard and not that hard to figure out by oneself. Why waste ink on that when we might have gotten into some more complicated and festive summer punches and fizzes? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort overall. I just hope somebody will put a bit of effort into the various ways to entertain with piss and to more palatably enjoy it oneself.

And I don't even like V8, but anything beats the recycling system offered in this book. And I like recycling, too.

This one's a little too salty for me. A "pisser," as they said in my backwards suburban youth, this is not.

It works people. You just have to do it safely. For women, mid stream, build up slowly to 1 glass a day. Do it in the early morning as that is the most nutritional of the day. It is antiseptic for a max of 15 minutes and then it is the opposite. It is tasteless if your diet is excellent. If you eat a highly processed diet you will taste the chemicals in those foods and it will taste horrid. My diet is healthy so it doesn't have any taste at all. If you try it and it seems salty well there is your diet again telling you something. I've used it to heal wounds on my hands when nothing else was helping. The prime minister of India who was known for this habit lived well into his 90's and had no maladies.

The book is vary good, BUT it depends on changing your lifestyle, and changing the way you eat. Which is VARY GOOD, eating more fresh vegetables& fruit, cutting down on the meat (colestrol). It takes a little bit of getting used to and it is the only thing that will get you back into shape.BUT IT IS WORTH THE TROUBLE. The book "The Hippocrates Diet" by Ann Wigmore, and "The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook" are the best combo of books to let your body back to doing what GOD made it to do, That is to get well and stay well. I HAVE NOT used the Urine Therapy, so I can't say wheather it works or not. A person should not knock something they have not tried. It may be JUST WHAT YOU NEED for your ailment.

We has been doing the drink of fermented horse urine for the many decades here in my home village in Kazakhstan. Are particular excellent results--High Five!!--for Village Idiot Bogdan who also is teacher at school. We now export to capital city in exchange for bladderwort cake. Everyone in village very happy for to drink continually especial during festival for Blotov the Coward, hero of Great Patriotic War.

This Book is a Go Start!!! It explains everything you want to know about Colonics from A-Z. If you ever been curious what's Colonics, Colon Hydrotherapy i recommend this book to everyone. It really helped me change my life and the way i look at Health Alternative. I also discovered a great colonic center near me FiveStarColonic.com Check them out!! Stay Healthy & God Bless

When I read this book, suggested by my ND, I no longer felt crazy and alone. All the things that you go through when you have Leaky Gut is overwhelming. To hear from someone who went through it and is on the other side is very encouraging! A must read for someone who has Leaky Gut Syndrome, Candida, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, or a myriad of symptoms.

This was packed with information and lots of tips and help. This book had tons of important points and suggestions. If you are toxic (and we all are) you may want to start with this book.

I thought this book was really helpful for those who are stuggling with their weight or have digestive issues but are unclear why.

The book is organized in sections which make it a breeze to read. The author recounts specific events that happened to her throughout the piece which makes it that much more credible.

I read this book, and found it to pretty much be a rehash of ideas and theories that have been around the internet and "hypochondriac" community for a while (I say hypochondriac community because that's how most doctors treat us and we're left to go find our own solutions).

There were NO surprises in this book. No new information. Its been around for years.

Some of these remedies might have worked for some people, but from what I can glean from internet discussion groups, most have not found relief from them, including myself, and rarely, if ever, have all the remedies worked on one person.

This book might be on the up and up, but in the end I was left feeling that this was more of an advertisement by a doctor looking for patients, rather than an autobiography.

I would be interested to hear if any of the other posters have found relief from what is in this book, or are they simply running on hope and some sort of validation that they are not really hypochondriacs, but victims of some medical community scam. If not, you've got to wonder if its not just one more scam preying on those in need.

Been there, done that.

While I agree that people should explore different forms of eating, one diet does not suit all. Also I found some of Ehret's comments offensive since I am White and of European decent. He should have left his prejudices in the closet and focused on scientific and unbiased researched opinions. Good health means a good heart as well. Many physicians ignore just how much your outlook can affect your health. Fasting is not a way of life nor should it be. It needs to be monitored and depending on the person or body type not necessarily the best solution. Ridding your diet of processed, refined foods is the first step. Doing this, you will discover in time the foods that you are sensitive to and then can avoid them. Fasting and starvation is not a healthy way to live. You will eventuallly deplete yourself.

To many, many if not all of Ehrets' works are Bibles of Authority.
Tread wisely and lightly.

Arnold Ehret is a true leader and master in his field, but for many his field is a field of misery and misunderstanding.

Use what you can and leave the rest, there is plently to learn from this master and plently to overturn.

His agenda was to get well, and with that in mind you cannot go wrong, but it takes diligent hard work and sacrifice and thats the rub...!

Enjoy!

I follow a relatively strict, vegan eating regime, so his method is not even as strict as mine. If you are trying to make a change from the average american, carnivore way of eating, this is not the book for you. Read it only if you are very serious and dedicated about your diet and nutritional habits.

This book gives a detailed diet for healing through fasting and dietary modification. Far ahead of his time in developing low fat/low carb diets.

The dynamic tension exercises are easy and very helpful, like a quick 'adjustment', but with you in control.

Dr. Ehret's 'new' physiology, with the lungs as the PUMP and the heart as a valve, give new understanding to our physical problems and how the body really works.

His untimely death was a great loss to our world, since his message is capable of redirecting our habits and culture to a much better world of health and longevity.

The basic idea of avoiding certain foods that aren't good for the body is worthwhile. However, the book rambles in information that isn't that helpful. The key is eating more vegetables and fruits and avoiding mucus causing foods. An internet search may give you the quick information of this and you can skip this book. Also, books that deal with getting rid of inflamation in the body will be helpful. It is amazing how many diseases and ailments can be healed by changing what we eat... choose well for a healing fountain of youth!