The high cost of health care and health insurance along with preferences for alternative treatments inspire people to try DIY approaches involving improved nutrition and healing foods. In this complete solutions guide touting foods to alleviate routine maladies, Kotsopoulos, of the television show Peggy K's Kitchen Cures, provides stressed, tired readers lacking libido and lustrous hair scientific, food-based solutions complete with diagrams and boxed tips throughout, along with 40 gluten-free recipes. There is also a section devoted to DIY beauticians' aids for body, face, and hair: fruit, nut, and coffee-based scrubs; citrus-based exfoliants; and hair care involving avocados, egg, and honey. Kotsopoulos also links food and mood (B-vitamins in bananas, almonds, and asparagus for mood-boosting energy); food and weight (shellfish, eggs, and cayenne pepper help support thyroid function); and food and health (anti-inflammatory nutrients in fish and walnuts for pain). With listings of resources and references, end notes, and an index, Kotsopoulos' guide is comprehensive and mainstream.--Scott, Whitney Copyright 2010 Booklist

Holistic nutritionist Kotsopoulos expands on the advice in her earlier book Must Have Been Something I Ate in a new title that tackles health and beauty problems she attributes to nutritional deficits. In a breezy, chat-with-a-girlfriend style, she addresses such common issues as mood swings, diminished libido, cloudy thinking, insomnia, weight gain, skin imperfections, and menopausal symptoms. Like other writers urging the consumption of "real food" (most notably Michael Pollan), Kotsopoulos promotes the use of fresh, whole foods that are ideally plant based and unrefined. She reassures her readers that favorite foods needn't be given up and claims that key nutrients missing from those dishes can be added easily. She gives detailed information on where to find the nutrients and how to use them. Included are recipes with unexpected ingredients, such as golden beet ravioli and chocolate chip quinoa cookies. VERDICT Although men can benefit from the author's suggestions, this work is aimed primarily at women. The chapters dealing with beauty and aging are especially interesting. Recommended.-Linda Petty, Wimberley, TX (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.