Book Review

Eating For Beauty
By David Wolfe
Review by Laura Bruno

Don't let the title fool you—Eating for Beauty runs more than skin deep! For years, I've toyed with the idea of buying this book. The title intrigued me, but it also remained outside my category of "must-have books." Beauty doesn't rank up there with, say, health. Or does it?

Raw food guru David "Avocado" Wolfe explains how physical beauty reflects the health of our inner organs. The idea that our skin reveals the condition of our colon is not exactly news, but David goes beyond theories and tells us why. He explains absorption, acid-alkaline balance, and free radicals in understandable terms. He then identifies certain "beauty minerals," what they do, and why people tend to run low on them.

A list of the most beautifying foods includes more than superficial descriptions of anti-oxidants. David also cites chemical analyses, including which elements appear most strongly in any given item. Where not obvious, he suggests ways of eating these beauty foods, and sometimes he offers delightful historical uses. I find the book a valuable aid to share with students since it gives people an understanding of the "why." The scientific, methodical approach, coupled with lovely Kirlian photography, helps readers to reach his conclusions with ease.

Besides theory and practical advice, David offers recipes and supplements. Yes, you can buy most things from his websites, and yes, that can get annoying in some books that read more like extensive product catalogs. Eating for Beauty provides so much background, though, that it leaves readers convinced of the value of those products.

Because David gives tips for inviting beauty into our lives on all levels, the book provides far more than a 186-page sales pitch. He talks about:

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Breathing, yoga, and laughter.
The ancient Greeks' connection of physical and spiritual beauty.
The healing powers of organic produce items available at most grocery stores.
How to use grapefruit to get rid of cellulite.
How to produce more hydrochloric acid for better digestion.
Fresh juices to banish dark circles or improve the singing voice.

I found this book a surprisingly fun and informative read, and it has already become a much-used reference book. Even if you think you're looking for "more than beauty," give this book a chance. With its encyclopedic scope, you're sure to find something of lasting value.

Laura Bruno is an Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher who wrote The Lazy Raw Foodist's Guide: www.lazyrawfoodist.com and If I Only Had a Brain Injury. Please stay tuned for her first novel, which features some vegan and raw foodist characters! http://laurabruno.wordpress.com.

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