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 Eating Well For Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Bringing Health and Pleasure Back to Eating :: 0060959584
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| Hopefully, years from now, Eating Well for Optimum Health will be looked upon as the book that saved the health of millions of Americans and transformed the way we eat--not as the book we overlooked at our own peril. It clarifies the mishmash of conflicting news, research, hype, and hearsay regarding diet, nutrition, and supplementation, and further establishes the judicious Dr. Weil, the director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, as a savior of public well-being. If you've ever wondered what "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" really is, been perplexed by contrary news reports about recommended dosages for supplements, or questioned the safety of using aluminum pots for cooking, Dr. Weil will make it all clear. Weil (pronounced "while") bravely criticizes many of the major diet books on the market, and backs up his admonitions with science. He warns readers to not fall under "the spell" of the anticarbohydrate Atkins Diet, but also criticizes the eating plan advocated by Dr. Dean Ornish--which has been granted Medicare coverage for cardiac patients--as being too low fat for the majority of people. (The omega-3 fatty acids missing from Ornish's diet are essential for hormone production and the control of inflammation, he says.) It's also fascinating to learn that autism, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease may be caused by omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies, while an excess of omega-6 fatty acids--very common in the typical American diet--can exacerbate arthritis symptoms. Weil's explanation of the chemistry of fats will prove difficult for most readers, but few will want to eat fast-food French fries ever again after reading his appalling reasons for avoiding them, which go way beyond their well-documented heart-clogging capabilities. After a thorough rundown of nutritional basics and a primer of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, Weil unveils what he feels is "the best diet in the world," with 85 recipes, such as Salmon Cakes and Oven-Fried Potatoes, that are healthy, tasty, quick to prepare, and complete with nutritional breakdowns. He includes a stirring chapter on safe weight loss (he sympathizes with the overweight and comically recalls his one-week trial of a safflower oil-diet while an undergraduate). Other, equally enlightening sections include tips for eating out and shopping for food (with warnings on various additives and a guide to organics), and a wondrous appendix with dietary recommendations for dozens of health concerns, including allergies, asthma, cancer prevention, mood disorders, and pregnancy. Eating Well is an indispensable consumer reference and one not afraid to lambaste the diet industry and empower the public with information about which the majority of doctors--to the detriment of the public health--are ignorant. --Erica Jorgensen Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
First I want to state all the good things about this book - because they are certainly the principles of this book.
Dr. Andrew Weil's Eating Well for Optimum Health holds a wealth of information. Starting with the chemistry of how your body handles food and then explaining how that affects the goods and bads of what's out there is the basis in which Weil promotes his theories. In a world where foods become vilified and championed alike through various 'studies'... it can be intimidating to know what you should include in an 'optimum diet'. Weil clears a lot of this up and is pretty specific about what vitamins, minerals, whole foods and nutrients we should be nourishing our body with. All in all this is a great book on the science of food.
Now, for the bad part. I actually finished this book over a weekend, sick in bed, about a month ago. I was 'sick of being sick' as some would say and devoured (pardon the pun) this wealth of knowledge. After I was well enough to get back to my routine, I threw away almost every single food item in my kitchen, as almost nothing adhered to the optimum plan. I was still very motivated with my bare cupboards and then set out to turn my family's life around.
Dr. Weil makes it pretty clear that you are going to pretty much have to go exclusively organic, bar a few, and I mean few, fruits and vegetables. He even states that some non-organic fruits and vegetables are so toxic in their non-organic state you should never consume them - strawberries for example. Something Weil will also state is the pesca-ovo-vegetarianism diet is his diet of choice, because almost all meats are riddled with hormones that greatly impact our own bodies. The optimum food pyramid doesn't really include animal proteins, so if you aren't a vegetarian, you'll have some serious issues to resolve.
He tells you he loves food, and feels anyone who misses the point and stops enjoying food is wasting their time. I totally agree, but in practice, this book does just about that. Demonizing foods based on the fears of cancer and inflammatory disease can be a difficult pill to swallow, particularly if you've consumed these foods all of your life. The nature of label reading and being a smart consumer can literally drive you insane. It's certainly beneficial, we know that, but making it a lifestyle will require more then just a bit of education.
This book also is not for anyone seeking weight-loss through diet modification. Weil explains it certainly can be done, but he spends more time telling you what diets, such as Atkins, not to partake in. This fact is actually not a negative side to the book. However given the nations statistics on obesity I think this could have been a more helpful aspect of the book if he developed it.
I will end with this: This book could/would be an incredible useful tool if you were any or (ideally all) of the following:
1. You are wealthy. Try buying exclusively organic. It's outrageous. Most working families can not afford this lifestyle, contrary to the notion that prepared and processed foods are expensive. Prepared and process foods are cheap - that's why Americans consume them at such high rates. He suggest to organic co-op farms, but even as late as 2006 they can be scarce for most people in the suburbs, and when you do find them, they will only be cheaper then buying organic from natural food stores and chains, which isn't saying much. Don't be shocked when you find vine-ripened organic tomatoes at $5.99 a pound.
2. You do not work. Almost exclusively cooking from scratch, which is even acknowledged by Weil, will be the hardest transition for anyone who works full-time or has a family. This is probably the saddest aspect of this book. There certainly is nothing wrong with from cooking wholesome, healthy meals from scratch - but it isn't the norm for most people. If you buy the foods recommended, you'll be spending about 70% of your day in the kitchen if preparing 3 meals.
3. You already lead a healthful and active lifestyle. If this is you then you probably already knew much of Weil's intuitive advice and therefore will need only tweaking to adhere to the optimum plan.
My personal experience with this book is that you can back yourself into a corner with fear. If you work and have a family I suggest you skip this book. Working in your 5+ a day fruits and vegetables, organic or not, and leading an active lifestyle is a good place to start. The Eating For Optimum Health book creates a pretty black and white picture. And we all know life isn't black and white.
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Author: Guest
Andrew Weil is wonderful. One should always look into his books for sage advise.
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Author: Guest
Dr. Weil is the one health authority I trust completely, without question. He is a regular contributor to Prevention Magazine and knows more about nutrition and health than anyone on the planet. I get the feeling, while reading his books, this man writes to give information, not to make money. He does have a line of supplements but ALL proceeds from sales go directly to supporting the growth of integrative medicine. His "Eating Well for Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Food, Diet, and Nutrition " is full of practical advice and his reasons for giving it are sound and logical. You won't find the desired quick fixes here, no miracle cures or empty promises. Dr. Weil is one man who lives by the adage, "You are what you eat" and he does a fine job of passing along all the information to help you make more educated choices and less excuses. Dr. Weil emphasizes diet as an "important influence on health" and this book gives you the basic principals of eating well. What some people might dislike about "Eating Well for Optimum Health" is how it puts the responsibility for your health squarely on your own shoulders. I recommend anything by Dr. Andrew Weil if you're really looking to take charge of your health and are willing to make the necessary changes. EXCELLENT!!!
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Author: Guest
This book was a real eye opener. After reading this book I am much more knowledgable about the foods available in the market and I am able to make better and healthier choices. My overall health has improved and I feel I have more energy than before. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
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Author: Guest
This book is wonderful. It doesn't say "This food is good so eat it." Dr. Weil really explains what foods do for you. He explains the science of food and nourishment. The book is so interesting. A wealth of information. There were so many facts or studies in this book that I was compelled to share with others.
Another thing I liked about the book is that he isn't pushing anything on you. He is just laying things out as they are leaving you to make the decisions. He ends each chapter with what he recommends, but nothing is rigid.
I highly recommend this book. I cannot stop telling my friends and family about it. This is a book everyone should read. No kidding.
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