Eat Your Colors: Maximize Your Health by Eating the Right Foods for Your Body Type [Paperback]

Marcia Zimmerman M.Ed. C.N. (Author), Marcia, C.N. Zimmerman (Author)

Book Description

Series: An Owl Book | Publication Date: August 2001

The ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine meets up-to-the-minute nutritional science in a clever, colorful guide to matching diet and body type.

Marcia Zimmerman takes the mystery and complexity out of healthy eating and makes it simple. Eat Your Colors is a health and nutrition guide based on the idea that everyone fits into one of three body types. Identifying each type by a simple color -- red, yellow, or green -- Zimmerman provides a questionnaire to help readers determine their primary and complementary colors and explains which foods are best for which color types. For example, reds do very well on a vegetarian diet, yellows need some animal protein to feel their best, and greens will reap benefits from pungent foods and strong spices.

Eat Your Colors is filled with information on such news-making topics as phytoestrogens, which can reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer; lutein and zeaxonthin, which protect the eyes of computer users and prevent the common eye disorder macular degeneration; and anthocyanidins, which reduce inflammation in cases of chronic disease. And it offers practical, easy-to-follow advice on: --creating meal plans using the optimal foods for each color--using herbs, spices, sauces, and condiments to balance off-colors--discovering color weaknesses and combating them by eating the right foods

Offering a unique way of thinking about diet, Eat Your Colors will do for body type what Eat Right for Your Type did for blood type.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wined and (Healthily) DinedNutraceuticals "foods that have medical-health benefits" are the foodstuffs of nutritionist Marcia Zimmerman's Eat Your Colors: Maximize Your Health by Eating the Right Foods for Your Body Type. To simplify and personalize good nutritional practice, natural-medicine researcher Zimmerman (The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution) designates three digestive types green, red and yellow (yellow eaters, for example, need more animal protein than others) and offers a self-test for determining type. She suggests meal plans with information on phytoestrogens (which decrease breast and prostate cancer risk), polyphenols (immuno-boosters, heart-attack preventers) and anthocyanidins (anti-inflammatory treatment). The allusion to cosmetic color types will attract people who might otherwise overlook an eating guide not fixated on weight-loss.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

It started with the Hippocratic admonition to "let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." More than 2,000 years later, researcher-author Zimmerman provides the first real healthy-eating plan centered on nutraceuticals, which were defined by a scientist in the mid-1970s as a broad class of health-promoting nutrients. Applying the basics of Ayureveda--the Indian mind-body knowledge process--she melds three colors of foods (red, yellow, and green) with three colored complements (white, tan, and brown), giving each individual a unique way of fighting off disease and staying whole. Questions define your exact type or combination thereof. Each group is scrutinized for its attributes and possible side effects, according to proven research. And finally, all are drawn into nutrition plans, with a few recipes geared to different types. The last chapter summarizes symptoms of "color" affliction as well as remedies. Of major interest but minor practicality. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1 edition (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805067280
• ISBN-13: 978-0805067286
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,224,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

About Marcia Zimmerman

Marcia Zimmerman's earliest training was in medical technology and she worked in hospital laboratories where she studied living cells going about their business. Her special areas of interest were microbiology, histology, and biochemistry.

Marriage and the birth of three sons found Marcia re-directing her interest into education and she earned a post graduate degree in education and a California Life Credential in chemistry, biology and mathematics. She taught these subjects for several years. In time, the lure of molecules and a position in the lab the pediatrics department at Stanford University Medical School, got her back among the test tubes.

The pediatric research team, who was studying cancer and enzyme biochemistry, maintained strictly optimum levels of macro and micro nutrients for the living cells they were culturing and for the mice that were used in their research. In Marcia's words, "it began to dawn on me that each of the 100 trillion cells within the human body needed that same level of nutrition if they were to survive."

This realization sparked Marcia's study of nutrition and when her parents decided to retire, Marcia, her husband Jon, and sons bought their health food store. She asserts, "I was intrigued by all the bottles of nutrients and determined to learn how each contributed to optimum cellular function." She worked with children, many of whom had behavioral and learning disorders. She also guided parents and other adults in choosing a "super nutrition" regimen to jump start their journey back to health. It was extremely rewarding but a larger audience waited outside her small store.

Marcia's next move was back to school to earn an advanced degree in nutritional biochemistry. She also wrote coursework for a distance learning program to certify nutritionists. She became an expert in the use of dietary supplements and dietary measures to correct biochemical imbalances - before they caused trouble. In applying all the biochemical knowledge she had accrued, she designed programs with a specific desired outcome that suited a vast number of people.

Marcia's emphasis has always been on research rather than clinical work. She has authored several books that appeal to an international audience. She has lectured throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. According to Marcia, "information is so much more accessible today with the Internet. I use this tool for research, and to communicate and educate." We note that she also maintains an active speaking schedule and media tours as each of her books is released

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Physician Says: Buy Eat Your Colors and Read It, August 13, 2001

By 

John Asarian, M.D., M.P.H. (Chico, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eat Your Colors: Maximize Your Health by Eating the Right Foods for Your Body Type (Paperback)

I am an experienced pediatrician with an interest in nutrition. This is one of the best books on the subject that I have ever read. I give it a five star rating. It includes an up to date summary of current nutrition research, much of which can be confusing. Fortunately, she is able to sort out and clarify much of the confusion. The author includes some great tables that I plan to use as a reference. For example, she has an informative table about the different kinds of rice, which turns out to be a very healthy grain. What I really liked was her fresh approach to the subject. Many nutrition books can be boring-this one is well written and interesting. I kept saying to myself, "How does she know so much about me and my habits?" There are very few foods that I don't like, but somehow she knew which ones and why. (hint: I discovered I was a "red" body type and they have many common characteristics). Complete the body type questionnaire for some fresh insights into your life and you'll see what I mean. In addition, I discovered some totally unexpected gems. For example, she has the best description of the causes of excess intestinal gas that I've ever read. She has great information about antioxidants, soy foods, cancer prevention and heart disease prevention including many useful tables. After reading this book I came away with a fresh approach to shopping, storing food, and eating. In addition, Marcia Zimmerman opened my mind to learning more about Ayurvedic medicine. She was able to relate a 5000 year old approach to medicine to the 21st century. When an author can not only teach me new information about diet and health, but also open my mind to new possibilities, she's pulled off quite a feat. I plan to recommend this book to my friends, patients and medical colleagues. It is a welcome addition to my personal library. I suggest you buy Eat Your Colors, read it, and see if you will also be motivated to change your diet-I certainly was.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Physician Gives This Book Highest Ratings!, August 27, 2001

By 

Hyla Cass "Holistic Physician & Author" (Pacific Palisades, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eat Your Colors: Maximize Your Health by Eating the Right Foods for Your Body Type (Paperback)

As a practitioner, author, and educator in the field nutritional medicine, and an enthusiastic fan of Macia Zimmerman’s other book, The ADD Nutrition Solution, I can only say—Marcia Zimmerman has scored again! She takes ancient Ayurvedic principles, adds a clear scientific explanation, and provides a practical guidebook for improving and maintaining your health your health. With individualized programs, and delicious meal plans, you can begin eating according to own "color" type. No need to ever again be intimidated by "phytochemicals", "antioxidants", and "carotenoids"—you’ll not only be eating them, and loving them, but you will understand why! --- Hyla Cass, M.D., author of several books, including St. John’s Wort: Nature’s Blues Buster, Kava: Nature’s Answer to Stress, Anxiety, and Insomnia, and Natural Highs (due in 2002)....

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm loving 'eating my colors', October 2, 2001

By 

Jeri Mullins (Olympic Valley, Ca.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eat Your Colors: Maximize Your Health by Eating the Right Foods for Your Body Type (Paperback)

I'm loving 'eating my colors'. I'm red as can be and all my favorite foods are what I get to eat. I noticed a difference after the first week, more energy, better sleep, and I even lost 4 pounds without using any diet pills.
Thank you so much Marcia for writing this book. I will be buying several more copies and sending them to my friends for Birthday's and other gift ideas.]
And thank you for my better health.
Jeri Mullins
Olympic Valley, Ca.