Diet Books

Diets. We can't live with them. We can't live without them. "Experts" flood us with information in everything from contradictory, bite size news clips to their super size, often best-selling book counterparts.

While dieting to reduce body weight successfully converted from theory to practice as early as the 1700's; the last century ushered in a marked increase in its veneration. America's roaring 20's preceded the dieting craze of the 30's. The multi-million dollar dieting pill empire emerged at the end of that decade; although the FDA saw to the moderation of this fast-growing, malignant cancer of society. At that point, however, the dieting craze had already gained force. No government agency could stop what followed. More diets emerged in the 60's. By 1970, an estimated 10 billion amphetamines (diet pills) were manufactured on an annual basis. The 80's and 90's continued the trend; our current decade is no exception to this now evergreen obsession.

The result: Millions of Americans attempt to diet every year, yet millions remain overweight. Moreover, Americans still look to the latest fad diets that various media mediums and outlets promote. Neil Habgood--an instructor who has devoted his career to educating people about the basic and true principles required for weight loss and true fitness--offers a more sophisticated and sensible approach. Habgood offers a breakdown, comparison and contrast of the Atkins, South Beach and Metabolic Typing Programs. Readers will find these chapters clear, concise and comprehensive. Habgood leaves no stone unturned. He successfully addresses the history, theory and practical applications of these diet systems.

His explication culminates in his championing of Metabolic Typing History and the Metabolic Typing Diet, which he describes as a "very simple, user-friendly methodology that anyone can apply to customize a diet to his or her own unique body chemistry" (23). The MT approach is based on the premise that identifying an individual's genetically based nutrition and diet requirements is the key to developing a sensible and successful nutritional plan and lifestyle. No single diet is right for everyone, because everyone is unique. Habgood thoroughly explains the MT system. He then successfully guides the reader through various principles of optimal human health and wellness, including various do's and dont's regarding raw, organic and processed foods; water intake; fats and oils; and more. Habgood completes his holistic approach with his dynamic approach to motivation and goals.

Habgood's writing style is lucid and personal. His book is well-researched, logically organized, and cogently coordinated. Any reader will assuredly walk away with the real truth about nutrition. His book elucidates the "how to" of real health, real results and real life changes.

I was in my mid-twenties, overweight, and frustrated when my wife first introduced me to Neil. We had a brief discussion and he mentioned some of his ideas about weight loss; it just made sense. I then took his challenge to read his book.

I am not a reader at all, however I read the entire book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. It cleared up all of the questions that I had always had about diets and losing weight and it had the science to back it up. It relieved me of guilt and gave me hope again. If you have went from diet to diet and think that weight loss is just not possible for you, I challenge you to read this book, it will change your life and the way you think about food.

Tony Bilotto
Business Owner

Neil Habgood's book is a very clear, easy-to-comprehend guide to weight loss. Intuitively, you will recognize that this makes sense. He explains why other diet fads have failed and why his approach "has legs" -- it will go the distance. If you're tired of inconsistent, up-and-down weight loss and gain, then read this and you'll understand how to stop the roller-coaster.

Neil's new book, The No Diet, Diet! is a breakthrough book which takes the confusion out of essential health information regarding the best diet choices. This book covers how you can determine your individual ideal long term diet to lose weight, increase your energy and improve your mood. Neil's clear writing style and personal experience helping clients comes through clearly in this important text. A must read for anyone interested in improving their health through diet.



Dr. Daniel Kalish author of Your Guide to Healthy Hormones

Let me start by saying that I don't generally enjoy reading diet books, as they tend to complicate things. When diets become too complicated, too time consuming, or too restrictive, people are less likely to make it a lifelong process. However, this is not your average diet book; it is about a way of life. It shows the importance of the Mind-Body connection, when setting out to do anything in life, including dieting. It speaks of setting goals, which are reached by setting clear and positive intentions and following through with them. It also speaks of finding someone who will hold you accountable. By doing so, you can set the tone for all aspects of life. To me, this is the recipe for a "Yes, Yes diet".

I would like to see this book in every home. It has saved a number of lives I know of, and has helped many, many more control or cure minor and major health problems.

This book contains a wealth of information about the safe and effective use of alternatives.

Please take a look at the listing.

To your good health,

Ernestine Townsend, R.N.C.
The Author

I found this book to be a valuable contribution to my knowledge about my health. My dad gave me a copy for my birthday. He has used it for about 8 months and is feeling healthier than ever because he has followed advice found in this great book. It seems that Townsend has a message for all ages. My message to you is BUY IT and USE IT!!! Great job Townsend. When is the next book coming out??? Hallie

This book is a very easy reference for what herbs and vitamins you need for good health. I believe there was a lot of research done for this book and it is trustworthy.Thank-you Ernestine Townsend.

BECOMING HEALTHY THE NATURAL WAY - An Old Idea Made New - by Ernestine Townsend.

Ernestine Townsend is a registered nutritional counselor residing in Anacortes and author of "Optimum Health for the New Millennium".

Homeopathy, developed in the late 1700s in Germany, was based on the practice of using infinitesimal doses of substances to trigger the body's own ability to heal. In 1902, Naturopathy, a combination of "nature" and "homeopathy," was founded by a group of homeopathic doctors in Germany. They expanded their healing arts to include knowledge of the positive effects gained through better environment, improved lifestyles, nutrition, homeopathic and herbal remedies. With accredited colleges, in 1998, naturopathic doctors were licensed as physicians in 13 states, including Washington.

There are more than 1,000 FDA approved, OTC (over-the-counter) homeopathic products on the market in the United States. They have a long-term usage history in the United States, as well as in Europe and many other countries of the world, and are recognized as official drugs in the current Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Code of Federal Regulations. As a non-invasive, non-toxic form of medicine, it is experiencing a renewal of interest. The FDA has observed what they consider a 1,000 percent increase in homeopathic product sales.

Thirty years into the new millennium, I see a new medical system involving highly advanced crisis care, the use of genetic engineering and advanced surgical procedures, plus a health care system based on early, sophisticated diagnosis and prevention of serious illness by the use of all natural healing professionals' expertise. Our family physicians, complementary doctors and naturopathic physicians will be the leaders in this new movement toward effective, preventive medicine. I see it developing now as we prepare for the new century.

More information on the subject can be found in Chapters 1 and 22 of "Optimum Health for the New Millennium".

The author of "Optimum Health for the New Millennium" has discussed some very contemporary subjects and has done a remarkable job in making them appear almost simple. She provides the layman and professional, alike, the pros and cons of nutritional, traditional, structural, herbal and homeopathic health care. She doesn't hesitate to present failures and pitfalls as well as many anecdotal successes. As a nutritionist, she leans heavily on diet, supplements and exercise. Chapter twenty-six is my favorite chapter. It provides the reader with one of the most complete sources of information and products that I have ever seen in a single publication. Her brief but factual history of medicine extends from early imperical medicine to the treatment of scurvy with lime juice in the 1700's - to the humble beginnings of allopathic, osteopathic, homeopathic, naturopathic and chiropractic health care. She speaks fondly of several champions of "natural" health care, including Linus Pauling, one of her heroes and mentors. Her book will be a welcome addition to any library. She takes the reader through a maze of information and mis-information and helps make sense of the marriage of traditional and alternative health care. As one who has practiced osteopathic and homeopathic medicine for thirty-five years, I give her two thumbs up for this well-written and reader-friendly book. I look forward to the author's next book on autoimmune and immuno deficiency disorders.

James L. Hill, D.O.

I am a sudden caretaker for my 90 yr old father's new colostomy. This book provided a lot of basic information and covered areas that we would experience after he left the hospital. It has given me the reassurance I needed to provide him with good care.

The Ostomy Book was helpful, scientific, covered many aspects of ileostomy, colostomy, and urostomy. Arrived quickly.

I am scheduled for a Permanent Colostomy in less than one week. Even though I had searched the Internet for helpful information, this book has been a tremendous source of help. It has greatly reduced my apprehension.

The authors are to be commended on they way that they have presented this information. It answers ALL of the questions that I had and more. I highly recommend this book.

This excellent book (half the royalties are donated to the United Ostomy Association) is written by a colostomate and an ET nurse and is characterized by numerous first person experiences and insights. Covering numerous topics from the typical descriptions of, different ostomies and surgeries to traveling with an ostomy, considering work situations, remaining active with exercise, children with ostomies, sex and emotional adjustments, etc., this book is written with a good sense of humor and a very down-to-earth attitude. Filled with lots of good resources, Mullen and McGinn do a great job explaining the role of the ET nurse and the role of the Ostomy Association in education of the ostomate and the public at large. A fabulous book and a must for the reference shelf.

This book is one of the few available specifically for people with ostomies. This book guides you from the ostomy surgery to dealing with social situations. I don't have an ostomy, but it gives useful advice and assurance, particularly in helping people know what to expect before and after an ostomy.

I agree with the 5 star reviews that this is the best weight loss book now on the market. My reservation is that this is therapy. You must be prepared to be completely honest with yourself, to journal about your feelings, and your relationship to food, and how and why you got in the fix you're in. The book opened a real can of worms for me, and did so for my sister, and neither of us was prepared to go so deeply into the issues. I guess that's why previous diets have failed us! If one is truly ready to do the work, this book is the only tool you will ever need. The approach is encouraging and gentle, but the emotional baggage that comes up can be difficult. I think this book would be most safely used in a support group.

This is one of the best weight loss books I've ever read (and I've read them all). It is clear and well-written, non-gimmicky, with great tips for every situation. If you want to lose weight and you think you've tried everything, this book is for you.

This was the first weight/diet related book I ever read and it had quite an impact on me. This book offers useful information about how to eat and usefull tips on how to control impulses to overeat. I'm not saying that this book is the end-all to diet books but it has many helpfull tips and tidbits that can help anyone learn to eat a little healthier.

This is a wonderful book. It contains the most current research in the field of weight management in a format lay people can easily understand. Cathy, very courageously, does not offer a quick fix. She over and over demystifies the weight loss experience, and honors how difficult it is to change behavior and keep it changed. The overeating stories are an absolute hoot! I know I will recommend it to my clients and use it for myself.

How do you battle weight loss and maintenance? In her book "Outwit you Weight" Cathy Nonas provides 200 tools and tips to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

If you, like many people are concerned with the way you look and feel, this book will provide you many answers. In addition to tools, Cathy breaks down danger zones and physical fitness using real live examples. Healthy recipes are also provided.

"Outwit your Weight" is easy to read, well organized and full of facts and tips. Reading this book is like having a weight loss program at your fingertips. Definitely recommend.

Overcoming Arthritis is a clear and detailed account of the accepted and non traditional ways of living with a chronic condition.

The book gives a brief discussion of the different strands of the arthritis family, and explains the more common ones in detail. There is not too much medical information; and yet the authors do not talk down to the readers.

As well as complementary therapies and medicine for arthritis, there is a section on herbal remediea and another on diet. The best arthritis diet, it says, is the one that suits your lifestyle and medications the best - so simple!The section on Tai Chi is incredibly detailed. Both pictures and words are used to good effect when describing @Tai Chi for Arthritis@. In fact, as a teacher of this programme, I use this bit with my classes.

The book also shows the variety of ways arthritis can affect your life - it can be anything from a minor nuisance to a life threatening illness.

For people with arthritis, the book is not too heavy or unwieldy to manage. Good clear print, with plenty of relevant illustrations a lso make this a good choice.

If you are only going to buy one book on arthritis, make this the one. I had to review it for an arthritis magazine, and was so impressed, I went out and bought my own!

"Overcoming Arthritis" is an excellent book for the lay person. It discusses the common types of arthritis, some of the origins of arthritis, and reviews treatments for arthritis. It also describes some of the self-care that people with arthritis can use to minimize the disease process itself and to make their lives more comfortable. The most important part of the book, however, is Dr. Lam's introduction of his "Tai Chi for Arthritis" program. He describes in photos and in words the twelve steps in the form that has been shown to decrease pain and stiffness in people with arthritis and to increase strength and flexibility and a sense of well-being in this same population. The photos are excellent and precisely demonstrate each of the twelve movements. From this book, a person could begin to practice Tai Chi on their own. He also suggests other places where a person might get more information about dealing with arthritis in a pro-active, positive way.
In a world of "how-to" books, I would highly recommend this to all people with arthritis--and to those who have a loved one with arthritis.

Dr. Lam and Ms. Horstman have written a beautiful book that outlines the available treatments for arthritis as well as Dr. Lam's own program of Tai Chi. The graphics are beautiful, and lend an uplifting quality to the text. There is enough information to start an exercise program on your own and a list of teaching resources in the back. This book promises and delivers a better quality of life for men and women with arthritis. I have been following the program for over a year and have benefited greatly. This is one of the best applications of complementary medicine out there. It's a winner!

All the students on our first Anglesey(North Wales)TCA Course rushed to order book having first seen our well thumbed copy.
To a person, they all agree that this is an excellent book and many couples are now fighting over it and wishing that they had ordered seperate copies! Recommended reading for when you are sitting down and planning your daily exercises or practise.
The exercises and the form are clearly described and illustrated and back up your Instructors words.
The information about Arthritis was clear and to the point.

Dr Lam's enthusiam for overcoming this painful condition originates from his own experience of the pain. His determination to teach others to overcome the pain and suffering is projected to the reader with a sense of joy and hope.

This book will be welcomed world wide for its sensitivity and hope. It raises teaching techniques to a new level of clarity with easy to follow directions for people of all nationalities and ages. Beautifully co-authored by the award winning medical journalist, Judith Horstman, the book is brought to life as if Dr Lam is the reader's own doctor, instructing in personal consultation.

Positive proof of Dr Lam's personal success in overcoming the painful condition can be seen in his flexibility and agility in his TAI CHI teaching and demonstration videos.

Books can go to people all over the world, to the furthermost places on earth, as gifts, general reading or study guides. Dr Lam's understanding of arthritic conditions comes also from years of teaching and the answers seem to be there before the questions are asked.

For the quick reader, it is a delightful page turner of information and interesting facts. For sufferers of arthritis and associated conditions who will read, learn and apply what they learn, the information will become a lifestyle of discovery.

After my 5 year old son was diagnosed with AVSD, I engrossed myself into extensive research about his condition. While I discovered many other books with great information, I found this one to be the most inclusive, definitive and easy to interpret. The Q&A are broken down under each chapter specifically dealing with certain attributes one might be facing with a diagnoses; not all,but most of my questions were answered after reading this book. Highly, highly recommended.
J.B.

I loved the question/answer format of this book. It made an overwhelming and complicated topic far more understandable. I wish this book had been available when our son was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Vessels 12 years ago. We had so many questions, and while the doctors and nurses were super, a resource like this would have been invaluable becuase the questions don't stop when you finally leave the hospital! I'm sure the authors will keep the book as up-to-date as possible, but just know that cutting edge research is improving the methods of diagnosing and treating chd's every day. So, if the treatment protocol your doctor recommends isn't listed, don't panic. You might be benefiting from the latest research! When our son had his surgery, the Arterial Switch operation, which is now standard procedure, was only being done at a handful of hospitals around the country. Kids born with chd's today have a much better outlook thanks to the advances made by research. And, with more research, tomorrow will be even better.

My new born daughter was recently diagnosed with Complex Congential Heart Defects and naturally I wanted to learn as much as I could about the topic. I purchased several related boks through Amazon.com and founf this one to be very relevant and answered lots of appropriate questions for me. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about Heart Defects of any type. It is very thorough and covers every defect I am aware of.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a child that has a congenital heart defect. This book is easy to read and explains anything and everything you need to know about a heart defect.

My husband and I searched everywhere for answers. This book answered all our questions.

We have a non-profit for congenital heart defects. This is the book we tell all parents to get!!...

My son Noah was diagnosed in-utero with a VSD and at the age of 9 days received his first sonogram and EKG. The VSD closed - confirmed at his 1-year appointment, but was diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis at this same appointment. This book guides one through diagnosis, parental coping, issues/caring for the newly born, answers many of your obvious and not so obvious questions, surgery - what to expect/how to prepare and the likely impact your childs' condition may have on his/her life basis current knowledge. It also is full of annecdotal stories from parents that are going through the same thing you are as well as commentary from pediatric cardiologists. Additionally, there are resources from the internet to camps in the appendicies. No doubt, the book is at times depressing, but it is also enlightening. The undelying message is you need to be prepared for what you and your child are yet to experience and it is a map to guide you in this area

Peak Performance is the perfect companion for the athlete or coach looking for every ounce of accurate practical information available from sports scientists. John Hawley and Louise Burke (world leaders in sport related science) have teamed up to produce the "lay-persons" guide to improved athletic performance. Peak performance introduces us to the founding fathers of modern athletic training. Our authors then explore the facts that have been uncovered by exercise scientists attempting to discover proof of what produces optimal performance. An excellent blend of theory and practice!

After battling with a school physical education project on training principles, I found this book in our library and WOW, the assignment was easy! This book really made good practical sense and turned my essay from boring science to cool information. I now find myself wanting to read all the sports magazines to find out more about how world class athletes train and what they eat. Sounds to me like some of them need to buy a copy of this book to read!

Peak Performance is a fantastic resource and a great read. It demystifies scientific concepts and provides plenty of practical tips. The quotes make the book truely enjoyable to read. Anyone with a question about sports science and sports nutrition will find the answer in this book.

Finally a book that actually uses the peer reviewed literature. It was a pleasure to read this book knowing that you were getting factual and scientifically valid information. If you want to know what works in training and nutrition this is the book. Now I dont have to buy all those supplements - and have I saved a heap of $'s.

There are so many good points about this book I hardly know where to start. What impresses me most is that the authors have maintained a balanced and rational view on the many diverse and sometimes conflicting inputs - lab. tests, experience in the sport, folklore, practicalities - all of these impinge on the attitudes of athlete and coach, and can result in a lot of confusion and uncertainty. The book does an excellent job in unravelling these tangled strands of knowledge and half-knowledge to present the a clear and accurate picture to the reader. Uncertain points are made clearer, several myths are debunked (some of my own misconceptions were cleared up). Yet where the truth remains hidden or is unclear this is commented upon. Concerning scientific studies the source material is extensive and up to date.

The layout and language are so clear and reader-friendly, and the material so interesting that I found it hard to put the book down. However, I'd have to advise readers not to try to take in too much at a time.

The few inaccuracies in some of the details didn't detract from the message or the overall quality. There is one slightly surprising omission, namely the absence of any discussion of the Conconi test for aerobic performance. Nevertheless, the sections on training are excellent; the ones on nutrition are even better.

Practical Reiki by Richard Ellis is a work that lives up to it's name! As a Reiki Master/Teacher for Maine's foremost teaching hospital, students find this book easy to grasp, delightfully readable yet comprehensive and packed with wonderful graphics and photographs. It is, without a doubt, my favorite source book for the modality of Reiki energy healing.

This book is a beaurifully written resource about the practice of Reiki, an energy healing method. I recommend it to any one who is interested in alternatives to traditional Western medical practice.

Richard Ellis has recently published a new book which at present is only available through UK distributors. You can find it at Amazon.co[m].uk

The new Title 'Reiki And The Seven Chakras' offers us a unique perspective of the practice of Reiki by drawing on the authors personal experiences and conclusions coupled with an in depth step by step journey through the seven chakras.

Highly recommended

for more information go to www.practicalreiki.com

As a student Reiki, I was referred to this book. As a now Reiki Master, I recommend it to students, or anyone wishing to understand this great Universal Healing Energy that we all have. It has short chapters, that are in depth, with illustrations. It is not the end of all of Reiki knowledge, but Richard Ellis has packed as much as he should have into this easily transportable book. It is sturdy, and has flaps, built into the book, at either end for bookmarking. A great tool for Reiki Masters, and an easy to understand book for newcomers to Reiki.

Richard Ellis' fine introduction into the world of Reiki was just the beginning of a change for my family and myself. It was clear, to the point, and unpretentious; allowing me to understand the world of Reiki though this was the first time I was reading about it.

"Practical Reiki" motivated me to get initaiated as soon as possible, so you can imagine my elation when I found that two Reki Masters reside in Istanbul where my younget son lives. This informatiuon came to me several days before my wife and I were on our way to visit him and spend our holiday in Istanbul. The three of us were duely initaiated and I moved on to the second level while my wife and son decided to wait before they did the same. I can sincerely and unequivocally say that this experience has changed our lives.

I am aware that I have written little about the book. This is because I didn't feel the need to get into any details that the reader will undoubtadly realise by himself. The title says it all: "Practical Reki," this book does not stray into topics that Reki afficionados can only understand. It is a book for all and any who wish to enter, or at least get a glimpse of the wonder that Reki offers. For me it was an inspirartion, a beginning, a stepping stone into a new and fulfilling world.

Thank you Richard Ellis NAMASTE

This is without a doubt the most comprehensive book on diet and nutrition I have found. Simply put, no nonsense information, easy to follow. All of a sudden everything that you have heard and read about your body and the food you eat, makes sense...

I have been researching alternative health for some time now, and I have read works by numerous authors. It's always hard for me to evaluate who's correct and what to believe. In my search so far, I have found Jack Tips to be seemingly the most trustworthy, accurate, and balanced author writing in this area. The Pro-Vita! Plan is his most important (and, in my opinion, his best) work. I would also recommend his other books, especially Your Liver-Your Lifeline.

I've tried just about every way of eating there is and I have to say that this way of eating makes the most sense for me.

Mixed proteins for two meals make good sense and are easier to digest and absorb vs. eating a lot of one type of high stress protein.

Too much protein for me is not a good thing and tends to deplete my magnesium and other minerals like possibly calcium.
CC meals at suppertime seem to be a good idea for me so that I can maintain good magnesium levels and more.

Jack Tips is very devoted to holistic health care and I respect him and his unique and very sensible point of view. He's a great guy too.

I like this book a lot.

I love this book! It is an excellent source of data about how the body works and the best way to feed it. It totally changed my life and when I eat the way Jack says to my body is happy and when I don't it gives me trouble. When combined with the data in Dr. D'Adamo's books on blood type foods, it can't help but make people healthier. I have told many, many people about this book over the years and highly, highly recommend it to all. I even met Jack several years ago and found him to be a very sane, truthful researcher and that comes across in his book. By the way, all of his books are equally excellent for sharing the truth.

With a new diet book entering the market place every few months often leading people from one extreme to another, how refreshing it is to find common-sense nutritional wisdom that can really be a positive influence in a person's health. Pro-Vita! is a nutritional classic, timeless, and always helpful in showing how to use foods for health, healing and vitality. Thank you.

This recipe book rejuvinated my interest in eating healthy foods. Note: I did not say health foods. There is a difference. Being a '60's child, I did all the natural/health food routine which served me well over the years. This recipe book adds to that healthy foundation. For all women coming into their wisened (this is a word!) years.

this book has all the information needed to develope better eating habits to help move through menopause.

I received this book as a gift about 2 years ago when I had just turned 50. I had moderate PMS and perimenopause and as of yet at age 52 have not entered menopause yet. This has been a fabulous book for me preparing me for those years to come, not to mention it has helped me to stabalize my roller coaster blood sugar. I received this book right about the time I gave up on traditional medicene for treating my Fibromyalgia and went to an acupuncturitst and alternative medicene. He put me on a whole foods diet and this book really saved me with loads of terrific and delicious recipes. The authors also give such good support. I feed my husband and sons these recipes and we all enjoy them. I recommend this to all who are serious about their health. Whole foods is really the answer to most of our problems.

I am a natural foods/vegetarian cookbook junkie, and this is my alltime favorite (although please note it is not vegetarian, but is vegetarian friendly).

Everything I have made from this book has been delicious. The difference between this book and many others I own is that I actually use the recipes. The recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients are not too strange, exotic or expensive. Focus is on fresh foods, produce, healthy fats.

My copy (paperback) fell apart, so I recently replaced it with a hardcover version. A shame it is out of print -- I would recommend purchasing a hardcover copy as the paperback is not very sturdy.

Don't let the title fool you. You do not have to be experiencing Menopause to get these great recipes. The information they provide is excellent. I use this as my primary recipe book and I have a long way before I hit menopause