Helping ourselves

By Daverick Leggett. Meridian Press, 2000. Paperback, 57 pages.

Helping Ourselves is a simply produced and relatively short introduction to the basic principles of Chinese dietary therapy aimed at patients. It explains all the basic principles, for example the nature of the Spleen, the importance of regular eating habits (including relaxation and positive attitude), the temperatures and flavours of foods, and appropriate foods to treat different patterns of disharmony (e.g. to nourish yin, yang, qi and blood, move qi, drain damp, warm cold etc.) It therefore presupposes that a patient will first have been offered a diagnosis by a practitioner. In addition to the book itself, there is a wall chart that condenses the information in the book. The foods discussed are (mostly) easily available, and the writing intelligent, clear and concise. The book is equally suited for patients and practitioners.