This is the best book of its kind that I have ever picked up. Most nutrition/diet books put me to sleep, but Dr. McKeith lays everything out in simple, clear language and really keeps the reader interested in what she has to say. More importantly, she does not talk down or preach. She simply gives you the information you need to make intelligent decisions about what you put in your body. I don't agree with just popping a pill for any little thing, and I always like to look for natural alternatives, so I found the information on healing with food and natural supplements extremely helpful. After only 4 days of following her simple food combining rules, I already felt more energized and the bloat completely disappeared. The most interesting part is that I feel less hungry when I eat this way. Who knew?
I think it's important not to take an all-or-nothing attitude towards this or any other nutritional plan. Dr. McKeith herself even says that if you follow most of her advice most of the time, you will already make huge improvements in your overall health. Sure, she advises against refined sugars, caffeine, alcohol, red meat and a number of other things, but that's her job. This certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to give up my morning cup of coffee, my glass of wine or the occasional slice of pizza. What it does mean, though, is that I want to make good food choices on a daily basis, so that I can feel good, look good and hopefully *crosses fingers* decrease the impact of the few bad things I do. Hell, we all sometimes eat and drink things that are probably not good for us, but the point is that you can still make plenty of healthy choices every day.
Dr. McKeith advocates eating foods in their raw, natural state as often as possible. She's not saying you should throw your stove away; she's simply pointing out that you should try to eat your fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts raw wherever possible. If you like raw carrots, great. Eat a lot of them. If celery is your thing, eat it in abundance; it's better for you than when it's cooked, and she explains why these things are even better eaten raw. The book includes a menu and recipe section, and most of the dishes are cooked. She's not radical; she just wants you to incorporate raw foods into your diet wherever you can, preferably some every day. There are so many vegetables and greens that taste wonderful raw. Experiment, see what you like and include them in your diet.
I have been doing my best to remove processed, refined foods from my diet for a while now, and this book has given me a lot of useful information on selecting wisely when I do buy something that is pre-packaged.
As far as the difficulty some people mentioned in finding the foods that Dr. McKeith writes about in her book, if you read her list of foods in the Diet of Abundance section, you will find that perhaps 85% of these items can be found in your local supermarket. They're fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, whole grains, nuts, etc. If you're in the habit of only shopping in the canned and frozen sections, you're in for a big surprise. Some of the items, like the supplements, will require a trip to the health food store, and you will find stuff like Nori in Asian markets, but if you're online, you can find anything. Right here on Amazon, I was easily able to find the supplements I need. I agree with some of the others here who said that people spend tons of money and time on their cars, hours online and playing Xbox games, but when it comes to looking for a few products to improve their health, it's too much trouble. It's easier just to go to McDonald's.
Yes, most of the natural supplements are a bit pricey...$23 for a bottle of blue-green algae tablets...ouch!...but she's not telling you to take ALL of them! If anything, when she lists a bunch of supplements that help with one condition or another, she advises that you're not going to take them together. She even suggests buying kelp in granules to add to your dishes if you're not too crazy about the flavor of seaweed. I sprinkled some in my lentil soup and I couldn't even taste it.
This is a good book, with good information, but you have to have an open mind and a can-do attitude.
