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.
