Customer Reviews

Hawaii Diet

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've experimented with Dr. Ornish's plan, Dr. Atkins' plan, and with vegetarianism; I am NOT running Ornish down, but I gotta admit I DO like tuna fish now and again (by the way, the tuna fish I buy is not only dirt-cheap but is actually totally devoid of fat; and even regular canned-in-water tuna is incredibly low in fat). So Ornish's plan is not something I could strictly adhere to. Dr. Atkins' Diet led me gain body fat and weight; I dropped that like a hot brick. Vegetarianism is cool but it got to be a hassle with my family. Then....I chanced upon THIS book (and in fact got this book from my brother for Christmas).

Dr. Shintani is sort of like Dr. Deepak Chopra: He combines the best of Western medicine with the best of the ancient medicine of his own culture (in Chopra's case, that's Ayurvedic medicine; in Shintani's, of course, it's the wisdom and medicines of ancient Hawaii, before we Westerners screwed things up for them). And he explains -- without bashing, or badmouthing, or distorting facts to make them fit what he wants -- how in fact his diet plan can work.

Simply put, we all know that if you don't eat too many calories you either will not gain weight or in fact you'll LOSE weight. Ah, but how do you do that without feeling deprived? Basically by eating whole, unprocessed, natural foods which not only are low in fat and high in nutrients, but are high in satiety value (you'd have to eat a whole heck of a lot of them to get anywhere NEAR 2000 calories, plus a serving of them would fill you up so you feel satisfied and won't feel like eating more anyway). He suggests things like poi, taro, whole grains, non-dairy and non-meat sources of protein and calcium, and very low-fat foods. BUT he allows for various exceptions: For instance, you can use egg whites or skim milk if you like, or eat tuna and other low-fat meats and fish. He includes a Hawaii/Pacific diet, a Hawaii/mainstream American diet, and a Hawaii/Meditteranean diet so that you DO have choices and variations.

I would have given this book 5 stars, but for one little thing: Some of the recipes call for things that quite frankly we don't see too much of here on the East Coast (my produce store, what with its wonderful choices of apples, pears, cabbage, tomatoes, etc., just refuses to stock breadfruit! phooey!). So, you might not find the recipe section extremely useful, although many of the recipes, such as his low-fat oatmeal, are easy to make and really good too. Other than for that one little qualm I've got, it's a great book. At the very least, check it out: You'll learn a lot from this guy.

About 2 months ago, I encouraged my dad to try the Hawaii Diet. He is overweight, diabetic, and often suffers from swollen feet/ankles because of his high-salt intake. I cooked the meals for him and within the first week of the diet, he was able to reduce his insulin and the swelling in his feet went down. Before he started the diet, he was taking 50 units of insulin a day. Now he uses only 15 units/day. And soon he will no longer have a need for it because his blood sugar levels are becoming normal. He has also lost over 20 lbs. He probably could have lost even more, but its hard to make a drastic change of diet, so he sometimes goes off of the diet a little. My dad and I both love the taste of the foods in the cookbook. The hardest part is getting used to eating meals without meat. If you live in Hawaii, where all the ingredients are easily accesible, you should give it a try! You will definetly see results quickly.

I bought this book for my father because he needed a diet he could follow. In his own words, "I eat like a pig" and he is STILL losing weight. Since he started following the Shintani plan two months ago, he has lost a whopping 40 pounds and is healthier than he has ever been in his life. I myself have eaten the foods prescribed (and reciped) in the book and found them to be tasty and satisfying. The foods are based on food we eat all the time here in Hawaii, so being on this diet is not like giving up the kinds of food we love to eat. May not be suitable for everyone's palate (but what diet really is?), but I have found it a wonderful way to get healthy.

I have read the previous reviews and I feel that they have missed the point entirely. While it may appear on the surface to be a "fad" diet, it truly can and is a way of life here on the Islands. For those who have not visited Hawaii, you probably cannot appreciate the aloha spirit of life that this book endorses. This diet embraces what Hawaiians feel in the heart and offers a path to potential weight loss. I'd say try it before you knock it.

I totally disagree with the amazon[.com] reviewer's assessment of this book. This book has literally saved my husband's life. He is a diabetic and the vicious cycle of insulin causing increased hunger and weight gain, causing a need for more insulin, was killing him. His doctor's answer to treating his out-of-control diabetes was to increase his insulin dosage to a point where he was up to 270 units a day. He followed Dr. Shintani's diet and through the good fortune of living in Hawaii, has been able to consult with Dr. Shintani in person. He has lost 85 pounds in 8 months and stopped the insulin shots after only 5 months. Dr. Shintani is truly our guardian angel. We recommend his program to everyone suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The program is totally backed by science and my husband is living proof that it works.

I have been on the Hawaii Diet for about a month, and bought the book because I am a vegetarian and had a difficult time finding any vegetarian diets. I have only lost about 8 pounds, but considering I have had a major party or wedding every weekend for the past month, that's not bad. (Besides, I'm a terrible cheat!)

The big change is in my energy level. For the past few years, I've always felt weary to the bone. I've wondered if there were something seriously wrong with me - it took a major effort to accomplish even routine tasks. I wasn't sleepy, or fatigued from work - the tired feeling was much too deep to be caused by external factors. Medical exams found nothing wrong, except mildly high cholesterol.

After about three weeks on the diet, I realized that I have energy again! I greet tasks with joy, because my body is ready to perform them.

I will probably always be a terrible dietary cheat (cheese omelets on occasion or a big bowl of ice cream), but I think I will eat this way for the rest of my life. I can't image going back to feeling the way I used to feel.

Thank you, Dr. Shintani! Your diet has truly changed my life.

Terry Shintani has written a fine book on how to eat healthy foods, stay slim, eat as much as you want and really enjoy your food. He has a "Mass Index of Foods" to show you exactly why some foods (cheese, nuts, red meat, etc) are fattening and full of calories, while others (whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits) are low in calories and you can eat all you want. He practices what he preaches and is very sincere. There are very few good diet authors and it is refreshing to read a valuable book like this.

Hello,

I read the other reviews and like to add mine. I have tried every diet on the market for the last 35 years, I bought every diet book and have gone from meat to raw diets, over and over again, with no lasting results as to weight loss or practicality, something you can live with for ever. This book has the answer and I am so thankful to Dr. Shintani for this book.I am also glad that I kept on searching and found the answer. This book may not have the greatest menus, BUT it is the DIET that you are after, the menus you can create yourself or take normal menus and adapt them. Let this not put you off. Good luck and may your search stop here, Teresa

If you are looking to learn more about HEALTHY, WHOLE, NATURAL foods, this would be the book to read.

THIS IS NOT A 'DIET' - you will not want to go on this for a short period of time. Anyone who has been successful in losing weight KNOWS that you must change your negative habits. This includes thoughts, as well as actions. Yo-yo dieting is deadly - find yourself a healthy LIFESTYLE to easily maintain for a life time.

This book, not only focuses on the foods to get healthy, it also focuses on the balance a person must achieve in their lives (whole lives, not just the weight). Balance, connection, relativity is the key to becoming a whole, healthy person.

I strongly encourage you to take the time to read this book.

The first 94 pages of this book describe Dr. Shintani's program, essentially a simple low fat near-vegan eating plan that places emphasis on whole foods. While you could get this information from any number of books, I found this presentation especially appealing because Dr. Shintani does not shy away from the hard science. He is not just another hack who decided to make a buck in the diet industry. His credentials are solid and he makes a convincing argument for his program. He also presents it as more than a way to better physical health, but as a way to live in closer harmony with the earth. On the down side, the remaining two hundred pages of the book consist of menu plans, recipes, and appendices. The recipes are poorly edited, containing numerous significant errors in the measurements. They also call for exotic ingredients that I have not been able to find even though I live in a major metropolitain area with numerous ethnic and health food stores. No substitute ingredients are suggested. Finally, while this program addresses the nutritional and physiological aspects of overeating, it does not address the emotional aspects. There are three very brief paragraphs on hunger that only offer some tips about what types of food to eat and suggest exercise. It does not address the issue of satiety, that even if one eats a sufficient quantity of food, feelings of hunger may occur if the food eaten is not satisfying on levels other than bulk and nutritive content. On the whole, this books is much too large and expensive for the amount and quality of the material it contains. If you are interested in this subject, you'd be better off buying a really good book about vegan eating.