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Integrative Wellness Rules: A Simple Guide to Healthy Living
Have you ever found that you needed to change things in your life, but for some reason life kept getting in the way? Integrative Wellness Rules will help you get around that obstacle. In the age of conflicting advice on health, this book provides quick and easy health tips for individuals who are on the run but still need strategies to better manage their fast-paced lives. Join Dr. Jim Nicolai—the medical director of the Andrew Weil, M.D., Integrative Wellness Program at Miraval Resort and Spa—as he shares with you the insights and strategies he has collected along the way to optimize health and create wellness. With a style that is clear, concise, and entertaining, Dr. Nicolai will provide you with the keys to healthier living in a way that is profoundly simple and yet simply profound. You will learn how to eat better, choose the vitamins and supplements that are best for you, manage stress more effectively, and get in touch with your spiritual side. Dr. Nicolai will call you to action with his pearls of wit, wisdom, and humor, and motivate you by providing real-world clarity on which health strategies to add within your already busy life.
- GenresHealth
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
7 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 6, 2023
Easy to read!
Normally, wellness books tend to become technical and quite hard to read and understand. This book is concise and to the point. I wish the supplement section would’ve been longer and offered more examples of brands. Nonetheless, great book!
Normally, wellness books tend to become technical and quite hard to read and understand. This book is concise and to the point. I wish the supplement section would’ve been longer and offered more examples of brands. Nonetheless, great book!
September 4, 2014
In the Afterword the author says, "Hopefully you've found this book to be a quick & easy read. That was my goal." Quick & easy it is. The chapters are incredibly short. Some only 2 pages long. If the layout was more compact & more environmentally friendly, the book would probably be half as thick. Normally I wouldn't mention something so seemingly trivial, but when it's about Integrative Wellness, to me wellness is also expressed in our lifestyle choices. So choosing to use more paper than necessary to write a book would go against the healthy vibe.
Onto the contents of the book. There are tips "rules" for improving your life. Most you probably already know. Owning a pet is good for your emotional health as is laughter. Music can negatively or positively impact your state of mind. Physical exercise in all forms are good for you.
He discuses the spiritual benefits of helping others. He discuses his spiritual beliefs quite often. There is a definite religious aspect to this book. He makes mention of how prayer helps him, he even prays to God to help him get out of bed in the morning. He encourages the reader to be spiritual. Matter of a fact there is a chapter devoted to it & it's one of the longer chapters.
Mention of where he works & Dr. Andrew Weil are constant & often. He mentions both just as much if not more than he does religion. In the Dietary Supplements chapter he explains what vitamins you need & tells you what to look for. Then pushes for the reader to purchase Weil Nutritional Supplements. There is also a chapter on 'The Anti-Inflammatory Diet' by Dr. Andrew Weil (who else?) The chapter is a 7 page summery of the diet with the web address (drweil dot com). If you are a fan of Dr. Weil & are interested in Dr. Weils diet & his supplements you should go to the website or get some of his books.
Basically this book is about Dr. Weils practices, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at Miraval Resort & Spa & it touches on what the day/night/morning is like for the author. Sadly what information I learned was not elaborated on. Two examples that I can think of:
1)He gives mention that too much sugar in the diet can cause watery stools. I thought he would elaborate on this statement, but no such luck. So really this is just a statement by him. Is it true? What else can he tell the reader (me) about this? Obviously eat less sugar, but how much less? How much is too much? Is it a problem only in people with very sensitive digestive systems? What about people with digestive disorders? What type of sugar causes the watery stools? Is it all sugars including natural sugars from fruits or mainly highly processed sweetener? What about honey?
2)He mentions celery (as well as some other vegetables) as being unhealthy. He doesn't elaborate on this. I happen to consume a decent amount of celery. I eat it cooked & I juice it. So why is celery bad for me? Looks like I'll have to look it up on line to try to find out.
There is good information in this book. I'm just not too sure how useful it is to everyone. I'm sure it will be very useful to some & just about worthless to others. I was going to rate it 3 stars but while writing my review, I realized just how displeased I am with the book & decided to lower it to 2 stars. I don't hate the book, I just think it's a waste of time & money because there are a whole lot of other books out there that are jam packed with useful information.
Onto the contents of the book. There are tips "rules" for improving your life. Most you probably already know. Owning a pet is good for your emotional health as is laughter. Music can negatively or positively impact your state of mind. Physical exercise in all forms are good for you.
He discuses the spiritual benefits of helping others. He discuses his spiritual beliefs quite often. There is a definite religious aspect to this book. He makes mention of how prayer helps him, he even prays to God to help him get out of bed in the morning. He encourages the reader to be spiritual. Matter of a fact there is a chapter devoted to it & it's one of the longer chapters.
Mention of where he works & Dr. Andrew Weil are constant & often. He mentions both just as much if not more than he does religion. In the Dietary Supplements chapter he explains what vitamins you need & tells you what to look for. Then pushes for the reader to purchase Weil Nutritional Supplements. There is also a chapter on 'The Anti-Inflammatory Diet' by Dr. Andrew Weil (who else?) The chapter is a 7 page summery of the diet with the web address (drweil dot com). If you are a fan of Dr. Weil & are interested in Dr. Weils diet & his supplements you should go to the website or get some of his books.
Basically this book is about Dr. Weils practices, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at Miraval Resort & Spa & it touches on what the day/night/morning is like for the author. Sadly what information I learned was not elaborated on. Two examples that I can think of:
1)He gives mention that too much sugar in the diet can cause watery stools. I thought he would elaborate on this statement, but no such luck. So really this is just a statement by him. Is it true? What else can he tell the reader (me) about this? Obviously eat less sugar, but how much less? How much is too much? Is it a problem only in people with very sensitive digestive systems? What about people with digestive disorders? What type of sugar causes the watery stools? Is it all sugars including natural sugars from fruits or mainly highly processed sweetener? What about honey?
2)He mentions celery (as well as some other vegetables) as being unhealthy. He doesn't elaborate on this. I happen to consume a decent amount of celery. I eat it cooked & I juice it. So why is celery bad for me? Looks like I'll have to look it up on line to try to find out.
There is good information in this book. I'm just not too sure how useful it is to everyone. I'm sure it will be very useful to some & just about worthless to others. I was going to rate it 3 stars but while writing my review, I realized just how displeased I am with the book & decided to lower it to 2 stars. I don't hate the book, I just think it's a waste of time & money because there are a whole lot of other books out there that are jam packed with useful information.
March 31, 2013
I enjoy reading and studying about health to improve on my own and to help me with my teachings of others. I've incorporated lessons from Dr. Andrew Weil into my own life and teachings, and I'll admit it was Dr. Jim Nicolai's work with Dr. Weil and that this book has a Foreword by Dr. Weil that made me want to check it out. And I'm very glad I did! “Integrative Wellness Rules: A Simple Guide To Healthy Living” by Dr. Jim Nicolai, the Director of Integrative Wellness at Miraval Resport and Spa, is an easy to read, entertaining, and informative book on healthy living. Nicolai intended for this book to be a quick and easy read, and it is. The chapters are short, straight forward, and written in an easy conversational style. The same as if you were sitting down with Dr. Nicolai for a consult on healthy living. It works. And the suggestions, tips, and lifestyle changes recommended throughout the text can be easily incorporated into one's life to live better and more healthy.
The book is divided into seven main parts. These are: Check in and Discover, Success and Motivation, Accessing Your Spirituality, Your Emotional Health and Stress Management, Implementing Sensible Nutrition Strategies, Optimizing Vitamins Supplements and Herbs, and finally Managing Your Physical Body. So, as you can see from the topic areas, this book focuses on total health and well being, or wellness, not just one aspect of it. Thus the title “Integrative Wellness Rules.” Dr. Nicolai believes in integrating all aspects of wellness to live better. I agree with him, and also believe he provides some great rules to do just that.
Each of those seven parts contains a number of short chapters that provide a rule and guidance to further you along. And even if you don't agree with all of the rules, or don't want to incorporate all of the strategies into your daily life, I'm sure you'll pick up some that you do. That is, if you want to live a life of health and wellness.
Obviously, Nicolai draws from some of Dr. Weil's materials and teachings. So if you are familiar with Dr. Weil, you'll be familiar with some of what Nicolai teaches in this book. Additionally, Nicolai recommends resources from Dr. Weil, including Weil's brand of nutritional supplements. However, even if you decide to go with other brands, the information provided here will help you chose what to take.
I believe life is a journey and one you should enjoy. Without a doubt, you will enjoy life more when you are healthy. And health is more than just exercise and what you eat, and that's why I like Dr. Nicolai's “wellness” better than health. He says, “If health is the destination, then wellness is the journey.” I like that. If you want to be more than just healthy, and incorporate wellness into your lifestyle to live life to the fullest, I recommend Dr. Nicolai's strategies as steps along your path to your optimal well-being.
The book is divided into seven main parts. These are: Check in and Discover, Success and Motivation, Accessing Your Spirituality, Your Emotional Health and Stress Management, Implementing Sensible Nutrition Strategies, Optimizing Vitamins Supplements and Herbs, and finally Managing Your Physical Body. So, as you can see from the topic areas, this book focuses on total health and well being, or wellness, not just one aspect of it. Thus the title “Integrative Wellness Rules.” Dr. Nicolai believes in integrating all aspects of wellness to live better. I agree with him, and also believe he provides some great rules to do just that.
Each of those seven parts contains a number of short chapters that provide a rule and guidance to further you along. And even if you don't agree with all of the rules, or don't want to incorporate all of the strategies into your daily life, I'm sure you'll pick up some that you do. That is, if you want to live a life of health and wellness.
Obviously, Nicolai draws from some of Dr. Weil's materials and teachings. So if you are familiar with Dr. Weil, you'll be familiar with some of what Nicolai teaches in this book. Additionally, Nicolai recommends resources from Dr. Weil, including Weil's brand of nutritional supplements. However, even if you decide to go with other brands, the information provided here will help you chose what to take.
I believe life is a journey and one you should enjoy. Without a doubt, you will enjoy life more when you are healthy. And health is more than just exercise and what you eat, and that's why I like Dr. Nicolai's “wellness” better than health. He says, “If health is the destination, then wellness is the journey.” I like that. If you want to be more than just healthy, and incorporate wellness into your lifestyle to live life to the fullest, I recommend Dr. Nicolai's strategies as steps along your path to your optimal well-being.
December 26, 2012
Sometimes books written by Dr.'s (Phil and Oz come to mind) can be a bit bossy, and tedious. Not the case with Dr. Jim Nicolai's book Integrative Wellness Rules. He speaks in a way that's easy to understand. Refrains from getting too preachy, and he entertains without belaboring his point, and wearing out his welcome with the reader. The book is divided up by subject, with each subject containing several rules, or theories. Each section of the book gets right to the point without wasting any time. It's a great collection of, not just, Dr. Nicolai's knowledge, but also, many leaders in the health industry who have inspired him. Leaders like Anthony Robbins, Bill Phillips, and Dr. Andrew Weil are cited and given the respect they deserve. Dr. Nicolai describes health as our destination, and wellness is the road map to get there. That is really what this book is, a road map. It's a reference manual, you are going to want to keep on hand while planning, or fine tuning your fitness journey. Whether you're just beginning that trip, or you're an old pro, Integrative Wellness Rules will be of value to you. It's very easy to get caught up in one aspect of wellness, at the expense of others. The ideas, and rules taught in this book can help you keep the whole map in perspective. It's become popular nowadays for fitness professionals to talk about, not just nutrition and exercise, but a lifestyle change. Dr. Jim Nicolai can show you exactly what to do to create that lifestyle. I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes.
February 20, 2014
Been a huge fan of the author having been to Miraval several times and having attended a bunch of his classes and lectures. The book encompasses a lot of what I've learned there and has great tips for making the changes you may need. It's easy to read and easy to skim over anything that doesn't pertain to you personally.
May 12, 2013
Simple isn't the same as easy. And long and complicated means it will never happen. It's amazing how important simple things (enough sleep, breathing) are to a productive, less stressful day and it's also amazing how hard these simple things are to incorporate. This book is a great reference to come back to when those simple things get forgotten.
October 19, 2013
Practical suggestions for enjoying your life more fully. Works with Dr. Weil.
January 17, 2014
Multidimensional health advice, incorporating spirituality, nutrition and lifestyle.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews