Rating: 
Summary: Five pounds down...
Review: A wonderful book!!!
I have been following the basic ideas in this book regarding diet, exercise, focusing on vegetables, fiber, and ways to classify foods (I admit I haven't had a chance to try the actual recipes, not being much of a cook, but when I read them they seem manageable, and I intend to try some soon.) I have already lost five pounds in half of a month - without feeling hungry or cranky. Even if you're a microwave meals in minutes type, the basic ideas in this book can work. In accord with the author's suggestions, I just substitute soy burgers for hamburgers, nonfat or soy cheese for regular cheese, bean burritos for regular, up the veggies and fruits and cut down on the desserts - and it is pretty much painless.
I strongly recommend this book, and it seems much better than the wacko diet of the week books that seem to be dominating the market. And you can't argue with results - the examples of the Okinawan centurians are inspirational, and show that with proper diet, exercise and attitude, old age can be an enjoyable and healthy part of life - disability and sickness are not inevitable.
I would also recommend the companion book, The Okinawa Program. From my experience so far, I believe these two books together can change your life.
Rating:
Summary: I lost 31 pounds !!!
Review: After yo yo dieting for most of my life with no lasting success and trying Atkins', the Zone, South Beach and several other diets I finally found a diet plan that teaches me healthy weight loss (31 pounds!!!) AND how to keep it off eating healthy and delicious food. Like the authors said--on the 8 week plan I learned how to get the fat off and keep it off WITHOUT hunger. I just wore my high school graduation dress (size 6) for the first time in 20 years last week !!! I can't believe how energetic I feel and how the Okinawa Diet Plan has changed my life for the better. I think my husband is even more impressed than me since we just left for a second honeymoon!! Thank you Drs Willcox and Suzuki !! You changed my life !!
Rating:
Summary: More than a diet: A WAY OF LIFE
Review: I am a physician and have an interest in anti-aging medicine and holistic care. This is definitely a book I will recommend to patients. The medical and scientific data presented is sound and done in such a way that it makes sense! The key they say is to healthy eating and exercise as well as spiritual health. We all know that. Here they address some ways in how you can restrict calories yet feel satisfied and eat foods that will make you healthier. The recipes in general are great but I have found a few that I will not do again. The most important thing is that you can take the concepts from the book and apply it. You don't need to follow their plan exactly. There is even room for 1-3 "sweets" a week. To find better health one needs to look at diet, activity level, and mental health. This book encourages that. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of impertinent info and opinions makes a tedious read!
Review: I got this book yesterday and am now on Chapter 4. Even though I have had to do a lot of wasted reading, I have been able to get the information I wanted so far.
I am tremendously impressed with the Okinawan diet and I am very excited to begin following it and making it my way of life, too! It's really pretty simple to follow, and seems to be inexpensive and practical for a busy everyday kind of life! Very healthy, too, as the Okinawan Centenarians have proven! The authors have so far explained it very well, so I am happy with that part of the book. There is some really good information here with data and graphs about the Okinawans and how their health compares to Americans.
It's just having to decipher what the Okinawans actually do and what the authors' opinions are about everything diet-related is very frustrating and annoying! I expected the book to be exclusively about the Okinawans and especially centering on THEIR diet. The authors of this book have done that, but there's so much of their own theories, opinions and recommendations that I am getting frustrated! I want to know how the Okinawans eat; I don't want another dietary recommendation by "experts"! The Okinawans are whom I am interested in because their ways of eating have obviously been proven to be the healthiest!
Here is just one example of the conflicting messages I am having to deal with as I'm reading this book:
"The traditional Okinawan diet contained only 8 to 10 percent protein in the old days,"(That's what I wanted to know!) "and allthough it's now closer to 15 to 20 percent,"(Confusing! What diet is this?) "the protein is still mostly from plants. Ten to 20 percent protein is considered very healthy by most experts," (I don't care what most "experts" think,; that's not why I bought the book.) "and far below the 50-plus percent recommended by some popular diet books." (Now who are you blasting?)
What I want to follow is the traditional Okinawan diet, (the one that has been proven to work for long-lasting health and vitality) not the "experts" recommendations! I've read plenty of diet books written by "experts" and they all disagree with each other.
Furthermore, the authors of this book continually blast every popular diet out there. It's like the authors have some personal agenda to prove everyone else wrong! I wouldn't mind if they did it a few times and left it at that, but they don't! It is just continually blast, blast, blast! All through the long four chapters I have just read.
This is, unfortunately, the only book I have found that explains the Okinawan's diet, so it is better to buy it and learn about the Okinawans than to go on living the deadly Western lifestyle that is our culture. Just be careful to sift between the authors' opinions and what is actually traditional Okinawan.
Believe me, learning about them and their diet is worth having to put up with these over-zealous, self-obsessed authors!
However, If you find a better book that is based solely on the traditional Okinawan diet and lifestyle, buy that instead! I wish I could have!
Meanwhile, back to the grind...
Rating:
Summary: quite interesting
Review: I just got this book today. It is quite inspiring. I am a techie with a new-age edge. The scientific foundation established for the claims in this book really gets one excited about acting on some of its suggestions... now all I have to do is do it. For what it is worth I am not significantly overweight, I am just approaching 30 and want to start taking care of myself more. Take care!
Rating:
Summary: quite interesting
Review: I just got this book today. It is quite inspiring. I am a techie with a new-age edge. The scientific foundation established for the claims in this book really gets one excited about acting on some of its suggestions... now all I have to do is do it. For what it is worth I am not significantly overweight, I am just approaching 30 and want to start taking care of myself more. Take care!
Rating:
Summary: a. Weiss, author of the Backsmart Fitness Plan
Review: I think this book was well thoughtout and the reader can use this information right away without running around looking for speical foods, etc. Very useful for anyone trying to change the way they eat.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Bad, But Not Always For Western Tastes
Review: I'm an Okinawan-American...which means that I've eaten all of the recipes in this book and I tend to like the taste of them. Eating traditional Okinawan food is not strange for me, but it can be for people who are not accustomed to it. For example, Okinawans eat a lot of kelp, but the slimy texture and the resultant bowel movements from eating too much at once might turn some people off of this diet.
I don't like the way that the authors try to paint their diet and research as unassailable, especially since there are other diets out there that are also good. If you don't want to spend money on exotic foods from ethnic supermarkets, you can just eat vegetarian and get a good effect. Even though the traditional food of Okinawa is healthy, saying that you will live a long time just because you imitate the habits of a different culture is not so sound. For example, if you eat all Okinawan foods and yet still subject your body to the hectic stresses of daily life, you're not doing much good. I mean, you can eat what the goat farmers of the Steppes eat, but you're not in their environment, so you probably won't see the same results they do.
In short, check the book out at a library, first, and see if the odd foods are something that you can really stick with. Then, follow the advice to destress and get more into family and friend connections. After that, you'll have what it takes to help live a good life, I think.
As for me...I still like hamburgers and fries, every now and then.
Rating:
Summary: Five pounds down...
Review: The author describes both macro and micronutrients. Macronutrients provide energy for the body. Micronutrients
deliver vitamins and mineral content for our health. Carbohydrates, protein , fats and alcohol are also macronutrients. A PWV index was devised to measure increased blood flow through the arteries. Cardio biomarkers are anti-oxidants, veggies and Vitamin E. Omega 3 lowers LDL and increases the HDL. Conversely, deep fried foods increase LDL and
decrease HDL. The author describes how eggs increase protein levels, B12, D and folate. Tumeric eliminates excess fat and
acts as a powerful antioxidant to reduce inflammation.
This book is a treasure chest of alternative medicinal information written for the benefit of the layperson.
Rating:
Summary: Okinawa Diet Plan by Willcox
Review: The author describes both macro and micronutrients. Macronutrients provide energy for the body. Micronutrients
deliver vitamins and mineral content for our health. Carbohydrates, protein , fats and alcohol are also macronutrients. A PWV index was devised to measure increased blood flow through the arteries. Cardio biomarkers are anti-oxidants, veggies and Vitamin E. Omega 3 lowers LDL and increases the HDL. Conversely, deep fried foods increase LDL and
decrease HDL. The author describes how eggs increase protein levels, B12, D and folate. Tumeric eliminates excess fat and
acts as a powerful antioxidant to reduce inflammation.
This book is a treasure chest of alternative medicinal information written for the benefit of the layperson.
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