Rating: 
Summary: Overall not good enough
Review: The longer I have this book, the less I think of it. Didn't like soyburgers enough to go on eathing them. He's just wrong about the value of artificial sweetners since they have practially no calories and every level teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories (over time this adds up to whatever it adds up depending on how many teaspoons of sugar you consume on the average per day--one pound of bodyfat is 3500 calories)--and each and every one of them is a calorie I don't need (I usually need sweetnener in coffee, green tea and cereal). I drink soymilk (lowfat) and it tastes fine but I've read credibly elsewhere that it has developed that less calcium is asorbed by the human body from having drunk a cup of calcium fortified soymilk than from an eaual amount of cow's milk containing the same amouint of calcium. I drink more (fat free) cows milk and less soymilk than I did when I first started drinking it. His advice that is worth taking take can be had elsewhere for free on the internet or in better form and in better books (The Omega Diet, and Judith Wills' The Food Bible, both avaiable at this website) which I recommend over this one. Furthermore, while it's not a bad idea at all to take two baby aspirin a day (162 mg. a day ) to lower one's risk for heart attacks and colon cancer, it is also true that the website of The Harvard School of Public Health has a free cancer quiz ( risk assessment) for various types of cancer including colon cancer and what they recommend to reduce one's risk ( only after you talk to your doctor) is one full strength aspirin (325 mg.) 4-6 times a week. Also, in his discussion of the raw foods diet which he doesn't recommend (and he's right) although he does say that people shouldn't eat raw sprouts (I THINK because they contain natural toxins), he doesn't say that that since 1999 (starting before that in 1998) the FDA has had an advisory in effect that people should not eat ANY raw sprouts because of the food borne illnesses they cause because they're contaminated. Where the bacteria are most present when they are present is in the seeds and in the beans--and what is present, if present, is the most harmful strain of E Coli that exists which cannot be removed by washing but causes no harm in thoroughly cooked sprouts. Also, this book is chock full of testmonials which seriously detract from it. Other reviewers have commented about the fact that at the end there's something about the possiblity of surviving without food. I don't think this belongs in a book of this type at all and of course it's absurd. As to pesticides: they wash off even strawberries. He says organic strawberries taste better: after trying his recipe for marinara sauce (see my comment below), I doubt that he has any taste buds. Some of his recipes, you could not pay me to try ( such as mayonnaise and tartar sauce made with silken tofu). Also, I do eat meat and poultry (not oganic-- I think people should save their money and not take this advice). As to his his marinara sauce, had I followed his recipe to the letter, I don't see how I could have eaten it. He's got a large can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes (I used a 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes and a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes and I'm glad I did), and, if anyone can believe it, a 15 oz (!) can of tomato paste and no water (and also red pepper flakes which I dislike which I therefore omitted). The diced tomatoes saved the sauce. (It would have been dreary without them). I did have to add a can (28 oz) of water. As to all that tomato paste, I don't know how anyone could stand to put that in the sauce, let alone eat it. That is way too much. I used a 3 oz can of it and that is, I think the most anyone should use because its so strong (If I make it again it will be with two tablespoons of it because that's enough). I've decided that I'm not going to try any more of his recipes. As I said earlier, his lentil salad was dismal. I recommed both of the books mentioned above over this one. I'd pass on this one if I were you.
Rating: 
Summary: 8 Weeks to Optimum Health
Review: The book is great. Dr. Weil gives you tips to gradually change your lifestyle. He doesn't say that you need to stop all of your bad habits at once. Most books of this type are full of testimonials that I find are no help. I want to try a program and see if it works for me, I don't want to read how well it has worked for everyone else. Dr. Weil "asks" you to make simple changes in your lifestyle and tells you why those changes are important. His commentaries are full of helpful information and you don't need a PhD to understand them.
Rating: 
Summary: Forefront in medicine for the new Millenium
Review: I love Dr. Weil's work and knowledge. I read this book and immediately purchased it for a friend who needed natural healing, rather than continuing with conventional healing that was not working. Dr. Weil's methods were helpful but difficult for my friend. Recently I've determined that Dr. Weil has become somewhat commercial, rather than being "real" as when he first started. I had an original belief that he would be the "one" to bring us to a new melding of the various methods of healing. However, he seems to be more interested in commerce. Everything he has to offer in his work is now available elsewhere. He has failed to meet his calling and truly lead America to the new way of healing, which involves eastern, western, spiritual, all of the above. He lead the way, and left others to do the work. Perhaps that was his purpose. Regardless, this is a good book and he offers alternatives to conventional medicine. But try to find this in America? Can he truly be the leader he was meant to be and create the needed change?
Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: Weil outlines a fairly easy program to improve your health. It's nothing earth shattering, and involves moderate exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, and taking antioxidants. Being a physician I would have liked some well done scientific research showing that these things are effective, rather than being asked to take them at face value, but there's nothing far fetched about diet, exercise, meditation etc. He does get a little carried away talking about pesticides in food, the dangers of sleeping with a clock radio on your night stand etc, but I'm willing to overlook that stuff. I think for anyone who doesn't do the things he speaks of, this gradual program could get them doing a lot of it. Of course, it still remains to be seen whether this will improve my health over the long term, and, of course, we won't really ever know, but the program is easy enough that if it doesn't help me not much will have been lost.
Rating: 
Summary: FIRST THINGS FIRST PLEASE!
Review: I walked out of a bookstore with this under my arm and thought, "Well, I don't have to worry about health anymore!" Boy was I suprised. And a little stupid. As I read the book, I realized that he practically wanted you to devote your entire life to this program! And I didn't know where to start. So let us begin. Are you a good cook? I don't mean a goumet gook. But just a really good cook? If no, please buy "Cooking for Dummies". It's an incredible book and there is only one of it's kind. Even if you consider yourself an excellent cook, please buy this book. You will learn a great deal. Second, are you eating a good diet? A good BASIC diet. If not, buy "Dieting for Dummies". And follow it. Okay. So now you are doing pretty good. You know the basics of good nutrition. And you are a very good cook. Please buy "The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition". This is a real text. But it tells you how to buy the best types of grains, fruits, vegetables, meats in the grocery store. The best seasons. What colors. How to squeeze. All of it so that you simply get the best produce available. You will need this book before following Wiel's program. You will need to be a good "produce picker". The information is incredible. Now we must be critical of this book we are reviewing. YOU CAN'T FOLLOW IT. The 8-week bit is a bit of hipe. But you can start to introduce into your lifestyle (diet, exercise, meditation, and so forth) elements of this program. Dr. Wiel suggests this as a possibility! So read the program and then begin to introduce his suggestions as he makes them. This point is very important. Because, otherwise, you will just quit. Yes! You can do the entire program. But it will take much longer than the 8 weeks promoted. Wiel does add things slowly during the 8 weeks. But much too fast as you will find out. I hope these comments will help you and to make it easier. The book is excellent. But I firmly believe that it takes a lot of preliminary practice in other areas. But once these habits are established, they are established for life. Good luck.
Rating:
Summary: Healthy Living 101
Review: If you know you need to give your lifestyle a "health makeover" but aren't sure where to start, this is the book for you. Dr Weil's eight-week plan helps you gradually phase out unhealthy habits and foods, and start enjoying a more health-enhancing lifestyle. By guiding you through moderate changes over eight weeks, rather than advocating radical change overnight, Dr Weil creates a plan that is easy to stick with. His well-researched, easy-to-read book is an excellent foundation for a lifelong commitment to healthy living. Following Weil's sensible plan won't result in "cold turkey" feelings, just a steady improvement in your physical, mental and emotional health. His lifestyle prescriptions will also result in weightloss. But the book's nutrition plan centres around abundance, not denial. Dr Weil's mantra is "quality" when it comes to food. If you're already leading a healthy lifestyle, and seek to expand your knowledge, this title will probably be a little basic for you. Dr Weil's new title "Eating Well For Optimum Health" may be a more enriching read. Dr Weil's eight-week plan, on the other hand, strikes me as being perfect "entry-level" material.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, great help
Review: This is a great book, full of helpful information on becoming healthy. I have made a lot of small, but meaningful changes in my life because of it. I wonder if the people trashing the book even read it, since the best they could come up with was making fun of the way Doctor Weil looks. That's so ridiculous! You don't have to like the man's beard to learn from this truly great text. Many of the points he makes are common sense, but you just don't bother to think about them unless someone points them out. That's what Dr. Weil has done here. I have not made these changes in eight consecutive weeks, I'm still slowly phasing them in. This book is not simply a diet, it's a complete lifestyle change. You can except as much or as little of it as you want, but even if you one take one or two points from each week (chapter) into your life, I think this book is worth the purchase. I'm looking forward to reading his other books now, starting with Spontaneous Healing.
Rating: 
Summary: Why the rehash of the obvious?
Review: I have been consultant for the translation of dr. Weil`s excellent five-star book "Spontaneous healing", and for this cash-in-on-a-success follow-up volume. All information in this book has been stated in a better, more precise way in its predecessor. The only news in this book is that is not unhealthy to take walks, be good to yourself, follow a healthy diet, get enough sleep, think postively. The most revolutionary piece of advice is, on the other hand, a real breakthrough: Buy yourself flowers once in a while. This will guarantee optimum health in 8 weeks, at least to anyone who buys the book. Come on, dr. Weil, how stupid do you think we are?
Rating:
Summary: The Dishonest book of truth
Review: This man is a a pinicle of currption. He is though his book attempting to tell uneducated bumpkins that they should give money to his ideas insted of the medical profession. He makes it quite obvious where his beliefs lie rather then being a true impartial doctor dedicated to giving all the true facts. Also he looks like a chipmunk!
Rating:
Summary: Lose the beard. Then we can talk.
Review: It is impossible to reach optimum health in 8 weeks.
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