Product Description

This book is for anyone looking to live a healthier life. Women are increasingly beginning to query just what is in all the foods they eat and the substances they spread on themselves as well as the chemicals they are using around the home. Now Janey Lee Grace, co-presenter of BBC Radio 2's show "Steve Wright in the Afternoon", has gathered together a fantastic collection of alternative ways of making yourself beautiful, keeping your home clean and ensuring you stay healthy in the process. She claims to be no expert but, in spite of this, is fast becoming known as Radio 2's Holistic Ambassador. As a mother of three young boys, a wife, a broadcaster, a singer and a writer, Janey doesn't have time to waste on unrealistic objectives so she has taken the best of what's on offer holistically and incorporated it into her life. She is no eco-warrior and insists that she is an imperfect woman who is always looking at different ways of doing things to enhance the life of her family. Written in a friendly style, Janey relates to the reader her experience of different kinds of complementary health, beauty products and ways of avoiding the use of chemicals and other harmful substances. "Imperfectly Natural Woman" is packed with useful resources. Throughout the book, Janey takes you by the hand and gently leads you into a different way of living; a way designed to make you healthier, happier and in the process, almost as a by-product, to make a contribution to the preservation of the planet.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15925 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 246 pages

Review
"Packed with useful quirky and off-the-wall, goody goody tips. If you would like to clean your house without chemicals, or just want to know what all the fuss is about read it" The Independent on Sunday "... an addictive read amusingly written, frank, commonsensical - the ultimate bible for the 21st Century Woman!" Herbal Thymes "This is an ideal guide to natural, eco-friendly & ethical living- the easy way! It is superbly easy to follow, relate to, & put into action." Mooncup News"

Mooncup Newsletter, mooncup.co.uk
This gives an ideal guide to natural, eco-friendly and ethical living - the easy way!

Sandra Leyland Williams, Nutritional Counsellor, Natural Health
It gives an excellent 'dip' into a huge range of products/therapies, never getting too technical in any single area.

Customer Reviews

A great intro to the natural, healthy world of beauty
If you're a time poor person who wants to lead a more ethical life then Janey Lee Grace's Imperfectly Natural Woman is the book for you!

Janey has taken the guess work out of the products that work, so that all you have to do is read, inform yourself and choose what's best for you.

There are thousands of natural, eco products out there, all promising to make our lives greener, easier or more ethical. It can be daunting at best and paralysing at worst.

But don't worry; with the help of Janey's book you will be able to find your way through the maze of greenwashing and get straight to the products that deliver what they promise.

You'll find tips to help you look 10 years younger and not everything requires a second mortgage! Often one great multi purpose product is all it takes and with my personal interest of reducing waste and saving space, this approach gets the thumbs up from me.

With products to nourish your skin and make your hair shine, you'll find all you need to look young and beautiful without a toxic chemical in sight. In Imperfectly Natural Woman you'll discover which one product is a superfood AND can be applied topically to prevent stretch marks or combed through the hair as an intensive conditioner!

You'll find recommendations for hair dyes, sunscreen, make up and deodorant - areas where there can be a lot of confusion over what is safe or not. This ensures you can maintain your beauty routine whilst greening your life. Who said going green was all about unkempt hair and a bare face?

The book is peppered with 'real life' interviews. It's clear from the success of fly-on-the-wall documentaries that we love to hear about other's lives. By talking to 'ordinary people', Janey reveals some of their favourite products and philosophies on life.

This book isn't just about looking good on the outside, however. Janey takes a holistic mind-body-soul attitude towards food, exercise and ways to balance the mind and soothe the soul.

In addition, you'll find natural cures for common ailments such as cough, colds, sore throats and digestive upsets. Find out the best essential oil for ear infections and which herbal tea can ease a tummy ache.

As well as keeping yourself healthy, you'll discover how to clean your home with household ingredients - not a chemical in sight. Discover how to unblock your drains with one safe ingredient and which fruit you can add to your dishwasher to bring sparkle and shine to your cutlery. Find out which nut will successfully clean your laundry. Yes, really!

Throughout the book you'll see beautiful photographs of Janey who is living proof that an 'Imperfectly Natural Woman' can look gorgeous, healthy and full of vitality. She really is a great advert for all that she endorses; she looks sensational!

If you or someone in your life wants to green up their life but doesn't know where to start, then this book will help. You'll be able to find out what really works, which will save you time and money so that you can get on and enjoy a more natural and eco friendly lifestyle. Buy it for youself and your girlfriends.

Easy to read but lacking
I liked this book but was disappointed.

I liked the fact that it didn't make you feel like a failure if you still prefer to wash your undies in Fairy. I also liked how for much of the book it was about easy changes you can make. She also come accross as human and admitted she takes short cuts sometimes. The discussion on child birth was really interesting and raised some valid points which I wil definately consider if I have kids.

However I was also very conscious that a lot of what the book talks about simply isn't available to people either on a limited income, outside of London or who don't have the time to spend hours a week being massaged. I also diliked how it glossed over some of the the whys eg she stuck a magnet on the back of her mobile after being horrified by the electromagnetic field it was creating but did the magnet change this? She doesn't say. I also found myself getting incredibly infuriated when the book started to dictate what birth control women should use. Whilst I agree that pumping women's bodies full of chemicals isn't good she fails to acknowledge that for some women it is the only practical option they have. SHe also implies that the methods she suggest are 100% reliable. They are not. The other thing which made me a bit mad was the sunscreen discussions. Her book is very misleading with regards to this discussion and fails to address to real issues and otehr possible reasons for the link between sunscreen and health.

I like listening to Janey Lee Grace on the radio. I think she talks a lot of sense most of the time. I also appreicate it must have been hard for her not to rant in this book! I just wish it was a bit more balanced and acknowlegded that some of the theories in the book are just that; theories and that there are other theories too.

Highly recommend
I highly recommend this book, It is jam packed full of natural, simple and probably much cheaper alternatives to shop bought chemically laden un-natural cleaning and toiletry products. I love the 'imperfect' part which summarises the books ethos of doing the best we can and being 'good enough'. This is a book is one you can return to time and again, and pass round friends and family too! Janey writes with wit and sense of humour and you know she has been there before you- and writes from experience.