Customer Reviews

The Maker's Diet

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

First off, I have suffered with GERD (reflux disease) since I got a stomach ulcer 10 years ago. And I have been using Losec/Nexium steady for years. If I forgot to take it, I got terrible heartburns and such ... I just started the Makers Diet almost two weeks ago, and I stopped using Nexium after the first day, and after the first week I haven't even taken any antacids, like Tums or Garden of Life's Acid Defense. It's a miracle!

I also feel the need to comment on a couple of statements from former reviews.

One statement I find to be just not true:
"First off it is very centered on a protein, animal based diet. I thought there would be more influence on fruit, seeds and grains."
He focuses a lot on what we need from _both_ animal _and_ vegetarian sources. We need fibers, fats (fatty acids), enzymes, vitamins and proteins from both animal and vegetarian sources. This is pretty clear in his book.

Another statement: "It is a very rigid program for a lifetime."
I feel this also is misplaced. The Diet is built up of three two week stages, and the first two weeks is pretty rigid (getting us off our addictions to sugar, caffeine and such) and is designed to fix insulin, infection and inflammation problems. The two next weeks we can eat more stuff, and the last two weeks and the rest of our lives, he simply points out stuff that is not good for us. If we complete the diet to this stage, we will have a stronger immune system that can much better handle it when we don't find just healthy food, or if we have a good time eating cake and candy and stuff.

Another comment: "Cheating, forget it! He suggests if you absolutely must eat things that are off the list, do it within an hours time to avoid any ill effects."
What he says, is a comment to you fulfilling the stages of the diet, especially the first stage. If you really need to break the diet, it's better to eat the "wrong food" in a concetrated period to minimize the damage to the system.

And at last: "As far as items off the list, we aren't just talking cheetos and soda. We are talking cow's milk cheese (goats cheese and milk is a must), and whole grain bread. Sprouted bread is okay in limited portions. Forget about eating out at restaraunts."
I don't this you really get the essence of what Ruben is communicating. He says that we of course will not always find the optimal food and stuff. But if you take the 40 day diet, our overall health will definitively improve. For the rest of your life you should try to avoid the unhealthy stuff, like mentioned in the bible (pork, shellfish, sugar, commercial milk products with antibiotics, hormones and stuff). And we should try to get most products organic/natural, without the poison and rich in nutrients.

Does that mean we can never eat anything else? Of course not. But still it _is_ good to try to avoid the bad stuff ...

As for those accusing Ruben of just trying to make money on the Bible. Please read the book first! He's not saying you need all the Garden of Life products for the rest of your life. He says we need dietary supplements, and those should better be whole food nutrients, not just the chemical stuff (which is not good for us). And for a while, to build up our immune system, HSO's would be very beneficial/helpful.

The book is also pretty clear that both prayer and excersise is an important factor to get well. An important decision you might have to take, is: Do I eat just for pleasure, or do I eat to feed my body the right fuel? To fuel it right will cost you both money and effort, but I think it's going to be worth it.

Well, to start I have not only read the book, but followed the diet. I think as far as health and nutrition are concerned the book makes scense. I have lost aproximately 15-20 lbs following the regiment outlined and feel great. I'm still a bit lacked when it comes to doing excersise, but no one's perfect. That being said, this is the type of diet that one could easily follow for life. The first inital stps are difficult, but in the end it's fairly easy.

From a literary standpoint I would have liked to see a little more scientific refrence in the book, though it was decent. I also agree with the comments of another reviewer who wrote that some more biblical refrence would have been nice when talking about where the mention of specific herbs and foods are in the Bible. I also got a bit tired of the Ruben's personal sory. It was a bit over the top at times.

His chapter on 25 ways to get yourself sick was great and made me laugh while being fearful at the same time. I also like the sections on various foods and why they are either good or bad for you. He structured the book nicely and the recipes at the end were a nice throw in.

I must admit that I am Catholic, hence my opinion being somewhat biased, and enjoyed the biblical refrences. It has made me more aware of biblical foods and I have since purchased a book title 1000 Jewish recipes. In a strange way this book has brought me closer to my faith and I am reading the bible again for the first time in many many years.

I did read some other reviews that seemed pretty negative towards this book. I am aware of the claims against Ruben Jordan, though I think some of them are a bit over the top. I looked at the web site for the school he received his NMD from and I really don't have issue with it. Just because it isn't accredited here in the U.S. means little to me. I don't like the fact that he sells supplements in addition to this book and others. That did kind of cheapen everything for me. However, if your going to put all of your trust in the AMA and FDA I think you need to re-examine where your head is at. Again, on the surface Ruben's credential may seem suspect, but just because a person doesn't spend all their time in a classroom or lab doesn't mean that they cannot be knowledgable. There is some great information and ideas in this book, many of which I would like to see studied more. Heck, it ought to be worth a grant for someone.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book and hope you do to. Whether your religious or not, the things Ruben writes make scense. Sure, some of it is "common scense," but maybe that's just what the world needs a little bit more of.

Jordan Rubin's story of recovery is absolutely amazing. Dying at the age of mere 21, at 6'2 and 111 pounds,wheelchair bound and hopeless, his transformation and recovery is a miracle to read about. Having been failed by modern medicine this young man turned to a diet based on principles he found in the bible. In this diet he found healing. I am sure with this healthy lifestyle there are many that can find health and recovery. Because I believe there are probably people that can benefit from this book, I gave it four stars. But for me, it just didn't do it.
First off it is very centered on a protien, animal based diet. I thought there would be more influence on fruit, seeds and grains. It is a very rigid program for a lifetime. Cheating, forget it! He suggests if you absolutely must eat things that are off the list, do it within an hours time to avoid any ill effects. As far as items off the list, we aren't just talking cheetos and soda. We are talking cow's milk cheese (goats cheese and milk is a must), and whole grain bread. Sprouted bread is okay in limited portions. Forget about eating out at restaraunts. Veggies are to be organic, and meats are to be grass fed. Plus for the rest of your life you will need to take the Garden of life supplements, which do run a hefty price. I am sure if I was in a desperate place, trying to survive like Mr. Rubin I would do all it took to survive, and if it meant being on this limiting diet I would do it. But just to attempt to be healthier, it requires giving up too many of the things in life that make life fun, and I just can't do that forever.

This is an excellent book, and some of its advice has many parallels with books such as Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Nourishing Traditions, Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine, Know Your Fats, and even some concepts from The Zone. What's especially surprising is that it is even supported by the writings of St. Hildegard of Bingen, who wrote 800 years ago.

For those who have less then positive impressions about the book, I ask you to patiently consider:

1) The best source of Vitamin D is the sun, yes, but very few americans spend enough time in the sun due to school and occupations, many wear makeup with sunscreen etc, or live at latitudes or in pollution, all which will prevent a body from manufacturing vitamin D. The Arthritis magazine published about two years ago that most americans are deficient in Vit D, and this may be a cause of Rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, we should try to supplement our diets with NATURAL vitamin D, which can only be found in butter and other animal products. If you are on a cholesteral reducing medication, your body might not be able to manufacture any vitamin D protein. (Wise Traditions, Fall 2006, p 21.) If you are not sure, your doctor can test your vit D levels. It may be an eye-opener.

2) it is a misconception that betacarotene is vitamin A - it is PRO-vitamin A, and requires a conversion to be made into actual Vitamin A. Many people genetically make this conversion very poorly, therefore it is necessary to suppliment. Man made sources of Vitamin A are very toxic, while natural sources such as cod liver oil, are not. Vitamin A can only be found in animal products.

3) regarding processed foods and longevity versus ethnic foods and their quality of life, I suggest reading the comprehensive Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price. He spent decades traveling the globe and studying the diets of native populations and comparing their longetivity and quality of life statitics. His work is being perpetuated by the Weston A. Price Foundation in Washington, D.C. Dr. Price regularly found people on completely native diets who lived 80 - 120 years PRODUCTIVELY. When these tribes adapted any of the refined food ( white flour, white sugar, etc) illness and deformities almost instantaneously appeared. If these people reverted to their native diets all illness disappeared. Please note that most of these populations studied had next to no cavities although they had never seen a toothbrush. As soon as refined products joined their diets, tooth decay became RAMPANT.

4) the cost of supplements - it is an unfortunate truth that corporate farming has raped the soil of its nutrients. We can thank corporate greed for having to buy the supplements that would otherwise already be in our food supplies. I suggest instead of blaming Dr. Rubin, place the blame where it squarely lies with corporate greed. In the meantime, support your local small farmers markets where emphasis on nutrition is returning, and consume the supplements that you can afford. Under current conditions, can you imagine how much food you would have to eat in order to meet the nutrition these same vegetables had sixty years ago? Its no wonder so many people have cravings, since nutritional needs are not being met.

Enjoy this book and the others mentioned above for the improved health you will have if you can even follow their guidelines 75%. Be realistic and take small steps, if need be!

My husband is genetically predisposed to high cholesterol on both sides of his family. After going to the doctor in January, his cholesterol was 241 and his bad cholesterol was 168. We started The Maker's Diet the day after the Super Bowl. His Dr. also put him on a low dose of Caduet. Eight weeks later he tested his cholesterol again, it had dropped to 142! And, his bad cholesterol was literally cut in half. I work in healthcare and normally a person's cholesterol may drop 20-40 points at the most when placed on meds and no dietary change. This diet is life changing! My husband can't believe how much better he feels and he has much more energy. Get the shopper's guide for ease in choosing groceries. I didn't dump everything I had out either, we shifted over gradually to all organic. I also think the coconut oil and grapeseed oil I used to cook much of the meat, fish, etc. contributed as well. Great book for anyone who wants to be healthier, and its a plan you can do for ever. Side note: what we spent going out to eat, we now spend on organic foods and cook at home so we really didn't spend much more money.

The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin, is the first holistic approach that I have read about dieting and health. I have recently completed a BS in Holistic Nutrition and when I came across the ad for this book in an e-newsletter from Dr. Mercola, I had to get it and read it. After reading it the first time I was very excited about his vision of restoring optimal health to people through knowledge about not just diet but lifestyle as well. We are not compartmentalized beings but whole units and to treat just one part of us leaves the untreated areas out of balance. I read the book, went on my own 40-day experience and then started a small group in my church. We have recently completed our 40-day journey together and have heard several good reports. People are amazed at the results from just changing the diet alone but have learned the necessity of also incorporating exercise to their lifestyle. I highly recommend this program to everyone. The beauty of it is you can always repeat phase one or phase two if phase three is not giving you the results you desire. The text is highly readable, easy to understand and the approach, again, is a holistic one which I think is very important.

This book is so educational and eye opening! If you want to learn more about your health or rather how to improve your health; read this book! He explains the natural resources our food used to provide to our bodies, but no longer provides due to many factors. In addition, he includes the physical, mental & spiritual health to complete "the diet". I would not describe this as a diet book, but instead a healthy way of life. He also provides many resources as to where items may be located.

The information in this book was a bit sporadic, and not organized very well, and you had to plow through a lot (about 2/3's of the book) before getting down to the brass tacks of the actual diet. When you finally do get there the information (which up to this point was almost painfully highly detailed) becomes very brief and terse.

I was hoping for more recipes and actual menu advice. The list of food to eat in each of the three stages is actually very detailed, and there are many choices. I doubt there is anyone who could not find anything they like in each of the three stages. I was disturbed, however, by the lack of portion control and calorie recommendation. Perhaps I missed the point there and those two issues do not apply to this diet.

Like so many other people I felt I paid good money to buy an infomercial. I felt a bit ripped off. The diet leans heavily on supplementation, which I currently do. But I am VERY happy with my current supplements - I just want to eat better. I am going to try the diet without the many supplements and supplies first.

Finally, I was not put off at all by the biblical references. . If you are not a religious person the Biblical references are so benign that unless you are a prejudiced against the Christian religion they will not bother you at all. The man was simply inspired by the Bible, as many are. I am not offended by it at all. I just wish there were more Biblical references to look up. When it said thing like "there are 12 essential oils mentioned in the Bible" I would have liked to have seen the verses referenced. Perhaps they were, but if so, I missed them - and I looked.

I closed the book not clearly understanding what I should do next. Though the daily regiments are clearly listed they include many supplements, supplies, and products they make and sell with little clear direction if you chose to start with the diet sans their products. I am just going to take the food lists, make my own menus, and reprint the daily steps without all the extras inserting my own supplements where theirs are listed. I will follow what current common knowledge on portion control and caloric intake.

All in all a good book but it left me wanting to know more (which means buying another book). He does recommend several good ones (which he quotes heavily from) in his book. I think I will take his advice and read some of them.

I have had Crohn's disease for almost 3 years now and can say, most honestly, this diet is the ONLY thing that has helped me. I feel so great... once I started the diet (around the end of the second week) I felt amazing. I had so much energy, my Crohn's symptoms were rapidly vanishing, and I just felt "healthy"- for the first time in a reeeally long time. I feel so great and am confident this diet works! I would recommend everyone try this diet because it is sure to change you! It has really helped me slow down and evaluate just how obsessed our society is with convenience and the idea of "fast" food. There is no way we are getting the proper nutrients we need. It's all about grabbing the quickest meal at the most convenient time. And, I don't think anyone needs me to point out how UNhealthy this is. I know the issue for most people with the Maker's diet is the expense of it. Eating healthy can add up... and the supplements are also up there when it comes to prices. However, the way I look at it is... I'd MUCH rather be spending 300+ a month on supplements & organic foods and feeling great than spending far more than 3000+ a year on medical bills. Thank the LORD for this diet. God is great and he knows us better than we know ourselves. Isaiah 55:2 - "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance."

I am not knocking this diet. I am in fact trying to live it. I gave this book 2 stars because of its hipocrisy. This book will one day be given away free just to get you to buy the outrageously priced products. Before you buy this book just go to the author's web site. Its easy to find, just put a dot com at the end of the book's title. After you see what is there you are ready to make an informed decision. To run this diet right you will need at least $300 a month for supplements plus what it takes to eat organically.