Customer Reviews

Biobalance: The Acid/Alkaline Solution to the Food-Mood-Health Puzzle

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Dr. Rudolf A. Wiley's book (BIOBALANCE: Using Acid/Alkaline Nutrition to Solve the Food-Mood-Health Puzzle) is nothing short of revolutionary. It deconflicts virtually all of the contradictory advice being dispensed to the public by the nutritional community; advice which promotes nutritional regimens ranging from low fat/high fiber vegetarianism at one extreme, to high protein/high meat fare at the other.

As this review is being written (May 2000), the debate among the so-called nutrition experts rages. Characteristically, it has been forced to fever pitch by the recent clash between Dr. Richard Adkins (an advocate of the high protein diet), and much of the mainstream dietary community (advocating low fat, high complex carbohydrate fare). As illustrated in his book, Dr. Wiley has resolved this debate in addition to others being waged within the nutritional community by demonstrating that different individuals metabolize foods in different fashion. Specifically, he has shown that while some individuals will thrive on regimens similar to the regimen advocated by Dr. Adkins, other individuals will require low fat, high complex carbohydrate fare. (For biochemical reasons made clear in his book, Dr. Wiley classifies the former and latter as acid and alkaline metabolic types respectively.) Conversely, Dr. Wiley has demonstrated that each of these regimens can be catastrophic to both physical and mental health when inappropriately applied. Hence, metabolic compatibility is the key to matching or pairing each individual with his or her biocompatible nutritional regimen in the quest for optimal performance.

Dr. Wiley has gone on to show that some individuals (most notably, some premenopausal women) metabolize in different fashion at different times during a monthly cycle. These individuals require not 1, but 2 different nutritional regimens (each at a different time of month) to sustain optimal metabolic performance. Dr. Wiley concludes that this metabolic variability over time, is genetically driven, is not the result "deep-seated psychological trauma" or "stress," and (if untreated) is largely responsible for the severe and often icapacitating distress which accompanies menstrual disorders. In fact, Dr. Wiley's research concludes that many disorders currently classified as "psychological" or "mental" (including chronic fatigue syndrome) are instead the result of metabolic or acid/alkaline biochemical imbalances, and will thus not lend themselves to "talking things over with a sensitive mental health expert."

Equally remarkable is the fact that Dr. Wiley has been able to accurately reduce metabolic identification to one simple test, namely caffeine tolerance. Specifically, he has shown that individuals who report a favorable response to caffeine will generally thrive on low fat, high carbohydrate fare, while individuals who are caffeine-intolerant must limit their carbohydrate intake, and must increase their intake of proteins, in particular nucleoproteins which are found in specific meats, fish and vegetables. (Ironically, these proteins have largely been ignored by the so-called nutrition experts irrespective of their dietary recommendations.) In essence, Dr. Wiley has rigorously demonstrated what you have suspected all along, but have been unable to articulate as part of a coherent food-mood-health plan, namely that one size does not fit all.

Dr. Wiley's analysis of the chaos sweeping the nutritional and health care communities today is best summarized in his remarkable book as follows. Today's nutrition experts are akin to the wise but blind men in the children's fable, "The Blind Men and the Elephant." Because each wise man is blind, he misunderstands the nature of the elephant, despite repeatedly touching one part of the animal. Consequently, after touching the elephant's tail, one sage insists that the elephant is very much like a snake. After touching its leg, another sage insists that the elephant is not at all like a snake, but instead resembles a tree. After touching its tusk, a third sage insists that the elephant is neither like a snake or tree, but more closely resembles a spear, etc.. Consequently, because each nutrition expert has unwittingly encountered notable success in treating one and only one metabolic type, he or she has tragically generalized this success to everyone. (Failed cases are of course dismissed, and shuffled off to psychotherapy, or stress management therapy.) Sadly, these generalizations in turn form the root of the chaos, confusion and contradictory advice dispensed by the nutritional community. Dr, Wiley rigorously argues that absent an understanding of the metabolic diversity which characterizes the human species (a diversity which forms the cornerstone of BioBalance Therapy), little if any progress will be made in the nutritional treatment of disease.

In summary, Dr. Wiley's book will show you how you can quickly and non-invasively determine your metabolic type, and thereby self-administer one or more nutritional regimens which will allow you to maintain optimal psychophysiological performance. In conclusion, Dr. Wiley's book is a must read for anyone who is either a serious student of the food-mood-health connection, or for anyone interested in ridding himself or herself of any illness which has either been classified as "psychological," or which has persistently eluded medical diagnosis.

I am an M.D. with a holistic practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I underwent BioBalance Therapy via phone under Dr. Wiley's care several years ago for a constellation of problems revolving around depression, anxiety, obesity and insomnia. It took Dr. Wiley less than 20 minutes to decipher my metabolic type, and 3 additional sessions (1 per month) to essentially eliminate my problems with my biocomptaible nutritional regimens (I am a bipolar female - if you read the book, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about). I routinely tell other M.D.s about BioBalance, but the overwhelming majority won't listen. They (as I once did) have the attention spans of a gnat; mesmerized in short-lived fashion by each worthless cure du jour that crosses their desks. It's truly criminal that the press and media have failed to pick up on this incredible (and thus far silent) revolution in health care. I often wonder how many more millions of people will have to needlessly suffer, and - yes, die - from lack of appropriate care. I have made BioBalance Therapy an integral part of my practice. I would urge you to read this incredible book, and to paraphrase the popular ad, "Just Do It!"

It wasn't until page 133 out of 198 internal pages did I finally get useful information on how the plan works. Prior to page 133 it was filled with repetitive comments on how Dr. Wiley funded his own research and has no more money. It also contained detailed drawbacks to other programs such as Fit for Life, Pritikin, and many more. His message was harsh and not well written.

I am well-read and have been told by those with a master's degree in nutrition that I understand the chemical process of nutrition better than they do. I say this to help the reader of this review understand that I was expecting a detailed book on 'The Acid/Alkaline solution to the Food-Mood-Health Puzzle" not a book on how bad other programs are and that more research isn't possible because the Dr. ran out of money.

This is the first negative review I've ever written as well.

I will continue looking to find a book that addresses the acid/alkaline issue.

I don't give a flying ---- about the theory behind biobalance or anything else. He presents basically two ways of eating. Acid and alkaline. I experimented with eating acidic and within a day I had deteriorated to the point where I nearly passed out on the freeway. I switched to eating alkaline and 80% of my symptoms disappeared within one day and haven't returned in over a year. It fixed problems I didn't know I had.

I thought all guys were supposed to blow their wives out of bed with gas. I thought BM's were supposed to come in 1000 pieces. I thought you were supposed to have heartburn every night. I thought you were supposed to feel like doo-doo in the AM. I am now a meat eatin' fat chewin' carnivore and proud of it.

Don't eat according to a theory. Don't eat according to your cravings. Pay attention to what happens to your body after you eat certain foods. I know exactly how to bring all my symptoms back, I've done it a few times just to see what would happen. Just today I ate some oatmel cookies and nearly fell off the couch. Oh well, It'll be steak again tonight and all will be well.

His idea of which foods are acid and which are alkaline differs from every alternative book I've read. I really don't care though. I've tried the others, even all raw, no bueno, for ME.

On another level, the success I had with this gives me hope that there are true answers out there in life. There are things that actually work. I have desperately spent a lot of money on things that don't work. I don't know how the sellers of some of these products/ systems live woth themselves. You start thinking all kinds of wacky ideas when you're desperate. You start thinking there are no answers to anything. You start to think life is all chance and these are the cards I've been dealt so I 've just got to play my hand. My success with this made me feel relieved that there are answers. At least one anyway.

Next on my list to fix, allergies.

To the author, are you out there? I've got a million questions for you. I am a health professional. Please leave a review here with info on how to contact you if you are available. Thanks

While well intentioned, this book is a mess. As another reviewer mentioned, his main point, that what works for one person could be very harmful for someone else, is what everyone should remember. It applies to this book as well. Clearly, it has helped some. Nevertheless, a reviewer asked "Why hasn't the press made BioBalance a household word?" Perhaps because it's so poorly written, organized and confusing. The INDEX alone is a disaster: A couple of readers mention a caffeine test, or how you can determine your profile by your tolerance to caffeine. Caffeine isn't even listed in the index, and coffee, even though the word can be found on at least a dozen pages, is listed as being on page 124. Look on 124, and it is nowhere to be found. "Krebs Cycle" is listed as being found on page 113. It is not there. "Dogs", yes DOGS is listed in the index, as being discussed (why?) on page 135. Again, not there. These errors are INEXCUSABLE, and the reason why this book did not catch on. As others have mentioned, he spends way too much time with verbose, complicated case histories, spends 75 pages trashing other's books, when he should be succinctly explaining the details of his program. The author claims you can quickly and easily determine your metabolic profile. Again, not from checking the index. And his list of foods to lower ones acidity includes hot dogs, french fries, heavy cream, fried chicken. Do those sound like alkaline foods to anyone? I was going to resell my copy, but I thought that would be cruel and unusual punishment for the buyer. There has to be better books on the subject.

Until I read this book, I hurt from head to toe. I had fibromyalgia, hypoglycemia, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthralgias and mild depression. Since following the acidic biochemical type diet, I can control my hypoglycemia, depression and have no arthralgias and fibromyalgia symptoms. I have been following this diet for five months. When I deviate from this diet many undesirable symptoms return. Finding the correct diet for me involved trial and error. Three diets are explained in the book: an acidic, an alkaline and a mixed biochemical type. This book could be the key to your health. All that we hear today is, "Don't eat red meat!" Well, I need it and I eat it! Perhaps one of these diets could help you to feel better! Sonia Bouli

A physicist, the author of this book doesn't get to the diet until page 133 of a 172-page book. You'll find the actual diet in the Appendix! What is the rest of the book devoted to? Expounding on the evils of other diets and psychotherapy. It's not that the author is wrong in his stipulation that pH balance in the body may be the most important aspect of health and nutrition; however, 1.) he takes a very narrow view of a large picture, and 2.) he doesn't help you gain an understanding of balancing pH in your body. (Plus he wastes a lot of the reader's time trying to convince you about the value of his diet based on his anecdotal experiences.) If you want to learn the basic principles involved (which explain why some of this author's recommendations might actually make sense), read Sang Whang's "Reverse Aging." The book is also a much more pleasant read lacking the harranging and condescension of Dr. Wiley's book.

This book is what I have been searching for. I have noticed a connection between the foods that I eat and my mood and my mental alertness. I could not find an exact pattern. Dr. Wiley spent 20 years of research to figure this out. Dr. Wiley isn't one who is easily persuaded by small amounts of evidence. He demands proof. This book is worth it weight in gold. Buy the book, take the pH test, change your diet, change your life!

If only Western medicine could catch up with this truly fascinating, scientific approach to health! I use this book as my bible to food intake. The approach to each type(acidic,alkaline, or mixed) is simple although a bit tougher for females (due to menstruation). I had a feeling that I was acidic just based on the food that I prefer and from a test used from another acid/alkaline book, "The Acid Alkaline Balnce Diet" by Felicia Kliment(using niacin on an empty stomach). Since commencing this approach (11/2002) I have rarely been sick and have maintained a lean muscle mass throughout. I supplement this approach with the consumption of clean water, take enzymes with each meal, and have MSM and coral calcium twice a day (do your own research). Living this way isn't exactly cheap but the benefits outweigh the cost.
I've never trusted the American approach to healthcare so this book opened my eyes. I truly feel for Dr. Wiley and his frustration with the establishment and hope my epiphany will be shared by others in the near future.

Originally reviewed in 2003.

I had to laugh aloud at the reviewer who complained that too many pH tests were involved in determining his metabolic profile. No such tests are required in order to obtain an accurate, life-changing result. Perhaps the reviewer was confused by Dr. Wiley's use of polysyllabic words. Perhaps the reviewer forgot to read the book before he rated it. I would also like to respond to the reviewer who said that the information in Dr. Wiley's book was contrary to what he found on the internet. As everyone knows, the internet is always a definitive source for all information, as all sites are checked daily for accuracy. Obviously, this is not true. I would suggest that something as critical as one's total well-being be researched thoroughly from sources outside the internet. If the information in Dr. Wiley's book was so widely-known that all internet sites aggreed with his findings, not only would it be pointless to write a book on this subject, but everyone would be aware of how completely Biobalance can improve your mental and physical health. Dr. Wiley's work has not been called "revolutionary" because it corresponds with what people think they already know. I give Dr. Wiley's book 5 stars for both his accuracy and straight-forward approach. I can absolutely recommend this book in good conscience.