Book Review - Mystical Diets

This article is an electronic version of an article originally published in Cultic Studies Journal, 1994, Volume 11, Number 1, page 123. Please keep in mind that the pagination of this electronic reprint differs from that of the bound volume. This fact could affect how you enter bibliographic information in papers that you may write.

Book Review - Mystical Diets. 

Jack Raso. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY, 1993, 291 pages.**

Jack Raso, M.S., R.D., presents Mystical Diets which exposes paranormal, spiritual, and occult nutrition beliefs and practices. Chapter One, "From believer to skeptic: my personal odyssey," is worth the price of the book as Raso describes his past experiences as a supplement junkie, health food store "nutritionist," health seeker, and his eventual acceptance of reality. Raso identifies the thread that runs through most of the healing systems covered by the book as a belief in a "vital force" ("healing power") that goes by many names. Included among the mystical diets are Macrobiotics, Natural Hygiene (naturopathy, T.C. Fry, Harvey Diamond), Edgar Cayce (A.R.E. Clinic), Ayurvedic Medicine, FAIM (Atkins, Huggins, Schachter, Wright, McGrady), Anthroposophical Medicine, Gerson cancer treatment, Matol Km, Nature's Sunshine, Nutripathy, mail order nutrition (a survey of products advertised in popular publications), chiropractic nutrition, nutrition diploma mills ("nontraditional" health education), [along with] a useful glossary to help sort out terms. The individuals, products, and services named in this short review are only a sampling of what this book covers. The book is available through NCAHF Book Sales, P.O. Box 1747, Allentown, PA 18195, for $24 + $2 p&h.

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Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1994