Rating: 
Summary: Would this really help one to attain & maintain full health?
Review: This author promotes soy products and vegetarianism and is anti-animal fat/protein. Unfermented soy contains high amounts of anti-nutrients (as do other legumes, grains, nuts and seeds if they are not properly prepared) that are non-removable and has always been recognized as inedible, since ancient times. It was never used as a food until modern financial interests popularized it as such to only their "benefit" (Could anyone truly benefit from harming others?) and to the detriment of a generation. Infant soy formula in particular has created an epidemic. The human body needs animal foods, plenty of high quality fat and sufficient protein. These factors are especially important for children. He also gives extremely incorrect data on fats. It's wonderful that he promotes fresh air, exercise, vegetables and some other health-giving practices, but nowhere near worth the price of so much false information on such key issues. I recommend reading Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, instead of books by Andrew Weil.
Rating: 
Summary: Practical, scientifically sound, and doable
Review: I am a scientist and have read Dr. Weil's work and found that it is scientifically accurate. His suggestions are in keeping with the newest findings and thought in the medical professions relating to healthy lifestyle. He breaks it down and makes nutritional science easier to understand and put to use. If you are looking a more in-depth explanation of the biochemical underpinnings of his advice, try the first few chapters of "Eating Well for Optimum Health." This book is a great way to put his well-grounded ideas into practice. As with all health-related books though, I think it is important to read a variety of respected sources. Dr. Zorba Paster is another great auther to read in this field.
Rating:
Summary: Not a good book on health at all
Review: Dr. Weil seems nice enough but his recommendations are generally pretty bad for true health. Eating salmon and getting rid of transfat foods are a good idea but his recommendations for soy products which are full of antinutrients (not just phytates) and his recommendations against animal products or a lowering of their use and lowering fat intake and his recommendations for increase grain consumption will make you fat and give you type 2 diabetes in the long run if not something much worse. His spiel about complex carbohydrates over simple or refined carbohydrates is nonsense. Too much carbohydrates is the problem. While simple carbs are pretty bad, complex carbs the way he recommends them are just as bad if not worse because of the quantity he recommends. The guy basically pushes vitamins and herbal supplements. There are many studies happening now that will soon put his message (and many others) to a long deserved rest. High carbohydrate diets are very bad for health. Animal products are necessary for good health. Saturated fat is very important in the diet. All studies done in this area show that meat and fat protect against heart disease. High carbohydrate diets play havoc with hormones causing every disease in the book. This will soon be common knowledge as studies begin bearing this out, ending untold suffering for so many people. If you want a good book based on science (not guru worship), read Life Without bread. The whole low fat/high carbohydrate diet is a fraud and any honest look at the studies already done will bear this out. New studies are being done now but this time it will be in the context of "is fat bad?" instead of "fat is bad - lets prove it".
And I don't know if I'm ready to accept [the], "but that's what we were taught" excuse when the studies come back condeming the nonsense they spew. Back to Weil, the guy is overweight, bald and pushes vitamins. He shrugs off studies showing vitamin c toxicity or soy toxicity. Eventually, even he probably won't be able to shrug off the evidence that his diet is worse than bad for health. Avoid.
Rating:
Summary: Practical and Informative
Review: Dr. Weil's methodology of introducing concepts a week at a time, along with specific tasks and lifestyle changes, breaks his program into reasonable pieces. I don't believe in diets or diet books, and I've read plenty about stress, so I wasn't prepared to like this book. It's not too New Age-y, or over the top. Dr. Weil trained as an allopathic (traditional) physician, and weaves in alternative and mainstream advice. It seems balanced, and it changed my life.
Rating:
Summary: Please, Step Out of the Sun...
Review: Because your big Santa-Clause booty is blocking the light. So Mr. Weil has sold out to the lucrative health industry, and has a great marketing thing going with the happy go lucky grandaddy image with the big beard and rotund face and all. But please be informed, genral public, that you have firstly bought into image marketing, and then to the authors money-making recommendations. If Mr. Weil told you what you really needed to do to get healthy and stay healthy, 99% of you would be turned off. After all, who likes wheatgrass juice, fasting, and rejuvelac? Do you? Surely we'd rather go on our jolly ole ways down to Safeway and stock up on Weil favorites, such as nutrasweet and soyburgers. You will see how many negative 'did this review help you' counts I get, because the type of people (maybe you, unfortunately) who have been suckered into Mr. Weils diet (and pocket-book) are staunchly afraid of anything that threatens their easy 'health' plan. Please read Ann Wigmore's 'Hippocrates Diet' if you are truly concerned about your health.
Rating: 
Summary: Seductive
Review: Anyone who reads this book and implements each of its suggestions will be a better person as a result. And, if one fails to follow the book's instructions, then it won't be Dr. Weil's fault if the reader doesn't end up healthier. His writing style is lively and easy and he makes his notions very seductive. Whether, in practical effect, most of us can integrate every one of his ideas into our lives is a personal issue. True, his theories include the latest in nutritional knowledge and the environmental impact of agribusinesses; nonetheless, there's a lot in this book for the average American adult to assimilate. Breathing exercises, walking, fluid intake, green tea, no coffee, no news, eating more fish, more broccoli, more soy, taking supplements, sweating...well, anyone who can successfully undertake Dr. Weil's suggested lifestyle is to be complimented. Still, if just a few of his concepts become part of the reader's way of living, that reader definitely will be the better for the change. And, on that level, EIGHT WEEKS is well worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: liked it but not ready to go all the way!
Review: This book was enlightening and easy to read. Although I agree and practice many of the techniques (already) there were some new options for me to incorporate into my lifestyle. I truly believe that people are the catalyst in their own health and Andrew Weil promotes that idea of thinking. It is also disappointing to know that in this day and age that the government continues to allow so many un-natural products to be on the market in our foods. In general I think this book has many good ideas for people who simply want to be more educated about how they live their lives. Eating better food, exercising and meditation are all good life practices - this book can help you decide how to incorporate all those factors (and many others if they feel right to you).
Rating:
Summary: Responsibility for your health
Review: What I like about Weil is that he's willing to experiment with different health technique. Unlike many MDs he isn't close minded to the fact that maybe alternative medicine is a better route for some ailments. After reading this book, my eating hbits improved drastically. Energy level went up some, too (I exercise so it was already up). Another big factor was his vitamin section which generally makes you feel better, pushes your energy up and most likely improves your lifespan. There are also sections for those who are at risk for cancer or heart attacks, as well as sections for people who travel a lot and don't want to get sick. If you follow his steps even 50% for the next 8 weeks, you will feel better and you will be glad you did it. After all, these days we have a responsibility for our health and lifespan.
Rating:
Summary: Common sense approach to health
Review: This is the best book on diet and health I have ever read. Dr. Weil avoids gimmicks like most other health books and sticks to what is basically the most common sense approach to healthy living I have ever read. The closest Dr. Weil comes to anything remotely unusual is his strong belief in using supplements.
Rating:
Summary: Makes you think
Review: Are you drinking all the water you should be? Well, I thought I was, but now Andrew brings up lots of issues with tap water. Other interests I foud: the dangers of sleeping too close to your clock radio, standing next to the microwave, "nuking" food in plastic, the list goes on. Lots of good details for health.Andrew's 8 week program is realistic and easy to follow. You slowly move into a healthy life-style, this is not a loose XXX pounds in 8 weeks book. It's not really a diet at all, this book teaches more important lessons that you'll retain long after you've read the book.The tape is easy to listen to, Andrew's voice is great. Many times he says, "Try to....", that's someone I can trust and WANT to listen to.
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