Editorial Review

Millions of people are searching for secrets,wisdom, knowledge, and practical techniques to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move toward immortality. The way to accomplish all of these is to reach and meld with Tao.

This book, the successor to Tao I: The Way of All Life, reveals the highest secrets and most powerful practical techniques for the Tao journey, which includes one’s physical healing and rejuvenation journey and one’s entire spiritual journey. Its essence can be summarized in one sentence:

Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian is the way to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move in the direction of immortality.

Shou Yi Yan Jin Ye is the most important daily practice for reaching Tao. “Shou yi” means focus on the Jin Dan area below the navel. “Yan jin ye” means swallow Heaven’s sacred liquid and Mother Earth’s sacred liquid.

Tao II: The Way of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality explains the significance of this highest secret and exactly how to do it. It gives you the sacred key for your whole life’s practice and shares two hundred and twenty sacred phrases that include not only profound sacred wisdom but also additional simple and practical techniques.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Reach fan lao huan tong, which is to transform old age to the health and purity of the baby state.

Prolong life.

The final goal is to reach immortality to be a better servant for humanity, Mother Earth, and all universes. ... Read more

Reviews

Simply amazing!, November 3, 2010
Reading Tao 2 was a big surprise. After reading Tao 1 I was a bit unsure if I would be able to follow the deep wisdom provided in Tao 2. But I am in awe, the wisdom is even easier to understand but still on a deeper level! Every sentence brings you deeper wisdom from the Divine, from the Tao. And I simply love the new Tao song! Words simply are not enough to share my experience. Try it for yourself! It is such a small price and the book with the free CD brings to you sooo much for it! I cannot thank Master Sha and the Divine enough!

Tao II: Another Instant Classic, November 28, 2010
The "Tao II" book is another instant classic by Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha. In this book, Master Sha reveals "Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian" (The Big Tao Golden Light Ball Purification Practice) as the way to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move in the direction of immortality.

Jin Dan Da Tao is the simplest, most powerful, and direct way to reach Tao. This practice gathers the jing (matter), qi (energy), shen (soul), xu (emptiness), Dao (complete emptiness) of everyone and everything to form and build the Jin Dan to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move towards immortality. The Jin Dan is the greatest treasure of all life.

The serious practitioner will love this book. A new practitioner will love this book too. I know that what was written in this review might not make a lot of sense for people new to these teachings. That is okay. You just need to read this book. The wisdom is explained in a way that you can understand and learn easily. Then, practice by applying the techniques. You will believe more and more as you progress and experience the results on your healing and soul journey.

(Note: I also recommend "Tao I: The Way of All Life" by Master Sha to be read and practiced too.)

The Impossible Is Possible, The Unimaginable Is Real, November 8, 2010
I really cannot say more than the title of my review. Do you want to heal completely, and heal not only your physical body, but also your emotional, mental and spiritual bodies? Do you want to rejuvenate and have a long, long healthy and vibrant life? Do you want to be a better servant for humanity, Mother Earth and beyond? You can, you can and you can! Read this book to learn the simplest and best way how - and for much, much more. The ancient Taoist masters all wish they had the simplest teachings and practices revealed and freely shared by Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha, the purest of divine channels, vehicles and servants. Taste the pear: read the book, do the practices. You will know how sweet it is!

The way of life is given here for everyone, November 28, 2010
Dear everyone i have waited for all lifetimes to reach a level of peace, stillness and love that separates any of my concerns about the life on Mother Earth. Life on Mother Earth is getting difficult. This book carries the essence of all life including health, energy, life transformation including finances and relationships. The truth is here in this book which will serve every aspect of your life. The way of all life presented in this book has been shared from the Divine to clarify the secrets from china, to add the wisdom of over 5000yrs of study & spiritual practises that has served millions of people in Asia. If you have tried any of the asian martial arts or chanting/meditations you will experience another level of energy vibration and frequency that will blow you away. Its heart touching for your soul. Its heart touching to the generosity of this Master & Dr Zhi Gang Sha. We are blessed that his heart is so open to share these secrets and practises to all humanity. We are blessed

The Title Says It All, November 28, 2010
Yes, you can definitely judge this book by its cover. The title says it all: Tao II: The Way of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality. This book delivers what the cover promises. If you have read spiritual classics like Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and Spaulding's The Teachings of the Masters of the Far East, and Eva Wong's Tales of the Taoist Immortals, then you are familiar with the possibility of immortality. What this book presents is the Way of immortality for folks like you and me. Incredible! Incredible becomes credible when you do the practices and meditations in this book. This is a treasure for humanity. This book opens a way of being on planet earth that blesses all souls. This books prepares one to be a better servant of all. Get this book. Use this book for healing...! Use this book for rejuvenation...! Use this book for longevity...! Use this book for immortality !...!...!

Wisdom of the Ages, November 25, 2010
It may 100 years before humanity realizes the depth and power of the wisdom revealed in the book TAO II. The teachings of this book are the equivelant of that of the I ching or the Tao de Ching when they where revealed to humanity centuries ago. Master Sha is a blessing to humanity and generations to come. Know that these words and all of his books are divnely guided wisdom. These wisdoms are experienced not understood. This is what seperates true wisdom from fake teachings. Experience the wisdoms for yourself and wrap your soul in the nectar of these soul empowering teachings. Hao

Wow! This is not only a book, this is so much more..., November 28, 2010
There is no other book on mother earth I know, which speaks from Longevity and Immortality much less describing in detail the way to come there. And there is no other book on mother earth I know containing not only sacred wisdom and knowledge for healing and rejuvenation but also Divine download treasures. I am very confident that everybody who is reading the book and doing the practices as recommended can also experience the power of this book like I did and still do. Therefore I can recommend this book from my heart to everybody who is interested on the highest levels of spiritual healing or is looking for rejuvenation, longevity or even immortality.

Simple but Profound, November 28, 2010
In Tao II, Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha has taken ancient esoteric teachings and made them accessible and understandable to everyone.Readers are guided step by step along the path to longevity and,if they are diligent and committed to the practices taught within the book,even immortality!

This seemingly simple book, is in fact very profound, in both its content and it's potential results. It's a treasure to humanity offering hope, healing and blessings to all who are called to read it and wise enough to heed it. I am very grateful to Master Sha for sharing these ancient sacred secrets with humanity at a time that it is most needed. I will read Tao II many times, to glean deeper levels of its wisdom.

Grateful for this Jewel, November 28, 2010
I am loving this book and will probably read it 40 more times before I feel I have truly fully absorbed the teachings. Simply because it is profound on so many levels. I love Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian, the complete explanation written in English & Chinese & that there is a CD provided to teach pronunciation. Thank You Dr Sha for sharing this treasure with us.

When the Teacher Appears, Grab the Teacher!, December 5, 2010
When I chant the Sacred Text of the Tao of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality, I can feel changes taking place in my body on the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical levels. It's difficult to explain, but it's almost like a powerful force enters my body and begins to heal and change the vibrational frequency of my being. There is a feeling of being re-created. I have similar experiences as well with doing the other practices in the book.

Based on these experiences, I would have to conclude that the wisdom and power here are truly authentic. These are very exciting times, to be able to have access to wisdom, knowledge and practices that can bring about the kind of life-transformation that so many rarely even dream of. I feel in my heart I have found the right teacher and the right book. Thank you, Master Sha. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book -- a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as "the bible of bodybuilding."

Inside, Arnold covers the very latest advances in both weight training and bodybuilding competition, with new sections on diet and nutrition, sports psychology, the treatment and prevention of injuries, and methods of training, each illustrated with detailed photos of some of bodybuilding's newest stars.

Plus, all the features that have made this book a classic are here:

Editorial Review

Cancer. Hepatitis. Migraines. Arthritis. Heart Disease. Emphysema. For years, the medical establishment has called these chronic or life- threatening diseases "incurable." But now, the Gerson Therapy offers hope for those seeking relief from hundreds of different diseases. Juice your way to wellness. One of the first alternative cancer therapies, the Gerson Therapy has successfully treated thousands of patients for over 60 years. Now, in this authoritative revised and updated edition, alternative medicine therapist Charlotte Gerson and medical journalist Morton Walker reveal even more on the powerful healing effects of organic fruits and vegetables. Not only can juicing reverse the effects of many degenerative illnesses-it can save lives. "The Gerson Therapy" shows you: How to beat cancer by changing your body chemistry; Special juicing techniques for maximum healing power; and, How to combat allergies, obesity, high blood pressure, AIDS, lupus, and other diseases. This unique resource will help and inspire anyone who has ever said, "I want to get well. Just show me how.""The Gerson Therapy" offers a powerful, time-tested healing option that has worked for others - and can work for you! ... Read more

Reviews

Read this book on Chronic Disease first, October 12, 2001
A Highly Recommended First Book On The Use And Application Of Alternative Medicine/Natural Healing for Chronic Conditions.

This is the book that I would first recommend for anyone wanting to understand the use of alternative medicine for the healing of any chronic condition including cancer I would also highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating the use of conventional medicine as well because of the excellent material on the disease process and the potential for using this or some other alternative therapy in a complimentary or combination process of natural and conventional healing. The issue in addressing healing of chronic diseases is for the person with the disease and their family to be sufficiently unformed of the causes and all possible treatment possibilities so that they can make informed and responsible decisions about their total treatment. Other therapies and approaches could be evaluated as to how well they addressed all of the healing concepts detailed in this book.

"The Gerson Therapy" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to the multitude of books that address healing of chronic conditions including cancer by using natural or alternative means. The specific approach is healing by a combination of high quality nutrition and total body detoxification. The Therapy is a total program and does require significant life style changes at least for the detailed therapy. Actually, lifetime lifestyle changes will be required to remain healthy, but these are easily done once one has gone through the detailed therapy.

This book accomplishes several needed functions. The Gerson Therapy is brought up to date, (the therapy is over 60 years old), with the latest information including program modifications for people who have had chemotherapy, for people who are in an extremely weakened state, and a modified program for non cancer chronic conditions. The information is provided in a highly readable and understandable format. The book details the background, theory, and enough specific cases to establish credibility without being overbearing. In fact most of the case studies are used to detail understanding of the therapy. The book does not sugar coat the difficulty of healing using natural therapy and states that the Gerson Therapy may be the most difficult to follow of the many that are available. All of the information required to do the therapy either on one's own or in conjunction with a qualified clinic or practitioner is provided in easily accessible section. (There is some redundancy in some of the specific sections but this redundancy eliminates the need to search for needed information for people who are following the therapy). The number of recipes is expanded from previous books, and this is a welcome addition for anyone who has followed the therapy. The mental aspects of natural healing are now addressed and are given a separate section in the book. Finally, many tricks and techniques needed to make the therapy more workable are included. The bottom line is that the book is both informative and is useable as a day to day guide for anyone deciding to do the therapy.

I feel qualified to make these statements about this book because three years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and after much research and discussions with conventional and alternative practitioners, I chose to first start with the Gerson Therapy. The results have been wonderful with the cancer having gone in remission after about 18 months and numerous other problems have responded to the therapy as well. I have not had to revert to my back up plan of conventional medicine. Yes the therapy can be difficult to follow particularly because it is highly restrictive on food, requires time to make fresh vegetable juices several times every day, and requires time to do the detoxification procedures. And yes, the diet has different taste due to the salt and fat restrictions, but one quickly get use to the different tasee However, to be healed without permanent side effects is well worth the effort and the required life style changes. While I had excellent support materials available, this book is still a significant improvement to the available literature. I found nothing in this book that I had a problem with and with the improvements that have been made, the book deserves the five star rating

The process of natural healing is not easy, requires attention to detail, and continued study to avoid setbacks through the process. This new book on the Gerson Therapy will provide information that can assist the decision process and will provide up to date information on the therapy's application.

Outstanding Resource !, April 9, 2003
Much like the previous poster, I also suffered a degenerative disease. I did the research for a cure while healing from some conventional radiation therapy. I began the Gerson Therapy (GT)as indicated in this book in part, started feeling stronger and got into it full tilt. I must admit, Dr. Max Gerson MD, the author's father, hit the nail on the head in terms of a curative therapy. His is some heirloom information and techniques that have survived because they work.

If you need to buy a book on how to get well from degenerative disease, this is the first choice. Get started now. Begin now. Disease as simple as arthritis, and as tough as cancer respond to this therapy. I know from personal experience also. The program is nutritional and detoxification with minimum supplements. The book informs as to what and why and when to use what. They do not sell vitamins, or expensive publications, just straight forward truth.

I also, particularily for Multiple Myeloma or Plasmacytoma patients, but cancer patients generally, highly recommend the book, 'Living Proof', by Michael Gearin-Tosh, published 2002. It is a wonderful narrative of how to approach cancer treatment written by a man diagnosed MM but who did Gerson Therapy and lives.

Do it, get well, and write your own review ! I'll be checking back from time to time. God Bless.

This book is so valuable!!, December 28, 2005
The Gerson Therapy saved my life.
I was diagnosed with SLE ( Lupus), and there was nothing that the M.D.'s could offer me, except Prednisone...which was urged upon me.
Through the fortunate advice of a friend, I read the Gerson book...and to make a very long story short, I decided to do the program.
Let me just say here, in rebuttal to the first reviewer of this book, that NOWHERE in this book does it suggest that on should JUST do coffe enemas. Quite the contrary. If one is doing coffee enemas, it is essential that one ALSO be drinking the juices.
In fact, if one is serious about getting well, it is absolutely essential that one do the program to the letter- not just some elements.
I stayed on the Gerson program for two and one half years. Hard? Yes.
But I came out of it healed.
I went into the program so very sick, hair falling out, skin sores, terrible joint pain, failing kidneys.
That was more than fifteen years ago , now, with no recurrance. And I neved did take the Prednisone.
I did the Therapy at home, with the Gerson book as my guide. ( The Gerson staff, in terms of support and more information, were my telephone angels.)
So, while my experience was not with cancer, I most certainly will recommend this book to those who suffer from auto-immune disorders, and also to those those who simply are interested in knowing how bertter to preserve and restore health.

The Gerson Therapy... by Charlotte Gerson, March 19, 2006
An indispensable aid for those wishing to use the highest cure rate therapy for cancer yet devised. The incredible cures for many degenerative diseases wrought by slight variations of this program are also described in this book. With the recent opening of a Gerson Therapy center in Hawaii, and with the Baja Nutri Care facility in Las Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, what's not to love about this amazing chance to survive the deadly big "C"? With a cure rate under 10% in America, why not go with the Gerson Therapy, with almost ten times the cure rate? This book is logical, orderly, and well thought out. It is not "easy reading," but it is certainly essential reading for our day. The present rate for cancer is five of every twelve alive today. Doctors are already predicting that the rate will increase yet again. Be prepared. Know how to prevent cancer, not just cure it.

Update 12-15-2006. My wife began the Gerson Therapy for stage 4A Malignant Melanoma in October 2005. She is quite healthy today and her cancer markers are perfectly normal according to her monthly blood work. She has at least 10 months remaining to stay on the full Gerson Therapy. She has already out-survived 7 out of 10 patients with her diagnosis from the same start date who were or are undergoing "conventional" medical treatment. Conventional treatment odds for her five year survival are 1 in 200. Gerson Therapy gives her 80 chances out of the same 200. Yes, there are other therapies out there, but it is a minefield that can kill you if you land on the wrong therapy. The Gerson Therapy has about a 75 year history of great overall success. It is definitely not 100% though. Check the history of whatever others you are looking at. But whatever you do, remember that your health decisions are in your hands alone and that your life is a precious thing. Don't let anyone scare you into wasting it.

Not the only way, March 13, 2006
I found the book to be a litte condradictory. It acknowledges that other alternative therapies have cured terminal cancer via nutrition life style changes. It later leads you to believe if the protocal is not followed to the letter your cancer will return. This is simply not true. Whole foods is the key and detoxification. I know of a man who dissolved over 50 tumors in his body thru eating more fruits and veggies and coffee enemas and suplimentation of vitamins and minerals not mentioned in this book. He also has not juiced one drop of veggies or fruit.

The protocal I believe is way to strict and discouraging to cancer patients. Asking a terminal cancer patients to take in 13 glasses of juice a day is way more than they can take. They likely give up and sucumb to the cancer.

"Beating Cancer with nutrition" is an excellent alternative and can be used in conjuction with some of the treatments in this book without the burden of juicing and living by the kitchen. You dont have to be a slave to your home to heal.

There is great truth to The Gerson Therapy but it is unfortunatly out dated. There are other therapies out there that work just as good if not better and are not nearly as combersome and demanding. Max Gerson was a genious of his TIME.


Update: UPon further research of other existing therapies I came to the conclusion that the Gerson Therapy although very difficlult is the most effective. All the other Cancer therapies have seen good results but nothing like the results of The Gerson Therapy. The hard work is worth it for your life. I know juice 13 times a day and feel better than ever. Dont take a chance use the proven therapy not all the spin offs.

This book should be read by everyone!, July 3, 2006
Fantastic book! If you are at all interested in optimum health and well being or know someone suffering healthwise, this is a must read. It will change your life and the way you look at the food you eat. CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES CAN BE CURED-This book will tell you how. I have recommended it to all my family and friends.

The only answer for cancer, June 26, 2007
Were I so unfortunate as to find myself with a cancer, this is the only program I would follow. Forty years ago my prognosis was a life expectancy of maybe 3 months -- if I was lucky. Arteriosclerosis was then considered by medical doctors as irreversible, yet here I am, 40 years later, because someone pointed me in a different direction, one very similar to Gerson's. I bought several copies since you run into the incurable all the time. We live in a sick society -- in more ways than one.

This info should be common sense, August 12, 2009
If you haven't done your research on Dr. Max Gerson you should. His work is well documented you just have to search. See in America we aren't just told about this stuff. The people that do make a great profit off the sick do a great job of keeping this material hidden. Watch the movie "Dying to have known."
It's sad that the government can tell us how we can get better. Only surgery, chemo and radiation are PERMITTED by our government as health options. Wow.

Gerson - What you still don't understand, May 9, 2009
What's not to understand. Why cure cancer completely?? Or for that matter all ill fated illnesses? Please take a moment and realize the money involved in just so called "managing" illnesses. Companies that make medical equipment, special food products for various illnesses, doctors pressured to meet their patient quota, hospital responsibility to their institutions and their employees. Doctors despensing drugs because that is all they can do to keep their jobs, or seek alternaive medicine practice. Do you really think anyone but your family members really cares whether you live or die because of radiation or chemotherpy? The hard fact is that YOU ARE nothing but a resource for them via your insurance company - The hard fact is that they will never cure cancer completely or any serious illness - They need you to be sick, or else they don't have a industry. Yes some do get results and get better - but they have such a long way to go - and they will take their sweet money making time doing so. Diatebes association is a very lucrative business now - When I called and asked what they are doing in terms of research and curing - she was speechless - yes she did not know how to answer. Same with the MS society, and new societies are cropping up now to take advantage of your donations - DON'T GIVE BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING THEIR SALARIES- Gerson is a great program. Remeber, garbage in - garbage out.

Proven but controversial natural healing, November 9, 2008
After reading some of the book, I ordered literature from the organization. I do not recommend ordering most articles as they are testimonials and self-promotional literature w/ little substance, unless someone needs inspirational documentation of the natural approach to healing.
Out of the expensive charges for 3 documents, only one was helpful with actual research information. As for the book, I do recommend it as it offers a positive alternative to conventional medicine that does not offer the cure rate that the Gerson Therapy offers. The therapy has a greater success rate and long-term survival rate than conventional medicine.
But if one chooses to go this route to healing and survival, it is expensive; if you determine to use home therapy, realize that the local markets may not offer the recommended organics to support a full regimen the book dictates. The therapy has been labeled quackery by the medical profession. However, after researching the multiple approaches to disease management, control, and eradication,
the author's approach seems to be more legitimate. Should all conventional medicine be shunned? The answer is left up to the individual. A high potasssium diet can lead to other illnesses beside the one illness a person is treating.
But this approach cannot be ignored or called "quackery". It is an alternative that has worked for over 60 years. The TRUTH in natural healing appproaches is in the middle between conventional and natural. Book highly recommended. The therapy takes us away from the modern assumptions that we are NOT what we eat. We are what we eat.. ... Read more

Editorial Review

THE KEY TO A BETTER BODY—in shape, energized, and youthful—is a healthy brain. Based on the latest medical research, as well as on Dr. Amen’s two decades of clinical practice at the re­nowned Amen Clinics, where Dr. Amen and his as­sociates pioneered the use of the most advanced brain imaging technology, Change Your Brain, Change Your Body shows you how to take the very best care of your brain.

With fifteen practical, easy-to-implement solutions involving nutritious foods, natural supplements and vitamins, positive-thinking habits, and, when neces­sary, highly targeted medications, Dr. Amen shows you how to:

* Reach and maintain your ideal weight
* Soothe and smooth your skin at any age
* Reduce the stress that can impair your immune system
* Sharpen your memory
* Increase willpower and eliminate the crav­ings that keep you from achieving your exercise and diet goals
* Enhance sexual desire and performance
* Lower your blood pressure without medication
* Avoid depression and elevate the enjoyment you take in life’s pleasures.

Whether you’re just coming to realize that it’s time to get your body into shape, or are already fit and want to take it to the next level, Change Your Brain, Change Your Body is all you need to start putting the power of the brain-body connection to work for you today.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Just an infomercial!, April 6, 2010
If you are looking for something new or scientific, skip this one. The book is short on actual science, uses simplistic anecdotes, but more importantly is nothing more than a written infomercial for Dr. Amens to try to sell you his vitamins and supplements. Once you identify the "type" of overeater you are, the book recommends supplements to help you "change your brain" all of which are available on the Amens web site for outrageous prices. The book is one long, giant infomercial. You can get all of the same informaiton for free on the website, and get instantaneous "personalized" results from the "test" there, along with recommendations of which overpriced supplements you should buy from the web site. Nothing new in this book, so save your money. Just go get the pitch from the free web site, and decide whether to fork out hundreds of dollars for supplements there. You won't need this book to make that decision. Just Google "Amen clinics".

Good info with unimportant info, March 21, 2010
The book is not bad. There are very interesting information on brain types.

The big problem with the book is frankly a lack of focus. You may very well come away with an OMG-now-what feeling. That's because the author attempt to cover many possibilities that contribute to the same problem. Let's say you suffer from anxiety, by the end of the book, you will have been given 50 different things that could have contributed to you experiencing anxiety - and when you try to summarize all those "solutions" it tends to lead you to basic good commons sense: eat well, exercise, don't stress. Great! Now I know how to live.

That is not to say that book doesn't give good advice or that it doesn't have added information. But for 80% of the book, you would have already known the common sense information if you paid any remote attention to the usual batch of health and fitness related articles and magazines.

The big draw for me to purchase this book is to learn about the different types of brains that Dr. Amen has identified. And how each can be best managed via supplements? I focused in on supplements because I already have fairly good regime when it comes to food and exercise. He does provide the info I seek, but I had to shuffle through different parts of the book to piece the information together. The author did not make that easy. At the end of it, I came up with a one-page of summary from all those scattered writings. I'm OK with it but it is clearly not the best. It also indicate the value of your money, assuming you had some common sense about diets already.

The point is, if you don't know a lot of basic information to begin with regarding good eating and brain habits, then this book will be very valuable. If you know the basics already, you will find information that you've not seen before but it takes some work to extract out the info and it puts to question the real value you are getting.

Specious SPECT, May 14, 2010
Dr Amen is a board certified psychiatrist and is well-informed. He knows what he is talking about. He has read the journals and mastered the textbooks. He has published work in peer-reviewed journals cited in PubMed. The treatments he suggests in this book are only mildly unorthodox and some of them, such as hypnosis, meditation, relaxation and eye movement desensitization have been shown to be effective and are overly neglected by mainstream medicine. Some of them, such as samE, St John's wort, glycine and omega-3 fatty acids are on the cusp of scientific respectability. "Dr.Amen's Brain and Memory Recovery Solution" and "Dr. Amen's Craving Solution" are perhaps less likely to receive FDA approval, but maybe his application is pending.
His diet suggestions are for complex carbohydrates and frequent meals. He is against the Atkins diet. He recommends exercise but avoidance of cycling and skate boarding (because you might bang your head).
I think his appeal is not so much because of the treatments he offers but because of the explanations he offers. It can be frustrating for sufferers from severe anxiety or depression to learn that all their blood chemistry and X-rays are perfectly normal. Amen gives the public an organic reason for why they feel mentally bad. Not all of his reasons are totally spurious. Variations in cortisol really can affect feelings of well being. Epinephrine really can produce feelings of anxiety. Thyroid abnormalities really can cause mental symptoms.
There is more of a problem with his use of SPECT, which involves injecting a radioactive substance. The SPECT scan has a scientific basis and some valid medical uses. The two major imaging methods for looking at the brain in clinical use are the CAT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. These can show tumors, or bleeding, or parts of the brain that have become softened or liquefied.
Positron emitting tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (f MRI), regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and the kind of rCBF called single photon emitting computerized tomography (SPECT) can show up localizations of disordered brain function that were not apparent from CAT or MRI. For example, decreased metabolism has been found in frontal areas with schizophrenia, and in parietal brain areas with dementia. Dr. Abel claims to be able to use SPECT scan to diagnose a variety of emotional conditions. However the Brain Imaging Council of the Society of Nuclear Medicine has offered Dr. Amen an opportunity to test some of his claims and he has refused, according to a report in the American Journal of Psychiatry (May, 2010, volume 167, page 598).

Amazing Book!, February 18, 2010
Dr. Amen's new book, "Change Your Brain Change Your Body", is a great book to have as a reference on hand to anyone who has struggled to lose weight in the past. It presents scientific reasoning behind why individuals have such a difficult time when trying the latest and most popular diets but it is written so that you do not have to be a medical doctor to understand it! Once you read this book, you will be able to understand how your particular brain functioning will help you to lose the weight and gain a more healthy lifestyle.

As a Neuropsychologist, I have found it very valuable to help many of my patients deal not only with weight issues, but also hormonal imbalances, anxiety and depression. Understanding your brain type and how is can affect so many different aspects of your life is critical to the first steps in recovery. The chapters on the skin, hormone and skin solution are fabulous! A lot of my patients suffer with sleep issues, are stressed out and think in a very negative way. This book is fabulous in that it explains why these issues are key factors not only in the way you feel emotionally and cognitively but why they affect your weight as well!

I would definitely recommend that every therapist have this book in their bookcase and every patient have one at home!

A Valuable, Well-Written Book, March 9, 2010
In "Change Your Brain, Change Your Body" Dr. Amen explains how he has used SPECT imaging to study the blood flow and activity patterns in the brain. SPECT is an acronym for single photon emission computed tomography.

He offers many examples of how he has used SPECT to obtain critical information about the brain function of his patients, and determine the best treatment to help those individuals to overcome a wide variety of problems, from depression to obesity to colds and headaches. The book makes use of illustrations of brain scans taken before and after treatment at Amen's clinics. He clearly explains how he interprets these scans, and how he determines the appropriate treatment for an individual.

Dr. Amen presents 15 solutions to assist you in boosting your brain to enable you to attain and maintain the kind of body and sense of well-being you have always wanted. Among the many benefits that can be derived by learning to love your brain and apply the easy-to-follow solutions are increased energy, sharper memory function, and relief from unwanted stress.

Sounds to good to be true? Not really. I can attest to many of the strategies and techniques this book offers because I have used them and taught them with amazing results for four decades. What's really new and different about Dr.Amen's approach is that he is employing some recently discovered scientific diagnostic equipment such as SPECT along with his unique treatments.

Back in the 1980's, I presented health conferences at the University of Minnesota and other colleges featuring "pioneers" in using the brain/mind for healing, and maintaining good health. Participants in those conferences included Norman Cousins, O.Carl Simonton, Bernie Siegel, Deloris Krieger, Norman Shealy, Raymond Moody, Gerald Jampolsky Karl Menninger, etal. Dr. Amen is to be congratulated for building on their work and currently being on the cutting edge of discoveries and treatment in this field. The world could use more like him.

This is a valuable, well-written book, and deserves five stars.

This really works!, March 3, 2010
I have been struggling with weight-loss for the past 8 years. I have tried everything from diet pills to hypnosis. I am a veteran so you would think I already had the background to exercise properly and eat right, but this simply is not true. After I had my children, something in me changed. I no longer wanted to deal with life, and it was almost as if I was stuck in a depression state without any exits. I purchased the audio-book version of Magnificent Mind at Any Age: Natural Ways to Unleash Your Brain's Maximum Potential by Dr. Amen, and was impressed from the start. My husband and children noticed the difference in me after I started taking the St. Wort and L-Tyrosine supplements. I was on GABA already for a different reason, but the combination of these three items helped regulate my mood.

Then this wonderful book came out. I was eager to read it since I already had success with a previous book by Dr. Amen. I immediately put a lot of ideas into action. For instance, I maintained my intake of the supplements, plus I found a way to get back into exercising. I love to do research on my computer, so my husband brought me a special stand for it. This way I can exercise on my stationary bike while working on my computer at the same time. This motivated me to continue on with other positive things for my body, like eating more fruits and vegetables too. This book will go into detail about how to improve your attitude (brain) in order to affect a positive change in your life. Just to let you know, I went from 251 @ 5'8" to 228 in eight weeks. I achieved this by riding my bike slowly while reading this book, and/or working on my computer. Order your copy today, because I have read this book four times already and I learn something new every time.

Do not recommend this book, March 16, 2010
(See my other review under CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR LIFE). I wanted to believe in Dr. Amen. He was smart, he was funny, and everything he said seemed to make sense. Moreover, his lecture was being broadcast on PBS, so he had to be legitimate, right? I was disillusioned when I went to his website and took a "free" online test that diagnosed me with every mental problem but bipolar syndrome, and proceeded to recommend products that would have cost me more than $200 a month, all this without knowing anything more about me than what I put on the questionnaire. Some of the information was contradictory, because it said that I should not take products with fish oil or gingko, but many of the recommended products included one or the other.

I'm no medical expert, but I cannot find any information other than that given by Dr. Amen or his supporters that SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) is a legitimate diagnostic tool the way he claims it is. Even Wikipedia says the evidence is "anecdotal" and an article on SALON points out the problems in more learned language. As far as the "prescriptions", they all come with a disclaimer that they are not FDA approved.

I have also written to PBS asking them to vet their programming more carefully. I recommend getting this book out of the library and talking with your physician before rushing to try any of his products.

caution, March 14, 2010
I always read customer reviews before purchasing a book, and when I ordered this one the reviews were all 5 star. I thought this book was going to change my life! I was very disappointed....

First, as with many "self-help" books, the author takes about 10 pages to say what could have been said in 1 page. After all, self-help "magazines" don't sell and make money--you have to stretch your material out into book format. I found myself reading the same information over, and over, and over again.

Second, I found some of the advice to be a little impractical. I purchased this book because I'm having a difficult time getting motivated to lose weight. I know I need to eat right and exercise, but I'm just so tired and feel so blah that I just haven't been able to do it. So Dr. Amen's premise appealed to me--it's not my lack of willpower, it's a problem in my brain. If I just follow his advice, my brain will be "fixed" and I'll be eating all the right foods, in the right amounts, and working out like crazy. Well, a large part of his advice is to eat right and exercise. Not how to get there, just to do it and my brain will start getting "fixed." Hmmmm.....

Third, Dr. Amen suggests a number of supplements that will help brain function. Upon researching some of these supplements, I find that many have not been approved by the FDA. Some have been linked to rather serious side effects, and other medical experts caution that they should not be taken without further research. Personally, I don't want to be a guinea pig. Unless there is overwhelming support from the medical community that indicates a supplement is safe to ingest, I'm not going to put it into my body.

I feel this book was a complete waste of my time and money because I didn't learn a thing. If you don't already know that lack of exercise, poor diet, and negative thinking has a negative effect on your brain, then you could probably benefit from this book. But if you know those things, just not how to implement them, you may want to look elsewhere.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Body is a must read!, February 17, 2010
I never realized how much my brain chemistry has to do with my body, especially in dealing with food addiction and weight loss. I have learned that I cannot live my life switching from diet to diet but that I must make a complete lifestyle change that will support the brain/body connection. In this book Dr. Amen taught me how our society lies to us about food consumption! Is risking our health by supersizing or eating at buffets really worth the few dollars that we save? To me, No! Since finishing this book, I have begun making permanent changes in my life and am already noticing a dramatic difference! My moods have improved and I've already noticed an increase in my energy level. The concepts in this book are simple, yet so practical and effective! This is a must read!

Disappointing and very unscientific book, May 19, 2010
I was very disappointed in this book. I will give it one star because it might be motivational for some people, but it basically boils down to common sense tips (eat less calories than you burn to lose weight!), theories about the human brain (via SPECT imaging) and unproven nutrition tips. I was shocked by how often the author made statements like "some studies suggest..." rather than finding real, scientific proof. Many of the studies he uses to make claims are anecdotal at best and have been subjected to no scientific rigor at all. One of the worst examples is where he hypothesizes that Lamar Odom is an inconsistent basketball player because he eats too much candy. He might be right, but he offers no evidence to back it up. It would be equally valid (or equally invalid) to say that his inconsistency was a result of not eating enough candy. Without evidence it is all pure conjecture. The only anecdotal evidence presented is a quote from Odom saying that he had his best games in the playoffs after eating candy for breakfast. This actually disproves the authors claim, so he dismisses it.
I was also turned off by the numerous links to the website where he sells his products. His "research" is really just a vehicle to sell his products and probably explains why he doesn't subject his theories to real scientific method where doubleblind testing with placebos might show different results.
This is very unfortunate because I think a lot of his ideas/theories might in fact stand up to testing. ... Read more

Reviews

Best method for treating & preventing chronic pain, March 22, 2008
This is by far the single best source for healing back pain that I have seen. I hurt my lower back pretty badly doing heavy deadlifts after too long of a layoff (entirely my fault, I know), and pursued a wide variety of different treatment methods. I had previously been exposed to other postural/ alignment methodologies in an attempt to get rid of chronic injuries, which had been helpful, but nothing was as poignant, simple, or direct as Gokhale's work.

There are three outstanding aspects of this book:

1. Gokhale clearly identifies what ideal posture and alignment looks like, and backs this up with numerous photos.
2. Gokhale's method is very, very simple, and once learned, becomes integrated into your everyday life. I know of other methods where you have to spend 30-45 minutes per day doing exercises - this method requires very little extra bandwidth once you have learned it.
3. The book itself is beautifully laid out, with a balance between illustrative photos and explanations.

Considering the amount of time and money I've spent pursuing other treatment methods, this is a ridiculously good value. Don't discount it just because it is so inexpensive! I bought a copy for my parents, and two extra books as I constantly have them loaned out. If you are seeking to get rid of chronic pain, this is my #1 go-to recommendation.

Great spine/biomechanics book, not just for backs, April 12, 2008
This book has been very helpful to me, not just for the back, but also for my hip, knee, and feet. This is a beautifully illustrated and designed book, with very clear directions and explanations, using many diagrams, photographs, and visualization techniques to move the body as a whole, integrated unit.Included are sections on sitting, standing, walking and sleeping. There are also sections on helpful exercises and stretches, and troubleshooting guides with each chapter.
The sections on hinge-bending and the anteverted pelvis were especially helpful. You can watch a 53 min. talk by the author on youtube by looking up her name. Another good book on this subject is one by Stuart McGill, but it is much more scientific and doesn't address walking, sleeping, feet and knees. Esther's book is much more user-friendly with the same science and more anthropology to back up her method.

A simple, elegant solution, March 22, 2008
This book offers a natural, simple solution to chronic back pain. No special machines or contraptions or surgeries are required. Instead it teaches healthy posture. Esther Gohkale studied posture in countries such as India, Burkina Faso, and Portugal, where people have very back-demanding life styles, but suffer very little back injury or pain. Her book offers an anthropological study, with color photographs of beautiful, healthy backs from around the world, in ancient and modern times. She offers clear, simple instructions to help anyone achieve healthy, pain-free posture.

I've tried chiropractors, massage, physical therapy, yoga, and Pilates for my chronic back pain, and each helps to a degree, but none eliminated the painful "bungee" cord running between my shoulder blade and spine. Gokhale's methods of "stretch sitting" and "stretch lying" have provided me the most lasting relief of anything I've tried, and they are the simplest techniques of all!

This book is well worth the investment--it's only a fraction of the cost of a massage or chiropractic visit, and it's provides fascinating reading and vital healing. Best of all, it extends hope that anyone can free themselves from chronic pain, no matter how cramped or stooped you've become.

pain free!, March 21, 2008
Esther Gokhale's book "8 Steps to a Pain Free Back" is a marvel.. At first glance it appears to be just another self help book on how to relieve common back pain. Upon reading it however, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is the most comprehensive and helpful book I have yet come across. Gokhale's technique which is grounded in sound anthropological study; as she explains, our back problems are largely the result of our cultural habits. Apparently, only five to ten percent of people in certain other countries suffer from back pain, yet in American that number jumps to almost ninety percent. Why such a difference? Ms. Gokhale explains that poor habits and incorrect training are to blame; and her technique for proper posture goes way beyond conventional American teachings. A victim of debilitating back pain and surgery herself, Ms. Gokhale both understands the pain many of us are going through, and genuinely wants to help.
Her book is wonderfully illustrated with the most specific "how to" techniques I have encountered. She not only guides the reader through not only what to do and what you should be feeling, but also explains symptoms of overdoing any given technique. She identifies specific muscles that need to be engaged for stability and strength in support of the discs. The book explains safe techniques for sitting, lying, bending, lifting and walking, activities we do all day long. She shows us how to preserve our knees and protect our hips as we age. As a person who has been doing yoga and seeing chiropractors for years in an attempt to overcome my own back injuries, I can safely say that this book has been incredibly effective in allowing me to resume a normal, pain free lifestyle. Once you begin integrating Ms. Gokhale's methods into your life you will be hooked and find yourself making corrections to your positioning all day long. I highly recommend this book; it will create great habits that will last a lifetime.

Essential reading for anyone who works at a desk!!!!, March 16, 2008
I read this book in conjunction with a class given by the author, and all I can say is Wow!!!!

The author has studied posture and movement in cultures that do not have the high level of back pain we have in our culture, and come up with a simple method of improving posture. The information is presented persuasively and is broken down into simple principles. The book is clearly (and beautifully) illustrated.

But the amazing part is that the principles work. The difference for my low back pain, and neck pain, and foot pain is remarkable. Now I can sit at a computer all day and have my back feel GOOD at the end of the day! I wish someone had taught me these principles when I was five. This book is well worth the investment for anyone who has back pain, or who wants to try to ensure that they don't have back pain in the future.

Transformational Work!, June 13, 2008
Ether's method has transformed my approach to my own long-term back pain therapy. I have herniated lumbar disks, in addition to tight gluteus medius and piriformis that have contributed to chronic sciattica over the past 5 years. I have employed many forms of therapy, including PT, massage, Yoga, inversion, Feldenkrais and others. All have helped, but when a friend told me about Esther's book, I was intrigued to try a new approach. Within 3 hours of integrating Esther's method of stretchsitting (did this while reading the book), I felt a tremendous improvement in my pain level. This was especially significant to me, since at the time, I was 2 weeks away from an epidural cortisone injection - my overall pain level had become unbearable. I worked on the other 8 steps over that time period and was able to cancel the procedure because after 2 weeks I was 95% pain-free. This work has been the single most transformational therapy for my back pain. It has given me an entirely new way of looking at my posture in every-day activities, as well as all of the athletics I participate in. I feel so strongly about Esther's method, as a massage therapist, I'm going to become certified to teach her method to help my own clients. Esther's research and structure of her book make it easy to understand and integrate. Thanks Esther for your insightful, common-sense approach to posture and body mechanics.

Relief at Last, March 25, 2008
Review of 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale
By David Riggs


8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back shows readers how to overcome back pain through better posture. Gokhale's revolutionary approach features a highly original blend of user-friendly exercises, physiological expertise, and in-depth historical analysis. Users will not only experience pain-relief; they will also understand why they feel so much better. The potential applications of this book are enormous. Because the Gokhale method is a holistic program for returning the body to its natural posture, her system reaches out beyond the epidemic of back pain to address dozens of other multoskeletal maladies including repetitive stress injuries and pain of the neck, foot, knee, shoulders, and hip.

The book guides the reader through a series of disarmingly simple changes in posture that take up eight one-hour sessions. These movements involve an anteverted pelvis and use the muscles to decompress the spine, support motion, protect the joints and bones, reduce stress, and improve circulation. The relief comes right away. Unlike most back-pain books, this one does not require any special equipment, cumbersome physical exercises, expertise in Yoga or Pilates, or changes in diet or daily routine. Instead, the steps are designed to integrate easily into everyday life. One can perform them while sleeping, driving, walking, sitting in a meeting, standing in line, or bending over to pick up an object.

Gokhale begins by asking why the epidemic of back pain has been largely confined to adults living in Europe and North America during the twentieth century. Using history and anthropology, she leads her readers through a series of key factors, culminating in the French fashion industry during the 1920's, that encouraged a tucked pelvis and habitual slouching. To counter this trend, she reproduces and analyzes over a thousand high-quality photographs and pictures of infants, and of men and women from Africa, Asia, South America, rural Europe, and from pre-industrial societies, together with many anatomical drawings. These images provide incontrovertible proof of the author's fundamental claim that the way out of back pain leads back to the body's natural posture.

This wise and beautiful book reaches out to an enormous readership. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back will prove an invaluable asset to all of those who deal with back pain in their daily practices: neurologists, physical therapists, physiatrists, general practitioners, and of course the patients themselves. It appeals to a wider audience concerned with alternative medicine, anthropology, art, and fashion. It holds special interest for professional and weekend athletes, yoga and dance instructors, frequent flyers, manual laborers, gardeners, and other hobbyists at high risk for back pain. It should be required reading for anyone who has an aching back and wants to avoid needless and expensive medical procedures like surgery.

A Purchase That May Just Change Your Life, April 24, 2010
*****
All of our lives we are taught to "stand up straight" and to have good posture, but how many of us still have back problems, knee problems, foot problems, and chronic pain despite our best efforts? If this is you (and it is me) then this book is for you. It is my belief that the author's ideas about posture, movement, sitting, sleeping, etc. could very well revolutionize conventional wisdom about posture, movement, and more.

How is this possible? At the most basic level, you can buy this book and not even read it, but just look at the many diagrams, photographs of people modeling healthy behaviors, and most importantly, stunning photographs of people from other countries. The latter--the people from third world countries especially--where good posture is taught and modeled and passed down through the family, rather than via books, or visits to an orthopedic surgeon's office, or Pilates lessons--these are exceptionally revealing. Look at the pictures of how people in these countries hold themselves, and view the arduous work they do all day, and then note the incidence of back pain and other chronic pain they experience from their work. This alone will impress you. These photographs alone are worth the price of the book.

If you are interested, you can try to do the posturing yourself. It is very simple, but it is not easy, because of the way our culture has changed over the years. Conventional wisdom no longer teaches us how to care for our bodies; in fact, the opposite is true. Here in our industrialized society, poor habits are the norm. Even popular "posture" practices teach one or another person's ideas and theories, rather than looking at how people have moved (and still move, in most cases) throughout history. If you struggle to achieve the positions from just looking at the visuals, as I did, then you can go to the author's site at egwellness dot com. Here you will find many resources, including free classes in many locations and free online classes for those people who wish to learn in this way. In addition, there are paid group classes and even paid private classes. The visual and kinesthetic support is very helpful. For those people who need "see it" to learn, you can. For those who need to "do it" to learn, you can.

If you are motivated, you can do these exercises as a practice, as I have begun to do. I am (as I write) taking an in-person beginner class because I learn by seeing AND doing. Just in a couple of days I have felt so much relief and hope that I plan to do this for a significant period of time; as I develop my practice, my body will begin to change to the point where the positions will eventually be automatic. It is important to understand that no significant change can come without hard work; however, for those of us who have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars pursuing other methodologies and solutions without success, you need to know that there is hope and that this is it.

The chapters are organized into lessons, starting with some foundations and an orientation. Then there are 8 lessons: Stretchsitting, Stretchlying On Your Back (e.g., in bed), Stacksitting, Stretchlying On Your Side, Using Your Inner Corset, Tallstanding, Hip-Hinging (e.g., bending down to pick up an object), and Glidewalking. There are additional exercises and many more resources in the back of the book.

Readers should also know that many of the examples contradict various ideas promulgated in our culture about what good posture is. Thus, you should have an open mind. However, the positions in the book are not theoretical or ideas you need to accept on faith because all of the evidence necessary to understand what is behind the positions is in the book itself; it is merely reinforced when you try to do the positions and experience the change for yourself.

If you are still uncertain, go to the web site mentioned above as well as to YouTube and search for the author's name and watch the videos that are available by many people on YouTube.

This is a beautiful, elegant book filled with color photographs that you will not regret buying, whatever your level of interest.

Highly recommended.
*****

The Gokhale Method helped me, March 26, 2008
As someone who was lucky enough to be taught by Esther Gokhale in person, I am delighted to see that her method is now available in self-help form. My own sciatica started to fade away on my first lesson (stretchsitting) and as I went on to learn how to walk, stand, sleep and bend in the way nature intended, my pain went away completely, and never came back. With its detailed instructions and excellent illustrations, the book should help thousands to find relief from pain - or even better, to keep back pain from starting up in the first place.

Simple Solutions, March 25, 2008
I am from a family of people with bad back pain.
Esther Gokhale provides a clear path where the first step is to understand what makes a back hurt, then with wonderful pictures and illustrations shows small incremental steps towards relieving the pain.
Nothing seemed complicated or expensive in her advice and simply applying her new sitting posture and way of going to sleep seems to have relieved half the pain.
Often self help books give advice which is impossible to follow because it involves big changes in the way we live, these steps are small steps that are easy to remember and apply. This is definitely a book which provides an easy path to pain relief and given how many people around me suffer from this `mal du siecle',
I definitely recommend this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Yoga--the ancient healing discipline for body and mind--by its greatest living teacher. Light on Yoga provides complete descriptions and illustrations of all the positions and breathing exercises. Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Reviews

Everything a beginner needs, December 5, 2000
Whether you are looking for a physical improvement or a mental one, Light on Yoga will give you what you need. Each asana is accompanied by at least one (usually more) photographs to illustrate the proper technique, a synopsis on the effects, and details instructions that anyone can follow. Breathing, focus, position of each limb and which muscles to focus on are all covered thoroughly. When applicable, there are even variations that can be applied, depending on the student's comfort and skill level, so that no one need skip an important technique just because he or she is starting out and has no outside help.

Iyengar then further assists the beginning student with a list of which poses to start with and add each week, for a comprehensive schedule that will keep you improving for years. Also included is a list of common ailments and asanas that can relieve these ailments.

Anyone interested in strength, flexibility, balance, and inner peace should have at least this one book.

Simply the best, October 8, 2001
This is the definitive text on hatha yoga. This is the book you want if you are serious about beginning your yoga practice. This is also a text of reference for professional teachers used throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that all yoga instructors in the United States know this book, and most of them own a copy and refer to it regularly.

Iyengar's text is characterized by a thoroughness of content, a detailed, precise, step-by-step "how to" for instruction in asana and pranayama. There are 602 photos of Iyengar himself demonstrating the poses with extraordinary flexibility and precision. I have an early, hardcover edition with the photos collected together at the back of the book. The newer editions have the photos spaced appropriately throughout the text.

The 34-page Introduction entitled, "What is Yoga?" is a concise overview of the nature, aim and extent of yoga as gleaned from the ancient texts, in particular Pantajali's Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika (from which Iyengar gets his Sanskrit title, Yoga Dipika). These are the three great texts of yoga and Iyengar knows them well. This Introduction rewards patient study, and is the kind of pithy text that needs to be returned to again and again, and yet it is written in an accessible, inspired, and inspirational style.

Iyengar emphasizes precision and careful technique and a whole body mindfulness as prerequisites to success in hatha yoga. From my experience this mindfulness is absolutely essential for two main reasons. One, you will surely strain or pull a muscle, usually several little ones, if your mind goes astray or if you practice with your attention elsewhere. Count on it. Two, the full import and effect of asana cannot be appreciated, nor the psychological and spiritual lessons implicit within the practice be understood without a deep and continuous concentration--the mindfulness leading to meditation.

The technical instruction of the poses includes some commentary on beneficial effects. It should be noted that according to tradition there are 84,000 poses known (or perhaps the number is 840,000) of which about 84 are said to be necessary for health and the progression to samadhi. It is also said traditionally that a cat was the first yoga teacher. I want to note that only a gifted person with a natural suppleness can hope to master all the poses that Iyengar demonstrates. So don't despair. Most authorities will tell you that a dozen or so will suffice.

Even though detailed instruction is given in only three pranayamas, the subject is nonetheless throughly introduced and explained in the twenty-five elegant and succinct pages that constitute Part III of this book. Included and noteworthy is Iyengar's well-know warning: "Pneumatic tools can cut through the hardest rock. In Pranayama the yogi uses his lungs as pneumatic tools. If they are not used properly, they destroy both the tool and the person using it."

There are two appendices, one on "Asana Courses," which may be useful for teachers or for those who like a highly structured approach. The other is on the curative effects of asana for various disorders including arthritis, asthma, diabetes, flatulence, etc. I take this second appendix with some reserve and note that a comprehensive study of the curative effects of asana awaits its great genius. Nonetheless, the traditional experience, which Iyengar relies on, is part of the ancient practice of ayurvedic medicine, one of the great healing traditions of the world, and as such commands the highest respect. Personally, it is obvious to me that certain asanas facilitate certain natural bodily processes, and it is well know that a concentration of attention and blood flow to an effected part of the body can assist the body's healing mechanisms. Asana, properly understood in this context, is part of a maintenance program for a healthy body.

Iyengar's is preeminently a practical approach seeped in the ancient traditions of India. As such there is a distinctive, but unavoidable Hindu cast to his instruction. (Separating yoga from Hinduism is like trying to unscramble an omelette.) Nonetheless Iyengar strives for a universal approach and does an excellent job of achieving it. Note this from the introduction: "Food, the supporting yet consuming substance of all life is regarded as a phase of Brahman. It should be eaten with the feeling that with each morsel one can gain strength to serve the Lord...Whether or not to be a vegetarian is a purely personal matter as each person is influenced by the tradition and habits of the country in which he was born and bred."

EXCELLENT BOOK - THE TOP IN ITS CLASS, July 15, 1999
Both the complete novice and the seasoned yogi will benefit from this book. Mr. Iyengar not only provides simple step by step written instructions, but also enough photographs to completely undertake the study of Yoga on an auto-tutorial basis. As long as diligent, intelligent, careful reading and imitation are observed, the serious student will benefit from the this book tremendously. However, one should pay heed to Mr. Iyengar's advice of ultimately studying with a competent instructor.

In your search for books on Yoga, this reviewer urges you NOT to be persuaded by marketable and fashionable products. The dedicated student will learn all the basic lessons of Yoga by carefully reading Light on Yoga, and through the negotiation of all 200+ poses without the aid of special props and without concern for the seemingly gargantuan task. Two important requisites for a beneficial study of Yoga are explicitly stated several times throughout the book: determination and perseverance in all aspects of life lead to success.

In its structure and content, Yehudi Menuhin's foreword exemplifies the duality of simplicity and profundity that Yoga can offer. The beauty of this book resides in its minimalistic conciseness. In this respect it is a hidden treasure as well as a faithful embodiment of the ultimate goals of yogic practice: mental, physical and spiritual development. It is also an ancient radicalism aimed at the heart of our modern quick-fixes and 30 minute workouts.

In case some of the other readers missed Mr. Iyengar's instructions with respect to the duration of each of the poses, please note the following. Light on Yoga recommends that one should always begin by GENTLY, CORRECTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiating each pose before holding it for at least 20 seconds (a bit longer if you are physically capable). Always keep in mind that Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Therefore, one should take note of his or her own capacity when doing any of the asanas.

It is imperative that all poses be held for as long as possible once the CORRECT posture is GENTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiated. After some practice one should hold each posture slightly beyond what seems to be humanly possible at the moment. Once one becomes an expert the duration can be extended according to one's personal physical capacity. The key is to first follow the advice and cautions outlined throughout the book. What follows is the classic battle of mind over matter. Learn to master the body by focusing your mind on the discomfort and use your mental powers of Self control to learn to relax the affected areas. Ultimately, the body will be strong and no longer a major concern. The mind is then free for further development. This requires patience as well as discipline, and it is what Mr. Iyengar is trying to get across. Yoga is a life-long discipline with the hidden power of providing durable results only to those who persevere. Do yourself a favor and do not look for the easy way out by searching for pretty pictures and a standardized array of time frames.

The reader, of course, is free to choose from the myriad books available, but I urge you to keep one thing in mind. Such books are NOT the treasure that you will find in Light on Yoga. Quite frankly, there is no other Yoga book on the market that even comes close to genuinely caring for the personal benefit of its reader.

Read this book, study it and take notes before reading it again and repeating the cycle indefinitely for the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself. I wish you success in your exploration of this life-changing gift from a living legend. Have faith in the ancient history that precedes your Self. With time and patience one can create a proper sequence of asanas to fit comfortably within a busy schedule and according to one's needs and capabilities. Trust me on this one.

Mr. Iyengar recently reached his 80th year of youth, health and vitality. But do not be awed by this. Neither should you worship him. Instead, admire his humility. Learn from him. Simply let him guide you. He is human...and so are you.

Namaste.

A great, encyclopedic, illustrated guide to yoga, May 20, 1998
Light on Yoga is a comprehensive guide to yoga asanas (poses). For each pose there is at least one photograph of the pose performed by Iyengar. He gives clear, complete instructions for performing every pose and practical suggestions for improving your practice.

For example, in his instructions for headstand he not only gives a list of correct body actions, but also suggests practicing in a corner to prevent misaligning the legs.

I met a wonderful yoga teacher who studied without a yoga instructor for ten years, following only the instructions in this book.

The book is so complete. It has wonderful instructions on basic poses and a suggested set of asanas to perform each week of your practice. For inspiration, check out the poses toward the back of the book! I aim to perform these after 20 more years of practice. :-) This book is a must-have for any yoga student.

The book gives some forward to yoga philosophy and instructions on pranyama as well, but the focus is on the asanas (poses).

My only complaint about this book is that it is so encyclopedic that it is too difficult to use while I am actually practicing yoga. I find it's too hard to keep the book open flat while I try to perform the asana. Now I try to focus on a pose every week. I reach Iyengar's instructions each night and try to put them into practice the next day.

Cant Miss for whoever is interested in yoga/spiritual stuff, December 2, 1999
Guru Iyengar's book cant be missed for whoever is interested in yoga/spirtual stuff or the like. After reading the introduction, you will have a new insight into life and I personally read the introduction many times. And the instructions for the asanas, pranayama, and the banda are indispensible for every yoga student. I bought this book 8 years ago and I was amazed and started learning how to do yoga. In the book, Guru Iyengar said you need a teacher or a guru and its true. I tried to do it without a teacher for 6 years and got very little improvement and even hurt myself. It is very important you have a teacher because the book doesnt convey those minor details which is critical in every asana poses. I now go to local Iyengar Yoga class weekly and practice daily by myself and I feel I learn much much more and benefit much much more. It takes time, but doing yoga(Hatha Yoga, asana, pranayama) will equip you with good health and you will feel you start integrating your body, mind and spirit. Its just wonderful. I dont know what else to say. Go to a local Iyengar yoga center and start go to class and practice it!

Light on the Yogi's Path., February 26, 2004
This is one of those books that you simply have to review. B.K.S. Iyengar's works are unparalled in the field of modern yoga literature. With hundreds of illustrations and in-depth descriptions of all the important asanas (postures), it really is the "bible" of yoga today. If you prefer to practice at home, this is the book for you. It is the next best thing (and a cheaper alternative!) to a good yoga class.

Part I gives in brief the theory of Raja Yoga and how it is complemented by, not separate from, Hatha Yoga. The theoretical part alone makes "Light On Yoga" worth the money. But it is really a book for serious practitioners of yoga. If you like this part of the book and want to know more, you might want to check out some good commentaries on "The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali" and "The Bhagavad Gita" (Iyengar has his own).

In Part II (the heart of the book) are all the major asanas, generously depicted by over 600 photographs. The Sanskrit names of the asanas are used, along with a short explanation of each one in English. Then, you get step-by-step instructions on how to execute the pose, with ample warnings and tips. Each pose has a number or difficulty-level assigned to it (1-60), and there are basic and advanced stages of many postures. Take that seriously and do not go too far too soon. Lastly, the author tells you what health benefits you will reap from a pose.

Part III introduces you to the complex area of pranayama. But for this, I would recommend "Light On Pranayama," which is a companion to the present volume.

Appendix I has a 300 week course divided into three stages: easy, intermediate and difficult. Appendix II lists various ailments and the asanas that can cure them. There is also a glossary, a table of asanas and an index.

Another reviewer asked if the health precautions make sense. They do. Do not dismiss Iyengar's warnings. Do not practice certain asanas (particularly, inverted ones) during the menstrual period. Do not perform the head stand without assistance if you are a beginner, especially if you have sensitive eyes.

Be sure to follow the courses as given in the back of the book, since practicing asanas beyond your capacity can be harmful. Start with the easy poses first and add gradually the intermediate and advanced asanas as your body adjusts. Some asanas must be approached with great caution. Be very careful if you decide to try those at home without a teacher or friend to assist you.

My only real complaint? I wish that these gurus would give simple English names for the asanas, as an alternative to the confusing Sanskrit/Indian names. It would make memorizing the order of asanas in a given routine easier.

Iyengar is a true master of his art, and this book is the best guide on the subject available today. Whether you want to become a full-time practitioner, or are just looking for basic exercises to improve your health with, this book will give you what you need. I wish I had found "Light On Yoga" sooner. Granted, there are countless other books on the topic that describe the same asanas and all. But this one is the most exhaustive and the most reliable.

Also good is "Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health." That other book by Iyengar is not as comprehensive as this one, but it is a full-color, coffee-table book with 360-degree views of the main poses. A big plus is that it makes use of props--benches, chairs, pillows, etc.

The Most Important Book Ever Written, November 4, 1999
Ever wondered why you are here? Or what we humans really are? Or how to live right? The answers are all here. The short introduction alone is worth much more than the price of the book. I have read the intro at least a dozen times, and each time I get something more out of it. (Unless you have reached a place in your life where you are "ready" to understand, many truths often pass right by unheard). And I must admit, I need to read it again now!

This book contains everything you need to know about yoga. With each pose, Mr. Iyengar explains not only how-to-do-it, but WHY-to-do-it (how the pose benefits you). Looking at the pictures, a beginner can easily be intimidated, but do not compare yourself to Mr. Iyengar, who has devoted his life to yoga. Beginners have MUCH to gain!

NOTE: (1) This book costs only a third of what you are used to paying for a book this size. NOTE: (2) Books, and especially videos, are no substitute for studying with a good teacher.

With his teachings and with this book, Mr. Iyengar has given a gift to mankind, a gift of undescribable beauty, joy, and compassion. You need this book. The world needs this book.

A Bargain at Five Times the Price, August 29, 2004
I own a slew of large format, glossy, full-color yoga books. If I had to choose between the lot of them and this smaller format, non-glossy, black and white book, I would toss them all and keep this book without hesitation.

The Introduction is 36 pages long and explains the basic philosophy behind B.K.S. Iyengar's yoga practice. I was very glad to see that this wasn't the usual pop, new age, "feel the white light enter your navel" kind of philosophy common to many yoga books. And of course, you can always skip the introduction entirely if you don't care about the philosophy and just want to get to the poses.

Each pose is illustrated in pictures (black and white) and explained in great detail. I have had no difficultly at all in following the instructions for the poses--an amazing feat which speaks for the clarity of the writing.

After the section of yoga poses, there is a section of instruction for pranayama. This is a section for very advanced yoga practitioners and deals with controlled breathing. Being a yoga novice, I haven't tried anything out of this section. Pictures and explanations appear to be the same in presentation as the yoga section.

The first Appendix lays out "Asana Courses," or more simply put: What Poses to Do When. This section lists each week of yoga practice from the first week to the 275th week, and lays out what poses would be appropriate for each.

The second Appendix recommends poses for specific health ailments.

This is by far the best yoga book I have ever encountered. It would be a bargain at 5 times the price. The instruction is so good, you won't miss the glossy color pages one bit. I consider this to be one of the best book purchases I've ever made.

The Best Yoga Book on the Market, August 21, 2003
I fell in love with yoga after severely breaking my leg in three places. Rehab only took me so far, but thankfully yoga took me the rest of the way. After discovering the many health benefits of yoga, I began studying it seriously. Part of the journey of any student is to become a teacher. For two years, I taught yoga classes at local gyms and dance studios 5 times a week.

As a teacher, I became more of an avid student than I was before. I bought just about every book and tape on yoga, and I even had friends bring me books from respected Yogi's in India. But the best book I ever found was Light on Yoga. It starts at the beginning with, "What is Yoga?" before continuing on with each position. It details the technique in both written form and with a photograph, and then it discusses the effects of each position. You see, yoga is not just designed to make you more flexible or releave stress--each position can help treat/prevent certain sickness and infections.

For those of you who are just getting started, this book might seem overwhelming when you see photographs of Iyengar doing things with his body that seem humanly impossible. But don't focus so much on the flexibility aspect, as the healing aspect. If you take each position to your own level, you will be doing a great service to your body, and to your health. Bottom line--buy the book and join a local yoga class!

Enlightening, November 16, 2000
I learnt yoga through another teacher. I wanted to use this as a reference book. Well, as it turned out it was not a reference, but the bible. All nuances which I missed while learning are clearly mentioned. Exact details of the postures involved along with photographs are clearly shown here. This book has helped me beyond my imagination. It is also very well patterned because, it tells you what is the posture and its characteristics. The steps involved. References to related postures and ultimately, the effects and precautions. Throughout the book, he has mentioned that a guru's presence is very important. It should not be ignored. It is better to take some classes first and after that, this is the only book you will ever need. The postures are given in the sequence of easiest to the most difficult. All in all, THE BOOK. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Essential oils are one of the world's great untapped resources. This complete volume explains how to incorporate these ancient medicines of the earth into everyday life for personal care, physical and mental health, and a safe home environment. It gives more than 500 recipes using essential oils as alternatives to often toxic human-made health, beauty, and cleaning products. ... Read more

Reviews

No Safety, May 3, 2000
The book is filled with some good information. However, There is no safety data for the oils presented. Some oils are not safe to use during pregnancy, estrogen dependent cancer, or may cause skin irritation or phototoxicity (sunburn). Use caution when trying the recipies in this book or research the oils further.

A disturbing section was the one on pets. I would definately do more research before putting anything on a cat. Cats lick their fur and not all oils can be ingested. Eucalyptus is toxic if taken internally. There have been reports of Tea Tree nearly killing cats. In addition, they recommended adding tansy to a horse's feed to treat worms. Tansy is very toxic to horses and cows. People usually try to remove the plant from their pastures.

Last word. Do your research and don't just use one book.

An Everyday Aromatherapy Encyclopedia., February 4, 2001
Valerie Ann Worwood's book "The Complete Book Of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy" is one of the most complete and down-to-earth books on the subject, especially for the beginer. If I were to teach a course on aromatherapy for beginers, this would be one of two main texts I would use, as it is so complete. Here writing style is very clear, easily understood, and enjoyable to read. No dryness here. She begins by discussing ten essntial oils as a "basic care kit," and explains how such oils should be used via an A-Z list of common household occurances. The list includes the following as some topics: -Abdominal pain. -Abraisions. -Black Eye. -Bruises. -Colds. -Fever. -Headache. -Hicups. As a matter of principle, she explains at the very begining of the book that the information contained therein is NOT intended to take the place of a Physician's care. Her chapters on Travel, Sports related injuries, and Beauty (3 chapters covering head to feet!), Maternity and Motherhood, Mens/Women's health (seperate chapters), and Aging are exceptional. She closes with chapters on aromatherapy for animals, and gardening; which I have not seen except in a work by Dr. Gary Young. The charts at the end of the book are indespensable, and complete as a ready quick refrance. Valerie's bibliography contains such authors as Belaiche; Gattefose; Valnet, Duraffourd, Lapraz; and Wells; shows that she is very well read as she is experienced. These authors are the very pioneers of the modern resurgence of aromatherapy, and should be read by all who desire to be serious students of the art and science that is aromatherapy. Those who may wish to criticize her lack of litterary sitations should go and read the works cited here, remembering that Valerie has over 25 years of practical experience as a student and practicioner in a country where aromatherapy is taken seriously, and all they will be left holding is empty litterary critique. Better still, they should utilize her book, and let experience speak for itself! My only sugestion for a revision would be an in-depth chapter on essential oil chemistry, and their interaction with the bodily systems. Otherwise, I consider this book to be amoung the best out there on the subject. It makes a great gift for all occasoins.

indispensable!, October 19, 1999
This is the most practical aromatherapy book ever! I've finally found a book that gives actual formulas for all kinds of everyday health problems, plus others for serious health conditions I didn't expect to find in it. Every formula we (my friends and family) have tried works! It's like having your very own health care specialist on hand, and its become indispensable. And it's written like a friend talking to you. As well as all that, there are whole chapters on pets, gardening, cooking, children, babies, elderly, the home, work-related problems etc etc etc. This book has totally changed my life!!- and I feel FANTASTIC about it. What this book is not - a boring catalogue of details about essential oils, with no practical advice. This is the book for everybody. You'll wonder how you lived without it. It's given me control of my life. Feel stressed? Just look it up, put the oils in the bath and - hey presto - no more stress! A WONDERFUL LIFE-CHANGER!!

Good book for humans but beware of the part on pets, November 12, 2005
I think this is a good concise book on essential oils (and I have many in both English and Italian, giving the aromatherapy perspective from England, North America, Italy and Germany). However, I caution you all to ignore Wormwood's advice on using essential oils on animals. Wormwood recommends the use of certain oils including tea tree oil, lavender and others on cats all of which are highly toxic to felines. Before buying this book, I had instinctively known to never use any essential oils on my two cats (I think mainly because whenever I would use tea tree oil or lavender on myself, they would avoid me like the plague). But when I saw these same oils highly recommended in Wormwood's book for use on cats, I foolishly thought that if it's in print, it must be true. So, when one of my cats got an abscess on her hip from a cat bite, I tried Wormwood's abscess treatment using tea tree oil (only a couple drops) on her. She frantically tried to get away from me as I tried to apply the drops and then within about 15-20 minutes, started acting very ill. Thank God I had the common sense to stop the treatment, did a search on Google and found out that in fact, tea tree oil as well as a number of other oils that Wormwood recommends are highly toxic to cats - their livers cannot process certain oils and become poisons in their systems. I've even read reports of kittens being killed from low dosage applications of tea tree oil. I would say this is a very good reference book for applications on humans but if you care about your pets, do more research on your own to find out the facts about using essential oils on animals. You might just save their life. If it hadn't been for the dangerous misinformation in the pet section, I would have given the book 4 stars.

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, May 17, 2003
"The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy" by Valerie Ann Worwood is a must for every home! I simply love this book. In fact my copy is in great need of replacement from constant use. In 1997 I received a phone call from a man who wanted to know if I could develop a scent that would depict a particular subject to him. Then next thing I knew he was asking me to make some soap for him. A project I always wanted to do, but never ventured into. That led me to learning about soapmaking, which led me to learning about essential oils. Valerie's book was the first one I looked at and purchased along with 2 from Julia Lawless.
Because I knew nothing about essential oils, "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy" became my mainstay. Eventually, after learning more about essential oils, I ventured into the other books as well. Valerie's book makes learning about essential oils easy. Her book is easy to read, and easy for those like me who knew nothing at all, to learn and understand. This is an excellent book for beginners or those who are advanced in the art of essential oils as well.
"The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy" will have those who like me had absolutely no knowledge of essential oils, using them in a matter of moments! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning what essential oils are and how to use them. Valerie goes into the usage for home, travel, emergency first aid, and the work place and gives formulas to make your own oils so you can put your newfound knowledge to work.

An excellent guide to the fascinating world of aromatherapy, January 20, 1998
Valerie Ann Worwood's book is an excellent, well-written and easy to understand foray into the amazing uses of aromatherapy. She covers topics ranging from basic first aid to home uses and perfumes. She also clearly explains some of the potential hazards in using essential oils. This book should be on the shelf of any serious student of aromatherapy.

The Incomplete book of Essential Oils ... For beginners only, July 29, 2000
This book covers a basic care kit of 10 oils. It covers these oils well and provides receipes covering many ailments and situations using just this kit. If you are just interested in getting your feet wet in aromatherapy this book is a good one to start with. However if you think you might be interested in going beyond the beginning phase, then this book will not take you there.

Excellent for recipes, December 1, 2001
This is a great book for starting out or for recipes. As noted it doesn't cover the modes of action (turn to Kurt Schnaubelt or R. B. Tisserand if you want that), but it is an excellent book! It starts off with a basic care "kit" of ten moderately priced essential oils. However if you read the WHOLE (unlike those who claim she uses only ten) book you'll find she covers many others. She covers common medical problems (consult a doctor first, of course), beauty creams and lotions, household uses, garden uses, and food. I would research the pet uses first, she suggests giving tansy to a horse which is a good way to end up with a dead horse. When purchasing essential oils always check the scientific name of the plant from which the oils was extracted--otherwise you may end up with something other than you intended (ie. eucalyptus, eucalyptus lemon and eucalyptus peppermint depending upon whom you purchase them from are all labeled eucalyptus, it is the scientific name that distinguishes them) Overall this is an excellent, excellent book.

insufficient information on the oils themselves., July 3, 1999
This is better than many popular works, but, in my opinion falls short in some areas.

Ms. Worwood uses geranium in almost every blend. Now, granted, geranium is a useful oil for physical and emotional balance, but she does tend to overdue it a bit.

She also really doesn't give quite enough information about the individual oils. A lot of suggestions as to their uses, but if you are trying to research an individual oil, this is not the place to start.

I'd also like to see more safety information; she seems to ignore the issue of sensitization.

It's not a bad book; but not the be all and end all of aromatherapy information.

The First and The Best!, January 11, 2002
The first edition of this book came out in England in 1990 under the title The Fragrant Pharmacy. You only have to look at the contents and index to see it covers just about every aspect of aromatherapy, health and home. As a full-time professional aromatherapist it is my primary source of information, indeed, it is known "in the business" generally as "the bible of aromatherapy". I doubt there is an aromatherapist in the world who doesn't use this as their reference book, because it is profoundly practical - giving answers to questions you didn't think had any answers. Looking at the many books written after this, its clear where their ideas came from.
If you want practical advice, with detailed recipies and instructions, whether just for home use or professionally, this is the book you need. Every recipie that I have used from this book proved safe, and works, and I wouldn't say that about any other book on the market. I also know for a fact of several vets who routinely use the information in the animal chapter to beneficial effect. Check out her other titles, and you'll see this woman writes in depth - Fragrant Mind, Fragrant Heavens, Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child, Aromatherapy for the Beauty Therapist,and Aromantics (also known as Scents and Scentsuality). Worwood has done research on aromatherapy, and was once Chair of the Research Committee of the International Federation of Aromatherapists. She knows what she is talking about, having been a working clinical aromatherapist for years. In the aromatherapy world she has the highest respect because without her, well, what would there be ...? ... Read more

Editorial Review

With his distinctive clarity and wit, "Bhante G" takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. We already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life — Bhante simply points to each tool of meditation, tells us what it does, and how to make it work. This expanded edition includes the complete text of its bestselling predecessor, as well as a new chapter on the cultivation of loving kindness, an especially important subject in today's world. ... Read more

Reviews

Meditation for the West, August 25, 1997

Ever start reading a really cool looking
meditation book only to find that the picture on
the cover is the only thing that makes any sense?

Have you ever wondered why the author or
translator never bothers to tell you what those
weird words mean, "Samahadi...",
"Vipassana...", "Dukka..."

Have you finished a meditation book and
understood about half of what was talked about and
figured that half is better than none? (a very 'enlightened'
but often frustrating outcome
especially when these books aren't cheap)

This little known book seems to have addressed
and solved all those problems and more. It is a book
written for people who have no clue how to
start meditating and for those who have started, but
don't know where to look for the answers to
questions that come up during their practice.
The best thing about this book is in
its title,'plain English'.It seems to gently
lead one by the hand through the mystery and
confusion of meditation with a sense of humor
and patience rarely given to the subject.

I have been meditating for nine years now and
have built up a small library of books on the
subject. When friends ask me about meditation
I dig around in all the books with great
covers and reach for "Mindfullness In Plain
English" every time.

An excellent beginning for your path to Liberation, May 31, 2002
Mindfulness is not an easy concept to explain in words yet H. Gunaratana does a nice job of doing just that. First and foremost, this book is a beginner's guide to the practice of Vipassana (or Insight) meditation. Having it's roots in the Gutama Buddha's life over 2500 years ago, Vipassana meditation is a skill that takes only a short while to learn but a lifetime of dedication to master.

The introduction gives a brief look at the roots of the practice and tells the reader that meditation is intrinsically experiential so the best way to get started is to just sit and try it. In the following chapters, Gunaratana helps the reader to understand exactly what meditation is and what it isn't. From there he goes into more detailed instructions as to what your mind and body should be doing while you meditate. This is accompanied with useful tips on dealing with problems that may arise in your practice, including the 5 major hindrances that nearly all meditators face. The book wraps up with a more in depth look at exactly what "mindfulness" is and how to "take it from the cushion" and integrate it into our daily lives.

I found this book very easy to read and understand and feel it would be an excellent guide for people just getting into Buddhism and meditation. Already being the owner of a collection of books on Buddhism, this book didn't offer any new revelations but I was extrememly pleased with the sections on mindfulness and have already used some of the author's suggestions on integrating it into daily life. The main reason I did not give the book 5 stars is because it offers much more for the new reader than it does for one with more experience.

If you buy this book and still feel like you could use more detailed instructions on meditation, I recommend you also purchase "Change Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Buddhist Meditation" by Paramananda (ISBN: 0904766810).

Exactly what the Title Says it is..., May 21, 2001
Sometimes when I pick up titles on meditation, yoga, or other practices associated with Eastern philosophy, mysticism or relgion, I am overcome with the author's inability to say what they mean in language that is useful to the rest of us. My relief was enormous, therefore, when a friend gave me this book by Venerable Henepola Gunaratana! This book is exactly what the title implies...easy to read and understand because it is not written in mystic hokum, rather it is written in plain english. The result is a manual for the beginning student of meditation that is sufficient to get you well on your way to benefitting from the practice of Insight Meditation.

In "Mindfulness" you will gain an understanding of what mindfullness is, how to cultivate it both during sitting practice and the rest of the time, tips on how to sit and how to overcome some of the most common distractions (including your feet going to sleep and your back hurting), and what to look for and what to avoid. I have not been practicing meditation for long, and this book was of enormous value in helping me identify the things I was doing that served as barriers to effective insight meditation, as well as giving me ideas on how to enhance the effectiveness of my meditation.

This is an extremely practical book for the western practitioner. It draws heavily upon the Buddhist paradigm, but the techniques for effective meditation cross all sect boundaries, and the beginning practitioner of any faith will find this book of enormous benefit. I would strongly encourage the reader to suppliment this book with "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hahn. The two together are a delightfully easy to read but complete and well rounded introduction to the practices of Insight Meditation. If you want to know how but don't want to hire a Yogi to translate, this book is the place to start.

Meditation for skeptics..., January 3, 2004
I am a rationalist. I am not a mystic. I do not believe in chakras, yogic flying, psychic visions or tantric orgasm. I have a western scientific mind, and a very short patience for BS.

I loved this book.

Mindfulness in Plain English is a meditation manual that's been brutally stripped of superstitious hokus pokus. It's focused, straight-forward, practical, yet profound. It says what it means and it means what it says. And if you practice, really practice, you'll find the techniques it describes can honestly change your entire outlook on life in a frighteningly short period of time.

If you're a skeptic, and you're interested in meditation as a psychological exercise rather than a mystical mystery, you'll do well with this book. If you need your chakras petted, look at any of its 10,000,000 lesser competitors in your local flaky pseudo-eastern bookshop.

Best available book but needs to offer better practical help, May 16, 2004
One third of what you will learn about meditation will come from your teachers and your fellow class and retreat meditators; one third from yourself on your own patient journey - and one third from a good book. That book will sometimes seem the least important third, sometimes the most important part. Having read a shelf full, I find, Mindfulness in Plain English, to be the best available how to meditate guide - it is well written, clear, graceful and it covers all the issues tackled elsewhere.

But it leaves out much advice that would have made it much better. 90% of those starting a meditation class drop out - meditation teachers such as Gunaratana rarely seek to find out why and so the small things that get in the way of even the most determined intentions. A good meditation book must tackle them - and Gunaratana like every writer does so only partially.

Here is a list of a few of things that could be added.

A beginner requires equipment to handle the 20, 30 or 40 minute duration of their meditation -- for example, a timer used in cooking (under something to dim its unpleasant alarm sound), or a CD burnt with silent tracks that end with one of bells. After a few months, time can be estimated by looking at a watch but in the initial days such checking just adds an additional and an unnecessary burden.

Ear plugs (motor cyclist shops and internet sites are a good source), or ear muffs (internet sites again check for Bilsom or Peltor brands) might be an idea. Again after a few months, distracting sounds of kids, power tools, TVs in other rooms etc are not a problem, and can even add to the practice, but in the initial stages they add that extra difficulty.

I guess that half of those that drop out would not if they were better prepared about these and other small practical issues.

Also forget ideas about lotus positions, sitting Buddhas and Nirvana. Instead it is as if you have an old fashioned radio in your head. What is called `meditation' is simply slowly and patiently learning how to shift its dial off its noisy stations. As you sit, you will find the radio dial keeps drifting back on to news or entertainment broadcasters. But carefully - the radio is delicate and needs a loving touch - you move using a focus upon your breath the dial back to silence. Slowly as you learn to move off the main stations your awareness becomes more sensitive. What was once emptiness is now discovered to be filled with the noise of distant stations and even static. Patiently with increasing tenderness and gentleness you keep moving the dial until you find yourself in awareness not of a silent radio but where you are.

This kind of nonBuddhist practical advice is not in this book - or any other. Meditation books do not get written ground up from the problems that cause people to drop out. Nor do they give the practical tips that are soon forgotten by experienced meditators but that beginners need to stay the initial course. Sorry about being so negative about Gunaratana - you will not find a better book. Buy it, retake that mediation class that was dropped or never continued. But do not think meditation has yet to be written about in the way it should.

The best you'll find on mindfulness meditation., February 5, 2000
I love this book. It is straightforward, thorough, and easy to read. I don't know who Gunaratana is, but he does a great job with this book. Even the layout of the book is clean and simple and pleasant.

If you are interested in vipassana or mindfulness meditation, or even zazen, this book is worth reading. It tells you how to do this kind of meditation, and what to do with the problems that come up. It is a practical handbook and it's also fun to read. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I can tell you with some authority that the techniques Gunaratana describes in this book work, and they are worth applying, even if you don't sit still. You can do your work with mindfulness. You can talk to your child with mindfulness. Anything can be a meditation. Mindfulness in Plain English will show you how. I recommend this book.

A resource you'll return to again & again., August 30, 2005
Nothing I've read comes close to "Mindfulness in Plain English." Besides explaining how to meditate, and why to meditate, Gunaratana lays out a lot of the underlying fundamentals of Buddhist thought. He provides by far the best description of nirvana(nibbana) that I've ever seen. Read this description, and you'll feel you understand the concept for the first time.

He explains a variety of ways to meditate, details the kinds of problems you'll confront, and offers a variety of methods to deal with those problems. Instead of telling you "the" way to meditate, he helps you find your way to meditate.

That's why this book is one you'll use, rather than just read. It's not like all those other trophy books we read once and then leave out for display, for ourselves or others.

His writing style reminds me of the Dalai Lama's; it is eloquent, yet to the point. It's profound, yet practical. His writing is grounded in your immediate experience. It is not abstract, esoteric or grandly philosophical.

I can't agree with the notion that this is a fast read. This isn't because it's a difficult read. There is a lot to absorb in a few pages. I found myself wanting to reread many chapters, just so I could articulate it myself. It is a very thought-full book.

Ultimate, clear, contains simple english words., October 19, 1999
This book is really good. Text is clear. Nuts and bolts book about how to meditate. I feel good every time I think about this book. Writer is not only good meditation teacher, he is also good writer. If you don't know what to do with your mind, this book is for you.

A great book, April 13, 2002
Somehow I feel that a long review would be unfaithful to the spirit of this great book. Not since I discovered Alan Watts some ten years ago have I read such clear words in the context of buddhism. You will find great introductions to meditation in your local bookstore, from which I recommend the books of Chogyam Trungpa, his student Pema Ch�dr�n, the American Surya Das, and last but not least Sogyal Rinpoche (all from the Tibetan tradition). But "Mindfulness in Plain English" (from the Theravada tradition) stands on a class of its own. If you are a rookie practitioner like me and you do not have the good fortune of having a qualified teacher around, I believe this little manual alone, and discipline, can take you a long way. And you will not exhaust it in one reading. The language is deceptively simple and the book contains some very nuanced discussions (e.g. the distinction between "mindfulness" and "concentration" should be required reading to philosophers of the mind; by the way, when will the Searles and the Dennetts ever discover the buddhist insights about consciousness?) This review is long enough: read the book and meditate everyday. You will be better and so will the world.

Clearest detailed guide to meditation ever, January 1, 2006
This book is by far the clearest explanation I've ever read on what meditation is and how to do it (and I've read quite a few). This book covers Vipassana ("to see clearly"; AKA, Insight) meditation, which is the type of Buddhist meditation practiced in Southeast Asia and India. It's also the type of meditation the Buddha taught. Over the 2500 years Buddhism has existed, other schools have developed, but Vipassana does not conflict with any of them. This is the core of Buddhist teaching.

Mindfulness in Plain English explains exactly what meditation is (at least what Vipassana meditation is, although it very briefly explains what other Buddhist meditation systems are about, again very clearly), why it's a worthwhile activity, and how to do it. It also answers the questions that meditators invariably end up asking of teachers. If you have a good meditation teacher, then you SHOULD buy this book. If you want to learn to meditate without relying on an experienced teacher as your guide, you MUST buy this book.

I wouldn't call this book a light read. However, it's by no means a difficult read. The author is an EXCELLENT writer, but he's covering what is essentially a technical subject, and it's virtually impossible to cover such a topic in a way that is fun.

If you're looking for a light read on Eastern spirituality, I instead strongly suggest Ram Dass' (AKA, Richard Alpert's) delightful, classic book, Be Here Now. I could also suggest, but much less enthusiastically, Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda (whose name I undoubtedly just misspelled). If you want to read an absolutely beautiful, WONDERFULLY-written book, full of great stories, that's a good introduction to Vipassana meditation and, more broadly, the spiritual life, I strongly recommend Jack Kornfield's book, A Path With Heart. If you actually want to learn to meditate, read Mindfulness in Plain English. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Many common health problems can be treated with simple remedies you can do at home. Even if the steps you take don't cure the problem, they can relieve symptoms and allow you to go about your daily life, or at least help you until you're able to see a doctor.

Some remedies, such as changing your diet to deal with heartburn or adapting your home environment to cope with chronic pain, may seem like common sense. You may have questions about when to apply heat or cold to injuries, what helps relieve the itch of an insect bite, or whether certain herbs, vitamins or minerals are really effective against the common cold or insomnia. You'll find these answers and more in Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies.

In situations involving your health or the health of your family, the same questions typically arise: What actions can I take that are immediate, safe and effective? When should I contact my doctor? What symptoms signal an emergency? Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies clearly defines these questions
with regard to your health concerns and guides you to choose the appropriate and most effective response. ... Read more

Reviews

Disappointing, October 8, 2010
There was very little insight in this book. I had hoped for some real remedies that I had not heard of, or some evidence to support remedies that I had heard of. Instead, this book is full of advice that most people already know. It is completely sensible, but would be useful for someone who needs very, very basic information. I had hoped for some more new ideas.

No need to buy book, October 12, 2010
While the book is well organized and thorough, there is no need to buy the book when the content is readily available on the internet.

Simple guide, November 8, 2010
This Mayo Clinic guide is extremely simplified compared to most of the other Mayo Clinic books I have used. Its very simplicity is where it might be of use; so many medical books are overwhelming in the quantity of their information.

There is a table of contents in alphabetical order, which also includes an emergency care section dealing with such problems as; allergic reaction, bleeding, burns, shock. A section on medical supplies for your home and emergency items needed in incorporated. Each medical problem is described individually on a page with a chart of home remedies and prompts to seek medical help if, for example there is double vision for a black eye. An index is also included.

It would be an ideal book for those starting out on their own, maybe going away, even to college where they have to start dealing with their own health problems, rather than depending upon a parent. I can even picture it as a useful book to have on a vacation or somewhere, where the internet is not always available, or if someone might not always be sure of which site is a reliable one on the internet. Even a person just wanting a simplified medical guide could benefit from this book.

it is what it says, November 15, 2010
It's a very well organized book that simply provides the problem at hand and the simple home remedy! If you're looking for a list of medications or health advice then this is not for you. It's a useful read. ... Read more

Editorial Review

How many of us can honestly say we do not suffer from at least one of the following:

• Colds or viruses each year
• Allergies or hay fever
• Extra pounds that won't come off
• Restless nights
• Recurrent indigestion, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome
• Itchy skin, acne, or any other troubling skin condition
• Depression, anxiety, or frequent fatigue

If you were to seek medical advice for any of the above, you would likely be prescribed pills, topical lotions, injections, or even surgery. Such treatments are used to manage the symptoms and do not address the root of the problem. Too often, doctors treat these common ailments as inevitable costs of living a modern life. The result is a patchwork approach to health care that has become the norm.

In Clean, a New York City cardiologist and a leader in the field of integrative medicine, Dr. Alejandro Junger offers a major medical breakthrough. Dr. Junger argues that the majority of these common ailments are the direct result of toxic buildup in our systems accumulated through the course of our daily lives. As the toxicity of modern life increases and disrupts our systems on a daily basis, bombarding us through our standard American diet and chemical-filled environments, our ability to handle the load hasn't accelerated at the same rapid pace. The toxins are everywhere, but Clean offers a solution.

Clean is an M.D.'s program that provides all the tools necessary to support and reactivate our detoxification system to its fullest capabilities, and can be easily incorporated into a busy schedule. The effect is transformative: nagging health problems will suddenly disappear, extra weight will drop away, and for the first time in our lives we will experience what it truly means to feel healthy.

Every day spent on the Clean program is a major step in healing not just the symptom but the root of the problem, effectively and simply. Dr. Junger's life-changing program restores what rightfully belongs to you—your health, vitality, and peace of mind.

Reviews

Clean Maybe, Hungry Yes, June 10, 2010
The basic premise of this book is that if you give your body a break from having to expend so much energy digesting food (and particularly food it was never meant to consume), it can finally get around to detoxing and healing.

The book advocates an elimination diet where you CANNOT eat the following foods:

-Oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, strawberries, grapes, and bananas
-Dairy and eggs, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, nondairy creamers
-Wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, couscous, oats
-Raw fish, pork, beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, hot dogs, shellfish
-Soybean products (soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy yogurt)
-Peanuts, peanut butter, pistachios, macadamia nuts,
-corn, creamed vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers
-butter, margarine, shortening, processed oils, salad dressings, mayonnaise, spreads
-alcohol, coffee, caffeinated beverages, soda pop, soft drinks
-refined sugar, white or brown sugars, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice
-chocolate, ketchup, relish, chutney, soy sauce, bbq sauce, teriyaki sauce, other similar condiments.

You have 1 smoothie or juice (made in your juicer or blender) for breakfast and one for dinner. You have an elimination diet meal for lunch. If you are hungry, you may have a small mid-morning snack and late afternoon snack. The book suggests you drink water if you think you are hungry and see if that does the trick. You are also to drink lots of distilled or filtered water throughout the day.

You must have a bowel movement every day and if you don't, he wants you to get a colonic (they are quite expensive) or take herbal laxatives or do an enema. Either way you must have a bowel movement.

Another big rule is that you must wait 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.

There are a few other points, but you'll have to read the book for those. :)

For me, I think the concept sounds good, but after 12 days on the program (ideally you do it for 3 weeks), I was so hungry I could barely think. I got off it and ate everything in sight. Guess it just wasn't the program for me.

bottom line...it works., July 9, 2009
I have to confess that I didn't find this the easiest book to read - it's a bit repetitive but the bottom line is that Dr. Junger knows what he's talking about, is a caring physician and he's on to something. I met him, read the book, followed the program and I have to say that by the second week, I felt a lot better. My skin glowed, I slept well and I just felt altogether much better (the flat tummy helped!). My seasonal allergies also seemed to evaporate. Finally - I lost ten pounds which had been dogging me for two years - so frankly I was thrilled. It's a little tough on your social life but I plan to juice more regularly, take some supplements he prescribed and try and do the Clean program annually. I've cut back on my dairy / bread consumption overall but it's made me rethink my diet substantially, which was what I wanted. I'd recommend this...

A consultant's experience on the Clean program..., April 28, 2010
Hands down, the BEST investment you will EVER make in your life. That's a bit bold to say, right? Well I consider any investment to improving your health the best. Let me tell you my story...

I travel every week for work, Mon - Thurs. I eat out for lunch and dinner during those days, most of the time I skip breakfast which in itself is very bad. Then on weekends, I meet with friends for dinner and drinks to keep up with social life. Given that I am away from family and friends the majority of the week, and most of my time is spent in airports and hotels, I naturally gravitate towards comfort foods. Lunch would entail pizza, burgers and fries, or chipotle, and dinner would entail appetizers, entree, dessert from any restaurant, AND of course cocktails / wine. This lifestyle made me extremely happy while I was eating, in fact I was in heaven, but as soon as I was done eating my meal, I fell into an unfulfilled stage where I searched for more food and snacks. And things like nuts did not satisfy me, it was things like peanut M&Ms that satisfied me.

Then comes along the Clean book. I was looking for a detox program to help me lose weight but more importantly teach me how my body reacts to certain foods. Our bodies today are NOT equiped to digest / process the chemicals / sugars we have in our foods today. I always knew that but shrugged my shoulders at it. So I later YAHOOed for a good hour and I came across an article about how Gwyenth Paltrow tried the Alejandro Jungers Clean program. I know it's cliche to do something a celebrity does, but in Gywenth's case, she has this elegant, smart, good girl, and 'not a typical hollywood skinny girl bc she starves herself' reputation and that encouraged me to buy the book. After reading several other programs, I concluded that I wanted to try Clean because Alejandro Jungers Clean program focuses so much on changing our current eating habits but in a HEALTHY way, not depriving our bodies of nutrients, vitamins like other programs do.

Before the program, I was 15 lbs heavier than I should have been, my skin was pale and puffy, my gut was always bloated and I wanted to take a nap everyday after work. I followed the program to a T for three full weeks (I did the book version), and I didn't stop at that. I still have 2 smoothies a day and 1 solid meal, except on weekends, and I'm finishing up week 5. During the program, I had headaches for the first four days but managed to get thru them (do not take over the counter drugs to get thru the pain). My body was so use to breads pastas, fried foods that it was responding with headaches because I wasn't eating any of that anymore. If you workout hard, you will see some changes in that department. I tried a TRX class which is intense and felt light headed and tired, but this was expected. After a week, I found that I was getting full with less food consumption, for example, after 3/4 cup of a smoothie, I didn't want to finish the rest. It's important though to have your full portion for each meal on this program. Taking fiber everyday is very important to help eliminate on a daily basis. Results after the program: I've lost 12 pounds, my skin is pinkish, I am no longer bloated, my energy levels have skyrocketed, and to be honest, I love healthy food. I didn't realize how tasty healthy food is until this program. Can you imagine, who would want steamed carrots when you can have french fries? Funny thing is, I do, now. Even thinking about french fries makes my tummy heavy and makes me feel lethargic. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to stop eating these types of foods for the rest of my life, but treat yourself occasionally...no need to have it on a daily basis.

Expect to learn a lot from this book and Alejandro's program. You will find yourself needing to read some chapters over again to digest all the info. What I personally love about the book, is that he repeats some of the key pieces of information. Repetition like that, in the right way, helps you to understand better, and more importantly to remember. Read the book in parallel with reading through Clean program's support community website. There are many new findings, ingredients, recipes, input, and updates that are posted daily!

You have nothing to lose on this program besides toxins that has been sitting in your body for years! I look forward to doing this program again in 6 months.

Quantum Clean, July 12, 2009
In Clean, a new book, Alejandor Junger M.D. invites us to be in the zone as we de-tox. Providing a complete nutritional program that safely eliminates environmental toxins from one's body, this month-long program proves that we never have and never will feel hunger in developed society. With all needs met, still one's mind recalls memories justifying the next meal, as if our survival depended on it. Junger proposes that we meditate and give up the mind's interpretation of the present moment as hunger. This has transformed me: with a whole new level of energy that I never knew was possible, powered by a profound new taste for organic foods--freedom from the constraints of previous eating habits. Having enjoyed whole foods and consistent exercise for several years, I never expected Clean to make such a big difference in my life.

[...]

Not for everyone, April 15, 2010
On some level, I'm in support of anything that encourages people to eat whole, healthy foods. But my personal experience with the Clean Program was not great. I had horrible diarrhea for over a week before I quit doing Clean and decided to see a naturopath. At that point, I was also incredibly weak, so much so that I had missed a couple days of work. Interestingly, after running some tests, the naturopath put me on a sort of personalized elimination diet, except that a number of the foods he told me to avoid were not just "ok" on the Clean program, but were heavily incorporated into the program and recipes, such as lemon and garlic. I don't doubt that the people giving this book 4 and 5 stars actually had a good experience with the program, or that the health benefits they attribute to it are real. I just want to caution others from thinking this is a one-size-fits-all program.

Hogwash Fad Diet Based on Junk Science and Celeb Endorsement, July 24, 2009
Everything you need to know from this book you can read in the one page newsletter from GOOP website. Everything else is irrelevant and story telling based on exaggerated claims of snake-oil salesman. Is Junger a cardiologist or a nutritionist? What actual nutritional background does he have more then any vitamin salesman in a wholefoods? I checked online and he doesn't appear to work at any hospitals. Look at The Lenox Hill Website and see for yourself. This seems like a fad diet plan rather then based in any hard science whatsoever. Why are there zero test results from any scientific study? Not one single case study was mentioned in the book. "Clean" does not compare to "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan in which the author has done some significant research and has actual advice based on hard facts. This is just another diet fad like The Zone based on celeb endorsement trying to sell another vitamin detox cleanse for $400. Anyone that cuts out dairy sugar and wheat from there diet will feel better that isn't exactly a breakthrough or worthy of a book.

This book is better suited in the fiction section of Amazon. If your interested in this cleanse just read the newsletter on Goop and you'll get all the free nutritional advice you need. "Remove one or more of the foods that cause food allergies, sensitivities and are mucus-forming, such as dairy, bread, pasta, sugar, white rice and red meat." that's seem the basis of his cleanse and then buy a bunch of powders with fructose that are not even PH Balanced.

Here's what you need to know that you can find anywhere on the web:

Eliminating the following things from our diets can make a dramatic and positive impact on our health:

* Bleached, refined flours/wheat and gluten
* Refined sugars, white sugar/high-fructose corn syrup
* Table salt
* Transfats and refined oils (including processed corn, canola, sunflower, safflower and vegetable oils)
* Meats treated with hormones or antibiotics; farmed fish
* Foods sprayed with pesticides and herbicides
* Genetically modified foods
* Dairy products
* Additives such as preservatives, nitrates, and artificial flavorings and colorings
* Fast and fried foods
* Sodas and juices with added sugars
* Tap water

I feel Clean, June 2, 2009
I read and followed the program in the kindle book and to my surprise my aches and pains as well as my brain fog is all but gone. My energy levels are high throughout the day with no coffee just whole foods without the junk.

Clean is changing our lives, July 7, 2009
I am writing this as an indirect observer. I brought the book home to read and my wife grabbed it. She hasn't put it down since. She changed her diet, started juicing and lost 6 pounds in a week (and she is not fat to begin with). She seems like a new person. And our fridge's contents have changed completely. I have also changed and have begun to lose weight as an indirect consequence of my wife reading the book. So I can say this is a very powerful and wonderful book since it has transformed my wife who is typically a non believer in such topics, and because I have been affected from a distance. I am now very eager to read the book but my wife refuses to part with it! I highly recommend this book and I am yet to read it!

Kindle Edition is all-inclusive, September 5, 2009
After reading a review that made it seem that the Kindle edition is lacking somehow, I thought it would be helpful to post a review to let those interested know that the Kindle edition I just downloaded DOES have all recipes and the lists of what foods to eat or not eat while on the elimination diet. I purchased the Kindle version because I had to return the book to the library, and so I have seen the actual printed version. Hope this review helps...I'm off to juice!

Main Street Meets Holistic Street-- finally the gap has narrowed!, June 23, 2009
As a holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, and colonic hydrotherapist, I highly recommend this book to anyone either currently suffering from a modern day dis-ease, or looking to prevent the onset of one. Dr. Junger has successfully laid out a very reasonable, safe and effective detox program that will cleanse your body of toxic build up so that you will be flying high with stimulant-free energy during the day and resting deeply at night--as nature always intended. Like Dr. Junger stresses in his book, our very nature is to be happy, vibrant human beings eating REAL food. The Clean Program will get you back to your true nature so that your true potential can shine as brightly as the whole, organic foods you will soon be savoring! ... Read more

Editorial Review

All healers are "energetic" healers, whether they know it or not. Because every health issue has a physical and an energetic component, even a simple physical treatment like bandaging a cut also impacts the body's spiritual, mental, and emotional welfare. The Subtle Body is acomprehensive encyclopedia devoted to the critical world of our invisible anatomy, where so much of healing actually occurs. Compiled by intuitive healer and scholar Cyndi Dale, this 500-page full color illustrated reference book covers: * What is the "subtle body"? New scientific understanding of our quantum-state existence and the unseen fields that determine our physical condition * True integrative care: how combining Eastern energetic modalities with Western scientific rigor yields optimum results * The meridians, fields, and chakras: detailed information and diagrams about the role of these energetic structures in our overall health * Energy-based therapy principles from the world's healing traditions--including Ayurveda, Qigong, Reiki, Quabalah, and many more. For professionals who want to make the leap from being good healers to great ones, one thing is clear: we need to care for every facet of our well-being. With The Subtle Body, practitioners and patients alike now have an unprecedented resource for understanding the physical, energetic, and spiritual elements of human health--for an informed, complete approach to healing. ... Read more

Reviews

A marvelous contribution, February 16, 2009
The Subtle Body is a truly outstanding 5 star book, and a masterpiece of publishing and easy readability. In my view, it is an essential book on the subject of subtle energy and health/disease. The book is subtitled An Encyclopedia Of Your Energy Anatomy, however it is that and MUCH MORE. The book is beautifully and clearly written; and subdivided into 6 parts containing 40 chapters each addressing essential fundamental information on energy structures and systems - (the fields, channels, and bodies) -- that underpin our physical bodies and physical reality. Additionally, this book explores means of accessing the tools and techniques used to energetically modify (heal) dis-ease and illness examining techniques used in ancient times as well as today's contemporary theories of subtle energy. The 10 pages of Notes allows for additional detailed reading on any area of special interest. The extensive bibliography alone is worth the price of the book. The many color illustrations are of the highest caliber and clarity; plus the publisher used high quality paper in the book imparting a wonderful feel to the reader.
On a personal note, I am a practicing physician with over 30 years experience as a specialist treating patients with pharmaceuticals and surgery. However, over the years I begin to wonder why some patients healed, and others with the same diagnosis and treatment did not heal. A quest for greater knowledge sparked a journey that ultimately lead me to discover Cyndi Dale and her work in healing. There are many books now in print on subtle energy, however, this book by Cyndi Dale is by far the most comprehensive, most researched, and best written book I have seen on the subject. In my view it is essential reading for anyone who desires to participate in the next revolution in medicine.
James E.(Ed) Shotts, MD

Energy flows where attention goes, May 20, 2009
I have bought many different energy based books, and used different energy based techniques, with great results.

Quantum Touch taught me the importance of breath and how to move energy, and the principles of resonance and entrainment. EFT taught me how to release negative emotions within two minutes by tapping on specific energy points. Reiki taught me the importance of healing touch, and using Universal Life Force energy effortlessly.

Matrix Energetics taught me the importance of intention, and active imagination. I could go on, Qigong, Reiki, Touch of healing, Yoga, Tibetans, Huna..

Here we have a visually stunning book, with great diagrams throughout. It offers a complete energy system overview, and numerous diagrams, and chapters on anatomy, and the different medical systems. It's important to understand how energy correleates with anatomy, and this book does a great job of that.

It gives an overview of different practices. I particularly liked reading about shiatsu, which was discovered by a 7 year old Japanese boy who healed his mother of rheumatism, and I loved the explanation and diagrams of Reflexology. In addition, the description of chakras and how they work, and what each one means is displayed in a very easy to assimilate format. Visually compelling.

You can also learn about Reiki, Qigong, and many others.

In educating us on many different practices within one volume, we get the big picture, and so it is not a specialist book. For example, you will learn what EFT is but not the tapping routine. If you're like me, there are a couple of places where you might like more detail. If it had a bit more detail such as the tapping routine, I would definitely give it five stars.

If you wish to explore energy medicine more, I recommend:

The Energy Medicine Kit by Donna Eden, which shows energy testing being demonstrated, energy zipups and more advanced techniques, including a five minute daily routine to boost your energy.

Quantum-Touch: The Power to Heal (Third Edition) by Richard Gordon.

Life Energy: Using the Meridians to Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Emotions by John Diamond MD, one of the best books I have read on energy medicine, and a complete manual.

The Touch of Healing: Energizing the Body, Mind, and Spirit With Jin Shin Jyutsu by Alice Burmeister. It's Jin Shin Jitsu, a complete system, very easy to learn and use.

The EFT Manual (EFT: Emotional Freedom Techniques)by Gary Craig is a simple tapping process useful for letting go of troubling emotions. Imagine easily letting go of issues such as anger, anxiety, fear, forgiveness, stress, procrastination, traumas. [...], and buy various books on Amazon.

I hope this was helpful.

Excellent Resource--Energetic Anatomy, February 21, 2009
This 2009 book is a wonderful resource book for those interested in understanding the methodology of healing the energy/light body (which also affects the physical body). There is a treasure chest of information here that you often have to go to multiple books to find. It is explained in simplistic language and in a beautifully illustrated 488 page book, approximately 8" x 10" in size.

This wonderfully informative book begins with Universal Energy and Energy Healing, and moves to the Human Anatomy (human cell, DNA nebula, electromagnetic field of the heart), then on to Energy Fields (subtle energy fields, global ley lines, magnetic field of the body, sine wave, Fibonacci sequence, merkaba, platonic solids, layers of the auric field, etc.) , then to Channels of Energy and Channels of Light (various meridians, the 5 Chinese Elements, emotions and organs, food and emotions, etc.).

Next is Energy Bodies: Chakras and Other Light Switches (the charkas in detail, various other charka systems--Cherokee, Tibetan, Incan, Egyptian/African, Kundalini an 12 Chakra System, The Tree of Life: The 10 Sephiroth, The Sephiroth and Chakric Associations, etc.) Following is the section on Energy Practices (Acupuncture, Gemstones, Color Therapy, Shiatsu, Buddhist mudras, latitudinal cross-zones, reflexology, sound and color, etc.)

Another feature I like about this book is that it names names, so you know what to search on to find more information on the specific subject matter. For example, let's say you were reading about Sound Healing, on page 401. As you go through facts such as how ". . .In the 1970s, researcher Fabion Mamon sounded a tuning fork on a cancer cell. The cell dissolved. . . " and the additional information that follows to help you understand the relationship between sound and healing, you can easily google "Fabion Mamon" if you want additional information on the subject matter. The subchapter also mentions Jonathan Goldman, as a respected sound therapist and author for energetically based sound therapies. If you want to know more, you can search on Jonathan right here on Amazon and pull up some of his CDs. I even found Alberto Villoldo and the Incan Bands of Power and the luminous energy field in here. Although the book does not specifically mention the Munay-ki rites by name, if you check for Alberto Villoldo on Amazon, his books will come up or you can also google him by name. From there you can read more about the 9 rites and search on where to get them (if you are so inclined).

Although the book can be very useful to anyone, it is even more useful to someone just beginning to learn about energy bodies and healing because it provides so much knowledge up front, in one resource book. Think of it as a good "Energy 101" course. As the Doctor said in his review--how come some people, with the same illnesses, heal and some do not. Even if you already know a lot, this book still provides a one stop resource for a ton of factual information. Excellent product. On a scale of 1 to 5, worth WAY more than a 5. (How much is your health worth to you?) Do yourself a favor. If even a little piece of you can believe, get this book and read it. This book can provide a lot of information on understanding alternative healing, which you can use to supplement your care. First, you must accept the possibility. Second, you must obtain the knowledge of what is out there. Then, you can begin to make a more informed analysis and decision on your health care needs when you talk with your primary care physician. I have been "into" energy/light body healing since about 1999 and I strongly believe in this stuff. Many people do themselves such a huge disservice. The power of your mind, your belief system, your perception is TRULY awesome! YOUR PERCEPTION IS YOUR REALITY. Believe it. But don't take my word for it. Read. Read. Read.

God bless you in your search for truth and wisdom.

Unmatched Resource for Anyone Interested in Energy Body Theories, February 23, 2009
This book is an amazing accomplishment - the author has compiled and detailed energy body teachings from virtually every known energy healing tradition. Among these are Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, native and shamanic traditions from around the world, Hindi, Tibetan and Kabbalah chakra systems, ancient Greek philosophy, Western mystic teachings such as those from the Rosucrucians, and many, many others. She has combined this material with sections on basic human anatomy, and coverage of cutting-edge science that supports the mind/body/spirit connection, including work in physics and research into various alternative healing methods.

This book is written as a reference manual for healers, and is expertly organized and indexed to facilitate using it in this manner. However, I am not a healer - just an occult 'geek' that practices chakra meditation and loves energy theories of all types - and I LOVE this book. The author does a great job of making the material accessible to anyone.

Prior reviews have summarized the contents, so I won't repeat that here, but let me just mention a few goodies not mentioned already - sections on Sacred Geometry, mudras, and kundalini meditation were favorites of mine. Also a favorite was the final section, describing what must surely be every energy diagnostic and healing practice in the world - from acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and crystal use to thai massage, numerology, radionics and mudras. Ms. Dale does occasionally compare systems, but doesn't try and reconcile the differences between them, or offer judgment on which are more effective or provable, leaving that, presumably, to the healer and/or reader.

As I said, this book is expertly organized and indexed, to assure that a reader can return to it over and over looking for guidance on a particular ailment, energy system, or healing practice. The pictures and diagrams are also beautifully done and comprehensive. I would think any healer would want to own this book and keep it close at hand, and anyone interested in energy body theories from a spiritual perspective as well.

Great book if you ignore the "science", May 27, 2009

Beautiful, Engaging and Exhaustive, September 10, 2009
For many years I was an arch-skeptic when it came to the subtle systems of the body, but then a great deal of personal experience lead me to do a U-turn, and for more than twenty years I have been teaching others how to feel, sense and work with these systems, with often remarkable results. Though critics still love to call this "Woo," the tide is turning against them, and this book is a huge help.

Any book about the "energetic" or "subtle" systems of the body will always attract a mixture of breathless enthusiasm and mean-spirited criticism. And sadly there are still some who believe that any mention of these systems is somehow New Age or occult, although there are almost one hundred cultures around the world that have recognized and discussed them, including the Fathers of the Christian Church. This book provides a wealth of well-researched evidence for skeptics and enthusiasts alike.

Although you can have a look inside the book at the top of this page, and also on the Sounds True website, I think that it is helpful for a potential reader to see a breakdown of the six sections and forty chapters to get a good idea of the contents of the book.

Part I: Energy and Energy Healing
1. Energy Is Universal
2. Being an Energy Healer

Part II: Human Anatomy
3. The Cells
4. DNA
5. The Skeletal System
6. The Muscular System
7. The Nervous System
8. The Skin
9. The Circulatory System
10. The Respiratory System
11. The Endocrine System
12. The Digestive System
13. The Excretory System
14. The Reproductive System
15. Metabolism
16. The Immune System
17. The Senses

Part III: Energy Fields
18. A Primer on Energy Fields
19. Two Unified Field Theories
20. The Natural Fields
21. The Radiant Shine of Molecules: Lost and Found Research
22. L-Fields and T-Fields: The Partners Composing Reality?
23. Field Pollution: Geopathic Stress
24. The Power of Magnetism
25. Hands-On and Distant Healing: Proving Subtle Fields and a Nonlocal Reality
26. Sacred Geometry: Fields of Life
27. Human Energy Fields

Part IV: Channels of Energy: Channels of Light
28. The History of Meridian-Based Therapy
29. An Overview of the Meridian System
30. Theories of the Existence, Purpose, and Functioning of the Meridians
31. The History of Meridian Science
32. The Major Meridians
33. The Basic Acupuncture Points
34. Five-Phase and Related Diagnostic Theories
35. The Seven Emotions and the Corresponding Organs

Part V: Energy Bodies: Chakras and Other "Light Switches"
36. Energy Bodies
37. Kundalini, the Unifying Force
38. Scientific Principles Meet Chakra Theory
39. Chakra Systems from Around the World
40. The Jewish Mystical Energy System: The Ancient Kabbalah

Part VI: Energy Practices
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography

As you will see this book is extremely comprehensive! If you are new to the field it gently leads you by the hand. There is also a wealth of information for the more experienced practitioner or researcher. Despite many years as both a researcher and practitioner of a number of methods that use the subtle systems of the body, I found a lot of new material in this book.

Cyndi Dale writes well and I thought that her views and opinions were very fair and balanced. My only small quibble is the use of the word "Energy." I prefer the term subtle "systems" composed of the inseparable twins: First the subtle energies and second, the subtle fields that carry them. Without energy, the fields could not actualize, and without the fields, there would be nothing to carry the energy.


The book itself is beautifully produced and easy to navigate. I am delighted that Sounds True is producing ever more high quality books like this.

This is the only book on the subtle systems that you need. It is well worth the price, and is not only a reference and textbook, but also a wonderful book to browse through.

Very highly recommended.


Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life

Gorgeous Energy Encyclopedia Covers Basic Information, July 14, 2009

Interesting take on the human body, February 26, 2010

Human Energetic Anatomy & Therapies, April 23, 2009

Suzie Housley, Midwest Book Reviewer, November 3, 2009
The soul is the substance of energy that organizes conscience and body and makes of it all, a coherent being for reality. And the spirit is the superior dignity of life.

-Unknown Author

A fascinating journey of discovery awaits you in Cyndi Dale's The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. By far this is the most in-depth collection of energy healing this reviewer has ever discovered.

What makes this book so unique is that it covers all of the top forms of holistic healing. Which includes chakras, energy meridians, acupuncture, reflexology, international healing, Ayurveda, Shiatsu, distant and hands on healing, energy fields, sacred geometry, color and sound healing, and magnetism. It is broken down into six easy to understand parts that include:

Part I: Energy and Energy Healing

Part II: Human Anatomy

Part III: Energy Fields

Part IV: Channels of Energy: Channels of Light

Part V: Energy Bodies: Chakras and other "Light Switches"

Part VI: Energy Practices

From the very first page I found that I was so mesmerized at all the knowledge that I was absorbing. With my background in healing touch and reflexology, I was able to quickly put to use the high quality illustrations that showed all the pulse points of the body.

No health care professional should be without a copy of Cyndi Dale's The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. This book is such an asset to the health care world I believe it should be introduced into the college setting. If all health care providers were to be exposed to all the information that this one book offers, mankind's health benefits would be unlimited. Very highly recommended. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Rosemary Gladstar is the mother of modern herbalism. Her wisdom and vision have inspired an entire generation of herbal healers, and her insights into the healing power of plants have helped people everywhere embrace more natural, healthy, and radiant lives.

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health is the author's practical compendium of herbal know-how. Written with her signature warmth, this must-have reference will help readers of every life stage enjoy radiant well-being, every day. Limit stress and anxiety, get adequate rest, boost immunity, improve mental acuity, and embrace life balance — these are elements of Gladstar's prescription for wellness, longevity, and boundless energy. To help achieve these goals, she offers a number of general-wellness recipes, including 7-Herb Long-Life Soup, Long-Life Elixir, and energy-inspiring Zoom Balls.

The bulk of the book is dedicated to specific herbal remedies for everyone in the family — adults, babies, children, and elders. Good Vision No-Cook Herbal Jam, for example, will help keep aging eyes functional, while Rosemary's Itch Relief Remedy offers a soothing salve for poison ivy. Whether a reader wants to soothe baby's diaper rash, enjoy a better night's sleep, conquer headaches, cure a case of athlete's foot, or boost a sagging spirit, Gladstar's time-tested herbal remedies offer new options for natural healing.

These therapies are enhanced with an A–Z herbal apothecary featuring detailed information about more than 90 herbs, as well as tips for preparing herbal remedies from scratch.

The hardcover edition has become an everyday reference for tens of thousands of families. This paperback release brings Gladstar’s wisdom to even more people interested in embracing physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. ... Read more

Reviews

Great book BUT..., May 19, 2009
This is a great reference book to have. I love the paperback version and I like the recipies. However, I also bought Rosemary Gladstar's Familiy Herbal, different title and different cover, thinking it was a different book. It is the EXACT same book page for page. So don't buy both.

Overhwhelmed but inspired, August 12, 2009
I am new to the world of herbalism and have just begun exploring this ancient wisdom. This is the sixth book I have read on the topic. I am excited to try many of the recipes and have already ordered a few bulk herbs to make a few tinctures to treat the inevitable colds my household will suffer this winter. I am in awe and completely overwhelmed by the vast knowledge of Gladstar and authors like her. This was an enjoyable book to read.

That being said, I do have one critique of the book (or maybe the lifestyle suggested by the book, not sure which). The author suggests that readers ingest so many tinctures, tonics, teas, foods, etc... each day that I wondered how anyone could live this "natural" lifestyle without getting sick to their stomachs or becoming bankrupt. If I followed the advice in the book, I'd have neither the time nor money to do much else. Who has the time to make and drink several cups of several kinds of tea each day?? This is not realistic for a working mother with 4 children like myself. I understand that perhaps this is not what the author intended, but she does not really give clear advice as to how someone like me (who cannot buy 100 herbs and eat/drink them all day) can put together a sensible and affordable regimen.

All in all, great book. I will seek out others by this fascinating writer.

Generous Herbalist, November 23, 2008
Rosemary Gladstar is in my opinion one of the "true" people in healing. She offers information in the manner of one who wants to share rather than with hold or profit. I believe her work with Seed Savers supports my view. This paper back book which I bought for less than fifteen dollars is a treasure trove of information. She wants people to understand plants and use them for good . She also communicates the need for respecting the plant world which is after all part of our world. Her recipes are clear and easy to follow. Her books are always near at hand and I use them often. This is a true bargain and a good investment. Thank you Rosemary!!!!

One of the best herb books on the market today, November 20, 2008
Ms. Gladstar truly has a great approach towards herbs. However, this book has it all which was to my surprise and pictures that are in color to help those who needs to know what the plant looks like to seek it out. It is truly one of the best herb reference books on the market today, even though, most of the remedies are towards women's health, there are plenty of topics for men as well with remedies. DO NOT over look this book if you are truly a lover of herbs and alternative health lifestyles with herbs this is highly recommended!!!

A MUST have!, March 9, 2009
I love this book so much. My poor copy is dog-eared, book marked, high lighted and noted so much already!
If you are interested in learning how to take care of yourself without harmful OTC medications, toxic body care products and dangerous modern medical remedies, check this book out.
As it says, it has 175 recipes for everything you need: teas and tinctures for mental and physical health, lotions and potions for your body, and simple salves, ointments and balms for everyday bites, bumps, cuts and bruises.
I would also recommend www.mountainroseherbs.com for buying the herbs needed in these recipes. They sell organic and wildcrafted herbs and EVERYTHING you need to make the recipes in this book.

Enjoy your new craft! :)

Indispensable Resource, February 21, 2009
Throughout my journey of trying to develop a more holistic lifestyle, I constantly find myself referencing one of Rosemary Gladstar's herbal guides. She is truly annointed in her craft of plant-based healing, and I have yet to experience a recipe that has disappointed me. In this latest book edition, you will find an abundance of both traditional and "new" herb definitions - along with natural blends in which to use for both mental and physical health / beauty. There is currently no greater resource than this book.

Great Herbal Reference, April 11, 2009
Wonder what to do with all those beautiful herbs you have been growing? Then this book will be a wonderful tool for you and your family. There are many tea, personal care, and health recipes and remedies. I like that Gladstar considers laboratory studies of herbs and lends her personal take on them. I have seen Gladstar's recipes in many books, as she is highly regarded as a cultivator of well being.

Tons of great herbal remedies!, January 2, 2009
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (12/08)


"The terminology of plant medicine changes through the ages, different systems evolve depending on climate and costume, and various plants rise and fall in popularity, but the core truth remains the same: Herbalism is an effective, natural, and inexpensive system of healing readily available to every human who chooses to use it. We have eons of human experience to prove it." (p. 2)

This book begins with an overview and history of herbalism. Gladstar tells us that, despite what we may hear, there is no miracle drug or cure-all for life's woes. We must live a healthy well-rounded life to start with by exercising, eating a well-balanced diet, getting adequate rest, and reducing our stress. Her addition to this familiar list is the usage of herbs on a daily basis to maintain wellness. She then lists for us various superfoods, herbs, and recipes, and explains the benefits of each to our everyday health.

What follows next is information on "taming stress and anxiety," "home remedies for everyday ailments," "recipes for radiant beauty," and individualized sections for children, men, women, and elders. At the end of the book there is an A to Z guide listing different herbs and explaining their benefits and uses.

One of the most interesting areas for me was the skin-care routine that Gladstar recommends. In it she details a once or twice monthly five-step program that includes miracle grains, an herbal facial steam, a facial, tonic astringents, and a facial massage with cream. It sounds very good for my skin and also very relaxing. I will definitely be trying that one!

I also think that the elderberry syrup in the children's section sounds like something that I would love to try for my boys. Apparently this syrup is the "most popular herbal cold remedy in Europe" (p. 190) and it also is supposed to taste good. All it consists of are blue elderberries, water, and honey. In the winter season with two young children I can surely use this!

"Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health" is very comprehensive and provides recipes or herbs for almost any situation that you can think of. The instructions are simple and easy to follow. Gladstar's book would make an excellent addition to any family's home reference library. It is full of useful and useable information!

one of the best, October 31, 2008
Rosemary Gladstar is the godmother of american herbalism. If you have heard of herbs, used herbs, she is the reason. And this book is one of the best usable herbals for families in print. I highly recommend it.

Awesome Book!, September 5, 2010
I am a student of naturopathy and herbalism. This book was recommended by one of my herbal teachers in Charlottesville, VA. I have used it many times. The recipes are great! It is an informative book with an herbs listing in the back with descriptions and uses,(other books go into greater detail but this is a good supplement to those texts) recommended general dose amounts for adults and children and includes a helpful equivalents chart.It simply teaches how to make tinctures, syrups, salves, decoctions and infusions AND MORE. It has informative sections for Everyday Ailments, Women, Men, Children and Elder Care. It is well written and easy to use. It is very practical even if you have no prior experience. I give this book a five star thumbs up rating. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From one of the world's leading experts on health and skin care - a revolutionary guide that will help you look and feel ten years younger

He has been called one of the “Best Forward-Thinking Doctors” (Vogue magazine) and acclaimed as a “Beauty Genius” (Elle magazine). Howard Murad, M.D., FAAD is one today's foremost authorities on health and skincare, and his philosophies have helped men and women around the world look and feel as young and healthy as possible. With The Water Secret, Dr. Murad shares a new, scientifically proven strategy, cultivated over years of practice and treating over 50,000 patients, to help you look and feel better from the inside out.

The Water Secret will:

• Reveal groundbreaking secrets to help you take years off your looks, feel better and healthier
• Debunk health myths through cutting-edge research and tell the truth about how inflammation, hydration, and other factors really affect your health
• Explain how damaged cells that leak water can sabotage your looks
• Introduces an integrated, multidisciplinary "Inclusive Health" approach to help optimize cellular strength
• Give you a complete 10-step action plan with recipes and meal plans to start you on the path to clear skin, fewer wrinkles, more energy, and better overall health

Discover The Water Secret and learn to take control of the process of aging by improving the health of every cell in the body. Begin the program and you will see and feel the difference your healthy new lifestyle will make in as soon as one week! ... Read more

Reviews

Want To LOOK/FEEL Younger? Buy This Book!, August 27, 2010
I received my book earlier than the 8/30 date Amazon promised it (2 weeks early!) and blew through it in a day! Because I tend to be an early adopter and therefore stay very much aware of the latest and greatest health tips and tricks, I was intrigued by the idea of Eating your Water. I'd never heard this term - and as a result, have always drank my water. After reading the book, I learned more about the health and beauty benefits of eating my water and I can tell you that it is the easiest lifestyle change I have ever embarked on with the greatest results. I have more energy, I sleep better, I'm less stressed and I LOOK younger - my skin is glowing - as if I'm radiating from the inside out (which is what the book promises to do - build new, healthier cells like the ones you had when you were young.) I totally believe in the Cultural Stress phenomenon Dr. Murad talks about in the book and I was a victim of it without even realizing it! I recommend this book for anyone looking to get back to the healthy basics of what a simpler life offers. It's not about a radical change or giving things up - it's about awareness of where you are and getting off the treadmill we're all on, running blindly. If you just make the little changes the book suggests, you'll get big results. I know I did and I am so thankful to Dr. Murad for giving me my life back - the fact that my skin looks better is just an added bonus. Which is funny because I thought it would be the other way around. Oh, and I'm no the kind of person that typically reviews anything - good or bad. But I've been so positively impacted by the message of this book, I felt I had to give it to someone else - and I think the book helped me see the importance of that too!

Informative, September 10, 2010
Dr. Murads products are great and this book is a great follow up to using his products. A lot of the information provided is "common sense" in that we all know we should be eating more fruits and vegetables. In this book Dr. Murad provides an in depth explanation of what is really going inside our bodies to cause aging and disease in both a simple and scientific way. I think this a good read for those already living a healthy lifestyle and must for those who are looking for information to change an unhealthy one. I was also impressed that Dr. Murad did not promote any of his skin products or supplements. He has some really good ones!

Loving this "Secret", August 24, 2010
A friend of mine gave me the book before it went on shelves (she got it at an event Dr. Murad was hosting- thank you Jessica!). The book description mentions that the program consists of easy to follow steps and so far, everything has been seamless, including my diet and skincare routine. I will send an update to talk about the results but so far after 2 weeks, my skin looks nicer and more even. Can't wait until week 10!

So Interesting!, August 19, 2010
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Dr. Murad's new book. Though I'm not super old, nor do I have a huge problem with wrinkles (yet), I found this book so interesting and helpful. Dr. Murad tells us how we need to look at our health and aging as one big connection through our cells (after all our cells connect our heart to our head, our legs to our liver). It definitely has changed the way I think about my health. And I feel a renewed energy to make better decisions to improve my life.

The Water Secret, Dr Murad, September 20, 2010
An absolutely amazing book. It has really opened my eyes to the most simple things we "should be doing" on a daily basis. I am sure things we do from time to time or get in the "short" habits of, but putting it into perspective, as Dr Murad does, really makes me understany WHY we need to eat raw and take the simplest, daily habits, such as eating 5 times a day, taking care of our skin and exercising more seriously! Thank you Dr. Murad!!!

Great Advice, September 27, 2010
I used to simply believe that drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day was enough. Since reading the book, Dr. Murad has made a strong case to change the way one thinks about their water intake.

Great Book!!

Great Book, November 27, 2010
I love this book. It is so informative while spelling out information for you to follow. The author also understands that it takes time to change habits, and is not pushy.

Fast shipping! Great product!, November 22, 2010
This book is a great read! It's helped me understand how food affects the body on a molecular level.

Wasn't Impressed, December 12, 2010
I don't feel that I learned anything new, except who Dr. Murad is and the many patients he has seen. He tells you about it repeatedly, so you are well versed in him by the 3rd chapter. It was basic common sense about nutrition if you are mindful of your nutrition in the first place. I honestly struggled to read the constant patting on the back by Dr. Murad, so perhaps the message was lost in between the lines.

Love the book - GREAT information for everyone~!, November 29, 2010
I answered an offer from Murad regarding the purchase of this book, The Water Secret: The Cellular Breakthrough to Look and Feel 10 Years Younger. Murad was offering up to $200 in *FREE* products if the book was purchased through a number of websites. I still have not heard about any free offers which I am entitled to receive. I think Murad got in way over its head with this one, however, the book is a good and insightful read which is easy to understand and in and of itself it is worth the buy. I ordered my copy from Amazon since this is where I got the best price and very fast shipping. As a side note, I did contact Murad about their 'free' offer and they let me know that they didn't expect such a huge response to their offer. I hope they come through with at least one of their products as they have some of the best skin care lines out there. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Radiantly healthy skin, hair, feet, hands, eyes, and nails. Commercial beauty products make this promise every day and live up to it with varying degrees of success. Stephanie Tourles offers a better solution to everyone frustrated with the endless cycle of expensive, synthetic, famous-name cosmetics that often fall short of expectations. Take control of beauty treatments with homemade products that use safe, nourishing ingredients to pamper the body and soothe the senses.

Tourles, a licensed esthetician, herbalist, and aromatherapist, has developed 175 recipes that are fun, simple, and immensely satisfying to make in home kitchens. Her natural beauty treatments deliver the results promised by department store brands — skin, hair, and nails that glow with vitality and inner wellness. Lotions, scrubs, toners, balms, and masks polish and balance the skin, soothe current problems, and prevent future ones. Shampoos, rinses, and conditioners tone the scalp, boost highlights, and leave hair soft and shiny. The book's whole-body coverage also includes recipes for hand and footcare, nail treatments, shaving cream, and even popular spa treatments such as microdermabrasion exfoliants, detox and cellulite soaks, ayurvedic oils, and herbal cold salves. Most important, there is never any doubt about the purity of these ingredients!

Each formula is clearly presented in recipe style, with notes on prep time, storage, and uses. Many products can be customized according to personal needs, whim, or mood, and they all use readily available, natural ingredients. Organic Body Care Recipes is a natural treasure for every body. ... Read more

Reviews

If you are torn between 2 books on this subject - get this one!, November 25, 2007
This book is absolutely awesome. The recipes are simple (and great at that!), she gives a lot of background info on each of the ingredients. Being a licensed cosmetologist myself, I can tell you that she really knows her stuff (she is a licensed esthetician). I have been making my own bath and body products for a few years (using pre-made bases from suppliers) but just decided to introduce a completely organic line of products and I think this is the best book that I have read so far on the subject and highly recommend it. Great for beginners or those who have been doing this a while.

Simply Awesome!, August 15, 2007
I LOVE this book!! Not only are there tons of cosmetic concoctions (ranging from creamy body butters & lotions to herbal hair conditioners & foot soaks), but there are also thorough descriptions of different hair & skin types that each recipe will benefit. It even has a section on edible body potions that you may want to try on your "honey" (think sensual love-making). The best part is that each recipe gives you just enough to yield about 1 to 2 applications. That way, you can decide which ones you like and which ones you don't before you make large batches of it. All the ingredients are easy to find (there is an appendix on where to buy / order) and the author even gives us a comprehensive list of the different properties of herbs, oils, essential oils, etc. that you can use in these recipes. I've made & tried three so far (coconut body butter, rosemary hair rinse, & orange sugar scrub) and have found each one to be great. I can't wait to experiment with the rest of them!

Good for casual/basic recipes, but may not satisfy everyone, May 3, 2009
I purchased this book primarily because I am interested in making my own lotion, preferably with safe/natural/eco-friendly ingredients. I don't necessarily want to market it, like another reviewer, but I would like to make lotion that is somewhat professional/sophisticated. After a quick Google search, I had learned that lotions tend to include water-based ingredients, oil-based ingredients, an emulsifier (which ensures that the water and oil ingredients stay mixed together), and some kind of preservative. I bought this book thinking that it might go into a bit more detail about basic lotion formulas (ratios of ingredients to each other), or at least provide some recipes that I could learn from.

As it turns out, I had already learned more about lotion-making from my Google search than I learned from this entire book. Of the five body moisturizer recipes, four are basically oil-based, with essential oils added. There is nothing wrong with using oil to moisturize the skin -- but I find it can be inconvenient (insofar as absorption may be slower than with lighter lotions, and you're more likely to get oil on clothing or sheets). Additionally, oil-based moisturizers will probably not appeal to those with problem skin. The author's fifth body moisturizer recipe does include water in addition to oils, and uses beeswax and lanolin as emulsifiers. The recipe does not include a preservative, however, which means (as the author states): "No refrigeration is required if used within 30 days. If refrigerated, please use within 3 to 6 months. (Refrigeration may change the texture of the product, but potency will not be affected.)" Since this recipe yields 2 1/3 cups of moisturizer, and I'm not likely to use it all in 30 days -- and I don't enjoy cold lotion -- this recipe is of limited use for me.

There are also five face moisturizer recipes. One of them is basically water and glycerin, and another is oil-based. The other three recipes each call for a trio of emulsifiers: beeswax, lanolin, and borax. I'm a newbie to the world of cosmetics ingredients, but my understanding is that borax is considered by some to be an unsafe ingredient. (A good reference is cosmeticsdatabase.com.) My guess is that the author has a good reason for using borax, and the reason is probably that borax (it appears) may be safe in small amounts -- though possibly not for infants. What perplexes me, though, is that the author offers no explanation or discussion on this topic.

As mentioned by other reviewers, some of these recipes are extremely (absurdly?) simple. Examples include the Aloe Vera Toner (ingredients: "pure aloe vera juice or gel, commercially bottled or from fresh-picked leaf"), the Tangerine Toner (ingredients: 1/2 cup witch hazel and 10 drops tangerine essential oil), and the Yogurt Exfoliating and Bleaching Mask (ingredients: 1 tablespoon plain yogurt). I don't know about you, but I'm not sure those should count toward the "175 Homemade Herbal Formulas" in this book. As useful as they may be, I'm more inclined to call those "tips."

I don't mean to sound too harsh in my review of this book. I think that, depending on your needs, this book may be perfectly fine. Many of the recipes look to have interesting combinations of oils and essential oils, and I'm guessing many of the finished products smell like heaven. I'm mainly trying to present my perspective on the book, relative to my own goals -- and hopefully it will be relevant to people with similar interests. But again, if you are more looking for recipes for casual use, you might really like it.

One final note -- as I've indicated above, the author calls for animal products in some of her recipes. This is fine, but I was disappointed that she didn't offer animal-friendly alternatives. (In her entry for beeswax, she does mention vegetable emulsifying wax as an alternative, but then says, "but this wax has been refined and does not have the same alluring qualities as beeswax. Always try to find the real thing!") For dairy products, the author makes no mention of looking for organic versions -- i.e., from cows raised on healthy diets, without use of rBST or prophylactic antibiotics. She also makes no mention of the fact that cows contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect (deforestation, water use, methane emissions, etc.). I was surprised by this only because I think there is a lot of overlap between people interested in organic products, and those interested in animal-friendly and eco-friendly products.

A marvelous resource, October 16, 2008
I own and love this book. I bought it because I was looking for natural recipes to care for my dreadlocks. I found that and so much more! Not only are there recipes for body, face, and hair care but there is a complete ingredient dictionary. In addition, the author discusses the different types of hair and skin issues that people may have and how to address them organically. Sprinkled throughout the book are suggestions for storing and gifting products and alternatives for hard to find ingredients. To top it all of, a list of resources follows the recipes to direct the reader to further reading and online stores to buy ingredients and supplies. I have recommended this book to friends and coworkers and truly enjoyed making and using the products.

NOTE: Please ignore the two star review posted by Figgi. This reviewer claims that Tourles advocates the use of talc in her recipes even as they admit that they have not read the book. Talc is neither listed in the ingredient dictionary nor the glossary. In fact, there is only one mention of the substance in the whole book (p. 262) and that is to state that it is undesirable to use due to the presence of arsenic. Tourles goes on to list the number of natural and organic options that make excellent substitutions for talc. Please do not let a reviewer who admits to only skimming the book discourage you from using this marvelous resource.

Wonderful recipes!, November 28, 2007
This book provides alot of information for beginners - details about the uses and benefits of a long list of essential oils and carrier oils. It walks you through step by step and makes the process enjoyable and educational! I have already begun using some of the recipes with items I purchased at my local health food store and seeing the positive results!!

Yummy and Easy Recipes, June 25, 2008
After reading Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet, I decided to delve into the world of homemade body care products.

Organic Body Care Recipes, by Stephanie Tourles, is fantastic! Making my own body care products feels so gratifying...like cooking a delicious meal. Ordering ingredients and containers is easy, thanks to the internet.

I like the format of the book and the easy to understand directions to make products.

I've even been playing around with labels for the containers. The holidays will be a snap this year, as I intend to make body care products for all my friends and family.

Wonderful!, March 17, 2008
I received this book for Christmas and can't say enough good things about it. The information is extensive but very well organized. There are sections on the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, how to figure out your skin type and what your body care needs are, a list of ingredients explaining origins and uses, and then the recipes. There are so many recipes, no matter your skin type you are sure to find several to choose from.

All of the ingredients are truly natural, and many are suprisingly common and inexpensive. Admittedly, some people might have a hard time finding some of the ingredients if they do not have a well stocked health food store in their area. Even with several shopping options in my community I have had to purchase a few things online. And yes, the initial investment in ingredients might not be cheap- but, the recipes last for a long time, so in the end you save quite a bit of money! Plus, they work! No more wastng money on high end, not really natural products that don't do much.

Since I recieved the book I have been using a skin cleanser/toner/mositurizer in one, a tooth cleaner, and deoderant powder made from recipes in the book, and I couldn't be happier. I also had the pleasure of attending a discussion led by the author at my local food co op this month. She had so much knowledge to share, and did so in a very warm and gracious manner.

Love this book! You will too., June 24, 2008
If you're serious about throwing out your store bought, chemical filled cosmetics or even thinking about it, then you MUST get this book! I bought this book about 6 wks ago, kept reading a few pages here and there, started ordering ingredients, then finally about 2 wks ago started making one or two items in my kitchen. I've since made about a dozen skin care recipes from Organic Body Care Recipes. My bathroom/kitchen/shower area smells wonderful. My skin looks, smells and feels great. I love storing them in glass bottles/containers I can pick up at Big Lots or even Walmart and reuse again & again. Normally, I stay away from Walmart but their glass oil bottles, glass sugar bowls w/lids, and sealed storage containers are PERFECT & cheap. As well as reusing my own class containers and jars at home. Ikea is another good place to go.
Ms Tourles list places where you can find these organic ingredients online but I found other sites even more reasonably priced and you can order smaller quantities on the internet. I've loved everything I've made from this book, & you learn about ingredients, their properties (and what you can sub for if you are allergic or dislike any ingredient) so you truly can make exactly what you want. For me, this was one more step in reducing waste and pollution in the world besides saving money.
MY Warnings: After making one or two items I was hooked. I then spent about $300 on ingredients. I went all out on base oils, clays, many essential oils, dried herbs (not avail in my grocery store) & even flavorings for my lip balms but it was well worth. These will last all year long, will supply my family of three and I can make gifts at the holidays for my friends and family. They tried some small samples I've made and are already putting in their orders.
Get this book, spend a week or two reading it at your leisure, find a product or two on your shelf you want to replace...and do it. You'll feel great and become addicted like I am. Another book suggestion, Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano, this book gives a great all around approach to doing your part for our earth. Again, just try one or two things...slowly you'll be hooked.

Great Natural Body Care Education, April 4, 2008
I know a Natural Body Care Recipe book is great when it teaches me things I didn't know. I have my own business making natural body products, and I have tons of books like this for ideas and references. I think you really do need to be experienced to use a lot of the recipes, but there are a lot of at home recipes too using things you may already have around the house like strawberries, baking soda, papayas, etc.

This book is educational, full of great useful information, and easy to understand. I love it!

Organic bodycare recipes, May 26, 2008
I am very pleased we bought this book: it gives a clear overview of herbs and spices, oils and flowers to use in your own products together with some non-organic items. Most things you may have in the garden or just in the pantry, it made me look at a lot of things in a different light: how can I use them as well. A good book for anyone who wants to create their own creams, masks and powders, it has even got some advice on making anti-bugs stuff. What I did miss though was a recipe for a base cream and for a base shampoo. There is not a lot of emphasis on emulsification. I am still struggling with the basics of cream making, ie how to make a cream more solid or more liquid, how to stabilize a cream so, over time, it does not seperate into it's watery and oily phase. Still, a good book, with lots of recipes ready to use, definitely a worthwhile purchase. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Raleigh Briggs collects her zines, illustrations, and thoughts around what it is that makes a great DIY household—homemade cleaning solvents that aren't made from poison, herbs that will heal you, and how to setup a great garden. These tips and tricks fill in the gaps for those of us longing to live this lifestyle but lacking the necesary know-how. ... Read more

Reviews

Dozens of people ask where I got this book!, July 27, 2009
In July 2009, I demonstrated various urban sustainability projects at a festival in Baltimore City. This book was part of my natural, homemade cleaning supplies display. Dozens of people picked up the book and were very curious to know where I got it. They all wanted to purchase it right then and there. I wished I had contacted Raleigh or Microcosm Publishing to become a distributor!

Throughout the day, many people asked me for natural ways to get rid of pests, clean different types of surfaces, etc. and I often picked up the book and turned right to Raleigh's very detailed Table of Contents. How to get rid of fleas? Clean wood floors? Make liquid dish soap? It's all right there.

From gardening to essential oils, Raleigh included it all! Not to mention the fact that the book is beautifully handwritten and illustrated. I often get my tips from the internet, but Raleigh's book is wonderful to leave in the kitchen or bathroom as an instant recipe book and guide.

A definite must-have starting guide for anyone interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Surprisingly Wonderful, May 6, 2010
I love books, and have collected quite a library of volumes relating to my varied interests. Some of those interests are natural/herbal health care, natural body care, "green" household cleaning, and urban homesteading. All of those books in my library have one or more of the same ideas contained in this little volume. Yet for some reason, I absolutely love this book. It may be the awkward but adorable handwriting complete with heart-dotted i's, reminding me of my middle school diary. It could be the cute illustrations, with flowers that talk and bubble letter titles, or the little flowers and stars that emphasize the text. I have rarely read a book of this type that uses words like "nast" and "barf", or describes how to deal with crabs or yeast infections with such aplomb. And really, while it may contain recipes and ideas I have found in many other places, it also has some very new ideas that I enjoyed with surprise. All in all, I have the strangest feeling that this book will see more use in my house than several other more comprehensive volumes in my library, and I know that I will have fun in the process.

A fine and recommended read for anyone who wants to make their life a little smoother and more enjoyable, August 8, 2009
Some skills are just good to have. "Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable, Nesting Skills" is a collection of simple and effective skills to improve one's life around the house. The skills range from dealing with the simple messes, to the injuries one faces in life, to dealing with menstrual-cycle induced bad moods. "Make Your Place" is a fine and recommended read for anyone who wants to make their life a little smoother and more enjoyable.

Not what I expected, October 9, 2010
It does have useful information. But, I was under the impression you would be taught to make things by your own hand. I was surprised so many things were so dependent on Castile Soap. I was also taken aback but finding swear words sprinkled through out. I guess it makes it conversational? It was ok, and had some good home remedy things in their too and how to use different herbs and teas, but I guess I thought it would explain more on how to acquire, where to start and such. It does have many things to make such as soft scrub with everyday items and homemade bleach ect. So useful, just wish it has pictures and where to start to get things that you may not have heard of yet.

Quick Guide, March 22, 2010
This book has been a nice guide in helping us limit the toxic chemicals we use in and around our home. I purchased it mainly for house cleaner recipes but have also found the healthcare and hygiene recipes to be quite useful. In addition, there is a wonderful chapter that covers the how-to's of gardening. Great for someone interested in\or new to organic gardening. I enjoy the handwritten text....it gives a fun, simple, organic feel to this handly little book.

Wonderful, March 16, 2010
This book contains TONS of information! I'm just beginning to realize my impact on the environment so I'm a total noobie but I think this book is great for people like me or for people who have experience with things like growing their own food, etc. There are some things in here that I probably won't do right away (like grow my own herbs)but if I ever want to I'll sure know how! If you're considering getting this book to further your knowledge on living sustainably I would tell you to get it! My only complaint about the book is that there are no pictures...

Awesome book, September 20, 2010
"Make Your Place" is way cool. I've already crafted a good number of the items in the book. It might also be beneficial to get a wild-crafting book, as stated by the author. Some of the items may be pricey to get - the dark bottles and essential oils. I used a lot of empty jars from my kitchen for most things, though. This is absolutely a good buy, and I'll always have this book on my shelf!

Interesting read, August 23, 2010
This book is full of interesting and helpful ideas. How to mix almost every household item you would ever need.
And, in the long run, it may be cheaper than buying these things. That is after you have made the first purchases of all of the herbs, essential oils and other things you will need to make these concoctions. But there is a part of the book dedicated to gardening (a very good section!) that explains how you can grow many of these things yourself. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in replacing the chemicals in their home with more natural ingredients. But read her warnings on allergies carefully!

Awesome book!, June 21, 2010
I absolutely love this book! I read the whole thing the first day I got it. I love the zine style of it. I bought a bunch of the ingredients and I am excited to start using my new recipes!

Great for skin care!, May 2, 2010
This book has opened my eyes to all the things I can make for me and my household. I have very dry sensitive skin and I think the face oil is amazing. I can make it just right for my skin. Plus the book is so cute! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Dr. John E. Sarno is a medical pioneer whose program has helped thousands of thousands of people overcome their back conditions--without or drugs or dangerous surgery.Now, using his grounbreaking research into TMS (Tension Mytostis Syndrome), Dr. Sarno goes one step further: after identifyig stress and other psychological factors in back pain, he demonstrates how many of his patiens have gone on to heal themselves without exercise or other physical therapy.Find out:

• Why self-motivated and successful people are prone to TMS
  
• How anxiety and repressed anger trigger muscle spasms
  
• How people "train themselves' to experience back pain
  
• How you may get relief from back pain within two to six weeks by recognizing TMS and its causes

Reviews

Worth a look., November 7, 2002
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include Treat Your Own Spinal Stenosis. Good luck!

Still doing great after five years!, May 29, 2004
I like to check in every now and then with my progress and I have to say that since reading this book and implementing its suggestions in 1999, I have been free of back pain for five years. I NEVER take it for granted. I biked 35 miles just today without so much as a twinge. I had suffered with back pain for ten years after being attacked by a combative patient at work (I was a psych nurse) so it was pretty much a miracle to stumble on Dr. Sarno's book and his theories. I'm an incredibly practical person who tends to pooh-pooh a lot of holistic medicine, but these theories are based on common sense. If I ever feel even a twinge of discomfort, usually re-reading the Prologue is enough to make me better. Thank you, Dr. Sarno, for changing my life!

Start here...period, April 1, 2002
If you're like me and thousands (millions?) of others who suffer from back pain and other ailments (e.g., sciatica, "tennis elbow", even frequent urination and skin rashes), this book is a literal lifesaver.

I first learned about Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), the name Dr. Sarno gave to this condition, in 1999 when Dr. Sarno appeared on Larry King Live. At that time, I had been suffering from chronic low back pain for a decade. I first developed it my junior year in college and had back pain off and on since. Because I was a military officer at the time when it was most severe, I was afforded exceptional healthcare and offered every possible treatment at the U.S. government's expense. However, no amount of treatment - physical therapy, chiropractic care, exercising/stretching, acupuncture, etc. - could free me of my debilitating pain. That is, until I discovered Dr. Sarno's diagnosis.

By the time I read Dr. Sarno's book, I had every known type of imagery done to determine the root of my low back pain - MRI, CT, X-ray, etc. Still, nothing was conclusive, so once I learned through Dr. Sarno's book the pain could simply be a phyiscal reaction to emotional pain, the diagnosis made perfect sense to me and was easy to believe. Within days of reading the book, I was cured. Amazing.

Unfortunately, I still have bouts with TMS, sometimes severe bouts. As such, I continue to seek out a permanent cure for my problem. Dr. Sarno's book helped me put the pain in perspective and regain control of my life. However, it has not been able to rid me of TMS all together. He suggests psychotherapy if TMS persists, but I live in South Korea and do not have that as an option. Nonetheless, I am at least relieved to know I haven't caused any real injury to my back. I can thus go about my business and simply manage the pain as it arrives. Thank you, Dr. Sarno, thank you.

Incidentally, before I close, I should mention many people rave about Fred Amir's book "Rapid Recovery from Back Pain". I too have that book, but I have not found it that helpful (see my review). Regardless, whatever answers you seek beyond this book, don't do so until you've started here. Dr. Sarno's book is the foundation for any further help you may seek.

REVIEW UPDATE: 15 JANUARY 2004

I am writing to reaffirm how wonderful this book truly is. I am very happy to report I have had literally no back pain in nearly two years now. None. My treatment? Nothing other than reading Dr. Sarno's book. That's it. Please, folks, do yourself a favor. Give this book a try. I exaggerate not when I say that reading this paperback alone can free you of pain forever. I'm living proof.

It Works, December 10, 1999
It's apparent that the Amazon.com reviewer didn't read the book thoroughly, which is unfortunate. My lifestyle and career were seriously threatened by incapacitating back pain. I read Sarno's book, and found it compelling enough to go on and take his course. Three years on, I'm back pain free. I know a handful of people who've been helped by the book alone, but it's certainly true that the course is very effective, which validates his theories, which invalidates the vast majority of other back pain books. For what it's worth, I'm an allopathic physician (MD) with significant orthopedic surgery experience.

Update: June 20, 2010 - still back-pain free! Thank you, Dr. Sarno!!!

Learning to read might be the first emotional problem to overcome, October 10, 2008
I was sort of amazed that at least five reviewers here knocked Dr. Sarno's book because they couldn't find a method in the book to follow. For example:

"I read it, and it didn't change a thing. And there is no description of the actual method."

"Sarno's book helped me understand the cause of my back pain, but I was left with no clear steps to take to get rid of the pain."

"Be warned -- there's no actual treatment plan in this book."

"He doesn't tell you how to heal it (as the title suggests), but rather tries to drum into you the idea that you may, indeed, have his syndrome. After which you discover that the only way to heal it is through workshops/videos/personal consultations."

"There's not one thing about his program. I certainly wouldn't have purchased it if I knew this wasn't his actual program, just a sales pitch for it. This was a waste of money."

While other reviewers' critiques consisted of (inaccurately) boiling the method down to something like "If you're in pain, ask yourself what you're angry about and you will be healed."

Well class, if you will kindly turn to page 70 in the book, as the table of contents suggests, here you will find the step-by-step method outlined under the unambiguously titled chapter called, "The treatment of TMS." Here are the steps, edited for brevity, for those of you who missed it, or haven't quite got the hang of learning how to read yet:

� 1991 by John E. Sarno, M.D. Text quoted under fair use copyright law. No infringement is intended.

The treatment program rests on two pillars:

1. The acquisition of knowledge of insight into the nature of the disorder.

2. The ability to act on that knowledge, and thereby change the brain's behavior. So, one must learn all about TMS. What actually causes the pain, and what part of the brain is responsible. Then one reviews the psychology of the disorder. The fact that we all tend to generate anger and anxiety in this culture, and that the more compulsive and perfectionistic of us generate a lot.

3. What one must then do is develop the habit of "thinking psychological, instead of physical." I suggest to patients that when they find themselves being aware of the pain, they must consciously and forcefully shift their attention to something psychological. Perhaps, something they are worried about. A chronic family or financial problem. A recurrent source of irritation. Anything in the psychological realm. That sends a message to the brain that they are no longer deceived by the pain. When that message reaches the depths of the mind - the unconscious - the pain ceases.

4. Talk to your brain. What one is doing is consciously taking charge, instead of feeling the helpless, intimidated victim which is so common in people with this syndrome. The person is asserting himself, telling the brain that he is not going to put up with this state of affairs. And it works. Patients report that they can actually abort an episode of pain by doing this.

5. Resume all physical activity, including the most vigorous. Though it is often difficult, every patient has to work through his or her fear and return to full, normal physical activity. One must do this to liberate oneself from the fear of physical activity, which is often more effective than pain in keeping one's mind focused on the body. That is the purpose of TMS, to keep the mind from attending to emotional things. As Snoopy, the great contemporary philosopher once said, "There's nothing like a little physical pain to keep your mind off your emotional problems." I suggest to patients that they begin the process of resuming physical activity when they experience a significant reduction in pain, and when they are feeling confident about the diagnosis. One has to confront TMS - fight it - or the symptoms will continue. Losing one's fear and resuming normal physical activity is possibly the most important part of the therapeutic process.

6. All forms of physical treatment or therapy must be abandoned. Conceptually, prescribing physical therapy contradicts what we have found to be the only rational way to treat the problem. That is, by teaching and through education, invalidating the process where it begins - in the mind.

7. Review these 12 key thoughts at least once a day:

1. The pain is due to TMS, not to a structural abnormality.
2. The direct reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation.
3. TMS is a harmless condition caused by my repressed emotions.
4. The principal emotion is my repressed anger.
5. TMS exists only to distract my attention from the emotions.
6. Since my back is basically normal, there is nothing to fear.
7. Therefore, physical activity is not dangerous.
8. And I must resume all normal physical activity.
9. I will not be concerned or intimidated by the pain.
10. I will shift my attention from the pain to emotional issues.
11. I intend to be in control, not my unconscious mind.
12. I must think psychological at all times, not physical.

Patients are then urged to give this information an opportunity to "sink in," to be integrated, to be accepted at an unconscious level. Conscious acceptance, though essential as a first step, is not sufficient to reverse the TMS.

"A book cannot substitute for a doctor", April 10, 2000
In the words of Dr. Sarno, "A book cannot substitute for a doctor and it is not my intention to diagnose and treat through this book." I fear, however, that the arguments set forth are precisely the kind that would keep many people from seeking appropriate medical treatment for their back pain.

I speak from experience because I recently came within hours of death-from back pain.

Yes, back pain. I had a relatively rare condition that was misdiagnosed by many doctors for years. My symptoms seemed quite common. I spent lots of time in front of a computer and was usually stressed out. My posture suggested a classic case of "computer spine." I had tight muscles and didn't get enough sleep. I had a history of scoliosis. I had the personality characteristics common to TMS sufferers. And I had a tumor growing inside my spinal column.

I read Dr. Sarno's book more than once. Looking back, it is clear to me that I experienced a placebo effect from reading it. My pain never went away entirely, but I could make it go away enough that I was convinced it was all in my head. I thought I must have been in the five percent that has trouble letting go of the pain. I even managed to convince my doctors because they were open-minded, progressive thinkers-the kind of doctors we all wish we could have when we're in pain.

That is, until the tumor ruptured, bled into my cerebrospinal fluid and caused a near deadly increase in pressure on my brain. Fortunately, the tumor was benign and was successfully removed, but not without much unnecessary pain and suffering. My back pain is now gone and I don't expect it back. It had nothing whatsoever to do with my mind.

Let the buyer of this book beware. Don't try to diagnose yourself. I think Dr. Sarno's approach probably works for a lot of people, but it wasn't right for me. If the Sarno method works for you, God bless you and Dr. Sarno. If it doesn't seem to be working, keep talking to your doctors and don't be too quick to assume that it's all in your head. In Dr. Sarno's own words, "Pain syndromes must always be properly studied to rule out serious disorders such as cancer, tumors, bone disease and many other conditions."

Dr. Sarno is a Genius!, March 4, 2000
If your back hurts, buy this book... now.

I have suffered from chronic back pain for the last 13 years, after having pain from powerlifting and being diagnosed with a ruptured L5-S1 disk. I also have a spina bifida occulta in my sacrum.

In those 13 years I have tried chiropractic therapy, stretching, exercises, heat, ice, nutritional supplements, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, special chairs and shoes, facet joint injections, physical therapy, anti-depressants, surgery (laminectomy in 1991), scar-removal procedure (2 yrs ago), and even daily high dose narcotic painkiller for over a year. The pain ALWAYS came back. It even started spreading to my hips and right shoulder over the past 2 yrs.

I found this book about a month ago when I woke up in pain yet again, even though I had been stretching and exercising every day. There was no logical reason for the pain, and that's when I decided to figure out what was really going on.

I found this book by Dr. Sarno and over the past month, the pain has gone away completely. I have never felt better.

Once you understand how the brain and nervous system function, you can begin to take control of the situation.

For those suffering back (or any other) pain, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I would recommend reading this book before going on to Sarno's "Mind-Body Prescription". I don't think I would have understood the info. in "MBP" as readily if I haven't read "Healing Back Pain" first. Read them both though.

Once you are pain-free, you will again see the world as your oyster.

Dr. Sarno's insights are profound!, December 7, 1999
After 20 years of excrutiating back pain, I'm curred. As I was reading Dr. Sarno's book I found myself identifying with his patients and with his diagnosis. I read the book very closely, trying not to miss any details and applying his recovery techniques as I'm reading and my back pain started subsiding before I finished the book. I still had to work with his suggested techniques another week before I had my pain completely under my conscious control. I also had severe foot pain from plantar facitis and had stopped running three years ago, but thanks to Dr. Sarno's book, I have no more foot pain and have resumed my running program. I have been seen by many medical doctors for years for my problems and none could ever help me. I was on the verge of getting surgury for my feet and am so glad I didn't do that. I now realize that I must deal with the emotional issues as they arise every day in my life no matter how insignificant they may seem, but to continue in the same old attitude of denial and subjugation of my rightful feelings can only bring me more of the same, pain and misery directed at my own body from my subconscious mind. I am a believer in Dr. Sarno's theories. Thanks so much for your wonderful book.

If you have chronic back pain read this book!, February 21, 2006

Hands down, read this book if you are experiencing chronic back pain and you really think there could be more to it then structural.

In 1998 I suffered torn SI ligaments and ruptured lumbar discs in my lower back. After a year of physical therapy the left over aches and sciatic pains had me limping for another year. It seemed to me the chronic pain I was feeling should not have been as severe with all the healing work that was done to strengthen my back. At the end of 1999 I saw an interview on television with the author of this book. The next day I purchased the book and read it cover to cover. The following morning my back pain was reduced by 90% and it has never returned to the chronic ache that I felt for years before reading "Healing Back Pain".

Did I mention if you have chronic back pain you should really read this book?

War I have won!, August 4, 2005
Yep. It is me against my pain and the story goes..

When I used to think of all that stuff I could be enjoing doing if not for the pain (like walking, hiking, weight lifiting,
running), I used to get even more depressed and my mind was constantly sending more
pain signals (if you will) to my lower back. I went into depression sort of. I envy seeing all those people slouch,
bend, run, dance and what not (and my pain is even more).
Even imagining lifting something as heavy as my laptop used to dread me.
I have seen doctors. I have used NSAIDs. I have gotten therapy. Gotten MRIs done. Tried alternative therapies like
trigger point therapy, yoga etc. Resulst? Zilch! Still my pain persisted.
And at times, the pain is gone and at times it was debilitating.
At times, it was in my left leg other times in my right hand. And constant nag in my low back.
And the pain used to change its target areas to thighs, ankles, hands.
Sitting 2 hours used to make my low back so hot (literally) - it used to be like a burner.
Well, all this explained me nothing. I tried to analyse the pain patterns based on some criteria - Like I have
used drugs on these days and what is my pain level. I have done therapy today, did it help? I was exerted more than usual, did it
make a difference. Absolutely NO PATTERN was established. Those days I was exterted, sometimes, are better for me than those
days that I did not. Well, you get the idea.

I bought about 10 books before I tried Dr. Sarno's. I am so gald that I have stumbled on this book rather
(No one has told me about it).

These are the steps I have performed to cure my back in 4 weeks:
[Most of the stuff is there in the book]

1. Listen to music when I can so that I concentrate on enjoying the music part (I have a desk job).
2. Watch movies of my liking (and try to enjoy the movie and ignore the pain).
3. Spend time with family/friends.
4. Concentrate on the work when I am working.
5. When in severe pain, read the reviews (positive ones which are in plenty) on Amazon.com for this book.
Yep, no kidding, it helped me a great deal. Very inspirational!!
6. Do bending, slouching and all other normal activities.
7. Take it like a game, like a challenge, me against my mind (hmm, an oxymoron?); While I was trying to put the pain to the grave,
It was kind of funny the way the pain moved from one place to another place.
8. Talk to myself to reiterate the fact that there is no pain as such. It is all a mind game!
9. Concentrate on issues, as the book says. However, when I tried to do that part,
some times, my pain used to shoot up. Its sort of as if the pain struggling for survival.
10. Hit the gym and do some moderate lifting and running activities.
11. Friends and Relatives who are aware of my pain would try to warn me and offer me assistance.
It was important for me that they don't offer that help implying I am not normal.
I told them clear not to offer me any assistance. Not that we forget we have pain, but them
to offer help makes things worse while trying to bounce back.
12.Believe that I am normal and I can do what an healthy normal being can do!

I know, its all in the book but to put it to work is a struggle!
Every one knows. Hnce I want to reiterate the point "to shrug the pain off your mind" while doing
the above activities is important.

Well, the way I looked at it was, I had no hope. With all due respect to the doctors and their degrees,
they could offer me NOTHING. Even, some used to get frustrated with me when I explain my situation or ask more
questions. Well I wonder if that's because their inability to comprehend the root cause of the problem?

And I felt the pain was so much, nothing could have made it worse and gave a shot at Dr. Sarno's theory.
Thats my story. And hope it will help you get better.

Good luck!

... Read more

Editorial Review

Fight Colds and Flu
Lower Cholesterol
Beat Depression
Banish Fatigue
Enhance Memory
Lose Weight
And More!

An ancient Chinese legend: Once there was a man who knew 100,000 healing properties of herbs. He taught his son 80,000 secrets. On his deathbed, he told his son to visit his grave in five years, and there he would find the other 20,000 secrets. When the son went to his father's grave, he found, growing on the site, the tea shrub....

Teas are the gentle, natural, most beneficial way to absorb the healing properties of herbs--easily and inexpensively. A simple cup of tea not only has the power to soothe and relax but to deliver healing herbal agents to the bloodstream more quickly than capsules, tinctures, or infusions. Feeling tired? Rose hip tea will rev you up and beautify your skin. Need some help with your diet? Ginger tea will provide the boost you need and help aching joints too. Hot or iced, these pure and simple drinks offer delicious ways to stay healthy and revitalize you from the inside out. This unique guide offers:

An A-Z listing of common ailments followed by the teas best used to treat them
Instructions on how to create your own medicinal kitchen
Advice on creating your own tea blends
Descriptions of the top 100 herbs and their secret healing properties
And much, much more!
... Read more

Reviews

Most informative book on herbs and teas I've ever read!, January 10, 2000
20,000 Secrets of Tea is the best book I've ever read on the subject of herbs and herbal teas.Unlike some books on herbs and teas, this book is clear-cut and extremely easy to follow. The book also contains many recipes for tea blends and recipes for certain ailments. I was amazed by the amount of information contained in this book. Not only does it contain detailed descriptions of herbs, but it also gives a summary of traditional and historical uses of herbs. It also lists certain precautions that should be taken when considering herbal remedies. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in how tea and herbs can contribute to their health!

Drink tea to your health, April 26, 2001
Have a stomach ache? PMS? Then this book is what you need. the natural way of making and drinking tea is in this book of herbs for teas. The origins and properties of these herbs are explained. A natural way to enhance your health. This is cross-referenced to find out any symtom or name of herb. I read a book where the characters where always drinking Red Clover tea and I went to this book to find out that red clover is good for coughs and dry scalp. There is a wealth of information packed in this little book.

In Your Hip Pocket!, February 6, 2007
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!

One of the gals at the health food store that I go to recommended this book. If I had to pick only one book on herbal teas, this would be the one. It is a quick, easy reference - and right on the money with the medicinal uses and any cautions that should be taken. I built my 'herbal tea cabinet' based on the advice from this book - and I need a bigger cabinet! (smile)

The cost is just pennies for the 20,000 secrets!

Go for it!

Amazing!, September 19, 2005
This is the perfect book for anyone looking to use herbs for healing! It is very easy to understand and I was relieved to find all of these herbs in Whole Foods, (a local health food store). This book is not just for when your sick, it also gives great information about teas for every day use and illness prevention.

20,000 Secrets of Tea, February 20, 2006
Victoria Zak's book includes herbal tea history, remedies,directions on making your own teas,detailed lists of herbs + ailments to treat.She lists herbs with cautions as well as parts of plant to use in making tea along with historical facts about many herbs. Recipes and quotes make this book an interesting read + educational reference to your herbal tea library.

I have baught this book twice, January 9, 2007
It's that good. It's basically a alphabetical breakdown of teas and their uses, covering some herbs that are not considered typical tea, Pepper for one. There is also a ailment to herb section. I have used this to breakdown the effects of "over the counter" tea blends. Who cares if it has liquorish root? what the hell does that root do? And will it help my throat? YadaYada, a perfect keeper book.

A Must Have for Beginners, April 15, 2006
Plain and simple: Buy this book if you're a beginner. It's easy and interesting to read, tons of useful information and easy to use as a quick reference. BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

Great for beginners, February 1, 2001
Very informative no nonsense approach to the world of herbal teas and their medicinal properties. Highly recommended!

Unbelievable Secrets!, January 25, 2003
I never knew TEA could be anything steeped in hot water, nevertheless medicinal! It is a true must have and I don't leave town without it. It really makes sense and I never knew there was so much information just on black tea alone. I read it all the time just gleaning from its information. I even bought a copy for a friend.

A Wonderful Book for All, June 6, 2001
Did you know that 20,000 Secrets of Tea has been translated into Russian? The Russians know a good thing when they see it.I wouldn't be surprised to see other countries follow Russia's lead. This extraordiary little book--small in size and large in scope, is the loving work of one who relies on the healing value of herbs in everyday life and knowledgably shares the information with us all. Ms Zak knows much about the properties, history and the lore of herbs, and she tells it freely in this delightful as well as useful book. It would make a wonderful gift for anyone who is even peripherally interested in herbs, as well as in helping to heal themselves and their families of a variety of minor and even some major ailments. A pleasure to peruse, this book harks back to the tradition of the Wise Woman who once kept her village healthy with what she gathered from woods, field and garden. Written clearly and with a well honed style, this 20,000 Secrets opf Tea is a special treasure to own and a a helpful text to refer to. Whether you grow your own herbs or buy teas from a healthfood or grocery store, for a variety of reasons you will find Ms Zak's book to be of great help in your everyday life. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Are you thriving...or do you need a health BREAKTHROUGH?

People are suffering and many haven’t had access to the treatment they truly need to get better. Until now.

In interviews with the most progressive doctors in the field of antiaging medicine, #1 New York Times bestselling author and women’s health pioneer Suzanne Somers uncovers enlightening, lifesaving information for a natural, drug-free approach to living. Spending the time that you just won’t have with your own doctor in today’s challenged medical environment, she shares the 8 STEPS TO WELLNESS that form the cornerstone of breakthrough medicine. Readers will discover how to:

•balance hormones through bioidentical (not synthetic, cancer-causing) hormone replacement
•fix thyroid problems
•sleep 8 to 9 hours each night without drugs
•improve memory
•detect diabetes early
•restore hearing
•preserve eyesight
•and much more!
... Read more

Reviews

It helps to be rich!, September 14, 2008
Suzanne walks the walk for sure. The only complaint I have is that her suggestions involve thousands of dollars and really are only for the rich. IV Chelation costs thousands and is not covered by insurance. Stem cell preservation ($7500) and human growth hormone ($$ monthly). Also, you can't just take on her suggestions without the knowledge of a functional medicine type doctor. As a mom of 3 girls, I do and will continute to use BHRT with help from my functional medicine doctor but I even if I had the money couldn't bring myself to inject HGH. Her nutrition suggestions are spot on. If we only would all practice them consistently, we may have alot less disease.

This "breakthrough" needs fixing, November 8, 2008
Ms. Somers has taken an important subject and made it unnecessarily complicated and perhaps inappropriate/impossible for the average reader. If one were to follow her "breakthrough" recommendations, they would be spending much of their life detoxing, eating organic fruits and vegetables(and little else), exercising, getting lymphatic massages, having their root canals and fillings extracted, getting their electrical currents measured, setting aside blood for future stem cell needs(at $7500 a pop), having chelation therapy, taking HGH shots, and eliminating all foods that provide a modicum of pleasure in todays world.

Much of what is stated is important and helpful, but a true wellness book should have been more definitive about people getting off medications, not just statin drugs. A true wellness physician should be able to eliminate all medications that his/her patients are on. This is achieved by eliminating the causation of illness, a subject that is not covered in this book. There are many people who have difficulty sleeping, have restless leg syndrome, anger issues, road rage, fibromyalgia( which is not an auto-immune disorder or an inflammatory condition as stated in the book ), depression or IBS from internalization of anger, hypertension, a problem with excessive drinking,or smoking, or drugs in order to "chill out", anxiousness-type feelings, bipolar disorders, excess cortisol production leading to weight gain, chronic interstitial cystitis, etc. Every one of these conditions are caused by an over-production of a hormone that is scarcely mentioned in the book - adrenaline, the fight-or-flight hormone. The control of this hormone is imperative to achieving wellness; ironically, it is easy to do. Every one of the conditions mentioned can often be eliminated by lowering the levels of this hormone.

I am a wellness physician and very much supportive of what Ms. Somers is trying to accomplish. It does not have to be complicated, it involves sitting down and talking to the patient, getting hormones in balance appropriately without unnessarily high doses of estrogen(or any at all since most women never stop making it),removing medications, an education in nutrition, and the correct use of supplements.

For the record I would like to clarify some statements in the book: Estrogen lowers IGF-1 levels. It is dangerous to use these levels as a guide to HGH dosage when taking estrogen(as does Ms. Somers).
Progesterone lowers insulin levels, it does not raise them.
HGH is not an anti-aging hormone; it increases IGF-1 which speeds up aging.
Testosterone does not lower cholesterol levels, but is certainly cardio-protective for both men and women.
In men,testosterone can easily convert into estradiol, the cause of prostate cancer. Perhaps some mention should have been made about how to prevent this conversion.
Migraine headaches are not "a classic response to low estrogen". They are caused by estrogen and are eliminated by progesterone cream.
"A backed-up gall bladder" is not the most common cause of headaches.

Suzanne Somers began her book with the same quotation that I ended mine with. My book begins with a quotation from Voltaire who stated that, "Doctors give drugs of which they know little/Into bodies of which they know less/For diseases of which they know nothing at all".

Michael E. Platt,md The author of The Miracle of Bio-identical Hormones,2nd edition.

WAKE UP TIME !!!, September 16, 2008
Eveyone should read this book!!!! It is a wake up call to all people to see what medicine in our country has morphed into. We have lost all insight into the way our bodies work and respond to the food we put in our mouths, the toxins we eat, drink and are exposed to. Our bodies were not made to ingest the chemicals and nasty oils. Read this book then start reading labels!!! And for the love of Pete, get your hormones checked if you are over 35!!! Why in the world would you not want to use natural bio identical hormone therapy to feel better and fight disease??? Some of the things that are cutting edge mentioned in the book are expensive. However, bio identicals, supplements and eating healthy is NOT! Find a good bio identical/alternative doc to handle your hormone replacement and help yourself. Don't let your standard medical doc talk you out of it because they don't know about it like mine did. The real wake up call from this book that everyone should take away is to be your own advocate. Don't just take what a doc tells you and believe everything they say. Check it out for yourself. Get off the pills and get your body right. YOU have to be the person in charge of your health. I have been through years of thyroid disorders due to the fact that the docs were using outdated info, failed to test thoroughly, and use common sense methods. Now I am scrambling to get it all back in order with great alternative doc. Lesson here, take this stuff to heart, do what you can to be healthy, spend the money on health rather than junk.
Suzanne has lots of info on cancer and treatments. We need to note how our medical society treats cancer and how they should be dealing with it. It is a very sad reality. This book has a lot to think about and a lot to act on. I highly recommend it to all my friends and family. Thank you Suzanne for putting yourself out there for our education.

What Your Doctor Doesn't Know, September 16, 2008

Suzanne Somers has always been on the cutting edge of healthcare! She has a tremendous grasp of the subject, but her truly great gift is being able to transmit that knowledge in an easy to understand fashion. Her latest book, "Breakthrough" continues that tradition, while greatly expanding on important health information.
This book is the most advanced book Suzanne has written yet because she is keeping up with a rapidly advancing field. She adeptly covers every aspect of anti-aging and bioidentical hormone medicine and features expert medical mentors at the forefront of the field. These doctors have years of experience and base their practices on information in current medical studies published in peer-reviewed medical literature.
A very useful aspect of the book is that Ms. Somers organizes the information into eight steps to wellness and then elaborates on each one. She tells you exactly what it takes and what you have to do to maintain vibrant health! Then she goes beyond this information to give additional insurance for longevity like stem cell banking. As she elaborates on each step, she uses interviews with the experts in this field. I have attended many lectures by these doctors and continue to be impressed with their knowledge, integrity, and scientific approach to the subject.
It is very valuable that Suzanne represents wellness as a group of things you have to do on a consistent basis instead of a quick fix. We are too oriented to taking a pharmaceutical that will cure all our problems. Health is a process and a journey that requires a set of consistent actions and attention. It is important that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is her first step, because hormones are basic to all good health by keeping our cells healthy.
The information in this book is advanced medical knowledge that is not commonly known by the usual medical practitioner. Most of the information in this book is not taught in medical school and must be sought out by the medical practitioner who currently barely has time to see patients. Remember most of modern medical practice is disease based, so if you do not have a disease, but do not feel well, there is nothing your doctor knows to do for you. If you have a disease, medicine has tunnel vision of treating only the disorder without regards to the underlying cause or healthy options. Thank goodness for the medical vanguard in this book who are leading the way to a new concept of prevention, health, and wellness.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone loss and aging or just want to maintain the best health you can, then "Breakthrough" is essential information to be read carefully and completely.

Suzanne has done it again!, September 21, 2008
Suzanne Somers is one of my heros. I am very health conscious and have been on bio-identical hormones for almost 3 years now and it has changed my life. I do a lot of reading of many health-related newsletters and am a member of Life Extension Foundation. Despite being quite knowledgable about nutrition, hormone replacement and other health matters, this book was absolutely brimming with information I was unaware of. If everyone read Breakthrough, we would rise up as a nation and say NO MORE! to the horribly corrupt system that feeds us poisions in our food and in our medicines (the chapter on excitotoxins is chilling). Suzanne has used her fame magnificently to bring a wealth of important health information to the mainstream public and I applaud her for it. Yes, to do everything she does for her health is prohibitively expensive for most people, however, there is a lot you CAN do to be more healthy that doesn't cost a lot. You can criticize her for being one of the elite, but I choose to thank her and to bless her for making this important work her life mission. Thanks Suzanne - and I hope you make millions from this book, you deserve it!

Another great book by Suzanne, September 20, 2008
I must admit when I saw Suzanne Sommers books I was a bit skeptical and wondered if she really had the knowledge to write of what she speaks, but I have read a couple of her books and just purchased Breakthrough and I am really impressed. She really has a radiance about her and seems very content in her life after enduring some serious health issues. I think this book is a great read for women and it is easy to connect with Suzanne and feel she is really giving women detailed important information..I do agree with her that many medical professionals are out of touch with the issues concerning women's hormones, menopuase etc and after reading this book I really felt inspired and I hope alot of women will read this and know that they do not have to suffer the sometimes difficult passage of menopause etc..Suzanne has researched this topic extensively and I am very grateful she has given such great info to her readers.

Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness, September 11, 2008
Another Great Book from Suzzzy!!!

Her books are very insightful and a easy read. The basics included eating healthy (organic when possible) food, avoiding pharmaceuticals and remove toxins from your home life. I love her daily plans. I would recommend this book for older and younger women. I also, recommend The Power of Postive Habits.

Suzanne Somers Proudly Breaks Through, September 23, 2008
From www.BasilAndSpice.com

Book Review: BreakThrough by Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers will be 94 years old when 2041 rolls around. The actress/author looks forward to a healthy productive life as she ages. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, Ms. Somers was treated with radiation, but then opted out of chemotherapy. Choosing the natural but controversial homeopathic Iscador, she remains cancer-free. A supportive user of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), she injects herself each morning with Human Growth Hormone (HGH), follows a chemical-free diet, advocates exercise, rest, and research of the latest news in health.

Suzanne Somers has recently published a new book--BreakThrough. Broken into sections covering eight aspects of wellness for health and longevity, Ms. Somers has included interviews with specialists who state what their breakthroughs have been in the emerging world of antiaging medicine. "Breakthrough medicine takes advantage of bioidentical hormone replacement for women and men, understanding that the decline of hormones in all of us is commensurate with the decline of our health," the author writes. Highlighting the work of antiaging physicians, such as Dr. Eric Braverman, Somers believes that BHRT can rectify a weakened thyroid, diminished brain capacity, decreased heart pumping, weakened immunity, menopause, andropause, bone density reduction, muscular decreases, and loss of skin elasticity.

Somers "8 Steps to Wellness" include:

* Get Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
* Avoid chemicals and detoxify the body
* Take nutrition seriously
* Create a healthy G.I. tract
* Avoid pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary
* Supplement the diet
* Exercise regularly
* Get proper sleep

Interviews with 20 renowned specialists are conducted by Ms. Somers and appear throughout her book.

Notable names:

Dr. Jonathan Wright--founder of The Tahoma Clinic

* Wrote the first prescription for bioidentical hormones 20 years ago
* Authored Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You
* Discusses lithium supplementation for neuron brain activity
* Recognizes female balding and its relation to stomach acid
* Points out significance of zinc for macular degeneration
* States that sucralose is chlorinated sugar and is indeed toxic
* Mentions that you can cut down your sugar cravings with a chromium supplement

Dr. Ron Rothenberg--preventative and regenerative medicine

* Believes sickness and frailty are not inevitable
* Low testosterone is associated with negative conditions--diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease
* Those with the highest free-testosterone levels will live longer
* You can fight toxicity and free radicals by supplementing with antioxidants, omega-3 fish oils, vitamin D3, reservatrol, curcumin, milk thistle, and echinacea

Dr. Russell Blaylock--brain surgeon

* Authored Excitotoxins--The Taste That Kills, Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life, Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients
* Avoid omega-6 oils--peanut, canola, etc.. They are a primary source of arteriosclerosis Canola oil has been shown to promote cancer.
* Glutamates cause brain damage--list includes caseinate, autolyzed yeast enzymes, hydrolyzed yeast enzymes, soy isolates

Other notable interviews: Dr. Jennifer Berman, Dr. Howard Liebowitz, Dr. Prudence Hall, Dr. Khalid Mahmud, Dr. Steve Nelson, Dr. Eric Braverman, Dr. Michael Galitzer, Dr. Steven Hotze, Christiana Paul, M.S.

This Suzanne Somers book holds its own in the best seller lists because it contains a wealth of recent research. The author has sufficiently researched the here and now of antiaging medicine, collecting information from top minds, and has brought it to the public. Somers writes, "BreakThrough is a proud achievement for me as an author and an advocate for anti-aging medicine. Once I was introduced to this type of "BreakThrough" medicine, and experienced the enormous benefits, I felt the need to share it with as many people as possible." Ms. Somers should be proud.


BreakThrough does offer new hope and possible solutions for cancer, disease, and frailty prevention. As part of a growing trend moving away from weight loss alone and toward an attitude of living well longer, it's truly a must read. 5 Stars

Read The Bonus Chapters with Dr. Andy Jurow, Dr. Julie Taguchi, and Dr. Candice Lane on the Suzanne Somers website.
Younger YouKeeping aBreast: Ways to Stop Breast CancerHealth and Nutrition SecretsFor Women Only, Revised Edition: A Revolutionary Guide to Reclaiming Your Sex LifeHormones, Health, and Happiness: A Natural Medical Formula for Rediscovering Youth with Bioidentical Hormones

Related-- http://www.BasilAndSpice.com

New Poll Finds Women Unaware of Some Breast Cancer Risks

Cancer Epidemic is Preventable

Research Shows The AntiCancer Diet Works

Wealth of information, November 9, 2008
I am a registered nurse and have spent many hours reading and re-reading sections of this book. For all the wonderful new medical breakthroughs out there, there are also some that are outdated and "broken". Money unfortunately has distorted some. Suzanne Somers is a brave pioneer and I appreciate that someone has finally come forward with the truth about our current health system. I have passed this book on to those I love in hopes that they take responsibility for their own health and become proactive supporting alternative medicine. Read the obits every morning. People are dying much too young.

Take Charge Of Your Health, October 22, 2008
I have always loved Suzanne Somers and have often agreed with her thought processes about health,nutrition and the medical community. This book if nothing else, will make you think about your health and the control that you have over it. I do agree that some of Suzanne's methods and regimes may be a little far fetched for the average Joe, but everyone can take away something to start doing immediately to improve ther health.

That being said, I applaud Suzanne for going up against the mainstream medical community. Everyone needs to understand the realtionships between the doctors, pharmaceutical giants, the FDA and Congress. The kickbacks and perks that physicians receive from the pharmaceutical industry is absolutely sickening given the state of our health care system in this country. There is a time and place for pharmaceuticals, absolutely, but what about teaching and talking prevention so that dependence on pharmaceuticals can be reduced? That is what Suzanne is talking about.

The other light bulb moment came when she was talking about chemo and cancer treatments. Do you realize how profitable chemotherapy is? And that it is not always necessary? And how do you treat people's cancer the same way, when people aren't the same? There was also an eye opening moment when the Dr. Suzanne was interviewing talked about an OTC drug when taken daily after treatment for prostate cancer, was proven to reduce the recurrance of the cancer. This study however was rejected.

Buy the book and educate yourself and others about taking back control over your health. Its your body, and your mind, and you do have a choice and a say in what happens to them both! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Understanding the role of fascia in healthy movement and postural distortion is of vital importance to bodyworkers and movement therapists. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists presents a unique 'whole systems' view of myofascial/locomotor anatomy in which the bodywide connections among the muscles within the fascial net are described in detail for the first time. Using the metaphor of railway or train lines, Myers explains how patterns of strain communicate through the myofascial 'webbing', contributing to postural compensation and movement stability. Written in a style that makes it easy to understand and apply, Anatomy Trains provides an accessible and comprehensive explanation of the anatomy and function of the myofascial system in the body.The DVD ROM in the back of the book contains video of techniques, Anatomy Trains-based dissections and computer animations of the myofascial meridian lines.

includes full-colour illustrations of 11 myofascial meridians and the rules for discovering other meridians
. uses numerous full colour charts and drawings to detail the muscular and fascial structures involved in the meridians
. presents information on assessment of structural and movement patterns and gives related application to manual therapy and movement education
. provides a selection of techniques from the library of structural integration
. includes an introduction to the fascial system as a whole, with points-of-view and the latest research findings on the fascial system's responses
. offers a fun approach to learning essential structural anatomy, comparing the connective tissue system to a railway network
. video material on the accompanying DVD ROM to visually present the anatomy as described in the book.

Full colour throughout
. New design and layout
. 140 New full colour figures including dissection photographs and client photos
. DVD ROM in back of book
. A new appendices on 'Structural integration' and 'Myofascial meridians and oriental medicine'
. New posters to be published simultaneously. ... Read more

Reviews

A RNs review from a patient/practioner's prospective, March 27, 2003
Wow! I thought I'd ordered the wrong book for my needs, which are 1.more knowledge of the process of myofascial release and 2. more understanding of places/points of anatomy. It has been a long while since I've been in school and a long time since I worked at a top teaching hospital in the Bay area in California.

I read a few paragraphs, taking care not to damage the book, because I thought I'd probably return it. HOWEVER, after a few sentences I was immediately caught up in the beauty and clarity of this work. NEVER has physiology been made so interesting. Finally, I understand so many things that were just a jumble of memorized facts in preparation for exams. This book has rekindled my love of physiology and is even undoing my dislike of anatomy. Anatomy didn't make sense to me - it was boring - it was memorization. Now I am understanding why my body is so damaged from the stresses I subject it to, but better, I understand how I can undo some damage and prevent more.

I worked on a Sports Medicine unit where famous athletes came for surgery. So much surgery can be avoided with corrective measures for chronic stressors. The medical community needs to be aware of this important material.

So bravo for such a readable work. What depth of historial findings, beautiful graphics, excellent grammar and text. I feel as though I'm in school again, but this time it is for pleasure and for pain relief.

After a few pages I tried to find out more about the author and was surprised not to see a Ph.D. by his name, although I'm not sure a Ph.D. makes one any wiser.

I totally concur with the first review.

Don't buy this book if you are looking for a simple, trendy approach to bodywork. This is so much more.

A work of true genius, and lots of sweat, October 5, 2001
I am a Board Certified MD Neurologist, with osteopathic training, a Yoga Practitioner of 25 years, and have been teaching Yoga in the Ashtanga and Iyengar styles for 10 of those years. I was familiar with Tom Myers' work for some time. Needless to say I was awaiting this book's release with an anticipation that was not disappointed.

Myers is that rare bird who can convey his insights in a way that is not only accessible but also enjoyable. As is often the case, the revelations in his book (and all of his previous articles) will, I predict, have a profound effect in the Medicine of the XXI century, and have come from "outside" the mainstream of the profession.

The style is agile and yet precise (I particularly enjoy his command of Latin) The book's design is ideal both for straight-through reading and for focusing on particular interests the reader (manual therapist, yoga instructor or practitioner, etc) may have. The illustrations are awesome (to use that tired adjective, for once, in its true etymological sense) although my edition lacked the one facing page 93 (Superficial Front Line) due no doubt to a printing snafu.

The basic idea, that tensegrity ()tension integrity) patterns and structures undergird function at a macroscopic level, while not new, is presented here with clarity, scientific and anatomical rigor, and esthetic sense. It is, above all a practical book, a veritable "Instruction Manual for the Human Body" whether our own or that of the fortunate human that is a reader's cliant.

The few errata (Myers should have specified that piezoelectricity is a property of some materials, having to do with their molecular conformation and disposition; specific glial cells are called "oligodendrocytes" not "oligodendrytes"; the mesoderm, rather that the endoderm, gives origin to endothelial cells in page 36) are minor, and do not detract at all from the overall quality of this work.

I imagine that Myers is already hard at work, perhaps taking this to the next level of visceral manipulation, all the way (who knows) to the manipulation of cytoskeletal and trans-cellular elements. There again, yogis and yoginis have been manipulating microtubules and integrins for millennia...

Make no mistake, there is nothing "New-Agey" or "woo-woo" about this book, though. It is as concrete, flesh, blood and sinew as they come. I could not recommend it more heartily.

Bodyworker's Bible, August 26, 2004
Having had significant recent exposure to Tom and his school, I would like to add my cudos. The writing is supurb and entertaining. Presentations are clear, concise, and his writing is as animated as any I have ever read.

I believe that this book was written for bodyworkers to explain the dynamics of the myofascial system and how it may be manipulated to help correct improper joint and connective tissue alignment. His metaphor "anatomy trains" is a beautiful description of the layers of contiguous or nearly contiguous myofascial layers that run along the human form.

His use of a variety of illustrations old and new is amazing. I realize that he has a vast personal library so it is easy to see where spent many hours gathering just the right images that conveyed exactly what he wanted to say.

This should be rightly called a "reference textbook" and sit close to your Netter or Clemente.

A New, Global View of the body, September 12, 2005
I have been a professional body therapist since 1979. Anatomy Trains is one of the best books I have seen in my entire career spanning 36 years. This is a great book for all kinds of body therapy styles and forms. The book clearly states and I agree that a detailed knowledge of human anatomy is necessary to follow and understand the book.

Superb!, November 26, 2003
Probably the most brilliant piece of work in 500 years of anatomy studies. You will never think of the body in the same way ever again. HIGHLY recommended!

Excellent!, December 2, 2006
I am a yoga teacher who has been interested in myofascial meridians without knowing it! I have been exploring Kundalini Yoga which tends to get into the tissues to release patterns of tension. The information in this book was just what I needed to further my studies.

This book does a great job of explaining the fascia along with excellent exercises for release.

This book may be a difficult read for a lay person but if you are in any kind of movement therapy work - this is a must!

Amazing., October 2, 2006
As I read this book, I get the "eureka!"-feeling at nearly every turn of page. It all seems so logical when Myers lays it out. This book has really sparked my interest for Structural Integration therapy and I am going to order all of the Anatomy Trains DVDs - the first three are already on the way. I can also heartily recommend Ida P. Rolf's books on Structural Integration - she's the originator and (or should that be "but") is easily understood, just like Myers.

Vital importance for movement therapists, March 18, 2007
Anatomy Trains is an accesible and comprehensive overview of the myofascial system of the body. This key to understanding the role of fascia in healthy movement should be required reading of anyone who works in the bodywork field.
It may be a bit ponderous to someone who is more physically inclined but do not be put off. You will find you absorb much through just forging through as I did.

Has taken my deep tissue treatments to the next level., January 9, 2007
Reading Tom Myers book Anatomy Trains has taken my deep tissue treatments to the next level. This book combined with a hands-on class (Structural Integration continuing education) and deep tissue videos (Art Riggs) are making my clients very happy!
Myer's explanations are clear and concise.

Anatomy Trains, March 11, 2007
An excellent read that discusses the functional relationships of muscles within the body. A must have for any student or practitioner of bodywork of any kind. ... Read more

Editorial Review

See inside every stretch--and maximize flexibility!Stretching Anatomy will arm you with the knowledge to increase range of motion, supplement training, enhance recovery, and maximize efficiency of movement. You'll also gain a detailed understanding of how each stretch affects your body.

Stretching Anatomy is like having an X-ray of each stretch, only better. Not only do you see full-color illustrations of the muscles in action, but you also find out how changes in position can alter the muscle emphasis and difficulty and how variations can improve safety and effectiveness.

Each exercise includes detailed instruction on how to stretch, when to stretch, primary and secondary muscle emphasis, and which muscles are activated for support. Stretching programs provide three levels of difficulty, including light stretching that can be used as a warm-up or to aid in recovery from soreness or injury. And summary movement tables show how to customize stretching programs to focus on key problem areas.

Whether it is increased flexibility or reduced muscle soreness or tension, Stretching Anatomy allows you to see and feel the benefit of proper stretching technique. ... Read more

Reviews

Buy this one, February 6, 2007
I have been a martial arts teacher for 42 years and have authored over 20 books on the subject. So I know a little about stretching. Stretching Anatomy is a wonderful guide that is concise, yet somehow amazingly complete.

The book isn't written for one particular sport, but the savvy reader will quickly see how the many easy-to-do stretches (and a couple hard ones) will improve their performance within weeks.

Each clearly demonstrated exercise includes simple how-to-do instruction, when to do it, and which primary and secondary muscles are being stretched. The book provides three levels of difficulty, including light movements to warm-up and to help you recovery quickly from an injury or post workout soreness.

A real plus are the anatomy chart-like illustrations that show via colored shading which muscles are being affected by the stretch.

This is an excellent book that I recommend to my students.

Loren W. Christensen author of Fighter's Fact Book 2.

Great stretching book!, July 2, 2007
I have used this book to not only show and teach clients and patients proper stretching techniques, I have recommended it as a tool for the Physical Therapist at my job, and used it for myself. Illustrations are detailed with specific muscles described in each stretch and are very helpful in understanding the anatomy of each stretch - great book for ANYONE, especially pre- and post-workout for athletes! I also recommend "Stretching" by Bob Anderson in conjunction with this as a teaching tool.

A great stretching resource!, September 22, 2007
I've been a runner and athlete for over a decade, and even having learned dozens of stretches along the way, this book was well worth the money. It's very comprehensive - contains stretches for every muscle group and even describes the supporting muscle groups you're using when doing a particular stretch. The visuals are clear and helpful as well. The explanations are very easy to follow, and I love that it gives tips within each stretch for increasing the intensity or stretching slightly different muscles with a slightly different motion.

Great For Massage Therapists, December 11, 2007
As a L&NCTMB, I use this book with clients almost daily. It is clear, concise, & addressess various ability/skill levels. The muscles are easy to differentiate. Isolated muscles stretches as well as muscle group stretches are what this book is all about. Also, it has male and female bodies pictured, as well as male/female helpful hints.
Clients of mine who use the stretches in this book achieve a much greater level of relaxation and well being - thus making massage therapy worth even more than they are paying!

clear and concise, December 20, 2007
The illustrations are outstanding and even younger students can make sense of them. It's a great addition to the ballet teacher's bookcase and is helpful when you can't quite figure out how to increase flexibility in a pupil with, for instance, limited turnout. It gives several options for stretches and shows the primary as well as the secondary muscle groups being worked on. It gives thorough information so that all the stretches are safely performed. I recommend this book for anyone currently teaching dancers/gymnasts/athletes.

Great help, September 12, 2007
I am a Pilates Instructor, and I have one client who has very tight shoulders, neck and chest muscles. This book helped us get some good ideas for the best stretching techniques to help him stretch out those areas.
I would probably recommend this book to people who have really tight muscles. All the stretches are easy to do anywhere.

Careful and pragmatic, November 11, 2007
As any stretching program should be, this book takes a careful and pragmatic look at stretching. It provides no startling new information, but the images and text are concise and useful.

Superior reference and information for correct stretching, July 23, 2007
Love this book. Clear pictures and brief explinations of what muscles are being stretched and how to stretch them correctly.

Stretching, flexibility, anatomy of muscles, muscle review, muscle actions., August 22, 2009
Stretching Anatomy has lovely color illustrations of men and women performing the different stretches. The chapters are uncomplicated and it is easy to quickly reference all of the muscles and their actions. I really like the chapters on Arms, wrists and hands and also knees and thighs. Every illustrated stretch has a box beneath with a detailed color picture of the anatomy, all muscles are labeled clearly. You can quickly sort out any confusion you may have between similar sounding muscles. I get my Teres Major and minor muscles mixed up for example or my Flexor carpi radialis brevis and longus. A quick look in this book will set you straight in a short space of time.

Generally 2 pages are dedicated to each stretch, one page has the illustrations the other page has three short paragraphs, no more than several lines in each paragraph though. "Technique", "Muscles stretched" (most stretched and least stretched), and "Commentary" which gives you modifications, variations and various tips on deepening the stretch. The information is very brief. If you need more detail on muscles involved, or origins and insertions, this is not the book for you, explanations are limited to muscle action and pictures.

This is a very nice, simple and uncomplicated book, if you want a little more detail I would suggest spending around $5 more and getting "The anatomy of stretching" by Brad Walker (very similar titles)or at least review both books before buying to see which suits you best.

At the end of each chapter of "Stretching Anatomy" all muscles are listed down the left side of the page and the actions across the top of the page. Ticks symbols show the action of each muscle. This book is a useful tool for anyone reviewing muscles for their anatomy exams, massage therapists, fitness instructors, physiotherapists who are just starting out etc. The stretches shown for arms and wrists are my favorite. Whether you are a yoga instructor looking for a few new ways to warm up your students before their Asana practice (a good deal of the stretches shown remind me of yoga poses such as Janu Sirsasana, Baddah konasana, paschimottanasana, or you are a massage therapist educating your clients on self care, or an athlete looking for information on increasing flexibility this 143 page book is very handy as a reference book or as a guide to design your own stretching sequences.

Excellent guide to stretching, December 1, 2007
This book is an excellent guide to stretching, for young and old alike. I am a 53 year old female, and the book has helped me stretch tight muscles and become more flexible. I have been to physical therapists in the past, and this book takes you a step further in becoming more flexible. ... Read more