The 5 Vital Secrets for a Healthy Life

Leaky gut and toxic liver may not yet be household terms, but if nutritional consultant Puhn (The 5 Day Miracle Diet) has her way, they will be. A leaky gut, she warns, allows toxins to infiltrate the liver, triggering a plethora of problems from psoriasis to osteoporosis. Puhn recommends a series of routines based largely on liberal use of nutritional supplements. In addition to her Basic Health Regimen, which includes commonsense guidelines on diet, exercise and lifestyle, she offers two special Foundation Regimens to repair a leaky gut and cleanse a toxic liver, and several Preventive Rescue Regimens and Crisis Rescue Regimens for treating specific conditions, e.g., diabetes, fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism. Puhn applies the terms of finance to health: ""deposits,"" such as proper nutrients, put into a ""Body Bank account"" create well-being; whereas ""withdrawals,"" such as poor diet, eventually cause ""bankruptcy"" in the form of illness. Despite the title, what Puhn offers are not ""vital secrets"" but a nutritional supplement-based complementary therapy served with heaping portions of motivational-circuit pep. Puhn's oft-repeated warning to check with a physician before adopting her approach is sound advice. Author tour. (Jan.)