Amanda Penn, Author at Shortform Books

Tara Westover at Harvard: She Almost Failed Out

How did Educated author Tara Westover go from a dubious homeschool education to Harvard? What was Tara Westover’s Harvard life like? Educated is the autobiographical story of Tara’s Westover’s journey from being the child of extreme anti-government, anti-science, and religious fundamentalist Mormon parents to becoming a Cambridge- and Harvard-educated PhD. As you’ll see, Tara Westover’s Harvard life wasn’t all about academics. It was while Westover was at Harvard that her family life fell apart and depression almost prevented her from finishing her Ph.D.

Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet for Weight Loss: Ultimate Guide

What is the whole food, plant-based diet for weight loss? Is it effective? The whole food, plant-based diet for weight loss is a way of eating that eliminates animal products and focuses on whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. It’s also known as the WFPB weight loss diet. The diet was popularized by The China Study authors T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell. We’ll cover why WFPB weight loss diet is effective and how to implement it.

Why Am I Not Losing Weight? 4 Reasons (+ 4 Solutions)

You exercise. You watch your carb and fat intake. Maybe you’ve even cut meat and dairy out of your diet. If you’re working hard and seeing negligible results, you may be wondering, Why am I not losing weight? There are many reasons for not losing weight. We’ll cover four reasons you may not be seeing progress and looks at realistic ways to meet your weight-loss goals.

Food Industry Corruption: 4 Ways It Affects You

Food costs consume a huge percentage of our budget. Because we’re dependent on food, we’re also fairly dependent on those who market and sell it. Food industries take advantage of this. By making claims about the proven nutritional value of their products, food and drug companies and advocacy groups blur the line between science and marketing. How does food industry corruption affect you? Organizations like the National Dairy Council, the American Meat Institute, and Florida Citrus Processors Association each have annual budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars. With this money comes power over research, medical education, and government

11 Effects of High Cholesterol: Not Just Heart Disease

You may have heard that one of the effects of high cholesterol is heart disease. Is that true? Are there other risks of high cholesterol? What else can high cholesterol cause? We’ll cover how high cholesterol is tied to heart disease and what other diseases might be caused by high cholesterol.

You’re Probably Eating Too Much Protein: How Much is Too Much?

There’s a lot of confusion around protein. How much protein should I eat? Can you eat too much protein? If so, how much protein is too much? Protein is an essential part of our biological makeup—proteins function as enzymes, hormones, tissues, and transport molecules, among other roles. But you probably don’t need as much protein as you’ve heard. We’ll cover how much protein you need, how much protein is too much, and what happens if you eat too much protein.

What Should My Cholesterol Be? Lower Than You Think

Many doctors will tell you that blood cholesterol levels below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are healthy. However, some doctors say even these levels of cholesterol in the blood are unsafe. This may leave you wondering, “What should my cholesterol be?” Studies show that there may be no such thing as “healthy” cholesterol levels. We’ll cover the research linking blood cholesterol to many of the most common diseases in the West and look at why there is no healthy cholesterol range.

Trevor Noah’s DJ Career: Success as a Petty Criminal

Today, Trevor Noah is a famous comedian and host, but his first careers involved selling pirated CDs and DJing. What was Trevor Noah’s DJ life like? Learn how Trevor Noah turned a high school lunch delivery business into a business selling pirated CDs, and how that business turned into Trevor Noah’s DJ career and three years engaged in a life of petty crime.

Is a High-Carb Diet Actually Healthy? Surprises from Science

Are high-carb diets healthy? Recent dietary trends have taught us to shun carbs, but we also know that high-carb foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains are good for you. How do you know whether a low-carb or high-carb diet is healthiest? Studies show that a high-carb diet may be the healthiest out there. We’ll cover why low-carb diets are unhealthy and how you can transition to a healthy high-carb diet.

19 Delicious Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol

What are the foods that help lower cholesterol, fast? What you eat matters, especially if you have high cholesterol. A low-cholesterol diet plan can help you get your blood cholesterol levels under control. We’ll cover what kinds of foods to avoid to keep your cholesterol levels in check, and what cholesterol-reducing foods to add to your diet.