Customer Reviews

Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If everyone in this country follows the suggestions about food and health in this book, I believe, there will be much fewer health problems in America.

As an organic integration of Chinese healing practice and western nutrition, this book provides one of the most systematic and comprehensive discussions of the relationship between food and health. Basically, there are three aspects I find most helpful about this book. First, the large scope it covers: from raw food to cooked food, from herbs to animal product, from water to minerals, from food combination to the art of chewing...the book explores these topics in an unhurried, sensible, and lucid manner. The analysis on each of the major foods near the end of the book is useful for the reader to select meal ingredients that can best help improve his/her health. Second, I like the "middle path" approach the author takes, without going to extremes with either his theory or practice. For instance, the author himself practises vegetarianism, as shown by some parts of the book, but he also acknowleges the effectiveness of meat in treating certain deficiencies. Third, I like its flexibility in tuning into each reader's different individual need and condition. For instance, raw vegetables and fruits may help the person who has "heat" signs, but may be too cooling for the person who feels cold constantly, especially in the colder season. So each person can use this book to fit his/her individual needs.

Because of my interest in food, health, and nutrition, I have read widely in these fields. But more often than not, I encounter books that take a narrow-minded, absolute, almost fanatic approach that makes you wonder what they are really selling. Paul Pitchford's book, however, impresses me as honest, intelligent advices given by a trusted friend, who has a full grasp of the eastern (mostly Chinese) food healing art, and discusses it from the perspective of western nutrition.

I only wish my copy of this book were a hard-cover so it probably could better withstand my frequent consulting (for almost three years).

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!

It pains me to see this book described as representative of Chinese nutritional therapy. Pitchford borrows haphazardly from macrobiotics, Western nutrition, Chinese energetics, Ayurveda, and probably other systems. This eclectic approach demonstrates a shallow grasp of the theories that drive authentic Chinese nutritional therapy, and frequently leads Pitchford to conclusions that are at odds with traditional practices. It is definitely "Oriental," in the sense Edward Said uses the term in his analysis of the Western romanticism of Eastern cultures. The material may well prove beneficial to someone, but it should come with a warning label: this book is not about Chinese medicine.

6/14/02 Update: I understand that many people have experienced improvements in their health based on Pitchford's advice. Please allow me to clarify why my original review was unfavorable. I routinely have long and arduous discussions with student interns over something they read in Pitchford and whether it is appropriate advice for their patients, *from the point of view of Chinese medicine,* which this book supposedly represents, and which is what they are supposed to be practicing in clinic. Experience has shown that in many cases, Pitchford's view is not congruent with traditional Chinese nutritional therapy, and in fact, much confusion arises from its application in the classroom of a Chinese medicine college. A book's content should ordinarily agree with what the book itself advertises itself to contain.

I reference this book all the time. I started using it to help treat various aliments I, or friends of mine were dealing with, and had great results. I have since based most of my cooking practices, as well as eating habits off this book. It's a great combination of eastern medicine and western practices. I think every kitchen should have a copy of this book and it should be taught in school.

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.

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.

This is quite simply one of the best books ever published on the subject of health and whole foods.

There are no platitudes in this book.

The symptoms of both health and un-health are delineated; the technical workings of the body are explained; the solutions to physical health are presented.

Whole foods in all their forms are described -- what to eat, how to prepare them, recipes, how they work in the body, what they fix.

This book is two inches thick, and probably contains enough information for a degree in nutrition.

It is extremely readable, but don't think you can read it without a good dictionary. The author takes care to define technical terms, but that's no excuse for not clearing up words you don't know as you read.

Published in 1993, the book contains up-to-date nutritional research as well as traditional herbal remedies.

A good index helps you find exactly what information you need for specific conditions.

While the emphasis is obviously on a vegetarian diet, the author treats meat products as therapeutic for particular nutritional problems, and describes how to use meat products in the most ethical manner.

The book even gets into subjects of health such as root canals, parasites and microwave cooking.

Wherever possible, the author compares Oriental and Occidental viewpoints on health and nutrition, leaving the reader with insights that just are not available from references that only consider one or the other.

I hope I've stimulated your interest. Following recommendations in this book will most certainly improve your health.

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?

WOW WOW WOW - such an amazing book! In every possible way, I cannot recommend this book enough! I feel it should be mandatory for anyone in a health practice or quest to read this book to gain proper perspective or at least alternative insight.

This book is so incredible...teaches so much about real nutrition and healing our bodies! The author includes recipes for a real life style changing support.