Sick Person's Bible (Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal - Reader's Digest)

Member Name: cyberem78

Product:	Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal - Reader's Digest
Date:	11/02/09 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very thorough. Alphabetical list of food and conditions.

Disadvantages: Priced highly.

This A-Z "Guide to Safe and Healthy Eating" is a Reader's Digest Publication first produced in 1996 and since reprinted with amendments. I bought it priced around the £25 mark around ten years ago. Whilst that seemed like an expensive retail price at the time this sturdy, hardback dictionary of all things food related (stretching over 400 pages) has been well worth the money.

The information in the book was compiled with the help of three hundred qualified health professionals. Fourteen main contributers are listed in the introduction alongside details of their credentials. There is no doubt that these contributers, most of whom are awarded with science degrees and doctorates, are highly knowledgable individuals.

A foreword in the book discusses nutrition and food, pointing out that ideas that the general public have about food and the actual scientific facts are often at odds. This book, the author claims, aims to provide an authoratitve voice on such matters in order to "improve and protect" physical and mental health. In addition to this declaration there is a short paragraph on how to use the book. It mentions that as well as an index and a thorough glossary, located in the back of the book, each category is also cross referenced with other related categories.

The main part of the book is seperated into categories of either food, title of illness, bodily condition or diet. These are arranged in alphabetical order. For instance 'Artichokes' are alongside 'Arthritis'. Whilst most categories have a slimline column of writing there are some special feature articles which cover two or more pages. These special subjects include 'Energy, Exercise and Vitality' and 'Minerals: Vital Nutrients Essential For Life'. These features tend to be less specific in relating to a specific food, illness or condition and focus on nutrional facts.

I find the quality of writing in the book to be very good and it is easy to understand. The writers do not baffle you with scientific terms or complicated dietary advice. In fact, the layout includes a lot of sub-headings which means finding the right advice is easy and a quick process. Specific categories which contain a lot of information, for example vitamin groups, are simplified and more difficult terms are further explained in the helpful glossary in the back of the book.

I have turned to this book dozens of times and have always been able to find some useful information. Whislt the book provides general information on food types and what the benefits of eating such foods are I find that it is even better at telling me what foods I should be eating when suffering from a specific condition or illness. Under each category of illness or condition the author advises which types of food you should be eating in order to relieve your ailments and/or keep your mind and body in tip-top condition. As well as obvious categories for more common ailments like cold and sore throat there are also listings for stress and depression as well as for more serious medical conditions like cancer, bulemia and mental illness. As part of the advice for those with more serious conditions, the diet includes foods which will be safe to eat with precribed medication.

I find that I use this book whenever a family member or I falls sick. It is useful both to diagnose the illness, sometimes to detect a cause of the illness (in the cases where the diet has been lacking in vital nutrients, for example) and also to help the 'patient' or I recover health and happiness! As well as conventional, modern thinking the authors also discuss old-fashioned methods of treatment and thoughts about the powers of specific food types. This is interesting and educational and sometimes the ancient ideas on how to use food to heal yourself are worth following up!

The title of the book, 'Foods that Harm, Foods That Heal', is very appropriate as details of what NOT to eat is also discussed in detail. This includes facts and figures about junk food and also includes things like poisnous mushrooms (a handy 'what to eat in the woodland guide' is included!).

Alongside the categories there are many photos and illustrations which are very effective at getting the point across. It also makes it easier to locate the right information on each page. There are many diagrams in the book which are numbered and labelled to help with food identification. There are detailed pasta and bean pictures, for example, with a handy key to distinguish between the many types. There are also many photographic examples of dishes and food mixes which are inspirational too.

This is a brilliant book that I use frequently and feel it could be helpful to any family, as an educational tool and also as a means of learning how to stay healthy or regain health after falling ill.

Summary: An educational book concerning diet and how this relates to health.