Approaching the Natural

by Sid Garza-Hillman

Sid Garza-Hillman, nutritionist, philosopher, actor, and musician introduces his original philosophy of health. Sid’s philosophy is the closer the human species moves by degrees to its natural design, the healthier and therefore happier it will be.

In the years he has been a practicing nutritionist and health coach, Sid has honed an approach that makes achieving health and happiness a real possibility for virtually everyone. He has done this by addressing both the mental and physical aspects of achieving sustainable long-term health, and goes well beyond what any quick-fix diet/health plan can ever achieve. He passionately argues that health profoundly affects our happiness, and vice-versa, and applies his philosophy to nutrition, exercise, the mind, the family, and the world as a whole.

Approaching the A Health Manifesto is accessible, clear, edgy and humorous. Sid distills his years of research into a book readers will want to carry with them as a quick reference when negotiating our most unnatural world – especially gen-x and gen-y’ers for whom there is a substantial lack of result-oriented health books that are this easy and actually fun to read.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Food

150 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2012

Reviews

[Cassandra Greenwald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book as a bonus from No Meat Athlete's Academy program. I'm a health-conscious gal who has been vegan for quite some time, so part of me thought I would know most of the information that Sid Garza-Hillman presents in Approaching the Natural. As I read, I realized I have so much to learn and put into practice when it comes to overall health and happiness. For one thing, I'll be sticking my bare feet in the earth more on a regular basis (check out the book to learn why)!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because I met the author at Stanford Inn last week where he is the staff nutritionist.
My favorite chapter was chapter 1, "physical nutrition." I loved his metaphors, even the car metaphors he kept apologizing for. I love his way of describing foods as "light box" and "heavy box." The wrapping on the box is the carbs, fat and protein. Inside the box are the micronutrients. Nutrient dense foods make for heavy boxes; foods that are not nutrient dense make for light boxes. I like that he encourages his clients to move toward the natural, not pushing for a big leap to an all natural way of life.
He's a cool guy. The book is an easy, fun read (his sense of humor is entertaining).

[Catherine Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this out as research for my own book project, and ended up reading the whole thing. Short, interesting, and pretty salient advice.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then, you run across a book and experience a moment of..."Ahhh." And this was one of those books for me. I enjoyed his witty approach (get it?) to nutrition and life in general. I felt as though I was sitting in the room listening to the lecture. Garza-Hillman knows how to keep your attention and make you crack up while *gasp* learning some pretty cool information.

[Todd Dowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a true and honest look at the way we should view food and life. A quick read that is easy to "digest" no pun inteded.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice primer on the subject of living a balanced life with a balanced diet. Nothing new if you're well-read on the subject, but a nice intro for those who are new to the subject.

[Peg Schoenfelder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do what you can when you can to start making conscious choices that lead to a healthier mind and body, is the theme of Sid Garza-Hillman's readable treatise. While nothing here is actually ground-breaking, it is an optimistic and manageable view on making the changes we all see as important to our overall well-being.

[Courtney Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the message, and it aligns with much of my world view anyway, but I didn't particularly care for his humor. I thought it was self-indulgent and frankly not that funny.

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gem of a book. I liked the approach advocated that you work towards your goals from a health and wellness perspective --it's not about perfection, it's about progress. Very respectful of the fact that people come to their focus on health and wellbeing from very different places and that the path each person takes will be different. The book focuses on making small choices that get you closer to a natural state-- from a nutrition, exercise, and mental health perspective. I also appreciated the open dialogue on the fact that it isn't always easy and that we each have a responsibility to educate ourselves and own our own daily decisions. Really liked this one and would recommend as a good book for someone on a journey of improving their physical and mental well-being.

[Matthew Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has put into words exactly how I've been trying to live my life the past few years. I love the simple "approaching the natural" philosophy. It acknowledges that you don't have to be perfect to get healthier, just taking little steps to get more and more natural will help. The book doesn't give prescriptive diet recommendations but gives some suggestions on how to approach the natural. I think it's great and am going to be lending the book out as much as possible.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biz Stone, the Co-founder of Twitter, writes in the foreword, "approaching the natural lifestyle is a gift, not a struggle."
I was so fortunate to meet the author of this book, Sid Garza Hillman. He is special, and so is his well written book. He wants us all to feel good like he does. Have energy like he does. Look healthy like he does.
I would recommend this fun book to everyone, it could change your life for the better.

[Ris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I saw him at the Veg fest 2016 in ATL and he made so much since. When my family and I left there we made the decision to change our lives. My daughter and I are almost completely vegan now and I have lost some weight and feel better than ever. I really like this guy he keeps it simple and is very passionate about what he talks about.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the ideas in this book are not earth shattering, I find myself constantly nodding along in agreement. It's time to reset the scales in my life and find balance. Approaching the Natural seems simple enough to be achievable.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book after listening to a couple of Sid's podcasts, which delve into the topics presented in the book in more detail. Straight talk about making incremental, healthier changes in your life, no quick fixes, no gimmicks. Just common sense presented in a casual, readable style.

[Hunter Gannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book. It changed my perspective toward myself and the world. It's not a diet book, it's a book that inspires you to be kind to yourself and return to your natural state.
Plus, Sid Garza-Hillman is an incredible person.

[Aaron]

Have had an opportunity to talk with Sid and take a class from him. Great guy, and he truly is all about Approching the Natural.

[Canda Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book as a reference. Excellent science.

[Melissa Corrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard of Sid Garza-Hillman on The No Meat Athlete podcast. I then started listening to his podcast. He's kooky and I love it. Great little book with realistic advice.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good motivation, you just have to take some of it with a grain of salt.