The Tao of Healthy Eating

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable dietary advice
Review: Bob Flaw's book "The Tao of Healthy Eating" applies Chinese wisdom to modern Western eating habits and food-related health problems such as food allergies, candidiasis, cholesterol, and obesity. Included is a list of 150 foods with their characteristics in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The strength of this book lies in its explanation of how and why certain foods are healthy, not healthy or have certain effects. After reading this book you will certainly think twice before reaching for a cup of coffee! I would, however, have liked to have seen a few examples of case studies of how to apply this valuable information.

One reviewer complained that the author self-promotes his other books. That is true. And the reason is that in his books Bob Flaws takes one topic within TCM and focuses on that to help readers new to this vast field appreciate one small aspect without being overwhelmed. And a natural consequence is to point the reader to books on related areas, which he has written about - and we should be very grateful for this because Bob Flaws is a very experienced and successful TCM practitioner. If I have one complaint about his books, it is that they seem a little dry. It would be nice to see a more user-friendly page design including a few illustrations here and there, with summaries as appropriate to help the reader consolidate the information in their heads.

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable dietary advice
Review: Bob Flaw's book "The Tao of Healthy Eating" applies Chinese wisdom to modern Western eating habits and food-related health problems such as food allergies, candidiasis, cholesterol, and obesity. Included is a list of 150 foods with their characteristics in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The strength of this book lies in its explanation of how and why certain foods are healthy, not healthy or have certain effects. After reading this book you will certainly think twice before reaching for a cup of coffee! I would, however, have liked to have seen a few examples of case studies of how to apply this valuable information.

One reviewer complained that the author self-promotes his other books. That is true. And the reason is that in his books Bob Flaws takes one topic within TCM and focuses on that to help readers new to this vast field appreciate one small aspect without being overwhelmed. And a natural consequence is to point the reader to books on related areas, which he has written about - and we should be very grateful for this because Bob Flaws is a very experienced and successful TCM practitioner. If I have one complaint about his books, it is that they seem a little dry. It would be nice to see a more user-friendly page design including a few illustrations here and there, with summaries as appropriate to help the reader consolidate the information in their heads.

Rating:
Summary: New & improved
Review: I work in the production department at Blue Poppy Press and I can tell all interested readers that a new, revised edition of Bob's book is in the works with all the typos and "gramamtical mistakes" another reviewer found annoying fixed. This book continues to be one of our best sellers. So someone out there likes it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Text for General Readership
Review: Personally, I found this book extremely well written for the audience it was intended and the purpose its author set for it. I liked its conversational tone. It made a complex subject clear and simple to understand. In fact, I think Bob Flaws is one of the best writers out there on Chinese medicine, especially for lay people. I often recommend this book to my patients with questions on Chinese dietary therapy. This book was not meant to be an exhaustive professional discussion of this topic. I also think the author covered the types of health care issues American patients most frequently ask about. If another reviwer has a problem with such popular diagnoses as candidiasis, take that up with the American public. In short, I would strongly recommend this book to any Westerner who wants to understand the distilled essence of Chinese medical dietary therapy.