Customer Reviews

The Beginner's Guide to Natural Living

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just love this book...I found out about it through a friend & read it in one night, now I keep it on my nightstand as a reference guide. I am a want-a-be naturalist & I try my best. This book gives me the knowledge and inspiration to stay on track. I purchaed 6 more books for my 20 something kids and close friends. Alot of the knowledge in the book I already knew, reading it gave me the power to incorprate the basics into my daily life. I know that I will not go Vegan however I am much smarter about my choices...I think everyone should have this book and use it as a reference guide to healther living.

The Editorial Review says it so well: "The Beginner's Guide to Natural Living is a straightforward, well-researched, comprehensive and easy to understand step-by-step guide to the hows and whys of nearly every aspect of natural living. This book is an inspiring wealth of information, and includes everything you need to know to implement lasting change in your life and your health."

Yes! It's all that and more! It's AMAZINGLY well organized and informative. I've been dabbling in this subject for many years and am impressed that TBG covers all the important, relevant topics to give a broad, yet thorough understanding of how to make healthy livestyle choices.

I discovered the book when I was Googling "natural/holistic dentistry", a subject upon which not much helpful information seems to have been written. TBG offers 10 pages that succinctly and effectively cover all aspects of this topic.

So, what's the flaw?? No index!! For such an information-rich book as this, an index is an indispensible, reader-friendly tool for accessing information easily. Please include an index in the next edition, at which time, I will happily add another star!

Mom wasn't healthy, no huge degenerative disease like cancer...but just lots of little things adding up, memory loss, arthritis, pains here and there...And although she is interested in healthy ways, (and talks to me / is supportive about what I do and what I like...) she was hesitant to make any changes to her own old routines... So, I got my mom this book as an introduction to ways she can start to feel better. I had read it for myself, and although it was mostly things I knew (I've read a lot about health over the years) what i was impressed with is that it contained the components of health and nutrition that I've found to be most beneficial in my own experience of trial and error.

So I decided to get it for my mom, thinking that she most likely won't read it...and I'd just have to chalk it up to, "Oh well, I tried". So it came as a complete surprise that she -first of all- read it, and then was utterly ASTONISHED when I found out that she actually started implementing EVERY SINGLE suggestion in the book! :)

So then, I had to find out how it was able to make such an impact...So I was like "mom, I've told you how important getting omega oils is, like taking flax oil" she quickly quipped back "but you didn't tell me WHY!..." So, for whatever reason, the WAY in which this book was written combined with the practicality of the suggestions ...has changed my mom's health for the better. And further, has managed to shift her belief /inspired her to know that she now has an active ROLE in maintaining her own health (!) So pretty cool indeed...So, I'm actually writing this to say, thanks Mr. Cook! :)

I have been very interested in natural living for a while now, and slowly have been adding more and more components of it to my life. This book is a great comprehensive guide to many aspects of natural living. It gives specific examples of what to do and not to do, as well as specific product recommendations. He also has some recipes in the back of the book that I have tried and loved, and found very useful. I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in natural living.

This book is a fantastic roadmap for starting a healthy lifestyle. I learned many of the foods and household products I used had additives that are not safe, but it is a big task to change the things that we use everyday. The book introduced me to some great products and helpful resources for information. I like to research products before purchasing but I found that there isn't a lot of rating information about organic products. Larry's book is a fantastic "where to start and why" reference, one that you will use again and again.
This is the best book I have read for healthy living ideas that you can implement at your own pace. The improvement in my family's health confirms that The Beginner's Guide To Natural Living was a great investment! Danna B.

This little gem does a great job covering the basics needed to achieve and maintain good health from a natural health perspective: how to shop at a health food store, why to drink filtered water, why to eat whole organic food instead of processed food, how to build chi and vitality, why detoxification of the body is important, the benefit to visiting a holistic dentist, how natural medicine works and why visiting a natural medicine doctor is important. It is clearly organized and packed with practical information that will be helpful to any individual interested in forming lifelong healthy habits. The book is appropriate for both the novice and the more experienced natural health conscious consumer. I am a practicing Naturopathic Doctor and I found many of the resources in the book to be very useful. Kudos to the author for creating a well-researched, thorough and peer-reviewed book that will help everyone take the right steps towards living a healthy life.

Angela Agrios, ND
Licensed Naturopathic Doctor
Los Angeles, CA

I found this book to be incredibly insightful and eye-opening. Larry covers a vast array of topics, all of which contain very valuable information, and is sure to sight his sources. This book has truly changed my life-for the better.
Thank you, Larry.

I was feeling very overwhelmed on my search to living a more natural lifestyle when I ran into this book. After reading it I felt in much more control over where and how to start my desired lifestyle more effectively. Larry Cook gives great references and ways to find what you're looking for. I highly recommend this book.

I recommend The Beginner's Guide to Natural Living to my patients because it encapsulates all the things I would want them to know at the outset: vibrant health comes from living a more natural lifestyle, and Mr. Cook brings it all together in an easily digestible form. The book is comprehensive but readable, practical and thoughtful. For my patients to have success in healing, I always prescribe dietary changes such as those advocated by Mr. Cook - eating whole foods, organic foods and less processed foods. This book also gives good research as to why eating such foods promotes healing and health. The sections on supplements and health food shopping are particularly useful and easy to follow. If someone is looking to get healthy or reverse a disease process, adopting the principles in this book is a great way to get started.
Simon Barker, ND
Pasadena, CA

As a Naturopathic Doctor, I appreciate Larry Cook's emphasis on the simplicity of eating a natural, whole foods diet as the foundation for optimal health.