Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Innovative, comprehensive, succinct, referenced & enjoyable!, 27 April 2001
By A Customer
"Health Defence" is the first book that I have read cover-to-cover this year, and it was well worth the time and effort. Not since the publication of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing " by Balch and Balch has there been such a competent treatment of the relationship between nutrition and health. Although the two books overlap somewhat in their respective contents, the Balch work is a reference text, while Paul Clayton has written an instructional book to the broad public. It is the perfect introduction for those who know little about this topic, but want to learn from a source that is clearly written and "user friendly", yet scientifically rigorous.A few areas of this work could use a closer look. There is a bit too much repetition of information, although this may be an educational technique or an outgrowth of the author's wish for a degree of autonomy for each chapter. I was put-off by recommendations for the consumption of coffee, chocolate and red wine. There is room for debate on certain technical issues, but these quibbles do not affect the validity of the themes presented. For the next edition, I would recommend better proof-reading and Dr. Clayton's promised expansion upon additional subject matter (e.g., amino acids). Recommendations for specific suppliment producers would also be of help. On balance, this is a remarkably good effort by an insightful scientist. If you have any interest in nutrition and its implications for longevity and quality of life, I would heartily recommend this book.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Invaluable and Impressive, 29 Jul 2004
I reviewed the first edition of this book for Amazon, and now return to review the second edition, because I am even more impressed than I was last time! Often, buying a second edition is simply buying a few new decorations but you could cope as well with the first edition. Not in this case... It is genuinely an improved new formulation!!! This revised edition has maintained all the accessibility of the first edition with updated information and reflections on chapters in that first edition (see for instance the new chapter 10 on Co-enzyme Q10 and this time, L-carnitine) PLUS an invaluable new chapter on asthma and two new appendices, on anti-oxidants in dietary plants and the glycemic index. For anyone who has not read the 2001 edition this represents one of the most impressively sensible and informative texts on the market. For those who have read edition one - go out and buy this one too because it is not a question of a few additions here and there but a sophisticated and thoughtful revisiting of the subject so you do not find yourself just going over old ground, but finding the text entirely rewritten in key sections to reflect the advances in scientific knowledge in key areas. This represents what scientists should be doing - making cutting edge science (in this case in the area of nutrition and lifestyle) accessible to the general reader, by respecting their intelligence and capacity to be interested in ways of improving their health and happiness in daily life without dumbing down. It shows that serious science CAN be presented in an engagingly readable form without sacrificing its intellectual credibility. Read it to get information on particular health issues of concern to you, or read it to get information on the state of nutritional science as it currently stands. Either way, though - go buy and read it! You won't regret it....
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book will change your eating habits forever!, 16 Mar 2001
By A Customer
HEALTH DEFENCE contains everything you need to know about healthy long living and, more importantly, how to achieve it . The refreshing difference with this book is it is positive in its help and advice.Major killer diseases - such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimers - can be fought by adopting sensible and healthy eating habits. Health Defence is an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand book - its ideas are easy to incorporate into your life. The advice is sound, made a lot of sense to me. As a (at present) smoker and drinker, this thought-provoking book has made me SERIOUSLY re-consider my lifestyle. To me, the piece that hits home is the Lifeline chart, this tells you how a good (but not boring) lifestyle can add years to your life and, therefore, the reverse is true with your bad habits. The good side not only includes the obvious, such as, a healthy diet with the correct nutrients, but also, yes, you can have small amounts of alcohol (especially red wine), a good social life is also helpful as is a (safe) active sex life! Not the typical advice I would expect ! The Health Defence IS a serious book BUT it is very user-friendly with tit-bits of advice on every page so you can 'dip' in and out of it.
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