Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal


Mary Roach - 2013
    The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts? Can constipation kill you? Did it kill Elvis? In Gulp we meet scientists who tackle the questions no one else thinks of—or has the courage to ask. We go on location to a pet-food taste-test lab, a fecal transplant, and into a live stomach to observe the fate of a meal. With Roach at our side, we travel the world, meeting murderers and mad scientists, Eskimos and exorcists (who have occasionally administered holy water rectally), rabbis and terrorists—who, it turns out, for practical reasons do not conceal bombs in their digestive tracts.Like all of Roach’s books, Gulp is as much about human beings as it is about human bodies.

Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases


Dean Ornish - 2019
    News & World Report, Dr. Ornish's Program is now covered by Medicare when offered virtually at home.Dean Ornish, M.D., has directed revolutionary research proving, for the first time, that lifestyle changes can often reverse--undo!--the progression of many of the most common and costly chronic diseases and even begin reversing aging at a cellular level.Medicare and many insurance companies now cover Dr. Ornish's lifestyle medicine program for reversing chronic disease because it consistently achieves bigger changes in lifestyle, better clinical outcomes, larger cost savings, and greater adherence than have ever been reported--based on forty years of research published in the leading peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.Now, in this landmark book, he and Anne Ornish present a simple yet powerful new unifying theory explaining why these same lifestyle changes can reverse so many different chronic diseases and how quickly these benefits occur. They describe what it is, why it works, and how you can do it:- Eat well a whole foods, plant-based diet naturally low in fat and sugar and high in flavor. The "Ornish diet" has been rated "#1 for Heart Health" by U.S. News & World Report for eleven years since 2011. - Move more moderate exercise such as walking - Stress less including meditation and gentle yoga practices - Love more how love and intimacy transform loneliness into healingWith seventy recipes, easy-to-follow meal plans, tips for stocking your kitchen and eating out, recommended exercises, stress-reduction advice, and inspiring patient stories of life-transforming benefits--for example, several people improved so much after only nine weeks they were able to avoid a heart transplant--Undo It! empowers readers with new hope and new choices.Praise for Undo It! "The Ornishes' work is elegant and simple and deserving of a Nobel Prize, since it can change the world!"--Richard Carmona, M.D., MPH, FACS, seventeenth Surgeon General of the United States"If you want to see what medicine will be like ten years from now, read this book today."--Rita F. Redberg, M.D., editor in chief, JAMA Internal Medicine"This is one of the most important books on health ever written."--John Mackey, CEO, Whole Foods Market

The Maker's Diet: The 40-Day Health Experience That Will Change Your Life Forever


Jordan S. Rubin - 2004
    Fifteen weeks on the New York Times Advice/How-to bestseller list, The Maker's Diet addresses God's plan for the immune system, maintaining ideal weight, improving physical appearance, and reducing stress.

Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body Defy Aging


Ben Greenfield - 2020
     To catapult you down the path of maximizing cognition, mental clarity, and IQ, you will discover: How to rewire your skull’s supercomputer (& 9 ways to fix your neurotransmitters) The 12 best ways to heal a leaky brain 8 proven methods to banish stress and kiss high cortisol goodbye 10 foods that break your brain, and how to eat yourself smart How to safely utilize nootropics and smart drugs, along with 8 of the best brain-boosting supplement stacks and psychedelics The top nutrient for brain health that you probably aren’t getting enough of 6 ways to upgrade your brain using biohacking gear, games, and tools How to exercise the cells of your nervous system using technology and modern science Easy ways to train your brain for power, speed, and longevity The ultimate guide to optimizing your sleep, maximizing mental recovery, and stopping jet lag To ensure that you look good naked and live a long time, you will learn: 6 ways to get quick, powerful muscles (& why bigger muscles aren’t better) How to burn fat fast without destroying your body The fitness secrets of 6 of the fittest old people on the planet The best training program for maximizing muscle gain and fat loss at the same time One simple tactic for staying lean year-round with minimal effort A step-by-step system for figuring out exactly which foods to eat 14 ways to build an unstoppable immune system Little-known tactics, tips, and tricks for recovering from workouts with lightning speed The best tools for biohacking your body at home and on the road How to eat, train, and live for optimal symmetry and beauty (& how to raise kids with superhuman bodies and brains) And to help you live a fulfilling and happy life, you will learn: 12 techniques to heal your body using your own internal pharmacy What the single most powerful emotion is and how to tap into it every day 4 of the best ways to heal your body and spirit using sounds and vibrations 6 ways to enhance your life and longevity with love, friendships, and lasting relationships How to biohack the bedroom for better sex and longer orgasms, and the top libido-enhancing herbs, supplements, and strategies The perfect morning, afternoon, and evening routines for enhancing sleep, productivity, and overall happiness 28 ways to combine ancestral wisdom and modern science to enhance longevity, including the best foods, herbs, supplements, injections, medical treatments, biohacks, fasting strategies, and much more The 4 hidden variables that can make or break your mind, body, and spirit The exercise that will change your life forever (& how to reverse-engineer your perfect day) Boundless guides you every step of the way to becoming an expert in what makes your brain tick, your body work, and your spirit happy. You can flip open the book to any chapter and discover research-proven, trench-tested techniques to build muscle, burn fat, live longer, have mind-blowing sex, raise robust children, and much, much more!

The Spark: The 28-Day Breakthrough Plan for Losing Weight, Getting Fit, and Transforming Your Life


Chris Downie - 2009
    They are taking part in a visionary approach to weight loss that combines goal setting, nutrition, exercise, motivation, and community that has a proven track record of ten million pounds lost.From the experts who created SparkPeople.com, one of the most successful online weight-loss programs to date, comes The Spark, a ground-breaking book that focuses on what you can do, instead of what you can’t do. The Spark is about transforming your life and your idea of what dieting means.With dozens of photos—including stunning before-and-after shots and easy-to-follow exercise images—this book distills the best of SparkPeople’s medically accepted nutrition and fitness plan and infuses it with a program of personal empowerment. In this book, you’ll discover:·         Secrets of Success—the best habits of SparkPeople’s most successful members ·         A 28-day program that brings together the most effective practices from SparkPeople into an innovative 4-stage plan, available only in this book ·         Dozens of success stories that show the power of this transformational program The Spark delivers inspirational health and weight-loss advice that will surely spark countless lives.

I'm So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life


Amy Shah - 2021
    Women of all ages are suffering from an epidemic of fatigue and burnout. But exhaustion doesn’t have to be your new normal.  Inspired by her personal wellness journey, integrative medical doctor Amy Shah has created this program so that you can regain your energy and reclaim your life. The key is tapping into the powerful energy trifecta: the complex relationship between your gut, your immune system, and your hormones.  Drawing on the latest science and her work helping thousands of clients, Dr. Shah explains how to transform your life by changing:  What You Eat: Increase your vegetable intake and sip Dr. Shah’s hormone-balance tea to tamp down inflammation and heal your gut, without giving up your wine and chocolate!When You Eat: Changing when you eat and practicing intermittent fasting – the right way – will help you feel energized all day long.How you manage stress:  Simple, stress-busting exercises and herbs like Ashwagandha and Amla berry help calm the Adrenal system and ease anxiety.In just two weeks, you’ll feel your energy surge. In three months, you’ll feel like a whole new person. It’s time to regain the energy you’ve lost, so you can get back to the life you want to live.

Mediterranean Paleo Cooking: Over 150 Fresh Coastal Recipes for a Relaxed, Gluten-Free Lifestyle


Caitlin Weeks - 2014
    Professional chef Nabil Boumrar and Certified Nutrition Consultant Caitlin Weeks blow that myth out of the water with their vibrant and healthy coastal cuisine. Mediterranean Paleo Cooking showcases a wide variety of creative recipes that are Paleo-friendly—no gluten, grains, inflammatory oils, dairy, or refined sweeteners. These flavorful dishes combine traditional food from southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East with the healthful principles of a Paleo diet. With over 150 recipes, two 30-day meal plans (one for general health and one for those following an autoimmune protocol), shopping lists, cooking tips, and more, Mediterranean Paleo Cooking helps readers become better cooks and more informed eaters. But more importantly, it turns healthy eating into delicious eating with enticing Mediterranean meals that every foodie will enjoy.Over 150 Paleo-friendly recipes inspired by the relaxed coastal attitude and ingredients of the Mediterranean - all gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free. Chef’s tips from Nabil help you learn as you go, with advice on cooking and techniques for Mediterranean ingredients Nutritionist's tips from Caitlin to educate you on the health benefits of Mediterranean foods Familiar, comfort-food favorites are modified for a Paleo lifestyle, including pizza, pasta, rice, biscuits, and brownies Mediterranean recipe favorites, recreated including: falafel, pita bread, moussaka, hummus, and biscotti cookies. Recipe/ingredient notes and swaps for those who have food allergies (including to eggs and nuts) as well as for those following a low FODMAP diet, lower carbohydrate diet, SCD or GAPS diet, or the autoimmune protocol Two 30-day meal plans to help you jump-start your Paleo lifestyle: for general health or to follow an autoimmune protocol six different menu plans perfect for a weeknight dinner party or special occasion (including one that is 100% AIP compliant or is easily modified to be so with notes on the recipes) 18 guilt-free desserts with no refined sugar Shopping lists and an optimal food buying guide make it easy to find the right ingredients

The Immune System Recovery Plan: A Doctor's 4-Step Program to Treat Autoimmune Disease


Susan Blum - 2013
    This epidemic is a result of the toxins in our diet, exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, antibiotics, and unprecedented stress levels. It has caused millions to suffer from autoimmune conditions such as Graves' disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, lupus, and more. In The Immune System Recovery Plan, Dr. Susan Blum shares the four-step program she used to treat her own serious autoimmune condition and help countless patients reverse their symptoms, heal their immune systems, and prevent future illness. Dr. Blum's Method Focuses on:* Using food as medicine * Understanding the stress connection* Healing your gut and digestive system* Optimizing liver functionEach of these sections includes an interactive workbook to help you determine and create your own personal treatment program. Also included are recipes for simple, easy-to-prepare dishes to jump-start the healing process.

Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition


Paul Pitchford - 1993
    It's also a primer on nutrition--including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the regeneration diets used by cancer patients and arthritics--along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing sweet foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds healing, awareness, and peace from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these negative energy foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out.

The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness


Meghan O'Rourke - 2022
    Renowned writer Meghan O’Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of “invisible” illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID, synthesizing the personal and the universal to help all of us through this new frontier. Drawing on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, O’Rourke traces the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. And as America faces this health crisis of extraordinary proportions, the populations most likely to be neglected by our institutions include women, the working class, and people of color. Blending lyricism and erudition, candor and empathy, O’Rourke brings together her deep and disparate talents and roles as critic, journalist, poet, teacher, and patient, synthesizing the personal and universal into one monumental project arguing for a seismic shift in our approach to disease. The Invisible Kingdom offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health.

Digestive Health with Real Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory, Low-Irritant, Nutrient Dense Diet for IBS & Other Digestive Issues


Aglaée Jacob - 2013
    In addition to digestive disorders, many other health problems can stem from damage to your intestines, including migraines, skin problems, autoimmune conditions, and weight abnormalities, so tackling your digestion first is smart if you want to maximize your chances of obtaining optimal health. Beyond simply managing your symptoms, Digestive Health with REAL Food will teach you how to address the root causes of your digestive troubles to achieve optimal digestive and overall health. The information in Digestive Health with REAL Food will help you build your own optimal diet by identifying the best foods for your digestive system: ones that are easy to digest, anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, healing and low in irritants and allergens. The nutritional protocol in this book, developed by registered dietitian Agla e Jacob, addresses numerous digestive problems, including:Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ] Crohn s disease ] Ulcerative colitis Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) ]Fructose malabsorption FODMAP intolerance ] Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Gallbladder issues ] Abnormal intestinal permeability (leaky gut) Gut dysbiosis (gut flora imbalance) ] Celiac disease ] Non-celiac gluten sensitivity Multiple food sensitivities ] And many more...In addition to guiding you on how to successfully follow an elimination diet, Agla e will teach you everything you need to know about dietary supplements, stress management, eating out, and travel strategies, as well as how to troubleshoot various digestive problems. The book includes over 40 recipes, each accompanied by a stunning color photograph, meal/snack ideas, helpful charts, food lists and weekly meal plans to get you started on the path to better digestion.Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to digestive problems, but the evidence-based, customized and holistic nutritional approach in Digestive Health with REAL Food will give you the tools to tackle your digestive issues and optimize your health.

Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner


Judy Melinek - 2014
    Judy Melinek began her training as a New York City forensic pathologist. With her husband T.J. and their toddler Daniel holding down the home front, Judy threw herself into the fascinating world of death investigation, performing autopsies, investigating death scenes, counseling grieving relatives. Working Stiff chronicles Judy's two years of training, taking readers behind the police tape of some of the most harrowing deaths in the Big Apple, including a firsthand account of the events of September 11, the subsequent anthrax bio-terrorism attack, and the disastrous crash of American Airlines flight 587.Lively, action-packed, and loaded with mordant wit, Working Stiff offers a firsthand account of daily life in one of America's most arduous professions, and the unexpected challenges of shuttling between the domains of the living and the dead. The body never lies, and through the murders, accidents, and suicides that land on her table, Dr. Melinek lays bare the truth behind the glamorized depictions of autopsy work on shows like CSI and Law and Order to reveal the secret story of the real morgue.

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating


Jeffrey M. Smith - 2003
    While the food and chemical industries claim that GMO food is safe, a considerable amount of evidence shows otherwise. In Seeds of Deception, Jeffrey Smith, a former executive with the leading independent laboratory testing for GM presence in foods, documents these serious health dangers and explains how corporate influence and government collusion have been used to cover them up.The stories Smith presents read like a mystery novel. Scientists are offered bribes or threatened; evidence is stolen; data withheld or distorted. Government scientists who complain are stripped of responsibilities or fired. The FDA even withheld information from congress after a GM food supplement killed nearly a hundred people and permanently disabled thousands. While Smith was employed by the laboratory he was not allowed to speak on the health dangers or the cover-up. No longer bound by this agreement, Smith now reveals what he knows in this groundbreaking expos�.Today, food companies sell GM foods that have not undergone safety studies. FDA scientists opposed this, but White House and industry pressure prevailed and the agency's final policy--co-authored by a former Monsanto attorney--denied the risks. The scientists' concerns were made public only after a lawsuit forced the agency to turn over internal documents.Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture, describes the government's pro-biotech mindset: You felt like you were almost an alien, disloyal, by trying to present an open-minded view. . . . So I pretty much spouted the rhetoric. . . . It was written into my speeches.In Seeds of Deception Smith offers easy-to-understand descriptions of genetic engineering and explains why it can result in serious health problems. This well-documented, pivotal work will show you how to protect yourself and your family.

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything


Lydia Kang - 2017
    Like when doctors prescribed morphine for crying infants. When snorting skull moss was a cure for a bloody nose. When consuming mail-order tapeworms was a latter-day fad diet. Or when snake oil salesmen peddled strychnine (used in rat poison) as an aphrodisiac in the '60s. Seamlessly combining macabre humor with hard science and compelling storytelling, Quackery is a visually rich and information-packed exploration of history's most outlandish cures, experiments, and scams.A humorous book that delves into some of the wacky but true ways that humans have looked to cure their ills. Leeches, mercury, strychnine, and lobotomies are a few of the topics that explore the lengths society has gone in the search for health.

The Laws of Medicine: Field Notes from an Uncertain Science


Siddhartha Mukherjee - 2015
    The book, The Youngest Science, forced Dr. Mukherjee to ask himself an urgent, fundamental question: Is medicine a “science”? Sciences must have laws—statements of truth based on repeated experiments that describe some universal attribute of nature. But does medicine have laws like other sciences?Dr. Mukherjee has spent his career pondering this question—a question that would ultimately produce some of most serious thinking he would do around the tenets of his discipline—culminating in The Laws of Medicine. In this important treatise, he investigates the most perplexing and illuminating cases of his career that ultimately led him to identify the three key principles that govern medicine.Brimming with fascinating historical details and modern medical wonders, this important book is a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and Eureka! moments that people outside of the medical profession rarely see. Written with Dr. Mukherjee’s signature eloquence and passionate prose, The Laws of Medicine is a critical read, not just for those in the medical profession, but for everyone who is moved to better understand how their health and well-being is being treated. Ultimately, this book lays the groundwork for a new way of understanding medicine, now and into the future.