The book does have some great elements: the detailed diet, acupressure points to massage to increase fertility, inspiring personal stories. However, the numerous references to the author's clinic were distracting. If you don't live in Los Angeles and aren't going to be treated by Dr. Dao, I can't imagine that this book would be a whole lot of help to you. Also, I was surprised by the somewhat discouraging tone towards older would-be mothers coupled with advice about donor eggs and adoption; I think most women over 40 know their reduced chances and need to be uplifted, not discouraged further (although, ironically, many of the success stories involve women over 35). I think, overall, Randine Lewis's "The Infertility Cure" was a much more informative read, and without the ego.

A girlfriend gave me this wonderful, informative, inspiring and calming book and I have since given it to others. Dr. Dao, even with his words, inspires confidence. I have read and reread the book, which is simple and thorough. The stories of women who have overcome their own fertility issues are inspiring. Dr. Dao sees and brings the reader into the big picture. Total health and interconnectedness. He assists in gaining a realistic perspective and then provides tools and suggestions to increase overall health and fertility.

Living in Los Angeles, I am fortunate to have become a patient of Dr. Dao. My FSH in three months has dropped by half and is now in single digits. I have incorporated the diet recommendations and qi gong exercises from the book.

This is a book for those seeking an alternative to Western Medicine and also for those seeking to support Western Medicine.

This book has been wonderful from the minute I started reading it. It is very honest and knowledgable information that makes you truly stop and re-evaluate the way you eat, think, rest, pray, sleep, etc. I am about 3/4 of the way through it, and already know that I will read it again once I finish. It has truly changed the way I look at my habits and the choices that I make. It is also well written and easy to understand.

I picked this book up and vowed I would skim through it on vacation. I could not put it down the whole flight to the vacation (it was a 11 hour flight:)) This is an amazing read. I skipped the stories of other women's struggles because I was just trying to conceive and didn't want to worry myself into thinking MORE about other fertility problems that could arise in addition to the ones I already had.

The book lead me to a total lifestyle change:
I have eliminated bad stresses in my life.
I have my husband and I on a very Dr. Dao diet.
In addition I have become his patient (lucky for me I live in the Los Angeles area).

I recently received blood tests results that show my hormones are at a normal level for the first time in my life since 1993 without the aid of western medication!!!!

I really attribute this change to Dr. Dao and HIGHLY recommend this book to my friends and all!

The Tao of Fertility offers sound health advice that is beneficial for everyone, not just for people who are dealing with fertility. It is beautifully written and provides a good balance between Eastern and Western medicine.

Good advice for healthy living overall. An inspirational read to help you focus on what's really important and maintain a healthy lifestyle (spiritually, emotionally as well as physically).

In particular, I found qigong exercises very helpful. The advice on what to eat/not to eat was also helpful. Although some recipes seemed like too much work, it is probably a small price to pay to ensure that you are healthy and fertile naturally.

This book is not just about fertility, but about how all of us, especially
those of us trying to get pregnant, can live a healthy life and about how our bodies work. In so many books of this type, I have either been bored or confused by what I've read. Dr. Dao and Ms. Herko not only explain things in simple layman's terms, but the writing itself is interesting, fast-paced and sometimes even funny. Ms. Herko uses metaphors that are right on target in helping to explain what would otherwise be complicated concepts. I actually put down a novel I was reading in order to finish this book!

What pulled me in the most of course, was the testimonials by women(women's voices) and individual stories or journeys of Dr. Dao's patients.
The connection to our lives, the human and emotional side of us, is what
makes this book so compelling, and has motivated me to look into many of the doctor's healthful suggestions. The authors have shown me that it all really is quite simple and sensible.

I highly recommend this book to everyone: buy it, read it and keep it as a reference.

I picked this book up for a friend, but after skimming through it, realized that I wanted to keep it for myself, a 55 year old cancer survivor. The writing is very engaging - I kept wanting to learn more! Many of the health principles are applicable for anyone. Who doesn't want her body to be in balance and healthier? This book just makes so much sense. It is written so clearly and is so fascinating that I'd recommend it to women of any age.

THE TAO OF FERTILITY is a powerful, informative and uplifting self-help book that is a must-have for any woman who is having difficulty getting pregnant. It is written in an easy-to-ready style that intelligently speaks to the reader; it is almost as if you are in Dr. Daoshing's office, getting advice from him directly! I learned alot about Chinese medicine and its value as a complement to Western fertility practices. What I found particularly compelling, having gone through the infertility process myself, were the poignant stories and quotes from numerous women who had dealt with this trying condition. The co-author, Dana Herko, a Daoshing patient who attributes the miracle of her own hard-to conceive children to Dr. Daoshing's fertility program, further lends credibility to his healthy, easy-to-follow holistic approach. There is even advice for women who must, somewhere in their quest to have a baby, resort to other means of making this dream come true. Dr. Daoshing describes the road to having a child as a journey, and indeed this book is a roadmap to the final destination -- a baby of one's own. I highly recommend this book and wish it had been available to me during my challenging years of trying to conceive.

Dr. Dao has written a beautiful, helpful book on how to help women get pregnant. He is an excellent practitioner of Chinese Medicine, devoted to his patients. I recommend this book!
Judith Orloff

This book addresses a most difficult and emotional subject with a great deal of respect and sensitivity. I was most impressed with the humanity and kindness that infuses this work.

The overall presentation assumes the reader has little or no prior knowledge of Chinese medicine and is very straightforward and instructive. The Taoist method is based on centuries of observation and experience, but with a fundamentally different philosophy from that of western medicine. Dr. Daoshing's explanations about the use of diet, herbs, acupuncture and specific exercises to promote fertility are directed to the reader who is unfamiliar with the science behind Taoist practices. He is able to simplify the rationale behind the various aspects of the medical program for a western reader while retaining just enough "science" to satisfy this lay reader. This holistic approach to the patient is logical and very appealing.

The individual stories in the second part of the book serve as a reminder that most of the western patients seeking Dr. Daoshings's assistance have already experienced great disappointment and sorrow. While they may seek him out with the goal of giving birth, it is clear that he does not view this as the sole metric for success. Dr. Dao's view is that fertility and motherhood are important aspects of a woman's life, but not the totality. He addresses the whole person. The brief but poignant chapter "When Dreams Don't Come True" and the final chapter, "In Balance for the Rest of Your Life" reinforce this view.

I learned a great deal from reading this book, and I would recommend it to anyone considering an "alternative" approach to fertility. I would also recommend it highly for the family and friends of women experiencing fertility problems.

After I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of twenty-three, my oncologist suggested that I go to see a fertility specialist. This being that my ovaries were affected by the chemotherapy and my chances of conceiving would be drastically lowered. The fertility specialist immediately recommended many types of drugs, needles and having IVF and then an FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). I was devastated to say the least. Few doctor's have mastered how to handle this delicate problem that plagues women today. Dr. Dao is one of them. He doesn't shy away, as if it only exists in the minds of the women facing it, instead he leads the way to hope and promise of fertility.

This book is a blessing! It speaks volumes with both knowledge and information that is easily readable and understood. Dr. Dao, Being a Taoist with their full understanding of balance, mind, body, and nature, many of these concepts were new to me and I was pleased to find that all the information given seemed logical, easy to follow and most importantly, achievable! An important aspect to women searching through the seemingly endless amount of information on this subject.

From the diets to detoxify to the daily meditation to relax the mind, there is something for everyone struggling with fertility in this book. Included are recipes, suggestions for herbal supplements, questionnaires, and charts that are easy to follow and bring hope to those trying to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant! This is an astonishing turn around in fertility books. I've read many books on this very subject and most jump into the available drug treatments, IVF, and surgical solutions used to help women with this problem.

This book includes more than the usual doctor's message of eating a sensible diet, not smoking, exercising and staying positive. Dr. Dao discusses Traditional Chinese Medicine with an equal scale toward Western Medicine. He never says one is better than the other and helps you to understand the way of the Tao and the Traditional Chinese Methods. This is the first book of this type where I've actually had the doctor prepare your body for pregnancy in both body and mind. ,

The second half of this book was beautifully done with touching vignettes of previously infertile women who now have conceived and have happy, healthy children. I find these stories not only touching, but helpful in coping with my own infertility. Hope is the first word that comes to mind.

A massive amount of information is placed in this single volume book. It's not just a self-help guide to women and couples, but an outstanding source of information that I will turn to time and time again.