An Excellent Allergy Diet

This book, authored in 1986, provides an excellent food allergy guideline for hyper-allergenic individuals. Nutritional analysis, however, indicates that the caloric amount, if eaten in assigned portions, many times falls below 1000 calories; inadequate amounts for most folks [follow Dr. B's advice to men to increase portion sizes slightly to avoid starvation and metabolic slowdown]. Additionally, basic nutrients, without the nutritional supplements, also are spotty. However, individuals with severe allergies rarely have ideal nutrition anyway, so this is probably a step up for most in terms of dietary quality. The mega vitamin therapy is a little dangerous for the average individual and very dangerous for anyone on any kind of medications, so check with your (nutritionally aware) physician and pharmacist before starting. As to the immune system claims, as this was written fifteen years ago, long term studies are sadly lacking; as is a follow up book by Dr. Berger with expanded recipes and newer food selections. That doesn't take away from the quality of this book, however.

However, all that said, it is the best allergy diet I have ever seen with the best possible recipes I have ever tried (given the dietary limits of the hyperallergenic). The weight loss really happens (dramatically so, I might add), the headaches, pain, mood swings do go away (for those whose symptoms are allergenically derived; it works. As advised in the intro, see your physician first for a check up; don't go on and off of the supplements (major problems) and approach the recommendations as life time changes, not just a diet for a few weeks.

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Oh no, not another diet!

Designed more for the person who wants to increase their immune system, Dr. Berger present a diet which has a side benefit of weight loss. This benefit is sold right up front. Like other controversial diet books, the author asks the reader to to give it a "fair try." Unlike those other books, there is little written in the way of studies outside of his own clinic to support his claims. Menus and recipes included in the book are fairly common-place so you won't be spending a whole lot more at the grocery store to try out the diet.

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