I have learned firsthand how the body can change drastically depending on what it’s given for fuel, and this book is the primary source of that knowledge/experience. One December more than a decade ago, after a twelve-hour drive from Virginia to Alabama, and a steady diet of French fries and cheeseburgers and sodas along the way, I pulled off the highway and into one of Tuscaloosa’s sundry strip malls to buy a book at a mega-bookstore. (Books are — I think I may have mentioned this — a s [...]

When it comes to personal health and wellness, I'm a supporter of integrating both Western and Eastern medicine into my lifestyle. Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard Medical trained physician, and advocate of alternative medicine is a good combination of the two (and forgive my saying this, not too crunchy birkenstock, which is often my worry with seeking alternate remedies for my health issues).In this (not quite diet/ mostly lifestyle) manual for health, Dr. Weil explores the adoption of healthy habit [...]

If you want a book to give you a diet and exercise plan, this in not that book. The author is in to whole foods, natural healing and supplements. He takes a holistic approach to being healthy. I liked the way he presented the information. It was laid out well. I listened to the audio and didn't care for the narrator. I think if the author had narrated his own book, I would have responded to this better in the very beginning. I hate to admit that so much of my mind is made up within the first 20 [...]

Mostly stuff I knew already. Didn't actually do the whole 8 weeks thing (yet) but prefer to understand the recommendations as they fit into life already. I'm learning that I know most of what I need to know and that I do a fair amount of what I should already (while knowing what I need to do more of I'm looking at you, exercise shoes).

الكتاب يعرض نصائحه الصحية في 8 أسابيع.تجد أنه في بداية كل أسبوع(فصل) ينصح بإجراءات و طرق عملية متدرجة للوصول إلى الصحة المثالية ثم يعلق عليها تعليقا يشرح فيه أسباب اختياره لهذه الطرق و كيفية تنفيذها بشكل تفصيلي.الكتاب يتميز بأنه يعرض فكر جديد -بالنسبة لي- فيما يخص الصحة المثا� [...]

I have long admired Dr. Andrew Weil for his honest, down-to-earth philosophy about staying healthy, strong and flexible into old age. He is a big proponent not only of the of the usual advice -nourishing food, exercise, moderation in all things--but also some spiritual and New Age-style approaches to keeping the health and quality in our aging lives. Some of his advice includes: enjoy flowers, art, parks, and music, take a 45-minute walk every day, go on a "news fast" once a week (or choose the [...]

I usually don't get books like this because of their associations with New Age, Boomer-type literature that is all about connecting with the self and so forth, the type of diet plus pseudo-spirituality that really bothers me. Not that I am against spirituality, I just don't like all of this fake spirituality that is meant to comfort people without making them think! Anyhow, back to Weil's book. It really doesn't have any of this New Age propaganda, and I'm thankful for that. Now, I mostly skimme [...]

Most of the advice in this book is standard stuff, eat whole and fresh foods, get enough sleep, find outlets to reduce stress, etc. A few of my favorites included avoiding news for one or more days per week, focus on walking as exercise, and taking naps. Dr. Weil has good suggestions for new habits to incorporate into life.

Eight Weeks to Optimum Health presents a really neat summary of health from what I guess you'd call a holistic or natural perspective. It's a perspective I've not had much exposure to, but came to appreciate through reading this book. Author Dr. Andrew Weil asserts that our bodies were made to be able to heal themselves. Coming from the perspective of believing that humans are created by God, I can really appreciate this acknowledgment. God knew what he was doing when he created our white blood [...]

4.5 stars. Bias alert: I have loved Dr. Weil since 1999 and everything he says makes perfect sense. I continue to refer to his timeless books as I attempt my daily exercise and diet regimen. That's right. I said timeless. No trending fads, lame gimmicks or conceited trickery here. Dr. Weil is considered the leading proponent of integrative medicine and he is so Not-Dr.Oz inspirational. He's been combining traditional medical practices with alternative and herbal remedies and writing about them f [...]

Weil may not be as cutesy as Rachael Ray or as studly as Richard Simmons, but the dude is right on the money for the most part. I've devoured several books by Weil with no indigestion so far, and I've savored every last morsel of his wisdom. Though the "New Age" fluff didn't sit well with me I still found 8 Weeks to be a meal fit for a king: he's realistic, holistic, & correct about what it takes to be what he simply calls "wellness". The program is about a holistic wellness: body, mind, spi [...]

This is a detailed prescriptive book about what to do to potentially optimise your health. Some of the suggestions feel like they need more investigation. I say this not because the recommendations are necessarily dangerous or wrong (unlikely to be, though I can't say for certain) but more because they require quite a lot of effort especially for people with busy full-time jobs and a non-generous budget. Nevertheless, there are some reasonable sounding suggestions and it is a quick read.The book [...]

After hearing about this book for years, and getting more negative health news that I think I should get at this point in my life, I picked up Andrew Weil's book. I finished reading through it in two days, and am looking forward to integrating his recommendations into my lifestyle over the next two months. As a vegan with a regular yoga routine, the changes aren't really all that intimidating and mostly common sense. What I appreciate most in the book is that Dr. Weil has a flexible approach. He [...]

The advice offered by dr. Weil made a lot of sense to me on the paper, but the changes to be made to one's current lifestyle seem too drastic. Moreover, not a lot of data are provided to support such advice, making me think that, once again, we have to just blindly trust the advice of another "guru".

I love how this book starts out with baby steps before it goes to a full-on change. Even if someone were to only make a few small changes, it would be better than nothing. Every little bit helps us to be healthier.

A must read for all, especially those over 40. This is really a book about self-empowerment and leveraging the natural positive effects of the body, mind, spirit, and organic foods (although there are references for supplements that are at least "assisted" by science and man). I read Dr. Weil's Healthy Aging a few weeks ago and loved it. As I looked more into Dr. Weil, his previous books and his website I decided I needed to read this book next. The book is intended to allow anyone to transform [...]

"Read" this originally in 1999 on audio tape, and again about a week ago (2014). As one reviewer noted, it's full of stuff most of us already know: hydrogenated oils are bad, run tap water for a while before drinking (lead in the pipes), omega fatty acids are super good, etc, etc. I guess for me the difference is that he was, in 1997 when the book came out, one of the first and most convincing voices saying this stuff. The gradual and easy to implement plan this book proposes was super easy for [...]

A Mixed BagI got this book from the library to see if I could get some ideas to help with some dietary and lifestyle changes my husband and I were planning. I did get some good ideas here. The book lays out an eight week plan with projects, dietary changes, exercise suggestions, supplements to take, and spiritual/mental assignments. That's followed up by specific instructions for various age levels and health concerns. The information ranges from the expected (eat broccoli and salmon, use olive [...]

I didn't like this book as much as I loved Spontaneous Healing. To be fair, this book is more of an 8-week program than it is an educational book about health. I thought there was some great information in the book, but at the same time, I felt like some of the info and research might be a little outdated. It seemed like there might have been some new research I've read recently that is contrary to some of his advice, but I can't be sure. It would be a great idea to do your own research if you a [...]

I appreciate some of the suggestions, such as visiting the sauna twice a week and make gradual life changes in steps to create lasting habits. This book is a nice introduction to healthy choices, but doesn't go into depth like other books. I already had many of the recommendations in place, but it is a quick read and I had never understood the point of saunas before.I disagree with his controversial recommendation for full vaccination and not only adding fluoride to your diet, but to make sure y [...]

I like the information, but I do not like the formatting of this book. The book goes week by week of the 8 week plan and each week has projects to do like stop using electric blankets or go to a sauna, dietary advice like eat broccoli or soy products, a list of supplements to take, exercise suggestions, mental/spiritual suggestions, commentary, recipes and a healing story. I would have found it easier to navigate if there was a separate list of the supplements and if the recipes were all in one [...]

i actually have a couple of copies of this book ( i pick my favorites up at garage sales etc so i can give them away and spread good reads ha ha) anyway i read this and did the 8 week program when i was in costa rica and then once again a year ago. it was my first real experience with dr. weil and holistic anything for that matter. as you can see from my reviews i was impressed with him (could say i had a little holistic crush ;) and went on to read many many more of his books. this book in part [...]

Read this when it was first published in 1997, and I still eat based on many of the aspects I learned from this book. Dr. Weil was talking about the importance of needing to remove hydrogenated oils from our diet, a good 10-years before it became mainstream for food companies to actually have to label food products. Other than the vitamin aspects of the book ( I don't personally believe in the safety and efficacy of vitamins) it's all very common sense, healthy eating. He changed my eating habit [...]

really a great book. a lot of the stuff is kind of common sense (exercise, less coffee/alcohol, eat vegetables) but there was other helpful information in it. i didn't read it cover to cover but just flipped around. week 1 - buy a house plant, i thought was really interesting others have said, good mix of western vs eastern 'medicine' thing i disagreed with was that meat should be substituted out for soy products. i think most vegen/soy products are all chemicals and unhealthy for you. especiall [...]

In a world of WebMD and Dr. Oz, I love Dr. Weil. He is my health guru. 8 Weeks to Optimum Health is structured in eight segments or a segment per week. But I couldn't wait and decided to read it all at once, then go back and review the different weeks, one at a time. His tips are simple: eat broccoli. This advice is peppered with rich anecdotes coupled with medical and spiritual evidence. I love that I can experience his expertise and influence each time I eat at my favorite place, True Food.

Oh man - if ever there's a book that doesn't leave my mind - it's this one. I was 4 weeks into this 8 week plan, when I felt ALIVE for the first time in my life! It gets fairly intensive after that, with some things I just wasn't ready to change, plus - I already felt wonderful! It takes a bit of autonomy to be this way - you can't be as "open" to all foods. but I often find myself remembering how I felt, and wanting to go back to the store and buy another copy. and begin this process again. Ama [...]

The key take-away may be that small, healthy changes add up over time to achieve overall-health. A common insight that is commonly dismissed. Just walk for 5 minutes this week. Well, I can do that. Incorporate a fresh vegetable or fruit into one meal a day. No problem. Bring home some flowers to add some beauty into your life. Done. Use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter when cooking.That's easy, I don't use butter much anyway. The book offers a helpful way to keep on track just long enoug [...]

This was probably a good book when it was published, but now it is a bit dated. He recommends taking huge doses of antioxidants, but that is no longer recommended, as it has been shown to have a net negative effect on the body. For example, he recommends taking 3000 to 6000 mg of vitamin C a day, while the current maximum is considered to be about 2500 mg (or maybe 2000). That not to say some of his advice isn't good, but it's stuff you probably already know. Like, eating organic is better for y [...]

الكتاب ده جميل شوية نصايح لحياة صحية شاملة بتبدأ من تمارين التنفس الى لسة بحاول اتعلمها إضافة الأكل المفيد للنظام الغذائى ومنها البروكلى والثوم ومضادات الأكسدة وزيت الزيتون طبعا والإستغناء عن البروتين الحيوانى وإضافة السمك والسلمون أسبوعيا .المكملات الغذائية وتجربة السا� [...]

This book is 10 years old and there are a few things in it that I think are a little dated but for the most part this book has a lot of good recommendation on how to live your life healthier. I found most of his recommendations fairly easy and I feel like I learned a lot about how to stay healthy. It you're interested in building your immune system up so that you can avoid diseases such as cancer then this book is a good read.