94 of 95 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book can save your life!, August 19, 2006
This review is from: Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up (Paperback)
This kind of information saved my life when I first started reading about it 20+ years ago. I was hospitalized with a life-threatening colon blockage. I was told I would need to be on medication the rest of my life. After reading some of Dr. McDougalls's books, I was blown away how with easily my doom and gloom illness evaporated.
In my humble opinion, Dr. McDougall ought to win the Nobel Prize. He has been way ahead of his time (at least in this country) for many years. His latest book addresses some of our most common illnesses and diseases and how you can easily doctor yourself to good health. The book is an easy read and covers any question you might have from what goes into your mouth all the way through to when it comes out. Though I consider myself well-educated, I learned new things. Especially helpful was the part on how to decide if you need a colonoscopy, something the over-50 crowd is being pushed to consume. I only wish books like these were required reading for educators, all health care professionals and children. In addition to helping you rid yourself of some of the major illnesses of our time, if you follow the good doctor's advice, you'll just plain feel better.
I have no connection to the author, other than I think this is the best advice money can buy. It's bound to save you at least one doctor's office visit, or more. And maybe even some costly, totally unnecessary surgery.
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49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to take control of your health, September 19, 2006
This review is from: Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up (Paperback)
"The food you put into your body is the single most powerful factor that determines your health and well being." - Dr. John A. McDougall, MD
This challenging theme underlies all of Dr. McDougall's writings. Genetics and one's exercise habits are important, but for most people most of the time, the food you eat trumps everything else in determining your overall health. In this book Dr. Mcdougall focuses on how food affects the health of the body's digestive system.
This book takes you on a tour of your digestive system starting with your mouth, and progressing through your esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder and bowels. Dr. McDougal discusses the major conditions/diseases that afflict each of these organs. He explains through his own experience and scientific research how poor diet creates the problems most commonly suffered, and how a change in diet can relieve these problems. He also explains how problems in one particular area, the bowels, can trigger problems throughout the entire digestive system.
This book is for you if you suffer from any one or more of the following digestive conditions/diseases: bad breath, tooth decay, acid reflux - GERD, indigestion, ulcers, gallstones, liver chirrhosis, appendicitis, diverticulitis, IBS, constipation, hemorrhoids, vericose veins, hiatus hernia, colitis, colin polyps. Dr. McDougall explains that a healthy person shouldn't suffer from these conditions. But if you do, a change in diet will usually be sufficient to eliminate or greatly reduce the problem.
Dr. McDougall advocates a low-fat, plant based vegan diet as the simple solution to these commonly suffered digestive conditions and diseases. This simple solution sounds startling in our era of high-tech medical treatment, drugs and surgery. But it is supported by both his experience and scientific research. Why should you trust what McDougall says? Well, you don't have to. Just give his diet a fair test for a few weeks and see if you like the changes you see.
Dr. McDougall provides lists of foods appropriate for his diet as well as cooking techniques. All of the foods he recommends are available in a typical supermarket. So you don't need to change where you shop - just what you shop for.
In one short chapter Dr. McDougall tries to argue that humans are designed by anatomy and evolution to be vegetarian and not omnivores or carnivores. No one seriously argues that humans should be strict carnivores, so that is a straw man. And the last 10,000 years provides enough evidence that humans can thrive as omnivores. This superficial chapter is unnecessary and detracts from his main argument: choosing to follow his diet promotes optimum health. That is enough reason to follow the diet.
Achieving good health is a very empowering experience. It may, however, require changing attitudes and habits about food. But good health without resorting to drugs, pills, surgery, or constant medical surveillance is a goal worth striving for. This book can help you achieve that goal.
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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The only thing missing is the recipes, November 3, 2006
This review is from: Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up (Paperback)
This is an excellent book for how the digestive system works and how we mess it up at times. The book supports a diet that is high in fiber, low in fat, and contains no animal proteins.
The only thing missing is the usual recipes to get you started. Still, you can always pick up the McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook.
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