Michael Greger

For anyone eating a standard American diet, it’s not a question of if you will die from a preventable disease, it’s a matter of when. This book has completely revolutionized the way I eat and think about food. I don’t freaking care if the data was cherry-picked, it was real, and that right there was enough to terrify me into a plant-based diet! I think this book is a necessary read for pretty much anyone who eats. Even if you don’t want to change your diet, you will still learn show more valuable information and feel disgust the next time you walk into a doctor’s office. show less

If you are already of the hyper-conscious sort who is happy to wash their hands until they bleed even when there isn’t a pandemic, this book will not comfort you. I thought, naively, that I would feel more knowledgeable and therefore feel more confident and in control of this whole covid thing (after all, isn’t knowledge power?) but alas, I now feel only justified in my life choices. The only change is that now I am terrified of chicken. Seriously, how is any of that chicken shit legal? show more In the words of my darling younger sister, “who let you read that!?” 5/5 would recommend except to my older sister [Allison seriously let me bear this burden for us]. show less

How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D. with Gene Stone might not actually offer immortality, but it does offer a way to live a longer, healthier, more active life. Greger presents the science behind why a plant-based diet promotes health as well as how the science is often manipulated by those with a vested interest in selling unhealthy products to consumers. He manages to inject the same sense of humor into his writing that viewers of his videos on nutritionfacts.org will immediately show more recognize. How Not to Die is a primer for understanding the effects of food on the body and why certain foods make us feel better while others make us feel worse. Greger delves into the research behind the diseases we associate with aging and why those diseases are diet related. He then goes on to discuss how changing one's diet changes one's health. He explains the science and how conclusive the studies are in an easy to digest manner. In the second half of How Not to Die, Greger discusses his "daily dozen" and how and why he incorporates them into his daily regimen. Throughout How Not to Die, Gregor tells the story of how he came to be so interested in the effect food has on the body. How Not to Die is a fascinating, informative read I wish everyone would read, so we can all take control of the aspects of our health we can control. show less

Absolute must-read for anyone who has suffered a chronic disease, or know somebody who has (I'd wager most of us do). A friend referred this book to me when my boyfriend and I started leaning more toward a plant-based lifestyle, and even though it took me a long time to get through it (wanted to soak up all the information in here), it was completely worth the read. Even my reading-averse boyfriend has been working on this book, as well. Both of us are healthcare providers, and we've both show more found the information immensely helpful.

Plenty of evidence-based information on the progression of chronic diseases (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression...just to name a few), what causes them, and how so much of it is based on diet. Most people don't think about food as a reason why these problems are so common here in the USA, and don't realize that doctors aren't given nearly enough training in nutrition. We're trained to think that pills and medication solve everything, never giving diet and lifestyle a second thought. In Part 2 of the book, he also talks about different food groups and his recommendations, plus a few recipes here and there.

I personally have adopted more of a plant-based diet to try and help my allergies and constant skin breakouts from eczema. I was a heavy meat and dairy eater for most of my life, and it didn't do my health any favors. Of course, I have to cook a lot more now, but I fell in love with it, and now enjoy creating vegan and plant-based dishes of anything, and everything. Granted, I am not 100% plant based, and still eat meat once or twice a week (mostly when I don't really have a choice). But overall I feel lighter, my skin has cleared, and now, in my 30s, I look and feel better than I did in my 20s. Now, working on slowly cutting oil out of my diet.

I have yet to download the Daily Dozen app, but will be doing that in the future. Also, his guidelines on red, green, and yellow light foods help to make good, conscious dietary choices. The way the book is written isn't boring, and almost reads like a novel. He injects a lot of his personal experiences into each chapter.

I will be referring my patients to this book, as well as Dr. Greger's website, NutritionFacts.org, or at least, those in more natural management of their conditions. Again, highly recommend this book for well, anyone and everyone, even if just to learn how to eat properly and the way that we're supposed to. You just might see a change in your health and overall well-being! show less