Rating: 
Summary: could use some additional info
Review: Teetering on the edge of type 2 diabetes I got this book from my local library. It is a good overview of the causes of insulin resistance, but it has very little in the way of meal plans, recipes or lists of good or bad food. For example, I have no idea if a tomato has too many carbs or if I can have skim milk. This book is a good starting place, but not the ultimate guide.
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Summary: Defies common sense
Review: The dietary recommendations in this book simply defy common sense. The book preaches an unthinking message that carbohydrates with a high glycemic index are the source of our modern nutritional problems. For example, the book claims that "white rice and white flour are no better than pure sugar because the body reacts to them essentially the same way." However, if you visited Asia a generation ago in which everyone consumed white rice several times a day, you would have been struck with the almost total lack of obesity or diabetes while this book would have predicted a major epidemic of Syndrome X. The authors just seem totally oblivious to such contradictions and don't make any attempt to justify their assumptions. Similarly, this book recommends against eating vegetables such as carrots, corn, and potatoes that are widely consumed in countries without problems with obesity.Although one of the co-authors is a doctor, the book reads as though it was written by the journalist co-author in a style designed to sell books rather than uncover the scientific facts. Many scientific puzzles and uncertainties are glossed over to present a simple message with false confidence. There are no studies to show the impact of the dietary recommendations given by the book, so the authors appear to be just taking a stab in the dark at making wide ranging recommendations to sell a book. Even the supplement plan begins with a huge sales job for alpha lipoic acid, seemingly because one of the authors has previously written a book on the supplement, without any substantial clinical studies showing its long-term value. Certainly, the topic of Syndrome X seems very important to understanding the puzzle of the modern obesity epidemic, and the book does contain some sound ideas such as increasing consumption of vegetables, getting exercise, and avoiding sugar. It is just a shame that the authors were not honest in presenting the uncertainties in our current knowledge and seem intent on sending people off on another quasi-scientific fad like the failed low-fat recommendations of the recent past. Given the terrible track record of the medical and nutritional communities in providing dietary recommendations, the safest solution is probably to just adopt a diet that has been shown to be healthy in large populations over long periods of time, such as the Mediteranean or certain Asian diets.
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Summary: 'SHOW ME THE MONEY..'
Review: These people see where the wind blows and hope the money tree comes there way.
So-called Syndrome X is just a rehash of the current fad diet of High Protein/low carb.
I'm not saying the diet will or will not work, but I'd rather the money go to the original authors of the so-called diet.
Tommorrow perhaps I'll read 4 or 5 high protein/low carb books and then write my own rehash under the title 'SyndromeY_2002'.
I could stand to make a fortune!!
Rating: 
Summary: Syndrome X Is the Best
Review: This book has helped me to finally understand the whole high-protein, low-carbohydrate way of life. The book grabbed me right away, because I had a lot of the symptoms the authors discussed. I also shared it with my dad, who has high blood pressure and cholesterol. We both started cutting back on refined carbohydrates, and, althought it was hard, I have lost some weight, and I feel a lot more energized. The recipes are great in the book, and I like the fact that the authors take a very balanced, scientifically sound stance-it's not as thought they are telling you to live off only meat. I also liked that the book had such a strong nutritional component. I'm always overwhelmed by the number of nutritional supplements on the market-Syndrome X helped me to pick the supplements that were most appropriate to my needs and lifestyle. I would recommend this book to anyone who's tried the Atkins' Diet or the Zone-Syndrome X has an advantage over these and other books because it's scientifically sound and the authors walk you step by step through the anti-syndrome X program. Plus, they help you pinpoint your triggers and unhealthy lifestyle habits. This book has definitely helped me to view nutrition and health care in a whole different light.
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Summary: If You Take Insulin...
Review: This book is not geared for you--diet wise, that is. It has good information about how glucose and insulin interact, and a thorough explanation of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for insulent resistant people. However, the authors caution that "the Anti-X diet should not be followed by insulin-dependent diabetics." That was disappointing to me, as a diabetic hoping to find help through the plan.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent information!
Review: This book makes a needed contribution in helping us to sort through the diet and supplement maze. The bad news is that the American-diet- based Syndrome X is a large contributor to many medical conditions. The good news is that dietary choices, described here in detail, can correct it. Well- written and scientifically sound, this book is an exceptional resource to lay public and professional alike.
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Summary: This book could save your life
Review: This book objectively explains what's wrong with the modern diet and how it increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other common diseases. Curious, I decided to check out the other Syndrome X book, too. The one by Challem, et al., provides wonderful meal plans and recipes and covers the breadth of research on insulin resistance, Syndrome X, diabetes, and heart disease. It's actually fun to read, it's so packed with usable information. The other book focuses primarily on the research of one person and his views, and the menus and recipes are not at all appealing.
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Summary: There's Hope out There
Review: This book was very enlightening. I read it on the plane for the first time, and was so excited I kept hitting my husbands arm saying "this is me". I have been following the book for about 6 days and have lost about 6 pounds, and feel so much better. I recommend this book to anyone who looking for help for insulin resistance.
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Summary: GOOD INFORMATION !
Review: This is a good book, with useful information about this syndrome. The plan is user friendly, and includes programs for those who want to avoid Syndrome X and for those who want to reduce it. Good companion to THE X-FACTOR DIET, by Leslie Kenton. Her book requires more organic products. The SYNDROME X book is good for those who may find it difficult to find those products, or do not wish to use them.
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Summary: Syndrome X: Advice worth heeding
Review: This meticulously referenced book, with its lucid style and generous index, is the sort of work we have come to expect from its senior author. Syndrome X is important to know about because it has assumed epidemic proportions. This condition, characterized by insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, and excessive blood lipids, is attributed to radical changes in the human diet since Paleolithic times. The first part of the book describes the syndrome, its origins, and its relation to diabetes and aging. Part Two outlines the "Anti-X Diet and Health Program", including 9 dietary principles, shopping tips, recipes and exercise. Part Three discusses relevant nutritional supplements, with entire chapters devoted to key nutrients such as alpha lipoic acid and vitamin E. Although no book can be truly interactive in the fashion of a computer program, this book is more interactive than most, as it contains an entire section (Part Four) on individualizing one's anti-X program. Thus the authors nimbly sidestep the one-size-fits-all pitfall so common to diet books. A particularly useful feature of this book is the many highlighted blocks of text, summarizing points made in the main text and sometimes expanding upon them. The tabular material is well selected and organized. I found the list of resources at the book's end to be quite helpful, also.
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