Having experienced heart disease first-hand in three close relatives, and seeing the crippling effects of this debilitating disease (taking lots of medicines and their side effects), I thought I knew everything about the disease, particularly the treatment side - the drugs, the surgeries, the stents. But I didn't know that much about the prevention side, and that is what this book is all about. How to prevent it.



I was curious about what the authors Paul and Patricia Bragg had to say about preventing heart disease. So I bought this easy to read book, and have learned quite a bit from it. It is packed with plenty of practical advice, including facts about heart disease and longevity. As I read the topics on stress, exercise, different studies and vitamins, I realized that this book was more than a book on cardiovascular fitness. It was a wonderful book that encompassed a healthy way of life, that anyone could utilize. This book is for everyone, not just heart patients.



I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, particularly the fasting for a day. This is a not a new concept for me - fasting. However, the type of fast that is described - an 8-10 glass water fast, with 3 glasses water with vinegar and honey, was intriguing. They explained that during the fast, toxins will be released from the body, and people will experience such things as headaches, diarrhea, etc. but that it will go away over time. I I especially liked it when they stated that the cholesterol will drop as a result of the fasting. So I tried the fast, and I tested my cholesterol. To my amazement, my cholesterol (which is typically borderline) was around 173. I will try it once more in the future to verify the findings.



Although I agreed with most of the material in the book, there is one section that I defer on - the authors tout that distilled water is the best water to drink. I personally like reverse osmosis water because it is more effective and removes even more chemicals than does distilled water.



Finally, one interesting story I liked was when Paul Bragg taveled the world looking for centenearians, and found a man in Turkey who was 154 years old and still working as a baggage porter. He was healthy and his simple diet consisted of dates, olives, day old black bread, garlic, vegetables and tea.



This book is definately worth reading and I recommend it highly.