Rating: 
Summary: He's done it again!
Review: Dr. Weil has done it again. A simple clear approach to eating well and staying healthy. This is another great addition to his earlier books. A must read for anyone serious about wellness.
Rating:
Summary: A very good book about nutrition and health
Review: I usually have to force myself to read nutritional type books, but I found this book to be quite different. The approach taken by the author is a very rational one, and it makes a lot of sense over the course of a lifetime. There are no short term diet or health solutions presented, but rather the focus is on healthy, enjoyable eating as a way of life. The author strongly emphasizes that healthy eating does not need to be a miserable experience; but that it can and should be pleasurable. A wealth of information about food is provided in the book, including the best and worst diets in the world. In several chapters the components of food and nutrition are broken down and explained. There is a section of the book that contains 85 recipes, and another section that answers specific questions about food and nutrition. Much of the information given is scientific in nature, but I found all of the chapters to be very informative and interesting. I greatly appreciated the sense of compassion and humor that Dr. Weil brings to his book. This is a very well written book, and I recommend it to everyone.
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Summary: A truly wonderful book
Review: I really enjoyed this book and I found it solid, extremely valuable and fascinating. Dr. Weil has written many incredibly informative books and this one is an important addition to anyone's bookshelf who is interested in the science behind diet.By understanding the science behind the theory, we all are given a better chance of truly understanding the basics of nutrition and therefore what and how we can eat for improved health. Lily of the Valley Carnie, author: Chi Gung: Chinese Healing, Energy, and Natural Magick. (lily@serv.net)
Rating: 
Summary: Sound, sensible, and spiritually profound
Review: I am convinced of this....with the plethora of diet books lining our shelves, and so many experts in diametrical opposition to the other so called experts, it's honestly a refreshing change to have a diet book come out by an author who obviously has little desire to even remotely appear as though he follows his own advice. Let's face it, no one will ever mistake Andy Weil for Bill Phillips, but alas that is not my point! It's about time someone stepped up to the plate and wrote a diet book for all of us "corpulent contents" Thanks Andy....you da man! Peace be with you.
Rating:
Summary: Most excellent guide regarding nutrition
Review: This is another top book by Dr. Weil and like his others before, it's highly recommended. In this book e.g. he explains exactly how the metabolism works and herewith helps us understand what type of foods are healthy and why others are harmful. Every reader will get something valuable out of this excellent nutritional guide. Sure, this time Dr. Weil explains scientific stuff, but the book doesn't lack practical advice which everybody can understand and utilize. Regarding the philosophical aspect to mental and spiritual health I highly recommend Dietmar Scherf's "I Love Me: Avoiding and Overcoming Depression."
Rating:
Summary: An Essential Book to Own
Review: I only wish that my Doctor was as knowledgeable as Dr. Weil. I have read most of his books, and they have changed my life. I don't mind the scientific background, because this allows you to become fully aware of how your body works, and how your diet and thinking affects your physical being. This book will help you conquer many problems that ail people - it has helped me overcome a disease, and I know that it could work for many other people. You just have to have the desire to help yourself, and make some lifestlye changes.
Rating:
Summary: Too much science, not enough practical advice
Review: I bought this book because I'd heard/seen Dr. Weil on TV and liked what he had to say. I agree with his basic premises, and believe that he gives sound advice. The book reinforced this opinion, but I did not particularly enjoy it or find it helpful in a practical way. There is far too much technical, detailed, BORING stuff about metabolism and nutrients. Those parts need to be streamlined. Also, the glycemic index table was very limited. I wanted a longer list of "good" carbs. The book is not really geared to the masses who will buy it simply because it's a well-marketed "diet" book on a bestseller list. (FYI -if you are thinking this is a book about losing weight, think again. It's simply good advice on how to eat healthily.) I am a vegetarian, and Dr. Weil reinforces my conviction to stay that way. His mantra: "eat more fruits and vegetables." I enjoyed reading his daughter's piece on why she "eats healthy." Weil includes his recommendations on vitamin and mineral supplements, which I found helpful. I guess I would recommend the book, but not highly, because it's just a tad too intellectual and not a practical enough guide.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Nutrition Book I've Read
Review: Not being a doctor or biochemist, I don't feel competent to comment on whether Dr. Weil's theories and advice are accurate. However, I strongly recommend this book because it is packed with a tremendous amount of information. I have found that I am able to read most popular health, nutrition and fitness books I've picked up from cover to cover in just a couple of hours. Some are practically disposable (maybe literally so, considering the cheap paper used). Eating Well for Optimum Health, however, has taken me a great deal longer, which I think is testament to the sophistication and substances of its content, much the way it takes longer to read 50 pages of Proust than a 300 page who-dunnit. There's a lot one can learn here. And whether Dr. Weil's views are wrong or right, most come with thorough and convincing explanations -- the "whys" of human nutrition, as well as reports of study conclusions. I also found the correlations Dr. Weil draws between different world/ethnic cuisines with the types of illnesses experienced by those populations to be very interesting, if a bit speculative (which Dr. Weil generally acknowledges, to his credit). I doubt I would have found biology and chemistry quite so dreary if I had read something like this to put all the stuff I had to memorize into context. Stylistically, the writing is usually engaging. I am taking off a star, however, because of the recipes. They might be wonderful, but I think actual specific recipes should stay in recipe books, just as I would not care for a book on Beethoven to have a big chunk about how to tune a piano. They have different places, uses, and audiences. Still, recommended without reservation.
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Summary: For once, NOT a fad diet!
Review: All of the fad diet books out there advocate dangerous, unbalanced diets that do more harm than good. These include the protein diets that have seen so much publicity recently. Weil's book presents a sensible diet of balance, moderation, and variety, and while he has no selling point to lure weak-willed, gullible dieters to buy his book, what he does have is a clear expertise in the field of nutrition. It is deplorable that other "certified" doctors of nutrition would compromise their morals to sell their fad diets, just for money, while any college biology student can tell you that those diets severely compromise the health of your body. Buy this book if you want the real facts of nutrition. It's not a pretty truth that there is no EASY way to lose weight and be healthy, and any book that would tell you otherwise would be selling you snake oil. Eating well is a prescription for life.
Rating:
Summary: Too bald to listen to!
Review: If this Doctor knows so much about nutrition, how come he's bald? You may think it is genetic, as is his stocky build - but people who are not tall, thin and hairy have no business practicing medicine. He should be strong enough to overcome a few genes he picked up from his family! Why does the medical profession allow stocky bald men to earn an MD? What kind of message is that sending to our children? For example: who would want to get a nose job from a surgeon who inherited a hawk nose from his father? It is absurd to think that Dr. Weil is worth reading just because he is so educated, knowledgeable and articulate. So what if he has medical advice that can save your life? How can life be worth living if one is bald and 20 pounds overweight? Doctor - grow thy hair!
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