How Not to Die, authored by Dr. Michael Greger, also known for the website NutritionFacts.org is one of the best science based books detailing how a plant based diet can improve one’s health and combat diseases. There are over 100 pages of sources cited (and none of them is Fox News or CNN or….).
It is a very well written book that you must get a hold of! There is too much good information to summarize, so get a copy. This is one of those books you will keep after reading.
There are 2 parts to the book.
Part 1 details how specific disorders or diseases, ranging from heart and lung diseases, to various cancers, to suicidal depression and Parkinson can be helped or prevented by diet. You might read a given chapter if you have a specific disease or concern. Each chapter covers a disease and is only 10-20 pages long. His writing is to the point and is easy to understand.
Part 2 is a review of Dr. Greger’s “Daily Dozen”, 12 things you need for longevity. If you don’t have a specific disease concern, just start here. You will need to read the 140 pages, but here are the dozen foods:
Beans, 3x per day
Berries, once per day
Other Fruits, 3x
Cruciferous Vegetables, once
Greens, 2x
Other Vegetables, 2x
Flaxseeds, once (seeds need to be ground to be absorbed)
Nuts, once (Walnuts seem to be the best)
Spices, once (Lots of options here, so read up. Turmeric, cinnamon, cloves…)
Whole Grains, 3x (includes info for those who want gluten free)
This is where the 5:1 ratio of carbs to fiber comes in. You want 5, or less, grams of carbs for every gram of fiber. This eliminates a lot of options.
Beverages, 5x. Water, coffee, tea. The only good sweeteners are black-strap molasses and date sugar. Sugar can interfere with a number of nutrients, so minimize added sugars.
Exercise, once (yes, you need to work out a little)
There is also an appendix covering supplements. Basically, 2500mcg of B12 once a week and 250mg of long chain omega-3s. Everything else can be obtained in a plant based diet.
The book is well written and is easy to read. It advocates moving towards a healthier diet, rather than is a hard-core prescription of “musts” or “must-nots”. There is a companion cookbook, if you want recipes that follow the book. Once you’ve read the book, I’m betting you’ll want to check out https://nutritionfacts.org.
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