http://www.ei-resource.org/ http://www.ei-resource.org/images/stories/articles.jpg http://www.ei-resource.org/ http://www.ei-resource.org/complementary%10alternative-therapy-books/mind%10body-and-self%11help/qi-gong-for-beginners/ Qi Gong for Beginners is summed up very well by the text from the back cover above. Despite being written by an academic it maintains a clear focus on those new to qi gong and Eastern spiritual and energy medicine practices as a whole. As such it is makes for an easy read when the subject matter could easily have led the author to overcomplicate things. The first section of the book is dedicated to explaining the basics of Eastern philosophy such as qi/chi and the opposing yet complementary forces of yin and yang required to understand the basis for how qi gong works. The author then goes on to describe the history of qi gong and the particular form of the practice known as Pal Dan Gum on which the book focuses. The importance of deep breathing is explained clearly and concisely and the differences between qi gong and traditional Western exercise are discussed - essentially providing the reader with the knowledge that qi gong actually increases energy levels as opposed to traditional exercise such as running or cycling which do the opposite. The final section of the book is what really makes this so perfect for the beginner however as it is composed of clear instructions for the eight exercise sequences that make up Pal Dan Gum qi gong. The instructions are accompanied by extremely clear photos and drawings that make learning qi gong at home acheiveable by anyone in a very short time. It took me a week of daily practice to have all eight exercises memorised and I was soon completing them within 10 minutes. As for the benefits of the practice of qi gong as taught by this book - I noticed them from the very first attempt I made at the exercises. A feeling of being energised, of lightness, and a lifting of my mood. I have continued to see increasing benefits over the past couple of months and can't see myself ever giving up on this quick, simple, and highly beneficial daily practice. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to enhance their health and general well-being with minimal time or effort. ]]> Mind/Body and Self-Help Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:40:41 -0700 490 2010-06-28 17:40:41 10 editorial http://www.ei-resource.org/complementary%10alternative-therapy-books/mind%10body-and-self%11help/qi-gong-for-beginners/ http://www.ei-resource.org/complementary%10alternative-therapy-books/nutritional-supplements/prescription-for-nutritional-healing/ I purchased the second edition of this book (it is now in its 4th edition) many years ago and still dip into it on a fairly frequent basis. The first thing I would say about this title is the great way it is laid out which makes it perfect when you need to quickly find specific information. As the title suggests, a large portion of the book is taken up with nutritional recommendations for specific conditions. A fairly comprehensive list of conditions is included and each is afforded a description, a set of nutritional recommendations in the form of easy to read tables, recommended herbs, and dietary advice. It is this section of the book that really makes it stand out from the pack and greatly enhances its usefulness. Besides the above, the book starts off with a very readable introduction to the basics of nutrition. We learn about the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) before moving on to the micronurients (vitamins and minerals). For each vitamin and mineral there is a detailed description of its function, the foods it is found in, and instances where supplementation may be helpful. The same goes for the amino acids. There are also sections devoted to medicinal herbs and other nutritional supplements such as probiotics which are equally detailed. The finally section of the book is devoted to complementary therapies. This is a fantastic addition to an already good book. I'm sure this title would have stood up just as well without this final section but with its inclusion it succeeds in being a complete reference for anybody wishing to take control of their own health and explore all of the available options. All major (and minor more obscure) complementary therapies are described here from reflexology to meditation. I do have a few gripes that detract a little from what is othewise a very good book. For example, it would be easy for anyone looking at the recommendations for a particular disease to assume that if they go out and buy all of the recommended supplements (and there are a lot!) that they will be cured. Things of course are never as simple as this so I feel the author should be more willing to suggest that readers work with a qualified healthcare practitioner before they end up spending a fortune on supplements that may not be suitable to their individual case. The dietary advice is also somewhat inaccuate and outdated with a vegetarian/vegan approach being strongly advocated despite much recent research that for example, shows that cholesterol is not the major cause of heart disease it was previously thought to be. Finally, I would have liked to see more solid referencing of scientific studies to back up the recommendtions given in the book. A lack of such referencing leaves questions about the reliability of the information Overall I would certainly recommend people buy this book and use it as a guide and reference and a starting point for further research. Used in this way this title can be an invaluable addition to the library of anyone seeking alternatives to standard medical care. ]]> Nutritional Supplements Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:35:58 -0800 64 2007-12-19 19:35:58 8 editorial http://www.ei-resource.org/complementary%10alternative-therapy-books/nutritional-supplements/prescription-for-nutritional-healing/