Nutrition Books

I really enjoyed reading this book, it is very informative, and accurate. we just started to apply these principals to our diets, and we have been eating healthy and feeling great.

Dr. Russell writes in a way that, to be consistent, one would have to become a 7th Day Adventist. He takes extinct Old Testament references regarding what Jews were supposed to eat and what they weren't supposed to eat, and acts as if they compose God's universal, timeless law. Poor exegesis. If he stuck to the scientific pros and cons of food I would have received him better (even though much of his data is controversial/speculative). There have to be better written books out there (I know Richard Foster does a much more thorough analysis of health and fasting).

The title of the book really says it all. God created us and gave us specific instructions on what to eat. We would be wise to follow them. I've given copies of this book to my whole family.

I have found this book to be very insightful about my eating habits. Putting biblical boundaries around my eating choices actually gives me the freedom I've been needing to say no to all types of junk food. It has also helped me learn to trust God's guideance in other areas of life. God knows His creation and wants the best for us.

This is the best book I have read with clear, easy to follow advice that will show you Bible references for all of it's tips. It has a page of foods with Bible verses to look up where the food is eaten. There are references for the unhealthy foods, too. If you want a straight forward book without a lot of the authors own "reasons why", you will be very happy. You will come away with the answers you were seeking.

For several years I have read multiple research papers and other scientific literature regarding cholesterol and the effects of treating "elevated" cholesterol. This book gives remarkably extensive and contemporary as well as historic scientific information that should help people learn the truth about this subject. It is unfortunate that it will probably take another 10 years before the medical community comes to its senses about "treating" cholesterol. This book is not for the casual reader, however. Expect a lengthy discussion, though logical. Neil Hall, MD

Anthony Colpo demolishes the popular theory that high cholesterol, or even high LDL levels, cause coronary heart disease (CHD). He does this through painstaking, but compelling research, which few doctors have the time to perform. He deconstructs studies and clinical trials going back, in some cases more than fifty years, to show how the results of these trials have been either ignored or manipulated by interested parties, chiefly pharmaceutical companies. This industry has succeeded in brainwashing the medical profession to encourage the use of statins, now the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. This is must reading, not only for anyone who has been told that they need to take statin drugs, but for anyone interested in health care today.

Well I haven't read the book so technically I shouldn't be reviewing it but here's some statistics that may be useful for some. I'd likely be more inclined to give it a bad review as is the case with most of these books the author is ludicrously biased (including statistically) and goes off on an egocentric diatribe. That said, since I've not read it and wouldn't presume to know it I've decided to be sporting and give it 5 stars.




Choose whether to take statins for yourself

Heres a summary of the most important if not all the data


CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT TRIALISTS COLLABORATION META-ANALYSIS OF ALL THE DATA. LANCET 2005:366:1267

Secondary prevention (if you've already got some form of vascular disease):Number needed to treat:21 over 5 years to prevent one vascular event.

Primary Prevention (if no established cardiovascular disease), in high risk patients: Number needed to treat of 40 over 5 years to prevent one event



FURTHER METANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY PREVENTION TRIALS LANCET 2007:369:168. They found for patients with no pre-existing cardiovascular disease
1.No evidence of reduction in total mortality
2.Overall cardiovascular events reduced with statins (NNT OF 67 over 5 years)
3.Analysis suggests benefit is only seen in high risk men aged 30-69 (NNT 50)
4.Women did not seem to benefit, nor anyone over the age of 69



BINGO - Take some personal responsibility, make up your own mind and stop expecting the doctor to agree with you about cholesterol. If you get side effects ask yourself if the benefits listed above are worth it.

Colpo writes in clear, engaging and flowing prose. The title does not convey the many other health myths he takes to task using Randomized Clinical Trials as much as possible and keeping an eye on statistical significance. Here is a partial list of the most striking conclusions drawn by the author:

1. Higher than average cholesterol is protective against CVD in those over 50, a population that is much more prone to CVD than young people. The very slight evidence for lower cholesterol being protective appears only in much younger subjects, who are at very low risk in the first place.

2. High cholesterol is protective against infection, including even by HIV. Low cholesterol, below 160 mg/dl is associated with increased mortality in all age groups but markedly so in the very old. It's worth noting here that most lab tests show reference ranges for total cholesterol that go from 200 mg/dl down to zero, that is, having zero total cholesterol, which would certainly be fatal, falls within the normal range given by most testing labs.

3. The supposedly heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation than saturated fats. Oxidized LDL is an emerging risk factor thought to aid in the formation of arterial plaque. The body incorporates dietary fats into LDL particles. Thus, consuming the more readily oxidized fats is likely to increase CVD risk by raising oxidized LDL levels, which by the way are not influenced in the least by the level of LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats, due to their lack of double bonds, are more stable and less prone to oxidation. Polyunsaturated are the most easily oxidized followed by the monounsaturated fats. Skip the vegetable oils says Colpo even the ones free of trans fats.

4. High fasting blood sugar is a much better predictor of CVD as compared to standard cholesterol tests, which are almost worthless, yet most people have never had their fasting serum glucose measured. It's an inexpensive test that can be performed by any lab.

5. The French paradox is not so paradoxical. The French have one of the lowest rates of CVD in Europe and yet eat the most saturated fat. According to Colpo, wine consumption is not the correct explaination as the Italians also drink lots of red wine. It only seems paradoxical if one believes the dogma that saturated fat is a killer. Colpo argues that stress is a true risk factor. Stress is lowered and the post-meal rise in blood sugar is muted when one takes a relaxed attitude towards dining, as the French are famous for.

6. Vegetarianism is not so healthy. Colpo does advocate eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables but shows that meat is also of great value. Studies showing the benefit of excluding meat are subject to confounders (vegetarians excercise more and smoke less, for example) that when corrected for result in no benefit to vegetarians.

7. Colpo is a low carb advocate in order to control blood sugar but he is not fond of extreme ketogenic diets.

8. High iron stores are a risk factor for CVD. In Colpo's view this is the reason pre-menopausal women (due to monthly blood loss) have a lower CVD risk than men and post-menopausal women. Pre-menopausal women retain much less iron, which is a pro-oxidant. See point 3 above. Colpo suggests testing serum ferritin levels to determine if one has too much iron. Colpo thinks the standard upper limit given for ferritin by most labs is way too high. So, if your doctor says you have normal iron stores check the reading yourself. Colpo also suggests methods to lower iron levels if too high.

Clear, easy to understand explanations of the scientific aspects of cholesterol, blood lipids, importance of nitric oxide, and more. After reading this book, I finally understood how the various fats - saturated, un, mono, poly - differ as well as the importance of nitric oxide, reducing stress, and eliminating free radicals. The cholesterol mania just doesn't make sense any more. (Unless - like I tell my husband - the heart dr.s just can't resist those hot salesgirls that visit their offices.)
This book has retrained me to be skeptical of everything related to nutrition and even make my own way through some of the studies.

I had originally purchased the e-book version based on the complaints about font size and poor layout. It got awfully tiresome shuffling the e-book print-outs around, so I broke down and purchased the paper book. Not sure what the other folks were complaining about. It was certainly easier on the eyes than a college textbook or mass market pbk. Plus it is much easier to read, underline & highlight while lying in bed!

Colpo also has an e-book "The Fat Loss Bible" which is worth its weight in gold. As much as I would like to see a conventional book made out of this as well, I'm afraid the advice is much too practical to elicit the attention of publishers.

I want to respond to those who think the book doesn't have enough in it to help them get started, they should check out the web site shown in the book multidiet.com because it has some great helps too. I printed a lot of the stuff and made a note-book to go with my journal. I am very excited about this book and recommend it to you.

This book is fun to read. The guy doesn't preach, in fact he's constantly poking fun at himself and everyone else. And he treats you like you might actually have a brain that you might even know how to use! You don't get endless breathless hype about the sin of sugar, or recycled pabulum about fat, or snotty rants about chemicals and the evil modern lifestyle. Instead, you get a clear explanation of what nutrients your body needs and how much of them it needs and how to get them without getting a lot of Calories besides. I don't think the book is perfect. It probably ought to have a diet plan for the beginners. But I don't think any serious dieter is going to have any problem doing it.

After years of doing everything from hours of exercising to starvation, all fat, no fat, food combining and "magic" pills, I am finally losing weight. If you are looking for "fast" weight loss (that will just come back in a month or two) this is not for you. I cannot believe I am actually losing a pound or two a week WITHOUT EFFORT! I am not even doing the suggested 20 minute a day walk. But ALL of my cravings have completely disappeared. Somedays when I am doing this I think "I'm just not hungry, how am I ever going to make myself eat the required number of calories and protien grams." When do you ever hear that from someone on a diet? I feel like someone finally has given me the secret combination that has changed my life from food/weight focused to simply living my life. Thank you Dr. Anonymous!

The 2000 Multi-Diet: Taming The Beast! shows the reader how to easily control his or her weight through eight vital factors that dominate body weight. The author (a researcher who deliberately chose to be anonymous) argues the obesity is a major problem for industrial societies and is a by-product of the success of modern societies at providing better nutrition for their peoples. Fortunately, these societies also have access to the tools and techniques needed to solve obesity problems. The 2000 Multi-Diet: Taming The Beast! offers a new approach to ending personal obesity called "The Threshold Theory" and extrapolates a technique the reader can use to make this approach work for persona weight loss. Obesity is neither a disease nor a "moral weakness". It is caused by an obscure (but normal) reaction to the lack of enough certain non-energy nutrients in the diet, and learning to correct this lack allows weight loss to begin almost automatically. The 2000 Multi-Diet: Taming The Beast! is recommended reading for anyone concerned with personal weight loss and proper nutrition in their diet.

The threshold theory is an ingenious explanation for why we get fat and what we can do about it. If this guy is right, and it looks like he might be, it changes the world. When you eat the right things, your body has no reason to make you hungry, so you can stop eating so much and lose weight. The Multi-Diet shows what to eat to make this happen. This author definitely makes a persuasive case for the threshold effect being what causes people to get fat. His ideas are clear and consistent with most of the known facts. I do not believe that he has proved his case, that probably won't be done for years. But nonetheless this is some very original thinking tied to some very solid research and I'm certainly losing weight myself.

With so many helpful reviews, what more could I possibly add? Healthy at 100 is much more than a book about longevity. It's a challenge to not only change your perspective on your own health, but to make a difference in our own communities, and our family. John Robbins will take you into the seemingly heavenly world of the Abkhasians of the Caucasus Mountains, the Vilcabambans of Ecuador and the Hunzans of Pakistan, and then jerk you down to earth with a mission. Haven't read about the China Study or the Okinawa Study? John will get you up to speed.
A must read for anyone he is even remotely concerned about a better quality of life.

I'd give this title 5 stars if he wasn't so darn wordy and repetitive. Very useful information and lots of data to back everything up.

The supposed mainstream medical professionals have us all hyped into believing that a pill here and there will cure everything that ails us, and that many of the diseases we suffer from in this day and age are a result of it's just "the way it is". John Robbins, from analyzing those populations who have an extraordinary number of elders shows this is just not true. Over and over he documents cases whereby these elder populations suffer from none of the common diseases such as heart disease, cancer, etc. but, when the Western world knocks on their doorsteps in the form of unhealthy foods and ideas, the number of disease-free occupants takes a nose-dive.

It is very obvious it is our diet and lifestyle that causes these diseases, not the "it's just the way it is" and attack it with a pill doctrine.

A whole section of the book is devoted to feel-good things such as family and friends and purpose making a difference in how long people live as well.

Nothing complicated about the ideas in this book - just common sense once you've read the data. Ignore the almost daily studies that espouse this or that being good for you with contradictions galore. Time to get back to basics and use your head. Read this book and you'll be convinced.

The first part of the book dealing with nutrition and exercise is unobjectionable, if a bit repetitive and rambling at times. Many people in the West could adopt a much more healthy lifestyle without too much trouble. But the part of the book dealing with love and happiness is straight out of the 1960's. Simply put, in the societies Robbins studied, where people live in isolated mountain and valley enclaves, people probably had little choice but to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Furthermore, in their isolation they were able to live in relatively peaceful and simple societies, where love and fellowship were common. But the rest of the world does not, can not, and will not operate this way. The second half of the book contains simply too much politically leftist, feel-good gobbledygook. Good book on diet and exercise but four stars overall.

John Robbin's book Health at 100 is one of the finest books I've read on living a healthy, vibrant life. Based on his own life experience and more particulary on the extensive research around the longest lived and healthiest, happiest people on the planet it is a must read for any person, at any age and stage of life, seeking sound,commensense input on living a healthy life. Very well written and engaging I was truely reinspired the whole book through. I have purchases copies for family and friends.

John's watershed book "Diet For A New America" was the catalyst, 20 years ago, for me becoming a Vegan Vegetarian. This is every bit as profound and compelling. John A Wood, Darlington, Western Australia

Although there is much to like about this book, there are also some glaring inconsistencies. While it may well be true that the healthy societies presented in the book live on plant-based diets with little animal protein or fat, other societies in which the population eats high proportions of fat from animal sources are similarly healthy but not mentioned. Robbins set out with his own prejudice and excluded research that did not coincide with his hypothesis. To conclude that a low-fat, plant based diet is optimal for everyone based on these few examples is by no means conclusive proof. Even in Okinawa, the population eats plenty of pork and uses lard in their cooking, something Robbins conveniently omits from his discussion.

Additionally, Robbins praises the Okinawa diet and the Asian diets in general for their high intake of whole grains. Yet he never gives us an indication of what these whole grains might be and how much is consumed. Actually, Asians eat white rice, often three times each day. There is a saying in Japan that "white rice is easier on the stomach." But Robbins makes no mention of the high intake of white rice in the typical Asian diet. So when he can't explain something that blatant, he ignores it.

I think it's time for Americans to stop looking for the magic bullet answer to their diet woes. We only need to look at our own history to see where we made a turn for the worse and correct our course. A mere century ago, we did not have an obesity crisis or epidemics of modern chronic disease. And at that time, we were NOT consuming a low fat, plant based diet. What's changed? Plenty.

If you want a very thoughtfully written, well-researched book that busts the low fat myths wide open, read Gary Taubes' new book, "Good Calories, Bad Calories." Robbins is one who has bought the low-fat myth hook, line and sinker, even when faced with his own contradictions.

The portions of "Healthy At 100" devoted to exercise and lifestyle are quite nice.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants the best for their cat. The pet food philosphy that Dr. Hodgkins writes about makes total sense. It is my new 'cat bible' and I refer to it often.

This book provides basic information for even the most novice cat owner. It is a guide to help you learn about cats, and help you raise them in ways suitable to their needs. I enjoyed the information about the type of food to feed your cat. The percentages to look for when choosing food was a helpful guide to finding quality pet food, and eliminating the garbage.

I was feeding my cat organic dry food, with some canned for a 'treat'. This book completely convinced me to stop the dry food entirely and switch to canned food. So far, my cat has lost weight and has improved her already beautiful coat. I would like to switch to some other natural/raw food as well, but one step at a time.

The book provides a great overview, and for people who are not well-informed about the nature of cats or the types of ailments they can have or even the politics surrounding pet food, this is a great book to get you started. I recommend it to the experienced cat lover as well, varying perspective and further education is what makes a well-rounded pet owner.

Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life
If you are feeding your cat ANY dry food STOP RIGHT NOW! Begin feeding most any canned food and read this book to learn all the reasons why you should do this and how to select the best food for your pet! Dr Hodgkins spent 10 years in the pet food industry and now specializes in cat care ,so she knows what she is talking about. I switched my 2 fat 10 year old cats from a diet of mostly dry food to canned food, per her recommendations, a few weeks ago and I can see improvements already. Very informative book!

I liked this book because I enjoy reading anything about cats. This book is loaded with "basic" information. As you read it you know that the author, Dr. Hodgkins DVM, has vast knowledge of cat care but just did not go deep enough into explaining the "whys & whats" I was looking to learn. I was hoping for more meaty information. I do recommend it to anyone that is new to cat ownership but it is not the best read for people looking for deep information into cat care & health. The illustrations are crude yet very cute.

I read this book cover to cover in a couple of days. Owning a diabetic cat it was so difficult to keep her levels under control. I followed the diet guidelines and used the reference tools suggested and now have an insulin free cat who lost two pounds in 6 weeks! My vet was so impressed they asked me to give them the information so they could try it themselves. If you have a cat with this problem I would highly recommend this book.

The No S Diet takes an interesting approach to fat loss. First, while many diets claim to advocate/be the authentic diets of our ancient anscestors, who were lean and much healthier. No S asserts that our RECENT anscestors were lean and healthy, and targets the bad habits and other problems that have recently allowed us to become lardy. Engels uses FDA and other historical data to show how (permasnacking, too much sugar, too many oversized portions) and when (within the last 50 years) we went wrong, and the No S Diet is simply a toolkit to turn back the clock as necessary. Beyond this, the diet is arranged to be sustainable through life. In No S, there are no evil macronutrients, so you can eat with your family and friends without friction or special accomodations for you. Importantly, the diet assumes that you are a rational, thinking person who is able to improve yourself. If you are unsure as to whether you want to fork out for the book, just try going to the website and looking around.

I'm glad I found the No S Diet just after I realized that the whole idea of "restricting" and "counting" didn't work for long term weight loss & manteinance. I 'discovered' the nosdiet website and after I read it, finally said to myself: "this is the way to eat to not worry anymore about dieting". Since then, I can now focus on other more important and fun things in life.

I ordered this book just as a support for the nosdiet website, because I already knew all the info. As other reviewers have said, you don't really need the book to lose the weight, just follow the no snacks, no sweets, no seconds advice and you're done.

However, the book serves as a big FAQ that will save you many weeks (or months) of reading into the diet message boards. So for the price, if you're new to this system, this is gold.

Anyways, at first you will feel free, you will throw away all the other diet books you've bought (even the ones that "promise" they will be your 'new lifestyle for life'), and you will be very enthusiastic about this new way of seeing your relationship with food. However, after the first weeks, If you're the typical diet-addict, you may get disappointed. Why? you may ask. Simple: the weight loss is not 'fast' as the more commercial diets you're used to hear about. The weight loss is slow, but seady, and sustainable for life. You must have patience and start paying attention to your new habits (because as the author says, this is a mental fix, not a dietary one). You have to keep going at it looking it like a long-term goal, not a "lose 20 pounds for next summer" approach.

Personally, the best thing about No S Diet is that it is doable. I've never been able to "follow" a diet for a few months without dropping it (it is not a matter of willpower, really), but since I found NoS (not really a diet per se), I've been eating this way for 2 years. I was getting fat when I started doing it (after a Christmas binge-festival), then I lost around 20 pounds in the last 12 months after I started exercising, and I'm now at a healthy weight. I KNOW I can to this forever, and even without thinking about "doing" it. It's automatic. By the way, I also suggest the "shovelglove" invention by the same author, if you don't know what kind of exercise to do, in addition to walking.

So, if you are the kind of person who didn't have a wise grandma that taught you "wait until dinner to eat" or "ice creams are for sundays", this is what you need. This is TRULY the last & only "how to eat" book, for everyone.

This book, like 99,9% of diet books, relies on catchy names and cute phrases to promote itself. However, like most other diet books it relies on the biggest weight loss myth ever.

So what is the myth?

It is the widely held belief that calories do not count or are of only minor importance when it comes to weight loss. Make no mistake: If you wish to lose weight, calories are everything! To successfully lose weight, you must burn more calories in a given time period than you take in, no matter what diet you are following.

Despite this, diet authors commonly advise us to forget about counting calories! No wonder most people fail dismally in their weight loss efforts!

You can follow NOSdiet's rules to the T but if there is no calorie deficit, you won't lose weight.

If you don't know what calories you are burning and what calories you are consuming, it's very difficult, if not impossible to create a calorie deficit.

Creating a calorie deficit with NOS, is like spitting on a swinging jug.

The NOSdiet rules cannot supersede the laws of physics, no matter what the author or his followers claim.

My recommendation, determine from one of the numerous BMR calculators online your calorie needs and consume sufficient calories to create a daily 500 calorie deficit. As you lose weight, adjust the numbers. This system guarantees a weight loss.

The proof is in the pudding. I've been on this diet for three months and have already lost over 10 pounds. The rules are easy to keep and have not impacted my lifestyle dramatically except to make me feel more empowered. This was a nice bonus that I wasn't expecting. It's truly amazing how much food can control your life. No longer!

I was curious about this newly-popular book since it is based more on when you eat than what you eat, which makes it somewhat similar to The 3:00 PM Secret. The No S Diet is simple and elegant, having just 3 rules - No Snacks - No Sweets - No Second helpings. These rules apply except on days that start with "S", namely, Saturdays, Sundays, and Special days, where "Special" days are defined as birthdays, holidays, and sick days. The key rule as described by the author is "no snacks", and he defines snacks as anything you eat between meals. In other words, don't eat between meals - period - except on S days.

The author criticizes other diet books, which seems unnecessary, though he is clearly trying to distinguish himself and his ideas. He says, for example, forbidden-foods diets are "patent nonsense" and "pseudoscientific". He continues with calorie-counting diets stating they "require you to be a full time calorie accountant" and "...funny that these diets masquerade as scientific..." and so on. Then, he tells you why his diet so much better: "Because it is simple, sustainable, and you aren't really depriving yourself of anything." He says we are fat because of "excess" - we simply eat too much!

The author advocates eating healthy meals and making them count (nutritionally). He is convinced that snacking is what makes Americans fat, suggesting that obesity rates correlate with the number of calories consumed through snacking. He supports this idea by citing that the French snack on average less than once a day compared to Americans three times per day, and that the Chinese barely snack at all. He also says obesity has increased with the increased rate of snacking. While snacking may be a factor in why Americans are obese, it's not likely that it is the only cause.

He does not provide food lists, recipes, or exercises, and says his diet can be used in conjunction with other diets. He does not, however, appear to be a fan of low-carb diets.

Contents:
1. It's That Simple
2. No Snacks
3. No Sweets
4. No Seconds
5. Days That Start with S
6. Building the No S Habit
7. Beyond the No S Diet
Endnotes

This is an interesting book with some research and stats. It has a common-sense approach that should resonate with many readers. I agree with the author about the problems of following diets with draconian meal plans. We are all adults and should be able to determine whether we are overeating during meals by watching the scale. This approach should be an effective method for many people and the book is worth reading. I also recommend THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams, The Alternate-Day Diet, and The 2007 Second Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective.

Cholesterol Down is a great book for people who want to lower there cholesterol without the risks of prescription drug side effects . The science behind high cholesterol is explained in detail and the ten steps to lower your cholesterol are easy to follow. Many great recipe suggestions are provided. Best of all is the fact that Dr. Janet Brill's program really works! Thank you Dr. Janet

Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs

All I can tell you is that this Cholesterol Down eating and exercise plan works! When I decided to get this book, I had already tried to take two different prescription cholesterol medications, but I could not tolerate the side effects. Well, the side effects with this plan turned out to be my total cholesterol going from 234 to 166, triglycerides going from 133 to 89, LDL (bad cholesterol) going from 167 to 69, and HDL (good cholesterol) went from 56 to 80. At the same time, totally unexpected, my diabetes A1c test was PERFECT (5.8) for the first time since I was diagnosed 4 years ago.

The book is well written and easy to understand. She explains what cholesterol is in a way that a lay person can understand. She also explains the science behind choosing the foods she includes in the plan.

The second half of the book includes a daily planner for working these foods into your diet, numerous suggested menus and recipes. I really didn't use her recipes much, although they looked good. I worked the foods into my diet using menus I was already comfortable with. I was already exercising 30 minutes a day and eating a healthy diet, but did not know which foods were best for lowering cholesterol before I read the book.

If you're serious about getting that cholesterol down, this is the book for you.

Too many of us in the US want a "quick fix" to every "problem" that comes our way, whether personal issues or public policy. The plan outlined by the author is just that - a quick fix - - or so the cover leads us to believe. We much prefer to treat symptoms than address the cause of the problem in the first place.

That said, I bought it because (1) I'm educated ( a continuing process ),(2) statistical correlation between elevated cholesterol and adverse health conditions exists, (3)"they" keep lowering the bar re total cholesterol levels, (4) the use of statins can be dangerous, in addition to being costly, and (5) my historical levels of cholesterol exceed currently accepted average guidelines.

Brill's plan had a positive impact on participants cited. It may be doing the same in my case - though I've chosen only 8 or the 10 steps. We'll see. That said, a CT scan of my heart shows zero plaque, and my calculated cardiovascular age is 15 years less than actual. I believe I'm in good health - and intend to stay that way. This is proactive choice on my part. I'm not under a physician's care and even if my cholesterol levels remain the same, I expect to continue most of the steps chosen. I've concluded they make sense.

Brill educates well in the first 42 pages. Whether you choose to adopt any of her suggestions in principle or with a specific objective, the subject matter is important. In truth, the broader issue as it relates to overall health is that of oxidation and free radical generation. LDL levels are indicators, but the culprit in CV disease from what I've read is VLDL and inflammation - - triglyceride levels are a more important focal point than LDL by itself. Neurosurgeon author, Russell L Blaylock, can provide interested readers additional comprehensive knowledge of basic mechanisms of disease and how nutrition impacts the process.

Cholesterol DOWN is worth your time and the few dollars it costs. BUY IT. READ IT. SHARE IT WITH OTHERS. Most importantly, learn to identify and focus on the CAUSE of things you believe to be problems. Quick fixes are a foolish waste of time.

This is one of the best books available on market today for anyone struggling with the dos and don'ts of meal plans. It is direct and to the point and no matter where your learning curve is you will have no problem reading and gaining all of the necessary tools and tips with this very well written book. A must have for folk who have no idea where to start when the doctor says "we must lower your cholesterol".

On 11/30/2007 my total cholesterol was 220, LDL 166, HDL 43, and triglycerides 53. My Doctor recommended that I start Lipitor. Before staring Lipitor I researched the drug and side effects and decided that there must be a better way. Today 2/5/2008 after using the "Cholesterol Down" recomendations since 12/15/2007 my cholesterol total is 134, LDL 91, HDL, 31, triglycerides 58. This is an amazing turn around. I did not use the Metamucil as recommended because I was prescribed a blood pressure med at the same time. The concern was that the Metamucil would bind to the blood pressure medication and limit its benefit. I am thrilled and have thanked Janet Brill for showing me the way without drugs. Let me tell you however that you must be dedicated to the diet. It worked for me.

This system of movement has assisted me to release old tensions that I was unable to access or release in any other way. Truely a way to rejuvenation.

This book really does a good job of explaining standing (Zhan Zhuang) and Qigong to the beginner. My sifu had recommended that I do standing practice, and had taught me a qigong set, and I found that reading this book helped me along. Some of the things (such as the Ba Duan Jin qigong set) differ slightly from the way I was taught, but basically the book is right on the money, and does a good job of helping you understand what everything is for. I also like the warm up exercises before standing that he shows, they really do help. The book is very well illustrated also, which is a plus. Highly recommended, especially for anyone into internal martial arts.

This book is arguably the very finest introduction currently available to the practice of QiGong, especially for those who do not have access to a trustworthy living teacher. QiGong's burgeoning popularity has generated a plethora of both violently skeptical and credulously New-Agey essays. Rather than taking either on faith, you can actually experience internal Qi for yourself and make up your own mind as to its value, using this volume as a guide. Lam Kam-Chuen is one of a tiny handful of QiGong teachers who are fully qualified to write a practical instruction manual geared to the average Western person. For those who want to actually experience the truth about Qi for themselves rather than chew an academic cud of pre-digested dogma, this book is worth its weight in gold!

The past few years I've been practicing various types of meditation and decided I wanted to combine meditating with movement, so I turned to the internal martial arts (Qigong, Tai Chi, Xiang Yi, Ba Gua). After speaking to several internal arts teachers from sound linneages, they all recommended starting with Qigong, and to spend at least half a year only mastering several postures before moving on to the other forms of the internal arts. I bought this book because Master Lam's method seemed in tune with this belief, and I was pleasantly shocked at the results of this book:

--The book says to expect changes over a span of weeks; after the first day alone my back felt more loose, stress free and relaxed then it had in years.
--I no longer have the need to drink caffeine in the morning to keep me up throughout the day.
--I've slowly started to be able to detect an actual physical presence of chi throughout my body (this is coming from a fairly rational/logical, non new-agey type of guy).
--My overall mood and energy has improved.
--I have a much more peaceful state of mind.
--My hypertention has been completely erased; I can calm anxiety driven behavior down much more easily, and have learned to control and regulate my breathing.
--It has helped my cardio activities, long distance running & basketball, immensely. I feel I have more endurance, more balance, and more confident in both sports.

I owe a huge thank you to Master Lam for publishing a book that is simply written and easy to understand, while containing a wealth of information about the forms, postures, breathing, visualizations, anecdotes, meridians, and other information about Qigong, and Lam's specialty of Zhang Zhuang in particular. I'm still shocked at how much learning these postures has improved my life and brought me both physical relief as well as inner peace. Highly recommended.

The Way of Energy provides a step-by-step, almost month-to-month introduction to the practice of Qigong.

Many Qigong books are too "Eastern" for Westerners to read, or are too technical/textbook like, spending many pages going over the meridians, cavities, times of day and orientation. This is required knowledge for advanced practicioners, but gets in the way and is intimidating for introductory students.

The Way of Energy starts of with a simple, straightforward standing meditation. After a brief introduction to Qigong, Part One introduces two standing positions, discusses how to start with a few minutes then work your way up to many, a good section on breathing and has an excellent section describing the sensations most people experience when starting Qigong practice (this section is worth the price of the book for most beginners).

Part Two (which the text recommends proceeding to after a few months) introduces the Eight Pieces of the Brocade Qigong exercies (called Ba Duan Jin in this text) and introduces three additional and advanced standing positions. The reader is instructed on how to integrate these two new pieces into their practice. While the Eight Pieces of Brocade positions vary slightly from other texts, their descriptions are excellent and their purpose briefly but clearly explained.

Part Three describes four advanced standing positions and imagery exercises for the practicioner to begin managing their Chi. The last part of the book describes how to integrate these disciplines into everyday life.

In summary, an excellent introductory step-by-step guide. For more technical works, I would recommend the Qigong Meditation series by Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming (Embryonic Breathing, Small Circulation and the forthcoming book on Grand Circulation).

I found this gem of a book while searching for another title. I read the positive reviews and thought that I should order the book. Why was I searching for a "diet" book? I lost about 55 pounds with an international (points driven) weight-loss plan and promptly begin gaining the weight back (about 25lbs to be exact). Wanting to avoid the lose-weight/gain weight back cycle, I realized that the program I was on did not really teach me how to eat. I could easily count points but the program did not teach me how to resolve my emotional eating issues. I needed a better solution. Hence my search and subsequent purchase of this wonderful book.

The book is easy to read and I will have it finished within a week. I applied the skills as I learned about them and have already lost 5lbs during my first reading. The book explains how to eat and each chapter focuses also on eating healthy (without telling you what to eat) and exercise. It is a comprehensive program that is different than any other "diet" book I have read prior.

While waiting for the book to be delivered to my home, I thought about returning to the "points" program but decided to wait until I receive this book in the mail. I am glad I did because now I feel asthough I can begin to live my life to the fullest because food no longer controls me because "Am I Hungry" puts ME in charge and not a set of rules from an outside authority.

What I hated most about overeating is that the habit caused me to be "out of myself" because my mind was occupied with thoughts about feeling uncomfortable in my clothes, guilt over what I just eat, thinking about what I was going to eat next and mentally beating myself up because I hadn't exercised in weeks. The "real me" couldn't shine forth because of my pre-occupation with eating, losing weight and hoping that no one was noticing the pounds I was packing back on. What a waste of time and energy !! Chapter 8 of the book, "Where Does My Energy Go?" resonated with me and is worth the price of the book alone. Consequently, my thoughts are freed-up because I am longer thinking about food all the time and I am able to devote my "full self" to other areas of my life. This IS freedom!!!

I have been blessed to find this book and also work with someone that is a Instinctive Eater. I often wondered how my co-worker could eat only part of the company paid lunch and leave the rest while I has devouring everything in sight. As I read, "Am I Hungry", I totally understand how and WHY he does it!!!

This book as been very liberating for me and I have read other diet books that claim to be the "only diet book you'll need", well "Am I Hungry" truely is the last "diet" book that any overeater or restrictive eater will need. In fact, it really isn't a diet book at all. Purchasing "Am I Hungry" is money well spent!

My doctor suggested this book, and this non-diet approach and I am grateful that he did. This book changed my life. It has not only helped me improve my relationship with food, it's improved my relationship with myself and with others. It has improved the over-all quality of my life. I will never diet again. This book easily explains the reasons why diets don't work from real-life perspectives. I was able to relate so well to the people who shared their experiences. The journey has been amazing. If you have struggled with food or eating disorders this book can change your life as well. It's probably the best purchase I have ever made.

Okay, sorry, maybe the title of my review was a little extreme but that was how I was starting to feel last year. For the last 23 years of my life I had been in a never ending battle with my weight and food. Every extra ounce of energy went into planning my next meal, wondering when I could eat again, dreaming and longing for the foods I wasn't "allowed" to eat and worrying about how many calories I'd consumed.

After losing and gaining the same 80 pounds twice, I lost 80 pounds again and was well on my way to gaining them all back for the third time. The thought of having to go on another diet filled me with despair and dread; I just knew I couldn't do it again. And, then by some small (or maybe big) miracle, Dr Michelle May and the "Am I Hungry?" program was introduced into my life.

Have you ever watched a baby eat? When they are done eating there is no way, no how you can make them eat without forcing them and in a similar manner, they will let you know EXACTLY when they are hungry and need to eat. As adults, we still have that inner wisdom in us - the little voice that tells us when to eat and when to stop when we've had enough. But, for me, years of dieting had beat that out of me. I could no longer tell when I was hungry and I sure as heck could not tell when I was full.

Let me tell you, when you can't feel or hear your own body's hunger and satiety signals, it sure makes it hard to stop eating when you've had enough!! As a result, I was constantly starving myself to lose weight and then overeating my way (because I couldn't hear my body tell me when to stop) back into weight gain. Am I Hungry? explained why diets never have and never will work as a long term solution. Am I Hungry? helped me get back in touch with my internal hunger cues and helped me learn how to tune back into that inner wisdom my body has about how much, what and when to eat. When you listen to your body, it will tell you EXACTLY what it needs!

So far I've lost a little weight and it continues to come off slowly. But, that is okay with me because I have found a way to eat and a way to live that I know will last me for a lifetime!

I have been waiting my entire life for this book! I have been on many diets and read many diet and nutrution books. This book teaches you what all those thin people naturally do. It explains why diets don't work and how they set us up to flucuate between restrictive eating and over eating by depriving us and how that messes up our metabolism setting us up for failure. It teaches that All Foods Fit and how to live an Active Lifestyle with out punishing ourselves with food and exercise. It even touches on how to cope with Emotional Eating however, I do still believe that there are deeper psychological reasons why we emotionally overeat and some may need further work in this area with a professional. I did find the nuturitional and exercise information news that I already knew, but she helps clarify some misconceptions around some of the diets out there. I highly recommend taking the 8 week teleclass on their website - It helps incorporate all of the tools in this book and is definately worth the money -(After all aren't you worth it?). I highly recommend this book over any other diet/nutrition book out there! I will be getting rid of all of my other diet books on my shelf and incorporating all of the tools for life.

This book is one of those best kept secrets. I was amazed at the amount of info in this book. For anyone who has ever dieted and lost, this book is for you -- I mean it really is. I have battled weight gain for many years, and this is the first book that told me to master my hunger cravings. I am one of those people who often goes all day without eating, because as soon as I do, I cannot stop. Something kicks in and then I become a eating machine. This book stops that cycle permanently, and frees oneself of the curse.

Straight to the point for a really simple method! Jay Co is a great author on this subject and also a well known Yoga teacher. Your Fat is a really good method to follow to lose weight. Excellent companion to any fitness training or Yoga teacher training program.

- Steven "Earth" Metz

this book makes sense and gives you the knowledge to know hot to eat

Your Fat is an excellent book, not just for those who want to lose fat, but for anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. It teaches you to be mindful and to exercise conscious eating, which is something all humans should aspire to do. It's very easy to read and it is simple and practical. Jay has a great sense of humor and his style of writing is easy to relate to. I think everyone should read this book.

Wow. This book breaks your fat down into easily digestable pieces. You can finish it in one sitting or read the suggestions one at a time and incorporate them as you go. Who knew that the volumes of boring books I've read on healthy eating could be reduced to this humorous little pocket book!

I was hoping this book had a different approach, but it is just the standard fare of diet books. i.e. eat less, more veges etc. Nothing earth-shattering.