Book Reviews & Reader's Comments

"It is Fantastic! I wish I had this wonderful work during my own massage training. Dr. Scarfalloto takes the art of massage therapy and nutrition and marries them beautifully in this very informative and highly readable book. Nutrition for Massage Therapists covers in depth the areas of importance for massage therapy and nutrition, including various diets, meal plans, cleansing and elimination, and emotions. I highly recommend  Dr. Scarfalloto's book to anyone interested in either massage therapy or nutrition; and if you have an interest in both you will be doubly rewarded.” 
– Anne Osborne, massage therapist, reflexologist, author of Fruitarianism, The Path to Paradise. Queensland, Australia.

“Dr Rudy Scarfalloto is an incredibly gifted teacher. In his book, he offers the massage therapist a comprehensive, yet succinct and easy to understand explanation of nutrition, from the basic principles to emotional eating. In addition, he addresses specific clinical situations that the massage therapist commonly encounters, and also takes an objective and unbiased look at popular diets, enabling the reader to see the pros and cons of various diets and how they may affect ones health. The appendix is a great resource. It provides insightful articles and fact sheets that can be copied and given to clients. I highly recommend this book to massage therapists and other healers.
– Laura P. Strickland, LMT, Licensed Acupuncturist. Hartwell, GA.

"In a clear and intelligent manner, Dr. Scarfalloto teaches massage therapists and other bodyworkers about nutrition and food. He realizes that the mind/body connection, so inherent in our work, can be influenced by the foods we eat and the nutrients we assimilate. This book should be read by anyone who values a strong body and strong spirit. Bravo!"
– Elaine Stillerrman, LMT, author of Prenatal Massage, and Modalities For Massage and bodywork. NYC

“I am so grateful for this book. Dr. Scarfalloto has done an excellent job researching the overwhelming amount of nutritional information on the market today, and forming a cohesive unit that makes sense and is practical in its application as well. The science of nutrition is covered, fad diets are addressed, and a guide to making good nutritional choices is included.  There is a wealth of information for the massage therapist to apply personally, and hold informed conversations with clients. The presentation of the material allows the knowledge gained to be integrated immediately into lifestyle and diet.  If you are a massage therapist or health professional, and you are searching for one book that covers all aspects of nutrition, this is the book for you.”
– Sasha Snyder, LMT, M.Th. Naples, FL

"Dr. Rudy Scarfalloto's book sheds a light of pure awareness on the connection between consciousness and the nutritional and physiological science behind the massage profession. It left me feeling motivated not only to help heal my clients from the outside in, but to heal myself from the inside out. His work is the voice of reason in a world of battling opinions on health and nutrition. It's refreshing hearing such a balanced voice!"
– Meredith Barr, LMT, public school teacher. Atlanta, GA.

“As I think about this timely book, my first thought is that it is a great and wonderful resource--not only for massage therapists, but for anyone who may be seeking a better understanding of nutrition. Massage therapy should be viewed by our clients as a wellness practice for better health and quality of life. Dr. Scarfalloto’s book provides clarity concerning what we eat and how food relates to massage therapy. I think it should be a required text for massage therapists.”
– Dante C. Tobias, LMT. Former pastor in the Seventh-Day, Adventist Church. Lithonia GA.

“In this amazing book, Dr. Scarfalloto masterfully explains the important link between proper nutrition and the physical and emotional health of all humans. He provides an accurate and concise guide for massage therapists as well as all health care practitioners and laymen.” 
– Danielle J. Lefemine, LMT. Austin, TX.

“I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is simple and clear, and especially useful as the author incorporates the little learning snippets and facts of interest, throughout the book. I do think it is exciting, and still a little "daring" to get massage therapists involved with the care of their client's nutrition as part of client treatment and wellness. In school, I remember hearing so much about things we were supposed to NOT do. It is refreshing to see a needed and welcome addition to the well being of our clients. It brings additional recognition to the fact that massage therapists are, indeed  health care practitioners.”
– Adam Pancake, massage therapist, psychotherapist. Atlanta, GA.

“In this informative book, Dr. Scarfalloto guides the massage therapist towards a great start on the journey to healthy eating. With my perspective as both a massage therapist and the co-founder of the first farm in the Southeast to produce wheatgrass and other young greens, I fully endorse Dr. Rudy’s book. Massage therapy is good medicine, and it’s far more potent than most people realize. Fundamental to being effective massage therapists, we must learn n adequate self-care to support our physical, mental, and spiritual health, so that we are able to nurture and support our clients with our full potential.”
– Marlene Webb, massage therapist, co-founder of Vonnie’s Greens. Decatur, GA.

“Dr. Scarfalloto has the ability to take some of the most complicated ideas and make them uncomplicated and accessible. He clears a path through the nutritional jungle and guides the reader on a journey of understanding their own body and its needs. This in turn will allow the readers to effectively help themselves and those they serve in their practices. I highly recommend this book for massage therapists or other alternative medicine practitioners, whether they are just beginning their careers or have been working for eons.”
– Jeremy Taylor LMT, high school teacher. Atlanta, GA.

Dante C. Tobias, LMT

Rev. Tobias is a retired pastor in the Seventh-day Adventists Church. He studied massage at ASHA School of Massage. He is certified in Swedish Massage, Sports Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy. 

It is my privilege to review Dr. Rudy Scarfalloto’s book, Nutrition for Massage Therapists. As I think about this timely book, my first thought is that it is a great and wonderful resource, not only for massage therapists, but for anyone who may be seeking a better understanding of food and nutrients. The author, a doctor of chiropractic and massage therapist, a teacher of anatomy and physiology and nutrition, appeals to his readers from a variety of perspectives. He concisely covers activity that we need to combine with good nutrition.

Because of my religious background, I already had convictions about what I would and would not eat or drink, even before massage school. I had been a vegetarian for about twenty-three years. My family and I did not eat meat, though we did eat dairy and egg products. Being a massage therapist has strengthened my belief that practitioners should consider overall health. Working in this industry successfully requires that we eat healthy and even look healthy.

To embrace the scientific principles in Dr. Scarfalloto’s book would not only help us to be healthier, but would also help us to guide our clients as they raise the bar of health in there own lives. Massage therapy should be viewed by our clients as a wellness practice for better health and quality of life.

Dr. Scarfalloto’s book provides clarity concerning what we eat and how we eat relates to massage therapy. It should be a required text for massage therapists. For starters, Dr. Scarfalloto carefully defines terminology that most people assume they understand. For example, what is a nutrient? The usual answer would be “stuff we eat.” According to Dr. Scarfalloto, “Nutrients are the chemicals that the body extracts from food to promote life.” Once these often used terms are clarified, Dr. Scarfalloto ably describes how to bring the body into harmony by consuming better foods.

Nutrition for Massage Therapists covers a plethora of subjects that can help anyone, if applied properly. Reading this book will cause one to think about what they are eating and drinking and what its origin may be. I think most of us may have health issues or projects that we may want to work on, but we often do not know how to approach the challenge facing us. With this book, we finally have a clear and in depth explanation of ways we can help ourselves and our clients in today’s environment in which processed and artificial food is so plentiful.

Common ailments and conditions are discussed in the context of nutrition and massage. Stress is described as the root cause of many problems. A study guide is provided at the end of the book that helps immensely in retaining and integrating the information. With the information presented in Dr. Scarfalloto’s book, we can make intelligent decisions as to how we will live our lives, and how we can impact the lives of those we serve in our massage practice.

Aubree Lewis, LMT

Aubree Lewis is a graduate of ASHA School of Massage in Atlanta, GA and holds a Bachelors of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from Ithaca College in New York.

As a massage therapist, I can safely say my work is focused primarily on musculoskeletal anatomy. However, the more I work with the body, the more I see that musculoskeletal health is very much connected to the deeper visceral functions – which can either help or hinder my work! This is precisely what Dr. Rudy Scarfalloto addresses in his book, Nutrition for Massage Therapists.

How many times have your clients come to you with dietary questions or concerns? Have you ever noticed symptoms resembling nutritional imbalances, but just did not feel confident enough to offer suggestions. Nutrition for Massage Therapists is a tool to help us as massage therapists develop and nurture our personal understanding of nutrition and the internal workings of the body. We are also guided in applying that knowledge in ways that can help our clients help themselves.

Granted, scope of practice is a touchy subject when it comes to massage therapy and nutrition, but, as Dr. Scarfalloto shows us, we can safely, respectfully and ethically utilize potentially helpful information, without breaking or even bending any rules. It is not about scope of practice. It is about being knowledgeable on nutrition and its relationship to the health of muscles, bones and joints. This book educates the therapist on how to educate their client. This is not to say the book certifies one as a nutritionist, nor does it provide the credentials to instruct clients on precisely what do to in any given dietary scenario. It simply prepares us to listen to our clients’ concerns and recommend relevant options, which the client is free to use or not use.

The book is divided into two main sections; Basic Principles and Clinical Application. Basic Principles is an excellent resource for any individual in pursuit of a thorough understanding of nutrition. Starting with the nutrients, Dr. Scarfalloto describes the various components of human nutrition and explains the synergistic relationships between nutrients and how they dance in the body. The language is simple and the information is well organized, making for a surprisingly quick and pleasant read. The author combines his description of biochemistry with real-life examples, clearly illustrating the dynamic relationship between food and the human body. We get a unique glimpse into the world of micro and macro nutrition, the functioning of the body systems, and an in depth analysis of all the major diets, all held together by the common thread of trusting your own judgment as to what is right for you.

As a book which is first and foremost for massage therapists, Nutrition For Massage Therapists considers the body-mind connection, especially the emotional and instinctual components of eating, creating a smooth and seamless transition to the second half of the book – the application of nutrition to your massage therapy practice. This is where the author dives deeply into the nutritional components of the various physical conditions we encounter in our clients. Where relevant, the author reviews the body systems we learned about in massage school, combining it with nutritional knowledge, so we can better educate our clients on how food can influence the issues that drove them to seek our services.

In summary, if you are a massage therapist who is interested in nutrition for the purpose improving personal health and enriching your practice, this book is a must read. In addition, I feel that Dr. Scarfalloto’s simple language and eloquent structure makes this book user-friendly even for someone who has little or no formal training in anatomy, physiology or nutrition. I would therefore recommend this book to any individual, health professional or lay-person, seeking a comprehensive understanding of nutrition and its relation to health and wellbeing.