Conditions and Diseases Books

If you want to understand your little friends and what can you do for them, read this book

This book is alright if you already have a diagnosis from your vet. But trying to figure out if something is wrong in the first place (symptoms)is not happening. Or perhaps your dog just has dry skin and a sensitive stomach..there is nothing in the book that helped me for less serious conditions either. Needless to say, I ended up returning the book.

I wish I had found this book sooner! My dog had a bulging disc and I needed something other then tradional meds (they were making him very ill). I researched everything I cold get my hands on and I have to say- this book is particularly fantastic as it's easy to read. It also lists the traditional meds and the alternatives which could complement those taditional meds. On top of that it lists other therapies such as chiropractic and acupuncture. Overall- it's easy to read, provides great info as well as accuracy. It's a fantastic reference to have for all animal owners!

My Bichon, Bailey, has food allergies. I bought this book to do research on this subject, and found it had lots of other very informative information. I am looking into natural homemade diets and natural care. It did the trick! It was very resonably priced for the size and information it has in it... Also so easy to read and understand.. I would highly recommend it!
Sharon Coombs
Herndon, Ky.

This is one of the more detailed books I have found. I also got Health for Happy Cats and Your Cat by Elizabeth Hodgkins. This one has a lot of details about what to feed, how to feed it, what the diseases are and what the treatments are. You can look it up by both disease and symptom and treatment, which is fantastic. They discuss pros and cons of various things. They also have a good section on cooking natural diet versus raw natural diet. They are more advocates of cooked diet as far as I can tell. They also have a few diets. If you are going to get one book on natural health for cats this should be it. there is a lot of information on supplements.

This book is well written and very understandable. The author provides information that everyone should know about how to eat.

This book has completely changed how I choose food--and I thought I already knew a lot about healthy eating. Now I know how to maximize nutrition even in the foods I already eat (like melon and broccoli) by how I cook and store them. I have seen a real difference in my nails and hair, and my eye doctor recently told me, after examining my eyes, "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it."

I love watching La Puma on his ChefMD.com website--he's funny and gives great advice. And his book is funny and well written. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately I found the Big Book of Culinary Medicine to be mainly boring with little new information to offer.

Thanks for bringing this topic into mainstream western medicine ~ most of what I learned about nutrition over the last 30+ years can be attributed to studying cultures who base their diet on their own medical systems, such as Indian cooking, based on Ayurvedic medicine. Books I read in the seventies and cooks I worked alongside of, knew the usefulness of each ingredient. It is truly amazing what we can do when we 'let food be our medicine'. I look very much forward to reading your book (will give it five stars for the idea alone), and having a blog to continue this evolving discussion is brilliant ~ see you there!

Found the book to be a little basic and was hoping for many more recipes. Good for folks who don't understand what their high sugar, high fat, low fiber diet is doing to them.

I have had Lupus for over 20 years & have been on about every medicine available WITH ALL THE BAD SIDE EFFECTS. I was skeptical about this diet but desperate for a safer way to get rid of the pain. My doctor was amazed at how quickly my pain went from a constant "9" to a "2" and stayed there! I am healthier than I've been in years!

Presents a good argument for adopting a vegan diet as an alternative for managing autoimmune system disorders. It may be worth a try in lieu of Prednisone, Plaqenil, Cellcept and every other drug my rheumatologist keeps prescribing.

This book is just what I was looking for- a guide to managing my Lupus-like disease naturally. I only started the diet 2 days ago, so I cannot yet vouch for its efficacy, but a vegan diet is mentioned in numerous places elsewhere in terms of its benefit to those with autoimmunity. Ms. Harrington lays out a plan and justification, offering information as well as support. It can be overwhelming and confusing to look at all the health information out there on managing these illnesses, but this plan is where I choose to start.

Jill's book was outstanding and very helpful. I bought 4 copies to give to other relatives who are caretaking and preparing food for my 4th grader who has a Lupus diagnosis. It was such an easy-read that he read and understood Jill's book as well and is now active in his own caretaking! I highly recommend this book to everyone who has or knows of someone with a Lupus diagnosis. It's a godsend.

-Eric in Auburn,Wa

I bought this book perhaps three years ago when I was first diagnosed with Lupus. I read it extensively. I have had Lupus for more than a decade now, although I was only diagnosed just before I purchased this book. I am 45 years old, and I can honestly say that good nutrition is pivotal for any healthy body, but that Jill's proposed diet should be viewed with caution. There are indeed some lovely ideas about using whole foods, but here I was, a vegetarian for most of my life, eating a whole foods based diet, as slim as can be, and still searching for ways to amend my already sound eating habits to hopefully embrace remission. I too have Celiac disease and many people with Lupus have other comorbidities. My advice is not to look at this book as the only way to heal. Far more helpful to me (and I was a practicing pharmacist for many years) was to discover a wonderful naturopath. With no Lupus medications, my approach to healing is all about stress control, rest, diet, exercise and supplements. Most importantly, get an allergy screen. The night shades are not good for anyone with Lupus and this is not made clear in the book. After working with my naturopath, and after 30 years, I began to eat wild fish and use fish oil supplements. Last week, after 40 years, and following the Type O diet as elaborated by Dr. Dr D'Adamo, I began to eat grass fed meat. That was the most difficult thing to do and not something that Jill would ever advocate. I avoid the fruits and veggies that are toxic to my blood type and I honesly can say that for the first time in years, I am feeling so much better. My thoughts about Jill's work is that diet is important in helping people with Lupus feel better, but her diet is certainly not for everyone. In fact, eating raw produce even though organic, can be quite dangerous if you are immune-compromized. There are times when people with Lupus need to eat softer cooked foods so as not to stress the gut and avoid possible infections. I would strongly suggest eating according to your blood type, while avoiding allergens after allergy testing. Stay away from alfala and nightshades all together. I know Jill uses nightshades but they are pro-inflammatory. Gluten containing foods are also pro-inflammatory and should be avoided regardless of sensitivities. Certain gluten-free grains are wonderful like quinoa and buckwheat and I do not think Jill favors the use of grains. I think too often in life we grapple with the illusion that one plan fits all. Would it not be so lovely if that held true. I certainly think that Jill has devoted so much of her life's work to helping people with Lupus, but from my own journey, I have begun to understand immunology a whole lot more. Eating foods that do not awaken those auto-anti-bodies might just be another logical approach.

This book along with my faith is one of the key reasons why I am succeeding in my professional career. Learning to build my A team with people that connect with my vision and values as well as understanding the root causes of a bad attitude. I recognize that attitude is a choice and I'm choosing to have a Super-Fantastic attitude every single day. Thanks Dr. Attitude for the attitude tune-up!

This is a very readable and engaging bullock aimed to give you a jumpstart on your attitude. Keith Harrell is a former IBM salesman and trainer who parlayed his skills into motivational speaking. As is the case for any motivational book, the question lies in the book's lasting effect. Many of motivational books are the intellectual equivalent of Chinese food; 30 minutes after reading it, you are hungry for more and not sure what exactly you consumed. The key is implementing Harrell's suggestions.

Incidentally, if you ever get a chance to watch a live performance or tape performance of Keith Harrell, do so. I saw him on a recent PBS special and he was engaging and funny as hell.

Give your motivation a boost, even if only for a limited time, by reading and heeding "Attitude is Everything"!

This is a great book, I first heard Keith speak when I was at a previous company. Keith was speaking in the office in the U.S. and I listened from a speaker phone in the UK. I'm not easily impressed by motivational speakers but I was with Keith, so impressed that I bought his book on cassette so I could listen in the car. After following Keiths advice and tips I had a new outlook on life and also understood why sometimes things did not go my way, what Keith gives you are tools to help understand your current situation, what you want to achieve and how to go about achieving the correct mindset to reach your goals. Years later, I have lost the cassettes so I have purchased the book again. I've been walking 25% faster ever since :o)

Really enjoyed reading this book. Beleive it will help change my life. Becuase attitude is everything. I truely beleive that statement. Must have for the person who wants to be a winner in life. Great for a person who thinks negatively all the time.

I bought the audio-CD version of this book and I am glad I did; I don't think I would have finished it by reading.

The utility of Keith Harrell's book is not as a "self-help" book from the standpoint of helping the reader to identify changes to make in her or his life, then giving you helpful steps to make those desired changes. The value of Keith's story is in his personal stories, which individually and collectively are uplifting and provide vivid examples of "he turned it around, so can I". I identified with some of Keith's stories, which was helpful since they reminded me of my own limiting attitudes and how they effect my "circumstances".

His message reminds me of what I already know, that I have attitudes that are affecting my results, and I need to change certain ones to get the results I really want. Keith doesn't tell me 'how' nearly as well as others might, but he shares a compelling message of 'what' and 'why' attitude is everything. If you recognize the powerful force of your attitudes, both those that propel you forward and those that hold you back, then buy the audio-CD version of this book and listen to it more than once.

This book is very informative, but there is too much repetition. What would be equally useful would be some charts listing low and high glycemic foods, some foods that lower blood sugar, etc. I skimmed the book and made my own lists.

Every American eats an average of 5 and a half POUNDS of sugar a month.

No, you say. Not me. Oh yeah? Start counting.

This book is a must for those who would understand the role sugar plays in our lives and how our society has been turned into the fattest in the world through the food industry's inclusion of high-fructose corn syrup in almost everything it sells.

Commercially prepared foods are full of high-fructose corn syrup - which is not the "natural" sugar manufacturers would like us to believe it is. It's simple refined sugar - and it's deadly.

This is a must read book for those who wish to turn their lives and their diets around.

I got a lot of closure as well as information from this book. the day that I read it helped me to understand what my grandmother had just gone through. I read it at work. By the time I got home she had just died. So then I ordered this the book. Yes she was a diabetic.

While the focus of this book is how sugar does damage to your body by raising your insulin level and leads to weight gain, it also covers every other topic related to health. It shows you which foods to throw out and what to buy on your next grocery trip to lead you to a healthy lifestyle. You will receive specific advice on exercise and meal plans. The end of the book provides you with 60 healthy recipes using the items you were told to buy.The book also provides you with 30 sugar solutions that are great tips I have found in other books that will really help, like always eating breakfast, making sure you have enough fiber, drinking lots of water and much more. If you are new to reading diet books this may very well be the only one you ever need. I lost 60 pounds on a similiar program "The Zone", and my guiding principle was controlling my insulin level through balancing my carbohydrate (Sugar) intake with my protein intake. The key is that insulin is a fat storing hormone, sugar intake causes your body to release to much insulin which brings your blood sugar down to much and stores the calories you eat as body fat. Your body can only burn fat when your insulin level in your blood is very low, allowing your body to release stored fat as energy. While the book is rather boring, it does contain all the information you need. It is not a 5 star because the writer could have made reading it at least a little fun.

After a long, up and down battle with weight and food, I ballooned to a dangerous size that threatened my health. At 32, I was confused. I knew that it was harder to drop weight as one ages, but I wasn't that old. Worse still, I was hungry constantly. How could I lose weight if I literally couldn't stop thinking about food? I had forgotten what true hunger felt like.

Then I purchased The Sugar Solution. The first thing the book did was scare the crap out of me. I didn't realize how my eating habits literally endangered me. About 50 pages in, I began to realize that sugar was possibly keeping me from losing weight. It was affecting me on a cellular level, urging my cells to retain unneeded fat. It was also putting my arteries in severe risk of damage due to high blood pressure and unchecked sugar levels.

I began checking sugar content before I ate anything and was surprised to find how much sugar seemingly "safe" foods contained. Soon, I began to drop some weight. Amazingly, I found myself putting food away 3/4 into a meal. I began eating when I was actually hungry. A month and a half after reading the book, I am 25 pounds lighter and generally calmer. I don't suffer mood swings anymore--another symptom of blood sugar spikes.

My beef with this book is in the tone. The book was put together from pieces of magazine content, and it feels like it. Titles are consistently alliterate and tacky. Exclamation points should be used sparingly (or so I thought). After a few hundred pages of this, I began to get irritated, as the book felt less scientific and more corny.

Overall, I would absolutely suggest this book to people on the road to diabetes or people simply concerned about their health. For me, the culprit is sugar. If I can control my sugar, I can control my eating. Get healthy before it's too late.

UPDATE
Forty-five pounds shed and counting. I can't say things would have gone this smoothly if not for this book.

This book provided me with information and insight into issues related to my disease that no doctor has been able to provide in the 9 years since my diagnosis. Although I have yet to put the actual diet piece into practice, the information I am learning is so important and really helping me to feel like there are other solutions to my disease than medications.

I bought this for my son who was recently diagnosed with Cohrones Disease., He said the book has been very helpful

This book is mostly a review of literature and interviews conducted by the writer who sees to have written many other diet books for chronic illnesses. Did not like its contents much.

He speaks in easy to understand terms.

I bought at least six books over the last 18 months - this is by far my favorite one.

I was diagnosed with chrones a month ago and had no idea what foods were good or bad ive bought tons of books this one is one of the two i kept i take it everywhere with me the other book is 100 Q&A about chrones and colitis i realy belive from all the books ive got these two are the only ones you need.

book, I haven't really had a chance to read much of the book. what I have read seems interesting.

(a) very, very American
(b) very sugary writing, almost patronising
(c) weak on facts and evidence
(d) no help whatsoever except as a grade 1 introduction

Our standard American diet can result in many digestive ailments for adults and kids. This book has helped many of my clients get back on track.

If you are a fan of Dr.McDougall, you will know that he recommends a plant based diet to cure disease. He explains in great detail along with humorous cartoons to get the message across as to what causes constipation, diverticulits, colitis and so much more. Eat your plants and you won't end up like the cartoon characters, overweight and miserable.

I would also like to add that the more natural your diet is, the better for you and you feel fantastic. If you feel that eating a plant-based diet is a horrible thing to do, then you aren't creative. You don't just put veggies on your plate..you create wonderful and delicious recipes. There are so many sites online to find great vegan and raw recipes.
I recommend getting a powerful blender and a food processor. With those two gadgets you can make delicious soups, smoothies, sauces, ice cream, pudding, and so much more. You will never miss your old way of eating, and you will stay regular, your skin will clear up, and you will have more energy than ever before. Guaranteed.

The review before me says this book is very AMERICAN. I think all of McDougall's books are anything BUT american. The american diet is our problem to begin with. I had (notice past tense) severe JRA and had been on medications. While pregnant with my son i was in remission and thought this state would stick around afterwards. Didn't happen. I flared horribly 6 weeks after his birth and could hardly hold him. i was afraid I would drop him or be unable to care for him without medication. A friend gave me his book and I have yet to be on medication again. My son is 12 months now! It isn't an easy plan to do because our society is not set up for this type of eating. So, eating out is rare for us, but my results are beyond appreciation for his research. I have no doubt that God sent us this program. My husband and I are healthier than we have ever been in our lives and we were pretty healthy people to begin with. My husband did the program with me as support and he has seen his allergies go away as well!

Wonderful advice, this book can save your life. The true cause of heart disease are trans fats, meat, dairy and processed foods. Stay out of the hospital, lose weight, feel great using this advice. Get this book for someone you love, even yourself. It got my friend off diabetes medicine in two weeks and my doctor lost 40 lbs on The Anti-Inflammation Diet.

I have read, or tried to read, a number of books on diabetes, heart disease and realistic diets. I have actually learned a great deal from this book. It is written in such basic language that I actually understand what is going on in my body. Now I am able to take positive action and take steps to get healthier. I have recommended this book to everyone I know. The explanation of how your body processes food will dramatically impact how you look at diet and exercise forever, because for the first time, perhaps, you will really be able to understand it.

The body is complicated, but now I can see and understand the big picture. Thank you Dr. Fleming for talking to me in terms I can understand, and telling me more than any doctor has in the past by supplying the missing puzzle pieces.

The rationale behind a plant based diet is explained in a way that is new to me. It brings many ideas together and the concept of veganism is clearly a healthy and healthful diet. Excellent book.

Excellent book to learn how to improve your health with a good diet. Much better than South Beach and the killer Atkins diet.
At a high value price.

Interesting and informative. There's little that might hurt you in this book, and some ideas that make reasonable sense.

Every recipe I have made from this book has tasted excellent, the best gluten free dessert book out there

I bought this book because it was so highly recommended by others I met on a gluten-free trip - and there are breakfast treats I may try when the family comes to visit (muffins, scones, coffee cakes, etc.). Lots of elaborate desserts too, which I might try for a pot-luck if I ever get tried of baking cheesecakes or carrot cake. But that's all the cookbook gives you. The chapters cover breakfast treats, cookies, cakes, icings, pies and tarts, puddings and cobblers, and cream puffs and crepes, and that's it - none of the day-to-day, like biscuits and corn bread and pizza crusts and such. (OK, she does suggest using a scone dough for pizza, baked in a parchment-lined pizza pan. It's that kind of book.) Lots of butter and other ingredients (like heavy cream) I try to avoid too - the non-celiac in the house is on a low-fat diet and we both try to eat sensibly. I still haven't decided whether to hold on to it or give it to a newly diagnosed fellow celiac who is still trying to gain weight. Fortunately I also own Annalise Roberts' book - Gluten-Free Baking Classics - which has the basic day-to-day along with the breakfast and other sweet stuff (everything I've tried has been fabulous, from the carrot cake to the cornbread to the first really good bread - her French Italian bread - I've been able to make in 15 years of gluten-free cooking). If I ever get bored with that book, I might learn to appreciate this one. It does seem to have more recipes in each category - and if you already have the basics covered and are looking for a variety of more elaborate treats to try, it might be the book for you.

My daughter and my husband were both recently diagnosed as being allergic to gluten (although not Celiac). At first we just avoided everything with gluten in it and I didn't try to make any replacement foods for their favorite -and now off-limits- baked goods. I LOVE to bake, but I was very confused and intimidated by the new world of gluten-free baking. The ingredients are so expensive compared with wheat flour that I was very afraid of baking up a costly disaster. But, my husband was in mourning for baked goods so I took the plunge and got this book from the library. The instructions are very clear and guide you around the differences between the wheat version and GF versions. For example, you don't have to worry about overworking GF pie crust, which makes sense if you think about it, but is TOTALLY different than the treatment of a wheat crust. I have made several recipes out of this book and we have loved them all. I have taken them to work as treats for collegues and they are incredulous when I tell them that they are GF. A group of us wheat-eaters all agreed that Reilly's GF brownie recipe is better than the "normal" wheat-laden recipe I used to bake. This book gave me new-found confidence in GF baking. I am very happy that I can provide delicious "normal"-looking and tasting treats that are safe for my family to eat. I have now returned the libraries copy and have bought my own.

When I first stopped eating gluten, I gave up baking from scratch. I knew there were ways to make substitutions in recipes, but my few attempts came out very poorly. I've always been a good baker, so it was heart-breaking to turn out dry, crumbly, barely-edible versions of my previous specialties.

For a couple of years, I've been baking from mixes, which is fine, but doesn't give me the same satisfaction as baking from scratch. So, this summer, I decided to try again, and finally opened this cookbook with the intent of baking from it, and not only drooling over the gorgeous pages of full-color photos.

I've made the sour-cream coffeecake and the blueberry scones (a suggested variation on the raisin-cream scones), and served them to my parents and sister, all of whom can eat gluten and are gentle-but-candid when they don't think a recipe has come out well. They've loved them both!

And me? I can't wait to try the next one!

I have enjoyed this product, it has been a great help in making gluten-free foods for my loved one.

I've been listening to Dr. Mirkin for years, and my mother has always encouraged me to follow his advice. I learned about 6 months ago that I was knocking on the diabetes door, and finally opened and read my copy of this book. In three months, I've lost 60 pounds. My cholesterol has gone from 149 to 94!!!! My doctor is amazed. I hate to micro-monitor my diet, so the food lists in this book work really well for me. The reason this works so well for me is that Dr. Mirkin explains why your body reacts to certain foods in the ways that it does. When you try the diet, you get results - in numbers you can really follow. In the end, it really isn't all that hard to follow the plan - you just need to commit to it, and think about what you're putting in your body and why.

This book is the "best of the best"for explaining in easy to understand terms how to lower you blood pressure without medication. I have bought several of these books and often give them away to family and friends if they express an interest.

While not a revelation, the information in the book is well organized and creates a system to follow that is effective. The nutritional parts alone make it worth buying.

This makes sense to me. It's well written and easy to read and understand.

This is an excellent book. It is clearly written with useful content