Diet Books

An optomistic book on life survival written from the male perspective of a cancer survivor...
Dr. Mignone developed "a 3 point approach of emotional, physical and spiritual readiness." As a spirtually grounded man,his journey is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling with a life threatening illness.

When I'd rather read an autobiography than my usual fare of spy and mystery novels, it has to be something special. In this book, a self-procalimed "superdoc" (and I've experienced a bunch of them) has become willing to be vullnerable, willing to express his love for others and to receive their help and support. With humor and honesty, he lets the reader in on the inner emotional turmoil, doubts, fears, hope...the whole gamut of human emotions in a very readable style. I am familiar with a number of books written by women who express their vulnerability as they face physical crisis. I don't know of any such book written by a man, especially not by a "Superdoc." A good read for anyone who has faced or is facing their own crisis with "Ordinarly Valor."

This is an unusual man's take on living through Cancer treatment. It is
a heartfelt journey through the dark tunnel of illness to the light at the
end of it. Dr. Mignone was very candid with a humorous touch that was
easy to read and educational. It offers hope and coping skills to men and
women who have had or may experience illness in their lives.
G. Prigmore

Dr. Mignone writes from his heart and in so doing teaches the rest of us how to live our lives finding the true meaning of life.... This is a book for all peoples from cancer warriors to cancer survivors to those fortunate not to have those words applied to them. It is a book that will serve for generations as a teaching that goes beyond medical practice or the classroom and right into our earthly lives. Thank you, Dr. M, for your gracious honestly. You truly are the compassinate healer. B. McCormack, Kalkaska, MI

This helped men understand the male point of view in going through a crisis like cancer. We women talk more about our trials with health. But this went beyond that to a more universal account of a journey through a health crisis. It was both helpful and inspirational. The fact that Dr. Mignone shared his humanness first, and then the knowledge of a psychiatrist added to my interest and benefit. Thank you, Dr., for being candid. H.O. Sarasota, Fl.

I've never been a fan of diet plans. Honestly, when it comes to losing weight I think that proper eating and exercise are highly underrated. But The Park Avenue Diet actually approaches your life in a holistic and practical way that even I could relate to.
No glamorous promises, no impossible goals. Park Avenue delivers a diet plan that is truly original in a way that sets it aside from every other "diet". You just won't find the same approach elsewhere.
Get a full life makeover!

PARK AVENUE DIET is much more than a diet. It's a way of life, complete with advice on eating, fitness, personal growth, how you look, how you relate to others, and more. I bought this book and went out and got my hair cut! Just the right thing. Sensible advice,from a panel of experts it would be hard to assemble, never mind hear all at once, offering this valuable plan. Here is a CREATIVE as well a holistic, approach to self-improvement. I say this as editor of EVERYDAY CREATIVITY AND NEW VIEWS OF HUMAN NATURE (2007), to which one of this book's illustrious authors contributed! That's what sent me this way. And how glad I am.
Ruth Richards, M.D., Ph.D.

Wouldn't you love to be rich enough to be able to consult not just one specialist to help you with health/weight/image/confidence issues, but a whole team? This is the idea underlying this book. Fischer brought together a handful of specialists few of us could afford to hire ourselves to give their insights on the multi-faceted reality of bringing discipline to our mind/body relationship. As a psychologist, I'm most familiar with Stanley Krippner's stellar reputation, but each member of the team Fischer assembled is a luminary in his/her field. If you're looking for something beyond just another diet book, this comprehensive approach could be what you have in mind.

I enjoyed reading this book. Got some excellent recipes and good self confidence advice. Regarding the fitness/exercise tips, it is best suited for someone just starting to exercise (still helpful though). Wardrobe advice was basic but also helpful. Overall I would recommend this book to a family member or friend.

Dr. Fischer's approach to weight loss is replete with common sense, practical advice, humor, and tantalizing recipes. I especially liked the psychological contributions of Dr. Stanley Krippner on how to develop self-confidence and replace negative beliefs about one's eating habits with positive, constructive beliefs. Additional contributions by specialist in exercise, interpersonal relationships, and personal appearance bring a holistic approach to dieting that I have never seen in similar books.

As a 3 day a week exerciser, I found this book to be of great help! In particular, it helped me to correct some bad exercising habits/techniques that I had developed. I've noticed a marked reduction in lower back pain as a result of incorporating the workout tips into my regular routine. The book also helped to dispell some common exercise myths. I would recommend this book to anyone -- from the weekend workout warrior to the professional athlete -- who is interested in reaping all the healthy benefits of exercising. There's something in this book for everyone whatever your fitness level!

Over this past year, I have had several set backs starting a fitness routine resulting in injuries. As a working professional and mother of two, it's challenging to carve time out for fitness. I am looking for optimal results with limited time. Peak Perfmance Fitness is a great resource for developing a solid fitness foundation. Jennifer Rhodes has a gift for providing practical, simple explanations for how to prevent injury and develop an effective fitness plan. The diagrams and step-by-step instructions are a real value add!

I love this book! Maintaining proper alignment, and therefore helping to prevent injuries, and chronic pain, is so much more important than mere aesthetics. Anyone who has suffered an injury that affects one's mobility can attest to this. This book will show you how to keep your body healthy and well-aligned, for long-term health. She writes in an exceptionally clear fashion as well, and the way she explains how your body is supposed to move is brilliant easy to understand. Fantastic. I hope she writes another book, she's very dynamic.

As a female approaching 60, I have attempted many fitness programs only to be interrupted by an injury. I was intrigued by Jennifer Rhodes' book, Peak Performane Fitness, because she emphasizes fitness without injury or strain. After reading through Jennifer's book, I now understand why my attempts to improve my health through exercise have failed. I have developed a beginners program using the guidelines in her book. My focus is on improving my overall posture, along with cardiovascular exercise. In partiular, I highly recommend the foam roll referred to in Chapter 4 for spinal alignment. Jennifer has the knowledge and experience to provide good tools for exercise without injury and the suggested exercises with illustrations make it simple for one to follow. I am now looking forward to an ACTIVE retirement.

I am a 32 year old guy. I've been playing soccer, tennis, and golf almost all of my life. Over the past three years though, I've been plagued by recurring injuries to my knees and shoulders. I assumed my body was simply weakening with age, and couldn't take the blows like it used to. Luckily, I found Peak Performance Fitness before I put myself out to pasture! This easy to read book explained how my pain was actually due to years of "microtrauma"- continual irritations caused by poor alignment of my body causing me to torque and stress my muscles and joints in ways they just weren't meant to take. Clear illustrations gave me an understanding of how my body can and should work in harmony, with small changes in my lifestyle and exercise regimen. The book stepped me through the crafting of a workout, custom made to strengthen and realign my trouble spots. Within a few weeks, I could already feel my power and confidence improving. Ms Rhodes's book is an essential read for anyone who wants to keep their body working efficiently and looking and feeling great.

It is nice to find a book that is light and uses real ingredients. I do not like using any "fake" stuff when I cook.

I have by now made six of the recipes in this book, one of them (the brownies) three times. Most cookbooks that I keep have an eight in ten success record. This book, however, is ten out of ten. The brownie recipe is one of the best I've ever tasted and certainly the best I've ever made. The fruitcake ended up being the highlight of a recent holiday potluck. The coconut poppy seed cake was the perfect birthday cake, and the reason I'm reviewing the book at this moment is that I handed a slice of spice cake to a co-worker who praised it for a good three minutes.

I always knew Malgieri was a great baking book author. I didn't realize how great until just this moment. I haven't had a failure yet from this book, and I can't even say that about classics like "The Joy of Cooking." Bravo, Mr. Malgieri!

p.s. Buy this book if you want to make some scrumptious, lower fat and calorie, desserts.

Malgieri certainly is a fine baker, as his extensive cookbooks demonstrate. Here he teams up with healthfood writer Joachim to provide dessert collection with reduced caloric recipes, each said to be under 300 calories. Each recipe has nutritional breakdown.

They achieve this by reducing or eliminating amount of sugar, butter and eggs. They do not use articial sweeteners or egg substitutes or whole grain flours. One can try and substitute some of this out if glycemic index is important.

There are some fine recipes in this collection with nice large format, paper stock and color photos galore, along with Source recommendations, Ingredients & Equipment discussion. I'm into the likes of Gratin of Summer Berries (with a magnificent sabayon topping); Honey and Hazelnut Biscotti; Earl Grey Panna Cotta; Strawberry Meringue Tart; Chocolate Banana Custard Tart.

I am a starter baker, so my husband bought this book for me as a Christmas present. I love the concept presented here by Nick Malgieri - real ingredients (real butter, real sugar, etc), less the amount, and still delicious desserts. I have tried two recipes so far, and both have turned out well (even though the tart crust contains only THREE tablespoons of butter, a minor miracle indeed!). What I also like about this book is that the ingredients and the equipment are simple and common in local supermarkets. None of the recipes requires fancy, exorbitantly priced rarities from the other side of the world. In addition, the recipes cover a range of dessert genres: chocolates (with an entire section devoted to it), cakes, tarts and pastries, ice creams, cookies. Nick also teaches you the basics of ingredients and baking techniques, along with helpful tips - so the book is educational as well (my husband was reading it for fun the other day!). One thing that this book doesn't have, but that I would've appreciated having, is prep time. Otherwise, no complaints from me. I look forward to trying all the recipes in 2007!

`Perfect Light Desserts' by baking teacher extraordinare, Nick Malgieri and veteran cookbook author David Joachim is a classic meld of baking technique and substitution cooking, fitting the skills of the two authors. There is probably no other baking writer's work on a `healthy' baking book I would expect more from than Malgieri, since I always go to his books first whenever there is a specific kind of recipe I wish to make. He doesn't always have what I want, but every time I use his recipe, the results exceed my expectations. I have even found better recipes in his book, especially `How to Bake' than I have in books which specialize in the subject I am searching.

David Joachim's contribution is utterly appropriate, as his latest opus was `The Food Substitutions Bible', being an encyclopedia of what ingredients, as in lower calorie for higher calorie, can be swapped for what.

The authors' introduction shows their technique is entirely in the direction I would have hoped. They use no `non-fat' ingredients and no artificial sweeteners, although they do use `lowered' fat products. Just as I am fond of Rachael Ray's take on fast cooking without relying on prepared convenience foods, these authors fill their book with low calorie and low fat recipes by concentrating on those recipes which tend to be lower in the bad stuff to begin with.

There is little mystery to how the recipe slimming is done. First, as stated above, the authors choose recipes that are not high in sugar and fat to begin with. Second, high fat ingredients such as dairy products are replaced with `moderate' fat substitutes or dairy products with extra body such as buttermilk or yogurt. Third, fat is replaced with vegetable products such as applesauce. Fourth, rich icings are removed, so bulking up with rich stuff is an option. The classic examples of all these techniques put together would be a cheesecake recipe replacing cream cheese with ricotta and a carrot cake which makes heavy use of vegetable textures to begin with. Both these examples are also classic cases of picking good recipes to begin with. The ricotta cheesecake is not a diet faddy invention, it is based on an old Neapolitan recipe.

The authors claim to have maintained reasonably sized portions. I suspect a good symptom of the Americans' inflated notion of portion size is that these portions seem just a bit on the small size. When I am not in `dieting' mode, I would not imagine getting 8 portions from a 9-inch fruit pie or even less 16 portions from a 10-inch Bundt pan cake. But, the portions all seem to be of reasonable size, and most of the time, the calorie count for the portion is actually well below the target of 300 calories per portion.

One corollary to the fourth technique above is that there are very few double crusted pie recipes in the book. And, the pie crust recipes are all for a single 9 inch piecrust or maybe a 10 inch tart crust. Virtually the only caveat I have about the book is that unlike some of Malgieri's other books, this is not a serious tutorial on baking techniques. This is not to say there are no good guidelines and lessons here. Just the opposite. It's just that you will do much better with this book if you are already a fairly adept baker. The recipes for the pastry crusts, for example, assume you know most of the tricks of the trade in making a nicely flaky crust with a food processor. I am not overly fond of using the food processor and I do fine with my old-fashioned dough cutter. But, since these recipes use less butter and even less water, I suggest you go along with the recommended food processor technique, as this will work better on the smaller quantities.

On the other side of the coin, I find things in this book that I would expect and do not find in a lot of other books. My favorite is a little table showing when many popular fruits are in season. Unless you are a strict carbophobic, it is clear to both me and the authors that fruit is one of the very best ingredients for healthy desserts.

One thing to take very seriously is that this is not a book on baking in general, but only on DESSERTS. This means there are no recipes for lower calorie biscuits, breads, muffins, or breakfast pastries. But, you do get a generous helping of recipes for vegetable bulked breads.

It is no surprise that the book starts with chocolate, as that seems to be everyone's favorite dessert ingredient (except for my mother, probably because she spent several decades working in a candy factory). The very best news about chocolate is that not only is it not, in itself, fattening, it is literally good for you, just like tea and (dare we hope) coffee. The bad side of chocolate is from the level of sugar added to cut its natural bitterness. The authors accommodate this by using sugar-free baker's chocolate plus complex sweeteners or use Dutch process cocoa power, which is less bitter than unprocessed cocoa powder. My only regret here is that while there are many fine chocolate recipes, a classic chocolate layer cake is not among them. The authors redeem themselves by giving us a `healthy' recipe for chocolate chip cookies (sorry, no nuts). Even better is the even healthier oatmeal raisin cookies. Now why didn't I get this book before Christmas!

Reading this book in December makes one regret that all the best berries and stone fruits are out of season. Just Wait!!!

This book is an outstanding review of the health, ecological, and moral reasons for refraining from eating animal products. Having said that, it is neither "preachy" nor sanctimonious but rather downright entertaining. I loved it. It made a vegetarian out ofme.

I bought this book for my boyfriend right after we discussed going vegetarian. I thought it was a cookbook to help ease us into a meatless diet, which we were considering primarily because he wanted to lose weight. Instead, it changed my boyfriend's life -- addicted, he kept coming into the room to read me sections. It gave us permission to be vegetarians (year and a half now) for ALL the right reasons -- love of animals, the environmental and hunger problems perpetrated by the meat industry, all-around health, etc. -- although he did lose 30 pounds without getting hungry! This is a perfect antidote for all the stupid Adkins/Zone/high-protein diets that are so unhealthy -- and are only excuses for people to keep eating too much meat (which is *any*, now that we've read this book). And it's so funny and light-hearted that you'll be an avowed vegetarian before you know what hit you. Give a copy to everyone you know! We're sold.

I found this book to be very helpful and fun to read but,I haven't picked it up again since my first read through. I think this would be a great gift to a new vegatarian or a lender to a person interested in learning more about the specifics. Informative and fun....just not a whole lot of new info for this long-time reader and veggie eater!

As an avid reader of "scads" of books related to vegetarianism/veganism - and as a vegetarian of nine years, vegan of one - I've got to say this is by far THE MOST ENTERTAINING BOOK I've read on this topic! I've gasped, winced and even cried reading non-fiction portraying the ghasly side of human behavior and how we treat animals, but I've never laughed out loud - until now! (My cats think these seemingly unprovoked outbursts indicate that I've finally gone insane.) Definitely not just for the flesh-eater, as the title may lead one to conclude, this book is jam-packed with facts and the author's insightful observations. Reinhardt, perhaps the only ethical attorney in existence, asks you to question your behaviors, consider the alternatives and make the kindest, most logical alterations in your lifestyle for your physical health, your conscience, the planet and of course, the animals. Don't pass this one up - buy it used, contact the author, track down an unsuspecting vegan in the tofu department and beg to borrow it! I love this book and am buying copies for all of my redneck, backwoods relatives who still can't pronounce "what it is exactly that I am." (Veee-gun, Aunt Edna.) This one is fun and informative - get a copy and enjoy!

This is a fantastic book. After a difficult holiday with relatives I picked up this book and wished I had had it with me before the holiday had started. Since then I bought 8 more copies and have given them to friends and relatives alike. Information on the benefits of being vegetarian is presented in a non-emotional way with excellent facts to support the information. It covers issues ranging from nutrition to environment to factory farms. There are scenarios for dating, a whole chapter on dealing with relatives, and tips on how to be vegetarian during the holidays without going hungry. There's no meat-eater bashing in here. In fact, a lot of the writing is pretty funny. Its just a very straightforward presentation of information and armed with non-emotional information makes it so much easier to have a conversation with people who try to challenge your choices. I highly recommend this for anyone who is vegetarian/vegan as well as for anyone who loves/knows someone who has made such a choice and you want to understand why. Its absolutely one of the best books I've read and has helped me immensely. Plus there are some really funny parts. Enjoyable and quick to read

This product was shipped to me within the time frame promised. It arrived in the condition described.

As a breastfeeding advocate myself, I wish that all young men and women were required to read this in high school, before parnethood. This book lets the reader see the conection between money, big business, and formula marketing. The book educates on the vast differences between artifical feeding and human milk, differences that the general population is unaware of. If you want to get fired-up over an issue, this is the book for you.

As someone who had to defend breastfeeding my child, I already had strong views about how society looks at the practise. The first time I read this book (first edition)I found the history behind it fascinating. What really alarmed me, though, was the truth behind formulas and what used to pass as formula! After getting the second edition, I was dismayed to find that nothing had improved in 10 years. This book is well researched an passionate. Be warned! After reading this, you may just become an activist!

I didn't understand breastfeeding advocacy until I read this book. Gabrielle Palmer covers all the bases on why we need to protect future generations from the mass marketing of infant formula, and how those products have become so prevalent throughout our society and the world. Covers the Nestle' illegal marketing tactics so thoroughly that I can't even consider buying any of their products. Background on the World Health Organisation's stance on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes made me realise what an all-encompassing public health issue breastfeeding is.

Already over ten years old, Gabrielle Palmer's eye-opening book pioneered some of the breastfeeding advocacy arguments being used by activists today.

Links obstacles placed in the way of breastfeeding mothers to the devaluation of the motherhood role which occurred during the growth of the industrial revolution.

Detailed history of breastfeeding and wet-nursing. Narrates the history of the Nestle scandal, in empathy with 3rd World perspective. A strong advocate for the rights of all babies to be nourished from the breast.

Counters anti-breastfeeding sentiment in today's society. Explains away sexuality myths which hinder women from breastfeeding in public. Terrific book for the breastfeeding professional who wants to boost their arguments!

This book is well-written and gives readers simple suggestions for losing weight without dieting.

Very easy to read and comprehend. It is a way of life anyone can accept and be able to stick with.

Dr. Nierenberg's book is short, sweet and very effective. Losing weight has been a real struggle. I found myself eating "by the clock" whether I was hungry or not.

The most useful parts of Dr. Nierenberg's book, for me, were "Hunger is your friend" and "Eating more to eat less." The idea of eating "by the clock" is ingrained in me, but based on the book's "keys," I now make every effort to eat only when I actually feel hungry. And I find that smaller portions satisfy me, too. When I go out to eat, I order from the kid's menu when I can, or my husband and I share meals or I just take it home without feeling I have to finish in the restaurant. Per the book's recommendations, I keep up my exercise routine and I've lost weight! The book's straightforward, clear style makes it easy to understand and easier to implement.

This book is small in size but huge in its potential impact on the lives of people who struggle to lose weight. Having tried (and mostly failed) with so many other diet programs, I really appreciate the simplicity and good sense of this approach to eating. It's not a diet plan at all; it's just a new way to think about food. The idea of tiny, easy-to-accomplish goals and increments makes it all so easy and painless, and the same holds true for exercise. The author uses the example of nickels and dimes adding up to dollars; it works the same way for weight loss. Just leaving a couple of bites of food on the plate, or walking a few extra steps more often can lead to successful weight loss and better health. It's an approach that would work for anyone wanting to lose weight or get more fit. There are lots of tips for cutting calories out of favorite recipes and suggestions for ways to painlessly incorporate exercise into your daily life. And the best news is, it's working!

I read this book at the recommendation of several friends - and I loved it. It's easy to read, has helpful summaries, and a conversational style that makes you feel Dr. Nierenberg is in the room. This book helps me understand what the whole weight loss process is about - I get it! I've already lost 3 pounds in the past 2 weeks by simply doing a few of the things The Power of the Bite recommends. I am confident that will continue, as I feel more in control now that I understand more. K. Mamee

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to face the underlying causes of compulsive overeating. This book was the first step on a journey of making changes in my relationship to food. I wrote down many of the prayers and carry them with me. I believe the prayers made me aware of and receptive to the "compassionate and wise sources of healing" that are available to everyone.

I strongly believe in the power of prayer and credit it for helping me in my low-carb weight loss journey back in 2004. God gave me the strength to stay on plan even when I felt like giving up and He rewarded me with a 180-pound weight loss in just one year. So naturally I am supportive of anyone who wishes to implore the Almighty as part of their weight management plan.

The Prayer Diet espoused by Dr. Matthew Anderson is focused specifically on making prayer the central focus of your weight and health plan. By taking the focus off of food, your weight, the health problems you may be facing, and all those other issues that tend to dominate the discussion regarding your diet, Dr. Anderson shifts the focus to God where it belongs and His sovereignty to make the necessary changes in you to bring about weight loss.

If you're not a Christian, then you probably won't understand why this diet could possibly work for you. But any believer who trusts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior will tell you how essential prayer is to a healthy spiritual life. And The Prayer Diet simply extends this to your physical life, too. Specific prayers for yourself and others are included in the book to help guide you towards God's will regarding the weight and health of you and your loved ones.

One person in a review above gave one star, saying she didn't have the book, that everyone raved about it, but didn't say how much they lost, how long it took and if things in the book helped them keep it off. This misses the point of the book. I was drawn to it because I know prayer works for other things and I thought, why not for weight loss? But there are so many more gifts in the book, or actually, ways to give yourself gifts. The book is very well written too. Dr. Cooper manages to gradually add, in each succeeding chapter, more depth to what he had written in the chapters before. It is a book I will refer to again and again.

Anderson is no Billy Graham type. In his introduction you will find out he is definintely a different kind of Christian Minister. His writing and beliefs sounded New Agey to me but to my surprise, by page 162 Anderson was criticizing the New Age movement for its lack of depth and discipline of mind and heart. He says the New Age movements cannot provide guidance into the dark areas of life such as grief, self hate and self sacrifice. I agree with him on this point.

Anderson's ideas about weight loss are based on two assumptions: first, that man is instinctively spiritual and secondly, that Americans are spiritually deprived.

Anderson's solution to overweight is not so unique. He takes the perspective of Overeaters Anon that people can be addicted to food and that they are powerless to end the addiction on their own. They need divine intervention and must be in constant prayer. Interestingly Anderson says we are not to ask God to reach a specific target weight. Our ideal weight should be left to the will of God.

The highlight of the book is the Dieter's Prayer to be said before each meal. There are other prayers as well to deal with the difficult emotions that contribute to over weight.

It was a very interesting and motivational book. Easy to read and easy to follow. Throw away those diet books and take on Anderson's prayer challenge

What a great book! I couldnt put down this book and read it in less than one week. I am a Jewish man who has fought the battle of food addiction my whole life. After OA, hypnosis, therapy, medications and a lifetime of frustration, Dr Anderson has opened up my eyes to the world of prayer in fighting my weight problem. This book has released me from the self-imposed restrictions of asking God for help and believing that I was not worthy nor capable of receiving it. Dr Anderson is upfront and personal in his style. You get the feeling that he really does understand the pain of repeated weight gain. The basic prayers that are layed out are simple and can be offered by those of any faith or belief without causing any religious conflict or discomfort. Just basic spiritual truths that make a connection with God easy.
This book may truly be the missing link for those of us who are searching for peace and permanent weight loss. Whether rebel or visionary, Dr Anderson has earned his place among the great spriritual teachers of our time.

In this terrific reference, Dr. Mindell provides more than we are led to believe from the book's title: "Prescription Alternatives"! Aside from giving us well documented natural alternatives for prescription drugs, Dr. Mindell gives us the vital information: 1) to protect ourselves against prescription drug abuse, 2) to avoid becoming an adverse drug effects (ADE) victim; 3) to live a fuller, healthier life through his "Six Principles for Optimal Health"! This well researched book, with its extensive bibliography, is a MUST HAVE book for every family seriously seeking to achieve and maintain a high standard of health! In a word: ESSENTIAL!

Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins have each written extensively about alternative health and nutrition. They teamed up for Prescription Alternatives, "a tool for easily and immediately accessing information about how the drugs you are taking affect your body, the steps you can take to counteract these imbalances and what alternative treatments are available."

They start with a description of how we've become a nation of pill-poppers and present drug statistics, such as "140,000 Americans die each year" from adverse drug effects and that "at least 11 million people are abusing prescription drugs." They also explain the unrelenting pressures put on medical doctors by the drug companies, medical schools, and state medical boards. Mindell and Hopkins include lists of factors than can affect drug levels, and explain how to prevent common problems with prescription drug use. They offer hints on how to prepare for surgery and decrease your chances of having an adverse drug reaction while hospitalized. They also explain how to read the drug inserts that come with prescriptions and include a glossary of common medical terms.

The bulk of the book is devoted to extensive details about the most-often prescribed drugs. They discuss a dozen kinds of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, herpes, and osteoporosis. They list the drugs usually prescribed for each condition, then present detailed information about each drug, including what the drug is supposed to do, possible side effects, interactions with other drugs, interactions with foods, what imbalances in the body may result, and what nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, should be added to the diet while taking the drug. Each section concludes with natural alternatives to the drugs and tips for helping your body heal itself. They also explain how the body systems work and how lifestyle changes can help prevent many diseases.

All their explanations are in easy-to-understand layman's terms.

The authors say that "when you start taking any type of drug, you are heading down a long road full of potentially dangerous drug interactions and side effects." Prescription Alternatives is a scenic byway that will help readers avoid that long road.

Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins have provided one of the most important books of the CENTURY. So many of us listen to our doctors and take the prescriptions offered without THINKING. It is time for pill-poppers to wake up to the motives of the pharmaceutical companies, and to the very dangerous risks we take when we pop a prescription pill without investigating its long term effects.

This book has become a Health Bible for me and my friends. I tell people about it every day. If there is one thing you do for those you love, let it be to buy them this book.

Prescription Alternatives provides live-saving information. It informs us of the risks we take when we blindly accept any prescription our doctors offer. It provides us with all of the alternative choices that won't just suppress or mask a symptom but will change our health in the best and safest way possible. When are we, as a nation of consumers, going to take back the responsibility of maintaining our health? Don't take my word for it, read up on the facts for yourself. Then go out and buy a copy for every one you love! The natural food and supplement stores will love you for it!

This is an easy to read book on natural alternatives to over the counter and prescription drugs. Particular attention is paid to the hazards of drug interaction which can lead to poor health. (The "cure" being worse than the disease.....). The book is well organized, with a good index. Drugs are profiled by type, covering the gamut from NSAIDS to Narcotics. Each drug is discussed. The author tells you: what the drug does in your body, what conditions it is prescribe for, side effects, when you should NOT take the drug, and interactions with other drugs and food. If you must take a drug, the author offers information on supplements that balance out or minimize the potential damage to your body. And of course, the natural alternative to taking pharmaceuticals - specific, herbs, vitamins and minerals, and diet, are given. The author does sermonize from time to time, but this is a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent book.

Purchasing Prescription Alternatives, Second Edition, by Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D. and Virginia Hopkins, M.A., may just be the best investment you can make in your health.
Drug companies spend more than a billion dollars each year on advertising. They sponsor talks in medical schools, providing free meals and medical supplies to students. They also fund most of the medical research going on today and keep doctors' offices supplied with "free" samples. Between drug companies and the pressures put doctors by HMO's, it's no wonder that most people who go to see a doctor walk away with a prescription to be filled.
Sometimes those prescriptions are essential, particularly in the cases of sudden, acute illnesses. But often they do more harm than good. Mindell and Hopkins's goal is to "teach you how to be a knowledgeable and conservative drug user, who knows how to ask the right questions and get the necessary information to stay healthy."
They explain that nearly one million people are "injured" by drugs every year, and "at least 11 million people are abusing prescription drugs." They caution that having FDA approval doesn't mean a drug is safe, reminding readers that "those FDA-approved drugs are killing at least 140,000 people a year, just in hospitals."
The bulk of the book is a detailed listing of hundreds of drugs prescribed every day, including those for heart disease, digestive disorders, asthma and allergies, pain relief, diabetes, insomnia, prostate problems, osteoporosis, eye diseases, and herpes. They also include antibiotics, antifungals, and synthetic hormones.
Mindell and Hopkins start with a description of the disease or ailment and its causes and effects on the body. They then explain how it could be prevented in the first place, making their book useful also for people who are currently healthy. Following that is a list of the drugs that can be prescribed, using both the brand names and generic names. An explanation of how each drug works in the body comes next, along with information on side effects. They then discuss all the interactions each drug has with other drugs, with nutritional supplements, and food. Lastly, they provide information on natural alternatives.
"You absolutely cannot count on the FDA, the drug company, your physician or your pharmacist to keep you safe from dangerous drugs and their interactions," say Mindell and Hopkins. Prescription Alternatives will give readers all the information they need to make wise choices about which, if any, drug is best for them, as well as helping them avoid the adverse consequences that can result from simple human error in obtaining and using prescription drugs.

We found this book to be an excellent guide, answering our questions or informing us of what to expect before, during and after surgery. Easy to understand and very helpful. A must for any family dealing with prostate or prostate cancer concerns. We recommend the book!

I was introduced to this book after I had had a radical psostatectomy and spent countless hours researcing the internet. I wish I could have read it early on in my diagnosis and treatment. The book is well organized, clearly written in terms that a layman can readily understand. The layout and chapter arrangement is logical and there is even an appendix listing useful internet web sites.

I found this book to be informative, written on a level that is easily understood by the lay person. Reading this book helped me to make decisions regarding my situation with confidence. Would recommend this book to any family facing prostate cancer and also to those men who have a history of prostate cancer in their families.

Comprehensive but clear and easy-to-use guide. Read the whole book or just those chapters or sections you need (good index). Question and answer format helped me formulate questions to ask MY doctor.

This is a wonderful resource for all men aged 50 and over, whether or not you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is organized in a very logical format, from normal male anatomy and physiology to the problems men have which are "benign" and then goes into the entire work-up, diagnosis, treatment and survival options for men with prostate cancer. It has an unbelievable index and is filled with useful information for finding a physician that will listen to your needs and wishes. I especially liked the chapter on diet and nutrition. The entire book is easy to read and understand and is surprisingly positive and hopeful. I was fortunate to receive this book from my doctor, but I am buying and recommending them for everyone I know, now.