Living Beauty: Feel Great, Look Fabulous, and Live Well

Liz Dennett is a public service librarian in the Science and Technology
Library at the University of Alberta.

Writing from the premise that improving inner health can improve outer
beauty, Lisa Petty has put together “beauty prescriptions” for
anyone interested in looking and feeling better. The book is divided
into two main parts. The first is intended for all readers; it discusses
the immune and digestive systems in a simplified manner, and suggests
different nutrients, supplements, probiotics, and practices that can
improve health. Part 2 addresses particular problems that people might
have such as eczema, wrinkles, acne, cold sores, halitosis, warts, and
dandruff, as well as more serious conditions such as hypo- and
hyperthyroidism. Much of the advice is about different supplements that
people can take, but in some cases the advice is simply to see your
doctor. There are also suggestions for general improvement of hair,
skin, teeth, and nails. The final chapter covers the proper use and
application of makeup, and warns about some of the dangerous substances
that can be found in it and how to avoid them.

The book offers lots of recommendations for some pretty drastic
lifestyle changes, such as cutting out all sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.
While most of us recognize these are not good for us, it is difficult to
do and the book offers little insight into succeeding beyond the
suggestion to do it gradually.

The book contains a great deal of useful information, but the sources
are not cited. Petty includes a list of references at the back of the
book, but it is impossible to tell where a particular piece of
information came from. While she does mention clinical trials
occasionally, without a direct citation to the original article it is
difficult to evaluate the quality of that information. Many trials
involving the types of natural products that she encourages using were
done on small groups of people and could be of questionable quality.
Readers should do independent research or consult their health-care
professional before adopting any of the suggestions in this book.