Live in the Balance: The Ground-Breaking East-West Nutrition Program

Prout, a nutritionist at the Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley, Ca., believes that people could lose weight and improve their general health by modifying their Western diet to include the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is based on the principles of balance (yin-yang) and Qi, which the Chinese believe is our vital life force. Key to the success of TCM, she explains, is understanding one's ""pattern of imbalance"" (e.g., ""dry,"" ""damp,"" ""warm,"" ""cool"") and personalizing one's diet to maintain healthy equilibrium or ""strong spleen Qi."" Nevertheless, Prout acknowledges that ""it is likely that you will have combinations of more than one pattern,"" and even if a person is balanced, he or she can experience periods of imbalance (e.g., PMS, insomnia, depression, bloating). Though her explanations are sensible and she offers considerable anecdotal evidence, readers not well-versed in Eastern thought may be overwhelmed by the inordinate details of TCM (e.g., the five elements--wood, fire, metal, water and earth--of nutrition, climate, food colors, etc.) and how to use them. To ease confusion, Prout recommends the best foods for particular patterns of imbalance and offers considerable anecdotal evidence. Unfortunately, impatient readers who are used to opening a typical Western diet book that spells out exact menus for every meal every day may dismiss Prout's recommendations. (Jan.)