Summary
When it comes to health, much has been written, and little of it good. This
page lists the best. It contains health and nutrition references that are
written for the layman, but generally contain clear explanations and references
to the scientific literature. The few exceptions that do not contain references
are noted.
Well-written books of general interest to everyone. These books tell you what
you need to know to stay healthy.
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Colgan, Michael. Optimal
Sports Nutrition: Your Competitive Edge.
Advanced Research Press, New York, 1993.- A must for any serious athlete. The definitive guide to sports nutrition
from a trainer of champions in sports as diverse as body-building and
marathon running. Very readable. Very scientific.
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Erdmann, Robert, Ph.D. Fats
That Can Save Your Life. Progressive Health Publishing, Encinitas
CA.- A well-written, enlightening synopsis of the mechanisms responsible
for the powerful effects of both good and bad fats and oils. Excellent
description of CIS and TRANS fatty acids, and an eye-opening description
of the way even “Extra Virgin” Olive Oil is processed. Read this, and
you’ll never touch anything partially hydrogenated again. (Out of print,
most unfortunately.)
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Fife, Bruce. Detox.
Healthwise, 2001.- The best discussion I've seen of the techniques and methods for removing
the poisons that have accumulated in the body, sprinkled with inspiring
stories of people who have overcome major health problems like cancer
and heart disease by changing their diet and cleaning their insides.
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Fife, Bruce. Eat
Fat, Look Thin. HealthWise, 2002.- A nicely written book that tells how to get thin happily, with nourishing,
satisfying foods that taste good. But it has a wealth of other information
besides, including the truth about cholesterol and a history of how
natural fats came to be replaced by petroleum derivatives, as well as
valuable information on coconut oil that didn't make it into his book,
The
Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil.
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Fife, Bruce. The
Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil. Piccadilly Books, 2003.- Like Coconut Oil for Health and Beauty, this slim volume
contains a wealth of information on coconut oil and how it works to
keep you thin, energetic, healthy, and good looking.
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Finnegan, John, The
Facts About Fats. Celestial Arts, Berkeley, 1993.- Another review of the importance of EFAs with several new and interesting
insights. Especially valuable for its detailed review of Johanna
Budwig's dietary regimen.
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Fuhrman, Joel, MD. Eat
to Live. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 2003.- Superb book on the power of natural green foods to promote health.
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Fuhrman, Joel, MD. Fasting
and Eating for Health. St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1995.- By a devotee of Herbert Shelton who became an MD. This is the first
book to present a strong scientific case for the process and benefits
of fasting. It shows how many diseases of modern civilization are caused,
and how they can be cured through fasting.
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Gittleman, Ann Louise. Eat
Fat, Lose Weight : The Right Fats Can Make You Thin for Life. Keats
Publishing, Lincolnwood, Ill. 1999.- A good book that emphasizes the health and obesity relationship of
fatty acids. Very quotable prose and a good summary of the literature.
Doesn't go into as much depth as some, but a good read.
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Holzapfel, Cynthia and Laura. Coconut
Oil for Health and Beauty. Healthy Living Publications, 2003.- A short, quick read that includes a wonderful introduction
to the science of fats and explains the health benefits of coconut oil.
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Murray, Michael T. and Beutler, Jade. Understanding
Fats & Oils : Your Guide to Healing With Essential Fatty Acids.
Progressive Health Publishing, Encinitas, CA. 1996- A slim volume that provides a splendid introduction to the science
of essential fatty acids, complete with diagrams. It also outlines their
effects on the human body.
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These books focus on specific health conditions.
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Kime, Zane R. Sunlight.
World Health Publications, Penryn CA, 1980.- An astonishingly well-written book with a wealth of nutritional information
and how it relates to sunlight. A must read. The only flaw in this otherwise
fine book is that it frequently confuses polyunsaturated fats with the
trans fats and other adulterated fats that come from heat processing.
At times, the distinction is clear. But at other times, the author refers
to "polyunsaturates" when he means "refined oils".
But with that one exception, this is a fine, fine book. Related reading:
Johanna Budwig's book Flax Oil (to understand
the quantum physical effects of sunlight on fatty acids) and Erdmann's
quick read, Fats That Can Save Your Life,
to be clear on the huge difference between healthy polyunsaturates and
the metabolic poisons that result from heat treating them.
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Lidell, Lucy, The
Sivananda Companion to Yoga. Simon & Schuster, New York,
1983.- Beautiful illustrations and explanations of Yoga's effect on the human
body and the human spirit.
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Rama, Swami, and Hymes, Alan.
Science of Breath: A Practical Guide.
Himalayan Institute Press, Honesdale, PA, 1988
&/or Yogi Ramacharaka, Science of Breath, Yoga Publication
Society, ___, 1940.- A great distillation of the physiological processes that underlie
good breathing. Good science, as well as practical.
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Yogi Vithaldas. Yoga
System of Health and Relief from Tension. Cornerstone Library; 1981.- The first book I ever read on Yoga, and still my favorite. Short,
but with a great set of exercises. The only thing it misses is stretches
for the inner-legs, so I add the sitting straddle (legs apart, bend
forward) and butterfly stretch (sit with soles of feet together, bend
forward) after the forward-bending poses in the book.
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Asimov, Issacc. The
Chemicals of Life. New American Library, New York, 1954.- A classic volume that readily explains proteins, enzymes, and vitamins
for the interested layman. Concise and easy to read, but sadly out of
print. Can be found in used book stores, though.
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Budwig, Dr. Johanna. Flax
Oil as a True Aid Against Arthritis, Heart Infarction, Cancer, and Other
Diseases. Apple Publishing, Vancouver, BC, CAN.- A real eye opener by a 7-time nominee for a Nobel prize. She’s spent
a lifetime studying the quantum physics of lipids (fats & oils)
and how they combine with sulfur-containing proteins. Poorly translated
and difficult to follow (paragraph breaks would help). But shows how
fats work with proteins to combine with oxygen, absorb photon energy
from the sun, and serve as miniature molecular “batteries” for the cells.
Also out of print, unfortunately.
See also: The Facts About Fats
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Enig, Dr. Mary. Know
Your Fats. Bethesda Press, 2000.- An essential introduction to the science of fatty acids. A readable
reference guide that describes the types of fats, their sources, and
their metabolism.
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Erasmus, Udo. Fats
that Heal, Fats that Kill. Alive Books, Burnaby, BC, CAN.- A well-written, easy-to-read description of fats & oils that shows
how vital the good ones are, how deadly the bad ones are, and how “modern”
refining methods turn good oils into bad ones. For more information,
see http://www.udoerasmus.com.
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Guyton and Hall. Textbook
of Medical Physiology. W B Saunders, 10th edition 2000.- A large, expensive, but wonderfully readable textbook that explains
how your body works.
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Memmler, et al, Memmler's
Structure and Function of the Human Body. Lippincott, Philadelphia,
1996.- Great textbook on human physiology.
See also:The Human Body in Health and Disease
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Pauling, Linus. How
to Live Longer and Feel Better. W.H. Freeman and Company, New
York, 1986.- A classic introduction to nutritional biochemistry by a two-time Nobel
Prize winner. Strong emphasis on Vitamin C metabolism, by the pioneer
in Vitamin C research.
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Shrodinger, Erwin. What
is Life? Cambridge University Press, New York, 1967.- This wonderful little book explains the quantum processes that produce
entirely new compounds when sufficient heat, pressure, or radioactive
bombardment exceeds the "threshold energy" required to destabilize
a molecule. (pp. 53..55)
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Thibodeau and Patton, The
Human Body in Health and Disease. Mosby, St. Louis, 1997.- Another great textbook on human physiology that also discusses the
effects of many disease conditions.
See also: Structure and Function of the Human Body
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These titles are more esoteric and more focused on alternatives, but they will
be interesting to some readers.
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Colgan, Michael. Hormonal
Health, Apple Pub Co Ltd, Vancouver, BC, 1996.- Well written, with a lot of useful information about growth hormone,
testosterone, and estrogen.
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Diamond, Harvey & Marilyn. Fit
For Life. Warner Books, New York NY, 1985.- A comprehensive introduction to a natural diet system. A lot of unsubstantiated
material on food-combining, but an absolutely scathing indictment of
dairy products.
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Diamond, Harvey & Marilyn. Fit
For Life II. Warner Books, New York NY, 1989.- An even more thorough and comprehensive follow-up to their first book,
with an even more detailed rebuttal on the use of pasteurized dairy
products. Note: Even though food combining is discredited (it works
mainly because you eat healthy foods), the information content is first
rate.
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Diamond, Marilyn & Schell, Dr. Donald. Fitonics.
Avon Books, New York NY, 1996.- A toned-down, sensible version of the food-combining philosophy, along
with a lot of other useful information in a really good book with a
really bad title.
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Ehret, Arnold. The
Mucusless Diet Healing System.- A classic on the subject of fasting and the effects of a natural diet.
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Faigin, Rob. Natural Hormonal
Enhancement, Extique Publishing, Cedar Mountain, NC. (www.extique.com)
- A difficult read with a lot of scientific references and a lot of
technical information, but very valuable for the same reasons.
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Graham, Judy. Evening
Primrose Oil. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, VT, 1989.- A summary of the studies done with Evening Primrose Oil and of the
biochemical mechanisms by which it works.
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Howell, Dr. Edward. Enzyme
Nutrition: The Food Enzyme Concept.
Avery Publishing Group, Wayne NJ, 1985.- A valuable introduction to the importance of enzymes in foods.
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Scott, Cyril. Cider
Vinegar. Benedict Lust Publications, New York, NY, 1984- Not a single reference that would provide more information, but contains
some useful tidbits of information.
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Unknown. The Miracle of Garlic and Vinegar, Globe Communications
Corp, Boca Raton, FL, 1992.- A small volume from a supermarket checkout stand. No references, but
more useful tidbits.
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Wolfe, David. Sunfood
Diet Success System. Maul Brothers Publishing, San Diego, CA,
1999- A really superb book on the importance of raw foods, with tips on
how to transition into a mostly-raw diet. A lot of spiritual content
as well, which is at times delightful and at other times excessive.
It accounts for half the book, which can make the awesome nutritional
content harder to find. A great read nonetheless, either in spite of
or because of that material, depending on your mind set. The author's
major contribution to the raw food movement is the identification of
the "magical three": greens (=protein & minerals), sugar/fruits
(=carbohydrates & energy), fatty foods (avocados, nuts, durians).
In addition, he makes the brilliant assertion that the desire for animal
foods comes from the need for fat, not protein. That single fact makes
a vegetarian diet accessible!
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