http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:26:06 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-737372 This review is not only off base, the reader clearly did not read the book thoroughly. On one of the first pages, there is a clear statement that if you are not willing to make extreme changes to your diet, then this book is not for you. NOTHING is restricted in the diet, on numeous pages he suggests that you eat veggies for 90% of your meals and give yourself sensible treats for the other 10%. Bottom line, if you're not willing to give up a diet that is 90% meat, fat and alcohol, why would one read a diet book in the first place. The whole concept of pure diets is that one prioritizes health over taste. If you prioritize taste, don't read the book! 737372@blogcritics.org Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:26:06 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-737371 This review is not only off base, the reader clearly did not read the book thoroughly. On one of the first pages, there is a clear statement that if you are not willing to make extreme changes to your diet, then this book is not for you. NOTHING is restricted in the diet, on numeous pages he suggests that you eat veggies for 90% of your meals and give yourself sensible treats for the other 10%. Bottom line, if you're not willing to give up a diet that is 90% meat, fat and alcohol, why would one read a diet book in the first place. The whole concept of pure diets is that one prioritizes health over taste. If you prioritize taste, don't read the book! 737371@blogcritics.org Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:25:43 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-735975 I've followed Fuhrman's plan about 80% for the last year with wonderful results. I don't really feel deprived but I understand how someone might feel that way (a smoker that quits may feel "deprived" too, I guess) and I find that people really enjoy the way I eat. I recently purchased his new books "Eat For Health." I think the review above is way off base. Eat to Live is the most annotated, comprehensive overview of nutrition I've ever read and it changed my way of thinking completely. I don't believe Fuhrman is 100% on target but he's pretty close. I highly recommend the book. 735975@blogcritics.org Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:32:07 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-731213 Okay, people, I get it. You were right and I was wrong. The book is brilliant. Marvellous. Stunning. Life-changing. But the review is four years old now. The world has turned since. Time to move along, maybe? 731213@blogcritics.org Sun, 6 Jul 2008 22:50:38 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-731084 It's been almost 4 years since this reviewer reviewed Dr. Fuhrman's book. I wonder how healthy he is today? I know how healthy he would have been if he had even implemented half of the great info the book contains. I work with cardiac rehab patients and so get to see first hand how attached people are to the very foods that are destroying their health. Studies show that diet and exercise are every bit as powerful as medications. Dr. Fuhrman's book sites the studies. Thankfully the info that seemed so hard to -forgive the pun - swallow in 2004 is receiving a warmer reception in 2008. Green smoothies rule! Lannette 731084@blogcritics.org Sun, 6 Jul 2008 08:58:08 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-728773 Just started this diet 2 days ago. It's quite a shock to the digestive system. Bathroom runs happen more frequent. Only reason I am doing this diet, is my girlfriend did it for 6 weeks strict, and looks great! She always worked out alot and watched what she ate(mostly), but this diet fixed her constipation issues, and she dropped body fat quick. 6 Months of weight watchers and working out did not touch what this diet(plus excercise) has done for her in 6 weeks. She also has learned to appreciate fruits as a cure for the sweet tooth, and understands more what her body needs to be healthy. 728773@blogcritics.org Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:27:38 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-721177 Just to put my voice in with the other people that have commented on this review: many of the the statements that the author makes are flat out untrue. Dr. Furhman does allow for any food, but only in very very limited quantities. He allows for animal proteins and fats on a limited weekly basis. Moreover, he says pretty straight-up that after the first 6 weeks you should do what you feel is right. Many people have followed this diet for years and years (including the good doctor himself), and although I've only been on it a few weeks so far, I intend to continue with the less strict version for the rest of my life. You say that you wouldn't want to live to 200 if you couldn't have all the unhealthy food and drink that you desire, but this is about living past 70. More than just that, it's about *feeling* more healthy every day of your life, even when you're younger. I'm willing to give up a certain amount of hedonistic pleasure in food to feel as good as I have for the past two weeks for the rest of my life. It's honestly worth it. Finally, there are over 25 pages of footnotes, the book is VERY heavily cited, choosing a single example out of the middle of the book and claiming that the book is pseudoscience is very intellectually dishonest. You even lie about what he says concerning olive oil! He says it *is* ok to have it (in fairly limited quantities, to be fair, but he still says it's ok to have it every day), that olive oil *isn't* all that bad for you, and that the people of Crete were healthy before due to high nutrient vegetables and fruits, and unhealthy afterwards due to refined goods and animal products. The olive oil doesn't even come into his argument, in fact that's the whole point! Overall, very very disappointed with this review. You should read the book again and pay closer attention to the details of his ideas. 721177@blogcritics.org Mon, 26 May 2008 13:47:17 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-705609 Wow, a whole-foods, plant-based diet with no portion control, but limited amounts of junk, and starch and fat amounts based on personal needs--this is an unsustainable way of eating? Please go back and read the book more carefully. There are *extensive* citations in the book and none to back up the refutations in this review. This way of eating has changed my life. I am *so* much healthier. Allergies, acne, menstrual cramps, headaches are gone. Nutritional excellence isn't just for your life span, but quality of life. 705609@blogcritics.org Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:48:24 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-615930 I can understand why this reviewer doesn't like the book. After all, it requires the will power and determination to change your diet from being unhealthy to super healthy. The average meat eating american probably looks at the diet and feels threatened and angry, because it makes him/ her see how terrible their diet is. I think the book is excellent, and even if you don't follow the diet 100%, it gives you REAL information about what is healthy. He doesn't say you have to follow it exactly for the rest of your life, just that you should try it for 6 weeks, or at least read the book and get the facts. 615930@blogcritics.org Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:35:05 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/18/141813.php#comment-611203 I just wanted to add to the list of people who can attest that this way of eating can be followed, and in fact it can be followed indefinitely! And that, as respectfully as this can be said, this summary of Fuhrman's diet is really pretty bad and makes it appear as though you didn't read the book (which, incidentally, I didn't either, but my wife did, I'm mostly concerned about the diet itself). That being said, I believe you when you say that you did read it, I just don't think you read it with much interest. I've followed pretty close to this diet - which I don't really consider a diet so much as a way of eating - for about three years. I feel great, I love what I eat (I went straight from McDonald's to Fuhrman's, no kidding) and I didn't do it to lose weight. I overcame severe stress while on this diet, I ran my first two marathons (in the first I qualified for the second; the Boston Marathon), and I became a much happier person than I used to be. I used to love meat and cheese and all forms of refined foods, but as Fuhrman points out, once you break the addiction, you stop craving these things. As for research, I've listened to Fuhrman talk and I've read his blog, where he constantly sites research. It's a bit of the pot calling the kettle black when you complain about lack of footnotes and then make vague references to Europeans as a counter argument. Whereas he at least appears to have done his homework and simply not made a footnote, what you have written is openly speculative. 611203@blogcritics.org Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:21:22 EDT