The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases [Paperback]

Andrew Larson M.D. (Author), Ivy Larson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2006

The Effortless Whole-Foods Cure That Whittles Your Waistline and Fights Disease

It's rare when a diet comes along that really makes an impact. The Gold CoastCure is that kind of diet program. It's not just an eating plan that helps you look and feel great in your favorite jeans--it's a way of living that vastly improves your health and prevents disease. That's what it did for coauthor Ivy Larson, whose multiple sclerosis left her unable to walk up a flight of stairs until she and her husband, Andrew Larson, M.D., devised the Gold Coast Cure--an anti-inflammatory nutritional plan consisting of whole foods--which put her MS in remission for the past eight years.

Since then, The Gold Coast Cure has helped thousands of people lose weight, tone up, and prevent or reverse health conditions related to poor nutrition, obesity and inflammation, including:

• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• type II diabetes
• osteoporosis
• osteoarthritis
• asthma
• allergies
• fibromyalgia
• multiple sclerosis
• vascular dementia

You will see results immediately and reach your goal in just five weeks. The secret to the success of the Gold Coast Cure is its realistic approach to nutrition--no obsessing over calories or carb-counting, and you can indulge in one sweet treat and one alcoholic beverage a day--every day! With over seventy-five delicious whole foods recipes, two weeks of meal plans, and a time-saving fitness routine that you can do in just thirty minutes, three times a week, it's easier than ever to make the Cure work for you.

"..For those who've struggled with any of the diets being touted by today's high-profile experts, the hope the Larsons offer will likely come as refreshing news."
-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ivy Larson's story of reversing the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis at age 22 (she's now 30) without medication is alone worthy of serious consideration, but it may be the enticing recipes included here—traditional (Mint-Infused Leg of Lamb), vegetarian (Grilled Tofu Kabobs with Rosemary-Lemon Yogurt Sauce), child-pleasing (Chocolate-Covered Peanut Buttery Balls)—that convince readers to try the Gold Coast Cure. The husband-and-wife team behind this diet and fitness manual (he's a surgeon; she's a fitness instructor) promises readers weight loss, prevention and reversal of 10 major illnesses on the rise in the U.S. as well as optimal health. Their "cure" consists of rejecting fad diets in favor of whole foods, selective vitamin supplements and regular exercise. While this common sense approach is not new, the Larsons' formula, which emphasizes essential fatty acids, nutrient-rich carbohydrates and circuit resistance training, includes so many easily implemented tools (kitchen tips; name brands of acceptable foods; meal plans; and simple, feel-good exercise routines), there may be no excuse not to try it. For those who've struggled with any of the diets being touted by today's high-profile experts, the hope the Larsons offer—that good health is easily attainable with a few fundamental dietary changes and two hours of exercise each week—will likely come as refreshing news. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Andrew Larson, M.D., is a general surgeon with special interests in surgical nutrition, advanced laparoscopic surgery and bariatric (obesity) surgery. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity, and the American College of Surgeons. He trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and New Jersey's Monmouth Medical Center. In 2004, he joined a private surgical practice affiliated with the JFK Medical Center Staff in Atlantis, Florida, where will perform specialized surgery including advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery.

Ivy Larson holds a bachelor of science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University and is a certified American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Instructor. She holds professional certifications as a fitness instructor and fitness testing specialist through the Fitness Institute International. She teaches Gold Coast Cure classes and seminars, and operates a private nutrition consultation practice specializing in teaching clients how support healthy families.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: HCI (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757305636
• ISBN-13: 978-0757305634
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good sense eating - backed by research, June 9, 2005

By 

S. Lyons (Sugar Hill, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover, A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases (Hardcover)

What I really like about this book is that the claims are backed by research. There are pages and pages of endnotes in the back of the book that reference the studies -- from reputable sources such as the Journal of the American Medical Assoc., and Harvard.

I am a 40 year old, type II diabetic with high blood pressure. I have now been on the diet for 2 weeks and my sugar levels are under very good control. I have also lost 8 pounds. (I haven't yet checked the blood pressure)

Another positive is that this diet isn't so restrictive that you can't stay on it. It is a common sense, practical approach to eating and exercise. I don't have to give up coffee, wine, and even the occasional beer or two. Also, it's ok to cheat on occasion.

The back of the book is loaded with recipes. The publisher info listed above says 280 pages, but my book is 378 pages. The cover looks exactly the same, so maybe the 280 is a typo.

Anyway, if you are looking for a good approach to eating, getting healthy and losing weight, buy this book.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure, June 2, 2005

By 

J. Campbell (South Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover, A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases (Hardcover)

I read about this book in the newspaper and bought two for friends who have MS. Before sending one of the copies away, I decided to take a quick peek, but of course, I thought I didn't need to read it, because I am very healthy. Once started, though, I couldn't stop until I had finished. By then, a light bulb of awareness had flashed on my mental screen--if this can do so much for someone with a compromised system, imagine what following this lifestyle will do to preserve the good health I presently enjoy but admittedly take for granted. I headed out to the local bookseller for another copy and plan to dog-ear much of my own copy. An exceptionally easy to follow diet and exercise plan; a well organized book.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars common sense to being healthy, June 6, 2005

By 

Marci Sloane "Marci Sloane" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover, A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases (Hardcover)

This book is certainly one of the "diet" books people should be reading. Inflammation is the cause of most of the diseases that plague America. The Larson's have provided the anti-inflammatory diet to ward off diseases and help to put our bodies in a stronger state to fight diseases or conditions we may already have. Nutrition doesn't always fit everyone. Stress reduction is also part of keeping the immune system strong to fight diseases/conditions. Combining the delicious, yet wholesome, foods in the Gold Coast Cure with a healthy attitude and a belief that if we take control over our lives we have a better chance.......common sense right????...........there is absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. I have spoken to several people with MS who have seen terrific improvements in their health after a few short weeks of eating wholesome foods. Omitting processed/refined foods and replacing them with wholesome foods is the only way I recommend eating to my patients. I am a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. This is one book I do recommend everyone read whether or not you have a debillitating disease right now or not!