Natural Health, Natural Medicine: A Comprehensive Manual for Wellness and Self-Care

by Andrew Weil

As health care costs continue to skyrocket and the national debate on health care reform rages on, Americans are taking greater charge of their health. This revised edition of Natural Health, Natural Medicine equips readers with the latest information on prevention and treatment of many common ailments using alternative methods that are safe, natural, effective, and not as expensive as standard medical treatments.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help, Science, Nutrition, Food

370 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Andrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing oriented approach to health care that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. He is the author of many scientific and popular articles and of 14 books: The Natural Mind, The Marriage of the Sun and Moon From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen) Health and Healing, Natural Health, Natural Medicine; and the international bestsellers, Spontaneous Healing and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, Eating Well for Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Food, Diet, and Nutrition The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit (with Rosie Daley) Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being; and Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future (issued in paperback with new content as You Can’t Afford to Get Sick).

Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, Dr. Weil is Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. The Center is the leading effort in the world to develop a comprehensive curriculum in integrative medicine. Graduates serve as directors of integrative medicine programs throughout the United States, and through its Fellowship, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.

Learn More:
Facebook.com/DrWeil
YouTube.com/DrWeil
Instagram.com/DrWeil
Flickr.com/DrWeil
Pinterest/DrWeil

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is excellent!

it is a very easy to read bible of natural health full of common sense content. Andrew Weil is a very inspirational doctor who admits that sometimes doctors don't understand the potential of your body to heal itself.

Chapters 1 and 2, all about diet and healthy lifestyle, are excellent. if you can't or won't read the whole book, at least read chapter 1 next time you visit a bookstore.

From chapter one:
"diet has the distinction of being the only major determinant of health that is completely under your control. you have the final say over what does and does not go into your mouth and stomach. you cannot always control the other determinants of your health, such as the quality of the air you breathe, the noise you are subjected to, or the emotional climate of your surroundings, but you can control what you eat. It is a shame to squander such a good opportunity to influence your health." (pg 4)

It's things like this that we supposedly "know" but are not willing to practice on a daily basis. Reading this quotation in black and white makes you realize that YES, you do have some control over your health the decisions you make today will bring consequences later. It is a very good book about health, diet, exercise, lifestyle, natural home remedies (including herbal remedies), and it also has a very knowledgeable section about vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant supplements.

read it!

[Khaled · Rating 5 out of 5]

عاش الإنسان آلاف السنين وهو يأخذ أدويته من الطبيعة ويمزج بينها واستمر العلاج برفقة الجراحة إلى أن ظهر على الساحة الطبية ما يسمى الطب الحديث وكان الهدف منه سد النقص بالأدوية الكيميائية ولكنه ما لبث أن ألغى الطبيعة بمجملها! وهذا الكتاب العلمي دعوة للعودة للطبيعة.
تُرجم الكتاب للعربية من قبل مكتبة جرير.

[Al Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Informative book filled with practical advice on diet, nutrition and leading a healthy life. I found the following chapters particularly valuable -
Breathing techniques and Stress
(2-4-7 breathing which I now use daily)

and Fats:
Polysaturated Fats (Seed oils, Very Inflammatory = Bad) vs Monosaturated (Olive oil, Avocado oil, heart healthy = Good).

As Michael Pollen says. "Eat mostly Plants" Andrew Endorses this ethos. My book was printed in the 1990's so I think some of his claims have been been disproved and are a little outdated- I will have to get a revised edition.

Ultimately a great book that cuts through the noise to provide simple, clear advice on healthy living.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well written and easy to read. The information wasn't new but presented so well that any health novice could understand it. I love the additional resources, index and recipes included in the book. I am tempted to keep this book for my personal library but also feel compelled to pass it on to a person who would really take it seriously.
Either way excellently written and worth being re-read every few years.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for thinking about a healthy lifestyle and made me think about some of my more mundane choices, like what kind of water filter I use, what kind of tea I drink, and which things should be organic in my life. I didn't read the whole thing, since I'm not so concerned about cancer and heart disease right now, but I will use it as a resource for a while.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent Go-To reference from Dr. Weil. I have consulted this manual so many times.I am always in awe at the Wealth of Knowledge that Andrew Weil possesses. You owe it to yourself to get this book and refer to it regularly. He is the Master on Health and Well Being.He was a Good friend of Timothy Leary`s as well.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended by an Herbalist friend, and he was so right to do so. I was in need of a weight loss, and natural remedies where doctors were just making money with synthetic meds. Thanks to my friend getting me to be more vegetarian, I am achieving that weight loss, and referring to Dr. Weil's book is saving me dollars on expensive meds. Wonderful, practical, reference book.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book can easily become your bible. chock full of tips, advice, suggestions for healthy and natural living. read it. live it.

[Elyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource, not only for curing specific ailments using natural medicine, but also for achieving ongoing optimal health to prevent illness.

[KellyWells · Rating 5 out of 5]

again, I love this guy - he's the perfect combination of doctor and healer. ( these are two different things in my opinion).

[Rick]

Outstanding, but most moderen western physicians would likely dismiss it out of hand.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had some good advice and some advice I'd never follow. Much of what was in this book felt like something I had heard before; however, I watch WAY too much Dr. Oz.

[Katya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable and comprehensive, but make sure you have the most up to date version!

[Shishir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great holistic health book; covering many diseases and their common sense natural remedies

[Yehudah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I take anything Weil says with a large pinch of salt (non iodized according to his advice) but I wished I trusted his advice more because the book is comprehensive. While repetitive it ties together a ton of the most relevant health focuses with clear logic and reasoning, with a special focus on preventative "treatment", or perhaps more accurately- lifestyle. My big takeaways are a breathing exercise he recommends as well as a general increase in focus of more breath. I have also started massaging my gums for gum health which is an area i've wanted to improve in.

I am considering cutting out iodized salt from my diet to improve my acne but i'm also considering just embracing it as a non threatening part of my skin's biome. I really enjoyed his suggestion for replacing your psychotherapist with a dog as a more effective and cheaper form of therapy. I also want to try fasting next time i'm sick as well as warm salt water gurgle in my nose for allergies.

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reference book. However it's showing its age and some of the information is outdated (particularly on supplements). So only 4 starts instead of 5. Still worth reading, and checking Dr. Weil's website for current information (on availability of new supplements and current thinking).

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read parts of this book. It was good, nothing new or earth -shattering information.

[Hannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on naturopathic medicine and human wellbeing, though its info/research may have been outdated since the book was written.

[Dylan Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breath...just breath.

[Rachel]

Read in 1996, liked it then.

[Connor Magary · Rating 5 out of 5]

So informative. Took notes here and there on various health practices, mental and physical. Definitely recommend!

[Donna Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Chapter: What should I eat is simple and effective.

[Heather Knoelk · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a few good nuggets of info in here, but it seemed a bit unrealistic. “Remove all stimulants from your life” — that is not going to happen.

[Caitlin Ponert · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. connecting with nature and the earth
2. connecting with animals
3. connecting with family
4. connecting with community
5. serving
6. loving
7. touching
8. connecting to a higher power

[Jeanne Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in finding out how to take a more natural approach to your healthcare this is a great book took keep on your bookshelf. I've always enjoyed Dr. Weil's books but I found this one especially helpful because it covers just about every health issue you or your loved ones might have to deal with including safe, effective, and realistic alternatives to the overwhelming amount of dangerous pharmaceuticals that other doctors often recommend. Dr. Weil includes well balanced and healthy information that can be used with traditional medicine. In a world of constantly changing medications and medical advice this book is basic and timeless and one the you might find yourself referencing often to find safe alternatives that you can discuss with you own physician.

[Heather Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Address the root cause vs slapping medication in top of an issue makes so much more sense to me!

At the outset of the book Dr Weil admits that what we know of nutrition is changing and that the information in the book is based on the best available information we have today. I appreciate that comment because some information is already dated (cholesterol causing fats). But it is a really informative read and his website is current so as new information becomes available or thoughts about specific foods change, one can read the latest available information on the website.

I also like that he is a traditionally trained doctor so that holistic remedies highlighted are neither the popular fad of the day nor baseless in fact. When there are no scientific studies, he may indicate 'some people find 'x' works.'

[Paul Bard · Rating 2 out of 5]

"8 Weeks to Optimum Health" is far better.

I'm not sure why this books. Exists. It seems to be a series of blog-post-like entries on various health matters. It helps that it has an excellent index (a bit), but it is lacks the virtue of being comprehensive and conclusive. That is to say, many times Weil simply admits that there are no known answers to a condition.

It's good basic info, but the other book is better: it packs more information in a better ordered way in fewer pages.

As I said, I'm not sure why this book exists. It's okay and all, but not necessary.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Weil is a favorite of mine because I am really "into" alternative ways to heal. His information covered so much from what to eat, how to exercise, the need for sleep and relaxation, as well as steps to prevent cancer,heart attacks, strokes, and just generally how to build up our immune systems were all worth learning.

[thea maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

this and everybody's guide to homeopathic medicines were the standard health resources my mother used when i was growing up. living away from her and her bookshelf i really missed it and recently purchased my own copy. weil offers clear, wise advice on dealing with every type of health problem in a holistic way.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will make you scared to consume anything. Even water. In fact, after reading this book I lost weight simply from avoiding each and every type of food known to man, instead living purely off of vitamins and Dr. Weil bars. Honestly, the guy knows his stuff, and it did make me change some of my eating habits for the better.