Customer Reviews

The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When I was given this book for the first time, about 8 years ago when my health was at an all-time low that had been slowly declining for years. I was under 30 and had a list of chronic ailments longer than any senior citizen I knew; terrible heartburn every day all the time, gas, bloating, painful bowel movements (terribly painful), chronic vaginitis, chronic acute asthma so bad I was on 3 inhalers, pills, steroids AND I was still in the ER about once per month, weight gain, fatigue, major irritability and mood swings, depression, horrible lower back issues that always coincided with asthma flare ups (which of course, MDs told me were unrelated!), allergies to everything...I was a mess but it crept up so slowly over time I didn't even "get" how ridiculous it was. It seemed that everyone around me had similar issues and complaints (except maybe for the asthma) so I accepted it like the sleepwalking masses. I'd started to wake up and tried things like the Zone and Blood type diets. They were ok and I'd see some improvements but not anywhere near enough, no matter how disciplined I was. But when I went to see a chiropractor ( a really good one) who also practiced other wonderful forms of holistic healing, she handed me an older edition of this book and said that ALL of my issues were related to one underlying cause; Candidiasis.

I'd never heard of it but I was thrilled to see her react so matter of factly to my list of ailments and to be so confident about healing them, naturally. She said to take it home, read it, don't freak out if it seems overwhelming (which it did at first), then put it down and forget about it for a few days (letting the information filter into the subconscious) and then pick it up and reread it again. The second time I read it, everything clicked. It didn't seem intimidating and she and I even worked together to sort of mold it to my personal needs. We added the use of some wonderful supplements since I was so toxic; Paragone and Parazyme by Renew Life, and daily mega-doses of Metagenics probiotics (and later on, Dr. Ohhira's).

Luckily, the principles of the "diet" (which became a lifestyle for me) all invovled things I had experiment with before; acid/alkaline, yin/yang, blood type (taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't all work on my body), food combining...all things I had some knowledge of and that tend to overlap, really. A truly alkaline meal is usually properly food combined as it is (unless you're eating only protein, which is unbalanced), for example. So even though it was right around Christmas and my chiro said to wait until after, I was ready to heal! I jumped in, figured out a handful of recipes and easy meals on the plan and never looked back.

The first week was tough; I felt like I had the flu (sneexing, achey, tired, sore throat), but that's just a reaction to the toxic die off so I pushed on, knowing it was actually a good sign. Cleansing isn't always uncomfortable, but for someone as toxic as I was, I got off easy. Within 2 weeks, I felt better than I could remember and that was the tip of the iceberg. After a few months, I was a new woman; happy, energetic, excited, confident. After 6 months my entire life changed, on every level, in the most positive ways. Becoming truly healthy, in a way I never even knew was possible, changed my emotional and spiritual state as well. And I felt empowered because now I had the knowledge of how to allow my beautiful body to heal herself, which she had been trying to do all along.

BED is all about giving your body exactly what it needs and then getting the hell out of its way. ALL of my issues were gone after 6 months of doing it strictly. I hadn't been that healthy or radiant in my entire life. I found that I could go out and treat myself to something here and there without any ill effect, but I honestly didn't crave it much after the excess beasties were gone. A healthy body doesn't crave crap. And I then spent the next few years living on a modofied version; I LIKED the food! Millet with fresh carrots, ginger and dill....YUM! Broiled salmon with fresh spinach sauteed in coconut oil, garlic and fresh herbs...YUM! Quinoa flakes with stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg...YUM! Homemade ginger ale sweetened with stevia...awesome. You just find what you like, play with it, create about 10 dishes that are quick, easy and on the plan and you're set.

Yes, it takes some planning, shopping and prep but skipping Starbuck's and fast food actually frees up a lot of time and money. And after the initial cleansing phase, you'll have more energy than you'll know what to do with and making some veggies or salads won't seem like a hardship. I used to coach people through this process when I went to work for that wonderful chiropractor. It's a challenge and a learning experience, but the return is the gift of REAL LIFE! Radiance, vitality, energy, clarity, joy, beauty. Oh yeah, and I lost 40 pounds I'd wished I could lose all my life, and it wasn't even my focus anymore! It was a nice side effect.

So please, if you want some honest to god positive change in your life, true natural healing and to be empowered to control your own health and well being without drugs, find this book, anyway you can. (BTW, the cultured veggies are actually yummy and can be bought fresh at Whole Foods, the meals are really wonderful and satisfying and the rewards are priceless.)

Nothing short of life changing...but the question is, are you ready? Are you ready to put yourself and your well being first?

It seems that in most cases that nonfiction authors are motivated by one of two things when creating their works. Some feel that they have some sort of information that needs sharing, and use books as a way to get their word out. These authors have a true passion for their topic, which clearly shows when reading their books. Others are driven purely by profit. Sadly, it seems that the latter is true of Donna Gates and her Body Ecology Diet. Though this book does cover an important topic, it lacks substance and fails to deliver. However, it may be a good source for someone used to only mainstream health books and wanting a simple primer on the subject.
While the book is easy to read, it seems to offer no new information that is not readily available in other books or on the internet. Gates seems to favor certain foods and products, such as coconut water kefir, yet fails to thoroughly justify her preference for them, and supports her claims with little scientific research. However, her section on the same subject does offer an excellent guide on making the coconut water kefir, which serves as one of the few saving graces of this book.
This brings me to one of the biggest gripes I have with Body Ecology Diet. Throughout the book are references to her website for more information. Unfortunately, the website fails to thoroughly expound on any of the topics in her book, and instead bombards visitors with a myriad of products that are touted as miracle cures to everything from Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism to Sexual Dysfunction. Of course, a majority of these products are sold either through her own storefront or through affiliate sites, earning her a hefty profit. While this review is about Gates' book, not her website, it is made relevant by the numerous times that the book refers readers to it, instructing them to purchase some product that is necessary if you want to follow her diet. In other words, don't expect to be able to follow Gates' version of the Candida diet without purchasing items from her storefront, or a well-stocked health food store.
I do not mean for this review to turn people off of a diet that targets Candida. It is simply that other books, such as Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, offer much more information, back it up with more hard evidence, and more importantly, do not require you to purchase more products from the author. Candidiasis is a real condition, and ridding yourself of it will bring about real improvements in your energy level and weight, among other things. It is just that Gates' work feels like a shallow and self-promoting rehash of currently available information. The most important thing when finding a book on the subject is finding one that works well for you. Therefore, I recommend readers look for a book written with passion that truly moves you to follow its advice. While this book's approach may work for some, I found myself wanting more.

Before my review, I'd like to state that I'm not one of these people who believes the mainstream medical system knows best and the "alternative" medical system is a bunch of B.S. I've been involved in alternative medicine for years, and studied nutrition for the last 18 years. As far as nutritional science, the standard medical community, particularly doctors, are grossly uninformed.

There have been a lot of reviews on this book, so I'm going to address something that hasn't been mentioned, much to my surprise. One of the main tenets of this diet is that it includes the seed-grains (quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat) because these grains are, according to the author- much better for you and easier to digest, than the standard grains (oats, wheat, etc). In addition, and perhaps more importantly, these seed-grains will not feed pathogenic organisms (such as yeast), which is basically the whole reason for this diet (killing yeast infections).

Ok, where to begin. In my original review I was pretty harsh in this part of the critique, so I'm toning it down a bit. This author says (regarding the seed-grains), "and the best part is, they won't feed pathogenic organisms!" Unfortunately, that statement is simply false. ALL grains are complex carbs, which are eventually broken down into glucose. If you look at a half cup of quinoa or half cup of wheat, all grains have a fairly similar amount of carbohydrates. When those are broken down into glucose, it will potentially feed yeast organisms in your body. She asserts that the seed-grains are somehow fundamentally different than traditional grains, and for some miraculous reason will not break down into glucose and feed yeast. Again, it's just not a true statement.

As far as the seed-grains being "easier to digest" or healthier for you, that is debatable. It's true they are a little more nutrient-dense than some of the traditional grains, but they still contain proteins similar to gluten (which can cause inflammation and immune issues). Basically, these grains bind to minerals and protein and take them out of your body without being absorbed. They are also very hard on your colon, pancreas, liver, etc. because of the complex nature of the grain, and the end result isn't worth any potential benefit you get from it.

If you want to read a book written by someone who has a thorough knowledge of the entire digestive process, read a book called "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. He is a biochemist and has extraordinary detail of the whole digestive process in his book. I'm sure this diet helps some people, because of the inclusion of probiotics and other helpful advice, but I think the author's statements about the grains undermines her authority on this subject and I'd read other books without relying completely on this one, for a more accurate view.

This book should be required reading for everyone. I used to own a Health Food Store and have researched and used many 'diets' and understand how many people are searching for a way to feel good and look their best. Donna Gates has created a scientifically researched, thorough and easy-to-read guide about what our body needs and how to take a step-by-step approach to clean our inner body ecology system. I also love how she suggests to slowly read the book once and then start taking the steps to change what we are putting into our body. I love how she reviews other popular 'diets' of our time, such as macrobiotics, Adkins, vegetarian, vegan and the blood-type diet. I agree with her approach and am taking the baby-steps I need to change my inner body ecology forever. Thank you Donna and everyone helping her.

I learned of this book from Truth Calkins, a remarkable guy that healed himself using Body Ecology Diet priniciples. He is truly insightful and can be seen on YouTube.

The lifestyle changes recommended in the BED are not simply implemented by everyone. But with perserverence, the diet can truly transform your health, and therefore your life, for the better. It definately has for me. I work in a health food store and have recommended many of the BED principles to customers who have visited many doctors to no avail and are looking for something that really works. They not only feel the difference but express tremendous gratitude for this valuable information.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever taken a course of antibiotics, suffers from fatigue or lack of energy for no apparent reason, dark under-eye circles possibly due to adrenal problems, among many other symptoms.

Additionally, I recommend David Webster's book, Achieve Maximum Health: Colon Flora the Missing Link in Immunity, Health & Longevity to anyone looking to dig deeper into establishing a healthy inner balance of microflora.

Never stop searching, and have the best day ever. Cheers to achieving radiant health!

I was feeling so horrible and knew it was because of what I was eating and my sensitivities to food but I didn't have the faintest clue to on what I could/should eat that my body wouldn't react negatively too. I started this diet back in fall of 2009 and although it was overwhelming at first I still stuck with it and I can't tell you how much better I felt after even just a few weeks on the BED diet! This book and her website have made a huge and significant difference in my life and I have never felt better! AND a welcome bonus, even though it wasn't my original reason for going on the diet, I lost 18 lbs!

After 13 years of suffering from horrible constipation and bloating due to IBS (diagnosed when I was 33), I am finally free of symptoms!!! Eight months ago, I was put on an antibiotic that I was told would destroy the bad bacteria in my gut and my symptoms did get better. But over several weeks, the symptoms returned. Every meal, even whole foods, left me bloated and in pain and the constipation returned, as well. A trip back to the gastroenterologist only garnered another prescription for the antiobiotic (which didn't help this time). About this same time, I came across Donna's book and began to incorporate some of her principles, thinking that the levels of good bacteria in my gut were too low to properly digest food. Within days, I could eat and not experience pain. Within a couple of weeks, I was able to go a full day with no symptoms whatsoever. As a test, I tried going two days without eating cultured vegetables and kefir and voila!, the bloating returned. And I am finally "regular" for the first time in 13 years. This book and information have given me my life back. Now I share this information with all of my friends and try to educate them on the importance of our gut health. And the best thing about this book is that it is not another "diet book". It's about lifestyle changes and healing and you incorporate those changes at a rate that is comfortable for you. Thank you, Donna!!!!

When I was given this book for the first time, about 8 years ago when my health was at an all-time low that had been slowly declining for years. I was under 30 and had a list of chronic ailments longer than any senior citizen I knew; terrible heartburn every day all the time, gas, bloating, painful bowel movements (terribly painful), chronic vaginitis, chronic acute asthma so bad I was on 3 inhalers, pills, steroids AND I was still in the ER about once per month, weight gain, fatigue, major irritability and mood swings, depression, horrible lower back issues that always coincided with asthma flare ups (which of course, MDs told me were unrelated!), allergies to everything...I was a mess but it crept up so slowly over time I didn't even "get" how ridiculous it was. It seemed that everyone around me had similar issues and complaints (except maybe for the asthma) so I accepted it like the sleepwalking masses. I'd started to wake up and tried things like the Zone and Blood type diets. They were ok and I'd see some improvements but not anywhere near enough, no matter how disciplined I was. But when I went to see a chiropractor ( a really good one) who also practiced other wonderful forms of holistic healing, she handed me an older edition of this book and said that ALL of my issues were related to one underlying cause; Candidiasis.

I'd never heard of it but I was thrilled to see her react so matter of factly to my list of ailments and to be so confident about healing them, naturally. She said to take it home, read it, don't freak out if it seems overwhelming (which it did at first), then put it down and forget about it for a few days (letting the information filter into the subconscious) and then pick it up and reread it again. The second time I read it, everything clicked. It didn't seem intimidating and she and I even worked together to sort of mold it to my personal needs. We added the use of some wonderful supplements since I was so toxic; Paragone and Parazyme by Renew Life, and daily mega-doses of Metagenics probiotics (and later on, Dr. Ohhira's).

Luckily, the principles of the "diet" (which became a lifestyle for me) all invovled things I had experiment with before; acid/alkaline, yin/yang, blood type (taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't all work on my body), food combining...all things I had some knowledge of and that tend to overlap, really. A truly alkaline meal is usually properly food combined as it is (unless you're eating only protein, which is unbalanced), for example. So even though it was right around Christmas and my chiro said to wait until after, I was ready to heal! I jumped in, figured out a handful of recipes and easy meals on the plan and never looked back.

The first week was tough; I felt like I had the flu (sneexing, achey, tired, sore throat), but that's just a reaction to the toxic die off so I pushed on, knowing it was actually a good sign. Cleansing isn't always uncomfortable, but for someone as toxic as I was, I got off easy. Within 2 weeks, I felt better than I could remember and that was the tip of the iceberg. After a few months, I was a new woman; happy, energetic, excited, confident. After 6 months my entire life changed, on every level, in the most positive ways. Becoming truly healthy, in a way I never even knew was possible, changed my emotional and spiritual state as well. And I felt empowered because now I had the knowledge of how to allow my beautiful body to heal herself, which she had been trying to do all along.

BED is all about giving your body exactly what it needs and then getting the hell out of its way. ALL of my issues were gone after 6 months of doing it strictly. I hadn't been that healthy or radiant in my entire life. I found that I could go out and treat myself to something here and there without any ill effect, but I honestly didn't crave it much after the excess beasties were gone. A healthy body doesn't crave crap. And I then spent the next few years living on a modofied version; I LIKED the food! Millet with fresh carrots, ginger and dill....YUM! Broiled salmon with fresh spinach sauteed in coconut oil, garlic and fresh herbs...YUM! Quinoa flakes with stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg...YUM! Homemade ginger ale sweetened with stevia...awesome. You just find what you like, play with it, create about 10 dishes that are quick, easy and on the plan and you're set.

Yes, it takes some planning, shopping and prep but skipping Starbuck's and fast food actually frees up a lot of time and money. And after the initial cleansing phase, you'll have more energy than you'll know what to do with and making some veggies or salads won't seem like a hardship. I used to coach people through this process when I went to work for that wonderful chiropractor. It's a challenge and a learning experience, but the return is the gift of REAL LIFE! Radiance, vitality, energy, clarity, joy, beauty. Oh yeah, and I lost 40 pounds I'd wished I could lose all my life, and it wasn't even my focus anymore! It was a nice side effect.

So please, if you want some honest to G-d positive change in your life, true natural healing and to be empowered to control your own health and well being without drugs, find this book, anyway you can. (BTW, the cultured veggies are actually yummy and can be bought fresh at Whole Foods, the meals are really wonderful and satisfying and the rewards are priceless.)

Nothing short of life changing...but the question is, are you ready? Are you ready to put yourself and your well being first?

I got this book some months ago, and it has helped me tremendously! I have not ordered any of Donna's supplements except the culture and kefir starters. She does have a lot of products, but if you do the diet from scratch it is time consuming! Cultured veggies are a lot of work to make and the coconuts are sometimes really hard to find. Cultured veggies are awesome for digestion. The coconut water has helped. I have lost at least 25 pounds and am a lot healthier without cravings. So, I guess it's what you want to take from the book. The main principles are sound, but I have made a few alterations to make cooking easier! I think with any diet you have to make it work for you and do it. Is she out to make money? I guess that is always a temptation for everyone to focus on that. But she does give you a way to do it on your own, so I would say no. There is a LOT of free information on her web site. The main price for me is the price of vegetables! I would love another cookbook, that would have some tastier recipes! On the whole, this has helped me so much!

I purchased my copy of The Body Ecology Diet over a year ago. I suspected I could get well if I found the right tools to do so. And then I found intuitively this book's information was the missing link to the connection of food making me sick, in particular foods that feed the sugar gremlin's, aka candida. All the symptoms I had, all the relief I experienced when sticking with the protocol of the diet has effectively brought me to this state of great appreciation for Donna Gates sharing her journey and wisdom for the benefit of her worldwide family! Thank you for the work you put into healing yourself and sharing with us. Please keep this book close, and use it to stay on track with the life forces you were born to experience, healed of illness!

Angela Parker
Brothers, Oregon