The World's Best Book Summaries
Do multivitamins work? Many researchers say no. We’ll cover why it’s so hard to distill the benefits of fruits and vegetables in a pill and look at studies that show the failure of many vitamin supplements to work.
When we want to lose weight, our first thought is usually to cut calories. The mantra “burn more calories than you consume” has always guided Westerners on their weight-loss journeys, prompting them to starve themselves and head to the gym. But what if you could eat more to lose weight? Although it seems counterintuitive to eat more to lose weight, it’s actually the healthiest way to do it. But you can’t just eat more white bread and meat and expect to lose weight. According to the “Eat More to Lose Weight” philosophy, what you eat is more important than how
Is there a cure for diabetes, or does your diagnosis mean you’ll be taking medication and dealing with the complications your whole life? There could be a cure for diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes, and it’s not medication. We’ll cover the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and how changing your diet can help alleviate Type 1 symptoms and cure Type 2 diabetes.
About 12% of American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. Do you know the risk factors for breast cancer? There are 5 main risk factors, detailed below. Surprisingly, the consumption of animal foods is linked to more than one of them. We’ll cover the risk factors and discuss how animal products are related to breast cancer risk.
One out of eight American women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. Like most cancers, this is yet another disease of affluence, a disease that strikes people in economically advantaged areas. Why? Does this mean that breast cancer is preventable? We’ll cover the factors that pose the most risk and look at how to prevent breast cancer through a variety of treatment options. Learn why the simplest and healthiest way to lower your risk may be to adopt a plant-based diet.
What is the link between fiber and colon cancer? Is fiber preventative? Or is there something else in fiber-rich foods that helps prevent colon cancer? We’ll cover how fiber and colon cancer are connected, why fiber supplements aren’t the best preventative measure, and what other dietary factors may be at play in preventing colon cancer.
One thing we think we know about nutrition is that we need lots of protein to be strong and healthy. But how should we get that protein? In the debate about plant protein vs. animal protein, it can be hard to know how they’re different and which is the healthier choice. We probably don’t need animal protein at all. We’ll cover the difference between plant and animal proteins and determine which is healthier.
The most famous disease of Western affluence is obesity, a symbol of our privilege and the excesses it fosters. Why are Americans so fat? Many people want to blame sugar or fat, and the American sweet tooth and addiction to refined foods certainly play their parts. But are there other, more significant reasons Americans are overweight? As we’ve made a collective effort to cut down on sugars and fats, our rates of obesity have continued to climb. Why are Americans overweight? Learn the surprising factors.
You love milk, yogurt, and cheese, and you know they’re generally healthy for you. But how do you know that? Did you learn it at school? From your parents? From Got Milk? ads? The dairy industry has influenced your nutrition knowledge whether you know it or not. Part of the problem with the dairy industry, and many other food industries, is that they’re far more involved in our lives and our decisions than we’re aware. We’ll cover why this a problem for the consumer and how the dairy industry particularly has promoted health messages that are inaccurate.
Is academic freedom in decline? How are health researchers and educators affected, and how does that affect the public? We’ll cover how T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, felt his own academic freedom as a researcher and professor at Cornell was endangered, and how we all lose when researchers aren’t able to pursue their research projects free of influence from the government, industries, and their own administrations.