As Hippocrates said, "Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can heal the patient with food." Seems people didn't listen to him, because as the U.S. Surgeon General said more than 2,000 years after him, "Two-thirds of all deaths in 1997 in this country could be attributed to diet." They'd both likely advocate the information contained in Prescription for Dietary Wellness, a massive reference aimed at preventing and treating disease through diet. The Balchs, authors of the 3-million-plus bestseller Prescription for Nutritional Healing, which focuses mainly on supplements and herbs, have created another masterpiece. This book gives a solid education in nutrition basics, with references to the latest research. It also includes flavorful, antioxidant-packed recipes, and adds advice that has been proven effective for treating various ailments using specific foods and supplements. The book also includes:

• Charts with warning signs of disease and nutrient deficiency, along with guidelines to help start the healing process
• Charts that detail the nutrient needs of various organs, and which foods best supply the nutrients
• Lengthy chapters on specific categories of foods, such as beans, cruciferous vegetables, oils, and grains, explaining how best to cook them and the health benefits they confer
• More than 100 pages of quick, healthy, mostly low-fat recipes designed to pack the most nutritional punch for the calories

Like its companion books--the number-one bestselling Prescription for Nutritional Healing and the newer Prescription for Herbal Healing--Prescription for Dietary Wellness offers authoritative information that is research-based and clearly written, making it easy for the reader to quickly find the subjects in which he or she is interested and to incorporate the dietary recommendations into his or her daily life.

Updates in this second edition include:
* phytochemicals and antioxidants
* foods that boost immunity
* how to choose the most nutritious foods
* "standout" healing foods
* how to design a diet for your individual optimal health, taking into account special dietary needs such as those of women, children, vegetarians, and others
* food combining
* diet-based healing techniques such as juicing, fasting, and detoxifying
* how to avoid potential dietary dangers, including threats to water safety, foodborne diseases, food additives, food irradiation, antibiotics, genetically engineered foods, and undesirable substances such as caffeine, cholesterol, and sugar.

While not a cookbook, Prescription for Dietary Wellness also includes a number of easy, wholesome recipes and advice on cooking methods. It is a complete, practical guide to eating for good health.

I have searched long and hard for a reference book and this was a let down. I felt the content was mediocre at best and the details behind their "research" and claims were missing. I found a better resource on Inner Health that was very impressive at librarydepot.com It contained a Nutrition Benefits Chart that is unlike anything on the market.

I was greatly impressed with "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" and when buying this book had that in mind. Both Ms. Balch and Dr. Balch (husband?) produced a very informative work with that title and I'm very thankful for it, regardless of my thoughts toward "...Dietary Wellness".

I picked up a copy of this book today and have been reading it. I was struck by the counsel for total avoidance Ms. Balch gave to all forms of Capsicum (pepper), and the advice that one should avoid both black and white pepper, as well as rice.

I found no remarks as to why this should be the case (which would seem a no-brainer considering the obvious health benefits of Capsicum, assorted Piperaceae and rice in ones diet). 'Leaves me somewhat mystified.

This book should be an intregal part of anyone's library, because it is full of information for every being's (including pets) health. The information is vital for one's wellness.

I fond the information in Balch's book empowering. I try to eat a
balanced diet, but I can tell my body isn't getting "enough"
. Her book, although poorly organized in places, gave me the
knowledge about which vitamins, minerals and supplements would be best
for me to add to my diet in order to give it "enough"....

I have both this book and the other(Pres. for Nutritional Healing). I have found this book to be a great resource. I recommend it to all my friends and family whom I am trying to turn on to nutrition. It is a great "starter book" for people just into diet and nutrition and want to be educated about the things they put into their bodies. It is very informative and an easy read. It is a must for everybody out there wanting to learn about food, their bodies, and how they interact. A wonderful book.