God's Nutritionist: Pearls of Wisdom from Ellen G. White ... (ISBN 0757001467)

I'm an agnostic, and I loved this book!:
I didn't know what to expect from this book. I was a little leary of it, because I am an agnostic, and I don't take kindly to people who tell me what God thinks. How do THEY know? But I loved this book! It is not at all preachy. Instead, it is full of common sense, wisdom and reason. It has a large number of quotes from Ellen G. White, who was writing in the 1800's, interspersed with quotes from modern peer-reviewed medical journals. It is amazing how right-on Ellen G. White is. You would think she was writing of our current sorry state of dietary affairs in many of these quotes. Obesity, heart disease, cancers and many other lifestyle related diseases, the animal suffering caused by mass production of livestock, the health benefits of olive oil, I could go on and on...she was so prescient! She was an amazing woman. And Robert Cohen truly deserves thanks for bringing the writings of this wise woman to our attention. I hope people will take notice.

Valuable Advice Can Reduce Current Epidemic of Disease:
Since a switch toward vegetarianism is not only an important individual choice today, but also a spiritual imperative and a societal imperative, necessary to revitalize our religions and move our imperiled planet to a more sustainable path, I hope that God's Nutritionist is widely read and widely heeded. The 500 statements on proper nutrition from Ellen White's prolific writings provide advice that is badly needed today at a time when there is an epidemic of chronic degenerative diseases, and Cohen reinforces the correctness of her statements by interspersing over one hundred quotations and references from scientific journals that illustrate how a shift to plant-centered diets can greatly reduce disease. Hence, this book has the potential to produce healthier people and a more humane and environmentally sustainable world

Disappointment:
Firstly, I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the SDA church. I do not stand in judgement either, that is not my place. My comments are strictly about this one publication. Having no idea what to anticipate with this book, I was prepared to read it with an open mind. I have taken pains to avoid much of the junk "food" found in our supermarkets, and continue to seek out quality reference materials regarding diet and nutrition. I did not expect a book that was so blatantly against meat in any form yet offered no substantive information regards vegetarian dishes or menus. "Fruits, nuts, and vegetables, wisely-prepared" are frequent terms, but what is "wisely prepared"? A large measure of the book is also highly critical of eating flesh, as the conditions of its nurture and general health are unknown. We recently have had contaminated canteloupe, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables. What then are we to eat that is safe for consumption? Being a vegetarian does not guarantee good health. Many nutritionists tell us that essential proteins that we cannot make for ourselves are available only from animal sources. Mrs White does not appear to mention it, but one of Mr Cohen's inserted references specifically includes the value of fish in one's diet. Does "flesh" include fish or just red meat? Temperance is also stressed, and this point can hardly be argued against when looking at it from a medical perspective. Nor can overeating, or gluttony, depending upon your choice of vocabulary. Abuse in both of these areas will cause health and medical problems; that is well documented. As to the 500 "Pearls of Wisdom" contained in God's Nutritionist, if one were to delete all of the repetitious pearls, the book could easily be reduced by anywhere from one half to two thirds without any loss of content. Mr Cohen has selected short quotes from scientific journals to validate some of these pearls, and these are well chosen. Having worked in the medical field for over 40 years, it would be just as easy for me to find solid references that repudiate many of the pearls and quotes here assembled. This does not, however, destroy the validity of the dietary wisdom gleaned from Mrs White's writings. There is a lot of common sense if one seeks it out, and wisdom, too, if you could but find a way of putting it to practical use. In a world where genetically engineered and irradiated foods are flooding the supermarts, "plain" and "wholesome" foods are almost a relic of the past. This book is very well written, and does contain some solid dietary information. I simply feel that the strong bias against eating flesh, and the incessant repetitions of content are serious detractions. I would also have preferred some practical information rather than simply a philosophical statement. Will it be discarded? Probably not - but it won't be pulled off the shelf very often either.

another insane rant from the desk of Robert Cohen:
Obviously the copyright has expired on this book, so Cohen felt free to rip off Ellen White. Don't bother with this book, it's a total piece of garbage.

Finally!:
I am so excited to finally see a book that backs up my beliefs and shows the Bible advocates not killing & eating animals. I hope everyone reads this book and sees the dangers of eating animals and drinking their milk. Thank you!