Home Bookstore Cooking Reviews Site Map

 

Longevity & Healthy Living

 

Secrets of Longevity

 

4.0 out of 5 stars Healing Advice and a Fresh Change of Perspective, December 20, 2009
"It's been estimated that a third of all cancer patients developed their disease as a result of insufficient whole plant fiber in their diets." ~ pg. 15

"Secrets of Longevity" is an amazing book filled with easy-to-follow tips on living a long and healthy life. While reading this book I was constantly writing down ideas that I plan to put into practice in my life like eating more seaweed (in sushi) or staying 4-6 feet away from a microwave while running it. I have the tendency to stand by the microwave waiting for food to finish heating so that is something I will change after reading this book!

I found myself agreeing with most of the advice but did have a concern about a few things mentioned as healthy. One is the comment that canola oil is a healthy fat and recently I learned it can promote cancer. The second was the use of wormwood, which can be a very dangerous herb and you shouldn't take it for an extended period of time.

There are a few spiritual ideas and a little bit of feng shui in this book. If you don't believe that God is nature or if you don't want to say an invocation you can easily overlook these items and concentrate on what you do believe in.

Some of the advice like taking cold showers will probably be rejected by most comfort-loving individuals. In contrast an hour-long walk will most likely be a goal of many people reading this book.

While a lot of the advice was familiar to me I still needed to be reminded of healthy choices and natural alternatives. I had however never heard that copper cookware was dangerous. We all know about the dangers of aluminum.

Some of the topics presented in this book deserve more attention. Like a detailed description about pycnogenol would have been helpful. Each topic takes up only one page and most pages are only half full. This makes for easy reading but does whet the appetite for more details.

After reading this book you may look into eating more papaya or consider buying Fleur de Sel, a natural sea salt. Dr. Maoshing Ni explains the benefits of eating more apples and explains why you should consider taking royal jelly.

So overall I think this book is perfect for anyone considering lifestyle changes. The section on natural remedies is quite good and gave me a few new ideas.

~The Rebecca Review

 

Andrew Weil, M.D. Breathing

 

Breathing Awareness, April 11, 2007

"If today you can be aware of breathing for ten seconds more than you were yesterday, you will have taken a measurable step toward expanded consciousness, deeper communication between mind and body, and integration of your physical, mental and spiritual functions." ~ Dr. Weil

Listening to Dr. Weil's voice instantly makes me feel calmer and his wisdom is always refreshing. In "Breathing The Master Key to Self Healing" he guides the listener through a series of breathing exercises for improved health and peace.

A few of the exercises include:

Following Your Breath
Begin with Exhalation
Make Your Breathing Deep, Slow, Quiet and Regular
The Relaxing Breath
Observe Your Breath
Breathe Abdominally

Each exercise is easy to learn and you can use the information instantly to encourage deeper sleep, more relaxation during the day and a quick fix for stressful situations. Dr. Weil leads you through each exercise with care and attention to detail so you can take greater control of the breathing process. These exercises will help you with anxiety disorders, encourage the lowering of high blood pressure and help you to reprogram your nervous system.

~The Rebecca Review 

 

Mental Aerobics

 

Mental Aerobics, February 9, 2007

Dr. Andrew Weil introduces Dr. Gary Small's course in mental aerobics. He discusses the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet, why it might not be a good idea to sleep next to an alarm radio and why lifestyle strategies may have a great influence on brain health as we age.

Should you take up learning a new language or learn to play a musical instrument? What will a daily walk five times a week do for your brain? Dr. Andrew Weil explains the problems of oxidative stress, trauma, toxic chemicals and stress hormones and how they affect long-term aging.

Dr. Gary Small presents ideas for developing memory skills. His fun brainteasers will help you remember "to do" lists and names as well as giving you the empowering feeling when you remember things you used to forget. Through visualizations he guides you through a number of lessons to enhance memory and it makes remembering things a breeze.

Since the brain does have some regenerative capacity and we are capable of learning throughout the entire span of our lifetime, all it takes is some effort in the area of learning, reading or doing something challenging like learning dance steps.

2 CDs, a 52-page study guide booklet and a set of 35 brain-tuning cards to remind you to do the exercises presented. The cards include information on learning to relax, learning basic memory tricks to train the brain to remember facts and a few cards for advanced memory training.

~The Rebecca Review

 

 

Live Well Now

 

Plan to Live Longer, February 4, 2007

"By 2050, the global population over age 60 is projected to expand to 2 billion. By then, 33 countries are expected to have more than 10 million people over the age of 60, the United States having 107 million." ~ pg. 8

Living longer is a real possibility if you have the information you need to slow the aging process. By paying attention to the physical, intellectual, nutritional and environmental areas of aging, you can live a more fulfilling life and choose a higher quality of life.

Dr. David Demko presents an interactive guide with health related questions. Each chapter presents a T/F quiz for consideration. Should you try to eat oatmeal every day? Will reducing calories keep you younger? How do genetics and lifestyle factors figure into the entire equation?

"Your chance of living for a hundred years has never been better." ~ pg. 10

By taking proactive steps, you can take charge of your destiny. As we all live longer, this means more time spent in retirement. An entire section is dedicated to a discussion on retirement. If you want to know how long you will live, you can take a test. I thought the test was a little generous since it said I'd live to 102! Each question asks you to take away or add points to the average age of 79.

"Exercise burns calories even after you stop." ~ pg. 40

An entire chapter is dedicated to "Head-to-Toe Miracle Makeovers." Dr. David Demko presents the facts, the negative and the positive aspects of various surgeries. If you are considering plastic surgery, this is an essential chapter to read. "Aging Intelligently" explores various types of intelligence like Linguistic or Spatial intelligence. When you are dancing or doing yoga, you are accessing Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. To keep your mind healthy you may want to learn to play the piano, take up dancing, read more, change your routine, try a new form of exercise, awaken a hidden talent or take up a new hobby.

The topic of environmental factors is not overlooked, with lists of chemicals that are hazardous to your health. Some of the most interesting topics discussed include: Anti-Aging Supplements (what works and what doesn't), Dental Care, DHEA, Target Heart Rate, Spirituality, Humor and the idea of "My Pyramid."

To end the book on a fun note, the author takes on "The Life Expectancies of the Rich and Famous." Jennifer Garner, Cindy Crawford, Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez are featured. Each chapter ends with a resource section and there are numerous website options and books for further research.

Overall, "Live Well now" takes on a number of pertinent anti-aging topics for consideration and will be helpful for anyone researching this topic. If you enjoy this book, you may want to read:

Age-Proof Your Body by Elizabeth Somer
Recapture Your Health by Walt Stoll
Your Body Speaks Your Mind by Deb Shapiro
The 28-Day Cleansing Program by Scott Oligren
The Whole Grain Diet Miracle by Dr. Lisa Hark
The Metabolic Plan by Stephen Cherniske
The Healthy Brain Kit by Dr. Andrew Weil

~The Rebecca Review

 

 

Dr. Weil CD Set


Returning to Your Center, February 15, 2006

"Your mind can elicit a healing response when even conventional medicine has proven ineffective." ~Dr. Andrew Weil

For months I've been listening to this CD set, trying to integrate the principles of Dr. Weil's teachings into my life. By increasing whole grains (I now eat a mixture of pumpkin seeds, roasted corn and roasted soy), discovering new natural remedies and exploring the ideas of how the body is always seeking to regain balance, I have learned a great deal about integrative medicine. Instead of just trying to solve problems as they occur, Dr. Weil seeks to encourage a preventative lifestyle that includes healthy choices and healing herbs.

Can we interact with allergens without having allergies?
Does our body truly want to be healthy and what are the obstacles to healing?
Should you avoid fructose?
Is eating pasta better than bread?
What is disconnection syndrome?
How can you become more self-reliant in regards to your health?
Which is more healthy - olive oil or chocolate?
How does your skin react to emotions?

By reigning in the forces of nature, there is a huge potential for healing. Cooking can become a healing meditation, buying yourself flowers promotes healing and remembering to spend time in nature can encourage positive emotional states.

Dr. Weil is very intuitive and is not held down by any single system of belief. He fully explores all possibilities and takes remedies from a wide variety of alternative medicine traditions.

I've learned so much by listening to these CDs. Simple ideas like adding blueberries to pancakes or eating more fiber with meals can increase your health.

In a world of confusing health advice, fad diets and doctors who seem opposed to using natural remedies, Dr. Weil bring clarity to the topic of integrative medicine. I am only left contemplating why most doctors would so freely give me medications with horrendous lists of side effects and fear beautiful plants, herbal remedies and comforting solutions to life's ever changing complexity.

Dr. Weil makes complete sense! I hope doctors everywhere will start reading his work and listening to his CD sets. Also look for Dr. Andrew Weil's Mindbody Tool Kit with breath work, meditation, guided imagery and sound therapy.

There is so much to learn about health and Dr. Andrew Weil is truly an enlightened teacher who can give you many of the keys to your own healing process. Fascinating stories about spontaneous healing are also included in this CD set.

~The Rebecca Review

Dr. Weil MindBody ToolKit

Increasing Awareness through Breath and Healing Music, April 11, 2006

The mindbody tool kit is a perfect escape into relaxation. Through this kit you have instant access to breathing techniques, meditation, guided imagery and sound therapy.

"For more than forty years, evidence has been mounting that states of mind can influence physical health and healing. Instead of considering the mind as separate from the physical body, research shows that interactions between the mind and body can directly affect health and treatment of illness." ~Introduction

Dr. Andrew Weil's healing audio CDs are accompanied by 25 mind-training cards and a 52 page workbook. Each card includes the CD information complete with the track you can listen to while following the instructions during a guided exercise. There is a place in the workbook to write your thoughts. A journal might also be fun to write down your experiences and mindbody journey.

The 9 breath work exercises help to completely focus the attention on the breath as you breath abdominally or practice various relaxing breathing techniques.

Mediation is also a focus in this tool kit and there are six meditation exercises led by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. These cards are not only for use when you are alone in a meditation session; they also increase your awareness of your loving presence while out in the world. One is called the "lovingkindness" while waiting in line meditation. Mindful walking and mindful eating are also ways to remain peaceful all while increasing pleasure and happiness.

The five Guided Imagery sessions led by Martin L. Rossman, M.D. also include ideas for using breath. You can use breath to release a weight from your chest, address an illness or symptom by focusing awareness on areas of the body that need healing or enter an inner world of calming images to soothe your soul.

Sound Therapy is an intriguing section that includes 5 exercises. These include visual, physical and auditory exercises. Ideas for taking a class to learn how to play a musical instrument and ideas about moderating negative input help to bring a sense of peace and adventure to your life.

Kimba Arem's music on the CDs is calming and heart healing. The flute music invites you into the exercise sessions and the melodies retune your soul. The sound healing journeys are works of art and include:

Water Way
Spiral Ebb
Aqueous Air
Liquid Reverence
Angels of the Deep
Surfacing and Integration

After first being introduced to Sound Therapy through Dr. Andrew Weil's Sound Body, Sound Mind CD (first listened back in April, 2000) I have been happy to then listen to his Guide to Optimum Health CD set and now enjoy very practical solutions that lead to greater stress reduction.

Dr. Andrew Weil's work is beautifully nurturing and healing. Once you experience his teachings, you may find yourself much healthier, on a path to better health and actually experiencing life in a more positive way in general. I've been to many doctors who have been unable to solve problems I struggled with for years. Dr. Andrew Weil teaches you to care for yourself, he knows what works and I have had great success with all his natural remedies. His most important lesson is teaching us to become more aware through relaxation and in that way we can calmly seek healing solutions while maintaining emotional equilibrium.

~The Rebecca Review
Celebrating six years of listening to Dr. Andrew Weil

 

Sound Body Sound Mind

 

Emotional Healing - Review from April, 2000, April 11, 2006

With pillows surrounding my body and my headphones on, I relaxed as my body drifted into an incredibly deep sleep. Never have I woken and felt quite so healed or refreshed. It was as if my spirit was vibrating at a new level within my body. It is hard to explain unless you have experienced this place of peace. I am an avid promoter of massage and natural healing. This to me is similar to a massage - but is a massage for the soul. As a child my mother often played classical music for me and swears by its calming effect. At college I often attended many concerts and always enjoyed the classical music the most. I recommend the CD version since Dr. Weil speaks for a few minutes and you may not want to listen to this each time. It is easier to forward to the music. Sometimes I do listen to his voice since it is so calming and you cannot learn everything just listening once. I highly recommend this CD if you need physical or emotional healing. He is onto something and I know you will benefit from this relaxing retreat.

~The Rebecca Review

 

The Metabolic Plan

 

=    Grow Younger...

Reviewer: The Rebecca Review from Washington State

"To truly maintain a high quality of life over a long period of time, you have to treat the underlying cause of aging, which is metabolism." ~Stephen Cherniske

Are you frustrated with doctors who only treat your symptoms? Do you want to take more control of your future health?

The Metabolic Plan is an inspiring journey into the world of anti-aging solutions. I read every word in a state of absolute wonder. By the time you finish reading this book, you will understand how your body functions on the cellular level. You will also know the details of glycation and oxidation, understand why free-radical damage contributes to nearly all disease states, and discover the beauty of "clustered water."

Stephen Cherniske is an internationally renowned nutritional biochemist who not only explains aging on the biochemical level, he shows you how to slow and even reverse the process. He shows how the body really works, then he explains anabolic power. Once he has laid out his theory, he proves it with well-organized chapters and convincing arguments. Highly intellectual concepts have been made palatable. I really enjoyed his metaphors, humor, analogies, and how he made the complex understandable.

Stephen Cherniske has not only unlocked the secrets of longevity, he is a living example. He has learned how to stop his body from going into a premature "shut down" sequence. He was born in 1948 although medical testing shows his biological age to be around 35 and he has the same muscle-to-fat ration he did when he graduated from high school.

This is not a "diet" and the author says most diets send your metabolism in the wrong direction. If you are frustrated with diets, this is the healthy and logical alternative. The Metabolic Plan is really a lifestyle. You take stock of your current situation and develop a battle plan to defeat aging. With this plan you can improve your mood, sex drive, stamina, energy level, digestion, muscle mass and skin tone. You will notice a more radiant you in the mirror!

The Chapters Include:

1. Foundations
2. Restoring Your Anabolic Power
3. Putting the Brakes on Catabolic Metabolism
4. Stress and the Aging Process
5. How Good Do You Want to Look and Feel?
6. Illness, Immunity, and Metabolism
7. Energy, Exercise, and Metabolism
8. Optimal Nutrition: Building Blocks of the Metabolic Plan
9. Water: Lifespring of the Metabolic Plan
10. Metabolic Issues for Women and Men
11. Keeping Score, Staying Motivated, and Taking Action – Action steps for ages 35-75 (tests, supplements, exercise, major focus and major concerns)
12. Conclusion: A Question of Balance, the Nature of Time
Resources – lots of websites where you can do additional research.

The Metabolic Plan has been featured in the Oprah magazine, Body & Soul, Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine and Natural Health Magazine. Stephen's articles have also appeared in USA Today, Newsweek and Time. He has appeared on Dateline NBC, FOX News and 48 hours and is widely recognized as a top expert in nutrition.

When I first heard Stephen Cherniske on a radio show, I was instantly intrigued. I knew I wanted to read his book and patiently waited for it to be published. What I didn't realize was how life-changing this information would be.

"You are capable of replacing 300 billion cells every day."

This book presents the most logical and convincing argument for exercising I've ever read. My thought was: "You mean I'm telling my brain I’m older than I am? Wait, I'm going to change the signals I'm sending my brain! Today!" I then went out and bought a pedometer and some suggested supplements and healthy foods, not to mention green barley, aloe juice, milk thistle and melons. There are some delicious foods you can add to your grocery cart and in a few weeks you feel like a different person. Even eating fresh fruits instead of drinking fructose laden drinks helps! I like his ideas about buying whole foods so you don't have to read so many labels!


Which DHEA?

7-Keto DHEA

 

Some of the questions Stephen Cherniske answers:

Is it possible to enjoy "the prime of life stage" until you are 65?
What is 7-Keto? Why should I not take DHEA before 35?
How can I get my doctor involved in my anti-aging journey?
How can I get my body to produce more DHEA and hGH naturally?
How can I enter a more restful level of sleep?
Why should I maintain optimal liver function?
Why is "just" taking a multivitamin similar to tossing a cup of water on a forest fire?

Stephen Cherniske also provides information on tests you can request to show you your biological age. There is also a nice index so you can look up information when you need it fast.

If you have recently had a visceral awakening (Help! I'm aging too fast!) and are nearing 40, "The Metabolic Plan" will give you all the information you need to make your life a more empowered experience. Suddenly, you will realize how much you can do to stay younger longer!

The Metabolic Plan presents a proactive approach. Stephen Cherniske shows how you can restore anabolic metabolism and put the brakes on catabolic activity. You may also want to read: The DHEA Breakthrough and Caffeine Blues.

I'm convinced that this is one of the most important books you will ever read! If you can read this book before you are 40, you will be way ahead of the game! Recommended reading for men and women between 35 and 75 years of age. I just turned 36 and already I've noticed I have more energy in the first month after starting this plan. I'm not even taking the DHEA yet! So, this book is not just about DHEA, it is about healthy life choices and supplements you can take to improve your quality of life.

The Metabolic Plan is the most enlightening book on longevity I've read to date! This is cutting edge information. Highly Recommended.

100 Stars!

 

Herbal Wellness Chart

 

Well-Organized Wellness Chart for Herbal Remedies, June 3, 2006

This chart is perfect as a quick reference guide to natural remedies that address common ailments like depression, coughs, asthma, ear infections, hives, insect bites, stress and insomnia. By placing this chart up on your wall, you can quickly learn which remedies are most effective and there are some surprising items I had never considered.

Like, for insomnia, normally you might consider valerian, but Rooibos tea also promotes sleep and eases inflammation. I was just telling a friend about Hyssop and how it would be good for asthma and here it is listed on this chart. Familiar teas like chamomile have many uses as does goldenseal and olive leaf extract. Catnip is not only for cats, this chart recommends you drink the tea to help you relax.

Please consult with your health care practitioner before using any herbal remedies, especially if you are taking prescription medications or are pregnant. For pregnancy, please see the herbs on the Pregnancy wall chart.

The pictures here don't really do this chart justice. It is a beautiful chart filled with pictures of herbs and the writing is clear, with bold cherry/red names and beautiful fonts and black writing for the descriptions of healing results.

~The Rebecca Review

 

 

 

Home Bookstore Cooking Reviews Site Map