Customer Reviews

For Your Body Only: Discover the Diet You Were Born to Eat

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I agree with Dr. Tefft on many of the ideas and concepts presented in his book, however, as another reviewer pointed out, the book is poorly written, has terrible editing and lacks cohesion. Dr. Tefft begins by taking a very scientific approach to personalized nutrition, but then takes a u-turn into what seems to be an infomercial for the latest multi-level marketing scheme. (Check out the website listed in the book and that will further illustrate this point http://www.dragondoor.com ) He lays out a great foundation and argument for why all of the scientific and laboratory typing is necessary for optimum nutrition and health, then abruptly dumps all of that for the "better" and "simpler" testing developed by Personal Nutrition and further improved upon by his own organization, The American Society for the Advancement of Personalization (ASAP). This would be fine, except for the fact that it doesn't provide greater personalization, which is supposed to be the point.

Throughout the book Dr. Tefft warns of "one size fits all" nutrition and generalizations, but by the middle of the book he abandons all science and runs headlong into Eastern philosophy and mysticism, mixed with pseudo science and then train wrecks into his own hugely generalized "personal nutrition" plan for you. As another reviewer noted, the endocrine typing is very different from what was done by that typing plan's originator, as is the blood typing. Don't get me wrong, there actually is some good info in this book, but you need to be a discerning reader to find it. The problem is, if you are discerning enough to know what the truths are, then you probably don't need this book.

If you are a person who eats mostly junk food and has no idea what nutritious food is, then you would benefit from learning the basics in this book, i.e. trans fats are bad, don't eat too much sugar, cut processed foods out of your diet, limit caffeine and alcohol consumption, limit your intake of saturated fats, increase consumption of organic fruits, veggies and whole grains, eat lean proteins and especially fish, get your Omega 3's and 6's, drink plenty of pure filtered water and (...) exercise. All of those things and other sound advice are in this book, but the personalization to the level I was hoping to find, just isn't there. Dr. Tefft doesn't even have the reader take body fat percentage into account when calculating BMR, and he barely addresses physical activity in any practical or applicable sense.

At the end of the book, you are offered the opportunity to call and join Tefft's organization and spend $150 for a pH saliva and urine test and hair analysis. I don't know what information they provide on the hair analysis to judge how beneficial their analysis would be, but the pH tests are not of much benefit. Everything you eat or drink affects the pH in your saliva and urine from hour to hour. There are saliva tests which are very telling, but pH at one moment in time is not one of them.

To truly personalize your nutrition, it is going to take more than what is offered here. More variables need to be taken into account. Tefft has simply come up with his own "box" to put us in, but tries to disguise it as "personalized". Be a critical reader, do your research, read the actual books about the body type diet, the blood type diet, and books like "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto, Udo Erasmus' "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill" and as many other great resources as you can find. Then, take the good from them and apply common sense and what laboratory science (testing) is currently available to determine how your body handles nutrients and what is missing from your body. I wish that Teftt had done all of the hard work for us, but he fell short in my opinion. I was really disappointed in the conclusions in this book. I am still looking for sound answers on how to truly personalize my nutrition.

In "For Your Body Only," Gregory Tefft elicudates his unique ideas about personalized nutrition based on a complex system of physiological typing combined with scientific testing. The concept is intriguing, and it seems fairly logical. But since this approach to nutrition is inherently complicated (there is no single approach that is right for everyone), presenting the information clearly becomes quite a challenge -- one that Dr. Tefft does not meet. While the book presents useful information, it is disorganized and confusing. The quality of the writing is generally poor. Dr. Tefft spends far too much time making accusations (instead of clearly stating his case), and he has a habit of making sweeping statements that smack of self-promotion. A thorough edit (to eliminate numerous typos) is sorely needed. Thus the three-star review.

Be aware, if you plan on committing yourself to Dr. Tefft's personalized nutrition program, you will need to spend a great deal of time studying this book and possibly performing additional research in order to create a personalized nutritional program. You need to know your blood type, and you need to perform other tests (hair and saliva) in order to determine your body type. Dr. Tefft offers this testing through his website, for a cost of $150 (hair and saliva) and $20 (blood type). You must calculate your daily caloric needs, consult lists of recommended/not recommended foods, and calibrate your personal nutrient levels based on your body type(s). An alternative, of course, is to consult with a personalized nutritionist such as Dr. Tefft, who will help you devise your personalized nutrition plan. If you are still interested in personalized nutrition, and you are willing to invest the time and money, this book is a good place to start.

So often my patients complain about their bodies. An extra few pounds...lack of energy...aches and pains. Physicians of my era were taught that this was 'normal' aging. Intuitively I felt it might be possible to balance each individual's body to their unique chemistry leading to their own correct and efficient chemistry. The aging situation could be different. It is! If you read about Dr. Tefft's program, get yourself tested and follow the rules...your rules... you will see a difference! I have been on this program myself and feel great. I am enjoying early morning runs, have the energy for office hours and my family. This book has given me the keys to the kingdom of my own healthy body. I am sharing it with patients-those who ask, and those who don't. Following Tefft's program can lead to balance that I once thought reserved for youth. I'm encouraged to learn that For Your (my) Body only has had a positive effect on my own well-being and the well being of patients. This approach to good health is holistic in the true sense of the word!

So often my patients complain about their bodies. An extra few pounds...lack of energy...aches and pains. Physicians of my era were taught that this was 'normal' aging. Intuitively I felt it might be possible to balance each individual's body to their unique chemistry leading to their own correct and efficient chemistry. The aging situation could be different. It is! If you read about Dr. Tefft's program, get yourself tested and follow the rules...your rules... you will see a difference! I have been on this program myself and feel great. I am enjoying early morning runs, have the energy for office hours and my family. This book has given me the keys to the kingdom of my own healthy body. I am sharing it with patients-those who ask, and those who don't. Following Tefft's program can lead to balance that I once thought reserved for youth. I'm encouraged to learn that For Your (my) Body only has had a positive effect on my own well-being and the well being of patients. This approach to good health is holistic in the true sense of the word!

Dr. Tefft's Personalized Nutrition program has been an absolute godsend in my life. I not only lost 35 pounds, but have more energy than I have ever had in my entire life. It's such a relief to know exactly what my body really needs and my personal results prove that his no more guesswork system works! His book, For Your Body Only: Discover The Diet You Were Born To Eat, is what has been lacking in the nutrition marketplace for so long. Personalization is only the key for total success to be your healthiest!

Finally, a guide to 'my' chemistry. I always thought that we were different from each other. And we are! Way back when vanity first began in my then young body, I felt that there was a code and that it could be cracked if someone understood the chemisty. My chemistry. Well...Dr. Tefft and his method address my body and yours...differently. Thank goodness...It's about time! Feeling better already...with energy. Even at 50. It's not too late!
A BIG thank you to Dr. Gregory Tefft!

Sadly, we'll never know. While the logic behind Tefft's approach seems sound, working a full-time job makes adhering to Tefft's incredibly arcane system virtually impossible. If this is what it takes to benefit from good nutrition, pass me a cheeseburger. To be fair, Tefft's knowledge on the topic is very impressive. But his work also contradicts the theories of earlier exponents of the diet-by-glandular-type theory. For example, according to the original author on this topic, my body type corresponds to the "thyroid type," while Tefft would categorize me as "thymic." These are two totally different diets, and there is no bright line for really determining which one I am. Also, as another reviewer pointed out, Tefft has a habit of taking potshots at others in the fitness industry. Hey, I dislike Tony Little as much as the next guy, but come on. Simplify the book. If I could get 75% of the benefit by making a few broad changes, rather than 100% by micromanaging every soy nugget, it would be a winner.

For Your Body Only: Discover The Diet You Were Born To Eat by Gregory H. Tefft (Board Certified Naturopathic Physicians) is a unique and very special type of diet and nutrition book specifically designed and written to help the reader find a balanced and healthy diet that's especially apt for his or her individual needs. Dr. Tefft lays out the "disease-nutrition" connection and presents a persuasive argument for what he has termed "the next megatrend -- personalized nutrition". From debunking the one-size-fits-all nutritional mind set, to meticulous calculations and percentages, to help determine the amount proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that best suit a give person, For Your Body Only is an excellent reference and guide to individually tailoring a healthy diet plan.