Book Review: Fat-Burning Machine by Mike Berland

Mike Berland dropped 60 pounds in 1 year, got rid of the gut, ended sugar cravings, increased energy and is on a mission to teach America how to replicate his results.

He helped his mom drop 54 pounds following the same model.

In his new book, FAT-BURNING MACHINE (Regan Arts; December 2015), the analytics expert(as seen on “Good Morning America”, “Dr. Oz”, “FOX & Friends” and more) – dubbed “The Genius Pollster” by MSNBC for his success getting answers for clients ranging from Hillary Clinton and Michael Bloomberg to Facebook and the National Hockey League with his uncanny ability to ask the questions that get to the truth of the matter – divulges why certain foods help the body lose weight while others cause the body to store fat.

Berland assembled the top experts in order to present verifiable data behind the science and mindset of weight loss exercise and nutrition.

FAT-BURNING MACHINE demystifies the scientific jargon and teaches millions of Americans how to transform themselves from fat-storing machines to fat-burning machines in order to lose weight, gain energy and feel better. And losing weight and exercise is far simpler than they’ve been led to believe.

Berland’s November 2015 survey of 1,000 overweight Americans revealed that people are overwhelmingly misinformed about many aspects of weight loss:

·       75% believe that everyone has control over their weight

·       82% say that all calories are the same

·       76% said that dieting is expensive

·       57% believe that exercising long and hard will get the best results

·       90% say that you shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach

FAT-BURNING MACHINE directly refutes these and other myths, including:

·       A good workout is a sweat storm

·       Hunger is a badge of honor in weight loss—thin people have the discipline to live with being a little hungry all the time 

·       Choose low-fat and no fat foods over full fat

Readers of FAT-BURNING MACHINE will discover:

·       The right equation: Miracle Intervals + High-Octane Foods = Fat-Burning Machine

·       The wrong equation: High Intensity Workouts + Low-Octane Foods = Fat-Storing Machine

·       High-Octane foods that aren’t expensive, impossible to find, or unappetizing prison sentences

·       Moderate amounts of meat, whole eggs, real cheese, full-fat mayonnaise, cream and even butter are on the list offat burning foods

·       Calories matter: eating a lower-calorie-count diet of “fat storing” foods can result in people gaining weight instead oflosing it

·       That people who work out to the point of exhaustion and extreme hunger are setting themselves up for failure

·       Miracle Intervals: practical and realistic exercise plans

Authoritative and approachable, FAT-BURNING MACHINE finally explains why so many Americans find it impossible to lose the weight and gives them the practical steps to take immediate action.

Dubbed “The Genius Pollster” by MSNBC, Mike Berland made a successful career by getting answers for clients ranging from Facebook and the National Hockey League to political candidates Hillary Clinton and Michael Bloomberg. His professional accomplishments rely on the ability to ask the questions that get to the truth of the matter. Berland is able to pinpoint what motivates people and how they can be motivated to change their attitude and behaviors. Mike struggled with his weight for nearly thirty years. From 1986 to 2012, he gained one to two pounds each year, steadily growing from 192 to 236 pounds. Year after year, Berland tried diet after diet, new exercise belief system after new exercise belief system and still couldn’t find the answer to the question: why can’t I lose weight?  Berland sought the help of Dr. Laura Lefkowitz, who introduced him to the concept of metabolic syndrome, an underlying disorder of energy utilization and storage. He then assembled a team of experts including Lefkowitz, Oympic coach (Bernhardt and nutritionist Dr. Stacy Sims, a Stanford University Exercise Physiologist-Nutrition Scientist. Their expertise and insights, along with Berland’ dogged research finally led him to the answers. Mike quickly lost 60 pounds and feels better than ever. Recently, he’s put his mother on the plan—and she’s lost 54 pounds.  He wrote FAT-BURNING MACHINE for her.

Gale Bernhardt is a two-time Olympic coach and leading athletic trainer. She is the author of six books. In 2014, Gale was honored by being selected as one of Men's Fitness magazine’s top six online trainers for providing dedicated workouts and advice for athletes. Gale is certified as a Level I Coach by USA Cycling and a Level III Coach by USA Triathlon. She served on the USA Triathlon National Coaching Committee from 2000 to 2006.

COMMON DIET AND EXERCISE MYTHS REJECTED AND RESET!

FAT-BURNING MACHINE rejects and resets some of the most widely held myths about weight loss and exercise, including:

Common myth: A good workout is a sweat storm:

The reset: Longer duration and LESS intense exercise utilizes a greater percentage of fat for fuel within a certain intensity range. It also influences insulin reaction and helps build the networks of capillaries that will later assist in making your body a FAT-BURNINGMACHINE.

Common myth: Hunger is a badge of honor in weight loss—thin people have the discipline to live with being a little hungry all the time. 

The reset: Deprivation is the surest route to overeating.  Regular eating stabilizes blood sugar and your body releases insulin to utilize food as fuel, rather than storing it as fat.

Common myth: All calories are created equal.

The reset: Cribbing from a two lists that outline fat burning foods and fat storing foods, readers can begin to isolate what will work for them.

Common myth: You shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach

The reset: eating before and during a workout can sometimes complicate the process of fat burning.

Common myth: “Fruit is natural, so it must be good for you”:

The reset: Eating too much fruit, especially the wrong fruits, makes you hungrier because their sugar levels trigger your fat-storingmachine. The book divides fruits into categories of: Avoid, Eat Occasionally, and Enjoy.

Common myth: Choose low-fat and no fat foods over full fat:

The reset:  Not always. To use yogurt as an example: That measly portion of fruit flavored non-fat yogurt or popular engineered products like Activia contain high doses of sugar that store fat in your body. Eaten in reasonable portions, full-fat Greek yogurt and 2% plain Greek yogurt actually burn fat. 

Common myth: Energy drinks and energy bars can aide a successful workout:

The reset: pro football players might as well the sports drink dump on the coach’s head after the big win: sports drinks and energy bars aren’t necessary for the pros, let alone normal people who work out on the average of 30-60 minutes at the gym.  Skip them.

My Thoughts

I was curious about this book. The pitch drew me in because the past year I've been doing a lot more of my own research about weight loss and learning that a lot of what we're told is old. It's something that worked for a couple of guys and blew up into what we all follow now. And if it really did work for everyone, then why are so many people failing at it? 

Like the author of this book, I struggled to lose weight. I also gain very easy. I couldn't understand why when I worked out, I kept gaining weight, getting fatter. I wish I'd had this book when I first started my journey on health because a lot of what this book covered, I went through. I liked how the author went into talking about some of the myths around protein shakes and needing them after a workout. He goes into great length about the type of workout, time, etc. and if you need to carb up or need the protein. As well if you should work out fasted/on an empty stomach or not.

He also gives a plan to follow for 12 weeks. I liked the charts and they are easy to follow. In this book, he also supplies great ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinners, snacks. He doesn't leave you hanging. It's packed with tips for a business person who travels. He even helps you pick the right foods at places like McDonald's. Because let's face it, we can't always eat at home and make our own food. So I really felt like this book can help many people get on the right path.

It didn't take me long to finish this book. The writing was easy to follow and the way all the information was put out there, made it engaging and I wanted to keep learning. I'm really glad I got the chance to read this book. I think it's very life changing.


 

Book Review : Mind Your Body

In MIND YOUR BODY: 4 Weeks to a Leaner, Healthier Life (HarperCollins Publishers; April 2015), Harper explores the crucial connection between meals, moves, and mindset and provides a holistic 3-step weight-loss program to quadruple weight loss, maximize workouts by 85 percent, and boost happiness and energy levels by more than 40 percent—in just 15 minutes a day. Readers will also discover easy, delicious recipes and a complete healthy meal plan as part of the program.

Mind Your Body offers essential tips for losing weight, and getting fit, including:

·       The 10 Traits of the Mentally Fit

·       The 10 Tools of the Mentally Fit

·       The 10 Rules for the Physically Fit

·       The 7 Components of a Successful Workout

·       The 10 Rules for the Nutritionally Fit

·       The 10 Tools of the Nutritionally Fit

The book also outlines the 10 core concepts to master for lasting results:

·       Shut Out Noise

·       Maximize Inner Motivation

·       Cultivate Grit

·       Set Specific Intentions

·       Visualize Success

·       Eliminate Excessive Choices

·       Extinguish Escape Routes

·       Yield to Traffic

·       Believe It – Become It

·       Jump for Joy

With Harper’s proven, fun, and effective program, dieters will finally be able to empower themselves to blast through those frustrating plateaus and achieve the physical, mental, and emotional health they desire, without the yo-yo dieting. 

My Thoughts

Wow! From workouts, to healthier eating recipes and a positive motivated way of thinking all in this four week plan book.  The book is broken up into three detailed sections:  Mindset, Moves and Meals.  

In the beginning of this book, there is quiz/test that is broken up into ten categories.  This quiz/test will let you know where you need nurturing, attention and development as well as areas where you excel. But the most important thing is that you answer each question honestly. It took me about thirty minutes to take this, but may take at the most forty five minutes.

Joel Harper has fifteen minutes workouts in his section Moves.  Each workout has very easy to follow instructions plus a photograph of the exercise.  I have tried every exercise in this section.  

In the Meals section of this book, Joel Harper has put a detailed shopping list for your daily menus.  And all of the recipes are simple and easy to follow and make.  I like most of the meals I followed and made from this book, but a few of my favorites were:  Avocado and Kale Salad, Walnut Salad and Chicken Stir Fry.  I even had my family eating some of the meals I made.  

In the Mindset section, Joel Harper Gives so much positive encouraging information on things such as release tension immediately, breathing, make exercise automatic and don't compare just to name some of the topics he addresses.  This section isn't very long, but full of so much positive information.

Through this book I have realized I can and will live a healthier and positive life.  

Book Review: THE ADRENAL RESET DIET

The emerging idea is that weight gain is a survival response, and that our bodies are under attack from many directions – an overabundance of processed food, a polluted world, and the pressures of daily life all take their toll – which hits the adrenal glands particularly hard.

In the first scientifically sound, patient-tested weight-loss plan developed by a natural endocrinologist, THE ADRENAL RESET DIET: Strategically Cycle Carbs and Proteins to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, and Move from Stressed to Thriving

My thoughts;

Wow!  What a great book.  I have tried so many diets, but have had zero luck.  My hormones are out of whack due to early menopause, not to mention I have a sluggish thyroid. And this book is not your everyday diet book, but an educational book.

There is so much information in this book.  And it is written in a very easy to understand text.  From foods you should eat, to great tasting recipes that aren't hard to make. My favorite section was how the reset works.  It goes into detail about protein vs. carbs.  I always thought the lower the carb intake the better. I was wrong. l never  knew much at all about my Adrenal gland,  until reading this book. I learned so much.  I am going to pass this along to some good friends as well as my mom to read, as I think it will definitely help them also.   

Book Review: Meditation Illuminated: Simple Ways To Manage Your Busy Mind

About Joy Rains: 
Joy Rains is a leading meditation speaker, author and guide, known for her clear instruction and soothing voice. Joy brings others the simple explanations she longed for when she first discovered meditation in the mid 1980s. She's provided training to hundreds of people in the Washington, D.C. area, including on-site programs at The United States Food and Drug Administration, Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health, American University, and The Washington National Cathedral

Our Thoughts: 

Meditation is great for mind and body, yet so many of us don’t do it. Be it that you’re too busy, or don’t understand how, many times we don’t give meditation a chance to work. A great way to calm your mind and body from a long day, relieve stress, or just to get a good night’s sleep, you can’t go wrong with finding a simple meditation that works for you.

Meditation Illuminated is a short and to the point book, that explains all you need to know about getting in a short session whether you be at work or home. Offering suggestions for all levels of experience, you are sure to find one that fits your needs.

The chapters are short, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by lots of information all at once. The author, does a great job keeping things simple.

If you're a busy parent, or even a busy business person, you can always benefit from a short meditation, this book shows you how! Great gift for anyone!

Find the book:




Connect with Joy on Twitter:
Twitter

Book Review: Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds

"Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review."

In her New York Times bestseller, Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, Dr. Kelly A. Turner, founder of the Radical Remission Project, uncovers nine factors that can lead to a spontaneous remission from cancer—even after conventional medicine has failed.
While getting her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley, Dr. Turner, a researcher, lecturer, and counselor in integrative oncology, was shocked to discover that no one was studying episodes of radical (or unexpected) remission—when people recover against all odds without the help of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed.  She was so fascinated by this kind of remission that she embarked on a ten month trip around the world, traveling to ten different countries to interview fifty holistic healers and twenty radical remission cancer survivors about their healing practices and techniques. Her research continued by interviewing over 100 Radical Remission survivors and studying over 1000 of these cases.  Her evidence presents nine common themes that she believes may help even terminal patients turn their lives around

Where to Buy

Amazon

My thoughts:

This book brings to light that there are alternative remedies that do not involve Western medicine. Having a sister in law who has been diagnosed with stage for lung cancer, it was heartwarming to me to read the stories of people who have been healed from cancer, who were in the late stages of cancer, and not by Western medicine. 

For anyone who has cancer or a friend or relative, this is a must read book for you. It is a very informative, easy read book.  There are uplifting stories of defeating the cancer.  It will give you hope and strength.  You will read of people who have beaten cancer on their own, simply by changing their diet, etc.  In this book Dr. Turner points out nine key areas that can help any one of us live healthier, fuller lives.

The chapter in Dr. Turner's book on using herbs and supplements should be an eye opener to everyone.  Chemotherapy is designed to kill Cancer cells, but the supplements (most) are designed to strengthen  the immune system so that it can remove Cancer cells. 

Dr. Turner goes into detail chapter four of increasing positive emotions.  It is amazing to read what our body can do when we feel positive emotions. 

I leant this book to my sister in law who has been living with cancer for over a year.  She has refused to have any Chemotherapy!  After reading this book she has a positive and happy feeling that by following the changes suggested in this book, she is going to beat  cancer.



***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***

STRESS FREE KIDS® A Parent’s Guide to Helping Build Self-Esteem, Manage Stress, and Reduce Anxiety in Children

"Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review."

From challenging school curriculums to being teased on the playground to body image issues, demands and anxiety are causing today’s children to be weighed down—more than ever before. Stress Free Kids® gives parents the techniques and advice they need to help their child deal with life’s pressures. Based on expert Lori Lite’s award-winning program, this book features relaxation and breathing exercises, positive affirmations, and therapeutic audio that will allow children to alleviate stress and apprehension during difficult circumstances.

Lite offers step-by-step instructions to guide parents through each of these powerful techniques as well as tips on how to incorporate each exercise into their child’s daily routine. Using these methods, they will be able to encourage their son or daughter to live a stress-free life by taking in a few calm moments before reacting to an irritating or disappointing situation.

With this complete resource, parents can finally ease their child’s worries and teach them to be more thoughtful, resilient, and confident—one breath at a time.

My thoughts:

Until reading this book, I never really took in consideration just how much my stress really does have a strong impact on my two kids. Not only do I allow it to effect my life, but it effects them. My kids reactions are results of my actions.

I especially liked the part in the book about school (chapter eight). I seem to stress at the end of every summer as the new school year approaches.  Especially since my now ten year old was bullied at the age of eight, in third grade.  It is also a fight most mornings getting my kids up for school. This chapter of Lori Lite's book taught me to be more organized,  don't overload my kids with extra curricular activities, and to try and keep on a routine schedule, along with a lot of other good guided information.  My kids are happier and we are all less stressed.

I also have been giving my kids more fun time attention, rather than just listening attention, as a result from suggestions in this book.  We play more together, do silly things together and just do more family fun things (go to the zoo, playground, movies, bake cookies/brownies or just outside playing).   

I am grateful for all the tools in this book, which are suggested by Lori Lite. This is definitely a book I will go back to often.  A great reference book to relieve stress.   One that I would highly recommend in any parents library.

You can grab a copy of  this book on Amazon.

***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***

Got Teens?: The Doctor Moms' Guide to Sexuality, Social Media and Other Adolescent Realities

"Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review."

In Got Teens?, the Doctor Moms combine their medical and psychological knowledge with their own personal experiences as mothers to comprehensively address your preteen’s and teen’s most cringe-worthy and difficult questions. They want you to know that you’re not alone—they’re here to help.

Addressing topics that include body development, emotional changes, and substance abuse, Got Teens? aims to give parents the ability to decode their kids’ behavior and the confidence they need to tackle these subjects with authority and compassion. The Doctor Moms offer an overview of the “facts” that readers may have forgotten about puberty and the adolescent years, and show parents how to parlay what they know into open and empathetic communication. From when your child should get a smart phone to how to deal with online bullying to how to discuss sexual orientation and birth control, Got Teens? covers it all—including everything you never learned in sex-ed.

My thoughts:

Great book!  It's like getting advice from your best friend. 

Got teens is my go to book, and will be for many years.  My daughter is almost eleven and constantly asking me questions about when will she get her period, because her best friend got hers at ten years old.  This book gave me the guided information I needed to explain to my daughter what she needed to know.  It was a relief to me to read the section in the book that explains growth spurts in girls, as my daughter gets self conscious of her height.    

I especially liked the information I read in the section of this book "Why can't my child sleep".  Both my daughter and seven year old son have difficulties sleeping. The easy read approach Levkoff and Wider give was extremely helpful. I have incorporated new routines that have started to help, thanks to this book.

I lent this book to my best friend who is raising her grandson, who is now almost fourteen.  There was so much she had forgotten, since her sons are grown.  She was so greatful to have borrowed this book from me.  She is going to purchase her own copy.

After reading this easy to understand book, I am able to communicate with the approaches Levkoff and Wider with my daughter.  There is so many topics these two doctors touch on like puberty, social media and eating and body image just to name a few.  A definite must have for anyone who has children in their home.  

You can grab a copy of this awesome book on Amazon.
       
***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***



Book Review: Kinesiology Taping by John Langendoen and Karin Sertel

Kinesiology Taping

The Essential Step-by-Step Guide

by John Langendoen and Karin Sertel

Taping can be effective and simple -- all with a 2-inch wide piece of self-adhesive cotton tape. 70 proven tape applications for 160 conditions.

Athletes are wearing brightly colored tapes at sporting events like the London Olympics, Wimbledon, gymnastics meets or even out jogging.

The reason they're taping is because it's an effective way to treat a myriad of conditions like muscle pain, bruising, sore muscles, bad posture, swelling, strains, sprains, support during training, arthritic conditions, menstrual complaints, headaches and even sinusitis.

Tapes, both elastic and non-elastic, are applied directly to the skin. The most important effect of the tape is pain relief and the second is increased mobility. That relationship between pain and movement is critical. A perceived decrease in pain enables more movement, which is essential to recovery and rehabilitation. 

 

How to tape oneself, friends or loved ones safely and effectively is explained in easy-to-understand directions and step-by-step photos showing how taping works, where and when it can be applied, and what to do during a practice session.

There are 70 proven tape applications for more than 160 ailments, conditions and related body parts that are explained in easy-to-follow detail through directions and step-by-step color photos. Self-treatment, regeneration and prevention for almost any complaint is just a roll of tape away.

Handy charts, graphs and listings make it simple to find the taping technique best suited to a personal concern.

Taping allows the body to rest and heal naturally, reduces inflammation, increases circulation and allows appropriate movements. These effective techniques have been used by millions of people worldwide to take advantage of taping's many benefits. 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
John Langendoen has a MSc in pain management and a bachelor degree in physiotherapy. He's an active proponent of self-taping and over the last 5 years he has been conducting international seminars, presentations and workshops on the subject throughout the world including North America. His experience also includes presentations at international conferences as well as being a member of the medical staff for the Korean National Football Team at FIFA World Cups.
Karin Sertel is a physical therapist and experienced Hand, Manual (Maitland Concept) and Cranio-Sacral Therapist for both children and adults. For over 30 years, she's been a huge advocate for self-therapy in her hand patients and self-taping has become a major component of her hand rehabilitation approach.


ABOUT ROBERT ROSE
Robert Rose, Inc. based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and founded in 1995, is one of North America’s leading publishers of bestselling and award-winning cookbooks and health books designed to guide, inform, advise, and do everything possible to make your life easier. Our books contain an abundance of full-color photographs, important diet and nutritional guides, accessible charts and tables, handy and delicious meal plans, practical make-ahead meal ideas, and easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions.

Our authors are the most knowledgeable ‘go to’ experts on a variety of subjects including everything from parenting to diabetes, whole grains to medicinal herbs, and they can even tell you how to manage Crohn’s and Colitis and plan nutritious vegan or vegetarian meals. Several of our books have won prominent awards including the Gourmand World Cookbook Award, the International Association of Culinary Professional Award, and the Cordon D’Or Culinary International Academy Award.

We offer a vast and incredible selection of cookbooks on every topic from slow cookers and bread making, to baking the perfect cheesecake and preserving jams and jellies. We even feature titles that bring the authentic flavors of Thailand, India and Italy into your home kitchen with ingredients that can be easily found in your local grocery store.

Our health books, on topics such as diabetes management, include the most current and comprehensive information and are loaded with amazing recipes created to help you achieve a healthier lifestyle. In an always easy and accessible format, our books contain helpful tips and techniques, nutritional information, and mouth-watering meal ideas designed to appeal to all cooking levels.

At Robert Rose, we hold a commitment to excellence in all our titles and authors – and we do it all with you in mind.


Purchase Kinesiology Taping on Amazon and BetterWorldBooks, visit videos from the authors, Taping for Shoulder Pain, Taping for Knee Pain, and Tend to a Sprained Ankle, available on RobertRose.  You can also visit http://kinematic-taping.com/home/ (which is in German).


OUR THOUGHTS
I'd recently heard of kinesiology taping, so when this review opportunity came up it was a great opportunity to learn more!  The What You Need To Know section takes you through what kinesiology is, how it works, the basics, what you should know about the tape material & colors, how to prepare & apply them, and how to choose a tape for a specific complaint.  In the All Tapes From Head to Toe section, are the 160 conditions & ailments, all with instructions and full color pictures.  There's a section on detailing special points after that.

I often have tense neck and shoulder muscles so I'd like to give kinesiology taping a try, although I'll need a partner to help tape me for that application.  I used to sprain my ankles often (thankfully it's been almost 3 years since the last time!); another application I can use.  My son has primary lymphedema that crops up during the winter months - we've begun using cold laser therapy for that, and I'm happy to see we can use kinesiology for it, too.  I even talked to my son's chiropractor about kinesiology, only come to find out he is already certified in kinesiology taping!

The only thing I wish Kinesiology Taping had was more diagrams of the muscles.  While I would feel comfortable using this book to do the specific applications mentioned within, I wouldn't want to try something not listed in the book without first taking a basic anatomy course, at least.  The tape isn't cheap, so I would want to be 100% comfortable before spending the money to tape myself.

Kinesiology Taping is a great book for beginners who want to learn about it, and learn some specific applications.

The 7-Day Allergy Makeover

"Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review."

THE 7 DAY ALLERGY MAKEOVER is written for people who want to take an active role in their own healing. The book lays out action-oriented, step-by-step instructions on uncovering the root cause of allergies, and makes simple but specific changes that can stop allergy symptoms from recurring.

What began as a mother’s desperation to save her son has led to a comprehensive program that helps a broad range of allergy sufferers heal themselves naturally. As an allergy specialist, Dr. Susanne Bennett sees roughly 100 patients a week, from children to movie stars. They come to her after exhausting every resource: doctors, medicines, creams, shots, you name it. They suffer from hives, sneezing, headaches, asthma, muscle aches, swelling and digestive problems, and more. THE 7 DAY ALLERGY MAKEOVER, based on 23 years of Dr. Bennett’s clinical experience, is an easy-to-implement and transformational plan for eliminating allergies from your life forever.

Each chapter in THE 7 DAY ALLERGY MAKEOVER focuses on a different aspect of health and environment for a person suffering from allergies--nutrition, air quality, living environment, water, body hygiene, and emotional and mental stresses.

Covering seasonal, environmental, food and other types of allergies, this simple holistic program shows you how to go beyond treating the symptoms to alleviating allergies altogether, whether you’re struggling with sneezing, headaches, asthma, hives, muscle aches, swelling, digestive problems or other allergy symptoms. 

Dr. Bennett is available to address the most frequently asked allergy questions today, including:

·         Which types of plants produce the most allergy-causing pollen

·         What pollen count really means

·         If and when you should consider moving to decrease your child’s allergy symptoms

·         How to tell if your child is suffering from allergies vs. a common cold

·         What it means when a product is labeled "hypoallergenic"

·         The extent to which allergies can be cured or outgrown

·         How stress affects allergies

·         How other conditions be misdiagnosed as allergies

·         What triggers allergies

·         The things you can do at home or in life to reduce allergic reactions

·         The power of medicine vs. alternative treatments for allergies

My thoughts: 

 This book was very helpful and educational for me  One that I will keep in my home library. There is a seven day overview, and a chapter on each day. Day one is to clean up your nutrition.  Day two is clean up your water. Day three is clean up your air.  Day four is clean up your living environment.  Day five is clean up your kitchen.  Day six is clean up your body. And day seven is clean up your stress.  There is  also a allergy symptoms check list.

As I read each chapter, I learned more about so many things that cause certain allergies.  So many things that I would never of thought before reading this book.  I suffer from Eczema, and after I read about it, I found it very helpful of how I can lesson the break outs.  I love that I can take a role in my own healing.   And this is what the book teaches you, you can take that role in your own healing. 

I strongly suggest anyone who suffers from any kind of allergy to please read this book so you too can take an active role in your own healing, and to stop the allergies from coming back time after time.

For more information or to purchase this boo, visit Penguin Group or Amazon.

***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***

Vegetarian to Vegan

"Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review."

Vegetarians across the world are wondering if it is time to take the final step and become a vegan. And they're asking many of the same questions: What is inhumane about eating dairy products? What's wrong with eating organic, cage-free, free-range eggs? Doesn't a vegetarian diet that includes fat-free dairy and yolk-free egg products already offer protection against chronic diseases? How does a little creamer in my coffee contribute to global warming? Isn't hard to be vegan if you travel, have client dinners, or eat out a lot socially. And, is it really possible to give up cheese? If these questions have been going through your mind, this book was written just for you. Sarah delves deeply into the issues specific to dairy and eggs that you need to know to help you make an informed decision about whether to adopt a vegan diet. You'll find the motivation you need to make the change, the tools you need to succeed, and recipes by award-winning vegan chef Mark Reinfeld that prove how delicious life can be...without dairy and eggs.

Veggie to Vegan: The Rise of the Vegan Lifestyle

More and more people – from Bill Clinton to Beyonce to your neighbor next door – are going vegan … and staying vegan.  Many of us are wondering why so many “regular” people – not just health freaks and die-hard animal rights activists – are taking on such a seemingly extreme diet?

A 2011 Harris Interactive study found that 5 percent of Americans were found to be vegetarian and 2.5 percent were Vegan.  The poll also found that 33 percent of Americans eat meatless meals on a regular basis.  And more and more people are just switching to plants.

“There’s a major shift taking place right now. People are waking up. Going vegan is no longer extreme -- it’s simply the healthiest choice you can make, the kindest diet for the animals and the safest diet for our environment,” says Sarah Taylor, author of the new book, Vegetarian to Vegan.  

According to Ms. Taylor, adopting a vegan diet is not as dramatic or difficult as most people assume it might be.  And the health and quality of life benefits are so pronounced that once you try it, it’s easy to become a full-time convert. Here are her answers to many of the key questions people have about going from a vegetarian to a vegan diet:

1.  What is the difference between a vegetarian diet and a vegan diet?

Vegetarians don’t eat any flesh products – no meat, poultry or fish – while vegans also avoid anything that comes from an animal – mainly, dairy products and eggs.  Vegans do eat vegetables, fruit, grains, beans, nuts and seeds.

2.  Why don't vegans eat dairy or eggs?

The three main reasons that vegans avoid all animal products are:  health, animal welfare, and the environmental impact.  

First, your health will improve as soon as you eliminate dairy and egg products from your diet. Many health disorders – including heart disease, cholesterol problems and diabetes – are radically improved or eliminated on a vegan diet.  Many new vegans also report unsurpassed energy and dramatic weight loss that is noticeable in just the first few weeks on the diet.  You will feel better and find it easier to lose weight, sleep, and enjoy physical well-being.  Due to their high fat and cholesterol content, giving up dairy and eggs are a major factor in achieving these health benefits.  Among many sobering statistics, the Physician’s Health Study found that there was a 23% increase in the risk of death in people who ate just one egg a day.  

Second, dairy cows and egg-laying hens are treated terribly in warehouse-like farms called "factory farms" and are exposed to unconscionable living conditions, massive disease and in some cases, physical abuse.  These conditions create a multitude of problems for the animals; dairy cows, for example suffer greatly from a list of conditions that they would never likely face in nature, such as mastitis, milk fever, Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus, Bovine Leukemia Virus, paratuberculosis, Mad Cow Disease, endometritis and lameness.  Egg laying hens have a similar list of health problems that attest to their pain, suffering, and unhealthy living conditions.

Third, more and more studies are showing that the cattle, dairy and egg industries are causing a variety of very serious environmental problems including air temperature (global warming), air quality, water quality and soil quality.  According to the United Nations, 18% of the earth’s greenhouse gas production is directly or indirectly involved in the production of livestock – more than all transportation combined.

3.  We're taught that dairy products are important to get our calcium and that eggs are the "perfect protein." Why would they be unhealthy?

Yes, dairy products have calcium and eggs have protein … but they are also packed with fat and cholesterol.  The plant kingdom has plenty of foods that are also high in calcium (spinach, broccoli, oranges, etc) and protein (nuts, seeds, beans, etc) but have little or no fat, no cholesterol and are also filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that dairy and eggs generally don't have.

4.  Aren't fat-free dairy products and egg whites (not the yolks) good for you?  With these products, don’t you get the calcium/protein without the fat and cholesterol?

Yes, these products help you get calcium or protein without the fat and cholesterol.  Unfortunately, researchers now know that there are two types of protein that we eat which act very differently in our bodies - animal protein and plant protein.  Animal protein has been strongly linked with cancer, while plant protein has not.  Even a diet of 20% animal protein has been linked directly to liver cancer and other cancers, while the same studies with plant protein show no correlation.  So, even though you can avoid the fat and cholesterol by choosing fat free dairy products or yolk-free eggs, you still are putting yourself at an increased risk of cancer.

5.  If cows and chickens aren't slaughtered to provide us with dairy and egg products, what's wrong with eating them?

The horrific living conditions in factory farms and the resulting physical and emotional diseases their animals suffer from shock many people into giving up meat, dairy and eggs immediately - which explains why the meat and dairy industries have actually tried to pass laws making it illegal to take photos in their facilities.  For example, laying hens - the chickens which provide us with eggs - are stacked in cages that give each hen about as much room as a sheet of paper to move around her entire life.  Feces and urine fall from the cages above them, as the floors are made of wire.  Sharing a cage with 8-10 other birds, the hens often go crazy and peck each other violently, and even cannibalize each other at a rate of 7-15%.  Not only is this emotionally destructive to the hens, but they suffer from many diseases related directly to these unsanitary and unsafe conditions.  When people learn these truths and see the damning photos, they often need no further motivation to give up dairy and egg products.

6.  Aren't "Cage-Free Eggs" or "Cruelty-Free" Egg and Dairy products a way to make sure I'm not buying food that causes animals harm?

No.  There are very few regulations around using the marketing claims "Cage Free," "Free-Range," and "Cruelty-Free."  In most cases, for example, "cage-free" hens live in massive warehouses just like the caged birds, except the cages are absent.  The birds are packed together on the floor and on platforms, and still suffer from extreme crowding, disease and other maladies.  Cannibalism - a sign of distressed birds - is actually higher in cage free birds than in caged birds.  Hens in nature never commit cannibalism.  “Free Range” often only means that the hens have had “some access” to the outdoors.  Moving the hens from the hatchery into the factory farms counts as “some access” to the outdoors, and after they are moved, many “free range” hens never see the sunlight again their entire lives.

7.  What do dairy and egg products have to do with our environment?

The negative effects that the dairy and egg industries have on our environment are many.  Some of the larger concerns have to do with water quality and air quality.  For example, dairy farms regularly have massive manure pits that overflow or leak, causing feces to seep into local ground water, increasing the communities' rates of diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disorders.  Air quality around dairy and egg farms is so bad that asthma rates skyrocket as high as 60% in those neighborhoods where the farms operate, compared to 15% in the general population.  Furthermore, many people are unable to sell their homes due to the stench in the air.  These are just a few examples among many that affect our environment in serious and alarming ways.

8.  Is going vegan hard to do?

Like trying anything new, going vegan requires some effort up front.  But most people find that after a month or two of shopping for new foods and brands, trying new recipes and figuring out what to order at their favorite restaurants, it becomes secondhand.  Fortunately, the past 6-8 years has seen a boom in vegan food products, and there are products like vegan yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, ice cream, and - YES! even cheese! - that you truly can't tell are not from real animal products.  Truly.

9.  How do you eat at restaurants as a vegan?  

More and more restaurants offer menus with vegan or vegetarian options that can easily be made vegan.  Nowadays, chefs and waiters understand what the vegan diet is, and if there is nothing on the menu, they can make something easily.  Ethnic restaurants - especially Asian restaurants - often have entire sections in their menu that are vegetarian or naturally vegan, as religious or cultural customs in many countries don't include meat or dairy products.

My thoughts: 

My main reason for reading this book is because my nine year old daughter eats very little dairy (never eats eggs), and will fight tooth and nail to not eat meat of any kind.  So this book was perfect!  I have also myself, wanting to try and eat Vegan for quite sometime.  This book was a very educational read, and contained great advice and information that I never knew. Just for example about dairy and Diabetes.  After reading about the egg farms in this book, I don't how I ate them.

Although I haven't tried any of the recipes in this book yet, I plan to.  They look to be specific and easy to follow.  So my daughter and I can make them together.  This is a great book for anyone who has wanted to go Vegan (whether you eat meat of are just a vegetarian now). I highly recommend it to be added to your home library.

For more information or to purchase this book on Amazon.


***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***