An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives


Matt Richtel - 2019
    An epic, first-of-its-kind book, entwining leading-edge scientific discovery with the intimate stories of four individual lives, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times journalist.A terminal cancer patient rises from the grave. A medical marvel defies HIV. Two women with autoimmunity discover their own bodies have turned against them. Matt Richtel's An Elegant Defense uniquely entwines these intimate stories with science’s centuries-long quest to unlock the mysteries of sickness and health, and illuminates the immune system as never before.The immune system is our body’s essential defense network, a guardian vigilantly fighting illness, healing wounds, maintaining order and balance, and keeping us alive. Its legion of microscopic foot soldiers—from T cells to “natural killers”—patrols our body, linked by a nearly instantaneous communications grid. It has been honed by evolution over millennia to face an almost infinite array of threats.For all its astonishing complexity, however, the immune system can be easily compromised by fatigue, stress, toxins, advanced age, and poor nutrition—hallmarks of modern life—and even by excessive hygiene. Paradoxically, it is a fragile wonder weapon that can turn on our own bodies with startling results, leading today to epidemic levels of autoimmune disorders.Richtel effortlessly guides readers on a scientific detective tale winding from the Black Plague to twentieth-century breakthroughs in vaccination and antibiotics, to the cutting-edge laboratories that are revolutionizing immunology—perhaps the most extraordinary and consequential medical story of our time. The foundation that Richtel builds makes accessible revelations about cancer immunotherapy, the microbiome, and autoimmune treatments that are changing millions of lives. An Elegant Defense also captures in vivid detail how these powerful therapies, along with our behavior and environment, interact with the immune system, often for the good but always on a razor’s edge that can throw this remarkable system out of balance.Drawing on his groundbreaking reporting for the New York Times and based on extensive new interviews with dozens of world-renowned scientists, Matt Richtel has produced a landmark book, equally an investigation into the deepest riddles of survival and a profoundly human tale that is movingly brought to life through the eyes of his four main characters, each of whom illuminates an essential facet of our “elegant defense.”

Thin Within


Judy Wardell Halliday - 1985
    Judy Halliday and Dr. Arthur have years worth of research to prove it and most Americans have personal testimonies that echo that same sad truth. But Halliday's extensive experience and study also prove that you can reach and maintain your ideal weight by simply listening to your body. If you have suffered from being overweight or have struggled with an eating disorder, Thin Within is the truth you have been searching for and it will set you free.The original hunger-fullness plan, time-tested for over 25 yearsLearn to eat like a naturally thin personLeave diets behind foreverEat your favorite foods and still lose weightIdentify and resolve issues that cause you to overeatFeel good about yourself as you melt down to your natural size

The South Asian Health Solution


Ronesh Sinha - 2014
    South Asians, who are predominantly Indians and Pakistanis, make up one-third of the world's population and have the highest prevalence of heart disease and diabetes. Dr. Ronesh Sinha, an internal medicine specialist in Silicon Valley, CA, recipient of the 2013 Silicon Valley Business Journal Health Care hero award, and TEDx speaker, specializes in helping patients of South Asian heritage moderate heart disease risk factors and obesity trends with a comprehensive lifestyle modification approach that has delivered exceptional results.Dr. Sinha's The South Asian Health Solution is the first book to provide an ancestral health-based wellness plan culturally tailored for South Asians. In particular, South Asians living outside of India in countries such as the United States, England, and Canada, show an even greater disease risk due to their immersion into western dietary and lifestyle habits.The book covers some of the following topics: South Asian-specific risk factors and how to accurately interpret cholesterol and body composition readings; Key lifestyle changes for weight loss and disease prevention; Three common cultural myths that lead to unhealthy habits; How to effectively manage sleep, stress and fatigue; And specific tips for women, children, and seniors.The South Asian Health Solution explains complex medical circumstances and terminology in an easy to understand voice, allowing the reader to grasp the how's and why's of dietary and lifestyle modification to prevent disease. The book dispenses practical dietary and medical advice, based on proven techniques used in the author's South Asian consult practice and company wellness programs, that recognizes and respects unique South Asian cultural challenges and barriers that can often hinder progress. Each chapter features a detailed case study of one of Dr. Sinha's actual patients (names changed), lending authenticity and real-life application to the material covered, and ends with a checklist for patients, healthcare providers, and even companies looking to keep their South Asian employees healthy.

Diet Cults: The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and a Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of US


Matt Fitzgerald - 2014
    Everywhere we turn, someone is preaching the “One True Way” to eat for maximum health. Paleo Diet advocates tell us that all foods less than 12,000 years old are the enemy. Low-carb gurus demonize carbs, then there are the low-fat prophets. But they agree on one thing: there is only one true way to eat for maximum health. The first clue that that is a fallacy is the sheer variety of diets advocated. Indeed, while all of these competing views claim to be backed by “science,” a good look at actual nutritional science itself suggests that it is impossible to identify a single best way to eat. Fitzgerald advocates an agnostic, rational approach to eating habits, based on one’s own habits, lifestyle, and genetics/body type. Many professional athletes already practice this “Good Enough” diet, and now we can too and ditch the brainwashing of these diet cults for good.

The Eczema Diet


Karen Fischer - 2012
    Tried and tested on eczema patients for more than a decade, the comprehensive program covers all eczema conditions and features separate programs catering for all age groups, including babies.

The Elimination Diet: Discover the Foods That Are Making You Sick and Tired--and Feel Better Fast


Tom Malterre - 2015
    Just as no two bodies are the same, no two diets work for everyone. The only way to discover your ideal diet is to follow an elimination diet that will help you link foods to symptoms and customize a diet that works for you. Known for their ability to radically improve overall health, elimination diets are growing in popularity. But there's no definitive book that explains how to follow one safely and effectively-until now. Written by two authors who are revered in the alternative health market and functional medicine community, The Elimination Diet guides you through a proven three-phase program that detoxifies the body and promotes fast healing:Phase 1: Detoxification--A 2-day liquid fast that includes broths, smoothies, and juices to calm the immune system and removes toxins from the body.Phase 2: Elimination--For 2 weeks, you will eliminate potentially inflammatory foods from your diet, which will ease symptoms quickly.Phase 3: Customization--For 2 months, you will test different foods to see what works for you and what doesn't, resulting in a tailored diet you can enjoy for life.Complete with over 100 delicious recipes, shopping lists, and meal plans, The Elimination Diet is a complete resource for you to improve your health and feel better, naturally.

The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out


Robynne Chutkan - 2015
    The microbiome—the collective name for the trillions of bacteria that live in our gut—is today’s hottest medical news topic. Synthesizing the latest findings, Dr. Robynne Chutkan explains how the standard Western diet and lifestyle are starving our microbiome, depleting the “good bugs” that keep us healthy and encouraging overgrowth of exactly the wrong type of bacteria. The resulting imbalance makes us more prone to disease and obesity and negatively affects our metabolism, our hormones, our cravings, our immunity, and even our genes. But beyond the science, what sets this book apart is Dr. Chutkan’s powerful three-level program for optimizing your gut bacteria for good health.Dr. Chutkan shares:Why hand-sanitizing gels and antibiotics are stripping our bodies of their natural protective systemsEssential prebiotics and probioticsRecipes with ingredients that replenish the microbiome for each rehab levelCutting-edge research on the connection between the microbiome and the brainAn intro to the stool transplant, the superfix for a severely troubled microbiome Dr. Chutkan is one of the most recognizable gastroenterologists working in America today, and this is the first book to distill the research into a practical, effective plan for replenishing our microbiomes. The Microbiome Solution will bring welcome relief to the millions who want to grow a good “gut garden”—and enjoy healthier, happier lives.

Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices: What's Missing in Your Body?


Norman W. Walker - 1970
    Walker explains how the lack or deficiency of certain elements, such as vital organic minerals and salts, and consequently of vitamins, from our customary diet is the primary cause of nearly every sickness and disease. Following his recommendations to consume fresh vegetable and fruit juices, we can furnish our bodies with the enzymes needed for optimal health.

Down Size: 12 Truths for Turning Pants-Splitting Frustration into Pants-Fitting Success


Ted Spiker - 2014
    Or a bad burrito. (He’s also eaten a 76-ounce steak, asserted that his wife’s post-pregnancy jeans were the best-fitting pants he ever wore, and was asked by his own childhood doctor if his “feminine shape” embarrassed him at the beach.) In Down Size, Ted takes readers on an inspiring, candid, and comical journey, exploring the art and science of weight loss throughhis own struggles as a pear-shaped man in a not-so-pear-shaped world, with research about food, exercise, and the psychology of losing weight. He reveals twelve truths about successful weight loss, in areas such as temptation, frustration, nutrition, and inspiration. Some truths:• Redefine the Definition of Data• Leave Behind Your Extra Gland• Think Process, Not Outcome• Train Shorter, Train Harder Combining science, personal stories, expert interviews, and advice, Down Size is an entertaining, field-tested, and research-based look at how men and women can finally find the body they want.

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure


Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. - 2007
    Drawing on the groundbreaking results of his twenty-year nutritional study, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., a former surgeon, researcher, and clinician at the Cleveland Clinic, convincingly argues that a plant-based, oil-free diet can not only prevent and stop the progression of heart disease, but also reverse its effects. Furthermore, it can eliminate the need for expensive and invasive surgical interventions, such as bypass and stents, no matter how far the disease has progressed. Dr. Esselstyn began his research with a group of patients who joined his study after traditional medical procedures to treat their advanced heart disease had failed. Within months of following a plant-based, oil-free diet, their angina symptoms eased, their cholesterol levels dropped significantly, and they experienced a marked improvement in blood flow to the heart. Twenty years later, the majority of Dr. Esselstyn's patients continue to follow his program and remain heart-attack proof. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease explains the science behind these dramatic results, and offers readers the same simple, nutrition-based plan that has changed the lives of his patients forever. In addition, Dr. Esselstyn provides more than 150 delicious recipes that he and his wife, Ann Crile Esselstyn, have enjoyed for years and used with their patients. Clearly written and backed by irrefutable scientific evidence, startling photos of angiograms, and inspiring personal stories, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease will empower readers to take charge of their heart health. It is a powerful call for a paradigm shift in heart-disease therapy.

How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind


Pema Chödrön - 2008
    Yet she's never offered an introductory course on audio--until now.On How to Meditate with Pema Chödrön, the American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun and bestselling author presents her first complete spoken-word course for those new to meditation.Through traditional insights and her personal guidance, offered in 12 sitting sessions, Pema Chödrön will help you honestly meet and compassionately relate with your mind as you explore:The basics of mindfulness awareness practice, from proper posture to learning to settle to breathing and relaxation- Gentleness, patience, and humor--three ingredients for a well-balanced practice- Shamatha (or calm abiding), the art of stabilizing the mind to remain present with whatever arises- Thoughts and emotions as "sheer delight"--instead of obstacles--in meditation"From my own experience and from listening to many people over the years, I've tried to offer here what I feel are the essential points of meditation," explains Pema Chödrön. Now this beloved voice shares with you her accessible approach--simple and down-to-earth while informed by the highest traditions of Tibetan Buddhism--on How to Meditate with Pema Chödrön.Running time: 5 hours, 45 minutes on 5 audio CDs

The No S Diet


Reinhard Engels - 2008
    No Sweets. No Seconds.* *Except on days that start with S (Saturdays, Sundays, and Special days).Developed by a problem-solving software engineer who was tired of diets that are too hard to stick with, The No-S Diet has attracted a passionate following online thanks to its elegant simplicity-and its results. Unlike fad diets based on gimmicks that lead to short-term weight-loss followed by backsliding and failure, The No-S Diet is a maintainable life plan that reminds us of the commonsense, conscious way we all know we should be eating.The book offers readers the tips, tricks, techniques and testimonials they'll need to stick with No-S for life

Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health


Jo Robinson - 2013
    Unwittingly, we've been selecting plants that are high in starch and sugar and low in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants for more than 400 generations.EATING ON THE WILD SIDE reveals the solution--choosing modern varieties that approach the nutritional content of wild plants but that also please the modern palate. Jo Robinson explains that many of these newly identified varieties can be found in supermarkets and farmer's market, and introduces simple, scientifically proven methods of preparation that enhance their flavor and nutrition. Based on years of scientific research and filled with food history and practical advice, EATING ON THE WILD SIDE will forever change the way we think about food.Winner of the 2014 IACP Cookbook Award in the category of "Food Matters."

The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated)


Carolyn Dean - 2003
    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 Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance


George Mumford - 2015
    A widely respected public speaker and coach, Mumford shares his story and strategies in The Mindful Athlete. His proven techniques transform the performance of anyone with a goal, be they an Olympian, weekend warrior, executive, hacker, or artist.A basketball player at the University of Massachusetts (where he roomed with Dr. J, Julius Erving), injuries forced Mumford out of the game he loved. The meds that relieved the pain of his injuries also numbed him to the emptiness he felt without the game and eventually led him to heroin. After years as a functioning addict, Mumford made meditation the center of his life. He kicked drugs, earned a master’s degree, and began teaching meditation to inmates and others.Mumford went on to partner with coach Phil Jackson, a long-time mindfulness practitioner, working with him and each of the teams he coached to become NBA champions. His roster of champion clients now includes executives and Olympians. With a charismatic style that combines mindfulness with lessons from icons like Yoda and Bruce Lee, Mumford delivers an engrossing story and an invaluable resource.