In college, I ran against Kenyans, and wondered whether endurance genes might have traveled with them from East Africa. At the same time, I began to notice that a training group on my team could consist of five men who run next to one another, stride for stride, day after day, and nonetheless turn out five entirely different runners. How could this be?We all knew a star athlete in high school. The one who made it look so easy. He was the starting quarterback and shortstop; she was the all-state point guard and high-jumper. Naturals. Or were they?The debate is as old as physical competition. Are stars like Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams genetic freaks put on Earth to dominate their respective sports? Or are they simply normal people who overcame their biological limits through sheer force of will and obsessive training?The truth is far messier than a simple dichotomy between nature and nurture. In the decade since the sequencing of the human genome, researchers have slowly begun to uncover how the relationship between biological endowments and a competitor’s training environment affects athleticism. Sports scientists have gradually entered the era of modern genetic research.In this controversial and engaging exploration of athletic success, Sports Illustrated senior writer David Epstein tackles the great nature vs. nurture debate and traces how far science has come in solving this great riddle. He investigates the so-called 10,000-hour rule to uncover whether rigorous and consistent practice from a young age is the only route to athletic excellence.Along the way, Epstein dispels many of our perceptions about why top athletes excel. He shows why some skills that we assume are innate, like the bullet-fast reactions of a baseball or cricket batter, are not, and why other characteristics that we assume are entirely voluntary, like an athlete’s will to train, might in fact have important genetic components.This subject necessarily involves digging deep into sensitive topics like race and gender. Epstein explores controversial questions such as:Are black athletes genetically predetermined to dominate both sprinting and distance running, and are their abilities influenced by Africa’s geography?Are there genetic reasons to separate male and female athletes in competition?Should we test the genes of young children to determine if they are destined for stardom?Can genetic testing determine who is at risk of injury, brain damage, or even death on the field?Through on-the-ground reporting from below the equator and above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of athleticism.

    Sid’s philosophy is simple: the closer the human species moves by degrees to its natural design, the healthier and therefore happier it will be.In the years he has been a practicing nutritionist and health coach, Sid has honed an approach that makes achieving health and happiness a real possibility for virtually everyone. He has done this by addressing both the mental and physical aspects of achieving sustainable long-term health, and goes well beyond what any quick-fix diet/health plan can ever achieve. He passionately argues that health profoundly affects our happiness, and vice-versa, and applies his philosophy to nutrition, exercise, the mind, the family, and the world as a whole.Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto is accessible, clear, edgy and humorous. Sid distills his years of research into a book readers will want to carry with them as a quick reference when negotiating our most unnatural world – especially gen-x and gen-y’ers for whom there is a substantial lack of result-oriented health books that are this easy and actually fun to read.

    The ketogenic diet kick-starts your body's metabolism so it burns fat, instead of sugar, as its primary fuel. But most ketogenic plans are meat- and dairy-heavy, creating a host of other problems, especially for those who prefer plants at the center of the plate. Dr. Will Cole comes to the rescue with Ketotarian, which has all the fat-burning benefits without the antibiotics and hormones that are packed into most keto diets.First developed for individuals suffering from seizures, keto diets have been shown to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of many chronic health problems including Alzheimer's and some cancers. Adding a plant-based twist, Ketotarian includes more than 75 recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian, offering a range of delicious and healthy choices for achieving weight loss, renewed health, robust energy, and better brain function.Packed with expert tips, tricks, and advice for going--and staying--Ketotarian, including managing macronutrients, balancing electrolytes, and finding your carb sweet spot, this best-of-both-worlds program is a game-changer for anyone who wants to tame inflammation and achieve peak physical and mental performance. Let the Ketotarian revolution begin!

    BERNSTEIN'S DIABETES SOLUTION is a unique resource that covers both adult- and childhood-onset diabetes, explains step-by-step how to normalize blood sugar levels and prevent or reverse complications, and offers detailed guidelines for establishing a treatment plan. Readers will find fifty gourmet recipes, in addition to a comprehensive discussion of diet, obesity, and new drugs to curb carbohydrate craving and overeating.Now in its fourth edition, the book presents up-to-the-minute information on insulin resistance, blood-testing devices, measuring blood sugar, new types of insulin, gastroparesis and other issues, as well as updated diet guidelines. DR. BERNSTEIN'S DIABETES SOLUTION is the one book every diabetic must own.

    "Being fat isn't your fault; staying fat is." That's what Jackie Warner, America's favorite no-nonsense celebrity fitness trainer tells her own clients, and that's why no one delivers better results than Jackie does. Now for the first time, Jackie shares her revolutionary program, showing readers the best ways to drop pounds and inches fast, without grueling workouts or deprivation, and keep them off for good! Her two-tiered approach provides a complete nutritional makeover and a failure-proof condensed workout routine PLUS all the emotional support and encouragement you need to get to the finish line and beyond. With Jackie's core principles, you'll discover once and for all which behaviors are making you fat, and which can finally make you thin forever-and some may surprise you: ADD TO LOSE: In Jackie's 2-week jump start, no food is off-limits. You'll actually add food to your diet in order to lose weight. CHEATING IS ALLOWED: Eat clean for 5 days, and then indulge in whatever you want over the weekend! FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY: Fat doesn't make you fat; sugar does! Nothing you eat should contain over 9 grams of sugar SKIP THE CRUNCHES: They just build muscle under the fat. Discover the fastest way to burn calories, tone muscle, and spark your metabolism for rapid fat loss LESS (EXERCISE) IS MORE: Workouts shouldn't take over your day-give Jackie 20-minutes and you'll see results. Find out today why THIS IS WHY YOUR FAT (AND HOW TO GET THIN FOREVER) is your first and last stop on the way to the new fit and healthy you!

    Strength Training Anatomy, with over 850,000 copies already sold, brings anatomy to life with more than 400 full-color illustrations. This detailed artwork showcases the muscles used during each exercise and delineates how these muscles interact with surrounding joints and skeletal structures. Like having an X-ray for each exercise, the information gives you a multilateral view of strength training not seen in any other resource.This bestseller also contains new information on common strength training injuries and preventive measures to help you exercise safely. Chapters are devoted to each major muscle group, with 115 total exercises for arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, buttocks, and abdomen.

    The result is a series of exercises and meditations that reinforce healthy habits and lead to greater tranquility at meals.The book describes the four foundations of mindful eating: mindfulness of the mind, the body, the feelings, and the thoughts. It doesn't encourage a diet of deprivation, but instead provides a checklist for the wide variety of mindless eating approaches, which include fasting, dieting, and restricting certain foods, rapid eating, eating when not hungry or when tired, and food rituals.

    “A wellness strategy that changes the way you think about food." -- Kirkus Reviews "RECOMMENDED"Dramatically reduce your intake of fat bombs like french fries or ice cream with techniques psychologists developed to treat drug addicts.They'll stop mindless eating and “shrink” your stomach so you can eat much smaller portions without feeling cheated or deprived.The result?Significant and permanent weight loss.LEARN THE KEYS TO SELF-CONTROL.You are not going to get a list of foods to eat or avoid.Or recipes or meal suggestions.You're not going to count calories, fat, carbs or sugar.You're going to liberate yourself from unhealthy foods the way psychologists liberate addicts from drugs.

    Until recently he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the elite runners profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run.In Eat and Run, Jurek opens up about his life and career as a champion athlete with a plant-based diet and inspires runners at every level. From his Midwestern childhood hunting, fishing, and cooking for his meat-and-potatoes family to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism, Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance. Full of stories of competition as well as science and practical advice—including his own recipes—Eat and Run will motivate readers and expand their food horizons.

    You can overcome disease, improve your mental health and physical performance, and even control your physiology so you can thrive in freezing temperatures.” With The Wim Hof Method, this trailblazer of human potential shares a method that anyone can use—not just extreme athletes or spiritual masters—to supercharge your capacity for strength, health, and happiness.Wim Hof has become a modern legend for his astounding achievements, such as withstanding extreme temperatures, breaking world records, and running barefoot marathons over deserts and ice fields. In his gripping and passionate style, Hof shares the story of how he developed his method, along with testimonials and new insights from the university research studies on its amazing results. With guidance suited for any reader—young or old, sick or healthy—you’ll learn how to harness three key elements of Cold, Breathing, and Mindset to take charge of your own mind and metabolism.Yet the most important result of Hof’s method goes beyond improved health or performance—it is a path for reconnecting with your spiritual nature. “With these practices, you awaken to your inner source of power and fulfillment,” he says. “You find you can control your destiny.”

    By adding this mineral to your diet, you are guarding against—and helping to alleviate—such threats as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, arthritis, and asthma. But despite magnesium’s numerous benefits, many Americans remain dangerously deficient. Updated and revised throughout with the latest research, featuring an all-new Introduction, this amazing guide explains the vital role that magnesium plays in your body and life. Inside you will discover   • newly available magnesium supplements that the body absorbs more efficiently • how calcium can increase the risk of heart disease—and how magnesium can lower it • a magnesium-rich eating plan as delicious as it is healthy • information on the link between magnesium and obesity • vitamins and minerals that work with magnesium to treat specific ailments • why paleo, raw food, and green juice diets can lead to magnesium deficiency • recent breakthroughs in magnesium’s medical and public perception  The Magnesium Miracle, now more than ever, is the ultimate guide to a mineral that is truly miraculous.Praise for The Magnesium Miracle   “Dr. Carolyn Dean has the best credentials for bringing solutions to those suffering from the hidden magnesium disorders that affect most of us. This book needs to be read by anyone wishing to improve their quality of life.”—Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., author of The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic Cardiology  “Clearly written and packed with information . . . a comprehensive and well-referenced guide to the myriad benefits of magnesium.”—Carolyn DeMarco, M.D., author of Take Charge of Your Body: Women’s Health Advisor   “Throughout this volume and with utmost clarity, Carolyn Dean presents invaluable recommendations—based on the latest magnesium research. Virtually every American can benefit.”—Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition   “Physicians and therapists have paid scant attention to this very important element, which is also involved in maintaining our good health. The massive evidence is here in this important book on magnesium. I am pleased to have been taking magnesium for so many years.”—Abram Hoffer, M.D., author of Putting It All Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition

    The Salt Fix is essential reading for everyone on the keto diet! We've all heard the recommendation: eat no more than a teaspoon of salt a day for a healthy heart. Health-conscious Americans have hewn to the conventional wisdom that your salt shaker can put you on the fast track to a heart attack, and have suffered through bland but "heart-healthy" dinners as a result.What if the low-salt dogma is wrong?Dr. James DiNicolantonio has reviewed more than five hundred publications to unravel the impact of salt on blood pressure and heart disease. He's reached a startling conclusion: The vast majority of us don't need to watch our salt intake. In fact, for most of us, more salt would be advantageous to our nutrition--especially for those of us on the keto diet, as keto depletes this important mineral from our bodies. The Salt Fix tells the remarkable story of how salt became unfairly demonized--a never-before-told drama of competing egos and interests--and took the fall for another white crystal: sugar.According to The Salt Fix, too little salt can: - Make you crave sugar and refined carbs - Send the body into semistarvation mode - Lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and increased blood pressure and heart rateBut eating the salt you desire can improve everything, from your sleep, energy, and mental focus to your fitness, fertility, and sexual performance. It can even stave off common chronic illnesses, including heart disease.The Salt Fix shows the best ways to add salt back into your diet, offering his transformative five-step program for recalibrating your salt thermostat to achieve your unique, ideal salt intake. Science has moved on from the low-salt dogma, and so should you--your life may depend on it.

    Unfortunately, altogether too much misinformation exists regarding them.Folks who are pro-low-carbohydrate diets tend to present them as the quick and easy solution to everything including obesity. Easy weight loss without hunger or calorie counting is promised but never seems to pan out as well as we might hope.At the other extreme are the anti-low-carbohydrate folks who tend to present low-carbohydrate diets as nothing short of a nutritional disaster being perpetrated by a bunch of con men.The truth, of course lies somewhere in the middle. While low-carbohydrate diets aren’t for everyone and have their pros and cons, the research is clear: they have major benefits under certain circumstances and can be as healthy (and sometimes healthier) than ‘standard’ carbohydrate based dieting.The Ketogenic Diet is the first and only book to objectively examine in-depth the scientific evidence regarding low-carbohydrate/ketogenic diets. It is meant to be a reference manual for low-carbohydrate diets; it is unlike any other book on low-carbohydrate diets that you have ever read or seen.Covering every topic in extreme detail, The Ketogenic Diet addresses everything from the basic physiology of how the body adapts to a low-carbohydrate intake, the details of human fuel utilization, the impact of low-carbohydrate diets on body composition and many, many more.Of course, none of the above is useful without practical application guidelines. Details on how to optimize low-carbohydrate diets for different goals (such as fat loss, bodybuilding and endurance performance) are discussed along with three distinct types of low-carbohydrate diets. In addition, the book includes a complete discussion of resistance, aerobic and anaerobic exercise physiology along with specific training programs for different goals and different levels of traineeAt 325 pages and containing over 600 scientific references, this will be your complete reference for ketogenic diets.Please note: this book does not include information on the ketogenic diet for adolescent epilepsy (the topic is discussed briefly). I highly suggest The Ketogenic Diet: A Treatment for Epilepsy, 3rd Edition (Paperback) by Freeman, Freeman and Kelly (link will take you to Amazon.com page).Table of contentsSection I: Introduction 1. Introduction to the ketogenic diet 2. History of the ketogenic dietSection II: The physiology of ketosis 3. Fuel utilization 4. Basic ketone body physiology 5. Adaptations to ketosis 6. Changes in body composition 7. Other effects of the ketogenic dietSection III: The diets 8. Setting calorie levels 9. The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) 10. Carbs and the ketogenic diet 11. The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) 12. The cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)Section IV: Other topics for the ketogenic diet 13. Breaking fat loss plateaus 14. Ending a ketogenic diet 15. Tools for the ketogenic diet 16. Final considerationsSection V: Exercise physiology17. Muscular physiology and energy production 18. Aerobic exercise 19. Interval training 20. Weight training 21. The effect of exercise on ketosis 22. Exercise and fat lossSection VI: Exercise guidelines 23. General exercise guidelines 24. Aerobic exercise 25. Interval training 26. Weight trainingSection VII: Exercise programs 27. Beginner programs 28. Intermediate programs 29. The advanced CKD workout 30. Fat loss for pre-competition bodybuildersSection VIII: Supplements 31. SupplementsIndex

     The Power of 10 seems to contradict nearly everything we're accustomed to hearing about exercise. Forget hours on the treadmill, and forget daily visits to the gym. This new program offers 20 minute workout sessions, once or twice per week, with an alluring emphasis on rest and recovery on your days off. The principle behind The Power of 10 is simple: by lifting weights in slow motion, making each rep last 20 seconds (10 seconds lifting and 10 seconds lowering) instead of the typical 7 seconds, you can maximize muscle transformation. The short workouts are so effective that your body will need days to recover and repair properly. Studies have shown that such routines can increase lean body mass, help burn calories more efficiently, and prevent cardio–vascular disease more effectively than aerobic exercise alone.