Sick and Tired: Reclaim Your Inner Terrain

I am a scientist with a PhD in respiratory medicine. I have suffered with pneumonia on several occasions, at times when i have beeing eating badly and living a hectic stressful lifestyle.
I am convinced that the basic priciple behind this book, that blood pH has a significant effect on physical health, is credible and that by controlling the pH by chosing your foods carefully you could positively influence or prevent a host of medical conditions including most cancers, most infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders and most cardiovascular disorders

However, i did feel a little uncomfortable about some of the extreme diets suggested, and the constant plugging of Dr Youngs supplements. Despite this obvious money making attempt, there is still value in the narrative. I agree the pictures are not fantastic, but who so what.

My view is that it would be sensible to take the information on board, but don't throw away the tablets just yet. Eat fresh foods, avoid processed sugar filled foods, do exercise and avoid stress, too much booze and definitely fags.

Lets face it, who wants to live till they are 200??


Changed My Diet and My Life   September 19, 2005
 7 out of 12 found this review helpful

This book along with The ph Miracle are two books every family should have. It is well written and explained and as a layman i found it incredibly informative. I don't understand how any one could say it was confusing as it was kept wonderfully simple by Young and so very readable.

If you cant understand it you're stupid, so the world will be better off without you. Keep eating those cheeseburgers and evolution will take it's course!!

Brilliant book, life changing principles.


Highly dubious...   June 1, 2005
 26 out of 40 found this review helpful

Firstly, if you want to see a whole host of reviews of this book go to www.amazon.com rather than www.amazon.co.uk... there you will find over 30 reviews and you will notice that overall the book gets 3 stars out of 5. A more realistic assessment than you have in the small number of reviews here.

Let me start by saying that I come to this book 1. Having previously followed the 'Fit for Life' diet by Harvey Diamond 2. Being very open minded about my diet 3. Having a first class honours degree in computational chemistry - molecular modelling & drug design (so no slouch when it comes to science).

This book is appaulingly badly written. Both from a scientific point of view and from the viewpoint of the layman. The first several chapters are a muddled and incessant rambling about his overall principle... which can be summed up in one line, "over acidity of the human body's blood and tissues is THE cause of all disease"... that's it right there. That's the principle. Save yourself the hours wading through unscientific mumbo jumbo and read that line above. As a scientist I found his writings unfathomably difficult to follow. They almost feel like they have been written to delierately confuse so as to render the reader unable to ask sensible questions.

The book contains a series of pictures which I can only assume were picked at random from a 'pick and mix' bag of photo's loosely labelled 'human biology'. Quite literally not one photograph bears any significance to the text around where it appears in the book. In fact I'd go as far to say that all the photo's in the book are fillers - as a reader you gain nothing from them.

Dr. Young is an extremeist. In his vitriolic pursuit of 'alkalinity' he is essentially pushing the reader to follow an extreme vegan based/food combining diet... backed by a host of nutritional suppliments which, funnily enough, Dr. Young happens to sell himself. Under Dr. Young's regime the reader is not even allowed to eat condiments.... that's right. No mustard. No pepper. He also rambles on about "acic causing thoughts and actions (even acid causing music)"... at this point the alarm bells start ringing. When he goes on to claim that Cancer is essnetially 'mould' you realise what you are dealing with.

I could ramble on for hours about this book... in a nutshell, as a scientist and as someone who is very switched on to what they eat, I am extremely scpetical about the quality of advice given in this book. One thing I have learnt is that we must all find foods that work for us. There is a large genetic element to what works for each individual - something that Dr. Young never even mentions.

Genius or crackpot....?? I'll happily go for the latter. There's alot of people out there a whole load smarter than Dr. Young who would laugh at the psuedo science presented in this book.

Buy the book "Superfoods"... you'll get alot more out of it.


Change your life   February 4, 2004
 39 out of 40 found this review helpful

I bought this book along with 'The PH Miracle' and it is well worth the effort to try Robert Young's principles for yourself. I was a vegetarian and followed the stereo type 'healthy low fat high fibre diet. Although I looked and felt well for my age(46years) I had a few aches and pains and occaisionally lacked energy, I put this down to the natural aging process. I have followed this alkaline diet now for 2years, I now have more energy than in my 20's. No matter how many people I have met who are coughing and sneezing I have not caught any colds or flu bugs. I now have the figure I wished for when I was 20yrs!! I am a trim 8stone and have cured my cellulite problem!!!I am delighted with my skin and so many people have remarked on the difference in me. Many have asked about the diet, I told them a few basic principles and they always come back after trying a few changes and ask for details of the book!!This alkaline diet has made such a difference not only to my life but all the people I have told!!