Staying Healthy with Nutrition, rev: The Complete Guide to Diet by Elson M. Haas, Buck Levin cover

Staying Healthy with Nutrition, rev: The Complete Guide to Diet

by Elson M. Haas, Buck Levin

$37.98 on AmazonRead our full review

At a glance

Pages944
First published2006
AudienceAdult
ISBN1587611791

About the Author

Elson M. Haas, Buck Levin

1 book reviewed

LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for

Readers who want a serious, structured single-volume nutrition reference — from general readers building nutritional literacy to students of dietetics or integrative medicine seeking a consolidated clinical foundation.

Worth it if

Worth it if you want one authoritative, encyclopedic nutrition reference on the shelf that covers macronutrients, global dietary approaches, environmental health, and lifestage-specific protocols in depth, written by credentialed integrative medicine practitioners.

Skip if

Skip it if you're looking for a concise, prescriptive diet plan or need cutting-edge guidance on rapidly evolving topics like specific supplement research or mood-disorder protocols, as the 2006 publication date means some areas will require cross-referencing with more recent science.

What readers & critics say

Publisher and retailer listings retrieved from Penguin Random House and ThriftBooks describe the revised edition as an encyclopedic volume compiling decades of practical experience and scientific research, presented in an easy-to-use format with a friendly, engaging tone. The author's own site (elsonhaasmd.com) characterises it as "an improved and expansive look at nutrition and health" drawn from Haas and Levin's combined clinical findings.

Sources: Penguin Random House, ThriftBooks, elsonhaasmd.com
4.6from 381 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score

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Was this helpful?

Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Rev: The Complete Guide to Diet is a 944-page encyclopedic clinical reference co-authored by integrative medicine physician Dr. Elson M. Haas and Dr. Buck Levin, covering nutritional building blocks, global dietary evaluation, environmental health, and lifestage-specific programs in a single structured volume. LuvemBooks finds it best suited to readers who want a serious, practitioner-grounded nutrition resource rather than a trend-driven diet book — its four-part architecture makes it navigable for both general readers and students of nutrition or integrative medicine. The key caveat: published in 2006, some rapidly evolving protocols on supplements, environmental chemicals, and mood disorders will require cross-referencing with more recent science.
Is it worth reading?
For readers seeking a serious, practitioner-grounded nutrition reference, this revised edition has served that role for many households as a comprehensive single-volume resource — a meaningful endorsement given its endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. and its authorship by clinicians with decades of patient-care experience. Its four-part structure makes it genuinely navigable despite its 944-page scope, and the depth of its clinical framing sets it apart from trend-driven diet books. The primary caveat is its 2006 publication date: while foundational macronutrient and micronutrient science remains durable, readers relying on it for up-to-the-minute guidance on supplements, environmental chemicals, or mood disorders should cross-reference with more recent sources.
Similar books
Readers drawn to Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Rev will find strong company in the curated shelf below. T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell's The China Study offers landmark large-scale nutritional research with implications for diet and long-term health. Michael Greger M.D.'s How Not to Diet applies rigorous science to sustainable weight loss with a similarly evidence-grounded approach. For readers interested in the longevity dimension of nutrition, Peter Attia MD's Outlive and Dan Buettner's The Blue Zones examine dietary patterns through the lens of lifespan and healthspan. Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food provides a more philosophical, accessible counterpoint with its argument for whole-food eating over nutritionism.
Who should read this?
Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Rev is designed for two overlapping audiences: general readers who want to build serious nutritional literacy from the ground up using a structured, authoritative reference, and professionals — including students of nutrition, dietetics, or integrative medicine — who want a consolidated foundational resource grounded in clinical practice. Readers who appreciate Dr. Haas's other titles such as The Detox Diet or Staying Healthy with the Seasons, or who have an existing interest in integrative and preventive medicine, will find this collaborative work with Dr. Levin to be among the most thorough expressions of that perspective available. It is not suited to readers looking for a quick, prescriptive diet plan or a narrative wellness read.
How current is the science?
The foundational science covering macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and core dietary principles is durable and remains relevant despite the 2006 publication date. However, the revised edition's expanded protocols on specific supplements, environmental chemical guidelines, and mental and mood disorder treatments — including anxiety, ADHD, and depression — will have been updated by nearly two decades of subsequent research. LuvemBooks recommends using Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Rev as an authoritative foundational reference while cross-referencing more recent sources for rapidly evolving clinical topics.
What's the integrative medicine angle?
The integrative medicine perspective is central to the book's identity: Dr. Haas is the founder of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, and brings a philosophy of preventive and holistic care that shapes the volume's treatment of nutrition as interconnected with lifestyle, environment, and lifestage. This distinguishes the book from conventional dietetics texts — it encompasses environmental factors, special supplements, and protocols for conditions like fatigue and mood disorders alongside standard nutritional science. Andrew Weil, M.D., himself a prominent figure in integrative medicine and author of Healthy Aging, specifically endorsed the book, which speaks to its standing within that tradition.
Does it cover different life stages?
Yes — Part Four of the book is dedicated to lifestage-specific programs and nutritional protocols, and the revised edition expanded this coverage as part of its updates. This structural feature makes the volume useful across a wide range of readers, from those building foundational dietary habits to individuals navigating the nutritional demands of specific phases of life. The integration of lifestage guidance with the broader four-part reference architecture means readers can return to the book repeatedly as their circumstances change.
Summarize this book

Summarize this book

Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Rev is a revised, encyclopedic single-volume reference co-authored by Dr. Elson M. Haas — integrative family medicine practitioner and founder of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California — and Dr. Buck Levin. Its four-part structure covers the foundational building blocks of nutrition (water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals), a global evaluation of food groups and dietary approaches, a dedicated chapter on environmental factors including food additives and industrial chemicals, and lifestage-specific nutritional programs and protocols. The revised edition expands coverage to include special supplements, and breakthrough treatment protocols for conditions such as fatigue, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and weight management. Andrew Weil, M.D., calls it 'an excellent guide for those wishing to make smarter dietary choices.'

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Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Adult

Reading level

Adult

Skip if you want a concise, prescriptive diet plan rather than an encyclopedic clinical reference.

Editorial Review

A revised, encyclopedic guide to diet and nutrition co-authored by integrative medicine physician Dr. Elson M. Haas and Dr. Buck Levin, this 944-page reference compiles decades of clinical experience and scientific research into a structured, four-part volume covering nutritional building blocks, food and diet evaluation, environmental health, and lifestage-specific programs — earning an endorsement from Andrew Weil, M.D. as "an excellent guide for those wishing to make smarter dietary choices."

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