Health Books

"Food nourishes the body but flowers nourish the soul." ~ Ancient Proverb

Eva-Marie Lind presents an introduction to the world of aromatherapy which will be appreciated by anyone new to using essential oils. She explains the basics of using essential oils and then explores the history and properties of 19 essential oils. The classification of the essential oils explains how they are earthy, mossy or spicy. There is also a detailed look at characteristics like patchouli is dry or ylang ylang is heavy.

If you ever wondered about the price of rose oil you may be surprised to learn that it takes 2,000 rose petals to make one drop of essential oil. Eva-Marie Lind also helps to explain why some perfumes evaporate so quickly and others radiate from the skin throughout the day. She also gives reasons why you may prefer lemon oil from Italy and lavender from Provence, France. Throughout the book she gives recipes for facial massage oil, toner, room spray, shower gel, bath oil, bath salts and massage oil.

Some of the essential oils you may want on hand include: Eucalyptus, lemon, mandarin, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, lavender, cedarwood, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, ylang ylang, yuzu, linden blossom, lime, oakmoss, sweet orange, violet leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, patchouli, vanilla, sandalwood, ginger, geranium, champaca, neroli, rose attar, grapefruit, geranium, nutmeg, basil and marjoram.

One thing I disagreed with was the use of essential oils on wooden surfaces. I've used a variety of oils on wooden furniture and found that it not only enhanced the wood, it also removed some damage from heat.

If you love using essential oils you may want to try products by "LUSH." One of my favorite products is American Cream Conditioner by LUSH.

~The Rebecca Review

As a novice reader to any aromatherapy journal or book, I found this particular book very enlightening and easy to absorb. I would highly recommend this as a gift for those who have any interest in exploring aromatherapy.

I have a huge collection of aromatherapy and perfume books. This book has the most beautiful photographs and charming verse. It is poetic yet is very educational and useful. The descriptions of scent classifications and characteristics are very helpful. Aromatiques would make a wonderful gift.

Sensual is the key phrase here!Everything about this book is a visual delight. But let's not judge this book solely by its cover or gorgeous photograpy-let's get to the heart of the subject. Aromatherapy is a lot more than sniffing lavender oil and proclaiming yourself a practitioner. Eva is generous with information not only about the sensual beauty of the essences, but very importantly, about the dangers. Face it, these are potent chemicals, or they would not be so effective. Eva's thoroughness allows the uninitiated to dive into these heavenly scents with confidence and success.More experienced aromatherapists will appreciate the inspiring blend suggestions and the review of a few (how did that happen?)forgotten facts from aromatherapy school.

I am collector of aromatherapy and natural perfumery books, as well as a teacher of beginning natural perfumery. I highly recommend this book.
In fact I just recommended it to a class I taught a month ago, along with Mandy Aftels, Essence and Alchemy. One finds a bit of
misinformation in Aromatherapy books, especially about safety and
individual use of specific oils. Eva-Marie's book is very well
researched and not a provider of mis-information.Eva-Marie writes
eloquently, poetically, and refreshingly clearly about aromatherapy.
As a perfumer, I find her blends delicious to smell. I also like to buy books from known and respected members of the aromatherapy community and Eva-Marie is well respected. A romantic , aromatic journey. I highly recommend this book.

I've been having back pain in the morning for the last few months after some furniture moving. I stopped at Borders for a coffee and picked this up to read (ok, I'm shameless). After about an hour with the book, I developed a game plan for dealing with the backache which I learned is of a very common garden type. It might be too early to declare victory but I woke this morning with almost no pain after sleeping in the prescribed position with a heating pad and taking a few NSAIDS before bed.

I have family members that opted for surgery years ago and it ruined their lives - possibly even led to a death of a cousin from OD of narcotics. I wish that they had had this book to read. A lot has changed in medicine and it seems like the author has much more modern thinking than most of the medical profession that still seems bent on drugs and surgery first.

This book is laying on the floor next to my bed. Why? I do the exercises every morning, and refer to the chapter to make sure I don't miss any. I do most of the exercises on the floor, so that's where the book lives. It is a part of my life now.

I've suffered from low-grade back pain for years, and learned a lot from this book. I especially like the integrated mind-body approach, the solid, realistic information about the mechanics of the spine, and the practical advice for care and recovery.

I've spoken with a chiropractor and an MD about my back problems, and the advice they gave me is identical to the advice in this book -- and the book was far less expensive.

Unless you were injured, your back took years to get into its current condition, and it will take a while to improve. This book is a first-rate map of the road to recovery.

This books covers a lot of territory but I did not find it particularly helpful. It feels like it has a lot of filler material to get it to "book length", without focusing in on the most useful information. Also, it completely ignores the neck, apparently assuming that all problems are lower-back problems.

Save your money on Back Pain Remedies for Dummies or just check it out of the library and skim it; in my opinion it is not worth the space it takes up on my book shelf.

Overall, a very informative book, as everyone else says. My only reservation - be careful doing the exercises in the book. The author also has a warning about this - he says "at no point during your back exercise program, should you feel that you are straining...to the point of significantly increasing your pain."

I tried doing a lot of the exercises in the book, and it did add to my pain, so I then got a referral to a physical therapist, who then worked with me, showing me the 9 exercises that were best for me - using the big exercise ball. Those exercises (and perhaps the glucosamine that I take) have gotten me back to where I can again play badminton once a week, and no longer have the serious back pain I had before. (The book does mention, of course, the possibility of getting help from a physical therapist.) I'd recommend the book - just don't increase your pain by overdoing the exercises - as the author warns, in that chapter.

i love this book! its so easy to understand, and it really put my mind at ease on alot of pain issues.it covers so many topics that you dont usually read about, such as: the pros and cons of back surgery, who to seek help from, exercises, getting back to work and the feelings associated with it,etc. a definite must read!

This is an excellent book. I decided to become vegetarian a few years ago both for health and ethical reasons and this one one of the first books I bought - its remained the one I turn to over and over again - especially when friends or relatives questions how healthy a vegetarian diet is and I need to educate them. Some of the most fascinating parts of this book talk about the history of the current meat-based diet and how the government pushed it and helped market meats of all sorts to get people to buy more (to help farmers out). Also though there is great info on how much protien a person actually needs and where you can get it from - its actually pretty easy to get all the protien you need over the course of a day. Since becoming vegetarian (really almost vegan except for the eggs I get from a lady down the street who really takes wonderful care of her chickens) I've never felt better. My husband has even voluntarily made the switch as well (spurred on by a few episodes of food poisoning at the local sandwich shop). Vegetarian is the way to go and this book will give you ALL the info you need to get rolling and keep others quiet when they criticize. Bon sante and Bon appetit!

This book is an excellent resource for beginning vegetarians who are dealing with a lot of new questions -- will this diet be adequate for me nutritionally? do I need to take supplements? what will I tell mom (hee hee)? This book tries to answer all the big questions, and does so quite admirably. It does have a few recipes at the back, which are not bad, but certainly, this is not a cookbook per se. For those looking for a ton of recipes instead of advice, I'd be more likely to recommend The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook (by Diana Shaw), a wonderful book full of tips, tricks, ingredients, glossaries, and 600 low fat recipes, many of which are adaptations of old favourites. Getting both these books would be an excellent beginning to any new vegetarian's bookshelf.

I thought this book was very thorough, yet easy to follow. Every recipe I've made has been very delicious. I was a vegetarian for 6 years before I became pregnant and began to eat meat for fear I wouldn't get enough protein my babe needed. I wish I had this book then, as the authors lay out precisely what you need for nourishment. My son and I now have a great reference so we can be healthy lacto-ovo vegetarians, and possibly convert my husband as well!

I have ample reason to be concerned about my health largely because of four ex-wives and the crazyness currently going on in my house between my bulldog (Colonel) and my current wife's annoying tabby (Bobo!). It doesn't help that I'm a beerswilling carnivore and largely a lazy couchloaf. Also complicating matters is the undeniable fact that my brooding spouse is a horrible cook and routinely serves beef-oriented t.v. dinners or worse (greaseburgers from the local fast food joint).

That's where this handy tome comes in. One of the girls from the bar I've been seeing on the sly has been trying to get me to start incorporating more vegetables in our relationship (in addition to the meat) and suggested several books (not this one) to help me get started. While those books had some value, this book really told me what I needed to know about the nutritional values of various vegetarian diets and how to make up for the nutirtion I would be losing by giving up meat.

It's very informative, well-written, easy to understand, but somewhat short on recipes. As I've mentioned, Bessie isn't a very good cook--even when she has cook-by-numbers recipes (which basically means, even if this book had recipes it wouldn't be of much value to her) and that's too bad. Nevertheless, this is a very informative book and has surprisingly convinced me that it is possible to maintain nutrition while maintaining an all-vegie diet. Unfortunately, the recipes in this book (and those I found in several others) have failed to convince me that any of these vegie diets taste any better than the leaves and grass in my backyard.

As a result, I've scrapped the vegetarian route, started cooking for myself, stopped worrying about my health, and I'm staying away from the girls at the bar.

Easy to read and a good book to use as a jump-off point for more specific readings catering to your individual vegetarian interests.

I found this book helpful to see Parkinson's Disease in a different light.
Definitely planning on following through with some of the suggestions.

Sent the book to my sister-in-law. She is reading it and adapting her lifestyle accordingly. She is in good health and wants to keep it that way, especially the brain....as we all do. I recommend the book to any who want to keep their mental health into old ge.

I am searching for information on the best ways of treating my recently diagnosed Parkinsons disease and I am very impressed with the information contained in The Better Brain Book. By any standards it is an excellent document.
John Scott
Brisbane
AUSTRALIA

This was an interesting read which covered healthy, and unhealthy habits for your brain. It is also a good resource for what supplements are helpful for your brain, and their recommended quantities and uses.
I have used many of the suggestions from this book to add supplements and adopt healthy habits for my brain.

My Mother has Alzheimer's and my family considers THE BETTER BRAIN BOOK our "bible". I am doing everything I can to improve my brain health and avoid this terrible disease. I give this book to everyone I know that has a family member with Alzheimer's, BUT, I reccomend this book to EVERYONE!

The author describes every aspect of birth, from early labor, to pushing, to c-sections, in a very objective manner. Some of the other books I had read were very biased and judgmental on women who choose c-sections over vaginal deliveries, or who chose epidurals. Not here, the author lets you make up your own mind about what is best for you, while informing you of all the pros and cons of everything. This book is a must read for pregnant women who want to make informed decisions at the time of their delivery.

The book is in excellent condition just as described. It did take a while for the seller to ship though, but it still got here within the time-frame it gave me.

I can't even explain how perfect this book is! It's a must have... there's everything in this book that you would need to know. It beats every birth book out there.

This book is absolutely amazing. I am pregnant with my first child. My doula service recommended this book. It is modern, easy to read, realistic, will give you some laughs & is extremely informative. I am grateful for this modern book that empowers women to feel good about the ability to give birth.

This book is excellent! It has all the information that you need for the birth of your baby. I'm preparing for my 3rd child, and I wish I could have read this book during my other 2 pregnancies. This book is very useful, espically if you are not planning on taking a child birth class. After reading this book I feel much more prepared than I did before (even after birthing 2 other kids!) Very well written, an easy read, no medical jargon, plus its not boring! It also doesn't have the graphic pictures in it, unlike majority of birthing books. I recommend this book to any soon-to-be-mother!

I had read "Power of 10" by Zickerman and was intrigued by the prospect of a once-a-week workout but wanted some more meaty information. I ordered "Body by Science" after reading the very thorough reviews posted here, and found it hard to put down. I have done a small amount of weight training in the past and find that my body usually responds well to it. Knee pain has made it difficult for me to exercise in my usual ways (walking or running) and time and energy constraints have made it difficult to get into any kind of a routine. (I own my own business painting houses, which is very physically tiring work)

Everything about "Body by Science" resonated with me. I'd actually been doing a workout adapted from "Power of 10" for about 4 weeks but after reading about the "big five" I switched to rows, lat pulldowns (with my palms facing up), squats, bench and shoulder presses. The first day I tried these I worked so hard that I had to lie down for awhile. . .my muscles were too shaky for me even to drive my car. I was glad I'd read that sometimes it even takes longer than a week to recover, because the next week I could only do a couple of reps each of 2 sets. But by the third week, I was eager to lift again. I've been following the protocol as closely as I can. (By the way, I do have a Marcy Smith weight cage and full complement of free weights in my dining room! : )

The bottom line for me is this: over the past 6-8 weeks of doing "Power of 10" and "Body by Science", this middle-aged, overweight woman is feeling muscles everywhere, even at rest. The best part for me is that for a few years now I haven't been able to stand up from a low seat without pushing off with my arms. About a week ago I noticed that I can now stand up without using my arms. . .and without the huge "groan" that used to accompany that procedure.

Best of all. . .a 20 minute once-a-week workout is something that I can and will actually do. My body feels good and strong. Now I just have to start following the nutritional advice (sigh.)

Bought this book because of the premise "12 minutes per week" workout and wanted to know the science behind it all. REALLY good job at breaking down scientific terms, language, etc and make it understandable. I highly recommend the book!

Dr. McGuff's in depth analysis of nutrients and their intricate effects on the human body are remarkably detailed. He touches on some very cutting edge topics such as cardio being a waste of time, and training more than once a week is counter productive.

I found BBS very educational but the medically-technical terminology makes it for a long read. Dr. McGuff could easily do a second book titled "Body by Science Redux: the First Book in Lame Man's Terms". No disrespect to the authors, as I feel their message is of great importance.

I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an extremely thorough understanding of how the body uses carbs, protein, and fat. Their understanding of overtraining is explicit. Their theory is efficient/effective training with reduced frequency is the answer to optimal results, not the excessive training durations and frequency we all feel are required every time we go to the gym.

Buy the book, definitely a great addition to the health section of my library.

Cheers,

Ryan McGregor

This is a dynamic, very unique fitness book. It strips away the mythes of fitness and weight loss and replaces it with true science. Turns out all the running and lifting we've done over the years has only injured us, made us unhealthy --- not built us up, made us fit or made us healthy as we had hoped.

Now we know that in just a few minutes a week, anyone, at any age and in any condition, can grow strong, can function a their peak and actually enjoy good health as a result. Moreover, you can lose body fat doing high intensity training in a few minutes a week. Spending hours on machines, lifting and running are not only unnecessary, but bad for you.

I didn't like the fact the author pushed the Natalus machines. Turns out, he owns a Natalus center. Moreover, he assumed everyone went to a gym to workout or had someone with them when they worked out. It didn't adequately address the person who works out alone in his home. He also didn't address other forms of resistance, such as rubber tubing. After all, the body doesn't know if you're lifting a bath tub, weights or rubber tubing.

A word of caution: Doctors being who they are can't resist writing in a manner that's hard for the average human to understand. Yes, this is a book based on science. So it can be excused. But be prepared for some dry gunk and do as I did in many cases --- just drive on by. Unless, of course, you enjoy that sort of thing.

Highly recommended.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

Is it true you can get all the fitness you need in just 12 minutes a WEEK? Well, according to physician and personal training expert Dr. Doug McGuff, the answer is an unequivocal YES!

Using a science-based "slow" lifting method in conjunction with a carbohydrate-restricted nutritional approach will increase your muscle size, improve flexibility in your body, build up strong bone density, and manage chronic pain issues. Oh yeah, you'll also burn a lot of stored body fat, rev up your metabolism, lower your cholesterol, improve your insulin sensitivity, and give your heart a fighting chance in a world where heart disease is becoming the #1 killer!

Dr. McGuff is not your typical medical professional because he insists that much of what we've been taught about health and fitness is 100% dead wrong. That's okay because he arms you with precisely what you need to do to eat properly with healthy low-carb nutrition along with some excellent photographs and illustrations of the intense 12-minute weekly workout. If you do this as he describes in the book, then it's all the exercise you'll need for the entire week so you are free to spend your valuable time on activities YOU want to do-not hours on end at the gym.

Fans of Fred Hahn's Slow Burn Fitness Revolution will LOVE this book.

I've really been enjoying this book and feel that its non-traditional approach is helping me to get a better understanding of what Chi Gung is all about. I also like how the author, Lily of the Valley Carnie, writes as if she is talking directly to me and sharing the experiences she's had in her 30+ year practice of Chi Gung.

She begins by covering the basic concepts of Chi Gung like the ways that Chi flows through the body and the different breathing methods you can use to generate Chi. I found her discussion on the differences between Wai Dan training which uses movement to generate Chi and Nei Dan training which develops Chi through mental focus and awareness to be very helpful to me.

The rest of the book deals with ways you can include Chi Gung in various activities and to me it felt like one big Chi play chest. You can find topics like improving your sense of smell, or working with a Tai Chi ball or increasing your awareness of the movements you make while drawing a picture.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd like to learn more about Chi Gung from a truly engaging teacher.

I wanted to learn more about QiGong and found that Lily Carnie was a great guide on this subject. She's knowledgeable, enthuasiastic, and has written a book filled with examples that are not only entertaining to read but help me understand the subject better. For me I can't ask more of a book. Good show Ms. Carnie, keep up the good work.

"Who wants to be a Superhero" was broadcast recently on the Sci-Fi channel and got me thinking about Superheroes and their powers. Feedback, the winning character, had the ability to absorb the powers and abilities of the video games he plays which reminded me of the part in Lily Carnie's book where she talks about using video games to enhance your Chi Gung skills. In re-reading her book, I was struck by the way the practice of Chi Gung folds into the training and abilities that have long been associated with the Superhero.

The entire second part of her book is devoted to the various ways you can train in Chi Gung. When she talked about increasing healing speed, taking snow baths, tracking animals and training in high altitude locations it reminded me of the Marvel Superhero Wolverine and the way he often retreats into the Canadian wilderness. Captain America embodies her discussion on Self Confidence and Positive Thinking. When she talked about projecting and absorbing Chi, I thought of various X-Men like Cyclops projecting Chi from his eyes or Gambit charging items with Chi to make them explosive or Rogue who can absorb the Chi from another person gaining their memories and skills.

Ms Carnie's entire section on sensory training and the ways you can enhance your sense of touch, smell, hearing and taste is exactly how Daredevil operates on a daily basis. The way she talks about using intuition to guide and direct ones actions and understanding of a situation is exactly like Spiderman's Spider-Sense.

Despite their enhanced abilities, many Superheroes like Daredevil, Captain America, or the X-men, are dedicated to training to master their abilities and utilize them to the fullest. Each day, regardless of the battles won, they return to their gym, headquarters or Danger Room to continue their training. Captain America was shown teaching Chi Gung to Spiderman in the first issue of the comic "Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman" to help him focus his Chi and accomplish things he never thought he could do before. This parallels Lily Carnie's own approach to Chi Gung training as something that can always be refined, enhanced and taken to the next level.

Her book is a valuable training manual for cultivating your Chi Gung skills. With imagination, dedication, and focus, even you can become a real Superhero.

I have been amazed at the discordance of the reviews posted here. I've noticed that those who like Lily of the Valley Carnie's book write reviews in which they talk about the applications of the book's ideas, exercises or activities in their lives and the positive effect it's had. They enjoy its genuine and flexible approach to Chi Gung.

Those who write disapproving reviews also follow a basic pattern. They note that Ms Carnie's presentation of Chi Gung isn't like the way they've experienced Chi Gung from books by other authors and they don't seem to understand the depth of her presentation of the material.

I really enjoy Lily of the Valley's book because in it she captures the most important lesson of any Martial Art or Chi Gung practice, namely that the point of training is to move beyond the practice and be able apply it to all parts of your life. The way Ms Carnie invites and guides you to explore Chi Gung in a hundred different applications is the goal of anyone who seeks to be a Master. A simple approach that can lead to great understanding.

So I find it interesting that the open, flexible and eclectic approach that bothers some reviewers is actually its greatest strength and I highly encourage you to read her book and experience it for yourself.

I find this book to be superb. I am particularly attacted to its flexibility, which fits in with the fact that the form of Chi Gung which Ms. Carnie practices is "The Flowing".
Lily Carnie is a skilled teacher unlike many who know *how* to do something but don't know how to pass on that ability. The Olympic coach Laurence E.Morehouse found that an extremely ineffective way to teach someone how to use their body is to tell them what to do with the various parts of their body. What works is to give them an IMAGE to hold in their mind. Ms. Carnie in her section on breathing, "... the most important skill you will learn in practicing this ancient art.", shows her awareness of this principle: "Imagine you are inhaling a delicate silk thread and if you breathe too harshly, quickly, or spasmodically, it will break."
What motivated me to write this review was the "Astonishing bad" review of Kenneth Robinson. I found his review "helpful" in recommending anything on Chi Gung by Lam Kam Chuen or B. K. Frantzis. I have to assume that, in sharp contrast to the flexibility of Lily Carnie, their works would exhibit the rigidity so dramatically displayed by Mr. Robinson.
But to return to "Life as it Should be" as we say in Maine, L.V.Carnie's "Chi Gung" will broaden the vistas of your life.

I've been doing this workout five (not six, as in the book) days a week for about three weeks and I felt and saw a difference in my muscle definition by the end of the first week, and by the middle of the second week I have been waking up alert and energetic. Now I can definitely tell, and folks have been making comments. I've also been following a healthy diet on Weight Watchers, but for a couple weeks I went over my points. I weighed in today and found out I still lost almost a pound, which I know is from simply burning more calories for everything I do since I have more muscle mass. The workout is simple, and after getting used to it (especially the lower-body workout) for about a week and a half, I find the forms to be pretty easy. I'm generally active, so after a week I stopped using the one-pound weights and now just use the two and three. In another couple weeks I will probably incorporate five-pound weights. I actually used to do the Joyce Vedral 12-minute workout book many years ago, and saw results then too, but I think that the pyramid system in this book pushes you a little - not a lot- more to make a more dramatic difference. As for time, the upper body, after the first few times, can definitely be done in 15 minutes or less. The lower body took me about 25 to 30 minutes the first few times, and now it takes about 20 minutes. Still, very worth it. I recommend this book to both young and old (I'm 35) - the principles are old-school tried and true.

Joyce's workout is great for busy people. I work two jobs, have two busy children, and do this work out 6 days a week. It takes more then 15 minutes most days but the results are well worth it. I actually weigh 20 pounds more than I did before my first child, but wear the same pant size. You really do lose a dress size in a month. Losing inches is a great goal. I have more energy, strength, and stamina. It is also quite adaptable for traveling and economical. I actually use my son's old daycare mat for the floor exercises!!! I would recommend this for all of us who just can't get to the gym.

Avoid buying it used. I've bought this book used twice now from different sellers, and in both cases the book was missing the tear-out wall chart on pages 189 through 202. Not all sellers check this, so if you buy it used, know that you risk paying for a book that has missing pages. (And people, if you're going to tear pages out of your books, don't turn around and take them to a used bookseller.)

This was the first book I ever bought when I decided to try my hand at free weights at home. I used it for about three years solid, then began working with a personal trainer to really up my workouts. Recently I quit the trainer and have built up my own little home gym, and guess what - I'm back to this same book all these years later. I've found that even though I've got a lot more experience now, and have built up good muscle tone, I can still use this workout because of the advanced options she offers to add-on to each routine. It worked for me as a beginning book and helped me get started on my road to better fitness, and seven years later, it's still helping me stay in shape. I have some of her other books, too, and they are all in heavy rotation in my weekly workout routines. Some of the best books out there for all levels of weight trainers, in my opinion. But this particular one is still the best!

I am 60 years old and had been pretty skinny all my life. I was always very active..horsebackriding, scuba, belly dancing, but after our retirement and move to Florida, I had too much time on my hands (and not enough weights IN them), cooked too much, (ate it all, too), traveled alot with my husband, and pigged out on easily obtainable and horribly fattening "road grub". I finally took a long, hard look in the mirror and was horrified at the fat person staring, equally horrified, back at me. WHO WAS THAT FAT PERSON?? Gasp! ME! We are not too Gymmy here in retirement heaven, so I scoped out a few books online and liked the approach of this one best. My (fabulous)Husband agreed to help me out and for the last 6 weeks, we have been following the diet that Joyce sugests, and I have been doing the Definition Workout, now up to 6, 8, 10 lbs and Dragon Lady Status. The workout is easy to understand and follow. The equipment is inexpensive and easily obtainable. The diet highlights sensible, nutritious food. The upshot is that so far I have lost 11 pounds, one jeans size, and my (faboulous)Husband has lost 10 pounds and gone from a 36 to a 34 inch waist. According to bio, Joyce is only 3 months older than I am, and (next to Cher) she is definitely my ideal "golden ager". I still have a looong way to go, but it is MARVELOUS to feel enabled and in control of my weight and my life again! THANKS JOYCE!

Aimee Liu takes a unique perspective in this book, looking at the personality traits and inherent characteristics of eating disorder sufferers and showing how those qualities influence every aspect of life. This book is about so much more than food, weight, and maladaptive eating patterns; it's about how to live a complete and fulfilling life. The lessons it contains apply to everyone, and I sincerely believe it's worth a read no matter who you are.

Through a combination of personal narrative and stories of other people dealing with eating disorders Liu talks about what happens after people seek treatment for eating disorders and try to go on to lead normal lives. What I found compelling about this book was that it was the first one that talked about what happens after people think they have recovered and return to the real world. So many books talk about life before and during recovery, but this was the first one I found that focused on everything else. It was extremely interesting to read what people's lives were like afterwards, what they struggled with, and especially the ways in which perfectionist tendencies came out in other aspects of their life. Even though I have never struggled with an eating disorder, I have dealt with abnormal eating as a result of constant dieting and found there was so much in this book I could relate to. Overall Liu takes a very sympathetic and neutral tone and does a great job of presenting these stories without passing judgement. I highly recommend it for anyone who is recovering from an eating disorder or even people like me who may not have a formal eating disorder, but who have struggled with returning to normal eating and living after dieting.

I found this book very relatable and interesting. I felt like she was talking about me which was incredible. If you are trying to come to terms with an eating disorder of your past this is the book for you. I was anorexic in high school and as an adult I finally needed to recognize the problem fully. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand an eating disorder, especially anorexia.

This was a fantastic and inspiring book. Aimee gives a good mix about real stories from the women she knew growing up with eating disorders as well as some new research in the field of eating disorders. Brilliant writing, and for people who feel lost like I do, this book gives a glimpse that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I will definitely read this one again.

I recommend this book to anyone with a history of anorexia or bulimia nervosa. It is well written and promotes healthy insights about one's condition, psychological predisposition and family context. I have read Caroline Knapp's book - Appetites, which I found to be excellent too. I also recommend Sensing the Self. All the others I have seen are not worth the time... This one, if not the best, is among them... Aimee Liu intertwines stories, including her own, in a way that holds you close, helping us also 'connect the dots' while reading the book. It helps us be more open in finding out about our own stories and how it matches this growing population of people with eating disorders. I found extremely useful!

Bought this book after loving Fran's second book so much ` More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally'. This is another fantastic baking book from Fran covering everything from cookies to cakes. There is a wealth of information at the beginning of the book about healthy alternatives to traditional ingredients, as well as lots of information throughout the book. Every recipe I have made from this book has been delicious!

Although I am not a vegan, I do try to limit my dairy. However, dessert is my major weakness. This book is nothing short of fabulous. It taught me how to make healthier desserts, make appropriate subs., etc. She explains all of the uncommon ingredients for those we are new to vegan desserts. I have made a ton of recipes from this book and have not been dissapointed by any! I highly recommend this book.

Fran has really broken some important ground here and offered helpful tips for substitutions and alternatives to the nutritionally pathetic traditional method of dessert making. DO NOT come to this with the expectation of everything tasting like grandma made it -- vegan baking cannot taste exactly like double fudge cake with butter cream icing, nor should it have to. It is tasty in its own way, and once you get used to it, other desserts are overwhelming and unappealing.

Before you read further, however, know that I am not sold on the 0% refined sugar routine because I don't like everything to taste like maple syrup and barley malt, and would rather not spend an arm and a leg to purchase these items over plain old sugar. Fran refers to everything that does not have white sugar as "sugar-free" which is very misleading, inaccurate, and confusing if you don't know what she's referring to. For example, "sugar-free lemonade" (which I thought must just be frozen lemon juice and water?) actually meant organic lemonade sweetened with juices. If the viscosity of the syrup she calls for is necessary, then I will use it, but I ration them out so as not to break the bank.

If you share this mindset, don't dismay -- it is easy to tweak the recipes to allow for some refined sugar. I was seriously impressed with the boston creme pie/cake, which I fed to many dairy-eating carnivores that didn't know it was vegan (and my husband went crazy over it). I was disappointed that the only sugar cookie recipe was wheat-free and nearly inedible (I threw the remainder away after I served them, and vowed never to make something out of here for others without trying it first!). Brownies were amazing, oatmeal cookies were very good (and I tried those using no white sugar), chocolate sauce/glaze made me want to sing and dance.

The "great" recipes in this book are reason enough to buy it, but the good information about successfully baking using the prescribed methods is invaluable (minus the scientific claims and warnings that are presented without reference to any empirically valid source, yet printed as fact).

It is not the most professionally made book (several typos and not aesthetically pleasing), but that doesn't matter to me as long as it's useful. Buy it, peruse it carefully, adapt the techniques, and then use that as a springboard for fashioning your own great good desserts!

These are some of the best desserts ever. I served the blueberry slump at a dinner party, and my guests were blown away that it was all natural. Go Fran!!!

If you really want to make vegan desserts at home, this is a good reference. However, be prepared to shop for hard-to-find, expensive ingredients like arrowroot, kuzu, and agar. Also, I wish the author included approximate times for each recipe, like some of my other cookbooks do. I made the tofu frosting, and even though it was good, it wasn't good enough to justify the two hours it took to make. I think this book is good enough to give it four stars, but I've discovered that, personally, I'd rather just go to a vegan bakery than bother doing it myself.