Customer Reviews

Living Foods for Optimum Health : Staying Healthy in an Unhealthy World

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book may seem drastic at first if you are a regular McFood client, but actually, it allows for quite a bit of moderation. In Chapter 6, there is a six-month plan mapped out, with incremental changes, and says under "Personalizing the Program": "If you consistently make living foods at least 75 percent (by weight) of your daily intake, your dedication to achieving total body health will bring rewards that know no bounds".
I'm at the 75 raw/25 cooked point myself, and at 58, I'm in better health than at any other time in my life.

In Chapter 1, we read how we have exchanged, in the last century, a plant-based diet for a meat-based one, and how "the results have proven to be disastrous for our health and the environment".
The regeneration of cells is a fascinating topic (it takes 7 years to complete a full regeneration), and Mr. Clement states that "It's not added years that cause the body to age into a diseased state. It's the cell starvation that results from years of ingesting processed and cooked foods" (pg.42).

The causes and cures for many diseases are discussed, as well as depression and alcoholism, and the "Mind/Body Connection".
There are numerous food lists, and show how to combine foods for the best nutritional results and ease of digestion.
Under "Shopping for Recreational Foods", some cooked food is listed, so one can have a little "fun with food" from time to time.
There's a chapter on sprouts, and how to germinate them, and the value of doing so, as well as over 50 pages of recipes. Page 235 has this simple one:
"Avocado Cups
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
4 apples, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup pure water
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into glass custard cups and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings"

"You'll come to see that the Hippocrates diet isn't a trial by sacrifice, but rather a challenge of change. It's time to look in new directions for the food your body needs" (pg.114)
If you want to maximize your health and increase your energy level, I highly recommend trying this raw food diet. If implemented gradually, there will be little in the way of withdrawal symptoms, and I'm amazed that I no longer crave either sugar or coffee...this coming from someone who has had an addiction to sugar since childhood.

Unlike some other books I've read on the topic of raw-foodism, this one manages to present a sound scientific basis for following the raw-food diet, *without* sounding preachy and condemning. As a student with more background than most in biology and chemistry, I recognize the truth of the author's arguments in terms of hard science (although he doesn't use much technical language.) However, the best part of this book isn't the recipes or even the inspirational stories culled from the author's tenure at the Hippocrates instutute. What was the most helpful to me was the author's friendly, non-judgmental introduction to raw-foodism and its many benefits. I'm already a raw-foodist, and the "yelling" in some other books really put me off--which I'm sure would be much worse to someone who hasn't decided to go raw. But this book really is different, and I think it would be ideal for gently inspiring someone new to the subject. It would even be great for continued inspiration for those who have already adopted the raw lifestyle! Overall, a great read--and a page-turner, too!

If you are omnivorous, you may not be ready for this book. Brian Clement, who took over the Hippocrate's Health Center from Ann Wigmore, truly believes that raw vegetarianism is the only way to go. The book is filled with useful information, but it may be hard to digest if it's the first time you read about how living food can change your health for the better, or even for the best. The introductory part is very open and may scare you and drive you off the whole subject. If you want a book that will give you a first "taste" on the subject of raw vegetarianism, pick "Be your own doctor" by Ann Wigmore.

Other than that, this health book is realistic, and informative.

This book changed the way I eat. Since having breast cancer seven years ago, I have been exploring ways to improve my physical health. Brian Clement and Theresa DiGeronimo's clear explanations of the value of living foods and explicit instructions on how to grow them made improving my diet easy. I am now drinking wheatgrass daily and experimenting with delicious sprouts and germinated seeds to get more life energy into my diet--and into me! I recommend this book to anyone who has faced a health challenge. I feel the vitality that living foods have brought into my life. --by Barbara Stone, author of Cancer As Initiation: Surviving the Fire

If you're new to the tenants of a healthy lifestyle, and if you're interested in living vegetarianism, this is a great start book. Why? The approach of this book is global, permitting the novice to acquire an overview without becoming lost in complicated ingredients, metaphysical considerations or intricate procedures. It is small enough to be snuggled into your bag and read bit-by-bit in stolen moments of a busy day. The writing style is clear, concise and explanatory. There are plenty of leads to be pursued at a further date, after you have been able to apply the knowledge contained here. If you're already a confirmed addict of rawvioli (c'mon, out of the closet), you'll mainly appreciate a few recipes (not all from Wigmore's books,less fat based than Cousens, although most can be found online) though they definitely aren't aimed at those who follow a mono diet. This is a great book to recommend to the curious who ask you questions about your lifestyle, sprouting techniques, and/or recipes. Good book, easy read.

This was the first book I ever read on raw food diet and it changed my life. Within one week of switching to a living foods diet I went from being sick, depressed and suffering from horrible allergies, to happy, energetic and allergy-free. This book is extremly informative and, if you follow its instructions, can bring you to a state of health and well-being greater than you ever imagined.

This book is a convincing and easily understood argument for eating foods that are alive, not dead. In my search to understand how I might improve my digestive problems and restore my health that I have abused for 30 years, I discovered this well written and informative gift. The author breaks down a hard to understand (at least to me) subject and has convinced me of the simple fact that if I eat live foods, I have life. Eating dead foods (meat and animal products, and cooked foods), I have death. I'm choosing life this time around.

Anyone interested in healthy eating (raw or not) should read this book. So much insight!

I had already read quite a bit about the raw diet and attended several seminars on it by the time I came across this book, so I didn't get much out of it because it is an introductory book. However, I can recommend it for those new to the idea.

This book presents a more modern version of the "living foods" program promoted by the late Ann Wigmore, the woman who popularized wheatgrass juice and the concept of sprouting.

I read this book when I was first getting into raw foods, back in the late 90s, and it has been a favorite for many years. If you want to learn about the benefits of sprouting and raw and living foods, this is the book. I found great health benefits by regularly drinking a green juice similar to the one recommended in this book. The author recommends a diet that is at least 75% raw (by weight), and offers suggestions on what to eat for the other 25% cooked. However, a sick person, according to the book, will benefit even more from going 100% raw.

This is a book that will inspire you to eat more raw and living foods, and give you a good understanding of the diet.

I don't agree with all the points made, such as the severe restriction of fruit, but I believe anyone interested in this lifestyle will get something of value in this book.