Your Body Knows Best (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Betsy is your typical high-powered Chicago executive..." (more)
Key Phrases: slice sprouted whole grain toast, fast burner, slow burner, Native Americans, James D'Adamo, Pima Indians (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's no one-size-fits-all diet, says author Ann Louise Gittleman (Supernutrition for Women, Beyond Pritikin). That's why some people will drop 25 pounds on fad diets while others will actually gain weight, and why some folks thrive on an ultra-low-fat diet while they make others feel like collapsing. Gittleman says there are some foods that everyone should avoid, such as refined sugar, margarine, and white flour products, but figuring out which foods are good for you is a bit more complicated. She's drawn upon her extensive nutritional background and found that three factors combine to determine which customized diet you should follow. One of these factors is heritage; those with a Scandinavian, Irish, or Welsh ancestry need more essential fatty acids than others, such as those found in cold-water fish. The other two are metabolic rate (some people just burn food more quickly than others) and blood type (type O is the oldest blood type, and therefore folks who are type O should avoid dairy foods and other items introduced late in the evolutionary scheme of things).

She includes a questionnaire to determine how fast you metabolize food, and a week's worth of sample menus to guide you along the appropriate eating plan for your particular profile. Gittleman also debunks the "fat is the root of all evil" diet myth by explaining how fat actually boosts immune function and aids weight loss. There's also extensive supplement information and helpful explanations of the often-misunderstood roles of protein, fat, and carbohydrate, along with resources for everything from amino acid testing for vegetarians to home-study courses in nutrition. This is a fine book for anyone looking to lose weight--not fall victim to the latest dieting fad.

From Publishers Weekly

In her latest book, nutritionist Gittleman (Beyond Pritikin) asserts that, when it comes to diets, one size does not fit all. With sound logic, data from a number of scientific studies and a wealth of personal experience, the author examines popular eating regimens, including vegetarian, restricted-calorie and low-fat/high carbohydrate, explaining why no single plan can possibly work for everybody. While the different-diets-for-different-bodies idea doesn't break new ground, Gittleman's proposition that an individual's heritage, blood type and metabolism combine to create unique nutritional requirements will sound right to many readers. Mapping out dietary guidelines for each blood type and for metabolic "slow burners" and "fast burners," Gittleman gives a particularly stringent list of general "no-nos" for everyone (refined sugars, processed carbohydrates, trans fats like margarine). In-depth chapters on carbohydrates, fats, proteins, exercise and medical conditions brought on by nutritional deficiencies add substance to this volume.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671875914
• ISBN-13: 978-0671875916
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #86,751 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes MUCH MORE SENSE THAN EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR TYPE, February 21, 2000

By A Customer

I loved this book which I thought was well organized, timely, and tailor-made in its approach. I have lost 15 pounds in one month following the Fast Burner plan - I am a type B and am very full on the menus provided. Besides, this author covers all the possible ways to personalize a diet - not just blood type which has been proven to be THE LEAST SCIENTIFIC one of them all.... I like her style and I like her common sense approach.. When will there be More of Your Body Knows Best. Thanks.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but could be better organized, February 3, 2000

By	Amy Vonk "[e-mail]" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I took the metabolic type test in this book which determined that I am a fast burner. Since I am also blood type B and of northern European descent, my eating plan should include red meat and full-fat dairy products to keep me satiated for a longer period of time (than eating pure carbs would). However, I found that eating this way didn't really make me feel any fuller. I think the author's ideas are refreshing (that one type of diet isn't right for everyone, and that you need to experiment to find out what's right for you), but I thought the book could be better organized, especially in the section where the three eating profiles are listed.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for Anyone Struggling with Weight Loss, March 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Your Body Knows Best: The Revolutionary Eating Plan That Helps You Achieve Your Optimal Weight and Energy Level for Life (Hardcover)

With all of the stuff we are getting hit with about what's right and the best way to lose weight, this is finally a book that explains exactly how and why our bodies are all different and therefore we need different strategies for weight loss. I have read and tried dozens and dozens of books about diet and nutrition in a search to discover why I have carried an extra 25 pounds of fat my entire life. Ann Louise finally explains why my body reacts the way it does to what I eat, and now I know what I must do to get rid of the fat based on finally learning what my metabolism is (there's a test in the book) and combining that with my blood type requirements. The only reason why I don't give it a 10 is because it's quite technical and I think many people may get scared away when they start reading. But if you can get past that, it's a fabulous breakthrough in diet and nutrition information. And there's a paperback for under $6!