Customer Reviews

The Tao of Fertility: A Healing Chinese Medicine Program to Prepare Body, Mind, and Spirit for New Life

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After I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of twenty-three, my oncologist suggested that I go to see a fertility specialist. This being that my ovaries were affected by the chemotherapy and my chances of conceiving would be drastically lowered. The fertility specialist immediately recommended many types of drugs, needles and having IVF and then an FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). I was devastated to say the least. Few doctor's have mastered how to handle this delicate problem that plagues women today. Dr. Dao is one of them. He doesn't shy away, as if it only exists in the minds of the women facing it, instead he leads the way to hope and promise of fertility.

This book is a blessing! It speaks volumes with both knowledge and information that is easily readable and understood. Dr. Dao, Being a Taoist with their full understanding of balance, mind, body, and nature, many of these concepts were new to me and I was pleased to find that all the information given seemed logical, easy to follow and most importantly, achievable! An important aspect to women searching through the seemingly endless amount of information on this subject.

From the diets to detoxify to the daily meditation to relax the mind, there is something for everyone struggling with fertility in this book. Included are recipes, suggestions for herbal supplements, questionnaires, and charts that are easy to follow and bring hope to those trying to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant! This is an astonishing turn around in fertility books. I've read many books on this very subject and most jump into the available drug treatments, IVF, and surgical solutions used to help women with this problem.

This book includes more than the usual doctor's message of eating a sensible diet, not smoking, exercising and staying positive. Dr. Dao discusses Traditional Chinese Medicine with an equal scale toward Western Medicine. He never says one is better than the other and helps you to understand the way of the Tao and the Traditional Chinese Methods. This is the first book of this type where I've actually had the doctor prepare your body for pregnancy in both body and mind. ,

The second half of this book was beautifully done with touching vignettes of previously infertile women who now have conceived and have happy, healthy children. I find these stories not only touching, but helpful in coping with my own infertility. Hope is the first word that comes to mind.

A massive amount of information is placed in this single volume book. It's not just a self-help guide to women and couples, but an outstanding source of information that I will turn to time and time again.

This book addresses a most difficult and emotional subject with a great deal of respect and sensitivity. I was most impressed with the humanity and kindness that infuses this work.

The overall presentation assumes the reader has little or no prior knowledge of Chinese medicine and is very straightforward and instructive. The Taoist method is based on centuries of observation and experience, but with a fundamentally different philosophy from that of western medicine. Dr. Daoshing's explanations about the use of diet, herbs, acupuncture and specific exercises to promote fertility are directed to the reader who is unfamiliar with the science behind Taoist practices. He is able to simplify the rationale behind the various aspects of the medical program for a western reader while retaining just enough "science" to satisfy this lay reader. This holistic approach to the patient is logical and very appealing.

The individual stories in the second part of the book serve as a reminder that most of the western patients seeking Dr. Daoshings's assistance have already experienced great disappointment and sorrow. While they may seek him out with the goal of giving birth, it is clear that he does not view this as the sole metric for success. Dr. Dao's view is that fertility and motherhood are important aspects of a woman's life, but not the totality. He addresses the whole person. The brief but poignant chapter "When Dreams Don't Come True" and the final chapter, "In Balance for the Rest of Your Life" reinforce this view.

I learned a great deal from reading this book, and I would recommend it to anyone considering an "alternative" approach to fertility. I would also recommend it highly for the family and friends of women experiencing fertility problems.

Dr. Dao has written a beautiful, helpful book on how to help women get pregnant. He is an excellent practitioner of Chinese Medicine, devoted to his patients. I recommend this book!
Judith Orloff

A girlfriend gave me this wonderful, informative, inspiring and calming book and I have since given it to others. Dr. Dao, even with his words, inspires confidence. I have read and reread the book, which is simple and thorough. The stories of women who have overcome their own fertility issues are inspiring. Dr. Dao sees and brings the reader into the big picture. Total health and interconnectedness. He assists in gaining a realistic perspective and then provides tools and suggestions to increase overall health and fertility.

Living in Los Angeles, I am fortunate to have become a patient of Dr. Dao. My FSH in three months has dropped by half and is now in single digits. I have incorporated the diet recommendations and qi gong exercises from the book.

This is a book for those seeking an alternative to Western Medicine and also for those seeking to support Western Medicine.

I picked this book up and vowed I would skim through it on vacation. I could not put it down the whole flight to the vacation (it was a 11 hour flight:)) This is an amazing read. I skipped the stories of other women's struggles because I was just trying to conceive and didn't want to worry myself into thinking MORE about other fertility problems that could arise in addition to the ones I already had.

The book lead me to a total lifestyle change:
I have eliminated bad stresses in my life.
I have my husband and I on a very Dr. Dao diet.
In addition I have become his patient (lucky for me I live in the Los Angeles area).

I recently received blood tests results that show my hormones are at a normal level for the first time in my life since 1993 without the aid of western medication!!!!

I really attribute this change to Dr. Dao and HIGHLY recommend this book to my friends and all!

I was very impressed with this book. It is, first of all, the most-easily readable book on fertility that I have read. The information was well laid out and logical. This was especially important to me as the concepts were somewhat unfamiliar.

I was also very pleased with the fact that the author(s) did not only address those patients who would have access to a Chinese medical practitioner, or to acquiring the herbs described in the various sections.

Additionally, Dr. Dao incorporates both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. There was no sense of irrational bias towards the methods he adheres to.

The questionnaires and other resources were also very helpful. While following TCM requires many changes to lifestyle and diet, Dr. Dao's book does a remarkable job of making the process seem achievable and the stories of his success certainly were heartening.

I have read many articles and books pertaining to female infertility. This is the most informative book or article to date. I believe if one follows the diet and metitation exercises they will have optimum health. This book not only helps prepare your body for pregnancy but promotes overall good health. I believe in the healing power of chinese medicine and meditation and that if you believe in your heart that you can be healed you will be. This book gave me hope that one day my dreams of having a healthy baby will come true if I do all within my power to educate myself and do my part in achieving that goal. Would highly recommend this book to anyone suffering from infertility, it's the most hopeful I've felt in mine and my husband's struggle to achieve a healthy pregnancy/delivery in the last 4 yrs.

Very good information for anyone who is trying to conceive. Balance is definitely key and this book confirms it!

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This book has been wonderful from the minute I started reading it. It is very honest and knowledgable information that makes you truly stop and re-evaluate the way you eat, think, rest, pray, sleep, etc. I am about 3/4 of the way through it, and already know that I will read it again once I finish. It has truly changed the way I look at my habits and the choices that I make. It is also well written and easy to understand.

This book is not just about fertility, but about how all of us, especially
those of us trying to get pregnant, can live a healthy life and about how our bodies work. In so many books of this type, I have either been bored or confused by what I've read. Dr. Dao and Ms. Herko not only explain things in simple layman's terms, but the writing itself is interesting, fast-paced and sometimes even funny. Ms. Herko uses metaphors that are right on target in helping to explain what would otherwise be complicated concepts. I actually put down a novel I was reading in order to finish this book!

What pulled me in the most of course, was the testimonials by women(women's voices) and individual stories or journeys of Dr. Dao's patients.
The connection to our lives, the human and emotional side of us, is what
makes this book so compelling, and has motivated me to look into many of the doctor's healthful suggestions. The authors have shown me that it all really is quite simple and sensible.

I highly recommend this book to everyone: buy it, read it and keep it as a reference.