The Diet Cure
by Julia Ross
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.78 You Save: $10.22 (64%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.66 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Diet Cure
Book Review: Top notch research
Summary: 5 Stars
I work in molecular biology, and that has given me an understanding of cellular metabolism. In gaining this understanding, I have come to realize how horrific our American diets are. Unfortuneately, a few well meaning and misguided nutritionists and scientists earlier in teh twentieth century tried to reform our eating habits. These habits stuck, and now we have a country of fat unhealthy citizens. The more I read about nutrition, the more I understand what is wrong with our eating habits. The author has doen her research and has a very firm grasp on the concept of cellular metabolism. She references actual scientific studies that have been published. More and more literature is coming out debunking the food pyramid and extolling the health benefits of a high protein, low SIMPLE carb diet. This is not to be confused with diets such as Atkins, where all carbs are evil. Or diets such as weight watchers which encourage the consumption of processed foods. Or diets such as the Zone, whose recommended caloric intake is not enough to sustain basic cellular function. Diets such as South Beach are actually good models of a healthy eating plan. And amino acids, as Ms. Ross explains in her book, are the building blocks of proteins, whish are essential for our body to function. While her book does skip around, and can be a little hard to follow, it offers sound advice. Advice that sadly the rest of the world is slow to follow, out of ignorance.Book Review: Amino acids and health
Summary: 5 Stars
There appear to be few books on amino acid supplementation for the average reader. A friend was reading this one when we met for coffee. I realized it covered amino acids in a way I hadn't found in other works. The book's information is based on clinical usage for relatively normal people and is applicable more generally than the population described. This led me back to reading Eric R. Braverman's book (1987 edition), The Healing Nutrients Within, which I had bought and read partly over the years. His work appears to derive from more medically oriented inputs. I do not own Braverman's more recent editions (2003 and 2010). Not knowing what these more recent editions have added to knowledge on amino acids I would recommend Julia Ross's The Diet Cure and Braverman's book as joint resources for anyone's nutritional library. If I had any desires for further information in this field I would like to see a well-priced book on amino acids and physical fitness and another on amino acids and aging (both in respect to increased knowledge on aging and delaying its more malleable impacts). Perhaps Braverman has addressed this already and in part as I note he has become involved in aging inquiries and has another book out, Younger You. I haven't read that work either. I'm certain that research on amino acids and health is an active area which should attract the attention of more authors.
D.S. Abrahamson
Book Review: Maybe there's some good info in here somewhere
Summary: 2 Stars
I was intrigued with the possibility that this book might have some interesting new slant on nutrition, and perhaps some valuable advice about how to counteract symptoms with supplements.Instead I was constantly distracted to notice that Ross relies on information of psuedo-science nutritionists. She references the blood type diet, and some of her information seems to come from Weston-Price. Her erroneous information on soy seems to come from the latter source. Her understanding of vegetarian diets is faulty, as she either is unaware, or prefers to ignore, the bulk of scientific evidence points to the superiority of vegetarian diets over those heavy with meat. Her understanding of carbohydrates seems to come from Atkins. As another reviewer mentioned, she mainly references other pop diet books rather than scientific studies.
So, given that she relies on unscientific sources for some of her information, how credible can I find the rest to be?
Maybe there's something of merit in here. I surely hope so, but my confidence in the author is shaken. I'm interested in advice based on sound nutritional science, not gimmicks and quick-buck trends.
I wonder if there is another book out there which addresses the same questions, but is more scientifically oriented?
Book Review: Ahead of the Pack on Food, Mood & Cravings
Summary: 4 Stars
Julia Ross nails so many of the diet culprits in today's epidemic of mood problems and health woes that her book will help many people. And though we always hope that diet changes alone will work, almost all of us need to use supplements -- sometimes a lot of supplements -- to get our health problems turned around. I give her 4 stars and not 5 because the book IS a little disorganized and the science isn't always as complete or accurate as I would like. But, heck it comes close. And when this happens, she is right with her recommendation and almost so with the rationale. That's not bad given the massive amount of misinformation in the diet book world! As for for the "spotlight review" by Caroline Bertorelli featured above and the review by the anonymous "reviewer" below, I concur with what Ross says about soy. It's a real health problem and anyone who wants to know more owes it to them,selves to get a new book called "The Whole Soy Story" by Kaayla Daniel. I hope Ross finds this book too as I believe it will lead her to update her next edition with a more complete discussion. Meanwhile, I give Ross a lot of credit for recognizing this problem before most of us. She will help a lot of people with this book.Book Review: A little bit tricky, but good
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed reading this book. I've actually been seeing a nutritionist who recommends the same type of "cure": eliminate allergy foods and eat a basically lower-carb, yet healthy diet. The difference was the amino acids that are recommended in the book.
The only thing I'd change about the book is its organization. I had to read it twice before the informationed started to "compile" in my head (and on paper). I wish there was some sort of quick reference sheet.
I noticed in some of the other reviews that people had some negative side effects, mostly in the first week. My advice is to cut back on some supplementation if you feel jittery or depressed, like she recommends. Also, you have to expect some negative feeling "detox" effects. Keep going for more than a week and give it a good try.
After being on the diet for a week or so I no longer had chronic indigestion. I had more energy and my friends said I looked "bright." I really believe that there are certain "truths" to the way our bodies work, and this book has really integrated all of the good things I have experienced about different diets. Expect a lot of work, however.