How Not to Die is the first book I read from Michael Greger, and I think it will be the last. Among all the nutrition and diet books I have read so far, I can say that this is the only book that shocked me. I have never come across a nutrition book that says “not very good” to olive oil and recommends people to eat bread.
Although Michael Greger doesn’t say it openly; he wants all people to be vegans with this book. He states that a purely plant-based diet will save all people from all diseases. Frankly, while I was reading the book, I thought whether I was consuming a lot of animal food. But when I looked at my weekly shopping list and all those organic products, I was relieved. This is a book that unfairly worries people.
I won’t remember How Not to Die with the information it contains, but with all the criticisms (see here). In short, Greger chose to include only the studies that worked for him in his book. In other words, it includes studies that show eggs are harmful, but it ignores the studies with the contrary results. Still, I would like to do it justice; If you want to take more advantage of plants, I suggest you read it. However, if you doubt that a vegan diet is the best for you, I will not recommend it.
We all know that continually reading books and following the latest research as much as possible is undoubtedly the only right way when it comes to nutrition and health. I am delighted to learn about all kinds of diets and their effects on our health. Sometimes I don’t trust what I read, and other times I get excited to learn something that will change my life. I am aware that this is an endless cycle and to be honest; I like it.
How Not to Die – Michael Greger
From the physician behind the wildly popular website NutritionFacts.org, How Not to Die reveals the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of disease-related death.
The vast majority of premature deaths can be prevented through simple changes in diet and lifestyle. In How Not to Die, Dr Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org examines the fifteen top causes of premature death in America — heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson’s, high blood pressure, and more — and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches, freeing us to live healthier lives.
The simple truth is that most doctors are good at treating acute illnesses but bad at preventing chronic disease. The fifteen leading causes of death claim the lives of 1.6 million Americans annually. This doesn’t have to be the case. By following Dr Greger’s advice, all of it backed up by strong scientific evidence; you will learn which foods to eat and which lifestyle changes to make to live longer.
History of prostate cancer in your family? Put down that glass of milk and add flaxseed to your diet whenever you can. Have high blood pressure? Hibiscus tea can work better than a leading hypertensive drug-and without the side effects. Fighting off liver disease? Drinking coffee can reduce liver inflammation. Battling breast cancer? Consuming soy is associated with prolonged survival. Worried about heart disease (the number 1 killer in the United States)? Switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet, which has been repeatedly shown not just to prevent the disease but often stop it in its tracks.
In addition to showing what to eat to help treat the top fifteen causes of death, How Not to Die includes Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen — a checklist of the twelve foods we should consume every day. Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor’s orders are just what we need to live longer, healthier lives.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
