Sense Rules (Mostly) on New Audios

Can we detoxify ourselves after breathing polluted air, eating orange, prepackaged food and ingesting chlorine in our drinking water? According to James Balch, we can try.

Unlike many health books, which are bloated by pie charts and long lists, this is an uncluttered and accessible guide to natural medicine. Balch’s personality comes through in his writing, and the audio unwinds much like an informative and entertaining lecture.

Some of his ideas, like chelation therapy, are cutting edge, while others, such as getting enough natural sunlight, are common sense. Not all of his theories are backed up by scientific research, but much is, and he tells you when something is controversial or untried.

The audio could have used a more energetic narrator, as Balch’s reading style borders on a monotone. It’s not that he completely lacks inflection, but a livelier reader would have improved the production.

CURE YOUR CRAVINGS

by Yefim Shubentsov and Barbara Gordon

HighBridge Audio

Original material; two cassettes. Length: three hours; $17.95; read by Bill Morelock. Available in bookstores.

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When Yefim Shubentsov left the Soviet Union, which he described as a prison, he says he discovered that Americans were imprisoning themselves through cravings and neuroses. He approaches cravings and addictions with an attitude unknown to most Americans: We shouldn’t expect the antidote to be easy and quick fixes don’t work.

Much of what he has to say in the first cassette is basic common sense not heard from most members of the School of Modern Psychobabble. His “Three Cs” for stopping a craving are creativity, cleverness and common sense. Up to that point he is worth hearing. However, when he got into “Bio-Energy” and healing power, he lost this listener.

One section of the audio that sent up a red flag was Shubentsov’s claim that it is inadvisable to drink a lot of water when dieting, as it “stretches the stomach.” One must remember he was an artist in Soviet Russia, not a doctor. That said, I found much of what he said intriguing and inspiring. I would just take some of it with a grain of salt.

Bill Morelock reads with energy and elan. He eases us through the drier sections and picks up on Shubentsov’s passion and humor.