[.ca] Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern ... (ISBN 1556434308)

From Amazon.com:
Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition--including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics--along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes. The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing "sweet" foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!) Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out. --Erica Jorgensen

Valuable but Biased:
I have learned alot from this book, mainly on how to cook whole foods, grains, seaweeds, alot of info on microalgeas, and how to sprout, and for that it has been an invaluable resource. Also some good tips on cooking for children, weening cereals, etc. But I find the treatments to be slightly biased and a little dangerous. For example, night sweats could be caused by a yang excess or a yin deficiency. The treatments for both are almost opposite. Knowing the difference is very difficult unless you have some knowledge of Chinese medicine or are seen by a practioner. I, for example am both yin and yang deficient, and eliminating the building foods, as Pitchford recommends for excesses, wasn't helping me and could have had devastating conquences. Pitchford seems to sway towards this diet, recommending a liver cleanse as the first step toward balancing most problems. He is also a devout vegan, which he explains at the beginning of the book. And it is this diet he is pushing, while in traditional Chinese medicine, such a diet is not recommended because it can lead to deficencies. Animal products are both recommended to eat and in herbal formulas. His dietary suggestions are a bit extreme as well, like don't give kids nut butters. What is life without nut butters? A kids gotta live! If it wasn't for some of the condiments Pitchford says to avoid, my kid would never eat. But my kid wouldn't touch an obvious vegtable if he was starving all day. Buy this book if you want to know about whole foods, but be aware of this bias. And if you need treatment, go to a practitioner, certainly before you follow any of Pitchford's recommendations. I did go to a practitioner and knew what my issues were (all deficient, as post-pardom mothers usually are) and did a gall bladder cleanse from this book with amazing results (as horrible as it is to drink a cup of lemon juice and olive oil). There is certainly alot of good information here, but I completetly disagree with the need for a vegan diet, especially concerning children. Pitchford himself says it isn't really possible to get B12 adequately from this kind of diet, so how can it be the most natural diet for humans?

Good for your body, mind, and spirit:
I found this book in a health food store together with "Can We Live 150 Year?" Since then I have gradually incorporated more and more of the knowledge and principles presented in both books into my lifestyle. I have learned how to properly combine, prepare and cook foods in a healthy way. I have become aware of the numerous toxins that we are all exposed to on a daily basis. I have cleansed my body and I have cleaned my environment and I continue to make more improvements as time goes on. I have used this book to learn basic understanding of energetic balances between my diet, my psyche, and my spirit. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in taking charge of their own life, spirituality, and health. The other book, "Can We Live 150", is a very important addition to this book. I think everybody should by them together, as I did, as they very much complement each other.

MORE COMPLETE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!!!!!:
If I could give this book 10,000 stars I would. This book is absolutely incredible! Some points: - This book is HUGE!! 750 pages full of information (I was surprised I didn't have to pay much more for it -- for the amount of info this books contains, I would have easily expected to pay at least twice what it costs!) - Amazingly well-written! - Takes no sides, gives you the facts in a clear, concise way - Complete with theories of Chinese Medicine and descriptions of disease patterns and how to cure them - Very up-to-date -- this book is not just about old remedies -- it discusses all the issues of the "modern westerner" - Very well organized with an incredible index that you can use to find absolutely anything - Lists more foods than you probably know of, as well as the characteristics and therapeutic uses of each - Provides numerous recipes (though it's not meant to be a cookbook, I was surprised to find that it not only describes the foods, it tells you how to *use* them, how to *prepare* them, and even how to store them!) If you are looking for a guide to foods that is modern and up-to-date, yet helds to the traditional premises, this is it! This book made me think about what I've been eating and drinking (and I don't mean alcohol -- you'll find some eye-opening truths here about the water you drink, as well as what the meat, poultry, and eggs go through before they get to your fridge.) This book made me become a vegan. This book made me purify my water before I drink it. This book made me a conscious citizen of the planet! But don't worry -- there is NO preaching! If you are intent on eating meat -- fine! All the suggestions in this book provide for carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and everyone in between! It simply tells you te facts and allows you to think for yourself. Thank you, Paul Pitchford, for putting together such an incredible book -- it's an immense achievment!

No home should be without:
This book is great for anyone who is open minded and wants to take control over their health. Chinese medicine has been around for ages and doesnt need a lab to know it works. This book is awesome.

Groundbreaking, here's why::
A very valuable book, as it summarizes and mixes the Western calorie-counting, "5g of iron per serving" nutritional knowledge with a more broad-view traditional medicine (east and west) perspective. No system is perfect, of course. Pitchford makes good use of each one's strengths. There's even a little spirituality in the mix, but it isn't offensive, it's welcome. Healing needs a little spirit. Paul Pitchford seems like a good doctor. He's very knowledgeable, and yet teaches a balanced natural approach to health like that of the of the great past physicians (ancient or modern, east or west). His view on global issues and how they relate to individual choices put the work of healing in proper perspective. Despite being a bit of a "melting pot", this book is, in a word, GROUNDBREAKING. Later authors will surely build on Pitchford's work, hopefully addressing some of its shortcomings. The author's style is pretty "wordy", (I'm guilty of this too) I suppose this is necessary to describe such foreign concepts as "sheng" "deficiency" etc, but it makes for pretty dense reading. Also, the long lists of foods, syndromes etc could be better organized on the pages, maybe with more headers or pictures. Some of his advice, especially the "hot and cold" potency of foods can contradict other authors and systems. This is confusing and it does not inspire confidence in that particular method of prescribing healing foods. But this is still an excellent book, good for those thirsty for a balanced approach in this age of extremes. Here's few other glowing comments: -If you want to learn to be a healthy Vegan or Vegetarian, this book could help you very much. -Gives the uneducated reader excellent tools with which to make their own "nature cure". -De-emphasizes highly refined supplements and extracted nutrients and emphasizes whole foods, herbs and algaes. Refreshing in a world where almost everyone is trying to sell you something.