Diet Books

I am not disqualifying all the 5 star reviews out there, but I think there are sections that deserve some revision.
This book was very educational, and provided exceptional layman explanations about the human body and genes to help set context and created a buy-in from the reader. But there are sections where the book seemed to have provided conflicting recommendations, thus causing confusion about what we should eat or not eat at the phase we're in. It seems like more than 1 person worked on the book and it wasn't brought together cohesively in the end. I bet there will be a new version coming.

I've been working this plan for 6 weeks, and just love it! I wish the website had been developed. I think Dr. Gundry has an amazing plan here! We need a community of support though. So, I've started a blog, http://doctorgdietevolution.blogspot.com/ .. come on over!

The book is well written, clear, and the plan is workable.

Dr Gundry and Diet Evolution was a real find for us.This book is about changing your eating life style. Our experience with Dr Gundry and this book has dramatically changed our life to one of looking forward to a more healthy life and to a much longer one. Thanks so much. Peter and Leslie Roberts

It really works, I feel better than I have felt in years. I have lost 16 1/2 pounds in less than two months. I have more energy than I had at 10 years ago. It is not hard.

If you're interested in living a long and healthy life, buy the book. It not only teaches what to do but also it teaches why we must do it. Everything rings true. I'm doing it - it works - it's easy - it makes sense. We have evolved to a grain & sugar based diet today which is calorie dense/micronutrient poor. Hence: Entire populations are obese. We need to reverse the habit and consume micronutrient rich/calorie scant foods and thereby normalize our weight, health & longevity. Good luck to you regarding your wellness.

I give the Merck Manual 5 stars in general but I wouldn't buy this edition because it was written in 1999. Everything in this book is obsolete. It's very important to buy up-to-date medical books for proper information. If you're looking for a newer Merck, I would buy The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Second Edition: The World's Most Widely Used Medical Reference - Now In Everyday Language which was written in 2004 but is the most up-to-date Home Edition of Merck. However The Merck Manual 18th Edition was written in 2006 but is intended for doctors. I wouldn't recommend The Merck 18th Edition unless you have a good knowledge of medicine.

This is a wonderful summary of general medical information written in simple terms so this is a great addition to the family. It is very current in describing medical understanding of a variety of illnesses, and it provides a solid foundation upon which you can start doing more research on the Internet for the condition that you may be interested in finding about. It even suggests temporary remedies and puts you in charge of how you are treated by the medical profession. This is a must have book to keep around!

This is the most comprehensive guide to health related issues available on the market. There is a more authorative edition of the Merck Manual, but at 1700 pages this edition will keep you occupied. It covers the broad range of illnesses with handy diagnoses. But, what I like most is the children's section, which not only fills you on all the ailments that plague little ones, but the vast array of problems that can occur during pregnancy. While much of this information may provide more anxiety than assurance, it is worth knowing, especially if going through the experience of child birth for the first time. The children's section also has good information on health and nutrition. It quite literally covers the gamut of health related issues and no home should be without it. But, don't get carried away with self-diagnoses It can be frightening!

This book is cheaper [on] AMAZON than the one I bought at my warehouse club. I'd buy it for twice list price if I did not already have a copy.

The text is marvelously complete, yet devoid of fluff and fillers despite its 1500+ pages. The illustrations are very helpful, as is its exhaustive index.

If I have a medical problem in the house, this is what I grab first, even before logging onto the net. It's that good.

All that being said, it is not a complete medical library, you can get more detailed info by visiting a medical library, buying more specific books on the condition that interests you, and be spending hours researching a subject on the net.

If you want to understand something medical in a hurry, reach for this first.

This Merk Edition is perfect for patients with limited medical background. The explanations are more in laymen's terms but it would be good to have a medical dictionary to help when needed. Most term are explained in the book and it is full of diagrams to help with understanding. Merk recognizes the need for patients to become educated and have confidence that this is not a difficult thing to do. Some doctors have led patients to believe for too long that the knowledge was beyond their comprehension, so nothing that they do is ever questioned. I have met other doctors that explain in great detail and even draw on a bed sheet what they are going to do and why, giving the patient the respect that they deserve. I have a Degree in Early Childhood Education, and one crucial thing that was drilled into us that everybody can be taught anything if you start on the level of knowledge of the subject that you wish to teach. I believe this about children, and I certainly feel the same about every age level. Doctors are just people who went to school to learn. You never know what quality of the knowledge is that they learned or if they have kept up with an ever changing field with updates from research all of the time. If you are particular about who watches your pet, you should be even more concerned about your health care. Whatever depends on you to stay alive and for you to take care of, need for you to be healthy, and the health care of your loved ones should be a serious concern. It is easy to understand. Mrs. Symmington

I wanted to find a specific carbohydrate cookbook with both satifying home and holiday recipes. Raham Passad and friends and family even more than that including recipes from many countries, and particularly Asia. I even enticed my daughters-in-law to try specific carbohydrate cooking by giving this book to both at Christmas and they really like it! Buon Appetite!

i think of this book as the "recipes for the human diet". the dishes
therein are not restricted instructions for specific dietary needs,
but tips to make the food we should be eating even better. makes
sense. agriculture is roughly 15,000 years old (we have been around
for way longer), and most of what passes for edible these days is
probably toxic; and if it's not then it does a pretty good impression
at appearing to be so.

so, reader, have some real great tasting food (huevos rancheros - page
30, curry crackers - page 38, cobb salad - page 61, mango salsa - page
94, bok choy - page 97, moroccan beef - page 146) for a week, and then
you tell me how you feel (happy!).

I have a growing number of friends who have to follow a restricted diet and this book really fills the gap in my collection of recipe books by putting together delicious recipes that are completely thought out from a nutritional perspective. I no longer feel that I have to compromise on taste to put together a dinner that we can all enjoy.

The book made me more conscious of what goes into what I cook and has changed my attitude to ingredients. Whether or not we have a gastric condition, we should all make an effort to eat food that is healthy and pure. This book addresses that simple goal superbly.

I have made a few recipes from this cookbook and overall I have been satisfied. I made the ginger tea and thought it was good -- recipe directions say to "add cinnamon"--but there is not cinnamon listed as an ingredient so you have to estimate.


I made the upside-down pineapple cake (p194) and it looked nothing like the picture and the taste was a little off.

Overall cookbook has good recipes. Some basics and some unique recipes.

The recipies in this book are so divine! They sound so wonderful, my mouth waters! Beautiful full color photos & advice about certain ingredients depending on your stage of the diet. I would have given this book 5 stars if I could use it. I find that the recipes are far to advanced for my stage of the diet. I think it would be a year easy before being able to use this book.
This is not a newbie book! If you are a newbie to the SCDiet, this is a book to keep in mind for when you are further along. If you are advanced in the diet, then by all means get a copy!
Health through diet is a beautiful thing.

Evelyn Tribole's Healthy Homestyle cookbooks are excellent value. She not only details interesting low fat recipes but explains how she decreased the fat and calorie content which gives individuals great ideas for converting their own favourite recipes. Food values are given for each recipe. These are the best cookbooks I have found for people on a restrictive diet and the recipes are interesting enough for anyone who simply wants to cook in a more healthful way.

I was very disappointed in this book. Much of the information has been outdated by new findings in nutrition. If you eat healthy already, then this is not for you..you will learn nothing new. I've been making these substitutions for years.

Great ideas to make all recipes healthier. Many items I have made are terrific. There have been a few recipes I would not repeat but the overall success rate is quite high.

This is a great cookbook, I use it frequently and for the most part have good success. However, the nutrition information for each recipe is lacking, protein/sodium amounts are not listed and the fat content is not broken down. Other than that, it's a great book.

An avid reader, I don't write reviews about any books, none-the-less the "Cooking" kind. We ladies who love to cook and eat are prone to buying many cookbooks only to be disappointing and donated to the local Thrift Store. But the pages of this one, and the sequel, "More, Healthy Homestyle Cooking" are well worn and lovingly revisited nearly every day. They are unique in that they teach you a different way of making meals that are not only easy and healthy but, as many others here have said, taste absolutely delicious.

If you like Mexican try the "Easy Cheesy Chili Relleno Casserole" and "Split Pea Guacamole" (yes it HAS avacados in it) and the consistancy is actually superior to the regular. I love Italian food and the "Chicken Cacciatore", "Eggplant Parmigiana", "Chicken Marsala" and "Italian Eggplant and Rice Bake" are out of this world. Equally good are things like "Hoppin' John", "Pork Chop Suey", "Chinese Chicken Salad" and "Carrot and Raisin Salad". I could go on and on.

Like others here, I've given copies of this Cookbook to many friends and family who have raved about the finished products. I can guarantee won't be disappointed.

This is a good starting point for working with Psychoactive Plants. It is however not quite as informative as the author's "The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications". If you are interested in working with plants but are not sure then this is the book for you to get the real information you need to make a informed decision.

This is a good book on the topic of psychotropic plants, though I have to admit that I'm a little shocked that the opium poppy wasn't included. Oh well. There are enough books on that subject that I'm sure if you really want to study the "black smoke" you can find another book to read. It presents an interesting subject in an approachable, readable format. My one complaint is that parts of it read a little too New Age-y, which irks me. But that's the way I am. Aside from that one (rather small) problem, I would readily recommend this book to anyone looking for an all-in-one look at this branch of botany.

The authors Richard Schultes, director of the Botanical Museum at Harvard and Albert Hofmann, discoverer of LSD and former director of the Pharmaceutical-Chemical Research Lab in Basel, Switzerland, together have over fourteen years of research in field of botany, chemistry and ethnobotony. In their book the authors offer an ethnobological look at the sacred use of hallucinogenic plants and include: an introduction to hallucinogenic plants, a plant lexicon, overview of plant use chart, detailed section of fourteen major hallucinogenic plants, and concludes with an overview of the chemical structure of hallucinogens.
The plant lexicon includes ninety-one known and most common hallucinogenic plants with: a colored picture for each plant, botanical name, geographic location, hallucinogenic properties and a short description of the individual plant. Following the lexicon is a chart overview of each plant that includes: usage in history, context and purpose, preparation, chemical components and effects. Following the chart is a detailed account fourteen major hallucinogenic plants. "Most of these plants are or have been culturally and materially important...that they can not be overlooked "(81). The authors include: a descriptive history, gathering techniques, rituals, the chemical make-up of the plant, pictures of ceremonies, and artwork of "visions" by people.
Plants of the Gods is more than a research book, it is a guide to understanding the role hallucinogens play in various religious cultures using a scientific and anthropological approach.

This review is based on the 1992 publication:
Schultus, Richard E., and Albert Hofmann. Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers. Rochester: Healing Arts Press, 1992.

If you're looking for information on how to prepare psychoactive plant medicine and, well quite frankly, how get high, this is not the book for you. However, if you'd like to gain more wisdom and insight into shamanistic practices around the world, this is a wonderful history that draws you into the mind of the shamin. I loved this book. It gave me new respect for the wisdom of those ancient people of whom we know so very little. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in shamanism and herbalism. It offers insight into not HOW but WHY psychoactive plants are ingested. Plant medicine is afford the tremendous respect it so rightly deserves.

Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers
by Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann, and Christian Rätsch

Publisher:Healing Arts Press/Inner Traditions

Year:2001 (revised and expanded edition)

ISBN:089281979-0

Categories:Book Reviews, Recommended Books

Reviewed by Jon Hanna, 6/26/2007

It may be a rare thing for a second edition of a book to warrant its own review, but such is definitely the case with the new edition of the Schultes' and Hofmann's 1979 classic Plants of the Gods. The updated version was produced as a German translation in 1998 by Christian Rätsch, and Healing Arts Press released the English translation of this in late 2001. It is a thing of beauty.

The primary and most dramatic improvement is the inclusion of numerous new photographs and art images. Although this second edition retains many of the same photos, it introduces a lot of new ones as well. In some cases, the item depicted-such as the statue of Shiva with Datura flowers in his hair (p. 11)-has been revisited with a higher-quality photo. Frequently, black and white images have been replaced with a similar image in stunning full-color. While this works superbly in most cases, there are a few situations-such as the replacement color photo of an aerial view of the Kuluene river (p. 24)-where the original black and white photo was much better. New psychedelic art is featured throughout from the likes of Pablo Amaringo, Walangari Karntawarra Jakamarra, Nana Nauwald, and Donna Torres. There are even some incredible watercolor paintings done by Christian Rätsch himself (think Codex Seraphinianus on acid)-where can we see more of his art!? A beautiful mural of an ayahuasca ceremony that graces a wall at the Cuzco Airport in Peru reminds us that some countries have a more enlightened attitude towards the use of psychoptic plants.

"Fourteen Major Hallucinogenic Plants" of the first edition has been altered to become "The Most Important Hallucinogenic Plants," and expanded to include new sections on Anadenanthera colubrina, ayahuasca analogs, Salvia divinorum, and Duboisia hopwoodii. There have been numerous expansions on the old chapters as well, including many additional species of the genera discussed. Six new plants have been added to the "Plant Lexicon," and this section has been vastly improved through the addition of color photographs. Previously, the majority of the plants described were depicted via illustrations, with only a few photo images; this situation is now reversed, with only a few illustrations. (It is a shame that there are any drawings remaining, although I suspect in some cases it might be hard to obtain photographs of the plants in question. Still, in other cases it should not have been difficult-photos of Banisteriopsis caapi, Lagochilus inebrians, Mandragora officinarum, Mimosa tenuiflora [= M. hostilis], Peucedanum japonicum, Scirpus atrovirens, Tabernanthe iboga, and Virola theiodora are all available via the web). The map of "Native Use of Major Hallucinogens" has been expanded to include Hyoscyamus sp., Duboisia sp., and A. colubrina, and the depicted range of Cannabis use has been increased.

Some problems that the original book had are, alas, retained or, in a few cases, exaggerated. The gutter of the book is too tight, causing one to crack the spine to get a full view; this was the case in the earlier edition as well. New layout glitches include shaded backgrounds for text boxes being placed too close to the edge of the text (in some cases touching it), and headlines that sit too close to the images. The problem of citing alkaloid contents as fixed numbers is still present (although in a few cases ranges are presented). Those with little knowledge on the subject might actually believe that all dried Trichocereus pachanoi plants have a 2% mescaline content, while this is actually the peak of the range that can be determined through a survey of the scant few published isolation analyses (which dips down to 0.33%, and even lower in published HPLC analysis), and may not be typical. In new cases when ranges are presented, such as the case with Mimosa tenuiflora root-bark said to contain 0.57 to 1.0% DMT, the information may not be correct. (M. tenuiflora has been reported to contain 0.31 to 0.57% DMT with specific analyses available in the literature of Gonçalves de Lima 1946 and Patcher et al. 1959, and there have been unsubstantiated counter-culture claims of 1% to 11%, see ER Vol. X, No. 3, 2001 and Ott 2001). Both the new and the old editions of this book are riddled with statements about alkaloid contents that are presented as if they were fixed amounts, when in reality alkaloid content can be highly variable.

Some new errors are introduced with this edition. Spelling mistakes are peppered throughout (they've misspelled author Hofmann's name on the back cover!), and awkward phrasings are not uncommon in those sections that were translated from German. In some cases, plants are presented as containing specific alkaloids that they do not have. For example, it is remarked that "The Turkey Red variety of the grass Phalaris arundinacea contains liberal amounts of DMT." This is in error, as this variety contains liberal amounts of 5-MeO-DMT, not DMT. Also, photographs of four cacti-Ariocarpus retusus, A. fissuratus, Astrophyton asterias, and Aztekium riterii-known in México as "peyote" are depicted, with the statement "They primarily contain the substance mescaline and other psychoactive alkaloids." This too is in error, as only A. riterii has been found to contain trace amounts of mescaline, and no mescaline has been found at all in the others. (It was interesting to see that Rätsch considers a heftier amount of mescaline, "0.5-0.8 gram" to be a dose, compared to the Shulgins' more conservative 200-400 mg dose listed in PIHKAL; I tend to agree with Rätsch.)

Any and all criticism of this book should be viewed as minor, as it is truly a marvelous work. Rätsch has taken a great book and made it better. Especially if you own the first edition, you owe it to yourself to pick up this revamp. It is visual delight, a joy to read cover-to-cover, and it will no doubt be revisited repeatedly for years to come.

Prior to purchase, I was concerned this might be too "outdated" to be useful. I was wrong. Dr. Atkins was a brilliant man who shares in a personable way what is safe and what isn't--based on years of clinical practice, as well as personal study. Dr. Atkins years of experience can help you implement the plan that is going to work best for you far more quickly than starting from scratch. Dr. Atkins even shares a few pit falls to watch out for along the way, again from experience on a large client base over a number of years of practice. After owning this book for some time, I find the detailed INDEX in the back of the book is most helpful to look up that forgotten nugget.

I couldn't have said it better. Read Em and Em's review. I agree whole heartedly!!

First thing I do whenever my health isn't what I want it to be is look up what vitamins Dr. Atkins recommends and it what dosages.

It's never failed me. May not work as quickly as prescribed medication, but in the end has the same effect and a lot healthier.

Cannot recommend this book more strongly.

This book covers uses for various supplements that are not always covered by other vitamin books.
The information is very helpful, but a few things are a little out of date, mostly because of what was or wasn't available when the book was written.
Overall, a good addition to your nutrition library if you're interested in using supplements or knowing more about what certain nutrients do.

I am a professional who has been reading and studying the field of supplements. This book is the best that I have come across. Not only is it the most complete, but the supplements in it were used in Dr. Atkin's clinical practice. This is were the rubber hits the road, and the concrete real life information that gives this book credibility. If I were to buy only one book on this subject, it would be this one, even over the encycolpedia type books.

I wish I had had this book YEARS ago. The information and ideas in Prescription for Natural Cures has literally changed my life! I can't recommend this book highly enough! Ya gotta get it!

This is the book I first reach for when I'm searching for a natural remedy. I've only really gotten into natural remedies in the last 2 or 3 years, but I own a lot of books on the subject, and this is the most easily understood and well organized. I loved this book as soon as I bought it (probably a year ago) and even though I'm much more knowledgeable now, this is still my first choice. It's full of great, comprehensive information. I would suggest this to book to anyone.

I have not tried any of the cures, but the book has ton of information for the price.

This book is definitely a good catch. Very informative in alternatives to natural remedies and in explaining the symptoms of each. Very good book.

I've always leaned toward natural cures and remedies since watching three family members die/dying of cancer, wasting away to nothing and being tortured through chemo and radiation.
This book has:
Symptoms
Other diseases/conditions that can mimic the same prognosis
Diet recommendations (Foods to avoid, Foods that make condition worse, Foods that soothe/heal)
Herbal Remedies
Holistic Remedies
Aromatherapy Suggestions
Reflexology Points/Suggestions
Acupuncture Points/Suggestions
Case Studies/Surveys
Causes and Solutions
I borrowed this book to my neighbor who has frequent bouts of Gall/Kindey stones and had multiple surgeries. He changed his diet to the recommended suggestions and is taking Cranberry extract and other ideas from the book and is doing great now!
The book tells you what your Doctors don't!

A MUST HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH! IT IS A GREAT GUIDELINE! THANK YOU DAVID GROTTO!

This book was written by a Registered Dietitian - which means he has a degree in nutrition science (biology, chemistry, and physiology) and is nationally licensed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and the American Dietetic Association. R.D.'s offer more credible and scientifically based guidance than "nutritionists" who are not licensed. That is why hospitals, MDs, and health clinincs do not hire any one without the RD credential. Ask yourself "What am I being sold?" With a Dietitian you are being offered knowledge and skills you need to make healthy decisions, with everyone else you are just being SOLD! I definately recommend this book, its info is based on what are called Randomized Clinical Trials - scientific studies that reveal correlation (ie saturated fat increases risk of breast cancer, etc). With this book you aren't being sold fads and voodoo, you're being informed. This is one of the few and invaluable diet books that is actually written by the pros. When you want true nutritional advice, go to the most qualified professional.

101 foods that could save your life by David Grotto was the first book to tell it like it really is. My personal weight loss came from choosing food
ideas from this book. This is the first book for me that was so simple
and informative. I continue to refer to this book weekly to stay healthy
and keep the weight off.

This book is great...gives you the history of the food, home remedy uses,the way the food affects your body, ways to store and prepare, and each food item has a tasty recipe!

Dave Grotto has changed the way I eat, and I am a Registered Dietitian. Dave's book "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life" puts the FUN back into eating simple health promoting foods that tast great! His book has TONS of science made practical. I know my family is eating healthier and learning that a nutritious diet does not have to be boring. I LOVE his web site as a companion to the book. See Dave on mini videos of selected foods from his book and get psyched to eat better.

I love the receipes in the book. The only thing I have a problem with is that the book states that "No more weighing", however it does not explain what an actual serving size is, it mentions briefly that you can weigh your food to get an idea of what a serving is, and then use your judgement from then on. Well, being someone that is over weight and has a problem with determining what an actual serving is poses a HUGE problem. That would mean, I WOULD have to weigh my food to figure out whether I am eating a serving or more. The title of the book is misleading, as well as the excerpts on the back and front cover.

I bought this cookbook back in 1993 and have been using the recipes in it ever since. I get so many requests for the recipes I've made from it I have bought extra cookbooks to give out to people as gifts. The title is deceiving because it doesn't seem like those bland old diet cookbooks that you usually get. I lost the weight that I wanted to lose and have maintained my weight by keeping these recipes on hand. Also, I love that the cookbook has a picture for every recipe which is rare in most cookbooks. As stated earlier in someones comments about the serving size......It states how many servings the recipe makes they just figure you can divide equally.

Very easy transaction -- price was great -- shipping to a friend's address went off without a hitch. Hightly recommend.

I loved the pictures! I own alot of cookbooks, and this one has fast become my favorite. I liked the Classics section as well as the easy-to-understand calorie needs/bmi explanation in the front of the book and the 14-day menu planner. It contains good old fashioned dinners as well as easy gourmet-type delights. My husband is excited about this too! My whole family will enjoy losing weight while eating great tasting food without feeling they are on a diet!

My husband and I lost a total of 100 pounds in 5 months by using the delicious recipes in this book. The food is tasty, easy to prepare, and satisfying. The variety of foods from the traditional to the more exotic or ethnic gives the range of choice often missing in "diet" books. I have purchased this book as a gift for several friends who have also found it enjoyable.

My daughter started to have white spot on her teeth at the age of 3, this is why after many search I got this book. What a great revelation. A really interesting way of viewing on how and why the cavities are formed, and therefore on how to tackle them. My daughter teeth are much healthier and myself as well (I was having ongoing problems with bone loss in the jaw and gum desease). This book is a real eye opener.
Thank you Rami.

I have read Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions", I have read Weston Price's "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration". My family made many dietary changes and saw much benefit. Still, I felt a lack; there was something I wasn't quite getting. My family members stopped getting new cavities but old ones weren't healing. I thought I had done all I could and I would just have to give up and start getting them filled. Then I came across Rami Nagel's book.

The difference between this book and the others is detail. A protocol is clearly spelled out. Although we had a much improved diet after implementing Nourishing Tradition ideas, I can see where we have been lacking. I am in the process now of starting to implement what is detailed in this book. The reader is also given some good leads on sources for foods that aren't easy to come by these days.

I feel we have a chance now to beat those cavities. I have also shared the book with friends whose little 23 month old daughter has severe tooth decay. Another friend is waiting in line to borrow the book. I fear that I may not get my copy back for some time! Fortunately I took extensive notes on information I need to get started improving our diet.

I've always known deep down that teeth can heal naturally.
When my own daughter began having dental issues, I went on
a mission! Already been down that path, and being very
scarred from the dental experiences I endured, I knew I couldn't
put my child through it. I found Dr. Weston Price's research
and my instincts told me this was it! Ramiel has now written
a book, drawn from Price's findings, but specifically directed at restoring dental health. The result is a very comprehensive
book that lays it all out. He is honest. And the truth is
an incredible eye-opener! The protocol works. Get this book,
especially if you have children.

Rami Nagel is an "ordinary mortal" who has, by virtue of necessity and courage to dare - and the remarkable archive of anthropological-medical data created by Dr. Weston Price achieved an extraordinary goal - arresting and reversing what most people and practitioners routinely believe to be an inevitable degeneration in dental health

He has come at his subject with all the doubts, hopes and vulnerabilities of a layman whose inner quest will not allow him to be satisfied with the pathological state of affairs that modern medicine takes to be "normal". It is normal in the truest sense of the word - meaning, the condition of the majority, the mean, the present state of things. But normal is not necessarily natural, and the quest for the natural is clearly what inspired both Weston Price and Rami Nagel.

While there are many ways of providing the essential elements required for the job, Nagel chooses to model his approach on that of Dr. Price, who did decades of detailed study and analysis which few now would care to undertake.

However, other - not incompatible - paths exist, such as the very promising potential of modulating the pH acid-alkaline balance in the bloodstream, a pre-condition which is pivotal in virtually all other and later developments in human physiology. One brief example will do: it is necessary for the salivary pH to be at least 6.5 in order for new enamel to be formed.

Even if all other conditions are ideal, and this is not the case, the desired results may not occur. Ideally, "primal" nutrition would create such a condition, but years - perhaps decades - of extreme imbalance (even on well-intended diets), but experience shows that, at least initially, more aggressive measures may often be needed to rectify the all-important fluid state of the body.

Nagel's book is admirable for its honesty, clarity and inspirational power, and deserves to be taken as the deeply valuable resource which it is, collating hundreds of pages of clinical research and distilling it into user-friendly form for impatient contemporary readers and needers.

About a month ago I noticed that my enamel was stripping off. I don't believe this was typical enamel erosion. I don't eat citrus fruits or drink soda, don't have gerd or acid reflux, and I'm not bulemic. I have patches and dull strips where there used to be shiny enamel. I bought this book and changed my diet immediately. Within a few weeks the stripping of the enamel stopped. And all of a sudden in a matter of days, I started noticing vast improvements in the surface of my teeth. I read that tooth structure is lattice like, and it really is. You can really see it! For a couple of days, I actually watched it re-knit, and some of the patches have shrunk, by refilling with shiny enamel. I cheated on my birthday and the progress slowed for several days and I didn't notice daily improvements. I am just starting to see them again. There will be no more cheating. I don't want to slow this down.

My daughter just started getting her permanent teeth this spring and they don't have any shine to them at all. She is also getting some enamel finally. Hers doesn't have the appearance of lattice, yet. She is just now getting her first vertical lines. If I could capture this, I'd probably just post the pictures online for the whole world to see that dentists are wrong! Everywhere you read online, "enamel does not grow back..." But, it does. I don't think this is just the enamel "like" glassy coating that Rami refers to. I really believe this is actual enamel re-knitting.

My husband is getting improvements in his teeth as well. A couple of his molars appeared to have black decay in them, and the blackness is fading away.

A bonus from this diet, is that I am finally starting to absorb my nutrients. Both myself and my daughter suffer from deficiencies caused by malabsorption. We are both doing better. And the proof for me, besides my teeth healing, is that my prematurely gray hair is reversing. Premature gray hair is caused by a lack of minerals. So, I must be absorbing some finally.

This book shows you how important proper nutrition is, not just for teeth but for all health. The teeth are not just for eating. They are not unnecessary and expendible. They are keys to your health. They can tell you when something is wrong in your body. Dentures can't do that. If you have cavities, or enamel issues, it's not just a "dental" issue. It's a HEALTH issue. And fillings are just a bandaid. You MUST take responsibility and take control of your health. Only YOU can do that. No doctor or dentist can do that for you. It is hard work. Change is not easy, and not always fun. But it is SO WORTH the effort. Not only will you feel better physically because you're getting proper nutrition, you will feel good knowing that YOU did this for yourself. No bandaids, no magic pills.

I also recommend Sally Fallon's, Nourishing Traditions book along with your purchase of Ramiel Nagel's, Cure Tooth Decay. Her book will help you keep with the guidelines that Rami suggests in this book.

I just want to add a thank you to Rami for his hard work and dedication to writing this book.