62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book for yourself and/or as a gift!!, August 18, 2006
This book is well researched (including Western science and Eastern traditions), full of excellent advice and written in easy to read, enjoyable snippets, not to mention that each page is designed with artwork and a nice visual layout. Despite what another reviewer wrote, this book has plenty of info that you probably have never heard before on topics ranging from diet and nutrition, chinese and western herbal medicines, the environment, ecology and community, exercise, lifestyle and rejuvenation, genetics, relationships, love, sexuality and faith, and the last chapter brings it all together.
Here are some examples of simple sound advice in the book that you may not have heard before:
Chronic fatigue syndrome has been linked to sinus disease. Evidence now suggests that humming along with the radio or singing tunes to yourself may help prevent or remedy sinus problems.
"A body "map" inside your mouth. In Chinese medicine the tongue is seen as a map of the internal body. You can detect hidden problems early by inspecting your tongue for redness, cracks, or coating on specific areas." He then goes on to write which areas on the tongue correspond to which internal organs, and what the redness, or cracks, etc indicate.
Dr. Mao also gives specific advice for preventing illness during each season, with sound advice such as, altering sleep paterns, what foods to eat or which to avoid, special preventative practices that are all specific to that season and the ailments that tend to occur within the season.
Eventhough the book is full of advice, I did not find it overwhelming. In fact, Dr. Mao writes in an encouraging, upbeat tone that makes it fun to read and easy to practice. You don't even need to read it cover to cover in a systematic way. Just flip the book open to a new page each day, and you'lll find a little gem.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I got a copy for myself and am also giving it to my grandma and other loved ones for their birthday!
Happy longevity!
P.S. Dr. Mao's "The Tao of Nutrition is also excellent" It focuses more on the properties of specific foods and how to use foods as medicine to treat specific ailments/diseases.
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56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!, July 14, 2006
I first picked up this book and noticed Dr. Maoshing Ni is a Tai Chi Master. That was enough in itself to catch my attention because I am a firm believer in the benefits of Tai Chi and it has become a regular routine for me.
It is no secret Chinese medicine will benefit a person's health. Just look at the remarkable ages people from China live to be. Many look half their age and a shining example of good health. Alzheimer's and senility is also far less prevalent in their country. Some have more energy and vitality at 80 than we do at 20! Of course, compare our daily diet to theirs and that speaks volumes about why obesity is over abundant in our North American culture. Each of us has only one body to carry us through life, does it not make sense to explore proven secrets that will prolong our health? This book is invaluable and filled with Chinese wisdom carried down through the ages. Follow these suggestions and don't be surprised to see an increase in energy, a healthier body, and an improved feeling of over-all well being. Just don't expect to see the changes overnight. This book does not pretend to be a miracle cure like so many others promise. Here you will find simple words of wisdom and some ancient secrets from a professional in his field.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Healing Advice and a Fresh Change of Perspective, December 20, 2009
"It's been estimated that a third of all cancer patients developed their disease as a result of insufficient whole plant fiber in their diets." ~ pg. 15
"Secrets of Longevity" is an amazing book filled with easy-to-follow tips on living a long and healthy life. While reading this book I was constantly writing down ideas that I plan to put into practice in my life like eating more seaweed (in sushi) or staying 4-6 feet away from a microwave while running it. I have the tendency to stand by the microwave waiting for food to finish heating so that is something I will change after reading this book!
I found myself agreeing with most of the advice but did have a concern about a few things mentioned as healthy. One is the comment that canola oil is a healthy fat and recently I learned it can promote cancer. The second was the use of wormwood, which can be a very dangerous herb and you shouldn't take it for an extended period of time.
There are a few spiritual ideas and a little bit of feng shui in this book. If you don't believe that God is nature or if you don't want to say an invocation you can easily overlook these items and concentrate on what you do believe in.
Some of the advice like taking cold showers will probably be rejected by most comfort-loving individuals. In contrast an hour-long walk will most likely be a goal of many people reading this book.
While a lot of the advice was familiar to me I still needed to be reminded of healthy choices and natural alternatives. I had however never heard that copper cookware was dangerous. We all know about the dangers of aluminum.
Some of the topics presented in this book deserve more attention. Like a detailed description about pycnogenol would have been helpful. Each topic takes up only one page and most pages are only half full. This makes for easy reading but does whet the appetite for more details.
After reading this book you may look into eating more papaya or consider buying Fleur de Sel, a natural sea salt. Dr. Maoshing Ni explains the benefits of eating more apples and explains why you should consider taking royal jelly.
So overall I think this book is perfect for anyone considering lifestyle changes. The section on natural remedies is quite good and gave me a few new ideas.
~The Rebecca Review
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