Customer Reviews

The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity: A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way (Fireside Books (Fireside))

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

damn! this book is fantastic! i am 18 and stumbled across reid's 'complete book of chinsese health and healing' at barnes and noble a year ago. i then searched for 'the tao of health sex and longevity.' both books are a must for the depressed, sick, chronically sick and everyone else. i was deeply depressed before reading this book and used many illegal drugs to forget about it. but since reading his books, i have changed my diet, started the breathing exercises, practicing controlled fasting and taking tai chi lessons. i no longer use drugs and the world isn't a sad, gray place anymore, nor is my body an aching mess. this book is crammed with practical information much of which can start being practiced the very day you read it. you won't look at health care the same way ever again. also it is a greater intro to TAOISM. once you become accquainted with that word you will smile every time you read it or hear it. this is the best 12 bucks you will ever spend.

I believe I was like everyone else in thought, that I could try to be healthier, but that I wouldn't feel THAT much better. But I did, and I did. So much so that I took Reid's suggestions (ancient Chinese wisdom) to extreme, my life so much better for it. It's amazing how much improvement can be made from diet alone. Acupuncture and herbs can tweek your condition, but the most substancial improvements are made with diet as described in this book. I found great improvements with every aspect tried - including colonics. Areas of possible improvements are endless. With true effort following this book, I have cured my allergies, improved my vision, controlled Reynaud's phenomenon, and have been sick only twice in the past two years (both just a head cold. My most prized improvement has been clarity of mind, best described as level of awareness.

I also recommend Reid's, "The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing", as an important compliment. Although this second one is repetishous of "The Tao ...", it has some sound info on food profiles (p.108) and some important material (not in "The Tao ...") on replenishing or building up your lactobacteria colony, especially following any colonic irrigations.

If you have interest in taoist philosophy and practice, "The Tao ..." is a great place to start, covering most every aspect "the way" can be applied and reaped in ones life.

Happiness and Wholeness.

Simply put: I bought this book out of curiosity and wound up curing a digestive disorder that had plagued me for my entire life! The book also enhanced my appreciation of my studies in Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Kung, Nei Kung, Meditation, Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine. After reading this book I became a Taoist. It opened up the Way for further study and appreciation. Thank you Daniel P. Reid for compiling this information in a comprehensive and easily "digestible" manner. I also strongly recommend his other books, especially "The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing" and "Chinese Herbal Medicine". If you are serious about changing your life or curious about Tao, these books are all the introduction you will require.

All of the reviewers are correct: This IS a superb book in so many ways. Yet by this review, I especially wanted to highlight the thorough and practical discussion regarding taoist sexuality. Quite simply we in the West are ignorant compared to the Taosist sexual practices discussed here for health and spiritual well-being. This discussion is tasteful, respectful, and precise in its practicality. Moreover, in my opinion it is a must read for serious practitioners on the path. Can I start over at 18, knowing this?

This book was an unexpected, and amazing find. While not every page of this book may be for you, it will definately act like a 'slap in the face' about your current lifestyle. The insight provided into health (mental and physical), diet and longevity is priceless.

If you feel sluggish, unsatisfied, and wanting more from life, this book is for you. So many of our 'Western' habits are founded on the wrong principles, or they don't listen to the natural way of the body. This book leads you by the hand, and points you in the right direction.

By far one of the most enlightening books I've ever read. Buy it even if you could care less about 'Taoism'. It will compliment anyone's life. Contains detailed information about diet and food combinations, real-world nutritional facts (not nutritional theorems grown in a lab by a scientist working for a food corporation), great solutions for stress relief and inner peace, and so much more.

Throw out every self help book, diet book, and exercise book that you own and read The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity. It starts with the nature of your body in mind, not with a theory.

Where most books contain some helpful advice, you are often left feeling like your money was taken. This book will make you wish for more. Much more.

this book contains such a wealth of knowledge, i am very grateful for finding it. i just happened to pick it up at a friend's house one night and read a couple pages. then i ordered a copy for myself... i have ended up ordering about 6 or 7 copies since then, because i always end up letting someone borrow it and letting them either just keep it or give me the money for it!

anyways, this book is great, it covers breathing techniques, general diet information, sex, sleep, etc... basically anything we do, this book covers. so if you want a book that will give you many things to really go out and try for yourself, then this is the book for you. if you want just another book of vague theories then you might want to look elsewhere!

also the deal on this book is great. each section alone could be sold for the price of it! instead they're all compiled into one nice thick book.

seriously, i am so grateful for finding it, i hope you can get as much out of it as i have.

For the critic below/above who said that this book is misleading, (and who claims that Reid encourages people to take drugs and use sex toys etc,)... I would say that his review is the only miselading one since in the book Reid never encourages the use of drugs, instead Reid stresses again and again that according to the ancient Taoist, food is the best "medicine". Reid doesnt even encourage the use of medicine (as the western doctors will give you eg antibiotics etc) let alone drugs. Reid encourages the use of natural food and fruits for one's diet to cure ailments such as headaches, obesity etc.

The best chapters in the book is the book on Breathing and Chi, where he explains what chi is, and how it works to energize the body. The second best chapter will be the one about sexual secrets of the Taoist - particularly for male. Men seems to be the gender that has more disadvantage in sex than females, since men think about sex most of the time, have great drive towards it, yet without knowing the Taoist secrets, men are disillisioned about it since he gets less satisfaction, and is left enervated (fatigue) after sex. Reid explains the ancient Taoist secret to avoid those disadvantages and turn it around.

The 3rd best chapter is the one on Food Combination. I have been following it for a few year, and what a difference it makes. After lunch, I see my friends feeling sleepy that they find it hard to stay awake, yet i feel energized.

This is a great book, read it with an open mind. It is certainly much better than Dr Atkins or Carbohydrate Addict books which have much negative side effects.

This book saved me from digestive disorder!
The most important things i learned from this book is the power of breathing, and how to breathe affectively to gain vitality, how food combination affects your health massively, how to control your sex life instead of letting it control you, what food are actually good for you etc. Read this book if you care about your health. And find out why not all western 'scientific' researches are correct. Instead of looking for credibility, I was looking for WHAT REALLY WORKS and APPLY it. And this book proves that Daniel Reid knows what he's writing about!

The book was good, and informative; however, it does not really reflect the position of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The author is a big fan of raw food diets, colon cleansing and drastically cleansing diets and fasting. In TCM this treatment may be appropriate for some individuals suffering from "Damp Stagnation" such as cancer, obesity, etc, and maybe "Damp Heat" (i.e. inflamatory diseases) but IS NOT usually recommended for everyone, and NEVER recommended for anyone on a long term basis. The TCM maintenance diet prefers food that is lightly cooked, and avoidance of extreme food such as juices.

I give the book a low rating because it's title implies that it is a book about Chinese health philosophy, when it is not.

I read this book approximately 7 years ago and practiced everything to the letter for a little over 2 years. I have a degree in plant and soil science and after taking the actions in this book, felt better than I ever have before in my life. The nature of the unverse is much more powerful when tapped into than western science. It is extremeley difficult to practice this way of life in the west. If you do, then be ready to heal, have clarity, and become more concious than ever before. Only a very small portion of the population wants to be this concious. So can you!