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The Fit for Life Solution

If you are at all interested in learning how to have complete and total control of your own health and how to confidently and easily live a sickness, pain and disease free life this book is definitely for you. In a climate of ever increasing statistics of disease and ill-health the clear and simple ideas of this book are nothing short of a Godsend. Since the medical profession, the single biggest industry in this country, makes the enormous amount of money that it does by the population being and remaining sick and full of disease they would have us believe that living a healthy disease free life is totally beyond our control. Well, thanks to the brilliant, yet extremely simple methods put forth by this author, the reader is able to take his/her health back into their own hands and truly live without sickness pain or worry of most, if not all diseases. The information in this book is as simple and easy to understand as it is groundbreaking. This book could and should change the world and the way people view cancer, sickness, pain and other diseases. The author explains in remarkably common sense and simple terms exactly how to take total control of your health, vitality and weight by using your body's lymph system (which the author explains is the body's garbage collector). He clearly points out that like a car, our body is a machine, a complex living machine and that after a while due to residue of foods we eat, toxins, chemicals and pollutants in foods, spent cellular material, and other wastes our bodies become "silted up" and require an "oil change" so to speak just like our cars do, otherwise sickness plagues us and disease begins to form. Not only is the information in the book groundbreaking and life changing, but the author, Harvey Diamond, who is known for his humorous and entertaining writing style, delights and entertains the reader with a book that I could not put down until I found myself finishing the last page. I recommend this book to absolutely everyone who can read and who desires to be healthy, energetic and disease free and truly feel this book could turn around the entire cancer and disease epidemic in this country and put the power of your own health back into people's own hands where it belongs! Not reading this book is just like turning your back on a pile of gold the size of a mountain. Thank you Harvey Diamond!

This is a great book with Harvey at times unleashing his full venom at the medical profession, food industry and fellow dieticians. He is speaking up for the truth and I happen to believe him. Why? Because I have tested and followed the Fit for Life principles myself and they work.

However before reading this book (which I call Fit for Life III), I would advise buying and following the principles laid out in the first two books i.e. Fit for Life and Fit for Life II. They are easier to read, gentler (probably because they were written in partnership with Marilyn!) and cover the essential dietary/lifestyle principles you need to follow.

This book contains exactly the same text word for word as Fit for Life: A New Beginning (apart from the cover is different and the book is physically bigger), so if you want to save yourself some money I would buy that one instead. I would have rated the book 5 stars, if it was not for this point.

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this is a really good book. his original fit for life book also has some very good info in it, the diet regimen part of it less so in my opinion. but here he puts it all together, and focuses primarily on the link between diet and disease, using cancer as his main example. it has the feel of a great debunking text, as in, here is the fundamental and unassailable link between diet and health, the food we eat and the illness and disease that follow -a basic truth that the AMA, FDA and pharmaceutical companies prefer you not see, as they pour billions of dollars of dollars into ads and countless propaganda. and then he shows, like john robbins' diet for a new america, that the paradigm of destruction of the S.A.D. (sad or standard american diet) extends not only to our health but also to pollution and ecological damage on a grand scale. the type of book you should read and then send copies to your friends. cheers, jg

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This book is well written and very easy to read. It doesn't overload you with so much information you won't remember it. Instead, it lays out the information so you will absorb it. Harvey speaks a lot from his personal experience as well describing his personal struggle with weight from early on as well as from researched information. The book is full of information that is a great start to anyone looking for a healthier lifestyle over all.

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The Fit For Life Solution: How To Identify And Successfully Eradicate The Causes Of Pain, Fatigue And Disease -Now! is a superbly presented guide to a wealth of natural remedies and information on balancing one's diet so as to improve health and well-being. Individual chapters address a range of pertinent issues including the importance of a nutritious diet and faithful exercise regimen, evading life-threatening conditions (including cancer), as well as offering a "participant friendly" program called CARE that involves simple health principles to improve one's look and feel. The Fit For Life Solution is a solid, informationally packed and recommended guide to self-betterment.

Yoga: The Iyengar Way

"Yoga: the Iyengar Way" suceeds where other yoga books fail because of its superior pictures, which give extreme detail to all of the asanas (poses). It's always better to get guidance from a good teacher, but for home practice, this is one of the best books out there and is a great supplement to group practice. As its title implies, Iyengar yoga is taught in the book, and thus the use of props and alternative poses allows for those of different levels of experience to do as much of the asana as they can.

In short, if you're going to own one yoga book, make this the one - its pictures are MUCH better than either "Yoga for Dummies" or the "Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga." In fact, if there's a yoga book with better photography and presentation, I haven't seen it.

This book is great for anyone who is interested in learning yoga. I have been doing yoga for a couple of years now, and this was the first yoga book that I bought. The book is well illustrated and contains more poses than any other yoga book that I have seen. Each illustration shows the correct form for each pose and also gives modifications for those who are not quite as flexible as the people in the illustrations. The book also contains a section with over 60 different yoga routines from begining levels to advanced, so you don't have to try to plan out which poses to do in what order. For those of you who are more interested in a "Power Yoga" routine, I have also found that adding a sun salutation as a transition between the standing poses in the routines adds a little more spice to the practice.

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Such is the celebrity and influence of B.K.S. Iyengar as a teacher of yoga that a book with his name in the title virtually guarantees publishing success.

This book is a fine example of the phenomenon. It is an attractive, coffee table type yoga book for the nineties written by students of Iyengar. Perhaps the most important feature is the beautiful (and non glamorous) photos that illustrate the asanas with an almost mystic power. There's some irony here because it was the photos of Iyengar himself demonstrating asana (over six hundred of them) that more than anything catapulted him to fame some years ago with his now classic Light on Yoga, which I highly recommend as an extension of this book.

Obviously this is a different sort of book, aimed at beginners, but with some depth. It is more generic in a sense as it delves only lightly into the ideas underlying yoga while concentrating on the practical. Indeed its philosophic stance is succinct, and perhaps that is best for an approach focused on the physical health aspects of yoga. One weakness is that it is a little short on pranayama, and consequently on meditation.

Iyengar does contribute a foreword, however, and his spirit is apparent throughout. Overall this is excellent of its type, reminding me of something by Richard Hittleman from some years ago.

--Dennis Littrell, author of "Yoga: Sacred and Profane (Beyond Hatha Yoga)"

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This is a wonderful book based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. The poses are explained in an easy-to-understand way, with large, color pictures. Highly recommended, especially for beginners who may be intimidated by Mr. Iyengar's more comprehensive book "Light On Yoga."

Buy both books. Study them daily, do the poses, and in every way your life will begin changing for the better.

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This book provides excellent information on a wide variety of yoga poses, or asanas. Each asana is clearly illustrated and accompanied by step-by-step instructions on how to complete the pose; the information provided is detailed and straight-forward. The asasas are broken up into groups--standing poses, seated poses, etc.--and each individual pose is clearly labelled for level of difficulty, from one star (beginners) to four stars (advanced). At the end of the book, suggestions for various yoga practices are provided based on the the four levels of difficulty.

Although the information contained in this book is exemplary, there are several reasons why I do not feel it would be appropriate for beginners. First of all, I found the tone to be somewhat snobbish at times, such as when it suggested that if you have difficulties in a pose, you might need to go to a yoga teacher for "correction." Secondly, I have been practicing yoga for two years, and many of the poses labeled as either appropriate for "beginners" or "general practice" are still quite challenging to me. Third, throughout the book, poses are referred to by their traditional Indian names rather than the common names which are used today--ie, Tadasena rather than Mountain Pose. This is not a problem when you're looking at the actual pose, but the practices at the end of the book refer to the Indian name only and without photographs, which necessitates flipping back and forth through the book in order to attempt a practice. Finally, although modifications are suggested for each pose, many of these are not illustrated, which would make it difficult for beginners to follow along.

I think this book would probably be most appropriate for intermediates looking to further their practice. For beginners, I would recommend Rodney Yee's "Yoga: The Poetry of the Body" as an alternate yoga book, or Patrica Walden's video "Yoga Practice for Beginners," which also closely follows the Iyengar method.

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Wellness: Nursing Diagnosis for Health Promotion

Ok if you are looking at this book you are in nursing school. yaaay but seriously I never used this book, gave it five stars because the quality of the book is great I can't be mad that I never used it. But for my program i should have never bought it.

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Strength Training For Women: Tone Up, Burn Calories, Stay Strong

I have purchased several books devoted to strength training. I have to say, this book is the best I have found--by far.

What makes this book exceptional is how thorough it is and also how much variety it offers.

Exercises for home users--both those who use dumbbells, those who use resistance bands and those who use stability balls or all of the above--are offered. Exercises for gym dwellers are also given. This book caters to everyone in a very balanced manner.

The book covers upper body, lower body, core exercises and lots of stretching ideas.

While, sometimes, strength training can get confusing because one often questions which exercises are best, how much weight you need to use and how many reps to do, this book really does simplify the whole thing.

Also, there are both modified and advanced descriptions and photos for each exercise.

Usually when you come across a book on strength training, you see the same, basic moves you've seen (and probably done) a million times before. But Joan Pagano includes variations of moves even I, a fairly experienced exerciser, had never seen before.

The layout of the book is visually stimulating. Along with photos illustrating each exercise, there are illustrations showing which body parts are being used with each move.

The book was well-written as well. Joan's instructions are concise and encouraging.

Recently, I decided I wanted to start working out during TV commercials--just to add a bit of boost to my fitness routine. I found many exercises within this book I will be doing while watching TV.

I think this is an excellent book for an advanced exercise looking for a some new ideas. But more importantly, this is an awesome resource for a beginner. I will be purchasing this book for friends and family who are daunted by the idea of doing strength training. I suggest you do the same.

I checked this book out from the library 3 weeks ago, renewed it, and now am purchasing the book.

Target Audience:

Beginning to intermediate level

Women

Home exercisers like myself who wish to obtain few equipments at a moderate cost

This book has the following sections:

A. First Moves: To get you started. Explains why and how to use the programs in this book to exercise.

B. 4 for Life: 4 exercises for full-body conditioning, if you never do anything else.

Programs at a Glance

Warm Up

Individual Exercises

Stretches / Cool-down

C. Lower Body Program

D. Upper Body Program

E. Core Body Program

(Sections C-E include the following)

Programs at a Glance

Individual Exercises

Stretches

F: Useful Programs: 4 programs that combines individual exercises from sections B-E for some popular fitness goals

Great things about this book:

(1) Clearly written instructions for each exercise

(2) Easy to follow suggested programs, depending on your fitness goal and level

(3) Well-organized content

(4) Visually appealing diagrams, photos, and layout design

I like to workout at home with video fitness DVD's. With this book, I have been able to customize and add to my existing programs to target specific areas as well as full-body conditioning while purchasing very few low-cost equipments. It has been a very helpful tool, and is a book that I will refer to over and over again.

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Joan Pagano's first love is yoga, and it shows in the type of exercises in this book. She also appears to have a cross-disciplinary interest in physical therapy; I recognize several exercises (all excellent) which I learned from physical therapists in recovering from injuries.

I give Ms. Pagano an A+ for both clarity and variety. The book has clear descriptions of exercises, and excellent photos with a white dotted line showing the muscles each exercise is supposed to work. I was able to understand how to properly perform several stretches which had been unclear in other books. The variety is excellent, including many exercises for rubber resistance bands and for those big, fun, colorful stability balls. I was pleasantly surprised to find several pages on exercises for improving posture.

Where the book really shines is in providing a safe, approachable beginning for women who are either very out of shape or recovering from illness. For example, she de-scarifies the push-up, that ultimate symbol of military-grade fitness, by showing four less physically demanding variations in order of gradually increasing difficulty.

But I do have one major caveat: If you're hoping for a serious weight training book--which will help you build muscle--this is not the one. Ms. Pagano seems to seriously underestimate women's strength. Doesn't she know we lift grocery bags, babies and suitcases in airports? The section on push-ups, for example, fails to include the standard 'man's" push-up. I would think that working through the other four would be with a goal of getting there, to the most difficult one. Nowhere in the book does she ever show a barbell, and her choice of dumbbell weights (mostly 3-8 lbs, with a maximum of 15 pounds recommended once in the book for lat rows) is almost insulting. Three to five pounds might be okay for a beginner looking to learn proper form, but after a few weeks most women can lift a lot more. Lifting weights which don't challenge your muscles will just waste your time, and very likely lead to discouragement when you see no results.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for yoga and physical-therapy style exercises for general well-being and injury prevention. It would also be useful as an adjunct to a serious weight-training program found elsewhere--just take the weight recommendations with a grain of salt and listen to your body instead.

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I bought this book to start free weight training at home. It is wonderful for home use. The author describes the benefits of weight training and how to lift weights properly(which I found very useful as a first time weight lifter). I love the descriptions that the author gives for each exercise. The author also color codes which exercises to do for each level of training. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is first starting out with free weights.

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I bought this book as something to help me use the equipment at the gym. I was surprised to find it also offered exercises I can do at home without expensive equipment. The diagrams and pictures are wonderful and I absolutely love the page that shows the muscles so if I want to have a targeted workout I can pick a few muscles and easily find the pages that show me how to do the exercises. The best part is there is no expensive equipment to buy to do the exercises. I've taken this book to the gym to follow the exercises and now the gym is selling it! Several co-workers and friends have also borrowed it and are interested in getting their own copy.

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Yoga and Fertility: A Journey to Health and Healing

There are a lot of books out there on yoga--some touch on the concept of "yoga and fertility"--but this is the only one that I've found that does such an excellent job linking yoga and fertility together!

This book describes a number of different topics under that heading, including why certain poses are appropriate for increasing good blood flow to pelvic region and follicle stimulation to produce good quality eggs. Where many yoga books will discuss form with some yoga history, this book is unique because discusses which poses are crucial to do at which phases of the cycle (menstrual and even IVF!) by backing up the information with biological knowledge and yoga tradition. Lastly, I really appreciate this book because it not only focuses on the concept of "yoga and fertility" with pregnancy in mind--but also expands that definition to broadened the idea of fertility to our bodies being a fertile ground at any point that you come to yoga. During this very trying period of trying to get pregnant, I feel nourished by this book that nourishes my whole self as one who is boosting fertility for my own well being.

Fantastic book that really broadens yoga as something that is daily, accessible and particular to our bodies needs--where ever we are. Thank you Jill and Lynn!!!!

The book does a great job of laying out easy to follow routines. I've gone to yoga classes for years, but I've never felt comfortable doing a routine at home, at least not until now. I simply follow the routine for the half of the cycle that relates to me, knowing that each position has a specific purpose for nourishing and supporting my body. I'd highly recommend this book!

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I have been told that I should avoid strenuous exercise to conceive, (I am in my forties and trying to get pregnant for the first time!) so I was happy to find this book on yoga and fertility. Not only will I get some daily exercise but the authors have written clear explanations of how each pose will enhance fertility. The yoga routines are simple enough for a beginner, but there are also intermediate routines for those who might have more experience. The instructions and pictures are very clear and helpful. Supplemental information on lifestyle, diet, and other "alternative" approaches to fixing infertility are thorough and informative. An excellent book, that has given me hope in my quest to have a baby, in spite of what my doctors are telling me!

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I've been taking Lynn's Yoga for Fertility class for a year now, but I always had trouble maintaining my own yoga practice on non-class days. This book changed all that and now I have an easy go to reference with amazing pictures and positive success stories to read and inspire me. I find it much easier to do yoga on my own now and I find it's definitely helping me loosen up and get in touch with my body. I think this is a wonderful resource for anyone struggling with infertility!

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Yoga and Fertility is a wonderful and resourceful book for women in their quest to achieve pregnancy. The book beautifully illustrates numerous yoga poses, that can be done in the comfort of your home, all expertly designed to maximize blood flow and energy flow to the pelvic region of the body, thereby enhancing one's fertility as well as reducing overall stress. It's like having your own personal yoga instructor at your fingertips! Having taken Lynn's "Yoga for Fertility" classes in person, and finally getting pregnant and becoming a mom after several years of trying to conceive, I can definitely attest to the fact that every routine and every pose in the book is exactly the same as what is done in class and it works! The benefits of practicing yoga, for optimum fertility, are invaluable on the path to parenthood. Highly recommend this book!

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The Edgar Cayce Remedies

This is a good book. I like that it not only describes Edgar Cayce's trance suggestions and philosophy of healing but that it is written by Dr. William McGarey who used to be one of the founding doctors of the medical clinic in Phoenix, Arizona that used the Cayce readings when appropriate to cure many illnesses, even those considered incurable.

However, because of the title of the book, I expected it to be a listing of various Cayce remedies such as herbs, lotions, foods. Instead, it lists remedies to undertake for various types of ailments. It's written in three parts. The first describes the functioning of the human body. The second sections lists various types of healing regimens suggested in the Cayce readings such as castor oil packs, prayer and meditation, and consulting dreams plus more conventional types of healing regimens such as diet and nutrition, exercise, manipulation, and massage. The third section is the best because it lists various body systems such as the digestive organs, the skin, and the heart and vascular system, and describes how to get that system healthy and keep it healthy.

I find it very helpful to get a sense of how the body works from Cayce's very holistic perspective. However, I would have preferred that when Cayce readings are mentioned, that they be quoted and the numbers of the readings listed as they are in The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health Through Drugless Therapy.

If you are interested in listings of various healing regimens, there's Edgar Cayce Encyclopedia of Healing (Edgar Cayce) that lists various ailments and their cures and An Edgar Cayce Encyclopedia of Foods for Health and Healing, which lists foods and food combinations suggested to heal various physical incoordinations, plus Edgar Cayce on Healing Foods for Body, Mind, and Soul, another books on the foods and food combinations recommended in the Cayce readings.

A good book but I'd choose The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health Through Drugless Therapy first because it is a "how to" of the Cayce remedies and it quotes the readings directly including their reading numbers.

By Carol Chapman, award-winning photographer of the ONLY Edgar Cayce calendar Divine in Nature: With Quotes from Edgar Cayce and author of When We Were Gods: Insights on Atlantis, Past Lives, Angelic Beings of Light and Spiritual Awakening.

Edgar Cayce was, and still is, a force of nature. Not being old enough to remember the man myself, I have found a lot of the information in the book was in common usage in the days of my grandparents. Perhaps his influence at that time was more widespread than I ever knew and now, with the modern medical machinery in place, his knowledge is resurfacing out of need. I found the book fascinating, educational, common-sensical, and opportunistic in it's availability to me when I needed to investigate other avenues of medicine. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who believe that a little TLC, some positive affirmations, and a more nature-driven potency can, and will, cure or alleviate ailments on more than one level.

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This book is a wealth of information for either the everyday person or avid seeker of holistic remedies. There is a remedy for almost everything in here and they all work!

Heated castor oil packs (worked for coughing up vocal polyps and getting rid of cysts) and apple cider vinegar (cured my laryngitis fast!) are among some of the simpler ones that work miracles.

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If you've studied Edgar Cayce, the father of holistic medicine, then you'll realize what a great, handy book this is with all the famous Cayce formulas easy to find and use. A great book, written by a physician with a great heart. A must for every medicine chest.

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I became so engrossed with wanting to know all I could from Edgar Cayce that I have read most of his books and have even made a trip to Hopkinsville,KY , where he lived. I tell everyone who will listen about his castor oil packs. I use them on myself and my family with 100% success. I have healed myself of uterine tumors by following the advise on page 228.I receive instant relief from pain when I apply castor oil to ruff cuticles or hang nails. My son plays basketball and has had pulled muscles in his ankle and knee. I immediately apply a caster oil pack for a few hours and then he is fine.! I suggest that every household should have this book. Read it and apply what you read for a happier,healthier life.

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American College of Physicians Home Medical Guide: Migraine and Other Headaches

... As a Clinical Massage Therapist I am always looking foraccurate information to pass on to my patients (at the Hospital) andclients (in my private practice). I have found all of the AmercanCollege books to be accurate and timely enough to have confidence whengiving them out that I am providing a good resource. If I did not, Icertainly would not recommend them here!

Why not 5 stars? For thesimple reason that the authors STILL are not taking into considerationthe massive amount of Medically proven information availableconcerning Massage Therapy when making recommendations for treatment.It may just be the fact that "when you live your life as ahammer, every problem looks like a nail", but with over 300medical journal articles written since Sep, 1997 touting thebeneficial effects of Massage Therapy for everything from chronic painto migraines to breast pain and the prevention of cancers, it seemsthat there would be SOME kind of mention of it in a book produced byThe American College of Physicians.

Aside from this one complaint, Ihave found this to be an EXCELLENT book and would recommend it foranyone with chronic headaches!

Gluten Free Lifestyle: A Health Guide, Shopping & Home Tips, 66 Easy Recipes

As I searched Google then Amazon wanting to learn what a gluten free diet entails, I came across the "The Gluten Free Diet" kindle book written by the author of the popular "Paleo Diet Solution."

While reading this book which contains many appetizing gluten free recipes, I learned what caused my nasal congestion and fatigue. A real-world example which made me understand this gluten-free idea is that when I would occasionally drink a beer, which is full of gluten, my sinuses would get congested almost immediately and I could never figure out why before.

Wheat, Rye and Barley are just a few gluten ingredients that are hidden in most of the food we consume according to Chatam's book.

I was not aware of the many symptoms caused by eating gluten-containing foods: ADD, Depression, Anemia and more. The book explains the cause of celiac disease; the most extreme condition linked to consuming gluten. For celiacs, this book is a must-have. I found many examples of celiac friendly foods along with celiac recipes that taste very good.

The most interesting fact about going grain free, is that after 3-4 weeks of eliminating gluten from my diet, I actually felt detoxified, full of energy and am now sleeping better. Some people spend hundreds of dollars visiting a physician, trying to cure problems that could be solved by just purchasing this book. I highly recommend that you eliminate gluten from your diet also, this book will show you how.

With time being my most precious commodity, when I delve into a book I'm hoping to finish it and leave feeling seriously informed. This text definitely walked that walk. To begin with, it showed me how little I actually knew about gluten and its overall effect on everyday health, and more importantly, why that's not a good thing. The problems mentioned that can arise for those needing to pay attention to their gluten intake were depression, frequent respiratory infections, delayed puberty, and trouble with memory and concentration once again, I had no idea! Another rarity this text has to offer in my opinion was the honesty in its presentation. To wit: "The Gluten-Free diet is not necessarily a weight-loss diet." Now, who dares to say that these days? This is much more a health book than a diet book, which is a refreshing change. Add to that an in-depth look into Celiac disease (gluten based problem), an extensive list of "allowed" and "not allowed" foods, a resource section, an extensive recipe section, a craving replacement section (pretty hip), and a how to recognize where gluten is anywhere (even outside foods) in your environment section, and you've got a text definitely worth checking out. Gluten-free is definitely a learning curve, but looks to be well worth the time.

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If you have to go gluten-free, this is the book to show you the ropes. The author has provided a comprehensive education on gluten intolerance and what can be done about it―the medical facts; its proliferation in manufactured foods; the downside of gluten consumption and the world of prepared foods; practical steps to removing it from your diet.

Chatham addresses the chief obstacles to diet change: stress, monetary expense, inconvenience, time-consuming preparation and―perhaps the worst offender―unappetizing food. The book contains recipes for soups, salads, breads, snacks and entrees, as well as links to thousands more online. In addition, the reader will find an alphabetized list of foods and substances that contain gluten and a separate list of foods that are allowed.

What the author clearly wanted to do with this well-researched book was to take all the labor and guesswork out of going "gluten free in the real world." Everything is dealt with: eating out, shopping challenges, grain substitutes, weight loss and the prospect of improved health.

I found the book to be informative and readable. I recommend it not only for those with gluten intolerance but for everyone who wants to improve their dietary health.

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This book is great for anyone looking to learn more about a gluten free lifestyle. It has an abundance of helpful tips about the symptoms and signs to look for if you have an allergy to wheat. It also differentiates between gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, and celiac disease. For those who exhibit any of these symptoms, the author highly recommends that you get tested for celiac disease, especially before going on the gluten free diet.

This book is less about losing weight and more about living a healthier, and well informed life. I appreciated this as someone who is familiar with various of the fad diets out there now. I was surprised to learn that things like anemia, and even depression could exist because of a strong intolerance to wheat.

Beyond the various helpful tips, this book also has 66 "Easy Recipes", which include some things you might have thought you would have to take out of your diet altogether. There are savory recipes for pizza and cheese risotto, along with sweets like brownies and carrot cake. This isn't about giving up certain foods and natural cravings, it's about changing your all around eating habits and taking notice of the effect certain foods may have on your body.

I highly recommend this for all those interested in learning more about a "gluten free life".

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One of the biggest challenges of living a gluten free lifestyle is finding and sticking to a diet that is convenient and cost effective while still allowing for good food. The Gluten Free Lifestyle accomplishes this and more while still satisfying your inner gourmet.

The Gluten Free Lifestyle does more than lay out an easy to follow gluten-free diet. It helps the reader understand the way gluten works and those of us with gluten allergies handle it. It alerts readers to the "hidden gluten" used in the processing of food and present in household items like soap and glue. Finally, it helps the reader "gluten proof" their diet and plan gluten free meals at home and eating out while still accommodating non-gluten free friends and family members.

The recipes are what make this book stand out from similar dieting books. Gluten Free Lifestyle not only tells you what foods you can't have, it gives you healthy and delicious alternatives. As someone who enjoys cooking, I appreciated the gluten to non-gluten flour substitution guide and the recipes within satisfied me and my non-gluten free family. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert are all accounted for; everything from fruit filled breakfast crepes to chicken stir fry to gluten free carrot cake.

The Natural Soap Book: Making Herbal and Vegetable-Based Soaps

If you are looking for an solid foundation of information for the cold-process method of soapmaking, get this book and its companion, "The Soapmaker's Companion" by the same author. This book provides a great deal of information to making cold-process (mostly vegetable-based) soaps. Some of the material is a little heavy (the parts on the chemistry of soapmaking) but is very important information if you want to learn to be creative and create your own recipes. The recipes are quite large, as some other reviewers commented, and the great thing about the companion book is the smaller recipes. You will not be able to find most of these ingredients at your local supermarket (e.g. pomace olive oil and palm oil). The recipes call for the real ingredients used in the industry that you will have to find but with the popularity of the Internet, finding these ingredients is much easier than it used to be. This book may not be a one-stop-shop for information, but this book and the Companion come VERY close!

I really enjoy the straight forward writing style of Ms. Cavitch. She speaks to you like you're having a conversation with a good friend.

In the Introduction she gives some basic chemistry of soap lessons which are very easy for the non chemist to understand. Then she goes on to explain different types of soap, different fats and oils what when you might want to use each. All through the beginning are charming, little stories about real soap makers and their businesses. What a nice touch.

This seems to be a very well thought out book with just oodles of information on just about every aspect of making soap. She's even included a small section on blending essential oils and give some suggested blending for certain scents.

The coloring section isn't as lengthy as I think it could be, but it is a good start for the beginner, especially for those who want to start using herbs for coloring soaps.

I can't say I agree with Ms. Cavitch on her temperatures explanation. But that does seem to be more of a preference thing. She feels that vegetable soaps made over 95 degrees F are problematic, but I have never found that to be the case. Actually... I have found the opposite to be true.

Weighing your essential oils in advance as she suggests you do in Step 1, is going to give you a problem unless you tightly seal it. I learned right away that they will evaporate into the air. What you weighed out before you started stirring will be partly gone by the time you use it! She does however, later in another section, mention that you should tightly seal the container.

A picture, an actual photograph, of what 'trace' means would be nice. Would it kill these authors to say something like, "thick like pudding"? No one can ever figure out what is meant by the word trace. Newbees sort of freak out about it, and I can understand that.

There is one thing that I really don't like about her recipes. That is, some of the items are in pounds and some of the items are in grams. Unless you're good at converting or your scale does both, you're going to have a problem. It would have been much nicer had she offered all items in both grams and ounces and then you could use what you use. I can see why she's doing it. Grams offer much better accuracy with those items like lye and grapefruit seed extract. But many who aren't interested in doing conversions, won't use the recipes. :(

Cavitch is working with that old, bothersome method of matching your lye solution temp with your oil temp at about 80 degrees F. I don't recommend this method as it causing a soap separation many times when the temp drops and saponification slows to a crawl. But a good many people still use this method.

Her suggestions that a mostly olive oil soap can trace in about 7 minutes I don't agree with at all. I have hand stirred more like 3 hours for mostly olive soap. I wouldn't want anyone to think that they can actually accomplish this and not have under stirred soap. Pomace (a lower grade of olive) will trace quickly, but I don't think that can be done in less than 1/2 hour with hand stirring.

I guess the really big problem people have with Susan Cavitch is her method of figuring lye. What she does works, however, soap makers don't 'discount' lye, they add more fats/oils. It is quite confusing if you talk to someone who figures things with her discount method. It is just one of those annoying things. Some say the glass is half full, others half empty. Well, for Cavitch alone, the glass is half empty.

There are many recipes in this book and also a section on things you can add to the recipes and how to add them, such as herbs, superfat oils, etc., to make some varied soaps. There is a chapter on suggestions on wrapping soaps decoratively which is fun too.

All in all, I think this is a high quality book. I think the actual method of making soap is outdated now, but aren't they all? We have finally gone beyond the Ann Bramson book, but the authors have not caught up yet.

I have my little pet peeves about the book, but I think everyone should have a copy. All that chemistry is good to have so that you can talk to Dr. Bob later and actually understand him! :) . . .

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I have been making soap for about 3 years and I have had a lot of botched batches of soap along the way. Most of my mistakes were by following the advice of "experts" who have written books about how to make soap. At the beginning I bought Susuan Miller Cavitch's book on how to make Natural Soap and Herbal Soaps and I tried to follow her advice. I couldn't figure out how to calculate the lye. You have to be a "rocket scientist" to figure it out if you try to do it her way. I followed her advice on putting wax paper in the bottom of my box and the wax paper turned to mush and I couldn't get the soap out without mashing it all up. I started out by making huge batches of soap like she said and I found that when a batch of soap doesn't turn out you have wasted huge amounts of time, effort and money. And what do you do with all that soap unless you are in the business of selling soap? And what beginner is? I think l-2 pound batches are much better. You can experiment and learn your craft and not have huge amounts of money lost if it fails. She has no recipes for small batches. Also I think 80 degrees is way too low for the fat temperature. I have found that ll0 degrees works out for me every time. Soap making is really easy, not nearly as scarey as she makes it look. I did like the sources at the end of the book and have found some really good suppliers from it. All in all, I think her book is interesting to read, but just don't take it too seriously if you are a beginner. If you have been making soap for a while, then pick it up and read it.

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The only problem I have with this book is the sheer quantity of soap each recipe makes. I have never made 40 bars of soap at one time and cannot imagine ever doing so. I'm not sure what I would do with 40 bars of soap. It's more fun for me to make several small batches of soap for variety. It would have been more helpful had Cavitch included information on making half batches as well.

The author uses no animal products in her soap, which may be a plus for some, but I find lard and tallow to make nice soaps for much less money. Of course, this is a matter of preference to the soap maker.

Frankly, I wish I had bought another soap making book.

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Airbrushed Nation: The Lure and Loathing of Women's Magazines

Like author Jennifer Nelson, I was a women's magazine junkie. When I started freelancing, I broke in with women's and fitness mags, and was thrilled to see my name in print in some of my favorite magazines. As time went on, though, I began to question some of the work I was doing, and the editorial process overall. Airbrushed Nation captures the conundrum I (and many other freelancers) face--is it worth it to write for magazines that exist mainly to make women feel bad about themselves (or at least make them believe that they must improve themselves)? But the book goes beyond that question and exposes what really goes on behind the scenes, both good (educating women about important health and social issues, and encouraging them to pursue their goals and dreams) and bad (e.g., the emphasis on external beauty and its pursuit). Whether you love women's magazines, write for them, or simply want to know more about this powerful media influence, Airbrushed Nation is an eye-opening, smart, entertaining read.

When I was in my 20s I looked forward to picking up my copy of Cosmo every month. I did the quizzes, read about how to become irresistible to men and followed the suggested beauty tips with religious fervor. Then, in my 30s and entering motherhood, I switched from Cosmo to Women's Day and Family Circle. My forties widened the door to Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal, with a touch of More thrown in for good measure. And one day, like everyone else who reads these magazines, I discovered that they said the same things over and over and over again. How to walk off the weight; how to please your man; how to get one in the first place; how to raise healthy, confident kids; etc, etc. Over time, the long narrative stories involving women who were a lot like me gave way to celebrity worship and information presented in little bits and bites as if I were too stupid to remain interested in anything longer than 300 words. The clothes were always out of reach (Hey editors, do you really think the average soccer mom is paying $695 for a dress to wear to the office????) and the women were all flawless: No wrinkles, no frizzy hair, no midriff bulge, perfect teeth -the whole nine yards of perfection. I finally figured out that the whole genre of women's magazines were really fairy tales in disguise. This book by Jennifer Nelson dissects the women's mag industry and confirms what any thinking woman has suspected for years: It's all smoke and mirrors. And very, very sexist, but in a way that makes it look like they're really feminists. I loved reading this and was particularly fascinated at how they manipulate photos. The little boxed asides are witty and interesting, too. It's one of those books that will make you read your favorite magazine from a completely different point of view, and a mesmerizing read that will keep you riveted from beginning to end. I suggest on ordering take-out before you open this book because you won't want to stop once you start.

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In the late 1950's, my first encounter with women's magazines was my grandmother's McCall's. In the late '60's I began reading Teen and Seventeen, moving on to the "seven sisters" described by the author. The long fictional stories and informative articles gave way to a predictable monthly fare of diet, relationship, fashion, beauty and recipe bytes. Not realizing why, I began to wonder if there was something wrong with me after reading an issue. Was I thin enough? Was I beautiful enough? Was I doing enough to keep my marriage happy? Was I preparing healthy, appetizing meals? Was I ignoring potential deadly hazards in my home or neighborhood? Was I a good mother? Jennifer Nelson peels back the layers and reveals fuzzy line between editors and advertisers as they manipulate women by instilling insecurities about themselves, knowing that they will be more likely to buy diet aids, beauty products and the latest fashions advertised in the magazine. From truth in advertising to the feminine fear factor this in depth book is a must read!

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Like the author, I started out reading Tiger Beat and Young Miss and considered myself a magazine junkie by the time I was 12. I then graduated to Teen, then Seventeen. I waited until I turned 17 before reading Seventeen. I purchased the bridal magazines when I got married (both times), and let the pages of Cosmo dictate my life until my first baby was born and my life was run by Parents, Parenting, American Baby, and Mothering. Now I have one teenager still at home and my three oldest children are adults and I find myself reading Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, MORE, and AARP as I reached the big 50. After reading this book, I now laugh when I see the perfume strips in magazines. I am a big fan of Dove's real woman advertising compaign and glad to see it mentioned more than once in this book. Although I am and always will be a magazine junkie, I have a problem with the unrealistic look of the models in the magazines, and think that airbrushing is a shameful act. Everyone who reads women's magazines will see them differently and make more educated purchasing choices if they read this book. Great job!

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I am still reading, but so far I love her style and will no doubt recommend this to many people. My teenage daughter is also reading it and is learning a few things I already learned long ago. Maybe she'll think I'm smarter reading it from someone else!

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