Easy Hikes Close to Home: San Diego

San Diego should, perhaps, be located further north in California. It has the heavy development found among the other southern California metropolitan areas but it also offers an ambiance that is in some ways more typical of the central California coast. Outdoor recreation is highly valued in San Diego. More preserves are being set aside on a regular basis and the county boasts some of the finest year round hiking in the state. If you would like to escape from the urban congestion and bustle of the greater San Diego region for an afternoon and explore a few of these preserves, then veteran outdoor author Sheri McGregor has the book for you. Part of the new "Easy Hikes" series from Menasha Ridge Press, this guide to the wilder part of San Diego will have you out of the car and on relatively easy and very scenic trails in short order.

As with other "easy" hiking guides, this book is not for those seeking all day strenuous excursions. Some of the routes described here are only 1/2 mile in length; short enough for anyone to do. The longest route is a 6.7 mile trek, at sea level, through one of southern California's few remaining undeveloped coastal wetlands, the San Elijo lagoon. With minimal elevation gain and cool coastal temperatures, even those who find this length daunting will be able to appreciate the walk. But San Diego offers more than just a beautiful coastline. McGregor also includes several mountain trips, including one of my favorite trails in the Laguna Mountains and an even dozen walks among the inland mesa and canyon regions found throughout the county betweeen the mountains and seaside. In all, some 22 walks are offered to beginning hikers and those who want to experience nature without extensive effort (or long drives.)

I've been exploring San Diego county for the better part of two decades. It is one of my favorite off season hiking areas in the state. I've personally walked about half of the hikes in this guide and am looking forward to exploring some of the other trails found in this volume. With decent sketch maps, a nice regional map on the inside cover, and detailed route descriptions, this is a book San Diego hikers can revisit on a regular basis. Those seeking longer and more challenging routes will find it relatively easy to combine several of these hikes. Or they can just get some of McGregor's other books. But this title is a winner for those who enjoy year round day hiking. It is simply hard to beat what San Diego county has to offer.

Save 10% Off

Read More >>

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual

It is amazing how complicated we have allowed our diets, and our understanding of our diets, to become. Even Pollan's most recent book In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto which seemed to be a pretty simple premise ended up being a (wonderfully) complicated journey through our food system. So when I read that this book was coming out, I wondered if it was necessary given the wealth of information already covered. The answer is: yes, this book is necessary.

While there are a million other guides to a healthy diet running around out there, few manage to boil down the essentials in such a usable way. Pollan takes the essential and fascinating information that he wrote about in his previous book and simmers it down into a succinct (the book is basically 70 half pages long) "manual" of rules for eating. While this book retains some of the bones of its predecessor, it is by no means a Cliff's Notes version. This manual is essential reading all on its own.

Food Rules is broken down into 3 sections (and this will sound familiar to those that read In Defense of Food): 1What should I eat? (Eat food) 2 What kind of food should I eat? (Mostly plants) and 3 How should I eat? (Not too much). Each section includes 20 or so rules that you can pick and choose from in order to eat a healthy diet. Some of the rules overlap (Avoid food products that contain ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce and Avoid ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry, for instance) and some seem like such common sense that it is almost laughable to include them, but that is why this manual is so important. It distills all of this complex information that we see and hear every day and turns it into something relatable. We know, somewhere in our minds, that certain grains and oils are better than others. Pollan gives us an easy rule to help know which ones are best. We know that most breakfast cereals are little more than desserts and Pollan gives us an easy rule to know which ones are safe. Some rules are humorous (it's not food if it arrived through the window of your car) and some are serious; some rules are easy and others require a bit more dedication. But what this manual has is a wide range of useful tips that can be applied to any life at any time. This is no complicated diet; this is a little pocket book of sensible, realistic rules to help you eat your best.

I picked up Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, because I have been searching for just this type of book for many of my clients as a New Year's gift. I read the slim book quickly in a bookstore and it is the perfect present for my clients who are not eating healthy diets (but who have confessed they wish to.)

I am an interior designer/organizer and see how my clients eat all the time when I redesign and organize their kitchens. Pollan's In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma are both excellent, but can be intimidating. Not Food Rules--it is short and easy to understand.

The book is divided into three parts and has 64 chapters or rules. The following will give you an good idea of what the book is about: Part I, What should I eat? Includes such chapters as "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food", "avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients", and "avoid foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup".

Part II, What kind of food should I eat? Includes "Eat mostly plants, especially leaves", "eat your colors", and "the whiter the bread, the sooner you will be dead."

Part III, How should I eat? Includes "pay more, eat less," "eat less," and "limit your snacks to unprocessed plant food."

For those of you who desire a healthier diet, Food Rules is a terrific guide that makes understanding what to put into your body simple to understand and implement.

Finally, if healthy eating is a new concept for you, you will find the clever chapter titles easy to memorize, thus making the concept of healthy eating a simple one to learn.

Highly recommend.

By the author of the award winning book, HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT and SELL YOUR HOME FAST IN A BUYER'S MARKET

Buy Food Rules: An Eater's Manual Now

If you got in on the ground floor, you chewed every page of The Omnivore's Dilemma, (464 pages, $8.00 at Amazon).

If you were a second responder, the first Michael Pollan book you read was In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, (256 pages, $7.50 at Amazon), which boils theory and anecdote down to a tasty, healthy feeding strategy.

If you're new to the topic or haven't paid attention --or love Pollan's work and want to spread the gospel --here's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual (137 pages, $11 retail, $5.50 at Amazon), a skinny paperback that says pretty much everything you'd find in his longer books.

Or you can consider Pollan's reduction of his message to seven words --"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants" --and read nothing more because you know how to crack that koan and adopt a way of eating that just might save your life.

Why, you may wonder, does a clearly written 256-page book need to be boiled down to 64 general principles?

Two reasons.

Those of us who read about food have, in the last few years, been swamped by the language of nutrition. Antioxidants. Polyphenols. Probiotics. Omega-3 fatty acids. But you can know all about this stuff and still not be able to answer the basic question: Yeah, but what should I eat?

Then there are those who have never heard Pollan's message. They're the folks on the coach, eating pre-packaged snack food, sucking down sodas, serving vegetables as an afterthought. In short, people who are devotees of the Western diet --which is, says Pollan, "the one diet that reliably makes its people sick!"

Pollan wants to help both groups --and break the cycle of self-created disease.

And the quickest way to do that is through lessons so simple even the guy chowing down a Hungry Man ("It's good to feel full") meal can understand.

"Food Rules" may be short, but it's elegantly organized. Part I addresses the question: What should I eat? (Answer: food.) Part II asks: What kind of food should I eat? (Answer: mostly plants.) And Part II considers: How should I eat? (Answer: Not too much.)

These are un-American answers. Advertising trains us to shop in the center aisles of supermarkets. We've been brainwashed to believe that fast food is food. Because we're so busy, we're encouraged not to cook for ourselves. And that way of living works for us --right up to the moment we're overweight and diabetic.

But if we break the cycle?

"People who get off the western diet," says Pollan, "see dramatic improvements in their health."

What does Pollan tell you in these pages? Here's a sample:

--"Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

--"Don't eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce."

---"Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot...There are exceptions --honey --but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go bad aren't food."

--"Always leave the table a little hungry.'"

--"Eat meals together, at regular meal times."

--"Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline. In the U.S., 20% of food is eaten in the car."

--"Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk."

Pollan would have you only eat junk food you cook yourself. He'd like you to buy your snacks at a farmer's market. He'd like you to use meat as a flavor enhancer, a condiment, an afterthought. And he'd like to see you hurt the bottom line of pre-packaged food companies by paying a little more for real food that's worth eating.

I can imagine a great many of of you nodding in agreement. And feeling superior. And still buying several copies --to send, anonymously, to loved ones who are eating themselves to death. I can think of no better gift.

Read Best Reviews of Food Rules: An Eater's Manual Here

Clever little book. . . . Michael Pollan has written a book of rules about eating, with brief text elaborating the statements. On first glance, it looks like a slight volume with little substance to it. However, it turns out to be a pretty interesting book.

In his introductory comments, the author notes a few undeniable truths--Western diets (e.g., processed foods and meats, lots of fat and sugar, etc.) lead to lots of health problems; traditional diets tend to be healthier than the so-called Western diet; when one leaves the Western diet, one tends to get healthier. Following are a number of rules (64 in all). The author's hope? (Page xix): "My hope is that a handful of these rules will prove sufficiently sticky, or memorable, that they will become second nature to you. . . ."

Examples?"Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce" (Page 17). "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't" (Page 41). "Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food" (Page 53). "Eat some foods that have been predigested by bacteria or fungi" (Page 73). Examples? Yogurt, sauerkraut, soy sauce. . . . "Pay more, eat less" (Page 99). Cheap food in large quantities (supersize me??) is normally not so good for one. "Buy smaller plates and glasses" (Page 115).

In a sense, if one can keep a number of these apothegms in mind and follow those that seem most sensible, one might end up better off! So, a book that looks like a one trick pony ends up being much more satisfying than one might expect.

Want Food Rules: An Eater's Manual Discount?

I love Pollan's previous book and I was looking forward to this one. I got my hands on it as soon as I could, but sadly, I was disappointed.

This book is just a (really)watered down version of In Defense of Food. Don't waste your time or your money on this book, especially if you already read his other books. It was kind of a sell-out thing to do: publish a book that takes exact passages from the last book he published, increase the font size, add a ton of blank pages and big pictures and then sell the thing for $11. Um... why? He should have just published an article in the NY Times magazine instead of a whole book. Why waste all that paper?

Thank goodness I work in a bookstore and didn't actually have to buy the thing to read it. If you really think you want this book, I suggest flipping through it first, or getting it from a library. It's not worth $11.

Save 10% Off

Read More >>

Face The Facts: The Truth About Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don't Work

Whether you want to find out what facial treatments work in your 30's, or are 60 and considering a total facelift, this is the read you need. Dr. Jacono breaks it down to a level that is truly easy and fun to understand. I have been considering getting my upper eyelids done, but it seems that I would get my desired result from an endoscopic browlift. Reading this book has certainly been an "eye-opening" experience. I will definitely recommend it to anyone interested in improving their appearance whether from injectibles (Botox, Restylane) or surgery. I just love the "pearls of wisdom" sections throughout the book. Great read!

This book really summarizes and clarifies the process of undergoing facial plastic surgery in very plain terms. It is an excellent resource for my patients who are looking into facial cosmetic procedures. It not only describes what the procedures are, but explains why certian patients are better canidates for particular procedures, as well as what types of physicians should be doing them. I have purchased numerous copies of this book for my office, and reccommend it on a daily basis.

Andrew J. Parker, M.D.

Buy Face The Facts: The Truth About Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don't Work Now

I was thinking about having plastic surgery, but I could not figure out what procedure would help me look younger. This book really helped. It made sense.

Now I understand my options, what I want to do and how to find the right person to do it.

Thanks Dr. Jacono

Read Best Reviews of Face The Facts: The Truth About Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don't Work Here

This book provides a frank, and eye opening discussion of popular cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures. Definitely worth the effort to read if only "thinking" about undergoing a facial make over.

Want Face The Facts: The Truth About Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don't Work Discount?

If I hadn't already read many books before this one about plastic surgery I might have thought this was a good book and very informative, however for me this book has basic information. I wish I had not purchased this book.

Save 10% Off

Read More >>

The Heart Attack Germ: Prevent Strokes, Heart Attacks and the Symptoms of Alzheimer's by Protecting

I read this book just after "The Potbelly Syndrome". They cover similar ground but this author has a medical background (to me that is not necessarily a good thing given the drugs-are-wonderful blinkers of the medical profession). Both books provide an alternative view, claiming that many health problems and degenerative diseases are actually due to long-term infections, often in chronic form that the standard tests fail to identify and that (therefore) most doctors ignore or even deny.

Physicians are reluctant to accept that standard tests might not be foolproof and even more reluctant to accept that the same type of bacteria and viruses present in healthy people could cause a variety of diseases in sick people, even though almost all healthy people eventually die of the same diseases, such as cancer, heart or kidney disease, and stroke (see PS below).

Chlamydia Pneumoniae (not the same as the sexually-transmitted form of Chlamydia, it has thus recently been renamed to Chlamydophila pneumoniae) is the most mentioned in both books, although there are many others that could be relevant. It is for this radical departure from the usual viewpoint that I have given it the two stars although this book disappoints in the long run. It takes over 300 pages to explain the problem; then there are less than 5 pages to explain the "advanced treatment" which consists mainly of wait for it repeated rounds of antibiotic treatment!

The proven counterproductive aspects of antibiotics are completely ignored and no success stories (either anecdotal or research-based) are provided for this "solution". In 2005 researchers reported that, in acne patients, antibiotic users are twice as likely to get an upper respiratory tract infection within a year; the Feb. 18, 2004 issue of "The Journal of the American Medical Association" provides evidence that long-term antibiotic use is linked to increased breast cancer risks (and they haven't yet researched other cancers in the same way); in children antibiotic treatment has been associated with increased risk of recurrences; these are just three bits of the ever-mounting evidence that antibiotics are dangerous yet this book offers antibiotics as the answer?! Words fail me.

The book indicates antiviral treatment may also be necessary and then touches briefly on fungal infections but does not recommend antifungal treatment. (No mention is made of parasites in either book; to me this is a worrying oversight.) To my further surprise and disappointment, this book also recommends daily aspirin, a "treatment" that has been proved dangerous, and then repeats the usual (useless) diet and exercise BS we've been getting for decades.

Basically, this book claims to cover improved treatments for the most prevalent chronic infections but does not. Where the "The Potbelly Syndrome" is so much better although it too provides no real solution is that it goes way beyond this, providing some of the evidence that the "lose weight & exercise" mantra is useless advice and looking at more up-to-date alternatives.

Also worth reading is Alan Cantwell's "Four Women Against Cancer" which explains how CWD bacteria they can live without having a cell wall and therefore act more like a virus cause cancer and how, since this bacteria is inside the cancer cells, tests don't find them and anti-microbial treatments (both natural and synthetic antibiotics, antifungals, antiprotozoals, and antivirals) do not cure cancer. This and the similar theory in The Heart Attack Germ book may be the underlying basis for many incurable health problems.

P.S. There are a few other books on this point: "The Inflammation Cure" by Meggs and Svec, "The Inflammation Syndrome" by Challem (dietary remedies only, in this one), "Stopping Inflammation" by Appleton (food again, particularly sugar, dairy and wheat as the bad guys), "Inflammation Nation" by Chilton (good and bad fats), and "The Anti-Inflammation Zone" by Sears (nutrition again) all appeared in 2003/4/5 and all discuss the role of inflammation in the major diseases of our time, and some of the things that one can do to limit inflammation.

All those books are also fairly easy to read but, as I know too well after more than a decade of careful nutrition, none really has a complete solution for the problem nor can I find anything more recent that might have offered newer/better advice even though there's more and more evidence to back up the book's claims in 2009 one report suggests that high blood pressure could be caused by a common virus, known as CMV, affecting between 60 and 99 per cent of adults worldwide, and that it is also linked to kidney disease, stroke and even cancer. In 2012 it was revealed that some arthritis is caused by bacteria.

LATEST NOTE: I had similar problems as outlined in this book and turned out to have serious adrenal fatigue and serious low thyroid issues. The thyroid issue had been getting worse for 2 decades, whilst "standard" medicine denied I had either, repeatedly assuring me all their tests "proved" this. `Hypothyroidism Type 2' by Mark Starr explains how all chronic pain is linked to low thyroid, including those involved with diabetes, heart problems, both bleeding (like gums, periods) & blood clots (including strokes) and some cancers. If you have any kind of chronic pain, you need to know 1. some are calling low thyroid the silent epidemic (silent because officially denied) and 2. that ALL the standard lab tests are WRONG. The FREE basal (at rest) temperature self-test is THE gold standard for low thyroid problems and with your symptoms means more than any lab test (although most conventional doctors won't agree). It will pick up conditions that current lab tests don't, such as thyroid resistance. The stopthethyroidmadness website has excellent instructions for this self-test, as well as several for adrenal fatigue, which often goes hand-in-hand with low thyroid.

Also, the new generation of colloidal silver, especially Sovereign Silver, is almost a panacea. The modern colloidal silvers are different from and safer than the old colloidal silvers and do not have the side effects. Most people need only 1 teaspoon a day. 2 teaspoons twice daily will cure almost anything safely.

This is an informative and well written book about the notorious Heart Attack Germ also known as Chlamydia pneumonia and how it relates to heart attacks, Alzheimer disease and other symptoms in the body. The author is a retired physician and surgeon who explains in detail and at times with a sense of humor what we all should know about our body. He covers everything from doctor office visits to lab work, preventative medicine and the detailed illustrations throughout the book make it easy for the non-medical reader to understand.

I highly recommend this book.

Buy The Heart Attack Germ: Prevent Strokes, Heart Attacks and the Symptoms of Alzheimer's by Protecting Now

I really liked the way the author gives an overview and then discusses in detail all the different aspects of incidents. This book is not really for physicians, but I appreciated the practical aspects of the content and think families that have been affected by an incident would benefit from reading it.

Read Best Reviews of The Heart Attack Germ: Prevent Strokes, Heart Attacks and the Symptoms of Alzheimer's by Protecting Here

Read More >>

Assisted Living Administration: The Knowledge Base, Second Edition

J. Allen is very knowledgeable on the subject and I would suggest a person or company to get this book if thinking about asisted living in any way.

Compared to his utterly dreadful "Nursing Home Administration" textbook, this book is like a fun summer vacation. Good information for aspiring A.L. Directors.

Buy Assisted Living Administration: The Knowledge Base, Second Edition Now

Read More >>

Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul

This book Jivamukti Yoga is very different than most yoga books in that it is about Yoga in a more holistic sense. It has some material on asana sequencing (very interesting I might add), but that is the smallest part of the book. I would also agree with others that the photographs have a lot to be desired in their size and the way they are cropped. Not user friendly at all. It seems as they were willing to sacrifice clarity for the sake of being "artsy".

Jivamukti Yoga is more of an overview of the more spiritual aspects of yoga and puts the asana practice in the context of this more complete picture. It truly treats asana as just one limb of yoga practice.

While I enjoyed it on many levels, I must also say that there are many times where I felt the authors got very preachy and sometimes seemed a bit off base to me.

For example, Gannon and Life's view of "Ahimsa" compared to other authors on the subject. Most writing on this concept of non-harming that I've read also stresses not harming oneself, Gannon and Life don't give very much importance to this aspect of it which has a bit of a "martyr-like" attitude to it.

In Desikachar's book "The Heart Of Yoga" he says (I'm paraphrasing) that "Ahimsa also means acting in kindness toward ourselves". and goes on to say for example that " if one is a vegetarian but are in a situation where one must eat meat in order to survive then one must do what they need to do so they can continue to take care of their family and other responsibilities" and goes on to say that "it would show a lack of consideration and arrogance to become stuck on one's principles".

Gannon and Life often seem to be stuck on their principles which I found to be a bit of a turn off.

Even Buddhist Metta practices start with the idea that one has to love themselves in a healthy way(not in a hedonistic or egotiscal way) before they can truly have space and peace in their hearts for others. Only then can people love in a pure and unconditional way as that love expands outward. How can one give what they don't have?

Anyway, besides occasional somewhat "fanatical" attitudes throughout, I enjoyed this book immensely. I am currently reading it for the second time and can see that I will go back to it and re-read it many many times in spite of my occasional disagreements with the authors.

I have read some complain of a lack of "thoroughness" regarding the "yoga philosphy" in this book, but in fairness to the authors, this book isn't a scholarly book on Yoga philosophy but rather an introduction that will surely open many eyes to Yoga as a broader practice than just the asanas. Most people new to the more philosophical and religious aspects of yoga practice are not going to start with Patanjali but would be better off getting the overview from a book like this.

As mentioned above, for those interested, I would highly recommend Desikachar's "Heart of Yoga", which does have the "Yoga Sutras" translated at the end of the book. It is preceded by an overview of yoga philosophy prior to presenting his translation of the "Yoga Sutras" (as well as some chapters on yoga "asana" practice) to give the reader some background.

Desikachar himself is the son (and student)of the late Sri T.Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya himself was also the teacher of Pattabhi Jois (the primary Guru and Ashtanga yoga teacher of Gannon and Life and THE most well known proponent of Ashtanga Yoga). Krishnamacharya also taught BKS Iyengar. That should be enough of an endorsement to convince anyone of Desikachar's "Yoga lineage" and credibility which would in my eyes put him in a different class than Gannon and Life. Sometimes it seems that some Westerners tend to "romanticize" their experiences in India whereas someone like Desikachar is not apt to do that since he is a native of that land.

Still, regarding "Jivamukti Yoga", I still think it deserves a five star rating and Highly recommend it for those interested in this very interesting approach to yoga.

Namaste

This has been a very interesting read for me. I attempted to read the book without thinking about things that I have heard about the authors. Sharon and David are much discussed in yoga circles they are considered fairly radical and I have heard many good and bad things about them. I also tried not to let the views of the authors that I don't entirely agree with influence my view of the book. In the end, I was quite please with this book.

First of all, I think the overview of yoga philosophy, is good. This is the main focus of this book. As an introductory book on the philosophy aspect of yoga, it does not go into great depth. The authors believe that this aspect has not been being spread as much as the physical practice of yoga. However, be forewarned, the authors practice veganism as a part of their ahimsa (non-harming) practice and they are strong advocates for animal rights. This stance is presented throughout the book. While I don't entirely agree with them on this, if you read the entire book, they do explain where they are coming from on this issue.

As far as hatha yoga / asana practice / the physical postures of yoga, there is some of that in this book. The authors assume you have studied asana previously. They point out there are many books and teachers availible regarding hatha yoga, and they don't feel compelled to repeat this. What they do is dedecate a few chapters to demonstrate their style of vinyasa krama (linking the postures together with breath in a dance/tai chi like flow series). They give 5 sample 'lessons', three for beginners and two for intermediate/advanced. They also give numerous flow sequences you can put together yourself in various ways or incorporate as a segment into your own practice. As others have stated the pictures of the authors doing these sequences are not extremely clear, but I think this is because they are already assuming you know how to do the poses. They do state you should have studied yoga before attempting to do these sequences. I have incorporated some of these lessons into my home practice and have found their sequencing extremely enjoyable.

Basic meditation and pranayama (breathing) techniques are also given. They do suggest exhale retention, a practice many do not advise until experience in pranayama is gained; however, they don't go into discussion about the various theories behind this.

There is much discussion of spiritualism throughout the book and devotion to the divine in whatever form you see it. in the authors' opinion, this is the goal of yoga/life. There are also discussions of the arts in worship. Building a spiritual community is another major focus in the book.

There is a considerable bit of name dropping in this book. This may be American name dropping but I want to offer another explanation. In many yoga traditions you are supposed to recognize anyone and everyone who has contributed to your growth. It is a sign of humility: I would not be here without all these people (all things that have come before me have made me and I will be a part of all that comes after me), I have done none of this own my own.

I have never met David and Sharon, but I have heard a lot about them second hand. I don't know what of that is true or false. All I can say that this book is a good, well-rounded presentation of yoga that does include the authors viewpoints and personality in its pages (whether this is good or bad depends on how you feel about this as a reader).

I give this book four and a half stars.

Buy Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul Now

"Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul" is a wonderful book that reflects the path of Yogis David Life and Sharon Gannon. Although the couples views on Ahimsa (non-harming) are controversial (and to many readers somewhat extreme), they most certainly make one think.

I have had the pleasure of practicing Jivamukti Yoga (not with Sharon and David, but with their students) and find it to be an energetic and well integrated style of Yoga. Like all yoga, Jivamukti's asanas and philosphy will not be for everyone. Yoga is a personal path and each of us that embark upon that path must invariably find their own way.

What I enjoyed most about the book was that it is a detailed description of two people that clearly have found their path. Many find their path extreme, but that is for the reader and individual Yogi to decide. Ultimately you will recieve from the book what you need and put aside that which does not serve you.

I definitely recommend that yogis read this book in order to clarify their own path.

Read Best Reviews of Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul Here

This book is unique among Yoga books as some topics come out in more detail with more of the Author's personal experience. Such as Karma (action), Ahimsa (Non-violence), Prana (life force), Vinyasa Krama (the act of sequencing), etc. The coverage is more extensive than most of the typical yoga books. A whole chapter is devoted to each of these topics and more. The authors state that the book itself is not really about the postures but what (all) is essential in liberating the soul (Jiva mukti life/soul liberation).

A very unique chapter is about the Guru. This chapter eloquently highlights the characteristics you should look for in a Guru. The authors point out the fact that your intuition apart from the intellect itself must play a role. Another point you don't read often is the fact that a Guru must have attained enlightenment. While very few teachers in the modern age have attained enlightenment, Sharon and David point out the need for the Guru to be in close touch with the scriptures as a substitute.

Being strong proponents of non-violence and animal rights you can expect a good deal of coverage on ahimsa. Very few Yoga teachers prescribe a vegetarian diet; Sharon and David prescribe it as an must for a true Yogi.

The book is complete with a superb collection of photographs and many charts of asanas for different focus backbending, forward bending, twists and such. A quite comprehensive reference list and a comprehensive translation of sanskrit terms ends the well written and eloquent presentation.

The cover photos while beautiful is needlessly catchy! In all, an eloquent discourse on many aspects of Yoga. It would be a complete book if the authors had an as in-depth commentary on the other yamas and niyamas, the rules and observations as some of those in the book.

Want Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul Discount?

I did not like this book. There is too many rules to follow, too much religion like. For me yoga is about one's own wisdom, following one's own intuition because living someone else's life and following someone else's path will not bring happiness to anybody. No matter how good it seems. But according this book you must follow the rules to be a good person and to ever find any happiness. When you read it it makes you feel bad about yourself. Because up to their standart no one is good enough. Only if you devote yourself to their principles you can start to think about yourself as being a better person. And I don't believe that.

This book is very limiting to the beauty and the spirit we all carry within. That something that makes us so special and different from each other. They mean well but the truth is somewhere else. Try to find your own path and your own truth. This book will not help you with it. It will only make you feel bad about who you are today.

Save 26% Off

Read More >>

Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye: A Do-It-Yourself Mouth Care System for Healthy, Clean Gums and Teeth

Ellie Phillips, DDS has written a book detailing the dental care regimen she recommends for her patients. Contrary to the eye catching title, she is not suggesting people stop seeing their dentist, but rather proposes a more preventative approach to keep dental problems to a minimum.

Her focus is on a series of rinses that adjust the mouth's chemistry, creating a healthier environment to facilitate the destruction of bad bacteria that cause plaque on teeth and contribute to gum disease, and encourage the growth of good bacteria that help bolster the natural rebuilding capabilities of our teeth.

Dr. Phillips explains why, although faithfully brushing and flossing, individuals may still have serious dental problems, but what is particularly helpful is her clear and non-technical explanations regarding why our current methods aren't working and why this system has good results. The book is actually interesting to read. There is a wealth of information for both adults and children along with some revealing material on the effect bleaching has on tooth health.

Trying the Dr. Phillips' system is not difficult or time consuming. The products are all available over the counter and on the internet with most being moderately priced. I am a cautious person and do not try every new fad that comes along, particularly when it comes to medical matters. I was interested in this book because I want to keep my teeth, not harm them. Dr. Phillips has been using this system for many years in her practice with success. What I read in her book makes sense to me, so I have started the program. It has been two weeks and entirely too soon to be reporting on my progress, but I can say my mouth has never felt cleaner.

I am not a dental professional or a chemist, and I haven't been using the system long enough to provide definitive proof of results, so this review isn't an endorsement of the Dr. Phillips process. That said, I am impressed enough to encourage anyone else interested in the subject matter, to read the book. I read it in one sitting and learned a great deal about teeth and gums. That information alone is valuable to me and made the book worth my time.

Update 6/12

Well, after faithfully using her system since reading the book I have had absolutely fabulous results. My last dental check-up (for a cleaning) was perfect and my dentist actually thanked me for taking such good care of my teeth and gums.

Oh how I wish I had access to a book like this twenty years ago when my dental challenges first began! This book not only helped me understand the cause of my dental challenges, something no dentist has taken the time to do before now, but also gives a very easy to follow mouthcare system to prevent dental disease.

I didn't realize that our teeth are built to naturally repair themselves as long as the mouth chemistry is healthy mine wasn't. I had a very acidic mouth. It took reading this book to help me realize that fact and understand this was the cause of my continued dental problems.

I've been on the mouthcare system for a few months now and can say that it works! My mouth feels healthy and I'm starting to see signs of improvement with my teeth and gums.

I highly recommend this book.

Buy Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye: A Do-It-Yourself Mouth Care System for Healthy, Clean Gums and Teeth Now

Lots of good details on how acidity works in the mouth and overall dental and mouth chemistry is about 80% of the book. Her recommendations detailed in the end.

Is good reading to understand why she recommends the specific products she does. Her online site also sells but its common stuff and all can be purchased on Amazon at same price or less than her zellies site.

Amazon also has some of their products like the Listerine Pump same price.

My Dental Hygienist recommended Closys oral rinse years ago and have been using. But her combination with other products makes a lot of sense.

Closys available at many local drug stores and on her site. But on Amazon get 2 for the price of 1 on her site and most other places.

Is nice she doesn't have some secret ingredient you can only get from her but rather very common stuff, which enhances her creditability.

Have also researched her main ideas such as Xylitol and find plenty of back up support and not just from those trying to sell it. Just ordered Orahealth Xylimelts, 80-Count Boxes from here (Amazon) as well as Phyrion Diagnostic Ph Test Strips, 80ct -2

Read Best Reviews of Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye: A Do-It-Yourself Mouth Care System for Healthy, Clean Gums and Teeth Here

---------------

Update after three months on the program:

It has been great the results far exceed my expectations!

* My teeth are noticably lighter in color. They look less yellow, less stained now. Relatives (who don't know about my new mouthcare routine) have started mentioning that my teeth look whiter.

* I have not had any tooth sensitivity since the moment 3 months ago that I stopped using Sensodyne and started using Dr. Ellie's system, which is amazing since I *needed* to use Sensodyne for the previous 12 or so years (and during that time, I still had some sensitivity that the Sensodyne did not take care of).

* I have not had a dental checkup since I started this, so I don't know about any changes to the condition of my gums and tooth surfaces, but they seem to me to be healthier than before.

* I would encourage anyone to give this inexpensive, easy, free-to-learn-about program at least a one-month trial.

--------------

Kudos to Dr. Ellie, who created a simple (and relatively inexpensive) process that improved her patients' health, and then published the entire process online, for free. I am grateful to her.

It is odd that there aren't very many dentists out there in the US (at least as far as I am aware) who speak to the general public in so honest and freely a fashion as Dr Ellie does about what they think does work and does NOT work in their area of expertise.

---

My review here is mainly about her program.

In the comments section under my review, I will post the website address for Dr. Ellie's free pdf overview of her program.

---

A note about the book it seems as if the book does not contain all the pertinent information that it could have, because greater detail (often quite helpful detail) on several of the key points is introduced piecemeal in the author's blog. It takes a lot of time and patience to sift through the blog archives to find topics of interest to oneself to see if there is any further information on the process that might be important.

Perhaps if a second edition is published, it could be rounded out with a lot of this extra information from Dr. Ellie's various websites.

---

The process

I gleaned the following steps from the online information that is freely-offered by Dr. Ellie. It is an accurate reflection of her current procedure (summer 2012), as far as I know, but I *have* found some conflicting information that was written by her at different points of time, so possibly this isn't the exact procedure anymore.

1. rinse 60 seconds with Closys antiseptic oral rinse (she recommends NOT adding the optional flavor drops to the Closys), making sure to bathe any areas of gum problems well with the liquid

2. brush for 2 minutes with Crest Original Cavity Protection Regular Paste using a soft toothbrush and a good brushing technique

3. rinse with Listerine original formula (or a diluted form of it if the full-strength is too strong for you; even a couple of drops in water is okay to start off with) for 30 seconds

4. rinse with ACT original alcohol-free anticavity fluoride rinse (she recommends the green one/mint flavor) for anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes (she said in one blog post that for whiter teeth, 60 seconds seems to be ideal for the ACT rinse perhaps longer than this might impart a slight stain to the teeth).

At no time in those steps are you supposed to rinse your mouth out with water. (A lot of people seem to be rinsing with water between some of the steps, but that will lessen the effectiveness.)

Do this process in the morning and the evening the ideal time span is at 12 hour intervals.

If you can, leave the mouth undisturbed for an hour afterwards so the ACT has time to work on the teeth. (Dr. Ellie says that she actually does her morning routine after she's been awake for quite a while and has had a few cups of coffee first.)

Additionally, expose mouth to xylitol 5 times a day. This can be by xylitol mints, gum, dry xylitol powder/crystals (1/4th teaspoon each time) mixed with one's saliva, or a xylitol powder/crystals + water solution. You don't have to swallow the xylitol if you don't want to, but for most people it doesn't cause any harm if they do swallow it. The best time for xylitol exposure is after eating or drinking.

If you don't have access to xylitol after meals or drinking acidic beverages, one thing you can to do to help the teeth recover is to eat a little bit of a dairy product like cheese or yogurt.

On her blog, she has recently written that you can floss if you want to, if you feel that you are good at flossing and are not cutting into the gums. Her initial recommendation not to floss was based on many of her patients who first came to her *already having bad oral health* and she discovered that if they did floss, they were flossing so awkwardly that they were doing more damage to their gums than was worth it, and she told them to stop doing it.

---

My main concern before starting Ellie's system:

I've had sensitive teeth for about 15 years and have been using sensitive toothpaste (Sensodyne Extra Whitening, which does not have sodium lauryl sulfate, is the best I've tried) for all that time on the recommendation of dentists, and I was afraid to let go of the Sensodyne to switch to Ellie's old-school Crest, because of the pain that surely would be lurking just beyond the analgesic-sort of magic that the potassium nitrate does on the nerves. Even if Ellie's process lived up to the hype of reversing the tooth sensitivity, it seemed logical that there might be an interim period during which time the Sensodyne numbing would taper off before the new process' healing would reach a threshold of potency.

Update after 3 months: I have not had even one tiny problem with sensitivity after stopping the Sensodyne and starting Ellie's system. Amazing!

My secondary concern:

I'd like to naturally whiten my teeth if possible (simply by following Dr. Ellie's process), because my love of hot tea (which is non-negotiable!) has stained them. If any whitening happened, it would be a great bonus.

Update after 3 months: My teeth are lighter and smoother. People have started to ask me if I have used something to lighten my teeth. They are still a bit yellower than I would like, but are whiter than they've been in 15 years.

Dr. Ellie says to just give her system a try for a short while, even just for a month, and see for oneself if there is any improvement or worsening. I am glad I did.

---

Notes on purchasing the products:

Xylitol

The research into the power of xylitol shows beyond a doubt that it's worth using the gum/mints and rinsing with the powder occasionally.

I looked into the available xylitol gums which don't have aspartame and other unnecessary chemicals, and I settled on Xylichew gum and mints which are made in Norway out of birch wood. The peppermint is a nice flavor and the gum lasts for the 15 minutes that I chew it. The spearmint flavor is also fine. Their products are available on Amazon.

I ordered a 16-ounce package of powdered/crystal xylitol from Swanson Vitamins because their large package is made out of birch in the USA and is a good price. (Note that Swanson's other xylitol product, individual serving-size packets, is made from corn, I think, and I don't recall whether the xylitol in those little packets is imported from China or not.) This item is available on Amazon, and also on the company's own website.

Dr. Ellie also sells her own line of xylitol mints and gum. She sources her xylitol from Finland birch. I had a look at these items on her retail site, but in the end I decided to go with the Xylichew products. Update: I have noticed recently that her xylitol products are listed directly on Amazon too.

Closys

The Closys website offers a $1 off coupon (it had been $2 before September) for purchasing Closys from a bricks-and-mortar store, and you can print it twice per month.

Closys isn't stocked at a lot of typical American bricks and mortar retailers, but it is at most CVS and Walgreen's, apparently.

I found Closys online prices to be much more than I could get it for at local stores, considering store discounts like CVS' frequent 25%-off-everything and the Closys printable coupons.

However, I found that the packages of Closys rinse at all of my local stores were really old (even though the rinse bottles don't have expiration dates on them which I think they should, the free sample of toothpaste that is included inside the packages of rinse expired over a year ago, so those products were manufactured quite a long time ago, since toothpaste has a shelf life of a couple of years. You can read more about that on my customer review on the Closys listing here at Amazon.) Anyway, I decided I'd rather get fresh Closys by ordering it from Amazon.

If you just want to try it for a few days and/or want to have a handy travel-size of Closys, a mini-bottle of it is an Amazon "add on" product now for only a couple of dollars.

ACT, Listerine, Crest

These are available at most general retail shops, supermarkets and drugstores in the US.

The manufacturers' sites don't seem to have coupons at the moment, but there are coupons once in a while in the coupon booklets that come in Sunday newspapers.

Usually these products on sale at one store or the other, so it's worth checking around if you need to buy a new supply. (I got my first bottle of the Listerine for ninety-nine cents at CVS, on sale from three ninety-nine.)

Per ounce, the very large bottles of Listerine are a much better deal than the smaller ones. If the very large bottle is unwieldy to use with your daily Dr. Ellie routine, you can buy one small bottle of it to keep with your toothbrush etc., and periodically refill it from the large bottle that you keep stored away.

Usage rate

I find that I need to use less of all the rinses than is indicated on the bottles' instructions. In order not to swig directly from the bottles (to keep things sanitary), I use a little cup that I pour a small amount into for each rinsing step, and rinsing with about 1/3rd of the quantities recommended seems to be adequate for me.

At the risk of sounding pretty nerdy-after 2 months of doing the procedure twice a day, I checked out the quantities I had left of the 4 items. I had used:

about 1.5 ounces of Crest (25% of a 6.4 ounce tube)

about 28 ounces of Clo-sys (90% of a 32 ounce container)

about 500 ml/17 ounces of Listerine (an entire 500 ml/17 ounce bottle)

about 400 ml/14 ounces of Act (75% of a 532 ml/18 ounce bottle)

I do try to measure out the same amount of each liquid, but obviously have used them up at different rates. If they all had the nifty built-in dosing device that the Act bottle does, it would be easier to pour out less of the others. The unwieldy nature of the large Closys bottle encourages over-pouring.

Because of various sales and coupons, I got my first supply of the 4 products for about fifteen dollars total. So, if they lasted for 2 to 3 months, that wasn't too bad.

The Xylichew gum and mints are kind of expensive, so I use the Swanson xylitol powder for most of my daily xylitol exposures, and have 1 or 2 pieces of gum and/or 1 or 2 mints per day.

---

Other info

Apparently she's not a working dentist now she lectures, sells her product line, writes, and helps run her family's restaurant in New York state -I learned this in an online article about her from her local newspaper which came up tonight when I did a yahoo search for "Dr Ellie review".

-

The complaint posed by some reviewers here that she has not researched the effects of this system experimentally/scientifically is perhaps a bit naive about just how expensive and difficult such an undertaking is, even for university professors, unless it's supported by government or corporate research grants. It would require a lot of money, time, willing patients, and paid research assistants. Dr. Ellie (even though she used to be a professor at the University of Rochester, apparently) is just a lone dentist and would presumably not have at her disposal the resources to do such testing. This dental process, even if it worked amazingly well, would not provide the kind of profit streams to corporations to justify their funding proper studies into it. It might behoove the government to fund research into this kind of inexpensive, low-tech process, if it could dramatically improve the health of millions of citizens, but there are probably hundreds of promising ingredients/procedures/exercises that are in the same boat: unfortunately, that's the way our modern health system/society works.

-

One interesting negative review that I read about her system by an actual dentist (it seems surprisingly hard to find online other dentist's comments on her ideas) was by a Florida dentist who says on his website that he is the personal dentist of one of Dr. Ellie's parents, and that he had met Dr. Ellie personally and spoken with her about her system. In his blog post, he said that he was not very happy with parts of her system, and spelled out what he would advise patients to do instead, if they want to remineralize their teeth. (Do an internet search for Mark Kraver at Cape Dental in Florida, then do a search on his site for "Ellie", and the post I mention here will come up.)

-

If you don't live in the US and can't find the exact products she recommends, Ellie sells the supplies for the entire program on her site and will ship internationally. When I checked to see how much it was, the set of 3 rinses + toothpaste that I got for 15 dollars (admittedly, on sale and using coupons) was I think about 45 dollars on her site, but if it's your best way to access them, it's probably worth it.

-

Because Dr. Ellie says not to use the Closys flavor drops with the Closys rinse, I decided to be a little "fancy" with the xylitol crystals that I swish around in my mouth a few times a day. I put about 1/2 cup of xylitol into a small glass mason jar (that has a lid) and then dropped about 1/3rd of the little Closys mint oil on top, stirred it up, and now I have a minty/refreshing flavor to pop into my mouth after meals, instead of the super-sweet taste of plain xylitol (which I find too sweet to be pleasant).

Update on the Closys flavor drops (which is just pure peppermint oil plus mineral oil, or something like that): I've found another use for them I am putting them in the melted chocolate of my holiday "peppermint bark" candy as a mint flavor booster, and it's very tasty! However, although this tiny amount of mineral oil is apparently FDA-approved for rinsing the mouth with, I don't know if it's approved for ingesting, so please check that out for yourself if you are thinking of using the Closys flavor drops in cooking!

Want Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye: A Do-It-Yourself Mouth Care System for Healthy, Clean Gums and Teeth Discount?

The author ( a dentist ) espouses her "system" of dental care based on her many years of experience in the practice. However, if you want to sum up the book in a few short words, it is thus:

Do the following twice a day in this order:

1. use Closys mouth rinse

2. brush with Crest Cavity Prevention toothpase using a small head

Save 22% Off

Read More >>

The Cosmetics Cookbook: Over 50 recipes to beautify your face, hair, and entire body you can whip up

I have been making cosmetics for over 10 years, have a diploma in herbal medicine & aromatherapy...thought this book would be a great addition to my cosmetic cookbook collection. It was not. If you are a beginner & when I say beginner, I mean you have never made anything cosmetic in your kitchen before, this may be a good book for you. If you have made cosmetics in the past and don't know much about formulation, then check this book out from the library before purchasing. The recipes call for ingredients like mineral oil and petroleum jelly (NASTY ingredients to use on your face & body--these are both by-products of the petroleum industry, are not good for you, create a greasy layer on top of the skin, do not penetrate &/or heal anything), clearly the author does not realize what she is instructing people to use on their bodies. I generally do not leave bad reviews of any book, I try to find a little nugget of valuable information in the book prior to writing a review, but I have not been able to find a thing that justifies a good or at least ambivalent review of this book.

Excellent! The only word to describe it. The book is very well presented and also well written. A MUST for every home with such simple and easy to prepare recipies. I would recommend this book to everyone and really worth its price in gold!

Buy The Cosmetics Cookbook: Over 50 recipes to beautify your face, hair, and entire body you can whip up Now

This book is very simple and easy to read. The instructions and recipe items are basically all from your kitchen. My only problem is that some of the recipes are almost too simple; almost like they were just taken from the sky and they seem to be all from "granny". I haven't tried any of them but I can see how some of them would work considering what I already know.

Read Best Reviews of The Cosmetics Cookbook: Over 50 recipes to beautify your face, hair, and entire body you can whip up Here

I am very stasified that I purchased this book. The Cosmetics Cookbook help me with my homemade beauty products. All my beauty products are made with natural incredients. The recipes in this book along with my own creations are great. Please check out my page to see just how I made good use of this book.

Thank you.

Want The Cosmetics Cookbook: Over 50 recipes to beautify your face, hair, and entire body you can whip up Discount?

really good book. Recommend it to anyone who is tired of paying for so called "natural" products from salons!

Recepies are easy to make and REALLY work....

Read More >>