Artemis P. Simopoulos | Jo Robinson
1 A delicious way to lower your cholesterol and live longer!
I lowered my cholesterol by almost 30 points in just one month by following the dietary guidelines set forth in this informative book! This book is well-written, using scientific data to back up its claims. Plus the recipes are easy to make, using easy-to-find ingredients, and are delicious as well! This book has completely transformed my eating habits for the better - I feel better, am healthier, and even enjoy cooking (something that has always been such a chore in the past). Thank you, Ms. Simopoulos!!!
2 interesting
Some of the information in the book was a bit confusing. Overall, it was a fairly helpful book.
3 This book changed my diet
This is probably the best book I've ever read. It's not as much about dieting as it is about changing your eating style. I already had a decent understanding of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids/unsaturated (poly and mono) fats in our diet, but this book really broke it down well. I was so amazed to learn how beneficial it is for us to eat omega-3 based foods like fish oils or fatty fishes (e.g., salmon) flax, canola oil, and olive oil, and how fat is good, except saturated fat and trans fatty acids. Also, good carbs like veggies and fruit are a must, but bad carbs like white rice, white bread, and pasta should be avoid if possible. I have lost 15 pounds already and I feel healthy, energized, my blood pressure and cholesterol are perfect. What's really wonderful about this book is it cites all of the scientific studies to support the theory that the American diet is totally wrong and a diet higher in fat intake and lower in starches is the way to go. I looked up many of these studies on the PubMed database... These studies are on point.
4 Note to reviewer of 6/7/02 from Oregon
This is a note for "Most informative book i've ever read!, June 7, 2002, Reviewer: A reader from oregon":
Those are not recipes at the end of the book, beginning on page 304, which you said were in a terrible format. They are shopping lists for the recipes which are printed earlier in the book on pages 239-297.
5 We only have one body, lets give it the best fuel- Omega 3
Very pleased with the information and the way it is layed out. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the info either. The Essential oils are essential, as your body does not produce them, we must get them in by digestion. Flaxseed (Linseed),Olive oil, Canola oil (Rapseed), walnuts, and fish (salmon,and fresh tuna),you can also get them in by gel caplets. Ratio 1:1 Omega6 to Omega 3. There are also recipes with amounts of the needed ingredients and instructions. After the recipes, is a breakdown of the ingredients needed per recipe for ease of shopping, as we are a very busy people. If you have a Palmpilot you could enter in the shopping list so that you will have the info at hand for the grocery store. Also references of where to order some of these items. It is up to us to make the changes. The book provides us a much needed education. We must apply.
6 A wonderful recipe book and menu section!
My family is eating Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods now! It's been one year since we read this book. We have less intestinal upset and less diarrhea. The recipes are delicious and I learned so much about "good fat" and why our bodies need it. We have come to look forward to nights when our dinners will be something from the recipes pages of this book. It really has enhanced our eating as well as our health. I recommend it to everyone I know.... as I do eating walnuts & salmon now!
7 A must for everyone!!
Well written, well organized - finally a nutrition book treats us all like normal people! Written for the average person, with the average life it is easy to understand and even easier to follow. It encompasses everything I have always wanted in such a book: The information upfront, examples to follow, and it even contains the recipies, nutritional information and the shopping list for each example!!!
8 Excellent Info!
Great volume of knowledge and detail. My elderly parents are already showing signs of much-improved health. Mother (a diabetic) has dramatically decreased her blood sugar readings. The whole family is very grateful for this life-extending program!
9 GREAT information but not really a diet.
This is a wonderful book to add to your library on health. I just wish it would have been called The Omega Health Connection or something without diet in it. The information could help save your life and every bit of advice this dr. makes about Omega fatty acids, olive oil, nuts, meat, eggs, veggi's, fruits, legumes, and whole grains is very practical. I just hope that people will not take this as another diet or quick fix to help them look like a model. And really no "DIET" will ever work until you give up the diet mentality and start eating to live, not living to eat. I suggest everyone who has a weight problem read Diets Don't Work and use the good nutrition advice in the omega connection to provide healthy fuel to keep your body running soundly.
10 The best way of eating out there.
I bought this book 9 months ago because it was recomended by my naturopathic doctor. I am not obese but have alot of digestive problems and high cholesterol for being a 28 year old female. Even though I have food allergies I can easily follow this plan. I tried Atkins but come on, Who can eat that much meat. And since I only buy organic free range stuff I can't afford to eat it all of the time. I also tried the 40/30/30 stuff but that is too complicated and they reccomend using alot of milk whey powder to make smoothies, well I'm allergic to dairy. I also tried food combining where you start the day with fruit and eat nothing before noon, but alas my hypoglycemia would not allow that and dizziness an hour after eating all that fruit would turn me into a cranky monster. So what I am trying to say is this is the most practical way of eating you can do. Whether you are Asian, Hispanic or any other race, you can adjust this type of eating to your food tastes. And if you have wheat, dairy or any other allergies like me you can simply eliminate those foods because you are not limited in what you can eat. There are so many grains, fruits, veggis, and protiens to choose from that the world is your oyster. And cooking with olive and canola oil is simple, delicious and inexpensive. I buy canned genoa tuna that is packed in olive oil and high in omege 3's and only 2.50 a can. Very good tuna. Sometimes I eat sardines packed in mustard and I take flax oil everyday. These are good options if you cant afford 10.00 a pound fish all of the time. I also give my 2 year old omega eggs and flax waffles, he loves them. Take it from someone who has tried it all, This is the best!!!!
11 Most informative book i've ever read!
My husband went to his doctor and found out that he was very high risk cholesterol range and had low good cholesterol. The doctor recommended this book as well as the Mediterranean Diet Cookbook and when my husband went in for a followup appointment, his cholesterol had dropped by 100 points! And raised his good cholesterol. This is everything you want to know about Omega fatty acids that's easy to understand and followed-up with graphs and other visuals and a small summary at the end of the chapter highlighting all the important points you've just read. A very good format for learning and retaining the information. I had tried to learn as much as I could from the internet about Omega fatty acids, but this book was by far the most informative and was all in one place. I still didn't learn half as much from the web as I did from this book. I have also noticed dramatic improvements in my daughter who has severe adhd. I feel empowered now that I am armed with knowledge about what really is acceptable to eat...which also happens to be flavorful. My only one criticism is that the recipes in the back of the book are in a terrible format for the clueless in the kitchen (like me). Each recipe gives you the list of ingredients...and that's it. No instructions! I am an instructions person and not a talented cook so I found that very disappointing. Why would you list vanilla, flour,nutmeg, etc and that's it? Not even an amount? Despite expecting the reader to be an intuitive chef with the recipes (a whole lot of guessing how much to throw into the bowl), the book's real value lies in it's complete source of information.
12 Very Interesting
I've read nearly all the popular health diet books out there and have come away from The Omega Diet with new information: That if you feed chickens an omega 3 rich diet, you'll get omea 3 rich eggs. Good to know there is a source other than fatty fish and flaxseeds, especially for children.
Again we are advised to avoid margarine and hydroginated oil. Stick with olive and canola when cooking and in salad dressing.
I also suggest reading The Liver Cleansing Diet and Dr. Atkin's Age Defying Diet.
13 This book offers some great tips!
This book was worth it for the canola butter recipe alone! I do think that every reader of this book will find several changes that they can easily (and happily) make to their diet that will result in more healthful eating.
14 The only nutrition book you will ever need
As a registered nurse, I see daily the disease and obesity caused by the standard American diet. This book is the best nutrition book that I have read (and I've read them all!). I even recommend it above Dr. Andrew Weil's "Eating Well for Optimal Health." The point the author tries to make is that one does not need to deprive themselves in order to eat well and be healthy. In fact, the opposite is true; one can feast on meat, fish, and olive oil while losing weight and improving one's health. I have been incorporating many of the author's recommendations into my own lifestyle and have found that I am eating, feeling, and looking better because of it. The recipes in the book are great (especially the Walnut Pesto), and include many savory desserts, meat dishes, fish, vegetable dishes, etc. I would have paid for the recipes alone. My husband has loved the food I've made from this book. Think of this as a "way to live," not as a diet. I have given copies of this book to everyone I love. I wish that this book received more "press" in the media because I really think the information in it could have a huge impact on the health of Americans. HIGHLY recommended--I've read it about 10 times already.
15 Yum, yum, yum...
My nutritionist recommended I purchase this book because my doctor and she decided I needed to eat a more healthy diet. Of course I did not look forward to the restrictions of a healthy diet, but I bought the book and am I ever glad I did!
I feel better than I ever have! This diet is remarkable and not only that, the food is great! I have lost weight, toned up, watched my blood pressure go down, and all the while have been eating the best food of my life.
The book explains the benefits of eating a balanced diet with plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids. It also provides some of the most tasty recipes found anywhere. I have had so much fun sharing this book with friends and loved ones. As a result, often times when I am over at a friend's house for dinner, I am treated with a great Omega Diet meal!
If you want to be on a lifetime plan that will make you (and your taste buds) feel great, buy this book!
16 A Plan to Live With
Dr. Artemis Simopoulos and Jo Robinson have written a straightfoward and inspiring book about simple guidelines that produce wonderful health benefits. I have been able to stick happily to their dietary recommendations, because the diet is not only satisfying but has improved my energy and moood. The recipes are simple to prepare and always good, and the shopping advice is helpful and practical. I have been able to lose unwanted weight and mimimize some of my chronic problems, such as chronic fatigue and PMS. Although I've read about the importance of food diaries before, I could never quite bring myself to keep one. But, the way it was presented in this book, with the sample page, led me to give it a try and that has been unexpectedly helpful in determining the best foods for me. The greatest benefit of using the book's ideas on a daily basis, however, is that I feel happier to feel healthier and experience an even mood. I am very grateful to the authors and recommend this book to anyone seeking balanced health painlessly and naturally.
17 At Last, A Truly Science-based Nutrition Book
Dr. Artemis Simopoulos is uniquely qualified to write on this subject. She has spent her professional life researching the issue of fatty acid effects on metabolism and health. Most of her previous books are weighty scientific tomes written for the medical expert. Nonetheless, this book is logical, clear, and easy to understand. Yet every contention is backed up by solid scientific research, and, in the areas where some uncertainty exists, Dr. Simopoulos is completely up-front with the reader in stating that further research is needed before definitive statements can be made. This is a refreshing contrast to the unsubstantiated claims in the mish-mash of diet books promoted to the public over the last 20 years. Although I am myself an experienced biomedical researcher, I wish that, 20 years ago, I had known the facts presented by Dr. Simopoulos in this book. My own diet and that of my family would have been a lot healthier. If you never read another thing about nutrition, read The Omega Diet. It could save your life.
18 Most helpfulbook!
I have to add to my previous review because there are so many things in this book that are helpful. It is not just that the author documents so well the value, necessity and benfits of consuming enough Omega6/Omega3 fatty acids--and in the right proportions, and tells the reader how to do it, --that would be enough. but there is more! She even includes a list of cancer fighting fruits and vegetables--and other substances--such as green tea ( and if you have read Weil's recent book and he is right about it- you learn that you need to drink four cups of green tea a day to obtain the nutitional beneit-- I now do this daily)--so that you can load up on these things just to be on the safe side (especially if you are at least at some risk for cancer, whether from having smoked cigarrettes, or whatever). And as I said, the benefit to be derived from getting enough Omega 3s, and getting Omega6/Omega3 in the right balance is worth the price of the book alone--and it is all very doable.
19 A very helpful book from a serious diet and nutrition reader
This is a very solidly researched, well documented book and while I do not follow all of the recipes daily (or even all of anyone's advice, including the author's), I do follow considerable of the princples. The recipes I have tried, such as black bean quesadillas, which I had not only never had but never heard of before, are truly delicious as well as healthful. I eat more fish weekly and less meat weekly than she provides for in her sample menus for 3 weeks--especially since I have a soyburger for lunch every day--and fish for dinner every evening except one evening a week when I usually have meat or poultry. I also appreciate that for those of us who do not have bread machines yet, she has provided in the back of the book the name of a wonderful place from which breads, etc. made with Omega 3 fortified flaxmeal are shipped--I have ordered these and they are good. I do take a lot of the advice: eating at least a few servings a week of fish high in Omega 3s, using olive oil and flaxseed oil, using flaxseed, eating plenty of fruits and vegatables. However, I do us fat free margarine with no trans-fatty acids( I include in this both hydrogenated oil and partially hydrogenated oil) as well as a mayonnaise that is similar. However, I am going to make my own mayonnaise soom--having grown up, in part, on my mother's--and plan to use Omaga 3 fortified eggs which are available to me. What I am saying is that when I got this book, nutritionally speaking, I was at sea, and now I'm not--so I highly recommend it to everyone.
20 The 1st & Only Nutrition Book for Anyone
As I was preparing to begin chemotherapy, being a strategic planner I had to have 'strategies,' to keep myself 1/2 sane. I decided on Dental, Nutritional, Spiritual, Fitness, Recreation & Writing. Having had 4 years of nutrition & diet therapy in college, too long ago, I contacted 3 academic nutrition chairs at universities including one I knew who's wife was a breast survivor. Everyone told me to get this book. I did. Then I gave one to my Oncologist and the audiocassettes to my son who kept insisting I only needed "juicing!"
This book tells you what to add to your diet to be healthy! It isn't a don't book. I would give a don't however: do not by anything containing "partially-hydrogenated oils."
Now, if anyone has been able to find purslane please let me know. I've tried the 'best' natural food stores to no avail (its a green).
Hats off to this incredibly observant scientist especially because of her gift in deducing the 'secret' of her home land, and heads OFF to the medical progessionals who are not using this book!
Do eat whole fruit, not juice. Eat the white skin lining of grapefruits! use your olive and canola oils, and enjoy a long life - even fatty, scrumptous fish!
P.S. In chemo, I could not finish any module I set out to but its all on http://web2.airmail.net/lorac1/
21 Should be on everyone's reading list
This book has changed the way I think about fats. It has taught me to bring my intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids into balance and to recognize the importance of the latter in my diet. Although the book contains rock-solid scientific documentation, it is easy to read and understand, and the plan it advocates is simple, nutritionally sound, and offers many appealing food options. For the past several months I have been following the guidelines in "The Omega Diet," choosing recipes from my large collection of cookbooks, particularly Sonia Uvezian's "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," which is one of the best cookbooks I have ever used. Uvezian offers health-conscious readers a wealth of easy-to-prepare recipes for incredibly delicious, nutritious, and satisfying dishes that are quite compatible with the principles outlined by Dr. Simopoulos. The results have been impressive. I feel great and have even lost some weight without trying! It is a pleasure to be true to this diet, which is one you can enjoy all your life with a clear conscience.
22 Excellent-- well-written--use the recipes!
I highly recommend the "Omega Diet" to those people interested in weight loss and overall great health. I have read and researched many books as a lay person and have found this to be the most user-friendly. It is well written and researched with many delicous recipes! If you are confused and frustrated- read this book. If you are a fan of Dr. Andrew Weil, I think this book is a great compliment, Dr. Weil suggests it himself in his current book under the reading list. Dr. Simopoulos's book should be in every doctor's office as a reference guide and on your kitchen shelf. I look forward to perhaps a cookbook - with more of her great recipes!
23 A Diet book for anyone who wants to eat healthy!
This book is NOT for those who want to lose weight. It is for anyone who wants to eat a healthy diet as the foundation of their health program. It points out the value of Omega-3 EFA's in your diet, which have been totally ignored in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid Diet. It is the foundation of my healthy diet program.
24 The most important health book I have ever read
The Omega Diet gives a blueprint for good health. It is written in a light readable style suitable for the intelligent lay reader or the professional. It has excellent scientific references. Dr Simopoulos is one of America's most prominent and respected physicians. It is the most important health book that I have ever read, and I recommend it without reservation. I don't think that there would be an intelligent person who would not benefit from reading it. It explains the importance of the right combination of dietary fats and how an imbalance can contribute to obesity, asthma, arthritis, dementia and many other diseases.
Dr Ben Balzer, family physician
25 Effective, nutritious food plan
I first heard about the so-called Mediterranean diet from my doctor, who suggested I try this way of eating to lower my cholesterol and lose weight. I found this book to be well written and easy for the lay person to follow. I am happy to report that after only 8 weeks of following the food principles suggested, I lost 14 pounds without effort, and my "bad" cholesterol dropped 30 points and total cholesterol dropped 35 points. I am very happy with these results. I despise traditional low fat diets and don't think that I could stick with one of them over the long haul. However, this diet is very different because it includes healthy fats and oils. For the first time I have hope that I can follow a healthy food plan for life without feeling deprived. My results are proof that one can lose weight and lower cholesterol while eating healthy fats. After about the third week on this food plan, I also experienced a big improvement in my mood; the effects of a healthy fat diet upon the brain were explained in the text as one of the many other "benefits" of the Mediteranean food plan. This is the first time I have tried a diet and actually felt happier on it than before!
26 Excellent book for lay person and professional alike
I found this book to be an excellent resource both for the general public and for professionals. It has a good deal of information on dietary fats that I haven't found together in one place previously, excellent information on obtaining the right kinds of foods, a generous number of recipes to choose from, is eminently readable on what one would think is a boring topic (but isn't), and is well referenced.
27 Combines scientific evidence with simple diet plan.
It's a great book in that you don't have to be a biochemist to understand the scientific evidences provided. Its simplified diet plan is a real winner! If I may point out a typo, on page 349, both linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid are presented as 17-C FA's and with two H-atoms missing on one of the carbons. S.Kitessa
28 This is THE book for anyone who wants to get healthy!
My mother (78), and I (47) have been following the advice given in The Omega Plan since February. I have lost 41 pounds! Mom says the healthy diet of the plan has made a big difference in her skin tone, chronic leg cramps have gone away, and a neck pain that baffled her doctors is also gone. We are both feeling great and I haven't felt hungry at all while losing the weight. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get healthy and stay that way.
29 Good Fat? Yes...and you can't live without it!
The American diet is a recipe for disaster. We've been brainwashed by the Low-Fat/No-Fat marketing machine. This book tells the story of the essential fatty acid Omega-3, how fundamental it is in our diet and how to get it (sources like flax and fish). This fat works on a cellular level, which means that getting the proper amount of omega-3 in ratio to other fats can help prevent degenerative diseases, not to mention improve brain function, reduce inflammation and increase energy. This "good" fat can even help you lose weight. And Dr. Simopoulos has personally conducted dozens of published scientific studies that prove Omega-3's essentiality. A marvelous, easy-to-read book.
30 America's most prevalent dietary deficiency---fat
Ever wonder why our forefathers seemed to be healthier? Artemis Simopoulos MD and Joe Robinson reveal why disease is ingrained or inevitable among modern Americans, whether they eat low-fat or high-saturated fat diets. The omega-plan diet would put half of the medical industry out of business if implemented as a way of life. This book is a must for every home medical library. There is no family in America whose lives have not been affected by a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids. --- Bill Sardi, health journalist
31 This is a good book for those concerned about fat intake
I really believe that most folks that are concerned about their diet should read this book. It has some very valuable information about dietary fat and the role that it plays in our bodies. It has been said that evolution has created a built in craving for fat which I think many of us can attest to, so if we are going to eat the stuff, we might as well try and eat the right kind of fat. The other thing is that I have found the only real way to stay on a diet is to include a properly balanced amount of protein and fat. This REALLY helps to stop the hunger pains and makes it possible to stay with your new eating program.
32 Highly recommended for anyone interested in health.
I just read a review copy of "The Omega Plan" and was delighted. This is the first popularly written book to explain that the structure and function of the membranes of every cell in the body are affected by the balance of fatty acids in the food that we eat. The authors present the background and implications of this concept in terms suitable for professionals as well as non-professionals. The book is meticulously documented, engagingly written, and of immediate practical use. I've already given copies to people who've come to me with concerns about weight, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and recently diagnosed cancer. I'm now bringing the book to the attention of friends and colleagues in various parts of the country. I recommend "The Omega Plan" to anyone concerned about health, illness, and optimal functioning. (Herman M. Frankel, MD, frankelh@ohsu.edu, Portland, Oregon)
