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Rating: 
Summary: 3 Cheer for Real Foods!!
Review: Chock-full of useful information I've been curious about for years! "Experts" are always recommending "whole" grains and getting "enough" of this or that, but Dr. Nelson finally tells us what those words really mean - and how to enjoy eating foods that are both healthy and delicious. The clarification about how to read the ingredients list to find out if the bread is truly "whole" grain and how to interpret a food label is so appreciated. I am delighted to see how many more options there are for whole grains that I can serve with dinner, and I'm anxious to try the recipes! With a crazy Monday through Friday week, I'll sample the recipes on the weekends and follow the tips for planning ahead for the coming week. The sample menus provide an easy, practical framework for slowly adopting a more wholesome diet. I am also grateful for the honest opinion about supplements -- the ones I well might need (like vitamin D) as well as the ones I probably don't or that have yet to be shown safe and effective (isoflavone supplements). Rather than having supplements pushed upon me, this book provides an honest, fair assessment of what my body needs and how to get that from whole foods whenever possible. From ideal cholesterol and triglyceride levels to good versus bad fat to an appendix second-to-none, I feel empowered to make changes in my diet and enjoy the wholesome, delicious foods I now have "permission" to eat! A million thanks!
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing, full of generalities, not specifics
Review: Dr. Nelson notes that the Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that 300,000 premature deaths occur each year due to poor nutrition and physical inactivity. The book's key message is to eat mostly "real, whole foods" rather than processed ones, drink enough water, and get out and walk! Many books on nutrition skip any discussion of water. I was pleased to see that this book did a nice job of explaining why water is so important. Each section hit on an important point that you need to know. Whole grains solve the glycemic loading problem that causes you to stress your blood sugar levels and can lead to weight gain. You should eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid salt and sugar. You can get too much calcium. Soy is a valuable source of protein. Some fats help you, and some are killers. The book also has a fine section on how to read food labels, another on eating out, and some tasty-sounding healthy recipes. My favorite section was on what to keep in the house. The book's simple focus on eating the right foods, avoiding the wrong foods, drinking enough water, and walking does have a downside. Each section seemed to miss at least one other point that you need to know. Here are a few examples. With water, if you weigh more, you need more water. This book is one size fits all. Also, if you drink caffeinated beverages and alcohol, you will lose more water due to the diuretic effects of these drinks, and need to consume more water than is suggested here. With calcium levels, research has shown that getting enough calcium doesn't seem to eliminate bone breakage. In fact, studies have shown that women in countries where they get less calcium have fewer bone breaks. It isn't clear why that's the case, so don't cut your calcium intake yet. The book also recommends the USDA Food Pyramid and the fifth set of guidelines that came out in 2000, which doesn't reflect the latest research from all the long-term studies of how nutrition affects health as I have read about that food pyramid in other recent books on the subject. Like most such books, there is little customization for age, sex, and blood type. If you are looking for a book on this subject, you should also consider Healthy Women, Healthy Lives and Eat, Drink and Be Healthy which will give you more detail on these points, more information about what foods to favor and disfavor, and how each food is related to various diseases. You might also enjoy Your Body's Many Cries for Water. ... After you have worked on a healther physical lifestyle, how can you improve your emotional lifestyle? In Love and Survival, Dr. Dean Ornish points out that having loving relationships helps health more than anything else. Be sure to read Relationship Rescue if you would like to work on your relationships. Live well in all dimensions of your life!
Rating:
Summary: Eating Can Be Enjoyable
Review: Eat and enjoy food without guilt? Keep my bones strong and have energy for dancing and hiking? Learn that a graham cracker has a higher glycemic rating than a slice of whole wheat bread?
I trust Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., and have been walking and lifting weights to keep myself strong. The program has worked so well for me. Her new book "Strong Women Eat Well" has all the answers in one easy to read format. I highly recommend the book to any woman, or man, who wants to feed their body and mind with health and have pleasure in the process.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Nutrition Advice, Tiresome "Perfect" Family
Review: I have loved Miriam Nelson's other books, and eagerly anticipated this one that would focus only on nutrition, especially for women. The good news is that she does not disappoint in this area: solid, sensible information, with eating plans that are like those in her other books. LOTS of data, based on research, and split up into great chapters, like "water" and "calcium." If only she hadn't felt the need to incorporate her and her family into each section. I really got tired of reading about their perfect eating plans and perfect life with a community dairy, nearby farmer's market---and apparently no restriction on spending or time to buy and prepare food! While it's nice to practice what you preach, it is tiresome to readers who have to hear about the perfect eating habits of a family who dotes on tofu and fresh-ground corn for breakfast pancakes several times a week. And don't forget the sunflower seeds in your Sunday morning whole wheat waffles. On and on she drones, at least that is how it seemed to me. I was very disappointed and wondered how her editors let this happen. I will keep the book for its sound information, but after reading it, I won't be buying more to give as a gift to others, which I did many times with her "Strong Women Stay Slim" book.
Rating:
Summary: Good Nutrition Advice, Tiresome "Perfect" Family
Review: I have loved Miriam Nelson's other books, and eagerly anticipated this one that would focus only on nutrition, especially for women. The good news is that she does not disappoint in this area: solid, sensible information, with eating plans that are like those in her other books. LOTS of data, based on research, and split up into great chapters, like "water" and "calcium." If only she hadn't felt the need to incorporate her and her family into each section. I really got tired of reading about their perfect eating plans and perfect life with a community dairy, nearby farmer's market---and apparently no restriction on spending or time to buy and prepare food! While it's nice to practice what you preach, it is tiresome to readers who have to hear about the perfect eating habits of a family who dotes on tofu and fresh-ground corn for breakfast pancakes several times a week. And don't forget the sunflower seeds in your Sunday morning whole wheat waffles. On and on she drones, at least that is how it seemed to me. I was very disappointed and wondered how her editors let this happen. I will keep the book for its sound information, but after reading it, I won't be buying more to give as a gift to others, which I did many times with her "Strong Women Stay Slim" book.
Rating:
Summary: good sense and good eating
Review: I have read most of the newest diet books on the market, looking for just some good scientific background for what the author recommends. All of them leave me wondering what the author actually knows about nutrition. Dr. Nelson does nutrition and fitness for a living, and has studied exercise and strength training also. This is the first book I've found that has actual science backing up what is being written. I am so glad to read that margarine is not good for me, and it's OK to use butter sparingly! Also, finally someone is writing about the high protein/low carb diets as being bad. There are not specific diet plans in this book, because you don't need them. You don't measure every drop of stuff you put in your mouth, you have to rely on your knowledge of the food pyramid and serving sizes, which if you don't already know are not difficult to learn. The recipes might seem exotic to some, and ingredients hard to find, but you have to start expanding your horizons. Health food stores sell whole grains and other foods, most large grocery stores carry tofu and a good assortment of vegetables. The section on calcium was interesting to me, since I have just started taking calcium supplements. I had heard about there being some supplements that were contaminated with lead, and the author discusses this. Do you want to know what brand of calcium supplement to take? You just have to read page 97, she tells which brand she takes herself. This is an eating plan I can live with.
Rating: 
Summary: A good basic nutritional guide
Review: Miriam Nelson has prepared an easy to follow, enjoyable nutritional program. I've "tried" some other nutritional programs that seemed overwhelming from the get-go. This one is less daunting. Its nice to know that I don't have to completely cut out alcohol, caffeine and salt to have a healthy diet. Ms. Nelson has convinced me to cut out sodas in favor of mineral water, seltzers and juice. She's got some great tips on protein (particularly soy protein), hydration and vitamins. I'm going to photocopy her table on vitamins and minerals and email it to my cigarette-smoking sister. She's got some great soy recipes and fish recipes too. This is healthy eating I can look forward to. For enjoyability, I rank Ms. Nelson's guide right up their with the Piscatellis' "Don't Eat Your Heart Out".
Rating:
Summary: Sensible easy-to-read advice on how to eat well
Review: Tired of counting calories, making cabbage soup? Tired of eating high-protein, low-fat, no-fat? Are you now so completely confused by what to feed your family that you run screaming from the supermarket? Take a deep breath and read this book! Dr. Nelson answers your questions thoroughly, like are high-protein diets healthy and are carbs bad for you? Complex topics (like the glycemic index) that can really help you are explained fully. An invaluable book!
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