Readers Preference Reviews

Throughout "Essential Musical Intelligence" author Louise Montello builds her case that we are all connected to music when we come into this world and it is through losing that connection that we become ill and disconnected to our spiritual self. Reestablishing that connection can be a source of wholeness and health.

The title says it all with "The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan". With many Tai Chi Chuan books just detailing the sequence of one particular form, it is refreshing to find one that details the history, philosophies, various styles, and spiritual development. Author Wong Kiew Kit, a Grandmaster living in Malaysia, does a thorough job of describing and detailing the various styles. This is the first Tai Chi Chuan book that I have read that covered more than one or two styles in detail.

More than just a collection of the movements for various forms of Taijiquan, this book includes the theories and principles of Taiji from both Eastern and Western perspectives. The author examines the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of the art to bring the reader a deeper appreciation of what it is and is not. It even includes one of the best sections I have ever seen on what to look for in a good teacher. With the popularity of Taiji there has been a flood of teachers, some of whom know little about the art other then one of the standard forms.

After finally finding relief from her own digestion problems, author Ellen W. Cutler has become a world-recognized champion of enzyme therapy. Now with over 25 years of experience she brings her knowledge to the public in Micro Miracles. She builds a strong and very interesting case for enzyme supplementation both to resolve specific problems and to enhance other vitamin and mineral supplementation.

Diets don't work for you? Maybe what you need to do is detoxify your body, not only for weight loss but also for optimal health. That is where this book comes in handy. The first part examines why there is a problem with the American diet and why detoxification is the answer to that problem. The second part then details the detoxification plan. The plan is thorough and includes dealing with sweets, caffeine, fat, and carbohydrates. The third and final part contains recipes and resources for detoxification.

This is one of the better books on detoxification. Most others give various recipes and regimens to accomplish some form of detoxification without providing sufficient background information to understand how it is supposed to work and why. The author of this book starts with why you should detoxify, the five principles of balanced health, and the seven most important steps. People are much more likely to follow through when they know what to expect and understand why they are doing it.

A basic guide to using herbs for health purposes, this book contains many easy to make recipes for specific problems. The various body systems covered include intestinal, digestive, respiratory, urinary, reproductive, nervous, lymph, and the immune system. The author discusses each system, common problems and herbal recipes that can be used to treat various problems. A particularly interesting Appendix includes information on how to use herbs commonly found in most kitchens to benefit your health.