Editorial Review :

Homestyle favorites brought back in healthful and tasty versions for you to enjoy

Every meal of the day is covered, including recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes, main courses, and desserts. You can choose from more than 250 fast and simple-tomake, low-fat recipes with old-fashioned good taste.

Customer Review :

Most Recipes in This Book Are Too High in Carbohydrates

I received this book for Christmas and it a major disappointment. I am a diabetic and very concerned about carbohydrates and associated glucose. This book strives to make every recipe as low-fat as possible, which is good as far as trying to reduce calories and aid weight loss; however, if you are diabetic and concerned with carbohydrates and glucose, it can do more harm than good. The majority of the recipes are laden with high carbohydrates such as bread crumbs, rice, potatoes, high-sugar fruits, and other items. Of the over 250 recipes, there are only 51 that I would even consider for my own use. The others are so outrageously high in carbohydrates that they could possible harm someone. The sad part is that since this book is by the American Diabetes Association, some people will think they can use any recipe in this book and be OK. In this day and age it is unconscionable not to take the total carbohydrate grams of a serving into account when compiling such a book. In my opinion, only one-fifth of the book is of value in that respect, and the other recipes could result in hyperglycemic conditions and should not be used.


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Easy and familiar recipes

I am pre-diabetic. That means my blood sugar lab result is close to full-blown diabetes. I'm trying to avoid the full-blown. So, I bought this book. I'm so glad I found it! I love the familiar, homestyle recipes. I haven't yet tried fructose, an ingredient used. But Splenda has a 50/50 product, half sugar-half Splenda that I'm using. There is a wonderful lowfat, low sugar recipe for scones. Helpful black and white photographs are included. The print is large. Each recipe only takes up one page. There are no extraneous health tips which I don't need in a cookbook. The recipes are mouth watering. I highly recommend this book! I just hope it never goes out of print.

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A culinary wealth of delicious dishes

One of the most appreciated aspects of the American Diabetes Association is the publishing of cookbooks specifically designed for the needs of diabetics and pre-diabetics who must transition from unhealthy diets to healthy ones. Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook" continues their outstanding series of culinary compendiums by showcasing more than two hundred delicious, low-fat recipes that are thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in their preparation (especially when under time constraints for today's busy schedules) while highlighting 'old-fashioned good taste'. Ranging from English Beef Stew; Linguine with Garlic Broccoli Sauce; and Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders; to Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce; Artichokes Parmesan; and Griddle Corn Cakes, "The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook" is an enthusiastically recommended compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, diabetes compatible dishes. Another also very highly recommended additions to diabetic friendly cookbook collections from the American Diabetes Association is their new edition of "One Pot Meals For People With Diabetes (9781580402637, $14.95) presenting more than 125 quick and easy recipes for soups, stews, casseroles, and more. Also not to be overlooked in a newly expanded second addition is the American Diabetes Association's "Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes For One" (9781580402644, $14.95) which in addition to a culinary wealth of delicious dishes, includes helpful tips on meal planning, shopping, food preparation, and food storage for diabetics living on their own.

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Delicious and Nutritious

My husband was told he's prediabetic and needed to get his house in order so to speak. I checked this book out from the library along with several others and this is the one I'm buying. All the recipes are tasty and low in fat. They seem to balance the carbs and the protein so I don't have to worry about that aspect of cooking. I'm amazed at the things I can cook that I would normally think are verboten to someone watching calories. The mac and cheese was as good as full fat versious I've had. We've also tried the Spicy Gumbo and thought it was very tasty and all the recipes are quick with not too much preparation. I noted that one review said there were too many carbs, my husband is supposed to eat between 25 and 40 per meal so for us this was perfect.

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Editorial Review :

"Insightful and filled with verve...electrifying."—Wall Street Journal

Hailed as "an astute book of enormous importance" (Sherwin Nuland), The Surgeons follows the team at one of the world's premier cardiac surgery and transplant centers. Given unprecedented access, Charles R. Morris recounts in thrilling detail a late-night against-the-clock "harvest run" to secure a precious transplantable organ, the heartbreaking story of a child's failed transplant, and more. Along the way, Morris reflects on how doctors really think, rising health care costs, and the future of health care in America.

Customer Review :

"The Surgeons" from a patient's perspective

With amazing detail, "The Surgeons: Life and Death in a Top Heart Center" provides a view of many behind-the-scene challenges of modern cardiac surgery. I spent four days as a patient in the cardiac unit at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital while author Charles Morris shadowed surgeons "unrestricted" in the same unit for an entire year.

It is quite fascinating to read what doctors are thinking, feeling and doing while life is literally in their hands. Cardiac surgery is one of the few procedures in which, at every moment, "the patient is at risk of sudden death." As a result of many long years of medical training and incredible sacrifice, cardiothoracic surgeons provide their patients the gift we all crave, longevity and quality of life.

Charles Morris writes a fascinating description of what happens once a heart patient is anesthetized on the operating table. Prep work takes about an hour. The patient is "shaved, and painted almost head to toe with bright red antiseptic; various monitoring leads and hookups are affixed around the body, breathing and imaging tubes pushed down the throat, a flow monitoring catheter is threaded through the jugular vein" into the heart, and a urinary catheter into the bladder. The patient is wrapped with yards and yards of sterile tape and gauze and "eyes are taped shut."

When Columbia-Presbyterian heart surgeon Craig Smith, MD recently opened my chest, the mitral and aortic valves were beyond repair with healed endocarditis and a worn out aortic root. In 8.5 hours of surgery, Dr. Smith skillfully removed scar tissue and replaced both valves with bovine (cow) tissue and the aorta with a 28mm graft.

Although many of the more difficult cases are sent to Columbia-Presbyterian, heart valve surgery is considered "relatively routine." Craig Smith performs about 350 heart operations a year and heads up the largest heart transplant center in the country.

Congratulations to Charles Morris for his eloquence, as he provides heart patients and the public a greater understanding and cardiothoracic surgeons and the medical community a voice.


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Well written ER drama and primer on the business of surgery

"The Surgeons" is an interesting read for the ER-Grey's Anatomy drama crowd, but its real value is in the clearheaded analysis of the business model of surgery, drugs, and product placement. A star off for Morris' incomplete but interesting examination of reforming health care economics leaves this at 4 stars.

As one of the few financial writers with a finance background, reformed investment banker-turned-writer Charles R. Morris tends to "get it" in fundamentally understanding both classic liberal economic history and theory - think writing like the Economist, but more in-depth and with a better grasp of both the bigger picture, microeconomics, and especially history. Having previously defended growth in the health care system as fundamentally acceptable, Morris put his money where his mouth was and spent a year shadowing surgeons in cardiac care, not coincidentally one of the highest growth sectors within the industry.

Morris spends the first half of the book largely explaining what the superstars of the "business" actually do, and the cases are gripping enough to satisfy those who want medical drama. These are extraordinarily well-compensated but extraordinarily talented artists whose skills are essentially irreplaceable. More valuable but less entertaining is his business analysis.

The run-of-the-mill heart surgeon is in the process of having his bread and butter procedure be replaced by stents (delivered by interventional cardiologists), and the industry is starting to really focus on the highest margin product rather than the best return on investment. More widely, while out-of-control spending for new procedures and new drugs careen is a major problem, the defacto solution of the insurance companies deciding which ones get adopted isn't good for any of the stakeholders, including the insurers themselves. Finally, while Morris goes after big pharma and device companies for their role in this, he balances it out with a fascinating behind the scenes look at a drug that got a lot of negative press - but that doctors still wanted to use.

A star off, however, as Morris' chapter on what could be done on health care economics on a macro level is quite disappointing given his solid look at the drivers of them; he provides some bullet point solutions but doesn't explain why they'd work. Still, very much worth a read. 4 stars.

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The Surgeons is a fascinating read!

The Surgeons is an intriguing glimpse into the lives and work of the heart surgeons at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the world's top cardiac surgery centers.

Author Charles Morris provides an intimate look at the work of these virtuosos who hold lives in their hands every day. We get to know such artisans as Craig Smith, head of cardiothoracic surgery, who is well-known for doing the quadruple bypass on former President Bill Clinton; Eric Rose, a cardiothoracic surgeon and chairman of the Department of Surgery; Mehmet Oz, senior adult cardiac surgeon, well-known author of three New York Times best-sellers, and regular contributor on Oprah; and many others, whose names will be better known as a result of this book.

From his unparalleled access to attend surgeries and meetings, Morris gives us an incredibly insightful view into how these surgeons think. It's a real-world, insider's look at the people, problems, and politics in a major hospital. As an example, he explores the politics between the surgeons and the interventional cardiologists, and talks about how their disciplines are converging.

The book tackles a variety of topics, from how the heart works and the history of heart surgery to health care policy and directions for high tech medicine. It even explores the innovative new business models pursued by Columbia-Presbyterian. An intriguing bit of trivia that Morris reveals is that Thomas J. Watson, former chairman of IBM, made a personal project of financing and developing the heart-lung bypass machine, which is still used today in many open-heart surgeries.

Morris excels at sharing the stories of surgeries and the patients benefiting from them. We get an intimate look at patients that made it and those that didn't. We experience the heart-rending story of four-year old Erika Maynard and her family, a story sure to tear at your heart strings. We get to go with him on a heart transplant run to secure a heart, and then see it transplanted. Morris' writing is so visual, and the stories so real and vivid, that you actually see and feel them.

The Surgeons is a fascinating read!

Mellanie True Hills
American Foundation for Women's Health and www.StopAfib.org
Author, A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life


Rating :

My heart be still ... AND healthy!!!!

Author Charles Morris offers insightful profiles of top cardiac surgeons at a New York area medical center. One gets a sense of the incredible training and sacrifice that goes into being one of these medical virtuosos, who literally hold the lives of patients in their skilled hands.

Morris also provides an interesting discussion of health care economics, making predictions on how America may attempt to address the healthcare crisis what with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation.

Morris' admiration for the surgeons profiled often leaves him awestruck, with a tendency to deify these practitioners. Rolled out as the proverbial whipping boys are the Bad Guys of Big Pharma and Medical Device Companies. The critique tends to obscure the fact that doctors are somewhat willing participants in the promotional schemes used by such firms, but they escape much of the venom that Morris reserves for health care businesses.

"The Surgeons" is an enlightening and thought-provoking book on specialists that you hope you'll never have to see. Take care of your ticker!!


Rating :

As a heart patient, I was fascinated!

This is a fascinating book, whether one is a heart patient oneself or not. The hospital in discussion is Columbia-Presbyterian in New York. Morris "embedded" himself there, staying in the cardiac area, attending surgeries sitting in the back near the nurses, attended staff meetings, all that stuff. He opens with a little history of heart surgery and an typical patient. Incidentally, although this is written for a popular audience, he does assume some slight knowledge on the part of the reader - for example, he doesn't stop to define "comorbidity" as in "Like many heart patients, Goldfarb suffers from a variety of comorbidities..." He describes how doctors and nurses "suit up" and create a "sterile field" around the patients, and then pretty much cut-for-cut describes Mr. Goldfarb's heart valve replacement.

He describes the different specializations within cardio-thoracic surgery: it's not just "heart surgeons" in general. There's the bypass specialists, the anesthesiologists, the pacemaker-and-defibrillator surgeons (he doesn't mention it, but in my experience they are usually called electrophysiologists, or EPs), the pediatric specialists.

Of particular interest: the difference between those surgeries in which the patient is put on a heart pump, and "off-pump" surgeries. The various range of outcomes of transplants. He describes a failed pediatric transplant - the patient dies. No avoiding the tough issues. The whole way the transplant process works - he goes along with a "harvest" team to get the heart from a donor, and talks about teams from other hospitals there to harvest other organs from the same donor, and what it's like to have several different teams working on one body.

Of interest to heart failure patients (of which, I am one) would be the discussion of the LVAD, and also the chapter on the development of "cath labs" used by cardiologists, which is something different from cardiac surgeons (if you've had an angiogram, you've been in a "cath lab.")

And there's a big section on "The Problem With Drug Companies" and another on how to determine "best practices" as well as some controversial issues about evaluating different studies on various practices and on rating the hospitals. If you are interested in how statistics are used, and how meta-studies that evaluate the combined results of numerous previous studies can be "gamed" to produce varying results, you'll find this section as interesting as I did. Research studies play a huge part in how the patients get treated, and it's quite useful to know that there are studies, and then there are *studies*.

It's a fascinating book - this barely begins to describe it. He's a good writer, and the book moves right along; we get to know the doctors and nurses as people. He has editorial comment as well as just description of what's going on, and it's useful input for anyone who is following the US's continuing struggle over how we provide health care and to whom.

Interestingly, I also happened, quite accidentally, to recently re-read Lewis Thomas' "The Youngest Science: Notes of a Medicine-Watcher" - which was written about 25 years ago - and it was interesting to compare his descriptions of medical practices and hospital routines from the 1930's and 1950's to Morris's of half a century later. You might find the same pairing of readings equally interesting.

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Editorial Review :

Customer Review :

For those who eat mostly processed and fast foods

I was disappointed in this book, hoping for something to help my wife who is on Prozac for waking her brain up as she is recovering from a major hemmorhaggic stroke. This book is good for people who don't realize how profoundly their diet effects all aspects of their health. But there are no "secrets" revealed, and no magic relief for my wife.

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A lifesaver for me!

I had suffered from depression for more than 25 years, off and on, and finally I was put on anti-depressants. I hated the side effects and eventually had to quit the meds. I came across this book, just a small mass produced paperback book and the information, although simple has changed my life. I no longer have mood swings, dark brooding periods or headaches. The author takes a lot of time to explain the physiology behind it all. If the science is too much for the reader than he/she can just get to the nitty gritty of it all. The method she proposes is simple for anyone to follow. My husband was very skeptical about a book changing one's life but I had no choice but to give a chance. I'm forever grateful to the author for writing this book. My family has a wife and mother now who isn't a Jekyll and Hyde show.

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One of the Best Books of Its Kind

The scientific explanations are crystal clear, the advice thoughtful and lucid, and the writing exemplary. This is an excellent book about the mysterious chemistry of the brain and how naturally to enhance your levels of serotonin.

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This book changed my life

Reading this book really helped me understand how important serotonin is in maintaining a happy, healthy attitude toward life. It is written very well for regular people like to to understand. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to help themselves, for a better attitude, helping maintain weight and any pain issues.

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Praise from "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" Author

Congrats on a good review of this neurotransmitter that is so key in so much of how we behave, and which can be influenced by so many things around us. Nice focus. Recommend "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" for a general view of all things that affect the brain and behavior...Kenneth Giuffre MD

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Editorial Review :

"Practical and on-target advice."-Marion J. Franz, M.S., R.D., C.D.E."Practical nutrition information with powerful health implications. . . . Carolyn Leontos takes readers by the hand and leads them step by step toward the goal of good blood glucose control."-Patti Geil, M.S., R.D., F.A.D.A., C.D.E. From the moment you or a loved one is diagnosed with diabetes, immediate changes must be incorporated into your diet because what you eat-and how you prepare what you eat-has a great impact on the progression of the disease. What to Eat When You Get Diabetes begins from that very first moment of diagnosis, acquainting you with the types of foods and meal plans ideal for people with diabetes. But as Carolyn Leontos explains, you don't have to give up your favorite foods to control-or prevent-diabetes. In this practical and reassuring resource, Leontos shows you that a diet for people with diabetes can be filled with satisfying, delicious dishes. Drawing on her extensive experience as a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, she combines satisfying menu suggestions, sample meal plans and recipes, and ideas on how to modify your favorite recipes with the personal stories of people living healthily with diabetes. She also addresses such confusing issues as weight loss, meal plans, calories, portion sizes, eating in restaurants, vitamins, and effectively balancing food and medication. You will discover:
* Why you don't have to give up your favorite foods
* The truth about saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats-and trans fatty acids
* What constitutes a balanced meal
* What to order in restaurants
* Why fat is important-and why you shouldn't eliminate it from your diet


What to Eat When You Get Diabetes takes the mystery out of good nutrition-and shows you how healthy eating can help you achieve lifelong wellness.

Customer Review :

No gloom and doom here!

As a recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetic, I am looking for lots of information on how to manage the disease in a healthy, positive manner. This book has really helped me. Author Leontos clearly explains the challenges in store but emphasizes positive ways to react. I particularly like her information on modifying recipes. This book is a real bargain for all the help you get!

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Not just for the newly diagnosed

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes nearly 10 years ago. And I found this book very useful and practical. Medical understanding of diabetes is always changing, and this book is a good update for me on the nutritional end. It's even helped me win a couple of arguments with a nurse who is "close" to me, but hasn't studied diabetes since nursing school! Excellent value, and I've recommended it to the nutritionist with whom I work.

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Practical Plan for Diabetics and Overweights

This small book serves the average person whether diabetic or one who needs to shed pounds. It is very easy to read with many suggestions to modify recipes. Sometimes humorous, always practical and down to earth, it's helpful to all readers. The book is a guide to changing your eating life style without giving up your favorite foods. Whether your tastes are simple or gourmet, suggestions are given to change your eating habits. Enjoyable reading.

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Voice Of Reason And Hope

Whether you've just been told you have diabetes or have lived with it for years, there is something for you here. The writing style is easy to understand, and the ideas are reasonable and practical. There is a lot of good information here, and it is presented in a style that felt like I was connecting with a person, a friendly dietician who understood my confusion and frustration. The author recognizes the fact that people will need time to make changes and helps diabetics find a food plan that they can use with the whole family without agonized screams about serving cottage cheese and carrot sticks for dinner. :) I've bought other books that are either too academic or have meal suggestions that I'd never use. After using some of the ideas in this book, I was able to get my glucose levels into the normal range without too much trouble or eating food I don't like. I also lost 15 pounds to boot without really trying. :)

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Editorial Review :

Did you know that blueberries can increase brain longevity? That kiwi fruit can be an excellent weapon for battling cancer and heart disease? That pears can help prevent fibroid tumors?

From Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, the bestselling author of Meditation as Medicine, comes a remarkable book that helps you achieve maximum health by eating well. Grounded in science, Food as Medicine is a pragmatic and accessible reference that sets readers on the right nutritional path. Dr. Khalsa then explains how to use natural organic juices and foods as medicine, and how food can help reverse the progress or diminish the symptoms of certain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Hepatitis C.

Drawing on patient case histories, Food as Medicine outlines the seven principles of "The Khalsa Plan" for healthy eating, details ailment-specific nutritional plans, and lays out dozens of delicious recipes that promote overall well-being. After all, food is not only the original medicine -- it's the best medicine.

Customer Review :

Excellent book. Not just for yogis! Eat well. Live long.

This is a an excellent, informative book about the importance of food for a healthy body. Written by a doctor and kundalini yoga practitioner. Backed by legitimate research and self discovery. Delicious recipes in every chapter. This book is not just for yogis, but for anybody interested in a long, healthy life. NO scam diets. No false promises. Just the facts. The book will open your eyes to the importance of using food as medicine. Read and eat well!

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Food is the original and Best Medicine

This book is an excellent informative book, on how to use food, diet and herbs to get well. Unfortunately in the United States we seem to be lacking in the food education department. With the simplistic, dated food guide pyramid that many of us base "healthy" eating choices on, we still don't know what to eat, to keep us feeling well, and healthy. For example a "grain is a grain" at the base of the pyramid, our starting point, gives us so little information to keep us healthy. Is eating a piece of chemical ladden, processed fluffy white bread the same as eating a piece of luscious, rich whole grain pure bread? According to our Food Guide pyramid it is.
Dr. Khalsa helps us get back to the basics of nutrition. It was such an interesting book to read. He made it simple for someone like me who doesn't like veggies that much. He gives excellent statistics, and recipes. Later in the book he gives specific nutrient and food information, as well as suggestions for herb use in specific diagnosis related illnesses. He has chapters on gender specific nutrition, and some excellent Resource ideas in the back of the book. It is worth it!

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helpful resource for all health issues

Recently, I was diagnosed with renal failure. Immediately after the diagnosis I began a search for cook books and other helpful resources on kidney-friendly diets. I read the section of this book that was on kidney disease and kidney health and fell in love with it immediately. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who wants to make a change in their life.

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Motivation to eat healthy!

"Your body has the ability to heal itself if you just give it a chance. Using food as medicine gives [you] the greatest chance of all to heal....What you eat can either prevent cancer and other chronic illnesses or help cause them....My number one recommendation is to eat a rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables every day." Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.

FOOD AS MEDICINE is a must-read for all, particularly those who dislike fruits and/or vegetables but want to be healthy and prevent diseases because the doctor explains clearly and succinctly what each food can do for your body. He also has a chapter about each common illness and what he recommends eating to overcome the illness. He reminds us that by cutting down on total calories consumed while eating nutritionally dense food, we can increase our life span by as much as thirty percent.
Dr. Khalsa writes a chapter about each of his seven principles of yoga nutritional therapy to help you restore balance to your body, mind and soul. They are:
1 Detoxify your body. (If fasting isn't for you, you can take two 450 mg aloe vera tablets at night or go on a monodiet.)
2 Go organic. ("The switch to organic food is vital if we are to save our environment.")
3 Limit or eliminate genetically engineered foods. (Examples include: aspartame, canola, corn, cotton, crook-necked yellow squash, dairy products, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, and tomatoes.)
4 Eat clean protein. (Buffalo, rabbit, ostrich, and venison are some non-traditional sources. I personally enjoy the latter very much. Choose chicken and fish--preferably wild salmon or other oily fish. Shark, swordfish and tuna also have potential problems with contamination--mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic. Also soy protein and definitely beans and legumes are great--they have almost no fat and are rich in fiber and good carbohydrates.)
5 Discover juicing and supplements. (I don't do this one because there is more fiber in the fruit than the juice and that is good if you want to avoid getting type 2 diabetes down the road.)
6 Cook consciously and eat mindfully. (Chew slowly, savor your food, sit down and relax and "remember that everything we eat comes from God, as do our health and healing.")
7 Make the transition to the yoga nutritional therapy diet. ("By following a plant-based diet, you will find that you have improved focus and higher productivity in your daily life.")

My favorite part is the valuable information about each food (chapter 5) as well as the anti-aging in chapter 18. I've eaten blueberries every day since I've read this book because "blueberrries contain the highest antioxidant capability...comes from a class of flavonoids called anthocyanins...blueberries protect against brain aging, heart disease and cancer. The most astounding aspect of research on blueberries has been in the area of brain longevity."

Soar into healthy eating! Just adding one fruit or vegetable a day is a good habit to start. Do it!

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My new nutritional bible

This is a tremendously helpful book. The author is a physician who's also a believer in the spiritual aspects of health and nutrition. As a result, the book is as practical and grounded in science as you'd expect from an M.D., while providing an enlightened underpinning for what he teaches. Best of all, you can just look up what ails you, or what part of your physiological being could be improved, and find exactly which foods to eat to treat yourself well. Even if you don't buy the spiritual stuff, the nutritional advice is flawless and easy to use. This book goes on the shelf right next to Dr. Andrew Weil. I recommend it that highly.

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