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By Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
Reviewed by Melanie Wilson
I had the honor of sitting down with Gabriel Cousens at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center this summer, and we had a discussion about eating consciously and what that means in the greater scheme of things. For me, going vegetarian, then vegan, then raw has been all about spiritual development and growth through a change in diet, so this book really spoke to me. What he has to say about food, our bodies, and the planet may surprise you. It did me. But I'm so glad I've been introduced to these ideas.
First, let me say that this is a big book, so get ready to delve in depth into the topic of conscious eating, "the awareness of how the food we eat affects our body, emotions, mind, and spiritual life." It's a vast topic, and Dr. Cousens covers it admirably in this book. It's very interesting reading, combining a variety of theories to create a whole new synergistic vision of nutrition.
What really makes Dr. Cousen's ideas different from that of many other doctors, dietitians, and nutritionists out there giving advice about vegetarian diets is that he is strongly believes in the individualization of one's diet, which makes a world of sense. That one-size-fits-all, everyone-needs-the-same-amount-of-this-or-that philosophy of nutrition just flies out the window - quite logically - when you think about how different we all are. Well, that's what it's all about: the principle of bio-individuality.
In this book, Dr. Cousens will lead you through several chapters which explain this concept on different levels and help you to determine your own physicial constitution. These include your physiological type and your body-mind constitution. As you probably know, nutrition is more than just how much protein and how much variety you get in your diet. He covers hypoglycemia, acid-alkaline balance, overeating, timing, toxins, fasting, and the role of diet in physical and mental degeneration.
One of the most interesting chapters covers the addictive brain, and a very large section covers all aspects of eating meatless, including vegetarianism in the world's religions. There is even a section on nutrition for pregnancy and lactation. Last, but not least, there is a large section of live-food recipes preceded by a chapter entitled "The Art of Live Food Preparation." Having eaten at the Tree of Life Cafe, I can tell you these recipes are good.
Buy this book now!
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