Review I am very impressed with this book in regards to how simple it is to understand what the doctor is writing about when she is describing the human body and nutrition. Usually, I am so turned off by the medical jargon of how our bodies work and how nutrition plays a part in that...however, I was able to fully comprehend and plow through everything this author wrote (notice I did not say it was an enjoyable task...I wanted to skip forward to the diet part, but I am glad I didn't).
Now, as for the plan. The reason I gave this book only 4 stars is because the author does advocate giving up certain foods such as bread and dried pasta. Yes, this is a high-protein diet and carbs are restricted, even though the author never comes right out and says this.
The author suggests that you put forth a plan of action for losing weight, which includes exercising at least an hour per day and adhering to her minimum amount of calcium per day (note that you have to space out your consumption of calcium during the day due to our bodies natural tendency to only absorb a maximum of 500 mg at any one time...a little tidbit explained in the nutritional section, so please read it!). All processed foods are OUT. The author advises you to purge your fridge and cupboard of anything processed and anything that has ingredients you cannot pronounce. She also advises you to throw out all dried herbs and use only fresh herbs. Costly, yes. However, according to the author, your health is worth the added expense.
All in all, this book was a great read for me and I will be incorporating the plan into my lifestyle. The author's tone is friendly, authoritative and encouraging without being too overbearing. Anyone who has read and enjoyed books on the French lifestyle (i.e. Fat Fallacy, FWDGF, etc) will find that this book fits nicely into their library - it will even put to use those yogurt machines we all purchased after reading French Women Don't Get Fat! Jennifer Hughes, Dallas, TX (Amazon.com)