NATURAL HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Sophisticated in appearance, somewhat purist in tone, this touts the benefits of raw foods and juices (50 percent of the diet), natural therapies (faith healing, Bates eye training), meditation, and kitchen cosmetic preparations (potato juice as makeup remover). Bronwen Meredith, author of the sleek Vogue Body and Beauty Book, has included many subjects which some consider ""fringe"" (color therapy, flower therapy, mono diets) but the overall impression is otherwise, in part because of the book's chic look: a clever combination of wholesomeness (vegetable arrays) and intentional artifice (fashion magazine poses). The recipes are better than most comparable books offer and there is much flexibility within the stretch of recommendations. A natural for those able to follow up by investing in juice extractors or health spa sojourns, appealing also to those of more slender means.